Dressage rider,
Maybe?

Horses are in my blood they are a family tradition. As a child I almost had no choice but to love horses. I got on my first horse when I was 5. I even had a Shetland-pony named Gypsy that I would trot around the back yard and practice being a jockey. As I got a little older I lost some interest in horse, I wanted to try other activities. But I made my way back to the sport at 14 and entered my first show. Which was a complete disasters because I had no clue what I was doing, I really looked like a fool. I had never taken a lesson in my life.

As I stared reading a bunch of horse books and magazine I learned about different disciplines and I was always secretly in love with dressage. The horses you see compete in the Olympics are just beautiful. I have always dream of learning how to make a horse dance like those upper level riders. They just make it look so easy.

Of course as life turns out as a teenager I never took dressage lessons. I learned how to jump a little, never really liked that, so I gave saddleseat a try and feel head over heel in love with the Morgan breed. I actually did quite well competing on the Morgan circuit. I took a lot of firsts in road hack and classic pleasure and it was fun at the time.

My last horseshow I was pregnant with my daughter, Hannah, and was quite uncomfortable so I didn’t do so well )-: but that’s ok. After the birth of my daughter I took another break from horses. I just didn’t have the nerves like I use to for riding and horses smell fear!

It wasn’t until my daughter was about 7 that I decided to get back into the saddle again. And 2+ years later I am still taking lessons. It has been a challenge because I needed to learn a different way of riding, but feel like I finally understand a mechanics of dressage and the different types of aids are making sense in my head. I am even learning some of those fancy movements, which is pretty exciting for me. I can even sit the extended trot now!

And the family business has also been passed on to my daughter as well. She and I take riding lessons together. It has been a lot of fun watching learn how to be just a great little rider. She is even working on learning how to ride her first dressage test. It is really wonderful her and I can share such a wonderful mother/daughter experience together.