I was raised on the thought that to end rich in this sport you had to start rich. It was just needed for your survival in riding, and like I said before, my family wasn't rich.
In the summer of my grade seven year, I decided to apply for a job. Soon enough I realized that I wasn't old enough for a 'real' job. I spoke to my coach (and grandmother) about working at her place. She agreed to pay me 10$/hr for my work around her farm. I rode horses, cleaned stalls, painted fencing and jumps, cleaned, and cleaned some more. I had earned enough money to pay for one show, and my mom had agreed that it was enough, only because my prize money had made me enough money to pay for four shows and I still made 50$!
My horse, Kedo, was nothing out of the ordinary. Actually, he may have been less than ordinary at first sight. He was a 2005 bay OTTB gelding and had an almost invisible star on his forehead. He wasn't particularly flashy and wasn't an eye catcher. That is, until he moved.
Kedo had the best canter that I had ever ridden. It was smooth and I couldn't hear his feet so much as brushing the ground. He had great movement in his canter and a perfect stride. His trot was almost as striking as his canter; his movement like silk and almost floating off of the ground. The only thing better than both of these movements was his jump.
Before I bought Kedo, the highest he had been shown was 2'9" Hunters with a professional rider. When I first jumped him, I hated it. He over-jumped everything and changed leads five times in front of every jump. At one point, I recall my mother and I having a conversation about selling Kedo because I couldn't stand his jump. Little did I know what would lie ahead of us. After I learned how to ride his large jump, I appreciated him more than I ever had. He cleared 3'0" jumps with ease and wasn't phased when we free-jumped him over a 1.35m oxer. Needless to say, he would take me far in my jumping career.
I began my jumping career in 2'0" hunters. Kedo was a star for me and we received a low hunter champion ribbon at almost all of our shows that year. The next year was the biggest show season of my life.
I started the year with getting 5th on a 2'3" round that I chipped in at almost every jump. I finished that show winning a 2'9" Hunter round. Progress. That's what I was focused on. Sure enough, I finished my show season showing and winning 1.00m jumper classes, almost a foot higher than I started that year.
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Author's note
THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT!
The next chapter will be in present tense and incase tou didnt catch onk, the first four were history:)
thanks for reading!
-Alana
YOU ARE READING
High Hopes
Fiksi Remaja"I wasn't over and above at anything. Until I started riding." Watch Alana's story unfold through her own words as a no-name rider ripples into becoming one of the biggest splashes in equestrian history. ***No, this is not my personal biography.*...
