Amy Collinson- European Correspondent
Amy Collinson- European Correspondent
The last few weeks of sunshine tour flew by and now I am in Vilamoura, Portugal. When we first arrived, the sunny weather had disappeared. I was beginning to moan about the rain and the fact the stable area was getting slightly flooded. Then I thought back to horse of the year 2005. That year it rained the whole week! My yard was uncovered and all the way over in the polo fields. Poor Kapai Jack had to stand in the small muddy uncovered yard for the whole week. Not to mention my poor Dad trying to help me with the studs in the pouring rain. That made me think I have gotten too soft! My horses and I in Vilamoura cannot complain about getting slightly wet toes while we have a roof over our heads! The rain did not last long and the sun came out again. I feel very grateful to have had such an extended summer.
For the past two weeks I have jumped both horses in some small classes. As normal for the sport of show jumping my progress has not been linear. Some progress has been made but I still have a lot of work to do! It is amazing how much there is to learn. The more you learn the more you realize how little you know!
Europe is currently locking down for the second wave of Covid 19. I have decided to forget moving the horses up in the last chance of competing. Instead I will save their jumps and work on all the small things I need to improve. I will forget the shows until next year. From my training with Julie Ulrich I am beginning to understand truly how little I know, and how important it is to change my ways in order to be more consistent in the future. My project over winter lockdown will be to get back to the books, back to the basics, so I am ready for the summer season. “I suspect that deep down, many riders suspect that they are “frauds” in some fundamental ways, and some will have the guts to face up to that, and will struggle to become better, and some will keep up the façade.” Denny Emerson – Know better, do Better
I will head back to France in 10 days, I have decided to base at Amy Grahams for the winter. I will continue to train with Julie Ulrich and see what happens in the spring. For now, the big adventures of moving around will come to a halt.
“If you are unwilling to accept that you can change and learn and grow, if you are too arrogant, too sure that what you think is right, just because you think it, you will probably stay inept and incompetent.” Denny Emerson – Know better, do Better – READ IT
Check out the photos of Kapai Jack in the rain in 2005, and the beaches by the show here in Portugal.
