Eventing......we wouldn't live any other way!

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!! 

Lane Clarke Show Jumping Clinic

This weekend Tamra Smith's, Next Level Eventing benefited from riding in a clinic with Grand Prix Show Jumper Lane Clarke. 

Lane brings a slightly  different approach to his clinic than most. Firstly most of his lessons are private lessons specifically working on you and your individual horse. It's a great way to make huge improvements in just one weekend.

He also focuses greatly on the flat. Making sure that each horse is supple, relaxed, and in front of your leg. 

These are key components to the success of creating a good jump from your horse. 

Every time I start to feel my horses not jumping in great form I know it's time to have Lane out for a tune up. 

The common denominator with each student was the quietness of your hand and body and to let your horse do his job. We would start out by trotting a vertical or oxer with placing poles on both sides of the jump. Lane carefully accessed each horse and it was remarkable his ability to pick out what each horses strengths and weaknesses were. 

By the end of the first day each horse was jumping around their jumps and in great form. 

I particularly love riding with Lane because he trains people the way we should train horses. Reward when it's good and be tough when it's bad. It's simple thinking and produces amazing results. 

I am currently riding several young horses that I'm producing that are green however fairly broke for their respective levels. It was very educational to watch how Lane addressed straightness to the horses jumps by using placing poles and  not having the rider fix the straightness issues with their hands. He focused on keeping the horses relaxed through their bodies and when riders would use there hands to fix the straightness so often the horses jump would become tight, flat, and without shape. 

In addition to straightness Lane focused on how your body can help with helping your horse wait to the jump and therefore helping the arch of each jump. That leg doesn't always create a good jump and that sometimes too much leg can cause the horse to become tense. My horse Milton was especially effected by the amount of leg I did use. As the jumps got bigger and eventually to the top of the 6 ft standards Lane made it very clear that I was not to put too much leg on my horse, but I should just have a relaxed feel. Of course the first couple of times was strange for me and I did not benefit from the quality of jump that my horse produced after cantering down to this oxer with a relaxed and loopy canter. 

The second day all of my horses went much better and each of them were light years better than the day before. It was great to feel them getting better each day. 

I've known Lane for several years and have ridden with his father Allen Clarke who specializes in fixing and improving on horses with their performance, manners, connection issues, and ridability issues. Lane brings a wonderful mixture to the table by understanding the philosophy that his father trains with and his extensive experience and wins in the Grand Prix ring. 

I feel very fortunate to have the people I have that help me with my dressage as well as my day to day training. I can feel my horses improving more than ever before and it has so much to with everything I have surrounding me. 

I wanted to share how important it is to have trainers continue to receive training and to know that you can never stop learning. I think that is what sets the best apart from the rest. 

Thanks for reading! Til next time.....keep enjoying the journey of what horses does for us all! 

T