The Hardest Thing
Sunday, March 20, 2011 at 10:14PM 
Riding Pikardi is one of the most amazing blessings that I could have ever asked for. It is the sort of thing that I would have never even dreamed of because it was so far away from what I viewed as within the realm of possibility. He is a once in a life time horse, bold, powerful, beautiful and challenging. I remember the first time that I saw Bonny riding him at the WEG training camp. I remember thinking to to my self, that horse could be on the German team. He has so much presents and carisma. He is a challenge to ride but he is an amazing ride.
I've now done two Brentina Cup classes and one Open I-2 with Pikardi. Winning both Brentina classes and tying for first in the I-2, my education has suddenly been slingshot into high gear. When I think about the other girls I am competing against in the Brentina Cup part of me feels that this isn't fair. I'm older then most of them, and I am riding a horse that has gone to WEG, mostly the second half is what makes it seem unfair. But here's the thing, while it is true that I have a world class horse to ride and compeate, it is equally true that at any moment in time the horse could be sold right out from under me. Every time someone comes to see him, my heart sinks into my stomach and I think, this could be it, they could be the person that takes him. More then anything I want him to go to a good home and a good rider. Sometimes when clients come to see him I can't watch, particularly if the rider is younger then me. It's too hard, and I don't want my own personal attachment and love for the hose to get in the way of business. I know that the only reason that I am getting to ride him is because he is for sale. So it's a bit of a catch 22 for me. The oportunites are created by the sale...but ultimately they will end (with this horse) because of the sale.
As a young professional this is important to learn and to understand. That ultimately owning your own assets is very important. For me, and other riders, our horses are our assists. They are what we use to build a reputation in the community and with clients. They are our pride and joy, and they are our partners and vehicles to success. In the end you do not want someone else to have this amount of control over your professional and personal life.
For me this is all on a very small scale. The horse will sell, life will go on, Henry will qualify for the Brentina Cup and and Flem will be blazing the road to GP, and I will have the satisfaction that I have trained both of those horses myself. I will be, and am already, extremely grateful to Bonny for entrusting Kathy and I with her horse. If he sells tomorrow or at the end of the season, I will have learned so very much from riding him.
Keeping things in perspective is always really important. I have not trained the horse his whole life, I haven't even known him for a year. I look a someone like Heather Blitz who trained Otto and competed him in Europe quite successfully, with scores up to 74%, only to have the horse sold out from under her to another rider who made the WEG team for the US with him. While it could have easily been, Otto wasn't the end of Heather's pressents in the FEI arena. She is now taking the US by storm with her very own Paragon, a horse destine to become a dressage super star. Being an excellent rider and trainer is something not no one can take away from you. If you have the ability, and by this I mean not only the skills to train a horse, but also the pacients, persiverance, passion and mental clarity that it takes to bring horses to the top level, then you will never be with out.
Reader Comments (1)
Olivia...
Just reading your journal entries reminds me of the young girl I first met nearly 14 years ago. She rode a sponsored horse named Espresso and won everything she entered. Now, I see a beautiful young woman who through hard work and perserverance will be competing at Gladstone next week! I am so proud of you and will be cheering for you every step of the way. You deserve every moment!
Good luck,
Robin and Indy, Majesty and Celly