Annika Kostrubala sent us this heartfelt piece about Amy Barrington. Amy is an incredible person, and we send our thoughts and prayers to her and her family as she heals. Thanks so much to Annika for sharing her stories of Amy with the rest of us. Go Amy.
Amy Barrington helps a student at FENCE Horse Trials. Photo by Leslie Wylie.
From Annika:
There are times that we need to rally around those that we consider inspirational and look up to. This is one of those times. Amy Barrington, as everyone knows, sustained a fall this week at home in her ring doing what she does best — working with her horses. Of course, we don’t know details, but what I know is that Amy, her husband and son deserve all of our support in whatever way we can give it.
Amy is known to a lot of people, but is not one of the mega-big names in the sport. So, I thought I might share with those that don’t know Amy some of what I know about her and admire about her, as well as how she has helped me along my way as a rider. I also want to share what I know about the Tryon community and how wonderful that particular group of people are.
Amy worked out of a farm about a mile away from where my place was in Tryon. I would hack quietly past (or sometimes, not so quietly, depending on who I was riding …) her farm and look at all the jumps in her ring and think “cool.” I am not the most courageous person, but finally got up the guts to ask about lessons. Amy’s smile was welcoming, and so it began with my three very different horses. Each lesson was tailored to each horse; each exercise brought out the best in the horse and often times, the worst in me.
Amy never blamed the horse; she just always wanted to make me better so I could be better for them. Even on my Hell-Bitch mare — and bitch begins with “Bi”- as it did take two to make up that partnership, and I am not sure WHO was more miserable — Amy remained patient and always “horse friendly.” I never had a lesson where I walked away thinking that the horse was the problem, only that I had a lot to learn, and that the journey was what it was about.
My uber-talented yet very “sensitive” prelim boy would often scoff at the exercises, but Amy pushed us past that and continued to tell me that I was on the right side of the bridle. Despite my adoration of his bay head, he did actually have to occasionally listen to me and my plans for our ride and not control the show all the time. Lessons were fun; I made lifetime friends, and always learned a lot and laughed even more.
At shows, even when I was at my absolute worst — which was quite often, as I thought that I could handle three horses at three levels alone and six hours away from home several times — Amy would cheerfully be there, running to try any help me take a breath before whatever phase I was entering. How she ended up being there for almost every one of my rides I have no idea, as everyone wanted a bit of Amy’s time. But she was, always dressed in a long sleeve shirt, never on anything with wheels at that point, because, well, that was how people got “big butts.”
My best memory of Amy at a show however, is a bit embarrassing. In order to introduce those that don’t know Amy — and to have those that do know Amy nod and smile — I will share at the expense of myself. Imagine a poorly timed female moment on the third horse of the day — who happens to the aforementioned Hell-Bitch chestnut mare — and you’ve not changed out of your white breeches and you’re 10 minutes away from “have a good ride!” Amy told me to try and stay out of the saddle as much as possible to save the leather, tore her windbreaker off and tied it around my waist just before the countdown began. Get the picture? Not pretty, but we went clean — well, kind of. That is Amy; get it done, and you’ll be fine.
One of the best things about Tryon, however, is how the horse professionals work together. Amy often opened up her ring to other professionals to work and teach out of and often would point me in that direction for “new ideas and ways to think about your dressage and jumping.”
Beth Perkins and Amy work together, often helping each other’s students at shows, in lessons and in whatever way they can. Beth has been at the hospital with Amy and has provided updates to EN. The sense that there is such community in Tryon and that everyone is part of that community is what I miss most about eventing; we are indeed the best community of which I have ever had the joy and honor to be considered a member.
Last year, I was lucky enough to be in Tyron for the year before my move to Wyoming. Horses have taken a back seat for me, with my new career and trying to balance everything. Again, I remind everyone this is not my forte — this balance thing. I would drive down the road towards Amy’s and see her hacking some horse down the road, alone with her loyal dogs following. It made me look forward to riding again in lessons, going to shows and laughing.
Amy does horses for the love of the horse. I don’t think Amy could do anything but horses. She honestly loves them, their quirks and individuality, and she loves teaching. But it’s not an easy world — this professional horse world/training/teaching thing — and what has happened to Amy is a risk we all take every time that we enter an arena, barn or pasture. We take it because we have to in order to do what is in our heart, and I dare think at times, our DNA.
Amy does not come from a typical horsey background with money to spare, but Amy is one of the hardest working, most devoted professionals out there. This is one of those very real, important times to reach out in what ever way we can to support a woman who I assure you would support you in whatever way she could. Go Amy.
For more information on how to help Amy and her family during this difficult time, please visit the Amy Barrington Recovery Page on Facebook.
