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Home» Betsy Talk (Page 2)

Betsy Talk

Welcome to Betsy’s Blog.  Ever wonder what is on Betsy’s mind? Well, this is where she will talk about ideas floating around inside her head.  Enjoy, learn, comment, and share….

This Time of the Year

Posted on February 6, 2017 by jennifer griffin in Camps

This time of the year I have to start thinking about summer camp programming.

Although I’ve been thinking about Summer Camp, I was on a website last night that I’ve used several times for inspiration.  And I actually found this FaceBook page and websites a while back when I was looking for new ideas for my annual Adult Riding Week-End.

Once while “stalking” around FaceBook, I came across Sheridan Oaks Stable in Florida.  Sheridan Oaks is a world class Reining operation.  Kim Moore and her husband, Dave train World Champion Reining horses, and what I find very interesting in the Reining world is how open they are to introducing new people to their sport.  I don’t know a lot about Reining, other than the couple of lessons I took while at William Woods University.  But Reining is a sport that basically anyone can do, and at the lower levels any horse can do.  Reining is a hugely growing equestrian sport, that the Saddlebred world should be looking into how they market their sport and their product.  And Kim and Dave are pros at both the competition level and introducing and educating the public to all their programs.

Kim does Adult Riding Week-Ends twice a year, and it looks like they are serious about their riding—as well as keeping it fun for her adults.  But once on the website I just kept looking, and stalking the FaceBook page, and I realized that Kim is like some sort of “craft goddess”.  After messaging her on FaceBook and quizzing her several times, she admitted that crafting is one of her favorite activities.  So she has really combined her love of crafting with her love of horses and riding.  She has some great craft ideas, that I have used.

Then in one of Kim’s messages she mentioned that she had another website, besthorsecamp.com.  This would be the dream I’m always searching for.  So as fast as I could, I looked up besthorsecamp.com.  It is great!  You can go on the website and look around, but Kim does offer a Membership Opportunity to help pay for this website and keep it running—so I signed up for the $35/annual membership which opened up the website even further.

The website is full of great ideas for daily activities both on the horse and on the ground (I’m always looking for new ways to keep the kids busy throughout the day!  No boredome or sitting around for us!).  I also enjoy looking at the Featured Camp page, which has several great camps which go through their camp management and marketing programs.

Be sure to check out Sheridan Oaks Stable FaceBook and website pages.  And also check out Kim’s website besthorsecamp.com!!!! I think you will be inspired!

 

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First Post of 2017

Posted on January 30, 2017 by jennifer griffin in Uncategorized

My business always needs more money.

Horses like to eat.  Employees like to get paid.

So I’ve been working on a marketing calendar for the upcoming year.  You know a calendar which lists all the things you have scheduled, and the ways that you are going to market and promote these ideas to your clients and future clients.  My big dream is to always be “one step ahead”.  Again a “big dream”, but I keep on working on getting more prepared, and more organized!

So we did the New Year’s Eve Sleep-Over.  We did the Martin Luther King Day, Show Prep Clinic.  I’ve got the Adult Riding Week-End planned.  But I got to looking at the calendar—and there’s these cute holidays coming up:  Valentine’s Day and St Patrick’s Day.  This year Valentine’s is on a Tuesday and St Pat’s Day is on a Thursday.  So I like fun, and if I can think of a way to draw some more lessons in on those days—all the better!

So I came across a Pinterest page which is associated with a website, which I had briefly mentioned once in an earlier post.  The website is lessonsintr.com.  If you are an instructor and you have not checked out this website (and now they have an awesome Pinterest page, as well!), you are really missing out.

Lessonsintr.com is a website that is put together for riding instructors who teach in therapeutic riding lesson programs.  But let me tell you it is inspiring—well, I suppose it is inspiring in teaching those who teach therapeutic riding lessons—but it is inspiring in what can be taken away from it by any riding instructor!  The blogger, is Christy L, who is also an instructor at People and Animal Learning Services (PALS) in Bloomington, IN—which appears from their website to be a huge therapeutic riding center.

Christy says her only motivation for the blog, website and Pinterest page is strictly to share ideas and methodologies of teaching riding lessons, and pretty much everything that goes along with the management and running of a lesson program.  It is simply AWESOME!

I was looking for a game or fun idea for Valentine’s Day to draw in some lesson students to have a fun afternoon out at the stable after school—and I found several!  Also getting ready to have some fun with St Patrick’s Day as well.

