In just 4 days Bandit and I will be on our way to Kentucky for the 2017 Retired Racehorse Project. In exactly one week from today we will be trotting down centerline to show off all that we have worked on over the last 10 months. Ten months, we have spent 10 months transforming each other. Him from a racehorse to a dressage horse and me from good rider and horsewoman to better rider and horsewoman. So many things have happened and many changes have been made in the last 10 months but one thing has remained consistent, Bandit. I have now owned this fiery red head over a year and he's been with me through some of my lowest of lows and highest of highs. He heads out for a ride ready to work, ready to improve and he makes me BETTER.
As many of you know this will be my third consecutive year competing in the Retired Racehorse Project. For 3 straight years I have set out to retrain these horses, show them off and then move them on. But this year is a little different. This year I have a horse who has the potential to take me places I have never been. I didn't necessarily think this was possible considering all that Stellar and I accomplished however this horse has IT. What exactly is "IT" you ask? Bandit has a presence that demands attention when he enters a ring. He has fire. He is a challenge. He is fun. He's athletic and I'll be damned if he isn't a bit of a prick. But he's my prick and even when he decides to show that side of him, he still makes me smile!
I guess what I am trying to get at is this...
I recently spent some time worrying about not having the regular group present that I normally share this event with and also not having my regular instructor there as my coach. I worried that I hadn't done enough with Bandit in preparation for such a large event. I worried that I wouldn't ride him well enough to show off all of his potential. But I came to the conclusion that none of that is worth worrying about. My family along with Stellar's mom will be present. Richard Lamb who is judging the show jumping division has agreed to coach me prior to show day. He has also taken it upon himself to find someone local to coach me the day we show because he will be judging(That's going above and beyond!). We just finished up a clinic with Olympic dressage rider Christine Traurig in which Nuno Santos called to tell me thats the best he's seen me ride and if I ride like that at RRP I will be golden.
This year my focus has been less on showing and more on learning. By learning I mean lessons and clinics. I know Bandit can put in a nice dressage test. But as his rider I needed to learn how to ride him more effectively. One simply cannot get better as a rider or trainer without taking lessons and finding good clinicians to ride with. Now instead of feeling under prepared I am feeling so determined to give him the best ride possible and I am ready to let the score speak for itself. No matter the outcome, so long as I come out of the ring knowing I gave him the best possible ride, we come home winners! Here's to making you all proud! Thank you to our sponsors EnviroEquine and Accuhorsemat North America and thank you friends, family, fans. None of this would be possible without your support.
A very special thank you to the Conway's for giving me this incredible horse.
Be on the look out on my Facebook page and the Dynasty Sport Horse page for live videos and constant updates. I will also try to blog when possible. Cheers y'all! #gobanditgo
