Thursday, December 22, 2005

Kaitlyn Hamilton's Diary in Germany

It's hard for Kaitlyn Hamilton to believe that just one week ago she was entering the arena in Frankfurt Germany, now home for the holidays, she shares her story and photos with DressageDaily.com

Thursday – December 14, 2005- Here We Go!

I was trying my best not to get nervous, but Thursday morning it really hit me. From 6-7 am we were allowed to go into the competition arena so our horses could see it. I was so impressed with Noah because he wasn't scared of anything. 10:17 - the moment of truth. Noah warmed up beautifully and the curtains were drawn back for us to enter.

I was a little in shock while trotting around the arena. The stadium wasn't completely full but there were a lot of people watching. The judge rang the bell and I entered. We hit all our marks and there weren't any big mistakes, but I don't think I was breathing much throughout the ride. I was exhausted by the time we got to the walk work and Noah was really behind my leg. But we redeemed ourselves in the canter and pulled a 63%. I ended up 10th that day and was pleased. I realized I shouldn't put so much pressure on myself because it takes all the fun out of the experience. And I knew I would ride better the next day. I had a chance to see some of the other rides that day and I was blown away by the quality of horses and riders. It was easy to see who really knew what they were doing and had been riding all their lives in a consistent training system.

Kaitlyn Hamilton's Diary in Germany - Follow the Experience of an American Young Rider Selected to Represent the United States at the FEI Young Rider World Cup Dressage Final