If you teach any lessons or manage a stable—Don’t miss out at, lessonsintr.com

(P.S. The Pinterest page is awesome too!  Photos and inspiration!!)

 

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NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTION

Posted on January 30, 2017 by jennifer griffin in Uncategorized, Workshop

 

It’s still January—Barely.  I’m going to share with you my New Year’s Resolution:  Work on Growing and Building My Website and Blog, the Riding Instructor’s WorkShop!

If you’re new to the Riding Instructor WorkShop (RIW)—it started as a way for me to steal and pillage ideas from other riding instructors and trainers.  Years ago if you had met me, I would innocently ask a few questions, “Oh, You have a lesson program?”, “You teach where?”, “How long have you been teaching?”,  “How many lessons do you teach?”.

And then I’d hit with the nitty-gritty, “How do you get them to do that?”, “How much do you charge?”, “How do you pay your instructor?”,  “What, really?”.  After a few minutes of cornering the innocent victim, often they would start slinking slowly away.

Honestly,  all I wanted was information, tricks of the trade, new ideas and methods to try out with my own program.  I only had the best of intentions, I promise.

But then the internet really exploded—websites, FaceBook, Instagram, so much .  .  .

Now I don’t need to corner those innocents and grill them.  Now I can just do what the kids around here call—“Stalking”.  I just get online and start searching.  And I have gotten some great ideas—some great inspiration.

Back in March of last year, we had our 3rd Riding Instructor WorkShop Seminar.  It was our best ever—over 40 instructors, trainers and managers from literally all over the country came and joined.  It was an amazing week-end of sharing, learning and mentoring.  Within the first few minutes of the WorkShop starting—people started getting texts and calls.  What are you learning?  What are you discussing?

And there is so much material .  .  .

But then the real world interfered—the very next week-end was the first show of the year.  And then Camps started, and more shows and more shows and more camps.  And I kept making more excuses!  But no more.

I’ve already had some calls and posts asking about our next Riding Instructor WorkShop Seminar, and the plan is to have it scheduled for January, 2018!  So start planning!

(P.S. I will try to get as much of the RIW Seminar material out to everyone!)

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Here’s the Idea for Today

Posted on November 2, 2016 by jennifer griffin in Uncategorized

four-musketeersCame home from the National Academy Finals, our last show on the ’16 calendar—it’s fall all the kids are in school—our annual slow down time for lessons, shows, camps, extra practices  .  .  .

It’s very quiet .  .  . eerily quiet.

I always read, “enjoy the slow times—use this time to sit back and review—plan for next year.”  “Use the slow time to work on new projects and ideas.”

The longer I sit here—the more the panic builds—where’s the noise from all spring and summer—all the noise from lessons, riding, people, camps .  .  .

It’s almost Winter—where’s the income going to come from?

Soon it will be cold and dark!

I told myself, “Be calm—you had a good 2016 with camps, shows and lessons.”

You have some new ideas and plans for the winter and spring months.  Be calm and work on those.

And you know what .  .  . I didn’t work on any of my prepared thoughts and plans.

But I did come up with what I think will be a fabulous idea.  Sometimes my fabulous ideas turn out to be real duds, but if you don’t try—you won’t know, right?

It was like a lightbulb .  .  . probably time to worry, seems like too good of an idea.

I immediately texted the instructors and they both thought is seemed great.

A few weeks ago we hauled a handful of our quietest ponies over to a local school—several of our riders attend this elementary school and it was their fall festival time.  One of the dads of our current riders, said “hey, how do you get into this riding thing?”  So he gave lots of praise to us and our instructors.  And then he said that his daughter, Madison had a lot of friends who would enjoy riding.

But how to get them to the barn?

And then it hit me—Madison could have a Pony Party.

Well, yes most of our Pony Parties are for someone’s birthday.  And we do actually sell these pony parties.  But what if Madison had a party and invited all 30 something of the kids in her class out, to meet all her furry friends and take a Mini lesson.

Sometimes this is where my great ideas can get a little crazy—but hey, why not give it a try!

So I will give Madison a pony party (she is 7 years old, best age to get them in the door!), for free—and she’ll be the coolest kid in her school.  And hopefully someone will sign up for some lessons.  It will only last an hour, and we’ll have several new kids and their families out to the barn.

Then I got to thinking—why not some of the other kids.  The Saturdays that we don’t have other parties scheduled why not invite a select few of our current riders to invite their classes out also, for their own Pony Party.

I’m even thinking I’ll put together the invitations and just hand them over to the mother and she can get the child to hand them out.  And possibly also get some emails to add to our email list.

