My Old Kentucky Home by Lauren Lambert

Back to the Bluegrass and home again.  I broke up the trip home from Florida with a stop at Chattahoochee Hills.  With all the buzz happening at The Fork, it did feel mildly disappointing not being in North Carolina... Until I pulled into that heavenly property in Georgia.  It turned out to be a great weekend, but a big whoulda coulda shoulda.  Fine With Me ran his third preliminary and won the dressage, then went out on XC feeling great.  I crossed the finish line with a big smile until it was announced I sadly left out jump # 13, a jump on top of the hill before the water.  This horse has been amazing all winter, with a 1st, 2nd and now a TE at his first three attempts at prelim.  I brought him out Sunday and he jumped around the show jumping like a dream.  Marc Donovan set up a really fun track which started with a triple bar to get the horses going and a course that encouraged forward riding.  It was definitely the funnest track I have ridden in a while, and I think the horses enjoyed it too.  It has been an honor and joy competing 'Frank' this winter, but his owner and my Aunt Margie will be taking back the reins now with goals to begin competing him in her first season at the preliminary level. 

Honour Mission also went to Chatt Hills, competing at training level.  This was his best outing to date, and less a rail at the very last jump, he would have returned home with a win... And that's how this sport always leaves us wanting more!  Honour's future isn't clear yet, as his owner has yet to decide if she wants to continue riding or let me continue campaigning him.  Either way, this winter is now history, and I feel great about the job I have done with all the horses.  I put my heart into each one of them, and I must give praise to the great feeding program Hallway Feeds has provided the horses.  

Now that I am home, I will admit I am feeling very unsure about how the rest of the year will go (I need to remind myself as I write this I have not even been home for 24 hours!). Loosing the ride on Frank is tough.  I am in turmoil considering relieving Baba Creek from his duties at upper level eventing. This horse has been an amazing XC horse and has given me so much confidence in that phase, but I don't know if I can continue to ask so much of him.  After riding these other horses this winter that have so much jump, I am in complete awe of what Miles has done for me considering the lack of scope he has.  Thoroughbreds have so much heart.  

At this point, I am looking for somewhere to rent so I can accommodate more horses because my mother simply doesn't have any free stalls.  With a very promising farm falling through, I feel very down, but the universe works in strange ways and I have faith everything will work itself out.  I hope to find a place where I can establish myself and begin to set a foundation from which I can build a business and take in some sale horses and horses in training for clients.  In the mean time, I feel lucky to be back in Kentucky where some of the greatest horse sporting events in the world are hosted each and every spring!  Hope everyone can make it to Kentucky to get the full experience!


Photo cred- xpress foto
Margie Darling's Fine With Me @ Rocking Horse