Working hard to make dreams come true

 Over the last several weeks I have spoken about how special it has been to watch Alex overcome so much to realize the miracle of attending college and living independently. This weekend I got to watch my sweet Maddy Moo work towards realizing dreams of her own.

Being an Equestrian is different then so many other sports because you compete and are judged with a partner who weighs over 100 pounds and has a mind of their own. For most of Maddy's competitions since starting she has competed in the supported division meaning she had a leader to help her control her horse and be a safety net should she have an issue. After her world show last year, she let Tammi know that her goal was to be able to compete in the independent division this year. Tammi was very honest with her and let her know that she would try and help her reach that goal, but safety came first and there was a good chance that she would still be supported this year. Competing walk trot independent at a world show is an extremely lofty goal for anyone but especially a ten-year-old. Tammi and Maddy have worked tirelessly over the past 9 months to try and help Maddy achieve what she has set her mind to. She took her first step in November at Appaloosa worlds where she did ride independently but she was able to be in a walk only class. Once again in January she competed in an independent walk only class. But walking only is not quite as difficult as competing walk trot. In both February and March, Maddy competed walk trot independent at our in-house barn shows. It was a big step forward, but being at home is very different than being at a large arena that is unfamiliar to the horses. Maddy also loves PD dearly, but PD is not always the easiest horse and will take advantage at any point she thinks she can get away with it. But Maddy has made it clear that PD is the horse she wants to show. Over the past several months I have watched Maddy work with a new attitude and a will and determination to make PD respect her and let her be the leader of their partnership. I have watched PD test her and try and take the lead and lesson by lesson Maddy has stepped up to show PD who is the boss. This weekend was Maddy's first show and a bit of a "test" to see if Maddy could handle herself and PD with composure and do what she is capable of under the pressure of a show. She passed that test with flying colors. When we arrived on Friday, she was extremely nervous. She told me multiple times that she didn't want to practice. I'm not sure I can quite explain and do justice to what a warmup arena at a horse show is like. There are a lot of horses all going different directions and practicing different disciplines and skills and you have to ride your horse and navigate through a maze of people not always sure where someone is headed. It is crazy enough that we haven't even had Maddy do an independent warmup at the past two in house shows. On Friday I watched that tiny little warrior step into the warmup arena and control her horse and her nerves like a pro. I cannot explain the feelings of watching her overcome her fears and push herself to reach the goals she has set. 

Yesterday was LONG and HOT which is another challenge for any rider, but especially for someone with Mitochondrial disease that causes significant fatigue and temperature regulation issues. But when my tenacious, stubborn girl sets her mind to something she finds a way through sheer determination. Her first class was showmanship which she is pretty seasoned in and though this was a bit of a hard pattern for her with lots of trotting she was not very nervous (and neither was I). Her second class was Western Pleasure and the first real test to see how she did on her own. As she mounted PD in the warmup area, I was so impressed with her as I watch her trot PD in circles and get her ready without the crutch of a coach or volunteer glued to her side. I saw Tammi and several other volunteers check in with her and saw smiles and high fives. As she entered the show pen it was with confidence. I watched her do exactly what she has been taught. She rode beautifully and handled herself with a maturity that belies her age and size. 

When it was time for horsemanship, I was really nervous for her. At the last several shows and, in many practices, horsemanship is when PD tends to act up and test her. Horses are herd animals and so in a class like Western Pleasure where there are multiple horses riding at the same time, they are comfortable. Horsemanship means separating from the pack. It requires a different kind of trust between horse and rider. As Maddy lined up to wait her turn her watched her take control and get PD's attention. Once again, they competed beautifully. 

By the time we got to trail it was well past Maddy's typical bedtime and she was exhausted. But as I said when that girl sets her mind to something she has no quit. This trail pattern had some tricky elements as well as some obstacles that make her a bit nervous. She is always worried for trail and especially when it is at the end of the day because she is tired, and her legs hurt and feel weak by that point. I reminded her that she was capable of doing this and her goal was just do her best and have fun and help her horse be better. Her trail pattern was the highlight of the day for me. Not everyone gets to see the effort and the struggle that Tammi and I witness during so many of these lessons. Her trail was amazing and such a reward for all of the hard work she has put in.

Tammi, Maddy and PD have worked so very hard for the past two years. There have been so many hard days. So many tears. So many obstacles overcome and so much growth as a rider and in maturity and independence. Up until this year every show has involved tears and so many nerves and lots of conversations about whether she was sure she wanted to show. This weekend was the fourth show that there have been no tears (except a few tears of joy when she was proud of herself or just plain exhausted). There are not enough words to express how very proud I am of my girl and how hard she works and how far she has come. 

I am so very grateful to Tammi, the other coaches and volunteers for their tireless work to make these shows happen and prepare these riders. I told the other families last night that my favorite part of horse shows is the support of our Living Hope Show Team. We always sit as a group in the stands and cheer each rider on. This is about so much more than shows and placings. Each of these riders face their own challenges and have all overcome so much. The growth in each rider and the improvement each show is so special to watch. I love that we put competition aside and celebrate each accomplishment together as a team and a barn family. That camaraderie and support is very special. 

As we left the arena last night, Maddy looked at me with big eyes and said, "Mom, do you think I did good enough that Tammi will let me show independent in Tulsa?"  I gave her a hug and with tears in my eyes told her that is her coaches decision, but that she did exactly what was asked of her and more in every way and I thought she would achieve the goal she set. What a gift it is to watch your children set goals and dreams and work with everything they have and watch that come to fruition. I thank God every day for the blessing of choosing me to be the mother to my special children. They have taught me so much and help make me better. What a special weekend this was.

Ali

PS- Special thanks to Rachel Hall for many of these amazing pics!