I was so excited to be able to compete at our Nations Cup, especially on JR (Inmidair), a horse I thought would never compete at that level again. I was so truly honored to ride him, and was thrilled with my weekend. That little horse certainly hasn’t forgotten how to put his super suit on!
I felt prepared going in because I had a plan and I put it into action. JR’s dressage needed to be better so I really worked on that with Sallie. I needed to be able to practice jumping 1.30 meters, so I did that with Katie Prudent’s and Packy McGaughan’s help. I had to get better at cross-country, because as much as JR has a super suit and is really talented, he still needs to be better, more in front of my leg, and I really worked on that. I had had an earlier school with Boyd at his place and I almost fell off about four times, I couldn’t see a distance, I had no rhythm, and I kept taking the reins and slowing my horse. It can be hard to make yourself keep going and get in the mindset you need to compete at the upper levels! But I kept working on all these things, had a good school with Phillip, and felt prepared.
I thought JR was great in the dressage, but our show jumping lacked some polish. I was surprised how spooky he was, I wasn’t even sure he would go over the first jump! It took about three jumps to put him together, and even though I got a bit backwards to a vertical, we finished well with a clear round. JR’s really hard to show jump because he never jumps each jump the same. Sometimes it takes a little bit of me letting go, knowing it might not work out, and sometimes I’m good at it and sometimes not.
I walked the cross-country and was quite comfortable with course but but it was hard to wait to go second to last. I probably walked the arena corner five times, and talked over how it would ride with Lynn and Buck four or five times. But as I walked back to my trailer I told myself, he’s going to go in four, just be ready to think on your feet and react. If you mess up, you learn something, you can’t protect yourself all the time. Then I never looked back. The decision was made, I knew my job, I wasn’t nervous. I really thrive on this sport and I love trying to get better, and my horses make me better all the time. I can’t wait to do it again. The weekend wasn’t perfect but I improved my skills on JR from the last time I rode him at Kentucky. I realized how quickly our sport evolves, and if I’d gone faster I'd have had a chance to win. But I had ten time, and I was a bit upset about that. I’ll just try and be better the next time.
I felt prepared going in because I had a plan and I put it into action. JR’s dressage needed to be better so I really worked on that with Sallie. I needed to be able to practice jumping 1.30 meters, so I did that with Katie Prudent’s and Packy McGaughan’s help. I had to get better at cross-country, because as much as JR has a super suit and is really talented, he still needs to be better, more in front of my leg, and I really worked on that. I had had an earlier school with Boyd at his place and I almost fell off about four times, I couldn’t see a distance, I had no rhythm, and I kept taking the reins and slowing my horse. It can be hard to make yourself keep going and get in the mindset you need to compete at the upper levels! But I kept working on all these things, had a good school with Phillip, and felt prepared.
I thought JR was great in the dressage, but our show jumping lacked some polish. I was surprised how spooky he was, I wasn’t even sure he would go over the first jump! It took about three jumps to put him together, and even though I got a bit backwards to a vertical, we finished well with a clear round. JR’s really hard to show jump because he never jumps each jump the same. Sometimes it takes a little bit of me letting go, knowing it might not work out, and sometimes I’m good at it and sometimes not.
I walked the cross-country and was quite comfortable with course but but it was hard to wait to go second to last. I probably walked the arena corner five times, and talked over how it would ride with Lynn and Buck four or five times. But as I walked back to my trailer I told myself, he’s going to go in four, just be ready to think on your feet and react. If you mess up, you learn something, you can’t protect yourself all the time. Then I never looked back. The decision was made, I knew my job, I wasn’t nervous. I really thrive on this sport and I love trying to get better, and my horses make me better all the time. I can’t wait to do it again. The weekend wasn’t perfect but I improved my skills on JR from the last time I rode him at Kentucky. I realized how quickly our sport evolves, and if I’d gone faster I'd have had a chance to win. But I had ten time, and I was a bit upset about that. I’ll just try and be better the next time.
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