Name: Sarah
Age: 27
Where do you live: Ventura, CA
Family Status: Married, with 2 dogs and 1 horse.
1. How long have you been riding? Endurance Eventing?
I've been riding regularly since I was 6 years old. I started off doing saddleseat, then dabbled in lots of other disciplines over the years. I've been eventing since 2009 and I'm hooked!
I've been riding regularly since I was 6 years old. I started off doing saddleseat, then dabbled in lots of other disciplines over the years. I've been eventing since 2009 and I'm hooked!
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| Myself on Max, my first eventing partner, back in 2009. |
2. What does a normal training week look like for you?
Saturday - Jump lesson
Sunday - day off
Monday - jump ride
Tuesday - day off
Wednesday - dressage ride
Thursday - Dressage lesson
Friday - bareback hack
Friday - bareback hack
The lesson days are pretty regular. The practice ride days all change around depending on other life things.
3. Any advice for endurance eventing riding spouses?
With any hobby, spousal support (emotional, logistical, monetary) is crucial. But balance is also important. Make sure there's date-nights or other ways to make sure quality time with the spouse is a regular part of life. Horses are a lifelong lifestyle - a pet and a hobby, so its unrealistic to think that your spouse will just stop doing it one day.
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| I like hanging out with my horse in addition to riding him. |
4. Where will this sport be in 10 years?
I think USEA (US Eventing Assoc) will make "Intro" a recognized division, with smaller jumps than Beginner Novice and maybe even a walk-trot dressage test.
Unfortunately I think there will be less venues, less shows, and higher costs for the shows that remain - simply due to rising costs of horse and property maintenance especially out here on the west coast.
I think technology will continue to evolve and become more critical to the sport - from apps to timekeeping. I think safety innovations will continue to help make our sport safer.
5. What was your best race and why (AERC endurance – or if you are primary in another discipline, than your best ride in that sport).
Our best shows have been the local derby competitions at El Sueno. We seem to always have some sort of issue at the big recognized shows, but at the close, low-key shows we do great.
Bonus question: What’s your favorite beer?
Dos Equis.
Thanks to Mel for putting together this blog hop!
Thanks for participating! Good point about the balanced life/quality time with spouse. I think that was the biggest change for me - not being able to live a second life at the barn. In someways that has made my horse life more focused - I'm not out there for hours and hours EVERY day - and that focus has improved the balance of my every day life. I don't think it's a coincidence that I only started running more once I moved in with my soon to be husband. I never had time to run once I really started going hard core endurance....but once I *had* to start spending some time at home, I found myself all of a sudden being to balance so much more - run, ride, AND even fit in some housework. Overall made my riding life much mroe enjoyable even though I spend less time at it.
ReplyDeleteI love eventing too. I hope to compete in it one day.
ReplyDeleteI always love learning more about my fellow bloggers!
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