Changing Trajectories


Back in the day when I got asked to ride people's hunter ponies all the time because that was my 'thing'.
Between the hellacious weather, coming down with the Stomach Flu of Doom, and finding myself doing not much else besides working and sleeping, I haven't been riding much at all over the past couple weeks. But I have been thinking about how my riding journey has gone totally rogue over the last several years.

When I graduated college over 8 years ago, even though I'd started doing some dressage at school, I still had both feet firmly planted in the hunter/jumper world. My long-term goals included eventually buying a horse, probably a Thoroughbred, and doing the hunters and equitation. I hoped one day to show in the 3' A/A hunters on some fancy thing, and was more than happy to stick to a fenced-in arena the majority of the time. After all, trail riding wasn't "real" riding, and I had training to do.

Moar hunter ponies. Being short has so many advantages.
After I graduated, I started taking lessons at a big H/J barn nearby and began showing in the jumpers, which to be honest REALLY intimidated me at first. The courses were so long, the turns were difficult, and it was a far cry from the relatively simple hunter and equitation courses I was used to. But I learned, and improved, and grew to love the jumper ring. I had moved away from the hunters, but was still very much entrenched in arena-based, USHJA-sanctioned jumping disciplines on the whole.

Along came Dino, and somehow my trajectory morphed from working towards rocking around the 3' jumpers to dabbling a bit more in dressage, to agreeing to try XC jumping, to diving into eventing, to trail riding more and longer and more intensely than I ever had before, and now, Lord have mercy, I've gone and become deeply enamored with foxhunting of all things.

The hunter princess has left the arena, and she loves it out here.

Who is this rider? I do not know her. 
My riding life has certainly changed dramatically over the last 10 years, as have my dreams, goals, and what I consider important traits in a horse. As Dino gets closer to retirement age and I start to think more about what I want my next partner to be like, I realize that the traits I value have changed quite a lot from what I thought I wanted 10 years ago!

Then, I thought I wanted a horse that ran a little hotter and had a good Go Button. Something with a fancy trot and a 10 jump. I didn't think I'd mind a horse that was a little neurotic - I could deal if it was talented enough to succeed in the hunter ring. As for a horse that could hack out alone or in a group, cross water, and navigate obstacles on the trail? Didn't matter to me! I was a "real" rider and "real" riders didn't trail ride very much. They were doing more important things, like showing.

Oh, how young and silly I was!

Young and silly and laying on the necks of fancy ponies. 
Now, having spent 6 years with the most fantastically brave and sensible pony in the world who brought me out of the arena and into a big, wide world of riding outside that I never thought I'd love, my priorities are very different.

Now, I want a pony with a good head. Sure, fancy is nice, but smart and sane are more important. I want a pony I can toss on the trailer and take anywhere to try anything. And if the pony in question is green or unsure, I want it to have the kind of mind that will allow me to teach it to be confident and obedient. I don't have time for neurotic or spooky or silly. I want steady and trainable and level-headed. I'm okay with a kick ride. I want a pony that I can trust out on the trail, in the hunt field, and on the XC course. Trail-ready is more important than show-ring-ready at this point in my life.

Though an excellent work ethic, nice movement, a good jump, and limited psychological baggage wouldn't hurt, either.

Ahhh, that's more like it! 
How have your priorities changed over the years? Are you doing something in your riding life now you never even thought you'd try?








Comments

  1. I'm doing things I always dreamed about being able to do. And I'm so fortunate to have three athletic and versatile critters to gallivant on. It's the best.

    You'll have to gI've endurance a try sometime :-)

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    1. It's definitely on my bucket list! I would love to do an endurance ride at least once in my life!

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  2. I think it's so fun to look back at where our riding journeys started and where they've gone, and where we hope they'll go 😀 I started out catch riding literally ANYTHING and now I have these really fun young horses who have an aptitude for dressage but also the brains to do just about anything I'm brave enough to try. I can't wait to see what another 10 years brings me!

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    1. It's very exciting to think about! And those good brains are PRICELESS, as I've come to learn.

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  3. I think a lot about my next horse, too. I'm not sure I've landed on anything yet. I think I want to do more dressage - but I'd also like a horse I could take out cross-country. I want a bit more work ethic, but not too much piss & vinegar. My heart wants a Morgan, but my head knows that I'd have to shop long and hard to find the right one.

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    1. It's kind of a fun thing to think about! But Lord knows I'll probably end up with something very different from what I think my 'dream pony' is now!

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  4. omg can this be a club and can we please get t-shirts?!?! bc i'm right there with ya!! it's so amazing to me how what we seek and appreciate in a horse changes when we break down the walls and take it out into the big open wild and let it GO haha.

    i think a lot of these changes in priorities also come with being more independent, relying less on the paradigm of "big barn with head trainer" who rules the roost, and shifting instead to "why do *i* ride and what do *i* want to do?" it's liberating!

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    1. YES SHIRTS!!! "Emancipated Former Hunter Princess Club" ? The independence definitely has a lot to do with it - without someone telling you what you should do/want/work towards, you figure out what YOU really love!

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  5. this post made me smile. the great outdoors are amazing, and your between the ears shots are proof.

    priorities changing are evidence of our own growth.

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  6. My riding goals have certainly changed over the years! I used to be very competition focused (I wanted to ride at Rolex, I wanted to represent the US at the Olympics; these days, while I still like to compete, I've learned to relax and enjoy riding for the sake of riding!

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    1. Same here! Showing is fun, but not as fun or as joy-inducing as ripping around on the trail!

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  7. It's amazing what a change of mindset and focus can do

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  8. It's amazing how much we grow and change, the more we do and learn! I used to want to do the AQHA all-around and here I am, in the land of warmbloods.

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  9. Love this post :) My priorities have been all over the map, but right now, what you described is exactly what I'd look for. Basically, if I could have it all, I'd just make Bridget fancier.

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    1. but shes the most adorable pony ever, so she doesn't need to be fancy.

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  10. I have changed a ton in terms of goals and riding ambitions over the years.

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  11. This is great! I definitely had some ideas about what/where my riding would go but I took a much different plan than I planned. :)

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  12. Ha, well, I've gone like a million steps backward in my riding. But I'm ok with that. Life never seems to go in a perfectly straight line.
    It's funny how your perspective was so different from mine. I'm a hunter/jumper girl through and through, but I've always admired riders who do things like eventing and fox hunting for their bravery. I'm too chicken for any of that! I've always preferred a kick ride with a solid brain to anything hot or spooky. Especially in the hunter ring. Though I don't mind if my jumpers are a little spicy.
    You've definitely given yourself a ton more depth as a rider with all of the adventures you and Dino have gone on!

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