Tuesday September 12, 2006

2006 USEF/Markel National Young Dressage Horse Championships

Cobra's Comeback - Pamela Doolittle and Cobra Overcome Obstacles to Finish Third in Six-Year-Old Division

With diligent care and eight months of stall rest, Doolittle nursed her horse back to soundness. She started riding him again in December of 2004, but said that he still has not completely regained his strength. From an already tight budget she had to pay for $10,000 in vet bills and $3,000 to fix the trailer. As she points out, if she had been driving faster than 20mph at the time of the accident, or if her husband had been following closer, she might have lost not only her horse but her entire family.

She and Cobra are making up for lost time, taking their training step by step with the guidance of coach Alex Gerding. “He has really kept me on track,” she said. “When I first put Coby back to work I had to see what I had left, and obviously it’s a lot. Coby is great to work with – he has a great work ethic and he’s so rideable. There is a whole team of people behind his comeback.”

Also an American bred, next stop for Doolittle and Cobra is Dressage at Devon. "And those guys," referring to David Whiteman and Brigadier and David Blake and Catapult the two six year olds from California who tied for first place, "won't be there!"

HorsesDaily "On the Scene" at the 2006 USEF/Markel Young Horse Dressage National Championship