The Up and Coming

Can you remember the day when you decided to study dressage? Maybe it was the day when you tossed aside that Western tack, inspired by watching a Grand Prix ride in the Olympics. Perhaps as an eventer you decided that you preferred dancing in the sand as opposed to jumping over solid obstacles. Maybe it came about when you switched boarding barns, fell into the middle of a bunch of dressage riders, and started to experience a new kind of relationship with your horse.

This month I had the most delightful opportunity to interview two amazing up-and-coming dressage riders and IDS members, Jasmine Cho (age 11, “practically 12” since her birthday is in August) and 14-year-old Mary Jane Hart and learn about their path to riding dressage. What an inspiring conversation! I hope you have as much fun reading this as we did talking with each other. I have chosen to leave this in our interview format so that you can enjoy the full experience of getting to know these amazing young women. And join in on our conversation! Please leave a comment after you are done reading!

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Katherine: This year I scribed at IDC so I had the privilege of seeing you both show. The judge was so impressed with you both and commented how wonderful it is to see young riders at shows. Was this your first recognized show?

Jasmine: No. I did IDC last year but every show is different. There are different judges and competitors. If I have a judge that likes one thing, I will keep that in my mind. I come away from every show with new learnings.

Mary Jane: This was my first rated show. I actually had a really good experience! The first day was messy, but the second day, even with the pouring down rain, I was really proud. I did Intro Test C and I was so nervous! I totally forgot the pattern on Saturday. On Sunday, it was pouring rain, and my horse is kind’a afraid of water. But, except for the corner where the water was really deep—he did everything! We did so well and I was SO happy. All of nerves just went just went away. It was so much fun!  (Editor’s note: MJ scored a 67% on that ride, earning a “9” on her first movement.)

 

Katherine: Well, congratulations to you both! I saw the picture on FB with all of your ribbons (posted by their trainer, Shelley Kaczmarczyk). When did you both first start to ride?

Jasmine:  I was 8, turning 9 when I first took real lessons. Before that I did pony rides at the fair. I was the kid who would always shout, “Horse!” when I saw one. I was pretty much born loving horses. I had a lot of model horses and every Christmas I would get a huge stuffed horse.

Mary Jane: I first started to ride when I was 12. I was volunteering at Edelweiss (Edelweiss Equine-Assisted Therapy Center in Greenfield, IN) and it just wasn’t enough! I would think, “This is killing me, I really want to ride!” So I started riding at a different barn and my trainer thought it was important to have a dressage foundation to get the basics. I did have a few jumping lessons, but I was nervous to jump. I didn’t trust myself and so I went back to dressage when I switched barns.

So why dressage and not cool stuff like barrel racing or jumping?

 Jasmine: Well, to be completely honest, I did want to do jumping more as I didn’t understand dressage. I was surrounded by hunt seat and Western and I thought, “There was more of them than us!” When I moved to an all-purpose barn, I did do occasional jumping, but I slowly transferred to the main coach who was into dressage. I started to do group lessons and progressed from there. Everything was so new and it was all so interesting. Hunt seat was the same stuff. I wasn’t comfortable in myself doing jumping as I was so young. Dressage was so intriguing—every lesson was new!

Mary Jane: I am a perfectionist! Knowing how the pattern is laid out, knowing that if I can have extra leg in this corner, it made dressage easy for me to see and understand. In hunt seat, I felt I did not have as much time to think through what I was going to do. In dressage, I really like the patterns. Riding circles can be boring, but I like the feeling when you get that really nice circle or that nice bend in the corner—everything feels just right!

 

Since you mentioned the word, “boring,” how do you compare dressage to hunt seat?

Jasmine: If you go to a jumping show, most of the riders there are riders jumping two feet. I feel it is more important to get your basics down so that you don’t fall off! Jumping just wasn’t enjoyable for me.

Mary Jane:  I agree with Jasmine. Hunt seat riders started off on adrenaline, they started going fast. I like to break it down to pieces and sections. In jumping, you think about making it over the jump. Those kids are not thinking about all the ways that they could improve that jump without actually jumping. You know, how to improve their position or the timing of the jump.

 

What do your other friends think about your passion for dressage?

 Jasmine: They think it is cool. It is always fun to tell them about dressage, that it’s like ballet. When they think horseback riding, they think jumping 4 feet, barrel race, or jockey. If I get a good score, like 74% in Eq, I will be super happy. But my friends will be saying, “You should be getting a 90%!” They don’t understand that school scores are different from dressage scores!

Mary Jane:  My friends have learned just to nod and smile. They have no idea of what I am talking about when I have a show or a really good lesson! They are whispering to each other, “What is she saying?” My best friend is a photographer and she has seen the barn and taken some photos. She sees how important it is to me.

What’s the one thing you would share with others before their first recognized show?

Jasmine:  It is nice to have a buddy there to help them, like I did for MJ at her first show. At my first show, I was the only one from my barn, so it was a little rough. My recommendation is to go with someone or if you can’t, you can use your coach as your buddy to answer your questions. They have a lot of knowledge and they know how things run.

Mary Jane: I would share, know your test will not be perfect. But, anytime you totally mess up, just tell yourself it will be better next time. After the show is over, see how you can do that better. Then there are the nerves. I was SOOO nervous the day before the show in my Friday warm-up. I could feel it and my horse could feel it—I was so tense. But on Saturday I told myself, “It’s fine. You got this. You know the test. You know what to do.” So, just go in and let the test flow. Relax and focus and be in the moment. Everything just falls together, and everything will be better than you expected.

Jasmine: Whenever I go to a show, I do four tests and just walking into the last class, I feel so relieved. You have a sudden burst of energy. Once you are done, you are relieved. You feel good about yourself and your horse!

Mary Jane: And don’t forget to have fun! This is what it is supposed to be—fun!

 

Given your successful start, what are your future plans?

 Jasmine:  I want to go as high as I can get Taz (her horse) to go. Taz is progressing super well so I am super happy. I want to do eventing—it is still dressage!! Then, of course, I will always have horses in my life. I will never forget this. Even though I may not own a horse for the rest of my life, I always want to be accompanied by a horse. I don’t know 20 horses but I want Taz and a Shetland. I have wanted a Shetland for a long time (to work at liberty).

 Mary Jane:  I would like to take my horse—he is only 4—as far as I can. I would like to see how much we can improve since January, when we really started working. Next year, I would like to do Training Level.

 

Do you think about riding at the GP Level?

Mary Jane: I don’t know what rider does not look at a Grand Prix horse and not think that!!

 

Well this conversation has been utterly delightful for me and I thank you so much for your time. You are both incredible young ladies. Is there anything else that you would like to share before we end our interview?

Jasmine: This interview was fun! I never think about these questions. When you asked them, it really made me think. Thank you! 

Mary Jane:  My transition to my new barn was really tough; it was hard. There were moments when I was thinking, “This is not what I expected.” But just stick with it! I have had such an amazing experience. I am loving every minute of this!

Editor’s Note To The Reader: Please be sure to leave your comments and encouragement for these amazing young women and for our other young riders in the comment section below.