Login
May 11, 2011
Bit of Britain Road To The AEC Blogger Post 1
I, Alyssa Barrett, am a Junior Beginner Novice Rider and Competitor. My horse Sam I Am (AKA Sammy) and I have been together as a fantastic pair for one year, 14 days, 12 hours, and 58 minutes.
It has been a long journey, even though I just started competing at the Beginner Novice level. This year, my instructor told me I was ready to start seriously competing in USEA Recognized Horse Trials. This was the most excited I’d been this year.
Sammy and I started doing gallop sets and cross-country schoolings at Beginner Novice height, with some Novice/Training level questions. I also joined the Keeneland Pony Club for my second year and counting.
I took my D3 Pony Club Rating in April and visited the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event for the second or third time. This got me pumped for my eventing season! My first Horse Trial this year was Spring Bay H .T. in Area VIII. Dressage and stadium were fantastic! I had the best stadium round I had ever had! I walked the cross-country course three times. The first time I freaked out at this massive brush jump, a roll top going completely downhill, and the third to last jump which was a weird flowerbox.
As I was warming up for cross-country, with my lime green, purple, and blue gear, I started to calm down. Three....Two....One....Have a nice ride!!! I was off at a gallop, and there was no turning back now. First jump, fantastic!! Okay, the second, going uphill. He’s going to get really fast, but Sammy knew that I was nervous and hadn’t done this before, so he was excellent! Next thing I knew, I was crossing the finish line, feeling like I was about to pass out. Loosening Sammy's girth with the official pulling my pinny over my head giving me a "congrats!" and a pat on the back, I realized I had just completed my very first beginner novice and finished in fourth place!! I was halfway to Nutrena/USEA AEC!! My instructor, Sarah Kleintop, and I loaded up and went home after a long, hard day of cross-country. I went home, took a shower, and collapsed in bed. I knew this was the start of some amazing things to come. Just a matter of time...
Thanks for reading.
Interested in becoming a Bit of Britain Road to the AEC Blogger? Check out this post for more details and send your story and photos to [email protected]
Dec 23, 2024
Education
Saddle Fit Simplified
Eventers who are new to the sport may feel a little overwhelmed by the often-misunderstood world of saddle fitting. Riders are often bombarded with information from peers online or self-described experts, putting them at risk of following bad advice related to equipment that impacts horse welfare perhaps more than any other piece of tack. Finding a qualified expert to answer these questions is crucial. Who better to turn to than both a qualified Master Saddle Fitter and a fourth-generation saddle designer to answer some of these questions?
Dec 22, 2024
USEA Foundation
Top Tips for Applying for a USEA Foundation Grant
Did you know that the USEA Foundation awards over 150 grants each year to deserving individuals who are involved in the sport of eventing? With grants that assist riders with accomplishing their competition goals, grants geared toward licensed officials, grants that are specific to continuing education for coaches, grants that assist competitions with obtaining frangible technology, and so much more, there really is a grant opportunity available to almost anyone!
Dec 21, 2024
Education
3 Ways to Help Eventing Thrive in 2025
With the start of the New Year just days away, now is the time to consider how your actions can have a positive impact on the sport of eventing in 2025. Each and every member of the eventing community has an important role to play in ensuring the sport continues to grow and thrive. From fostering educational opportunities to supporting grassroots initiatives and participating at all levels of the sport, there are so many ways to get involved.
Dec 20, 2024
Sponsor
“Happy Horse Equals Happy Judge”: Ask An Expert with Dressage Judge Peter Gray, Brought to You by Ride iQ
Ride iQ’s popular “Ask An Expert” series features professional advice and tips from all areas of the horse industry. One of the most-downloaded episodes is an expert session with Peter Gray, an accomplished dressage judge and Olympic eventer. He has recently judged at events like the five-star at the Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event, and he served on the ground jury at the 2022 FEI World Eventing Championships in Pratoni, Italy. His background as a competitor in the Olympic Games riding for Bermuda and as a coach and selector for the Canadian eventing team adds depth to his understanding of the sport.
