In compiling the results of the 2011 EN Census, we found many supportive parents of eventers. Which made us think: we would love to hear from you! We certainly wouldn’t be where we are today without our wonderful moms and dads. It would be great to share the Parent’s Perspective here on Eventing Nation. If you have thoughts or experiences to share, please send them to [email protected] with “Parent” in the title.
Here is the first email submission, sent in by Georgia Stubington.
Lucca Stubington and Kilminchy Condor. Photo used with permission.
Hi,
This is my take on “a parent’s perspective.” My daughter, Lucca, is 15 and has represented Ireland for the last two year’s on the Junior team and, I think, is the only Irish rider to compete at the Pony Europeans (dressage) and Junior Europeans (eventing) in the same year, 2010.
1. It has to be fun! Why else would we do it? Laugh at every available opportunity (particularly when Mum trips over the lunge line and barks her shin on the tack trunk). Laugh when it goes well and laugh when it goes wrong!
2. Praise first, middle and last. It’s the same as training the horse if you demand, you must reward. The first thing you say to your child after the test or round must be positive. You will be amazed how the problems/errors will come up in conversation later, maybe on the drive home, when you can have a bit of a post mortem.
3. Get involved with event organisation. My goodness how your child will appreciate things when they have had to sit and judge a fence or pick up the dressage rings. We can’t all take, we have to give too.
4. Teach your child to appreciate the landowners, organisers and officials. A “thank you” at the end of the day goes a million miles.
5. Try your best to mount your child to the best of your ability. If the horse doesn’t get the forearm and shoulder out of the way quickly when jumping or is a bit slow thinking, its your turn to think again.
Here endeth the lesson!
Georgia Stubington
