Gaby & Mystic in Dressage
Name: Gaby Stephens
Age: 15
Hometown: Liberty Hill, Texas (30 minutes outside of Austin)
Horse: Glenlord’s Mystique, “Mystic” 6 year old ISH/Arab mix, bay mare, 16 hands
Level of Competition: Training Level
How did you get started in Eventing? “When I was about eleven, I got the chance to go cross country schooling at a local place called Indian Creek on my pony. I was immediately hooked. It was Eventing from there on out.”
“I got Mystic when she was 14 months old, and I was pretty young too. My best friend’s mother bred her, and they fell on hard times and we had the chance to get her very young. I did send her away for 30 days to get backed when she was young, but other than that I’ve done pretty much all of the work on her from the ground up. When she was just starting, we weren’t sure she was going to be able to jump worth anything; she was so much like an Arab physically and mentally. She was spooky and weird about everything. So, I went into Dressage with her to teach her the basics about her body and her mind.”
“But, we both got bored, so we went back to Eventing. When she was four, she hit this wall where she wouldn’t go over certain cross country jumps, and I was so young that I wasn’t in a position to make her do anything. So then, we went back to Dressage. We did pretty well, and we were the 2011 Training Level champions for Region 9. I decided after that to send her away to a more competent Eventer, and after a few months, she was over her fear of cross country jumps. We still compete in recognized Dressage, though. ”
Recent Accomplishments? “Mystic and I were the Area V 2011 YEH Champions for 4 year olds, we are the Area V 2012 YEH 5 year old champions. We also won the 2012 Houtson Dressage Society’s Junior Training level Championship for USDF Shows.”
“This isn’t actually something that I tell a lot of people, and I usually don’t even tell coaches until I know them well. I prefer not to be judged on my disability, but rather my riding ability on it’s own. I really do only have one eye. I was born with a congenital cataract, and it went undiagnosed until I was 12 months old, so at that point, my brain had already shut down that side of my sight. It was really difficult when I was younger, but I’ve learned ways to compensate. I can’t see the right side of the arena in Dressage, and seeing my distance to jumps is difficult, because my depth perception is poor. Mystic saves my butt a lot, and I love her because she helps me make up for my shortcomings.”
Favorite Thing About Eventing? “I just love the adrenaline rush, my favorite phase is obviously the cross country. When I’m out there on course, I can’t hear anything, it’s just me and my horse and we are soaring over jumps. I have a dressage friend, and she thinks I’m insane, but how could you live without that adrenaline pumping through your veins?”
Plans for the Future? “I’ve only done a few Training level events with Mystic, so this year I’m going to focus on getting more mileage at that level. I’m hoping to move up to Preliminary in the fall. Next year I want to qualify for NAJYRC at the CCI* level. I want to see how far Mystic can go, but I suppose when she reaches her max, I will find another horse and bring it up through the levels. I’ve always had a dream to go to the Olympics, ever since I was a little girl. I want to go to college, and then work for some really good riders and learn that way.”
