Story from this week's show

canteringkids · 10-26-2009, 05:25 AM

We had a show this weekend and I had a rider, Emily, age 11, who had never shown before. She took a scary fall over the summer (not under my tutelage!!) and has confidence issues as well as general anxiety issues. Her mother was a competitive event rider and I think she really feels the pressure to live up to mom's standards. Well, she really wanted to show this week and I said "yes", against my better judgment. She started getting really nervous in the warm-up ring and by the time her class was called, it ballooned into a panic attack.

I pulled her aside and gave her a stern pep-talk. In short, I told her she had to stop thinking and start riding and that she was on a horse who would take the best care of her (That was Summer, of course!) and who could win it for her if she just went in and rode. I gave Summer a pat, told her to do her job and take care of Emily and shoved them both in the ring.

There were 20 horses in the class.

And Summer never missed a step. She carried that child around the ring like a dream. Her transitions were smooth and careful. I swear she was picking her own spots on the rail . . . she never got bunched up or cut off. Emily was able to sit up and "equitate" perfectly. They went to the center and Summer squared up on the line. They started calling out places in reverse, 6th, 5th, 4th, 3rd, 2nd (went to Abigail and Splatter, another student on one of my school horses!) and 1st place, Emily Streets riding Summer Better Than Others.

I swear, my knees almost buckled. Emily's mom burst into tears. Emily's face was just priceless. Everyone was cheering (they had all witnessed her meltdown). What a moment. Emily had to ride the next class, so she stayed in the ring and I would swear that Summer winked at me as she walked by. She rode her second class and won again, coming out division Champion. Abigail and Splatter took Reserve (out of 20 riders!!

)

The rest of the day was great, too. My 2'3" rider took Reserve in her jumping division and Champion in Open English. But nothing could beat the smile on Emily's face the rest of the day!

Hopefully, I'll have some pics to share soon - waiting to get them from the parents!

Carri · 10-26-2009, 07:36 AM

That is SO awesome! I am so happy for Emily, and for you!

Joker · 10-26-2009, 09:14 AM

I love when that happens Her smile priceless but I bet THAT horse is too

love the name " summer better than others " LOL I bet theres one little girl who doesn't think anyones better than "her horse" Nice job! being a coach is harder than showing sometimes.

canteringkids · 10-26-2009, 09:40 AM

Thanks Carri - we seem to be on an upward swing at the moment!

Joker, you couldn't be more right about Summer. I got teary-eyed writing the story just because I love and appreciate this mare SO much. It is tough being a coach . . . you teach your kids everything you know and then you have to stand back and leave it up to them. I am so lucky to have two of the greatest school horses in the world. They just step in the ring and do their job. So if the students blow it, they have can only blame themselves.

singing tree · 10-26-2009, 10:04 AM

What a great story! thanks for sharing. I bet the money it would take to by Summer just went up about $10,000!

Jade · 10-26-2009, 01:56 PM

Wow that made me cry just reading it. Congrats on getting her through it and training such a good pony for her.

Horselady44 · 10-26-2009, 02:06 PM

That is so awesome...brought tears to my eyes as well reading that. What a awesome story...Summer sounds like a wonderful horse...Im so glad Emily got her confidence and just went for it(with alil push from you

) what a awesome story! Cant wait for pics

Rhaige9 · 10-26-2009, 04:34 PM

Wow, I got chills over reading that. What a perfect ending.

kanoo32 · 10-26-2009, 05:29 PM

That is great, and sure does take a lot of patience on your part and Summer's....congratulations to all the winners!!

merleliz · 10-26-2009, 07:38 PM

Wonderful story, yep, I got teary eyed...I'll admit it! You should give yourself a big pat on the back, congratulations...on Summer and Emily and all the rest of your winners! Awesome triumph!

canteringkids · 10-27-2009, 05:06 AM

Thanks so much, everyone! It's great to share my little triumphs with people who get it.

