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Shannon_c21

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Well i have a few minutes tonight and thought I would share my summer with you all. I had such a blast. I can't even begin to describe how it was to be ridign and sharing the arena with such greats as Bezzie Madden and Ian miller. The experiances I have had here will forever be imbedded in memory. THis place has changed me in so many ways. It has shaped me into who I am today. This job gave me the power to be myself and to be proud of myself. Just over a year ago I posted that I started this job and never imagened this is where I would be today. I started out as a groom and to be a trainer was only a dream in the far back corners of my mind. I am even showing in my first show under spruce colors in 2 weeks. It is a feeling that can't be described. I have pushed myself so hard to be better and this jobs rewarded me for that. For never really riding english much I don't think things could get much better!!!! So more about the last tournament of the year. The Masters. WE first started getting ready for the horses about a week in advance..getting stabeling readly and such and then off the the charter!! It was so cool. I was a horse handler which ment I took the horses off of the plane and put them in the trailers to Spruce. Some of the horses I handled were amazing. I got to take Krack C (Dressage queen Anky van Grunsvens horse)off of the crate and lead him around for a bit. He was HUGE..18.2 or something like that. Here is a picture of the plane as it is coming into the hanger

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Here is one of my idols and my boss Albert Kley(tell you more abou thim later) and Competitions managers Jon Garner

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WE took the horses back to Spruce and then we had about a week until the show started. During th eday it was all the same for us trainers for spruce. We rode all of our training horses but with some of the best in the world!. The one day Albert was givign a lesson and was talking german to this guy outside of the arena. I was passing by and Albert yelled at me to go ride Prowler adn bring her up to th etop ring. So I go up and people start to come in and Albert is just standing there smiling. I then looked around at the other 3 riders and I was ridign with the german riding team!!!! It was so amazing. The few minuets they each spent with me were amazing and I absorbed every little word!!!!Prowler was so good. For and older stiff horse I had her really supple nad bending. Her is a picture of me riding Prowler

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Cantering her top a vertical...parden the positions. I am really driving her into the corner.

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Some quiet time with prowler in the barn

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Walking out of the barn..one of me favorite pics

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Something eles that I wich I had my camera for was when Canada won the nations cup. I was standing at the in gate which is the clock tower and when Ian millar came through tears were streaming down his face. It was a first for Canada to win this. The whole stands were cheering.; I am getting chills thinking of it!!! They said you could hear the cheering about 1 km away. People were stomping their feet and screaming when the victory gallop started. Each Rider was given a victory bouquet of flowers and I was given one from British rider legend Micheal Whitaker as he had borrowed one of my horses earlier in teh week for the victory gallop so I have dried that as a piece of history!!! THe CN was one of th emost amazing competitions to watch to. To be in that victory gallop was amazing. just getting to see such riders of that caliber blows my mind. Her are a few pictures of the line up and gallop..me runnign around with the biggest grin!!!

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the line up with the Kings troop and household cavalry(made some great friends there!)

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After masters it has been a big push to get me ready for my first horse show. I am showing in the .90m and the 1 m class which isn't big but exciting at the same time as the classes are HUGE upwards of 30horses in some classes and I can't even show junior ammy as i am now a trainer. nothing like throwing you out there! Here is a few pictures of Doria the mare that I am showing. She is a 9 year old Han who has amazing blood lines. THey breed her when she was 4 and her filly is just like her. A big jump and everything.

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Alberts lesosn sare amazing. He really does teach in the german style. also known as Loud!! He is one of the people I look up to the most. He can make any horse look good. He is hard (i've seen people break down and cry) but he gets results. He will tell you what your doing wrong and then you have to go figure out how to fix it byyourself. I have learnt so much and he is so willing to teach to those who want to learn. I am so lucky that he kind of picked me to be one of his "projets"!! Albert in action!

