I have been granted a fantastic opportunity to stay on in Florida and continue to pursue my athletic goals as an upper level rider. For those of you that don’t know me as well, riding and training at the top of the sport has been my dream goal since I was 5 years old. This goal has largely shaped all of my life choices, from leaving my family and my clients in California, to attending graduate school in Connecticut, countless horse sales and purchases, and continues to do so in my choice to leave Connecticut and move to Florida. I knew when I embarked on the journey to being an upper level rider it would involve a lot of hard choices, mainly not ever having a permanent “home” to come back to, and selling off horses that I have developed a deep rapport with because they either mentally or physically can’t compete at the level I need to them to and I can’t afford to collect “pets”. What I didn’t expect to do was teach, or to find out that I really enjoy being an educator, and realize that every time I made a life choice I would be leaving wonderful groups of students and horses behind all over the country!
As I sat mulling over this decision and lamenting having to leave you all and inventing reasons I needed to stay I realized it would be absolutely ludicrous to be given the health and athletic ability to ride at the top levels, to have the horse that can compete at that level, the support system to get us there, access to Olympic level coaching, the financial ability to afford it, and then to turn it down because I was essentially too afraid to leave my comfort zone. Everyone who has ridden with me regularly knows this is an integral belief system in how I teach, and it’s really time I do the brave thing and take my own advice.
While this is moderately terrifying to me in the short term, I know it’s the right choice, and I will dearly miss all of you at Mystic Valley, all the horses, and everything both of them has taught me about myself, about teaching and riding, and about life.
My plan is to come home in May the week of the 23rd to get ready for Horse Trials on the 28th and get my apartment packed up. I will teach a clinic for those of you that want to ride with me on May 29th, to be followed by a proper going away party. I hope I get to see everyone during the week and that all of you keep in touch. Everyone can follow Bravo and I’s progress on the Invictus Eventing webpage, Facebook, and Instagram, or cheer us on in person if you come visit Florida!
Remember: always look ahead, more leg is always the answer, and if your dreams don’t scare you, they aren’t big enough!
