Lainey and Love Birds, Barney and Elmo
Who doesn’t have one? That old, sort of raggedy couch that perpetually smells like a wet dog and is covered in clean laundry and wraps to be rolled, boots that don’t match and spurs without a mate. Some days we end our day there, cleaning tack and hiding from one more minute out in the sun with the bugs or waiting for the vet, waiting for the farrier to finish, waiting for it to be cold enough to put blankets on. We lament over the things we miss on the weekends because of a horse show, or having to stay home from the show because our horse has a bounding digital pulse and is jogging up NQR two days before we leave. We talk about boyfriends and husbands and whether or not babies are more trouble than puppies. We whine to each other because there’s no chocolate anywhere in the whole barn and all the sweet tea is gone, and we celebrate the great dressage school we had that day, or that we finally jumped the big trekhener without getting nervous. We laugh and cry and gossip. Some things said on the tack room couch, should never leave the room, but this series is intended to get EN readers a personal look into the lives of riders and other horse professionals both in and out of the saddle. Casual and honest interviews, just like those familiar conversations you have on the tack room couch.
On the Tack Room Couch with Laine Ashker, four-star rider based in Central Virginia.
EHT: To say you’ve had an incredible season would be a bit of an understatement. From winning Millbrook Advanced to winning the AECs with Al is amazing. Not to mention the talented youngsters you have coming along. We at EN are unsure how it is you get to be such a rockstar, so we are here to find out. First and foremost, how do you spell your first name? Why does the Y seem optional?
LEA: (laughs) That’s a great question actually, funny story: So I was born and raised in California, and my name is Laine (pronounced Lane) Evion Ashker. Well, when I was a kid, a lot of the other kids on the bus, to make fun of me, named me Lame-O Laine. And so, that was kind of sad. So when I moved out East, I found that a lot of people had names like Mary Claire or Suzy Beth or whatever, and everyone started calling me Laine E, because it’s Laine Evion, so I added the “Y” at the end because I like the name Lainey. So my name is L-A-I-N-E and the Y is optional.
EHT: So the Y can be silent…
LEA: Yes, the Y is silent.
EHT: So take us through the horses in your barn right now. Who are they and what are they doing?
LEA: So number one is obviously Al, Anthony Patch. He’s a 1999 OTTB–I’ve had him since he was a four year old. He came off the West Virginia Charlestown race track and the breeder is Tom Swales out of New Jersey. Al’s had a great season thus far, and I was hoping to get the grant to go to Pau, but that didn’t work out, and probably for the better, because I’m saving his legs and he’ll start back up in Florida next year and hopefully go kick some butt at Rolex–with the WEG obviously being in mind.
Then, I have Raptor Force “Rappy,” which started out as a sale horse–well, he’s still a sale horse, he’s another OTTB. My mom would kill me for saying this, but I’m not in a huge hurry to sell him because I think he can be an upper-level horse. He will be much more competitive in a few years. His dressage is going to take longer to produce.
EHT: (interrupts) He’s MINE.
LEA: Ha ha, he’s as cute and as talented thankfully as he looks, and he’s a six year old raced and bred by Rhoda Marsh out in California. My mom found him, he’s only been competing a year and he’s done six double clear prelims, so he’s moved up quite a bit. He’s going to do Maryland this weekend and I was originally going to do the 1* this fall, but I said you know what? His flat needs some work and he had 26 starts on the track so he’s not really had a break yet so we are going to give him a longer break to get to be a horse.
Then I’ve got another one called Judgemental, we call her “Pinto Bean” and she’s owned by Sarah Greenway. She is one of my warmbloods, she’s Dutch/TB and she’s by Judgement, and she’s doing training, hoping to move up to prelim, very talented, quirky little mare, and she’s spotted so that’s fun and adds a little flair!
Then there’s my awesome Andalusian dressage horse Santiago del Escarvido aka “Diego” “Fuegs” “el Fuego” etc who competes at 4th level with hopes of Prix Saint George next year and qualifying for Devon!
And I’ve got my prized possession, Calling all Comets, who’s our homebred. He’s a four year old, so my mom sent him out to me in late June and he already did his first training level double clear, at Richland of all places, so that was his fourth event ever. He has the rest of the year off to be a baby and just do flatwork. He’s super exciting and it’s really special that we bred a thoroughbred and he’s Jockey Club registered and we just love him. He’s got the warmblood movement, he’s a brat on the ground, a total brat, but it works for us because he’s a bit cocky and he’s the total package. He’s going to be the next one to fill Al’s shoes. I’m really excited about him.
I’m also competing Lauren Sherill’s, who’s my working student/groom/right hand person/right arm/everything, mare called Time of my Life, another OTTB. She’s a six year old with hopes of moving up to prelim soon. We are just getting some experience under her belt, while Lauren gets some experience too on one of my horses I competed called Jolly Good Sport, who Plain Dealing had, and he competed prelim last year. We are also currently training to maintain our title in the PRO bareback jumping at Fair Hill. We had our first practice today and I almost fell off at the trot. So that was good. I was like, “Oh, we’re off to a great start, let’s just go to canter.” (laughs)
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