I've known dear Grace since I was tiny one riding at Performance Plus Arabians. She told me recently that her first memory of me and first time meeting me happened at PPA - we weren't more than 8 years old. Apparently, I was munching away on snacks in the lounge while my sweet mum got my horse ready. Sounds about right.

A big gracias to Grace for her time on these! And once again, I look forward to seeing this duo together on the ground, talking with her about Sandy's idiosyncrasies, and what she finds in the saddle on an emotional or mental level.

It's all very interesting. Enjoy Grace's perspective!

When did you begin riding? I started riding in December 1996. My dad bought my mom an Arabian horse as a surprise for Christmas that year since he knew that she loved horses and had shown Arabians growing up. Little did he realize that this Christmas gift would turn into a lifelong passion. Here we are nearly 20 years later!
What do you think has kept you interested? There are many things I love about the horses but one of my favorite things is that it allows my mom and I to spend a lot of quality time together. Growing up, the barn that I trained at was nearly 5 hours away – we spent a lot of time on the road to go practice and I feel like she knows me the best out of anyone. I also love the friendships that I have developed – even though I don’t get to see my horse friends all of the time, they’re some of my favorite people.
How do you feel when you’re grooming a horse? Riding? Competing? I enjoy grooming a horse because I like getting to know them on the ground and developing a personal relationship with them. I think it’s important to establish a bond with your horse and not keep things so business-like. They’re an animal with thoughts and feelings, not a machine! Each horse I have owned has had his or her own quirky personality, which I find very endearing. Riding at home I usually feel very relaxed – I like simply practicing what I need to work on and just working through problems. One thing I needed to work on this winter with my horse Sandy was controlling our speed. There are many times at the barn where I just canter around the arena – in circles, stopping in the middle to go onto a different lead, etc. to the point where I felt like I feel like I am a reiner. Haha. As for showing, I try my best to feel confident. I think it’s so important to build your relationship with your horse at home to be in sync in the show ring. It is a great feeling to know that you feel good about what’s going on beneath you regardless of the outcome in the class.
Do you like riding at home or competing best? What are the main differences in your temperament, goals, and general contentment in these two areas? That’s a tough one! When I am feeling confident and prepared I think there’s nothing more exciting than trotting through an in-gate with their head locked in the bridle and ears up. At a show, I feel more amped up and take things very seriously since I want my time there be worth it. At home, I just enjoy hanging out with everyone and getting that special one on one time with my trainer and horse.
Who is the horse in your life (past or present) that you have had the most special bond with? That’s a tie between two! The first one would be a horse from my childhood, Jon Bonjovi (Levi) and the other one is one that we had more recently, Pioneer Patriot.
Why is he the best? Levi is just so honest – he taught me so much about riding saddeseat and showing in general. I never met a horse who loved to show as much he did. He is still with us today at 27 and occasionally teaches the smallest of riders a thing or two. Patriot had such a good and willing attitude – I knew that he would never try to pull anything on me. He came into my life after having a very naughty horse that really shook up my confidence. He made me feel self-assured and took me on to win my first reserve national and national championships.
How did/do you feel when you’re with him/her? When I was with Levi, I felt like I was with my best friend. We bought him when I was 11 years old, so needless to say I was the super cheesy young preteen girl that LOVED her horse. Haha. With Patriot I also felt like I was with one of my best friends but I hopefully wasn’t as over the top about it as I was when I was younger.
What are your strongest personal qualities as a horsewoman? I think one of my strengths is that I am a quiet rider. I don’t pick at my horses and tend to have soft hands. I also respect the horses and realize that they’re an animal who will have their off days, just like we as humans do.
What do you think you need to work on as a horsewoman? One thing I think I could definitely work on is my equitation. When I am riding I am so focused on the performance of the horse that I focus less on myself. I think I could benefit from having some instruction that focuses on telling me to sit up straighter and put my chin in the air. I think that this definitely creates a prettier presentation.
Do these strengths/weaknesses transfer into your real life in any way? I think that I could definitely work on being more confident and assertive in real life. As a young, twenty something I often feel like I am still trying to find my way and feel like my general life plan is still up in the air.
What are the qualities you see in the horse that you would like to embody yourself? The quality of a horse that I would like to embody most in real life is being a free spirit. I sometimes find myself being so worried about what my future plan is and where I am going next in my life that I need to relax and trust that things will work out how they’re supposed to and enjoy the ride a little more. (See what I did there?)