Well, I’ll keep you updated on how it all works!!

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Whassup? What did you do all week-end?

Posted on September 22, 2016 by jennifer griffin in Uncategorized

riw-16Everyone’s first question—What did you do all week-end?

The whole seminar was on sharing and networking.  So while an agenda was created—the idea was to have a panel of instructors discuss the topic with lots of time given for questions.  In fact interruptions were welcomed.  Ideas, practices and inspiration were bounced back and forth.  .  .

From all over the room came .  .  .  How did you do that?  How did you get them to do that?  How much do you charge?  How was it organized?  Where do you find that?

It was amazing!   So much feedback!  So Cool!

I’m going to try to share some of the tons of material that was covered during the seminar!

For this post I’ve included the Seminar Agenda so you can get an idea of what we accomplished!

RIDING INSTRUCTOR WORKSHOP 2016

AGENDA

 

2:00  ACADEMY NATIONALS INSTRUCTOR POW-WOW WITH JOYCE WEBSTER

 

FRIDAY, MARCH 4 (5:00-9:00 p.m.)

5:00-6:00         MEET & GREET AND EARLY REGISTRATION

5:45     Ellen Beard:  Success in the Saddle

6:00-7:00         DINNER

7:00     Parker Lovell

7:00-7:30         INTRODUCTION TO THE WORKSHOP:   HOW TO GET THE MOST OUT OF IT

7:30-8:15         “HORSES DON’T WRITE CHECKS, PEOPLE DO, THREE PROVEN STRATEGIES TO IMPROVE YOUR PERSONAL BRAND”                                                           DOUG EMERSON, THE PROFITABLE HORSEMAN

8:30-9:15         CLIENT RELATIONS:  WORKING IT OUT!

MAUREEN CAMPBELL

 

PLEASE WEAR YOUR NAME-TAG TO EACH DAY!

BRING YOUR NOTEBOOK EACH DAY!

BOTTLED WATER AND SNACKS AVAILABLE THROUGHOUT WEEK-END

AFTER LUNCH ON SATURDAY WE WILL TAKE A GROUP PIC!

THERE MAY BE SOME SLIGHT CHANGES OF THIS AGENDA!

 

 

SATURDAY, MARCH 5 (9:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m.)

 

8:30 EARLY REGISTRATION (PLEASE BE EARLY SO WE GET STARTED RIGHT ON TIME)

9:00     MARKETING WITH ZERO DOLLARS (LITTLE TO NO MARKETING BUDGET)

(Christy P, Brooke V. Jamie J)

10:00   GET ‘EM IN THE DOOR AND KEEP ‘EM

(Jenny L, Jeanine L, Maura D, Brooke V, Georgia M)

11:00    FEEDING THE SCHOOL HORSE AND SAVING MONEY

ROBERT STEPP, TRIBUTE EQUINE NUTRITION

12:00   CUSTOMER CENTRIC MARKETING

KATHY DOUGLAS OF KDOUGLAS VENTURES

1:00     LUNCH (group photo)

2:00     OPEN TOPIC DISCUSSION:  ADVERTISING,

3:00     WHAT EVERYONE SHOULD KNOW ABOUT SOCIAL MEDIA FOR MARKETING A HORSE BUSINESS                                                                                          DOUG EMERSON, THE PROFITABLE HORSEMAN

4:00     HAVING THE MONEY TALK:  HOW TO CONFIDENTLY TALK TO YOUR CLIENTS ABOUT SPENDING MONEY WITHIN YOUR BUSINESS

(Jaime J, Christy P, Georgia M, Marilyn M)

5:00     EXTENDING YOUR CLIENT’S SHELF LIFE:  MAKING MORE MONEY WITH YOUR CURRENT CLIENT BASE

(Christy P, Jeanine L, Suzanne S, Georgia M)

6:00     DINNER

7:00     ROUND-TABLE DISCUSSIONS

 

SUNDAY, MARCH 6 (9:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m.)

 

8:30     EARLY REGISTRATION (PLEASE BE EARLY!)

9:00     LESSON PROGRAM MANAGEMENT:  GOOD TO BETTER TO GREAT (PT 1 & 2)

(Brooke V, Jamie J, Jenny L, Maura D and Anna S)

11:00    CAMP:  DON’T BE AFRAID!