I'm so lucky to be doing something that I love . . . I'm able to pay forward to my students what my instructors gave to me and who wouldn't love being at the barn all the time?

. . . Now, if I could only hit my break-even point or (gasp) make a profit, I'd be golden!

Sirita_88 · 10-27-2009, 08:24 AM

That's great! It's amazing that when you are just thinking "I just want to stay ON" you usually do the best! Good for her, and I hope she keeps at it!

Miichelle · 10-29-2009, 12:16 PM

Way to go! I love a happy ending!

canteringkids · 10-30-2009, 09:05 AM

Thanks, Miichelle!! Of course, my lesson barn would be complete if Jelly Bean was in it!

He even has a food name and I love food names - I've had a Pork Chop and a Truffle and I currently have a Sage.

Miichelle · 10-30-2009, 11:27 AM

I promised Kylie that we would never sell Jelly Bean even when she outgrows him. Anyway, I have dibbs on him when she does. He jumps as high as I want to and my dressage goals end at Training Level.

Daddy Groom · 11-07-2009, 10:06 PM

Awesome Story, Great horses really make it look easy. Trainers instilling confidence in their riders are worth their weight in Gold!!

CHL · 11-08-2009, 04:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Daddy Groom

Trainers instilling confidence in their riders are worth their weight in Gold!!

Ditto!

Congrats on another great day!

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
My stallion has WON again PICS at Show!	HAYHAYSTABLES	Shows	43	06-22-2009 01:27 AM
Show blanket help	DackelMom	Shows	5	05-26-2009 12:46 PM
To show, or not to show....	Sundance	Shows	5	06-07-2006 10:09 PM
Horse show judging ethics	tiggypoodle	General Horse Advice	46	04-24-2005 10:55 AM

10-26-2009, 05:25 AM
canteringkids Weanling Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Summerville, SC Posts: 444	Story from this week's show We had a show this weekend and I had a rider, Emily, age 11, who had never shown before. She took a scary fall over the summer (not under my tutelage!!) and has confidence issues as well as general anxiety issues. Her mother was a competitive event rider and I think she really feels the pressure to live up to mom's standards. Well, she really wanted to show this week and I said "yes", against my better judgment. She started getting really nervous in the warm-up ring and by the time her class was called, it ballooned into a panic attack. I pulled her aside and gave her a stern pep-talk. In short, I told her she had to stop thinking and start riding and that she was on a horse who would take the best care of her (That was Summer, of course!) and who could win it for her if she just went in and rode. I gave Summer a pat, told her to do her job and take care of Emily and shoved them both in the ring. There were 20 horses in the class. And Summer never missed a step. She carried that child around the ring like a dream. Her transitions were smooth and careful. I swear she was picking her own spots on the rail . . . she never got bunched up or cut off. Emily was able to sit up and "equitate" perfectly. They went to the center and Summer squared up on the line. They started calling out places in reverse, 6th, 5th, 4th, 3rd, 2nd (went to Abigail and Splatter, another student on one of my school horses!) and 1st place, Emily Streets riding Summer Better Than Others. I swear, my knees almost buckled. Emily's mom burst into tears. Emily's face was just priceless. Everyone was cheering (they had all witnessed her meltdown). What a moment. Emily had to ride the next class, so she stayed in the ring and I would swear that Summer winked at me as she walked by. She rode her second class and won again, coming out division Champion. Abigail and Splatter took Reserve (out of 20 riders!!) The rest of the day was great, too. My 2'3" rider took Reserve in her jumping division and Champion in Open English. But nothing could beat the smile on Emily's face the rest of the day! Hopefully, I'll have some pics to share soon - waiting to get them from the parents!

10-26-2009, 07:36 AM
Carri Pasture Pet Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Alpharetta, Georgia Posts: 13,660	That is SO awesome! I am so happy for Emily, and for you!

