I’m sore. I’m mad. I’m embarrassed.

In the sport of the eventing I know there are highs and lows. Although I guess it did not expect to hit a low (or the ground) at a schooling day in front of four students, two pony clubs, and our resident photographer.

The footing was perfect. The weather was a beautiful 73 degrees and sunny at Queeny Park in St. Louis. I had brought my up-and-coming 6-year-old Thoroughbred to work on some of the Training level questions, along with a handful of students who wanted to practice their levels before the upcoming horse trials. My young horse is bold and opinionated, and forgets to listen sometimes when he gets on course. But he has been to Queeny Park many times and stays relatively relaxed there, so I figured it would be a great day to show my students how it’s done.

From the get-go the day started out rough. While lifting the electric scooter out of the trailer for our photographer to use, it got stuck. It’s pretty heavy, so I gave it one final TUG to set it free, where I managed to pull the seat off of it and punch myself in the face with it!  My adult pony clubber/photographer was just walking up to witness this misfortune. Laugh it off, it’ll be a good day, I thought as my jaw throbbed.

Then, as one of my students was tacking up a lesson horse, she asked where I had put the bridle and girth. My heart sank. I realized I forgot to bring it! In my haste to pack the trailer, I left it hanging in the tack room! Thank goodness one of the other students met us there with her own trailer, as she had just come from a show. She happened to have spare tack, same bit and everything, that fit perfectly. Our lesson horse got to wear fancy show tack at the schooling day and was the best dressed all day! People forget things, it’s OK, we made it work!

We hacked about a mile or so to get to the first set of questions that we were going to tackle for the day. A couple of coops, logs, and a smaller bank complex. We started by walking up the small bank and over the grass. Then let’s trot up the slightly larger bank. Easy peasy. Even the less experienced students were having a great time.

“I’m going to do the larger up bank, three stride, to the down bank, before we move on to the next set of questions,” I said. I would show them how to ride it. “Your shoulders are the most important piece. Use a longer rein on the drop, let your horse use his head and neck for balance, shoulders back and look at the horizon!” I’ve done these banks a million times and do a 5’6” drop with my upper level OTTB.

I started by trotting towards it, but my over-enthusiastic thoroughbred decided we need to canter. No big deal, I’ll slow him down before the drop. Now mind you I have a very bad habit of looking down over drops. I have built drops at my farm specifically it to practice this issue. I just can’t help myself. So when he got going too fast, and I couldn’t get him slow down for the drop, my poor instincts kicked in. Surely I should lean over and look down!

Photo by RL Boston.

I know this is wrong. I can’t stop myself. My shoulders dipped forward. I know this is also wrong. So when this eager young horse launched himself into the abyss, and “bam” … landed hard on the flat ground, then lurched forward with a commanding canter stride, I crumpled right off the side of him. I was STILL looking down. The whiplash I felt through my body was minimal compared to that of my self confidence.

Photo by RL Boston.

The good thing is he did not run off, so I did not have to chase after a young Thoroughbred in the middle of a 200-acre cross country course. However, I knew when I hit the ground that I had an audience. I heard a crunch when I hit the ground. Was that my neck or my pride? My students were silent. Pony clubbers and their parents were silent. The photographer had stopped clicking. I am supposed to instill confidence in them, not come flying off my green horse. I popped up like a gopher, trying to laugh and smile.

“I’m okay, I’m okay, let me get back on and do that again.” (laughs uncomfortably) I explained to my students that that is NOT how you were supposed to ride that. “You should actually look at the horizon, not look down. Now we can all learn from what I did wrong!” In my heart I was devastated. How can they look to me for guidance when I come flying off at a simple bank complex? Will they be nervous now the rest of the schooling day because their trainer fell?

These are the highs and lows of eventing. No, I didn’t fall off at the Head of the Lake at Rolex. I did not forget my dressage test at Badminton. As strange as it sounds, while I never wish for upper level riders to have a fall, a run out, or make a mistake, I take some comfort in the fact that those four-star riders are in fact, human. I’m human too. I made a mistake. Time to get back on. Pick my chin up. Try again. And be certain to not look down! Because as low as this sport can make you feel, I’ll take that any day if I get to experience the high of leaving that starting box one more time.

“3, 2, 1 … Have a good ride!”

Photo courtesy of Amy Nelson.

How do I fix a problem horse? Don’t be dictator. Be a cheerleader!

