My Mom’s First Cross Country Schooling Ever

Photo by Mallory Stiver.

I feel like the moms of eventing do not nearly get enough recognition for everything they do. For over 10 years now, my mom has been me and my sister’s biggest supporter in all of our eventing endeavors. She has never, ever missed an event and even drove over 10 hours in the middle of the night to make it in time for my 7:45 a.m. ride time at my first Intermediate cross country round.

She goes to every lesson she can, films us at every cross country schooling and show (even if sometimes she films the wrong person), consoles us after a rough ride, “wooh’s” at the end of every final halt/salute, buys us things for us and our horses on a whim just because she feels like it (even though she doesn’t have to). She picks our stalls at shows and shines our boots when we get on to ride, and she was the first person I saw when I crossed the finish line at my first CCI*, with tears of joy in her eyes and immediately getting to work helping me sponge my horse off.

Horse show mom extraordinaire:

Despite all of this, I know my mom has wanted nothing more than to be out there doing it herself along with us. This past weekend, at 60 years old, she got to do her first every cross country schooling ever. On my sister’s Training level horse, she schooled up to Novice like she has been doing it her entire life. She was cool as a cucumber and had nerves of steel.

I am excited to say that after that taste of cross country, she is now entered in her very first Beginner Novice event at Windermere Run H.T. six weeks from now and started boot camp on my sister’s horse. I can’t wait to be her groom, shine her boots, woo for her after dressage, and return the love that she has given us for so many years. One thing I know is for sure: she will have the BIGGEST and loudest cheering section out on that cross country course. She is proof that you are never too old to quit chasing your dreams, and eventing was truly made for EVERYONE!