It's towards the end of spring and the season is going fast!
The ups and downs of our sport are so wonderfully high and so incredibly low. I think the strategy of success is to not let them get on either end of the spectrum and to try and keep them right in the middle. When you think about our sport, it's bipolar enough to make anyone crazy. Ultimately like the written passage Denny Emerson wrote about.....you have to have "true grit"! And if you don't have it......which most normal people don't, your not going to last.
As an up and comer to International Eventing the best advice I can think of giving to people who are trying to "make it" is that every achievement is a huge accomplishment and to cherish every moment. Because ultimately you are going to have way more setbacks than successes to become great!!
MacKenna Shea went to the east coast her first time this May and proved to have what it takes to play with the big boys landing herself in first place after the dressage in the CCI3*. She had a wonderful round cross country only to be spun in the second jog on Sunday morning. Very unfortunate for all involved!
MacKenna would then make the trek home and reflect on the highs of her weekend and ultimately the lowest part with not being able to finish.
The best part of this entire experience is that Kenna has the right attitude, a great ability, and this is just one of many bumps in the road of her very long career in the sport of eventing. I feel old when I say that but it's so true.
So now it's time to sit down and plan what's next for these two as well as the young horses coming up the levels!
I feel very fortunate to have the people I have that help me strive for excellence and the wonderful people around me on their own journeys as well!
Life can change in an instant....as we have watched with the people affected in the Oklahoma tornados. It puts things like what happened with MacKenna in perspective. Although her heartbreak is still very significant, we know that Landioso and MacKenna have a very bright future ahead of them.
So no matter what your disappointment is with your horse..... a result at a recent event, your financial situation, not having the right horse or having a lame horse.......remember to never give up your dreams. Because with hard work and the right horse you can achieve your goals & dreams whatever they may be.
Keep dreaming and working hard!!