“My horse keeps refusing jumps. In fact now he won’t even go over a pole on the ground.”

What do you do when he refuses?

I squeeze harder, or tap him with the whip. Then what do you do when he jumps it? Nothing, he’s supposed to do that!

“My horse tramples me when I’m leading him and he has no manners.”

What do you do when he acts up? I give a tug on the lead rope. I scold him and tell him no. What do you do when he walks nicely? And he behaves? Nothing, he’s supposed to do that!

Is he?? They do that because we teach them to do that for us. But I’m pretty sure in the wild there are not horses standing quietly and cross ties, loading themselves in trailers, or teaching themselves nice canter transitions.

The best way to fix a lot of these problems is celebrate every single little victory. Your future jumper walked over a ground pole? Give him a big pat: “You’re the best horse in the world! You’re going to the Olympics! Good boy!!” Step up to crossrail … “Good boy! Best horse in the world!” Build their confidence as you build the task.

Your problem horse stopped when you asked him to … from a walk? “Good boy, you’re the best horse in the world!” Don’t take the simple things for granted. As someone who deals with these so-called problem horses and young horses on a daily basis I can tell you from experience that there are many horses that will not stop when you ask. They will not walk over ground pole. They will not simply walk when you ask him to walk. Do not take this for granted.

Think of your horse like a cat. A 1,200-pound somewhat aloof animal that may or may not want to play today. If they are interested, confident, and trust you, they can do anything.

When you’re training, celebrate every correct answer they give you – they will remember! That halt from a walk will become your halt X, salute, at your next event. That ground pole will turn into a Prelim trakehner.

Teach them to BELIEVE that they can jump the moon and in the eventually they will.

Amy Nelson has been riding hunter/jumpers and eventers for 25 years and is based in Rochester, IL.  She retrains OTTBs, problem horses, and trains eventers at her own show barn, Hummingbird Stables.  She competes with OTTBs in upper level eventing, has qualified for the AECs at many levels, and has competed in the RRP Thoroughbred Makeover.  Her goals are to compete at the one-star level this year, and eventually four-star. You can follow Amy on Facebook here and on Instagram at @amynelsoneventer. Check out more of her “Eventing Shorts” on EN’s Blogger’s Row. 

Photo courtesy of Amy Nelson.

They say that is eventing is the horse sport for the criminally insane. While it is true that we gallop a 1,200 pound animal, with poor depth-perception, at solid objects in hopes that they jump them, oddly enough this is not our only affliction as eventers. Many of us suffer from a whole host of crazy, outlined below. If you have any of these ailments, sadly, there is no cure.

Equus Selectus OCD – Every one of my 27 bridles are all in order, neatly wrapped, cleaned daily, and hung in order of color and which horse they belong to. In the house, I live out of a laundry basket, that has been sitting on my floor for three months. Sometimes I go to the hamper and grab an outfit, after the “smell check,” because honestly it’s just going to get filthy anyway. You cannot switch halters. My horse has a halter. It is his. Do not use it on another horse. It’s my horse’s halter. But can I borrow your deodorant and hairbrush? I forgot mine.

Equus Selectus Germaphobia – Similar to the OCD but more related to germs. I just cleaned 15 stalls and picked my horse’s feet. I’ll eat this sandwich and not wash my hands. But I’ll hide my hand in my sleeve to open the door of a public restroom. Why? People are gross.

Fanatic Foodie – My horse will get a mix of high-fat, high-protein feed, beet pulp, supplements, and salt. I will eat a peanut butter and pickle sandwich in half of a bun that I just dropped on the ground at a horse show.

Animal Amnesia – So many times people say hi to me at an event. I respond with, “Hey YOU!” Because I have no idea what that person’s name is. I can tell you she rides the 6 year old grey named Sensible Spartacus Kitten Fluff but is her name Sally or Jennifer? I have no clue.

Anti-Social Socialite – Eventers are totally inept in social settings. My entire social media is littered with horses, pictures of horses, videos of horses, talks about horses, horse tack, and horse trailers. Speaking with one of my students about this topic (which involved horses), she admitted to actually practicing for social settings by writing down topics that normal people discuss throughout the week. Things that she sees in the news, current events, etc. She puts these on flash cards and studies them so that when she has a social setting for her job, she does not seem like a total equine-weirdo-outcast.

