As someone who didn’t have a super exciting junior career, I wasn’t super upset about aging out and becoming an amateur. I realized that when I wasn’t the 3 foot equitation star of the Northeast at the age of 16, that I probably wasn’t making it to the 3’6”; the only thing I really cared about in my junior riding days. Now 4 years removed from my junior riding career, I can say that I’ve done a lot more in these 4 years than I did all my years showing as a junior. I’m not sure if it’s because I finally was good enough, or that my parents finally realized this wasn’t something I was going to stop doing once I was in college. To some this is truly the end of an era, and they are no longer the hot junior rider commodity so sought after as working students or clients. They are indeed “just an amateur” after all.
So to all those entering Ammy World, welcome! Here are some things you have to look forward too…
Telling friends you are now an amateur rider… which to non-horsey people sounds like you are just not that good, when in reality you’re pretty decent.
Going to enter into the Children’s Hunter and realizing you can’t…
Writing down your show age on your entries and actually getting emotional and irritated.
Your mom suggesting you make all your junior show ribbons into a quilt, as if you are so far removed from them that they don’t even serve a purpose hanging on the walls.
When people ask why you’re not showing in the equitation anymore and you say you aged out and they say “sorry” back…
Realizing you still have time left to do the USET, but with what horse, and money, and talent…
You’re not in high school anymore so now you have time to ride more and be even better! No just kidding, you have the real world, like college, and a job, and you need to start thinking about your future and how you’re going to afford to do this.
When you have to enter the adult hunter division and compete against the woman with 3 kids, a BMW, and an actual life. What is that? I’m still eating Velveeta mac and cheese and Instagram stalking my crush from 10th grade.
So to all those diving into the adventures of Ammy World…tread lightly and enjoy!
Summer Series Reserve Champion in the Adult Equitation with “Sky”
An Open Opportunity 