Photo by Michelle Shea
Your Name: Brenda
Age:42
Location:Marston NC
Primary horse’s name:Waps Chocolate Moose
Age, breed, pertinent info: Appaloosa
Level currently competing:Beginner Novice/Novice
Short term goals this spring/summer: Getting out there! Competing at Carolina Horse Park 5 out of the 9 shows on thier calender & exposing my horses to different venues and/or schooling shows and clinics.
Year-end goals: To look back and say I finally did it! Not just one event but my calender was very busy with preparing and accomplishing actually doing it!. I plan to name 3 things my horse progressed at and I am pleased with. Edifying the good my your horse and myself is key to a better mindset for our future goals. Make my goals for next year early and keep them on my fridge to see every day.
Overall goals? Making a commitment to expanding my horizons and riding with several different trainers in my area. Trying to access as much knowledge and tid bits from others experience and gleen what I can that applies to me and my horse.
What’s the best thing you’ve learned recently? Recently I learned that just because I bred, raised and trained my horses from the ground up, doesnt mean they dont have issues. I have two horses that are just that, now 6 & 7 but ready to get there and compete. Even after exposing them off farm to local show circuits, clinics and riding at an indoor all their lives, they may be beyond my current ability. So here I am finally doing what I love with the horses I have nutured and trained, then realize that I am older and cannot ride like I used to. That is a hard pill to swallow… and the lead into “what is my weakness?”, being emotionally connected to my horses that I may have a personality conflict with. They may just not be the right horse for me. Therefore learning to let go and move on is the toughest lesson.
Favorite eventing moment/story? My friend Joyce and I went to the 09 ROLEX and we enjoyed every minute. You finally get to see these riders face to face and realize that their horses have off days too, and more than anyone realizes from watching these events on TV. Alot of horses at this level not halting in dressage, or blowing the canter and rearing in their test, even a horse died on cross country that day was so real. The most amazing thing to witness was a 66 year old man, Bruce Davidson riding his 18 year old gelding and still competing at this level. That is what its all about! Witnessing that gave me the courage to continue on my path in this sport, because apparently being 42 is nothing!
Link to blog or website, if applicable: http://birchridge.blogspot.
Thank you for the opportunity to share my story, I have waited my whole life to compete in this sport. I am a photographer and my assistant took these pictures of me riding.
Photo by Michelle Shea
