In a little over a day from now, we will be heading north for Lendon Gray's Youth Festival.

I thought the USDF Instructor's Workshop at Mount Holyoke was "old school", but heading to Saugerties for a young rider event up in Region 8 really brings back memories...

mostly, memories of how doing FEI Young Riders really throws you in the deep end and hopes you learn to swim.

Poor Shannon Deuck, waiting behind me so I could jog out my horse at Westchester-Fairfield. I am pretty sure I wore my riding clothes :/

Poor Axel Steiner, watching my first freestyle with canter music that only matched my horses gait if you were drunk and had your eyes closed.

Most of all, poor Jane and Stephi. I have nightmares about students like how I was as a young rider:
I found a video the other day of a lesson I had with Jane. I don't think I listened to a thing she said. Somehow, I ended up with a darn good canter zig-zag while she was talking to someone and then couldn't explain what I did.
Found another video of me jumping my first Preliminary stadium and if you turn the volume up loud enough, Stephi is telling my mom, "I don't know how she stayed on for that".

Bless those who love and support us when we are young. (No, I didn't forget my family... they are still behind me 100%).