I hope that you enjoyed your day off today. I hope that each of you laid in the sun, munched on hay and enjoyed a quiet day on your own. As you take your much deserved day off, I wanted to thank you all for anamazingweekend. I want to thank you for your patience and kindness as we invited riders from all over the country to come and ride and learn and be reminded of all that is good with riding and showing horses. I want to let you know that none of this special time would have been possible without each and every one of you.
Some of you challenged your riders while some of you quietly encouraged your riders, but no matter the job you had, you did it well. You kept our riders safe and allowed us -the teachers- to have the opportunity to do our job to best of our abilities. You gave lesson after lesson and worked well with our wonderful team of High Caliber employees and volunteers. As you know, we work all year to make this weekend a success. For some of you, this is your 12th year as a High Caliber School Horse (Lance), while there are others that were able to be a part of camp for the first time. Not one of you gave out. We asked for your best and you gave it.
School Horses, I hope you heard the laughter of the campers. I hope you felt their confidence grow as they rode more. I hope you realize that this weekend was a brief pause in every day life and responsibilities for our participants. For just a few days we all got to do what we do best, which is enjoy quality time at the barn. It was our reminder of all the good in the world. It was time to to come together as fellow horse people to get pumped up, excited and motivated to be the best version of ourselves, no matter what role we played this weekend.
Thank you, School Horses, for being our teachers, our mentors and our friends. Please know that although your names are not in the magazines, you are the reason we can do what we do. You are the ones that teach our rides to love to rack and get over the fear of cantering. You are the game horse that makes us step up and the horse that forces us to learn to use our leg. We take the lessons that you teach us into the show ring and into life.
This camp and this time with our friends, we have had for years and those we have added to our friend list this year is a magical time. This weekend is my reminder of all the things I love about the horse business. I love the people, the challenge and the desire to be the best version of my self. I could not do it without you School Horses. From the bottom of my heart, Thank You.
As we get back to work and head into show season I know that I am only as good as the team I surround myself with and I want you all to know you are an intregral part of that team and I am forever grateful for the impact you have made on my life and all people that you teach to fall in love with horses and showing. Whether you are retired from the show ring or you have never seen the show ring, know thatyou mattermore than you will ever know. I love you and am thankful to have hav you on my team.
Love, Mary