Elevate Event Team:
Kicking Off 2016 With a Bang
We recently introduced you to the newly formed Elevate Event Team,
bearing big goals and dreams and making those dreams a reality in the
form of a Danish Warmblood named The Natural E, or Leo for short. Here
is the next blog in their journey as the team heads to Ocala for the
winter. You can catch up on previous blogs by clicking here.
The Natural E. Photo by Becky Young.
The days sure fly by when you are having the time of your life! It
seemed like just yesterday that Megan and I were walking the novice
course at Hagyard Midsouth Three-Day Event and Team Horse Trials.
Once again, the Natural E (Leo) put in the best dressage test of the
entire competition, earning a 21.8. His inexperience showed on the
cross-country course when he stopped at the scary looking “spider
fence,” but after some reassurance from Megan that the spider was not
going to leap off the fence and bite him, he jumped it with oceans of
room to spare.
You could see him thinking, “I will jump it if you say so, Mom, but I
am going to be sure I jump high enough so that spider can’t get us!”
The team galloped confidently off and went clean over the rest of the
course.
Leo had no problem navigating the stadium course and finished the day
in 13th. He got lots of pats and peppermints as we all celebrated the
end of our first season.
Since we knew Leo was headed to Ocala in January, he only got a few
weeks off in November and then it was back to work. The wet weather
meant lots of time in the indoor working on dressage and jumping grids.
Just before Christmas, Jessica Ransehousen visited Reese
Koffler-Stanfield’s Maplecrest Farm. Leo and Megan hauled over for
several lessons. We all laughed at what Jessica dubbed Leo’s “Hawaiian
hula dance” as Megan worked on keeping him straight down the quarter and
center lines.
He is so sensitive to her leg that the slightest touch would cause
him to shift his haunches one way or the other. Use your seat to hold
him straight, look up and keep your legs very steady — those were the
goals of the session. Over the next two days Megan got the “hula” under
control!
Christmas followed quickly. Santa was good to Megan and Leo, leaving
them perhaps the biggest stocking I have ever seen, full of treats and
toys.
On the wet winter days that led up to their departure for sunny
Ocala, Leo would help Megan set courses for her students and keep her
company in the arena while she taught. No lead shank necessary, he was
content to follow Megan wherever she went, checking out her pockets for
treats, playing with her coat, her hair, or whatever he could get his
lips on. They certainly have a special bond.
Leo and Megan departed for Blue Hill South in Ocala on January 18th.
The caravan of horse trailers loaded with horses, equipment, feed,
supplements and hay rolled out before light.
Thank goodness they left town just before the big snow storm hit. I
headed down two weeks later to groom for Megan at their first show of
the season, Rocking Horse Winter 1 Horse Trials. Leo took to Florida
like a duck to water.
He loved his new pasture mate, Biggin (Rock Hard Attitude), and was
relaxed and happy in the airy open barn at Blue Hill. He settled into
his new routine right away.
When Megan is in Florida taking care of and riding 4 to 7 horses per
day, plus helping out as needed around Blue Hill South, it’s a full-time
job. She starts at 7 a.m. and finishes up 12 hours later, but she
thrives on it.
READ THE FULL ARTICLE ON EVENTING NATION......