(Anna S, Jeanine L, Brooke V, Marilyn M)

12:30   LUNCH

1:00     INSURANCE:  LIABILITY & RISK MANAGEMENT (MARKEL INSURANCE)

2:00     COLORING OUTSIDE THE LINES: MAKE MONEY WITH WHAT YOU’VE GOT

(Jeanine L, Suzanne S, Maura D, Marilyn M)

 

3:00     GET ‘EM TO SHOW:  THE FIRST COMPETITION TO THE WORLD’S CHAMPIONSHIPS

(Betsy W, Marilyn M, Jamie J)

4:00     MAKE SURE YOU’VE GOTTEN ALL YOUR CONTACT INFO—SAFE TRAVELS!

 

 

 

 

 

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THE FOUR LETTER WORD

Posted on September 22, 2016 by jennifer griffin in Uncategorized

riw-i-picProbably you haven’t noticed but I haven’t posted anything on the Riding Instructor WorkShop page in quite some time.  In fact nothing since the seminar in March.

Again, you may never have noticed .  .  .

But I have simply tortured myself over it.  I’ve decided it’s time to face my four letter word.

Oh sure I had all the right reasons, why I didn’t post anything—we went to the first show of ’16 the very next week-end, we had a tournament the next week-end and then so much other stuff kept getting in the way.

And then campers came and so many shows .  .  .

Actually I was just hiding—there I’ve admitted it.

You may say from what—and here it is the four letter word—FEAR.

Success I was hiding from success.

The RIW Seminar ’16 which was in March was a HUGE (another four letter word) success!  Huge success—I mean HUGE success.

Over 30 professional instructors and trainers from all over the country joined in a week-end of professional development and continuing education.  But it was even more than that—it was simply sharing.  Sharing knowledge, sharing experience and sharing inspiration.

From the moment the Seminar started we had other instructors, texting, calling, emailing—We want to know!  We want information!  What are you all doing!

We simply have a mountain of information from all the instructors that attended.  Not only were they required to bring any type of marketing or useful lesson program management “stuff” they use with their own lesson program, but then there’s all the discussions and notes which were scheduled during the seminar.

We had instructors who had only been teaching a year to instructors with decades of experience.  We had instructors who manage their own program with instructors working for them and had instructors who work for a stable.  We had full time instructors and part time instructors.  So much knowledge it was so exciting just to be there!

This year we had two instructors who were strictly not saddle seat instructors.  One of them was Sayer Townsend.  Sayer had seen on FaceBook several years ago the first WorkShop that was offered and wasn’t able to come.  She had FaceBooked me every few months for two years, until she was registered for this year’s seminar.  I thought this woman is really determined.  And I’ve got to say that Sayer will definitely be asked to be a mentor for the next WorkShop.  Be sure to check out her stable—edgebrookequestriancenter.com.  Her Edgebrook Equestrian Center is a hunt seat stable and her lesson program is growing so fast that she really wanted more info and more support to make sure that she is heading in the right direction.  If you look at her website and her stable’s FaceBook page I would say she is definitely headed down the right path.  Sayer also came a day early and scheduled her flight out so that she could visit both Louisville and Lexington hunter stables, and learn from them as well.

For the next WorkShop I want to make sure that we get more Hunt Seat and Western instructors.  The WorkShop while there may be some discussion on instruction methods—specifics like Saddle Seat position in the saddle is not discussed.  The WorkShop is geared towards the management of a lesson program and continuing education of the instructor.  You teach a person on a horse or behind a horse, and you’re going to get something from the seminar.

Okay, I’m going to try my best to go through some of this material.  But there was nothing like being there.

For the future of the Riding Instructor Seminar WorkShop—I’ve got BIG plans and tons of ideas.

So keep on reading, I’m going to try to post something weekly on the materials covered in the ’16 WorkShop.

P.S. Special thanks to Rock Creek Riding Club for allowing us to use their gorgeous clubhouse for our seminar!!

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It’s A Wrap

Posted on March 17, 2016 by jennifer griffin in Uncategorized

12829045_1229898287040084_3396441353878047521_oThe best part of the week-end’s Riding Instructor WorkShop was Monday.  Monday?  Wasn’t it over on Sunday afternoon?

First thing Monday morning—I opened up FaceBook and there it was .  .  .

One instructor wanted to know the best place to get business cards made—one had a new newsletter up—another was re-vamping their volunteer training—another was trying out the new musical lesson plan Christy P had brought us—and still another was in the process of hiring an additional riding instructor.

It was AWESOME!

As riding instructors and trainers we don’t often get the chance for professional development, learning about new ideas and methods, and just as importantly were the networking opportunities.  Being able to get up close and personal with fellow instructors/trainers from all over the country.

