What brought this up after 2 months????
Becky
I live in Washington. I know Amy well, personally and as a trainer. My daughter was a student of Amy's in 2003/2004/2005. She had two horses in training with her. It was whilst she lived with Amy that she came to the conclusion she could never pull-off what was required to become an Olympic level rider, even though she was competing at Intermediate level very successfully with a TB she had off the track when he was 4. The reason that she decided this was not for her was what she believed at the time was suspect: her original belief that Amy was a consummate horsewoman (as we were) and then her perception of Amy and her desire for success were tremdously at odds. At the end of the day she came to conclusion her her young inexperienced mind, that is if this is what it takes to success, I donlt ant it. This in itself was a simple philosophy, especially in the mind of such an incredibly lucky, kind and deeply committed young person. Amy cpntradcigted everyting she believed in. Amy is undoubtedly a single minded, focused and deeply competitive young woman. Her lack of family money and tremendous work ethic have led her into a rather ugly situation. Tat is becoming an internally recognized rider who has pulled it off by sheer dint of hardwork and "going wihtout. a perfecionist who cannot forgive less than perfection in anyone else.
My daughter and I love horse and love to ride. We are three day eventers to the core. Neither of us have the deeply committed - and as it turns out often eroding - desire to win no matter what. Amy possesses these traits in abundance. Some see her as hardworking, focused and dedicated - a consummate horsewoman who would rather feed her horses than go the celebration on the evening after cross country. Amy is a socially solitary, uncomfortable woman, with no social skills and a horrendous chip on her shoulder. She also loves animals. But she doesn't love herself. In my opinion the worst riders out there are often those who are incapable of feeling ood unless they sitting on tip of an obedient animal. Unfortunately the horse world abounds with people who are unfinished and inadequate and seek animals to fill the gap.
Amy has ruined many relationships with people in Area VII. She is not entirely truthful, not entirely trustworthy and not entirely what she appears ever to be. She is smart, manipulative and creative.
I do believe that she knew that Sparky was off before the last fence, she is way too in tune not to be. Ther eis a huge difference in sensing a horse is stung or has cast a show, and the difference between as serious a lamness as this particular instance certainly was. Maybe Amy used to TBs misunderstood this particular horse.. It doesnt matter, at the level she was competing at, you have to exercise the recognition when your horse tells you enough. If you can't do that then 3Day is screwed. The entire sport is about asking anorse for the obedience an d submittal of dressage, the heart, courage and trust in partnership to run x-c and then the stamina and fitness to pull of a show jumping round. Enough said. He showed the turst and heroicm and she let him down
Sparky is an amazing horse: he is brave intelligent and athletic. I watched him come up through the levels with Yves Sauvignon and when he was purchased by his current owner for Amy to ride, it was only after Amy proved herself over and over again with Poggi that this kind of horse was given her as the next possible Olympic Horse for 2008.
For someone like Amy given the opportunity to ride a horse like Sparky is itself a rather warping issue. Its like working hard all your life to achieve something and then be given the last bit as a slam dunk. Amy is a deeply flawed individual. Sparky as a horse was not ... he was true blue absolute consummate athlete and had a huge heart, dedicated as someone said to pleasing and accomplishing what his rider asked of him.
Only problem is, Amy never really asks. She is not a tactful rider. She does not brook talk back or equivocation. In her own words she does not enjoy sensitive hot thorughbred horses; horses with too much intelligence. Poggi has about as much sensitivity as a private in the artillery. Woody is a pig. Beau runs thru anyone with a sensitive hand and touch - these are the horses Amy came up with. Sparky was a different read and he had to conform for Amy.
I feel that Amy lost touch out there with what this is all about. Her consummate ambition, her determination to win no matter what, her absolute conviction that the sport is about her, rather than a partnership all came to bear in the moment Sparky needed her to exercise forbearance for his physical abilities (he is not a TB by the way), judgment for the situation that caused his terrible lameness, and humility for what we ask of our horses when we compete at this level. At that moment when Sparky needed Amy’s most profound feeling as a true horsewoman, Amy forsook him. Her character is not great enough for this sport at this level. Her skill is undoubted, her focus is remarkable, her ability to groom people to support her is exceptional. But her heart at the end of the day is truly suspect.
It is for this reason that i believe Amy should not be allowed to compete at this level. There are too many young people who watch and hope to learn...Would we teach them that at the end of the day the life of a horse is secondary to the desires of a rider and the momentary fleeting recognition that they are the best there is?
Who remembers who won what 6 months after? The sacrifice of one brave, loyal horse is a horrendous price to pay for fame and recognition. Amy did that - she threw away the soul of what makes a horse succeed in a sport like 3Day. She made it about herself — not about the partnership.