by Coach Sophia
WHAT DO YOU LOVE ABOUT IEA?
What do you love about IEA? Hold on, don’t answer that yet! I want you to really think about it… Do you love the competition? Do you love using your skills against other riders in order to take home a blue ribbon? Or maybe you're just an animal person, and you love all the different horses IEA has to offer. Or maybe you’re like me; maybe what you love most about IEA is that you and your friends get to do everything together.
Does any of that ring a bell? Well, even if it doesn’t, that’s ok too! This year we’ve welcomed a lot of new riders onto our team, which means you might not even know what IEA is all about yet. That being said, I still want you to be thinking about this question for the rest of the season; What do you love about IEA?
It’s easy to forget why we’re even participating once the season gets a little stressful or busy. IEA can be fun in a million different ways, but it’s also a lot of hard work. That’s why it's so important for all of us to figure out what we love most about this sport. Knowing why you love IEA will motivate you to keep riding and become a better horse person!
THIS MONTHS SURVIVAL TIPS
TIP #1
If you haven’t already gotten the memo, keep your gloves and hairnet in your helmet bag. This will either help you avoid losing things, or help you lose everything all at once ;-)
TIP #2
If you struggle knowing your left from your right like I do, write it in your gloves! There should be a white tag at the base of your gloves where you can write the letters L and R. A quick glance down and you're good to go… to the left. Or is it right?
TIP #3
Your ideal stirrup length won't always be the length of your arm. We all know the age-old trick of adjusting your stirrups to the length of your arm before hopping on, but that doesn’t always work. It’s a good start, but don’t be afraid to readjust once you're on!
SECRET OF THE MONTH…
The Apple Crisp Oatmilk latte from Starbucks is Ms. Allie’s favorite fall drink (she would drink it year round if they offered it). Use this secret in the morning at IEA shows, or if you’ve been late to one too many lessons…