The first time I rode him in September of 2004 I fell instantly in love. The fact that I couldn’t get him to canter more than once around the ring didn’t even cross my mind. He knew his job, but always made me work to get it right. From that day up until September 1, 2005, I had some of my best riding memories with him. He will always be known to me as my “first” horse. Dre saw me through my first—and only—time going off course at a show; my first Champion ribbon; my first three foot fence; my first overnight show (in Northampton), and most of all, my first time to the CHJA Medal Finals.
My first year showing in something more than cross-rails, or a Pre-children’s Division, was a great thing to go through on Dre. He was my teacher and safety net—always guaranteed to go over the fence, to stay calm when “scary” things were going on around him, and to do exactly what I asked him, when I asked him to do it.
But eventually the time came when the learning curve slowed, and it was getting difficult for him (he’s now twenty years old) to keep up the busy show schedule I was trying to keep. I was crushed when my trainer, Robin, told me that I would no longer be riding Dre and that I was to start trying out new horses right away. In my mind, no horse could do what Dre did for me. But the date was already set.
Robin set me up for trying out Belinda, another seventeen hand chestnut Hanoverian. I didn’t know much of her, other than that she was green and would need lots of work to finish off her training. It was hard to believe that I was getting to try her out to lease—she was one of the horses I thought I’d never get within a ten-foot radius of. The only people I had ever seen ride her were Sally, Erica, and Tracey Clark, three of Mystic Valley’s top notch riders.
Nerve-racking was the phrase to
best describe my first lesson on Belinda. She was the complete opposite of Dre, and
I felt as if I would never be able to ride that mare. She had so much
animation and suspension, not to mention a huge stride. Robin assured me it would
merely take time to adjust to her, and then it would all fall into place.
Although I trusted Robin’s judgment, a part of me was still apprehensive about
riding Belinda.Regardless of my thoughts, it turns out that Robin of course was right. About a month had passed after that first lesson, and we had successfully completed our first show and Belinda was fabulous. I could not have been more proud of her—we pinned Second Place on the flat! After my Medal Class, I got the best compliment anyone who rides a green horse can get—Robin told me she looked like a made horse—not the green baby she actually is. Somehow, that signified to me that it would all turn out okay.
It’s now been about two months since I started riding Belinda, and every day I love her and enjoy riding her more and more. But I could never have done it without Dre. He built up the confidence I was lacking in my riding and taught me many valuable skills I apply daily in my rides on Belinda. Despite my apprehension about switching horses, I’m glad I did it. Each horse taught me new skills and techniques—each in a very different way, yet both giving me the knowledge I need to carry on throughout this next show season with Belinda, as well as throughout a lifetime of riding.
So all in all, I have found out that change is not necessarily a bad thing. Although it can be difficult and frustrating at times, it’s well-worth every moment you spend regretting your choice to give up your previous horse. It’s best to think of this switch not as a loss, but as an advance—for it could lead you to your perfect horse, just as this change has done for me.