The first thing I remember about my horse experience is when I was
about 2 years old. Each Saturday my mom would take me to the pony rides
at the park. I would happily sit on top of an old chestnut horse that
patiently walked around in a circle for us excited children.
My family
eventually moved to Greenville, SC, where I spent most of my life. In
about 1983, my dream of starting horseback riding lessons was realized.
I began to ride at J & J Stables. My first two years were spent
learning the basics and riding any school horse that I was put on. I
finally decided to concentrate on Saddle Seat. Miss Piggy, a pinto
Saddlebred pony, was the first pony that I ever showed. We competed on
the local circuit and at the Spartanburg Horseman's Association monthly
shows.
Soon, I moved onto Lite-N-Brite, a half Saddlebred, half Hackney Pony.
Lite saw me through several show seasons, and we went on to become 1988
State Pony Pleasure Champions. I still look back at the 3 foot high
trophy we won and remember the good times. Lite was eventually sold to a
friend of mine, and she is now semi-retired and living the good life
back in Greenville. I still have occasion to visit my favorite pony and
give her a loving pat.
I left J & J in 1990 and moved to Cleveland Park Stables, one of the
country's foremost Saddlebred training barns. I was saddened to hear
that Carroll Greenwell, the owner and trainer, passed away in February
of 1998 from cancer. With CPS, I moved into the Saddle Seat Equitation
Division with a Morgan named Derringer. In two years of showing, D and I
never placed lower than 2nd. This is us at the J.D. Massey Classic in
1992 taking a victory pass.
I
also showed in the Juvenile 5-Gaited Division with Reserve World
Champion Diamond Hill's Eleganza, my beloved Barbee. I am still looking
for Barbee if anyone knows her whereabouts. I also became involved in
the ASAC Youth Club and an officer in the CPS youth club. I recall these
years as some of the most fun on the show circuit, as well as some of my
most successful.
In the fall of 1992, I
entered Clemson University. It didn't take me long to become involved
with the horse community there, either! I joined the Clemson
Equestrian Team and started to compete in the Novice Hunter
Equitation over Fences, the Novice Hunter Equitation on the Flat, and
Intermediate II Stock Seat Equitation Divisions. With much sadness, I
had to make a choice between hunt seat and saddle seat in the middle of
my freshman year. Saddle Seat had given me much success, and I had been
on the national show circuit for several years. I was ready to move onto
new challenges in a different style of riding. Also in the middle of my
freshman year, the Equestrian Team split from its parent club, the Block
and Bridle Club, to form its own. I spent 2 years as Secretary for the
team and a year and a half as its historian. During this time, I rode
with two barns. First was Wit's End in Seneca, SC. In May of 1993, I
began to ride at Heel Down Stable in Greenville, SC, with Leslie Kreiger.
While with Leslie, I became one of the "Kreiger
Krew,"
showing on the South Carolina Hunter Jumper, Progressive Show Jumping,
and Blue Ridge Hunter Jumper Show Circuits. As the end of my college
career came to a close in 1996, I began to focus on working with several
young horses at Heel Down Stable, namely Grey Sea, a 4 year old Quarter
Horse mare, whose picture is on my index page. Gracie showed much
promise, but alas, her owner decided to put her in a pasture. The one
horse I regret not trying to buy was Gracie.
I was very fortunate to be able to show several nice horses at Heel Down
Stable. To the left is Thunder, a Thoroughbred gelding that gave me the
confidence to jump 3'6". Thunder had wings and would jump anything.
We showed in the Novice Hunter and Equitation over Fences Divisions. He
took me to my first hunter Grand Championship. The chestnut on the right
is Just Maybe, aka "Ely," a Hanovarian gelding. Ely carried me
in the Adult Amateur Hunter, Equitation, and Low Hunter (3') Divisions.
Thunder has been sold to someone in Illinois, and Ely is recently
retired because of an injury.
I'm not currently riding here in Atlanta although I am still showing
a horse in dressage occasionally for a friend of mine up in South
Carolina. Cycling training takes up much of my free time, and I want to
devote 2001 to racing on the national mountain bike circuit. I have
several wonderful opportunities for 2001, and I will regret it if I
don't take them. Horses will always be a part of my life. Once horses
are in your blood, you can never get them out.
Stories
Links
Intercollegiate Horse Show Association
Horse Breed Index
Practical Horseman
The Haynet, the Internet's largest
listing of horse links
ASHA
American Horse Shows
Association
Equine-L Homepage
Western Riding in
the Czech Republic
Natural
Saddlebreds
NC Dressage and Combined Training
Association
Carolina Cup Steeplechase,
Camden, SC
Florence Horse Center, Florence,
SC
American Saddlebred Association
of the Carolinas
FENCE, Tryon, NC
Polk County Equestrian Information,
NC
Tryon Riding and Hunt Club,
Tryon, NC
NC Horse News
Horse Country,
Southern Pines, NC
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