This seems like a lot of work, but worth it in certain situations. But to be honest I would rather just put my sweatpants on at 7 p.m., and relax while looking at pictures of horses, horse tack, horse videos, maybe watching a horse movie or looking at the virtual course walk of my next event. Horse, horse, horse.

Conversationally Challenged – I had whole conversation last week with a client’s horse. My client walked up. “Oh I thought you were on the phone!”
“Ha ha. No,” I said. “I don’t use my phone for calls. I’d have to talk to people that way. I only text. I was talking to him (points at horse).”

If you suffer from any of these afflictions, don’t bother calling a doctor. There is no cure. But eventing really is the best medicine.

Rebecca and HS Roll Call. Photo courtesy of Clayton Mason.

So often when riders want to get into eventing they do so because they see how exciting it is. They watched the top riders gallop around a four-star course on TV or at Rolex. “I want to do that!” they say. But you don’t start at the top.

The reality is when you get into eventing you aren’t galloping full speed. You aren’t doing a three-mile cross country course, with a 6’7” drop into water. You are jumping small, manageable fences at an easy canter, trotting small banks and simple water crossings. Don’t buy that top level event horse you see online. You don’t need “Flashy Young Prospect” to get started.

While he may not be as exciting, with his wooly coat and bare feet, you need a level-headed, steady Eddie horse that will be brave and safe. He does not have to be the best mover in dressage. He does not have to have the scope to go four-star. He needs to have a brain and not be spooky on a trail.

That is why I recommend “This Old Trail Horse.” An older trail horse has the experience of an event horse and all you have to do is teach him to jump. Chances are he’s already walked or trotted over logs and through water, and gone and up and down hills. It’s an easy transition to get him to jump.

Let’s look at Gus Gus. We bought him as a project for $1. He was standing in a pasture at an older couple’s home and they could no longer take care of him. He was a 15 year old trail horse who needed a job. We fattened him up, got him some routine vet care and pointed him at jumps. He took to it like a fish to water.

Eventually, my student Rebecca (an adult rider wanting to try eventing for the first time) bought him. She has put lots of time and miles into perfecting his dressage and jumping, but she wanted something that would be safe and easy to motor around a cross country course. Her goals do not include going four-star, but having fun, being competitive, and learning the lower levels.

Gus Gus has shown under the name HS Roll Call, and starting with his (and her) very first event, they have always been in the ribbons. They plan to go Beginner Novice this year, and as it turns out, he has the scope to go higher! Not bad for a 14.1-hand POA-looking grade pony who was a fuzzy teddy bear pasture pet.

Even a young rider who is looking to get to the top of the sport should consider “This Old Trail Horse” to get them started. I can give countless examples of similar horses who have come through our farm and took on this job. They are quiet, safe, easy-to-manage mounts who easily pick up their feet over a fence. The riders learn the sport without having to a handle a hot, young horse while they do it.

Low-level eventers don’t have to cost a fortune, but the experience they give their rider is priceless.

Amy Nelson has been riding hunter/jumpers and eventers for 25 years and is based in Rochester, IL.  She retrains OTTBs, problem horses, and trains eventers at her own show barn, Hummingbird Stables.  She competes with OTTBs in upper level eventing, has qualified for the AECs at many levels, and has competed in the RRP Thoroughbred Makeover.  Her goals are to compete at the one-star level this year, and eventually four-star. You can follow Amy on Facebook here and on Instagram at @amynelsoneventer. Check out more of her “Eventing Shorts” on EN’s Blogger’s Row. 

Photo courtesy of Amy Nelson.

As Macklemore says: “a little bit of humble, a little bit of cautious.”

Quoting rap lyrics for a reason. Stay humble. If you know everything already, go home.

Don’t take the lesson. Don’t ride in the clinic. Sure as hell don’t cry. Lessons are humbling. I’ve ridden with Mr. George Morris, Mr. Peter Trappmann, Mr. Grand Prix/Ms. Dressage-Event pro. Every time I come out humbled, but never defeated. I don’t make excuses like “my horse” this, “my equipment” that, “this never happens at home,” etc. etc. etc. … STOP.

Did you ride in the lesson for them to lie to you and say you’re amazing and brag to all your friends how perfect you are? Or did you ride to learn? To improve? To grow? Save your tears for the truck on the drive home.

