Kristin Carpenter

The relationship between horse and rider in eventing is unlike any other sport. While eventing demands the obedience of dressage, the horse must think for itself. While it requires the carefulness of a show jumper, the horse must be equal parts bold. But greater than any trait horses are born with, successful event horses must trust their riders more than they trust their instincts. Cross-country is unique to eventing, and it requires a horse to trust that the lake its rider asks it to leap into is shallow, and that the drop jump into the horizon will have land on the other side.

If you are lucky, once in your life you will have a once-in-a-lifetime horse. Just be aware that with that blessing comes a monumental responsibility—knowing when to say when on their career.

I stumbled upon my once-in-a-lifetime horse, Trance, on Valentine’s Day in 2002. I was a baby at 17 years old, and he was remarkably used at 4. I had aspired to be an eventer my whole life, but in reality I was a hunter show outcast and queen of beginner novice eliminations. Trance was a rejected race horse and failed barrel racer.

To the countless working students I see struggling: do not get discouraged, and keep the focus on the quality of your riding.