Trainer Recap: ATX to UT via Memory Lane

Our rider re-caps are typically done by students or guest writers. After our recent finish to our Spring Season here in Area V, I really wanted to write a bit about our most recent horse trial. I hope you enjoy the journey, I sure did.

Joking about about adding another spring horse trial after my interpersonal encounter with gravity and arena dirt, my student Renna and I started tentatively looking at a horse trial that had been on our calender all year… Golden Spike Horse Trial. What’s so exciting about adding another horse show?

Well, this one is in Utah.

Note the name of our Eventing Team is Austin Eventing.

Aside from the obvious geographic restrictions that would normally suggest choosing another venue, the most important sway-able piece of information is that Salt Lake City is my (our) old stomping grounds. It had been 3 years since the move to Austin. Three years since I have ridden with some of the best folks I know in this industry and people that laid the foundation for most of my beliefs as a rider, trainer, and general human being.

No big deal, right?

Let’s just say that when Renna and I ignored the fuel calculations for the trip, got into the show past closing date, and solidified that we were, in fact, going back to Utah, we looked something like this:

Then we tried to get on the road after: tornadoes, 1 flat tire, 1 blow out, 1 cowboy rescue, flooded arenas, stripped trailer doors, and a mad airport clinician shuffle and looked like this:

After questioning whether the universe was trying to tell us not to get on the road, a wise Sage said that the universe was trying to tell us to get all of those things worked on before we got on the road to Utah rather than telling us not to go. In addition, previously stated Sage (DEB) said that the horses had all come out of a great clinic, were primed, and all that was left was, “to go down centerline.”

So off we went.

New tires, new screws, new metal attachments in places I didn’t know existed on a trailer, a cooler full of (paleo) munchies, and a ridiculously large Disney movie collection and on we were on our way!!

We may or may not have looked like that.

When you stop dancing in your seat with the above GIF…

It was brilliant to be back in Utah.

That really is the bottom line.

The people we ride with, get coached by, cry with, laugh with, get hugs from, and share time with never stop being part of who we are. Every person, trainer, show mom, teammate, groom, camping partner, and student have been part of this journey and play an intricate role in our development. Though we may be in different states, part of us will always be connected.

Take a closer look at our logo. It might look similar to our sister team. Possibly.

I will always be a 3 Pea, an Intermountain Equestrian, a Wild Rider, and an Austin Eventer. I love that about our sport. I love that 3 years later we can go back to a venue we used to call home and be greeted like we never left. Kim, Todd and Adrienne, Ingrid, and Lani… you guys probably have no idea how welcome you made us feel.

Thank you.

I feel an indescribable pride when I facebook stalk everyone and see their successes. It’s pretty amazing to see.

I think that was one of the biggest things about this particular horse show, for me at least. I had to opportunity to see my equine family and compete along side them again.

From Connie’s Kitchen to Mike’s white britches… the familiarity of support and dedication was exactly what we could have hoped for. To casually be discussing a Prelim run and have a friend smile and wistfully say, “I’ve been waiting my whole life for a horse like this.”

That kind of impact.

That’s what this weekend was like.

The appreciation of what we have, where we came from, and anticipation for what the future holds… all wrapped up in a horse trial.

THAT is why we are Eventers.

Thank you for being part of this journey with me.