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Wednesday, January 15 2020 / Published in General

Coursewalk with Heather Caristo

Heather CaristoPhoto by Christy Burleson

How is team competition different from individual competition?

I love being a part of teams! Team competition is a lot of fun because you’re competing for so much more than just yourself. In our sport, we are mostly riding against our peers and friends; it’s very individualistic. But when you ride with a team, whether it’s for your zone (Young Riders) or for your country, there’s more at stake.

There’s pressure to do well because you know it’s not just your rail — it affects the team as a whole. If I have faults when I’m on a team, it makes me fight harder in the second round because I don’t want to let down my teammates. Or if my teammate isn’t having the best day, it’s great to be able to rally behind them and help them to have a better overall experience and an improved next round.

I enjoy the camaraderie and the honor of representing my country on a team, and I will always aim to be a part of any teams I can!

Heather and Qui Vive des Songes Z in Langley, Canada.
Photo by Kathy Russell

What’s your most memorable equestrian moment? What made it special? Is there anything you would have done differently?

My most memorable equestrian moment was not what most people think of. It wasn’t winning a class, but rather, it was a time when I learned something important both about my horse and myself.

I was competing for the United States on a Nations Cup team with my stallion Qui Vive des Songes Z. He schooled beautifully and I thought we were ready for a clear round for the team. What actually happened was a total lack of rideability and more faults than I had wanted. I didn’t know what had changed so quickly. Was it my nerves? Was he upset with the crowd?

We pulled it together to have a decent second round, and thankfully my teammates had great rounds to secure a successful outcome. That afternoon as we were taking care of him, we noticed that his back was unusually sore. The USET has a phenomenal group of vets and therapists for the horses and they were able to work on my horse that evening and the next day.

I was heartbroken and horrified; I hadn’t realized how sore he was from traveling to the show. I was excited to be on the team and I didn’t hear him (or at first, he wasn’t telling me) that his back didn’t feel right. We were eligible for the grand prix, but I said to myself, “I’ll listen to my horse and the second he feels uncomfortable, I’ll retire from the round.”

After all the therapeutic attention he had received, he was feeling really good, but I didn’t want to put him at any unnecessary risk. I decided to take it “one jump at a time.”

We ended up jumping a clear round in the grand prix! He was back to the horse I knew, and he performed incredibly!

This was such a learning experience on so many levels and I was relieved that he came out of it on top and that I was able to really focus on what he was saying. I’m not sure what I would have done differently in that moment, but now I’m much more acutely aware of how stoic my horse can be and how in tune with him I need to be. It was an invaluable lesson, and a winning feeling to have had such a dramatic turnaround from one round to the next.

Being an equestrian takes you to all sorts of amazing places. How do you make the time for yourself when on the road? Do you explore your different locations?

I’ve been very lucky to travel to many new places whether for shows or for trying horses. I absolutely make the effort to explore anywhere I go. I’ve been on some trips where all I see are barns and hotels, but as I’ve gotten older, I try to find at least one new thing to see wherever I go.

My husband, Jesse, is very good at finding eclectic restaurants; so, for example, we often will drive off the beaten path to eat somewhere that has a culturally unique dish. We also really enjoy hiking, so if we are in Switzerland, we find a new trail or mountain that we haven’t yet experienced.

As a runner, I lace up my sneakers and hit the road wherever I am. That’s a great way to see a city or the countryside. Running has taken me past signs about local art or musical events that I’ve then gone to.

It’s important to be focused on the show or looking for the right horse, but for me, to stay present in the moment and in the new place where I’m staying is also important. I enjoy living those aspects of life outside of the stable as well and I try to take advantage as much as I can.

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Tagged under: Coursewalk, heather caristo, q&a

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The✨April issue✨ of Sidelines Magazine is here The✨April issue✨ of Sidelines Magazine is here and we are so excited to feature three-day eventer Liz Halliday on the cover! Big thanks to photographer Melissa Fuller for the beautiful photo of Liz and Cooley Nutcracker- Liz Halliday-Sharp - HS Eventing. Liz and her horses have taken the eventing world by storm - and find out how Liz is at the top of the sport as a female eventer! As the horse world gears up for the Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event 2023, it's the perfect time to enjoy our eventing issue!! We also feature eventer and woman entrepreneur Frankie Thieriot Stutes, who is not only an eventer, but also runs Athletux and FRANKIE CAMERON handbags and accessories. And don't miss our eventing story on Robert "Bobby" Costello, who will be leading the US Eventing team to the 2024 Paris Olympics- and US Equestrian has named Bobby the eventing technical advisor/chef d'equipe!! Liz, Frankie and Bobby all have GREAT stories - don't miss any of them and don't forget to get your tickets for the Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day event! We are also excited to introduce you to hunter-jumper rider Casey Lorusso Smith, who is not only a talented rider but also a psychotherapist and incorporates horses into her career. If you are up for adventure, then read the story on dressage rider Priscilla Baldwin who certainly doesn't let any grass grow under her feet! We also head to the west coast to catch up with hunter-jumper trainer Jim Hagman of Elvenstar Farm, we feature beautiful art by equestrian artist Tammy Tappan, and we get to know Miranda Jones and her family. Miranda is not only an attorney who spends a lot of time in the courthouse, but she's a rider and spends lots of time riding, and is joined by her daughters also! We are excited to feature Stephanie Lightner in our Unbridled column, and don't miss our columnists George Williams, Robert R.L. Jacobs and Margie Sugarman! It's a great issue - and you can read it online, but don't forget to go to the website and order a subscription and get every issue delivered to your mailbox!! Enjoy this issue and enjoy the ride: Link in bio!!
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Marie Meyers has been around the world because of Marie Meyers has been around the world because of dressage, but it’s her farm in Moorpark, California, that has captured her heart. The farm and the business that thrives there represent Marie’s lifelong journey—a journey made up of good friends, spectacular horses and relationships made to last.

Marie was raised in Southern California, and spent her childhood playing just about every sport under the sun, but she didn’t discover riding until she was 14 years old. “I loved animals so much, so I started taking lessons. I did jumping at first, but I was very bad at that, for sure!” Marie laughed.

After some time, Marie moved on to take lessons at Foxfield Riding Academy and began riding dressage. “I fell into dressage by accident,” Marie said, “At the beginning, I thought it was extremely boring, but then I got hooked. By the time I graduated from high school, I had plans to travel to England to work for Franz Rochowansky, a former head of the Spanish Riding School.”

In 1988, Marie’s hard work paid off, and the pair was selected as alternates for the 1988 Summer Olympic Games. “They didn’t take the alternates that year, so we didn’t go to Seoul, but the experience, the training and the European Tour afterwards set me up for the 1990 World Equestrian Games in Stockholm, Sweden,” Marie said.

In addition to having success representing her country, Marie was busy with her life—marriage, a business, teaching lessons and clinics. 

Learn more about Marie in this month's edition of Sidelines Magazine. Click the link in our bio for more 🦄

📸Photos by Lindsey Long Equine Photography, www.lindseylong.com

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We are starting a ‼️new series‼️ here on o We are starting a ‼️new series‼️ here on our socials where we share some of the lovely stallions, and their breeders featured in each month's magazine. Our first feature on this #STUDSunday is...

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https://www.mayeshowponies.com/more-info/stallions

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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