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So i am sorry that thi sis so lon g and I will update you after the show is over and I hope to get a few pictures of me showing atleast so I will be sure to post those. More to coem in next post

Just thougth I would post a few more pictures of around the barn

puttin on the spurs!

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Ridign in the leaves. Me on teh left ridign Daquari, Alberts 1.40m horse who also did grand prix

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Me and Eraconick

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And for those who saw my post about the 70's party here are a few pics

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me on the left and one of my best friends ami who is from london. I had the black go-go boots and everything!

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Kevin and Sergy, 2 of the spruce trainers being dorks!

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Well thanks for looking Shannon
 
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Wow, great pictures. What an exciting time you must have had!!!!!
 
What a beautiful place, and fantastic pictures, but most of all what an amazing young lady you are. You've come such a long way in a year! Kudos to Spruce Meadows for giving such hardworking young people the opportunity to work hard to fulfill their dreams, and an even bigger kudo to you for making it happen!
 
Shannon I love your posts and I LOVE seeing the pictures- please, PLEASE keep on!!

You really are getting a lot out of this, aren't you??

Keep aiming high, my love, that way you will always continue achieving- life is about learning every day- you know this- and give and take.

NOW- you have an incredible seat, really, really good, BUT you need to work on the top half- don't you??

Stop rounding your shoulders- be PROUD up there on that beautiful horse, as proud as she is.

I love the way you are always smiling- that will always count in your favour, keep smiling!!

And also- learn German- you have the chance, learn it- also French, with those tow languages and your own you can go anywhere and do anything you want- who knows maybe a job in Germany??
 
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OHHHHH that is soooooo cool!!!! Congrats to you for doing soo great out there!!!

I love that picture of the 2 of you riding through the leaves with the flag between you!!!! It is a really nice picture!!

~kathryn

i just finished reading rabbits post....heh,heh,heh....she could double for my coach!!! lol I'm constantly hearing 'sit up straight, don't lean forward'....it is funny, but the better my horse goes, the prouder I ride.
 
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HEHE my shoulders are HORRIBLE!!! I am constantly screamed at for that one! Me left soulder is so stiff..it won't bend with the horse but I credit that to riding western for so many years and not using that shoulder at all. I tend to brace with my arm instead of bend it. I think I will forever be trying to fix that one!

Shannon
 
Get yourself a pair of mens braces- as broad a set as you can so they do not cur the shoulders.

Attach to breeches and do up as tight as you can.

That doesn't set your shoulders I don't know what will- we always did it with our tiny "jockeys" for lead rein classes- how do you explain to a toddler to sit up straight??

It just is comfier to sit up straight with those things on than it is to slouch!!
 
WOW!! Great pics, and what an awesome experience for you. :aktion033: :aktion033: This is one of those lifetime memories. Good luck at your show. :bgrin
 
This is so great! Congratulations. I am enjoying reading your posts and looking at the pics. I only follow that world very casually, but I still recognize some of the names. I wanna see that 18.1 hand horse! I LOVE those big guys.
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Thank you for sharing.

Liz M.
 
WOW brings back so many memories for me including my first "horse flight" as a groom going with my horses and how exciting it was.

I am so glad you realize the amazing opportunity you have and you will remember and use what you have learned here (about horses, work ethics, people) for the rest of your life.

Thanks so much for the pics and updates
 
Thanks for the photos, Shannon... for the first time in 20 years - I was not at the Masters. I usualluy help announcing some of the Breed Demos and work at the Icelandic booth. It figures that the one year we are NOT there - Canada wins the Nations Cup...
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I missed hearing Pedro running the hitching ring...
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I am glad you are doing so well... someone who used to be on this board was a groom at SM for a few months and did nothing but complain - the hours, the work, the facility, Albert, the horses... everything was terrible. I am not sure what she was expecting - as those of us in the industry know it is basically 24/7 if you are a groom.

Keep up the good work - and let us know what shows you are in... and how you do...
 

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