United States Eventing Association

With all the chit chat going around in the eventing community, it’s hard to overlook the fact that people are pointing fingers at just about anyone and everyone. But apparently, none of the 300+ competitors at the Virginia Horse Trials in Lexington, Virginia got that memo… judging from the upbeat, positive attitudes, smiling faces, and comradery, you never would have known that our sport has had a bit of a rough go lately.

The Virginia Horse Trials, run by longtime eventing enthusiasts Brian and Penny Ross, have always been one of my favorite events. Conveniently located at the gorgeous (and user-friendly!) Virginia Horse Center, this scenic venue is truly a top class event. You can always expect the courses to be fabulous, the stalls to be clean, light, and airy, the parking to be plentiful, and the location easy to find (situated at the intersection of I-81 and I-64…doesn’t get much easier than that).

But it wasn’t just being back at the Horse Center that got my blood pumping this weekend… it was the bubbly atmosphere of the competitors. I saw more beaming faces coming out of dressage tests (one lady actually shed tears of joy – honestly!), exuberant pats after clean jumping rounds, people complimenting each others’ horses, old pals catching up with each other, and new friends across the barn aisle being made as well. I saw only one girl have a bad warm-up, and she wisely decided to scratch her overly feisty mare and call it a day.

I have to say that I had myself had one of the best weekends in quite in awhile with my little Connemara pony. It was just one of those special events where everything seems to fall into place… all your hard works pays off, your friends and family are there to cheer you on, and you have no regrets – only things you’d like to improve on. True to form, Virginia’s cross-country course was exceptional and rode like clockwork. My pony boogied around the Training level course, enjoying every minute of it – and I felt so incredibly balanced and safe (it helps, of course, that she’s a short-necked leg-at-each-corner little creature… like a sports car!), and I knew she was having a blast as well.

Recently, I’ve been thinking quite a bit about why we compete. It’s expensive, it’s a lot of hard work, time-consuming, and sometimes frustrating. However, I had an epiphany this weekend… THIS is what it’s all about. All those crummy dressage tests, and faulty show jumping rounds, those rider-eating cross-country jumps and hours spent behind the wheel of my aging Suburban on back highways… it all adds up. Call it karma, but I think if you work hard, love your horses, spend your money wisely on lessons & clinics, take care of you and your horse’s health, and make smart training decisions, you’re bound to have a great weekend. Oh, yeah, and having a good attitude doesn’t hurt either.

I had the opportunity to chat with one of my favorite upper-level riders, Carol Kozlowski, at Jersey Fresh and I was so pleased to hear her talk about her expectations at events. In a nutshell, she said “What’s important is that I come to an event and ride well, and test the horse’s training. At the end of the day, if the dice rolls in my favor and I do well, then that’s fabulous, but you can’t buy ribbons. I want my horses to be safe, so that they can run again next month.”

We all know that eventing isn’t an “instant gratification” sport…you don’t always win ribbons on your best day . That’s not what the sport’s all about. It’s about the relationship between you and your horse, how you treat your fellow competitors and those who make the sport possible for you, and it’s about testing yourself…knowing your limits and knowing your horse’s limits. We walk a fine line between “challenging yourself” and “overfacing yourself,” and many times I’ve seriously reconsidered my goals after thinking long and hard about what I want to take from the experience. Do I want a ribbon? Eh…it’s 25 cents, and probably won’t even leave the muddled mess of my truck. Do I want safe, positive, happy memories of the weekend? Of course. Shoot, I ended up in 5th at my best weekend ever… but to me taking home that wonderful feeling was better than any blue ribbon.

I’ve fiddled back and forth over the past few years about the move up to Preliminary with my mare. Never once have I felt like she’s been overfaced on course, nor have I felt scared or bit my nails to the quick when walking my courses. But here’s the thing… if I make the move up to Preliminary, when I know we’re truly qualified and ready, do I really want the sleepless nights before cross-country? Do I want to wonder if I’m making the right decision when I enter the show jumping ring? No. I know my pony’s comfort level…heck, I’ve had her since she was a weanling, and I’ll have her ’til the day she dies. My worst thought is perhaps she will be tested beyond her capabilities…and lose her joy of the sport (and this is a pony who LOVES cross-country!) And yes, perhaps I’m a bit more ambitious than she is, but there’ll always be other horses, there’ll always be other opportunities to be able to perform at the level I wish.

I’m in no hurry, and I hope the rest of you have a wonderful time being the Masters of Your Division, whether it be Beginner Novice or Preliminary, making wise decisions, knowing you and your horse’s limits, and achieving your goals. And if you read Tonya Johnston’s wonderful column in Eventing USA on sports psychology, you’ll know that we should all have goals…no matter how small. Whether your goal is to STAY in the dressage ring, jump a double-clear show jumping round, get your pony through the water jump safely on cross-country, and merely keep those inevitable slobber stains from appearing on your white breeches, then best of luck to you all!