Making a Comeback

Last weekend, Esso and I had our debut into first level. We competed at the Los Angeles Equestrian Center on Saturday and Sunday.

Rison and I inbetween rides at the horse show
Photo By Barbara Bella

On the first day, Saturday, I rode twice and both of my rides were very conservative. I ended up getting good scores but my trainer, Kristina Harrison, wasn't happy. She said it was boring, she wanted me to really go for it. She wanted me to "wow" the judge. I went home that evening feeling disappointed. When I woke up the next day, though, I just felt determined. Krisi always says that if you want to do better, you have to ride better, and that was exactly what I was going to do. I was going to ride harder than I had ever ridden before, and deliver my best performance yet.

After I finished my first ride on Sunday the judge (I had the same judge on both days) yelled out to me from her booth that my ride had been a great improvement from the day before. Even Krisi was more than happy with it. I ended up getting a 77.5%, by far the highest score I have ever received. I couldn't have been more excited. Did I already feel like my legs were going to fall off halfway through my ride? Yes. But it paid off!

Krisi and all of her clients also did very well at the show. I was especially happy that my friend Rison  and her horse Etsie, who rode the Prix St. Georges for the first time, did great in all of their rides. More than that. They killed it. Congratulations Rison!

I will post a video of my ride as soon as I have it!