10-26-2009, 09:14 AM
Joker Weanling Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 324	I love when that happens Her smile priceless but I bet THAT horse is too love the name " summer better than others " LOL I bet theres one little girl who doesn't think anyones better than "her horse" Nice job! being a coach is harder than showing sometimes. __________________

10-26-2009, 09:40 AM
canteringkids Weanling Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Summerville, SC Posts: 444	Thanks Carri - we seem to be on an upward swing at the moment! Joker, you couldn't be more right about Summer. I got teary-eyed writing the story just because I love and appreciate this mare SO much. It is tough being a coach . . . you teach your kids everything you know and then you have to stand back and leave it up to them. I am so lucky to have two of the greatest school horses in the world. They just step in the ring and do their job. So if the students blow it, they have can only blame themselves.

10-26-2009, 10:04 AM
singing tree Long Yearling Join Date: May 2009 Location: Hartville, Ohio Posts: 1,045	What a great story! thanks for sharing. I bet the money it would take to by Summer just went up about $10,000!

10-26-2009, 01:56 PM
Jade Long Yearling Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Texas Posts: 1,160	Wow that made me cry just reading it. Congrats on getting her through it and training such a good pony for her.

10-26-2009, 02:06 PM
Horselady44 Started Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Montana Posts: 2,437	That is so awesome...brought tears to my eyes as well reading that. What a awesome story...Summer sounds like a wonderful horse...Im so glad Emily got her confidence and just went for it(with alil push from you) what a awesome story! Cant wait for pics __________________ A happy horse equals a happy rider!

10-26-2009, 04:34 PM
Rhaige9 Halter broke Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Gooding, Idaho Posts: 126	Wow, I got chills over reading that. What a perfect ending.

10-26-2009, 05:29 PM
kanoo32 Seasoned Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Florida Posts: 4,514	That is great, and sure does take a lot of patience on your part and Summer's....congratulations to all the winners!! __________________ "Animals are such agreeable friends--they ask no questions, they pass no criticisms..." --George Eliot In Loving Memory of Spikey...My Best Friend...I Miss You RIP 1988-2009

10-26-2009, 07:38 PM
merleliz Seasoned Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Fairburn, Georgia Posts: 4,474	Wonderful story, yep, I got teary eyed...I'll admit it! You should give yourself a big pat on the back, congratulations...on Summer and Emily and all the rest of your winners! Awesome triumph! __________________ VOTE FOR "DUSTY TRAILS HORSE RESCUE" DAILY IN THE PETFINDER SHELTER CHALLENGE! http://www.theanimalrescuesite.com/c...faces?siteId=3

10-27-2009, 05:06 AM
canteringkids Weanling Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Summerville, SC Posts: 444	Thanks so much, everyone! It's great to share my little triumphs with people who get it. I'm so lucky to be doing something that I love . . . I'm able to pay forward to my students what my instructors gave to me and who wouldn't love being at the barn all the time? . . . Now, if I could only hit my break-even point or (gasp) make a profit, I'd be golden!

10-27-2009, 08:24 AM
Sirita_88 Started Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Mt. Juliet, Tennessee Posts: 2,423	That's great! It's amazing that when you are just thinking "I just want to stay ON" you usually do the best! Good for her, and I hope she keeps at it!

10-29-2009, 12:16 PM
Miichelle Started Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Central Idaho Posts: 2,475	Way to go! I love a happy ending!

10-30-2009, 09:05 AM
canteringkids Weanling Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Summerville, SC Posts: 444	Thanks, Miichelle!! Of course, my lesson barn would be complete if Jelly Bean was in it! He even has a food name and I love food names - I've had a Pork Chop and a Truffle and I currently have a Sage.

10-30-2009, 11:27 AM
Miichelle Started Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Central Idaho Posts: 2,475	I promised Kylie that we would never sell Jelly Bean even when she outgrows him. Anyway, I have dibbs on him when she does. He jumps as high as I want to and my dressage goals end at Training Level.

11-07-2009, 10:06 PM
Daddy Groom Newborn Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Suwanee, Georgia Posts: 49	Awesome Story, Great horses really make it look easy. Trainers instilling confidence in their riders are worth their weight in Gold!!