LoginBy: Mariah Coogan, 13-year-old USEA member from Sonoma County, California. She’s been riding since she was a small child, but only eventing for the past few years. Coogan rides at the Santa Rosa Equestrian Center, and started out at the European Pony School training with Nora Peterson. Coogan and her horse Dancin’ With Dynamite (a.k.a. “Dakota”), a 16.2, 13-year-old Hanoverian gelding who enjoys the hunter/jumper world as well as dressage shows, are currently competing in beginner novice divisions.
(Photos by Katie Franchini)
This is a story about the my first cross country experience ever at the Summer Moon Horse Trials near Sacramento, California.I love this sport and this is how I can express it.
“Lets walk over to the stating box,” Nora said. We started to walk over to the box. Nora starts to talk to me about what to do if something happens that you don’t want to happen. She is also saying good luck and have a good ride. My stomach was turning all around and upside down. This was my first event ever. I was so nervous. I had no idea what to expect.“351, your next. Please come to the starting gate.” said the announcer. He said, “Are you ready?” I answered, “Yes.” My stomach was about to hurl. He started to count down. I had all of these really weird thoughts coming to my head like: “What if you fall?” “What if he refuses?” “What if he goes galloping off with me?” “What will happen if I go off course?” I was so nervous (did I mention I was nervous?).
“5,4,3.” Awwww. “2,1, go.”
I push my starting watch as fast as I can and kick my horse to go. He trots in a good rhythm. We approach the first little log and my stomach tightens up and Dakota starts to feel nervous. I give him a tap with my whip, and he keeps going but he is still nervous. I lean forward just a little tiny bit and Dakota stops right in front of the jump. My nerves are building up. I am just thinking to myself “Ohh great, one of the worst things that could happen. A refusal.” So I tap Dakota with the whip again and turn him around and canter it this time to get some more motivation going. He jumps it. I say “Good boy Dakota,” and I urge him on. He leaps into a forward canter. I was so nervous that I thought he was in a slow gallop!He flies over the second and third jumps, and then I thought, ohhh great, here comes the tight turn. He clears it. Here we go down the long stretch. “Go Dakota, Go!” I yell to him. He goes fast. I slow him down for the approach to the fifth jump. He jumps it perfect. I lean back as far as I can to slow him down. He slowly listens. To the approach of the sixth jump, I say “Go Dakota.” He gets a crooked approach to the jump and doesn’t have the best stride to it either. We get up to the jump closer and closer. I can tell he’s getting nervous (and so am I!) from the video cameras and all of the cheering from everyone near the jump. He creeps up to the jump and refuses. I slowly tumble off on to my feet and they stop the timer.
The lady asked me if I wanted help getting back on. I respond “Yes.” I hop back on (determined!), pick up a canter and jump the sixth jump easily. I ride very assertively up and over the mound. He wants to refuse but I don’t let him. I urge him forward and give him a tap with my crop. I praise him, saying “Good boy.” He wants to refuse the second mound, but I don’t let him; I give him a straight approach and ride him confidently forward, and he jumps the obstacle well.We go cantering off to the ninth jump. The jump is a log oxer. He didn’t even think about refusing that one! Seven strides later, there is a training ditch. Not training level but a ditch that trains your horse to go over a ditch. He thinks about refusing it but I don’t let him get the chance as a tap with my crop gives him a little more energy to the ditch. I sit up tall, press him into a bouncy stride, and he jumps it fine. The next thing I know, we’re flying through the finish line! I circle him, slow to a trot and give Dakota a huge pat. “I am so tired!” I say to Nora. “That was fun,” I say. As soon as the words leave my mouth, I realize I’m panting because I’m so exhausted! When I catch my breath, Dakota and I walk over to the stalls, and I jump off and drink some water. I say to my dad, “You know that is the coolest, but scariest thing that I have ever done in my life… I can’t wait to do it again!”
