I started riding when I was 8... I rode with Judy Cross from Northern Maine Riding Adventures. Where I learned centered riding and got my firm seat beat into me by several lesson ponies. I stayed there long enough to learn how to trot.
My 4-H group went to a small horse farm, Infinity Farm, one week for a camp. I learned more in one day than I had in an entire year anywhere else. I fell in love with my lesson pony, and my Instructor Gail McCormack. I learned to post the trot, canter, and jump in a week. I was living a little girl dream. Moving on.. When I was 11 I got my first horse, an Arab/Qh who was 18 and had seen it all. He taught me so much. I boarded him at Gail's until my barn was built. Then I made the biggest mistake of my entire like at the time... I took him home. For 4 years I had a few yearly lessons, and I lost so much time... wasting it on becoming an average teenager. One day my sweet boy was sold... because my parents decided I lost all interest. For 6 months I did nothing horse related. Then a spark came back, and I returned to Infinity Farm for lessons. I was riding for fun... not looking at anything serious as I had missed out on years I could have been eventing and showing, and moving up the levels. I gave up on any dreams I had of owning another horse and getting back to where I left off. Then I became re-acquainted with a good friend from Gail's. Ashley Shaffer, now my best friend, seemed to open a new door for me. One that said "Come in, the horse world is waiting." I jumped in. I rode two of her horses she had for sale, one a fantastic pony, Dreamer, who moved like a warmblood and jumped everything, and a smaller pony, Ella, who really didn't seem like much. Dreamer didn't fit me, but oddly Ella and me got along fine. I didn't thin much of her, she was cute but I wasn't sure about the match. I rode every weekend with Ashley... only Ella. Before a month was over me and her were stuck like glue. Ashley's mother, Kim, offered her to me for 500. I didn't have any money, and neither did my parents. But I soon got a job at Gail's, which was now a large facility, doing chores on weekends. I was making 200 a month doing this so I could pay off Ella in a short amount of time.
After a long winter of working and getting lessons at Gail's Ella was mine. But I'd never worked with a green horse before, I'd never evented before. With help from the Shaffer's and Gail, I went from a hollowback chair legged rider to a rider who was capable of going Novice. Ella transformed from a tiny pony to a 14 hand mini warmblood. Everyday that summer I rode, we worked, we trained, we didn't waste a second.
Our first year eventing we did 5 events, and 2 equitation shows.
MeCTA- Elementary, no year end award.
Four 2-phases, 3rd, 3rd, 3rd, 4th, 5th.
Me being a perfectionist thought we did horrible but looking back on it... I was riding a horse not even under saddle a year, in a dressage saddle that didn't fit, and a childs jumping saddle.
We pushed the limits, we gave our first year our all. Ella's dressage has improved so much, I wouldn't hesitate in doing Level 1 this year. Her jumping has always been perfection that horse would jump the moon if I asked. She'll run a million XCountry courses in a day.
We went from a pair that was so alike that we constantly fought, a pony so difficult it was a miracle I could ride her, and a rider so naive, to a pair so in sync we know each others thoughts. I look back now, I got her exactly a year and one month ago... my life has never been more complete. I feel like I didn't miss a year of riding. And... I bet your horse can't lengthen their trot like mine can ;]
We're both fighters, we don't give up or give in(When Ella was in the beginning of being trained she attacked Ashley and Gail). We give it our all and more. Ella is me, and I am Ella.
I'll never find a partner like her ever again in my lifetime, so we're going to knock'em dead while we can.
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