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Saturday, September 28 2019 / Published in General

Course Walk with Heather Caristo

Heather CaristoPhoto by Christy Burleson

My trainer recently suggested that I move up. I’ve consistently been ribboning in my division, and am concerned that I’ll go from being a big fish in a little pond to being the small fish in a big pond. I don’t want to move up and then disappoint my trainer. How do you decide when it’s time to move up a division?

It’s very exciting that you and your trainer feel you are ready to move up. It can be intimidating to advance to a harder or bigger division than you are used to. I think that your trainer would feel proud of you for trying the more difficult class. I suggest avoiding putting the additional pressure on yourself about the possibility of disappointing your trainer.

We naturally put a certain amount of pressure on ourselves when we know we can do well, but when moving up to the next level, I think it’s more about experience.

You and your trainer have worked hard with your horse to make this transition, and no matter what happens, I’m sure your trainer will not be disappointed with the outcome.

If things don’t go well, it will just give you a better idea of what to work on at home.

Sometimes, it’s the mental part of moving up that plays more of a role than the actual show itself. When I’m getting ready to move a horse up, I set a course at home to the new height I’ll be competing at. I walk the course to familiarize myself with the track and when I get on my horse, I pretend it’s a real show day. I school my horse over two single jumps, like we would at a competition. Then, when we feel ready, I walk into my own personal show ring and ride around the course as though I’m at a show.

Doing something like practicing with show conditions at home will give you the confidence it takes to move up because you’ve already done a new course cold. You know that you and your horse have tackled the challenge you’ll face. Now, the show is less of a big deal and you can ride around with the mental strength and knowledge that you’re ready for this next level.

Trying new classes at bigger shows may seem uncomfortable at first; even if it doesn’t go as well as you had hoped, it will be an important step to becoming a big fish in any pond. Don’t forget, every big fish was once a little one, too.

How did you know you were ready to turn pro?

I’m not sure if there was necessarily a right time to turn pro for me. Initially, when I aged out of juniors, I stayed classified as an amateur through college. When I graduated and I had the time to fully devote to the sport was when I first turned professional. I would say that what made me feel the most ready was finally having the full day to work with horses and clients, and knowing I was there because I loved it. It never felt like work and I was able to start teaching what I had learned from working with my parents, sisters and other highly skilled trainers that I had the pleasure of working with at that time such as George Morris, Susie Schoellkopf, Missy Clarke and Timmy Kees.

Even though up until then I’d had success in the hunter, equitation and jumper rings as a junior and an amateur, nothing fully prepared me for what it was like to be a professional. In addition to the long hours and the pressure, there was the heightened level of competition with top pro riders and fancy horses. It takes a lot of practice, even as a pro, to keep up with the competition, let alone beat them in a class! Things seemed to be easier when I was younger: ride, rinse and repeat. But the added responsibility of teaching clients, preparing horses for them, helping to find new horses for people and match them properly were things I didn’t really think about as much. Thankfully, I had the guidance of my father to help me navigate the new waters.

There’s also a lot of mental strength necessary to maintain a professional status. The shows, classes and horses, etc., can go well, but they can just as easily go poorly. It’s important to keep a good head about any and all experiences and be able to carry on even if something goes wrong to throw off your day. This is easier said than done, and I admire all of the professionals who can have a bad class, for instance, and turn around and win the next one or coach a student to a victory when they themselves may not be having the best day. You have to be ready to put anything wrong behind you and confidently continue on.

Although my status is professional, I still consider myself a student of the sport. I’m open to learning new things and I’m constantly growing as a rider, a trainer and a horseman. Turning pro was a big decision for me, and knowing that horses are my passion and that I’m willing to put in the time and effort to better them and myself every day was the key to knowing that I was ready to make the leap to the professional ranks.

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❗️George Williams column❗️ The FEI World ❗️George Williams column❗️
The FEI World Cup Final in Omaha is coming up quickly. That means that it’s starting to heat 
up as the end of the qualifying period for both the Western European League (WEL) and the 
North American League (NAL) nears. I started to write this column before the Amsterdam CDI- W, and I was using the FEI Ranking List from January 15 as a reference. As I sit down to finish 
my column, I’m now looking at the results from Amsterdam. While the list of the top contenders 
for the WEL hasn’t changed, they’re definitely moving around on the ranking list. The WEL has 
three more legs, as they’re referred to: Neumünster February 16–19, Goteborg February 23–26, 
and ’s-Hertogenbosch March 9–12, and they could change things dramatically.
Looking at the top 12 athletes from the WEL as they were ranked on January 15, there are five 
from Germany, three from the Netherlands and one each from Great Britain, Denmark

➡️Read Georges's full column by clicking the link in our bio, and never miss an article by subscribing to Sidelines Magazine 🦄 

