Back in the Saddle

In 2006 I had just transferred from CNU to Virginia Intermont and I was proud to be a member of the 2006-2007 National Championship winning IHSA team. Go look it up - my name is on the roster. Pretty badass. But the problem with riding at that level for so long is that you get used to a certain caliber of horse, and a certain type of instructor - that is to say, the best of the best. These weren't just any horses and the trainers weren't just any coaches. They were incredible animals to ride and I learned so much from the staff at Virginia Intermont - it was an amazing experience, and it changed me forever as a rider, horseman, and person.

This makes it very hard to go home again. To go back to where you started, where things aren't at that level. I was fortunate enough to grow up riding at a place that gave me an excellent foundation in equitation, hunters, dressage, and eventing as well as in the care of horses. I am very thankful for that. But it wasn't a barn that ever took you past a certain level of riding - they only ever went to very local A rated shows and they only ever competed at 3'; at school I was learning so much more and it just wasn't the same anymore. I will always be thankful for the foundation they gave me, and the years and years of childhood memories, and the friendships I formed which have lasted from my childhood into my mid-twenties.

But by 2008 I had figured out that taking lessons there was just not going to be the same experience, and I was so disappointed, because by that time I had left VI for personal reasons, and could no longer take lessons with the trainers that I loved so much. I still adored the people out there, who I had been riding with since I was 8 years old and grown up around, and the land was beautiful, so I continued to board there and I don't regret that. But it was like having a taste of Key Lime Pie made in Key West and then only ever being able to eat pie from a freezer afterwards.

Fast forward to 2011, I am back in college and searching for somewhere to take lessons and ride regularly (and hopefully board a horse, but we will get to that later) - and I shopped around. I am so happy to say that today I had my first lesson at Amazing Grace Stable, which is such an incredible barn! The people who run it are well educated and know what they are doing both when it comes to lessons and horse care. The horses there are in excellent condition and I enjoyed my lesson so much today. My trainer made the decision to put me on a very well behaved pony to get an idea of what kind of rider I was - something I think was a very good decision on her part - and I had a blast on Jack! He was a precious little chestnut who I think had as much fun as I did. I enjoyed getting to know the other riders in my lesson and it was a really fun day.

The best thing is that it definitely lived up to the standards set at VI and I was losing faith that I would ever find something that could compare to that experience! I am definitely looking forward to the rest of the semester and hope that soon I will have more stories and some photos to share.