I would like to thank all our WorkShop attendees who went home so motivated and so full of new ideas to use in their own programs!

See ya next time!!

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JANUARY EQUALS PLANNING

Posted on January 26, 2016 by jennifer griffin in Workshop

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January equals planning for me.  For the last few weeks my planning has been put aside due to some horrible flu and then right as I started feeling better, I had terrible tooth pain.  As I sat in the dentist chair trying to not cough on him, he informed me that I had split my tooth in half—probably from the stress of my lack of January planning.

Okay, now that I’m feeling better and down to the last week of January—time to get busy!

2015 was  pretty good year .  .  . sold some horses and had an amazing summer of camps. 

So here’s some of the questions I need answered with my 2016 scheduling—

How much $$$ do we need to bring in each month in 2016 to pay the bills and salaries?

Where’s financial comfort level that needs to come in each month?

Look back and figure out how much I need to save and keep back for the slow winter months?

In ’15 lessons were my weakest link?  What to do about this?

Hire another groom in Spring—we need one can we afford it?

Manure issue?  How do we pay for it?  Another option?

Long Term—Much needed improvements and a plan to pay for them?

Do you have some of these questions?  Need answers?

Join us at the Riding Instructor WorkShop Seminar, March 4-6, and Let’s try to find some answers!

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LET THEM KNOW

Posted on December 4, 2015 by jennifer griffin in Riding Lesson Ideas, Workshop

tell themI was just giving a 11 year old her first lesson.  She tried hard and her mom was very nice—and most importantly, they’re coming back next week.

While we were practicing turning the horse in and out of a simple cone pattern, I got to thinking.

Here in Kentucky, there are several riding stables within a 50 mile radius.  In fact some of the top show barns in the country are located within 20 miles of my stable.  These top show barns draw in riders and clients from all over the country and the world.  And while this is the heart of the Saddlebred world, we have a few hunter/eventing barns and a couple of western barns.

And you know what they’re all pretty good.  In fact it is hard for me to think of one that isn’t.  Several years ago there were a couple of barns, where it seemed the kids fell off all the time, the riders were scared and timid, horses ran away at the academy shows.  But you know what most of those people are gone.

I think with so many good stables around, unless you have decent, well-trained lesson horses and a pleasant, well-educated instructor, you’re not going to stay in business.

What this does is it builds competition.  Not competition between barns, although I suppose there is that, but what I’m talking about is competition to find and grab kids/adults/riders who want to find a nice place to learn to ride.

So still wandering around with this brand new rider—she is wearing a good fitting helmet (she has borrowed from us for the first time), tack that fits and is comfortable, and a wonderful horse whose just loves to mosey around—but will still listen to the not so good signals a beginner gives—I thought about how this kid came to ride at the barn that day.

Her mom had called about a week before.  She had been given a gift certificate from some school auction.  And I almost turned them down.  The certificate was three years old.

Here in the LEC office we are always complaining about people who try to use a lesson coupon that is expired—not a few weeks, but months.  We give out a lot of free gift certificates for school auctions and benefits—and always put an expiration date on them.  And we are always complaining about the lolly-gaggers who always want to use their certificates months beyond the expiration date.  And they only want to use their certificate for their out of town cousins.

But here was this mom, she had this certificate—so before I turned her down, I said, “where do you live, close by?”—waiting to hear the same old response, that her husband is stationed at Ft Knox (which is already 50 miles away) and that they are being moved to Hawaii next week, and just wanted to come ride.

But no, they actually live in a nice subdivision about 5 miles away.  So I thought O.K., just let them come.  I’ll teach the lesson, then none of the instructors have to come in, and I also don’t have to pay anyone extra to teach or lead the daughter.

And you know what?  It was a good one.

So just how do you find those good ones?

How do you make sure they find the Louisville Equestrian Center, instead of Zubrod Stables or Stonehurst Stables or Twin Oak Stables or Rock Creek?

You have to let them know.  They have to know who you are, what you do and how they can do it.

But what’s the best way to let them know?  What’s the cheapest way?  What gives you the best bang for your buck?

For more ideas, be sure that you have signed up for the 2016 RIDING INSTRUCTOR’S WORKSHOP’S ANNUAL SEMINAR.  Some of the country’s best instructors and trainers will be gathered together to share ideas and network with fellow instructors.  Check out the Riding Instructor Workshop’s FaceBook page as well as go to ridinginstructorworkshop.com and get registered today!