#horse #horses #horsesofinstagram #equestrian #horseriding #equine #pony #pferd #equestrianlife #horselove #dressage #horselover #instahorse #love #cheval #showjumping #horselife #photography #nature #pferde #horseofinstagram #caballo #riding #horsebackriding #pferdeliebe #caballos #horsepower #horsephotography #instagram #Sidelinesmagazine
Lisa Goldman-Smolen and Ivaro N strike gold in Gre Lisa Goldman-Smolen and Ivaro N strike gold in Great American $300,000 Grand Prix at HITS Ocala!! 🏆🥇

Crowds filled the stands at the HITS Ocala Grand Prix Ring on Sunday afternoon to watch the world’s top athletes compete in the Great American $300,000 Grand Prix. The day concluded with a thrilling five-horse jump-off featuring athletes 
representing four countries. In the end, it was Lisa Goldman-Smolen (USA) and Ivaro N who produced the only double clear effort of the day, claiming one of the biggest wins of her career. Scott Keach (AUS) and Noble De La Chapelle earned the second-place prize with the fastest 4-fault jump-off, while Aaron Vale (USA) and Obi Wan placed third as the day’s pathfinders.

“I'm still on cloud nine, I still can't believe it – I’ve used up all my luck for the year,” smiled Goldman-Smolen after her win. “I've been knocking on the door a long time in these bigger classes. I am so proud of my horse – he gave every ounce of effort.”

Sunday’s Great American $300,000 Grand Prix marked the conclusion of the 2023 HITS Ocala circuit. HITS CCO Joe Norick concluded, “We are so excited about the new HITS, with 2023 as the launch. New footing, many new arenas here, and a lot of our facilities across America are getting a lot of love and new footing. Our partnerships with Worldly Martin and others across America including our footing leader Bart Poles overseeing our operations – it really makes a big difference for us. Today is about Ocala and these three riders sitting next to me who supported us this entire winter. We want to be a proud destination for our exhibitors and our friends. We know we have to provide them a beautiful showplace to work from that's horseman friendly, and that's our go goal. 

Congratulations to all of the riders, horses, owners, and groom who participated in this prestigious class!!! 🎉
📸 @esi_photography 
#horseshow #horses #horse #horsesofinstagram #equestrian #horseriding #horselove #horsestagram #instagram #showjumping #equestrianlife #equine  #horsebackriding #dressage #horselife #pony #of #horserider #horseshoe #horsemanship #horseshowlife #riding #instahorse #horseaddict #horseofinstagram #sidelinesmagazine
It's #STUDSunday and today's featured stallion is. It's #STUDSunday and today's featured stallion is...

 ✨PF'S DIAMO BLUE✨
Diarado-Diamant de Semilly- Chacco Blue
17.0hh, Oldenburg International Hunter Derby/ Jumper Stallion
An outstanding Pedigree- Chacco Blue and Diamant de Semilly
WBFSH/ Rolex top ranking Jumping Sires 2017 thru 2022
Standing at Ryan Pedigo Sport Horses, in California

For more information, you can contact 
🖥Ryanpedigosporthorses.com
🖥Ryan.p.f@hotmail.com
☎️(714) 357-2714

You can find ALL of the stallions featured towards the back of the magazine in the equestrian gallery. Keep a look out EVERY Sunday for a new handsome STUD muffin🧁 and don't forget to subscribe to get your very own edition of Sidelines Magazine, the magazine for horse people, about horse people 🦄

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Annette Longenecker wasn’t just born into horses Annette Longenecker wasn’t just born into horses—in a way, she was born into her career. She grew up in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, where her parents ran a farm. Her mother taught, and her father had a jump business and then created one of the first horse show software programs: Ryegate Show Services, Inc.

Riding all her life, Annette spent many years as a groom and loved it, but knew it wasn’t what she wanted to do as a career. After she finished college, Annette’s father recruited her to help process entries at Ryegate. Since her father, Lloyd Longenecker, founded it in 1981, Ryegate has provided show management and office staff for some of the largest shows in the country. Now, Annette has taken over from her father and directed the company as it focuses on managing memberships and rankings for organizations such as the North American League, WIHS Championships and Equitation, Rolex/USEF Computer Ranking and National Medal Series (THIS NCM and Ariat NAM). Ryegate also provides scoring software for use with video walls, and production teams for hunter and jumper shows.

“Besides running Ryegate Show Services and its various organizations, I can be found in the show office, running a scoreboard or judging jumpers at most shows,” Annette said. “I love getting to wear a few different hats at the show.”

When she’s not busy at a show, Annette lives in Annville, Pennsylvania, with her “fur-baby,” Maggie Mae, and enjoys spending time with her many godchildren. Though she doesn’t currently own any horses, Annette rides when she can at Rolling Acres Farm with Patty Foster, Ashley Foster-Worthington and Mary Lisa Leffler.

Read this month unbridled with Annette Longenecker by clicking the link in our bio. Never miss a story by subscribing to Sidelines Magazine! 🦄
📸Photo by Sheryl Sutherby

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