58 SIDELINES AUGUST 2012
FOR HORSE PEOPLE • ABOUT HORSE PEOPLE
What do people need to know about the costs of
getting where every horse-crazy kid dreams of going?
Good question – I have to put budgets together from time to
time for people who want to help me and it’s really diffcult.
One of the biggest concerns is being away from home and
work for two and a half months and that’s just for this Olympic
campaign. My expenses at home are around $25,000-30,000 a
month. International travel is paid by the team once you make
the team; but up to then it can be expensive. I put a budget
together for some interested parties: through to the end of the
Games: I would need about $150,000. I’m not working, the bills
keep coming and I have to pay the people working for me at
home.
How do you keep Paragon’s mind fresh?
As often as I can, I ride Paragon out on the bridle paths. I
try to get him out of the ring, because he tells me he wants to
go – he points me toward the gate. We go out and I work him
out there.
What parallels do you see between western and
dressage?
Yes, I must be infuenced by those formative years. Western,
especially the speed events – there’s a real classical sense of
how to get the horse underneath you and listen to you and the
timing it takes to maneuver those patterns at high speed. Your
center of gravity has to be in a very athletic place. I would do
western again if I had a chance, because it’s a blast.
Who has been the greatest infuence on your
horsemanship?
Mary Wanless has taught me for the past 15 years about the
biomechanics of the horse and of the rider. All these details
about how a horse should go and her language is very clear.
She doesn’t say anything that needs to be explained or that’s
hard to interpret. “The horse’s disorganization should not
disorganize the rider” – that’s one of the biggest things I’ve
taken from Mary.
What are your thoughts on the Olympics?
I proceeded with a dressage career because it’s been fun,
I’ve been successful and I like teaching. If I didn’t enjoy this
and if my horses didn’t enjoy this, I don’t know who would do
dressage. It’s expensive, it’s dangerous and it’s challenging
even when it goes well. Don’t get me wrong – I love the fact
that I’m close to getting on a team; but I also don’t feel, if I don’t
get on this team, that my career will be up in the air. I don’t want
to demean the opportunity I’m facing, but I’m not so panicked
that I have to do this or else all is lost. That’s just the way I’ve
always been.
What is something about you that would surprise
most people?
That I didn’t start being serious about dressage until I was in
my 20s and I never planned on being a professional and I did
not grow up dreaming about riding in the Olympics.
This interview was condensed and edited. For more
information on Heather, visit her website at www.heatherblitz.
info.
Heather Blitz continued from page 54