 

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Monday

Posted on November 2, 2015 by jennifer griffin in Uncategorized

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Well it’s Monday morning here at the LEC, after a very intense week of showing and working at the biggest and most competitive National Academy Championships ever (36 stables from 19 states competed this year).  And I want to tell you a story, it’s about a young woman who showed at last year’s 2014 National Academy Championships.

This rider had gone to Nationals for a couple of years prior to showing as part of our annual “Pit Crew”, that helps get the “back of the house” under control—getting horses washed, groomed, stalls cleaned, feeding and watering, as well as tacking up the horses and helping get the kids on the horses and ready to go to the ring.  And she told me “next year” I’ll show, and then the next year she said, “next year” I’ll show.

So this sixteen year old, worked at the barn as a lesson helper, she worked as a camp counselor and made more money—and talked her parents into letting her show in 2014.  She probably had less than a dozen shows under her belt, and off she went to Murfreesboro.  Now as her instructor I had talked to her and her parents, over and over again—“the competition will be really deep”, “you are probably stepping into the most competitive division at the show” .  .  .

She hit the ring in her first class, in her first round.  And came out with no ribbon, a good ride—but no ribbon.  She was out in the pleasure division—and this was the division, we had hoped would be her stronger division.  She was out.

But she had another class, the equitation division—had a really good strong, confident ride.  They called first place, and then they called second—and lo and behold, her number was called.  Second with her first time showing at Nationals.  Wow!  So she showed again the next day in the championship round, I don’t even really remember what ribbon she got, but she made the cut.

She got up really early for the final round of competition, and we “walked” her work-out.  And “walked” it again and again.  She was so certain she would get called to do the work-out, and I as her instructor knew that both the age groups would be combined and there would be 16 riders coming back.  And usually the judges only let five or six riders perform the individual workout.

So this rider made an amazing show, she showed way above her experience level, she looked like a pro.  Numbers were called for the riders who would be asked to do a work-out, and her number was called.  If you don’t realized what this means to a rider—it is like winning the class before it is even over.  She did the work-out,  not perfectly—but it was respectable.  Everyone lined up again, and the ribbons were awarded.  And while she did make the Top Ten in this division, she did earn a coveted Top Three placing—but both rider and her instructor were thrilled.

But this is not about ribbons or work-outs.

What this is about is the rider who called me first thing Monday morning after the show, and wanted to know if she could get an extra lesson helper work shift, could work all the horse shows as well as sign her up to work all the next year’s summer camps.  On the ride home from Nationals, she had announced to her parents that she would be showing at the show next year as it would be her last year before college, and she had a plan to pay for it.

And work she did.  An extra night as a Lesson Helper, also working anyone else’s shift who need to cancel, she worked every horse show and tournament, she also worked five weeks of summer camp.

So for this year’s Nationals, expectations were high.  She had ridden and practiced, she had sweated and shown, and here it was.

And rode she did, as an instructor I thought her first two riders were very strong.  But as horse shows are a subjective sport, she earned two fourth place ribbons.  Much better than last year, qualified for both finals.  And then came Saturday morning in the pleasure division—and as her instructor I thought she was flawless.  Aggressive and smooth, and she earned a third place, even better!

Next came the Equitation Championship, both rider and instructor talked—give it all you’ve got.  And she did.  And her number was called .  .  . for first place!  A coveted victory pass at the National Academy Championships!  Fantastic!

But remember another day of competition loomed ahead.  The work-out was walked and memorized.  Strategies were discussed.

But I will warn you, this is not a story about winning.

Pleasure was first, and the rider had an amazing ride, as did the other 15 riders.  When awards were given she was announced as a Top Ten winner—Fantastic again.  Then came the equitation division—another fantastic, flawless ride.  Sitting in the line-up waiting as the numbers were announced for the top riders that would perform an individual work-out, and my hard-working student who had given so much.  .  .  so much effort, so much time, so much sweat and long hours, all with that goal of riding in Nationals again and performing that work-out again, much better this time than last year’s.

Her number wasn’t called.

The riders went out, performed their work-outs.  Some perfect, some not so perfect.  Then came the time for the Top Ten placings to be announced.

Her number wasn’t called.

She came out of the ring head held high without a Top Ten ribbon or getting to do the work-out.  She was a calm and cool as any rider.  She said I got to make a victory pass and that’s something not everyone got to do that week of competition.

As she came back to the barn with her parents getting ready to leave—she said I’ll see you on Monday for work!

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Workshop Registration Coming Soon!

Visit Louisville Equestrian Center

Betsy Webb, Director
6720 Mt. Washington Rd
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