Triple Trouble: Learning to Ride Your Horse
“Do I know the work it takes to bring along a young horse to be my new partner? Yes. Am I ready to put in that work? Yes. Do I feel I have all the tools I need to be a successful partner for Hot Sauce? Yes. Will there be less crying than with Payco? Probably not.”
Over the course of the last several months, my youngest horse, Unbridled Fame aka Hot Sauce, has been away getting her education with No Reins Performance Horses. While she’s been in training, I’ve been healing up and getting back into activity after my fibula fracture. I will say, this time I am not hitting the ground running. Getting the strength back in my leg after being off of it for four months has been a slow process.
Photo courtesy of No Reins Performance Horses
With that being said, I put all my faith and trust in No Reins Performance Horses, hoping Hot Sauce was in great hands — and I had nothing to worry about. I have been delighted with the experience. Not to compare the situation to being a nurse, but I’m totally going to do that because it’s what I know. In nursing, exceptional care for a patient is delivered by assessing what the patient needs and also listening to their concerns and the concerns of their family members. Horse training is no different. Each rider is different so what they want out of training varies.
Photo courtesy of No Reins Performance Horses
When I dropped Hot Sauce off my biggest concerns were that she stay barefoot for as long as possible (she’s always had great feet), she be fed well, and she not be pushed past what her maturity level would allow during training. I wanted a correct horse in good health and mind, and No Reins Performance Horses has provided that. Everything pertaining to Hot Sauce has been top tier, which has allowed me to focus on my own rehab and riding at home.
Photo courtesy of No Reins Performance Horses
The goal for Hot Sauce is to have progressed enough that she will compete in the 2024 CMSA Futurity in Shelbyville, Tennessee. My original hopes, prior to my injury, were to get Hot Sauce back around this time and begin working together to become a team that would be successful at the futurity. The opportunity arose for the trainer behind No Reins Performance Horses, Ezra, to take her and compete on her. After some major budgeting and debate, this is the best option for all parties. It gives Hot Sauce a great showing opportunity, Ezra a quality horse to compete on, and me the extra time I need to rebuild muscle and confidence on a horse I’m already familiar with.
Photo courtesy of No Reins Performance Horses
However, having a weak leg doesn’t give me a hall pass not to ride and learn Hot Sauce while she’s still in training. It’s time for me to put in the work to get to know my partner. Getting lessons from the trainer is crucial to our success later, so it’s time to buckle up and get ready for the ride — literally and figuratively.
Photo courtesy of No Reins Performance Horses
After my first lesson on Hot Sauce, I will say I am ecstatic with her progress. She is mature, has a good work ethic, and is correct in all her maneuvers. I was impressed to see how far along she is in her training and how willing she is. It’s no surprise though — she has a great trainer guiding her and she is her dam through-in-through.
@_gru_crew_ Unbridled Fame looking spectacular in training with No Reins Performance Horses! #unbridledfame #aqha #aqhaproud #horsesoftiktok ♬ Legends Are Made – Sam Tinnesz
These next several months are going to be an adjustment period. I know that because I’ve gone through it with Payco. Learning to ride your horse at the beginning is one of the most difficult tasks as a competitive rider. Sure, each of us can jump on a horse and ride it around, but I’m talking about actually getting together with the horse to the point that they know how you ride and you know how they wish to be handled. Becoming a team takes hard work, effort, and a lot of tears.
Photo courtesy of No Reins Performance Horses
Do I know the work it takes to bring along a young horse to be my new partner? Yes. Am I ready to put in that work? Yes. Do I feel I have all the tools I need to be a successful partner for Hot Sauce? Yes. Will there be less crying than with Payco? Probably not.
Photo courtesy of No Reins Performance Horses
I can’t say I’m ecstatic for the next few months of learning how much pressure is too much and how much is too little for Hot Sauce. I’m also not thrilled thinking about all the miscommunications, the accidentally cueing my horse in directions I don’t want us to go, and the frustrations of knowing I’m frustrating her and I don’t know how to ride her.
Photo courtesy of No Reins Performance Horses
I am ecstatic to come out a better rider within the next year, and for all the riding I’m going to get to do with a trainer who is willing to share his expertise to make Hot Sauce and me successful. That’s honestly one of the things that drew me to Ezra. He puts everything he has into the horses he’s training and he cares about the rider feeling confident on their horse. He does so much out of the goodness of his heart and wanting to see riders succeed with their horses. I feel like that can get lost with trainers when they start seeing ways they can monetize things. Many lose sight of the success of the horse and the rider. I’m excited to see where Hot Sauce and I will be in a year with his guidance. I have a feeling great things are in store for us.