Everyone struggles. I can tell you it was a shock — SHOCK I SAY — when I discovered that I wasn’t the perfect rider and didn’t know everything already! And it’s tough to find this out in front of an audience. But I didn’t pout. I didn’t blame the trainer (surely that Olympian doesn’t know as much as Susie Q Eventer!!). I didn’t quit and go home.

I’m a trainer and I have trainers. My trainers have trainers. Their trainer’s trainers still train.

The more I know about this sport, the more I realize I don’t know. Stay humble. Learn something. Or go home and give advice on the Internet to others who can’t cut it either.

Amy Nelson has been riding hunter/jumpers and eventers for 25 years and is based in Rochester, IL.  She retrains OTTBs, problem horses, and trains eventers at her own show barn, Hummingbird Stables.  She competes with OTTBs in upper level eventing, has qualified for the AECs at many levels, and has competed in the RRP Thoroughbred Makeover.  Her goals are to compete at the one-star level this year, and eventually four-star. You can follow Amy on Facebook here and on Instagram at @amynelsoneventer.

Photo courtesy of Amy Nelson.

Riding a horse is like breaking into a safe. Just “Listen for the clicks.”

“How do I get him in a frame?” “How do I get him balanced?” “How do you know what a horse already knows?”

I listen. I feel it. They tell me. There’s no simple “Do XYZ” answer in any of this. I guess as a horse trainer I’d consider myself a safe-cracker. Have you ever seen a movie where a criminal breaks into a safe by listening to it with his ear up to the padlock? He turns the dial until he hears the pin drop in when he’s on the correct number. Then he turns and listens for the next number, and so on.

Maybe your leg falls in a different spot, or my legs are stronger, or you sit more upright.

Every rider is DIFFERENT. Every horse is different. There’s no set exact way to get these results.

The more you practice, the more you FEEL your horse and pay attention to what you do to get a certain result, the easier it will be to break into the safe.

As a coach I tell my students I will tell you when the safe if wide open. It’s your job to listen for the clicks.

Amy Nelson has been riding hunter/jumpers and eventers for 25 years and is based in Rochester, IL.  She retrains OTTBs, problem horses, and trains eventers at her own show barn, Hummingbird Stables.  She competes with OTTBs in upper level eventing, has qualified for the AECs at many levels, and has competed in the RRP Thoroughbred Makeover.  Her goals are to compete at the one-star level this year, and eventually four-star. You can follow Amy on Facebook here and on Instagram at @amynelsoneventer.

Photo courtesy of Amy Nelson.

Everything I need to know about self carriage and jumping I learned in college.

Well … not really.

But every week riders struggle with releasing their horse over a fence. They are worried that he’s going to speed up. Or take off. The fix will not be made over a fence but how they ride on the flat.

Don’t get me wrong, I am a complete control freak OCD rider just like you. If you didn’t care as much you would have a cat or a dog. But because we are all overachiever control freaks we have horses. The key is on the flat, allowing your horse to have moments of freedom. Even a fast, forward, young horse needs a couple of strides where you release him on the flat and allow him to try to carry himself. This self carriage will translate to jumping.

So what does this have to do with college? If you grew up in a very strict home or you didn’t have a whole lot of freedom and your parents guided everything you did, and then you went to college … wooooooo party! You would go a little wild! You finally had freedom and you didn’t know how to handle it because you weren’t allowed small bits of freedom leading up to it. The jump = college.

If you don’t allow your horse little bits of freedom and responsibility on the flat, if you don’t trust them enough to carry themselves for a stride or two (which can become 10 and 20 in the future), then the second you release them over a fence they’re going to go wild! Even though it’s inevitable that they will fall out of balance or speed up or make a mistake on the flat you have to allow them to try. The few strides of self carriage will turn into many as they practice. But if you are always holding them in a speed or in a frame they will never learn to do it for themselves. Then they will go to “college.”

If my parents are reading this right now this has nothing to do with me. I was a saint.

Amy Nelson has been riding hunter/jumpers and eventers for 25 years and is based in Rochester, IL.  She retrains OTTBs, problem horses, and trains eventers at her own show barn, Hummingbird Stables.  She competes with OTTBs in upper level eventing, has qualified for the AECs at many levels, and has competed in the RRP Thoroughbred Makeover.  Her goals are to compete at the one-star level this year, and eventually four-star. You can follow Amy on Facebook here and on Instagram at @amynelsoneventer.