C&T Equestrian Team

02/02/2022

Jumping into the weekend like 💁🏼‍♀️

12/12/2021

Day 2 of the Florida Thoroughbred Expo! Everyone has made it to the finals!! Woot woot!! Looks like we’ll be here all day Sunday!!! 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
Today we had show jumping, freestyle, and barrels for fun, and it was an awesome day! I suck at taking pics today

11/12/2021

Day 1 of the Florida Thoroughbred Expo is complete and everyone rocked it! All goals were exceeded, tears were shed (by me mostly lol), and everyone is movin to the finals 😉👍🏼

28/11/2021

They may look like shoe boxes to you, but to some little girls & boys in Africa, they encompass the meaning of Christmas! So proud of the team who packed these boxes with trinkets, toys, and goodies to send overseas to the less fortunate! They all wrote little notes to the kids wishing them a merry Christmas! This is what it’s about people…and I’m proud to be a part of it! 💜 Good job ladies!!! They are being shipped out this week!

30/10/2021

24/10/2021

They did SO GOOD! 😭 I’m so proud of each one of them! We had some solid riding today, and as the ribbons prove, they were on it 👍🏼 keep it up team!
These ladies have also been fundraising like crazy this weekend, and we are all dog tired after a late nights, pony rides, competing, chili cook off, costume designing, early morning rising, and pony wrangling, couple of days!

03/10/2021

These nuggets had a great practice today!! I think they sort of love one another 💜

29/08/2021

Let me tell ya about these gals 💁🏼‍♀️
Congratulations to my freakin’ rockstars!!!
Lily & Rory placed 3rd in BN
Sophie & Oakley placed 3rd in Entry
Ashlyn & Wallace placed 1st in her combined test of BN dressage & Stadium!!!
We also had Rowans RRP horse, Blinky, join us for his first show this weekend (with another rider) and he pulled 7th!!!

They did SO well and I couldn’t be more proud!! I see bigggggg things coming! 😍

29/08/2021

Almost ready for tomorrow’s show!! Here we go!

22/08/2021

Look who tried their hand at trail obstacles today!! Such a cool, out-of-the-box experience for us!! Thank you Greener Side Ranch for hosting us!!

20/06/2021

Our team hosted a mini barrel race at our home barn last night!! Girls got to change pace and let loose! They ran some cans down while jammin out to their favorite songs, ate, and whacked a piñata around! I’d say it was a fun and up beat change of pace for our girls!!

13/06/2021

Rain or shine, we grind 💪🏼 good job team raisin that money at Tractor Supply!!

12/06/2021

The team loved having clinician, Alex Leiby, join us today to teach us all something new! Everyone had great rides, and learned a little something to take home with them in their toolbox! Thank you again Alex!

06/06/2021

Yesterday poised & proper...today wild & free!!! We had an awesome ride at the Misty Morning Hounds Hunter Pace! So proud of all the girls, and so many new experiences! 😭😭

05/06/2021

Successful day for our girls!! Our younger team members had great rides today, and moved up a class! Thank you GRITS for a nice show!

04/06/2021

Practice isn’t just always about prepping for a show, or getting that jump just right...we also teach valuable skills on how to care for our athlete partners! Yesterday’s practice include full body stretching, and massages for our best equine buddies 💜 boy did some of them just melt!!! They loved it!!!

02/06/2021

This is a great reminder! I love you all, but I will go what’s best for you, even if it’s the hardest.

True Words:

Let’s talk about the lack of quality coaching and lack of standards in the equine industry. For example, kids learning with someone who claims to be an "coach" and all they learned is how to see-saw a horse's head down and chuck their body over a fence like a champion. All coaching is not equal.

But what happens when you have a good coach? One that opens their program to you, takes you under his/her wing? Becomes invested in your success? When you essentially become part of the "family"...

Eventually, something will happen...

Coach tells you that you are not Karen O'Connor 2.0, and not ready to make the move up to the next level.
Coach says you need to go back and fix some holes in your training.
Coach says you have developed a bad habit, and it needs to be fixed before you can accomplish your goals.
Coach says you need to make sure that your horse is being ridden (not just hanging out at the barn).
Coach says you need to dedicate more time to studying the sport, not just riding.
Coach says it isn't a "horse" problem, it is a "you" problem.

People have become increasingly more reactionary. More easily offended. In lieu of everyone getting a trophy, it is so hard to hear these words from people you admire. Some of the best coaches will be the toughest. Not ones that tear you apart constantly, but coaches that aren't afraid to have the tough conversations with you. Or conversations that you may not have wanted to have.

But remember, a good coach is in YOUR corner. They want YOU to achieve success. They dedicate so much more than an hour of time to your growth not only as a rider but as a horseman. Maybe you are burning the candle at both ends (and in the middle), and you need a reality check that this sport requires more of your time and focus.

These conversations can hurt, but while it may sting at first.... take a second. Think about why your coach is against you moving up right now, why your coach is saying to wait until the summer to be a working student, why your coach is saying that you should not enter the show until the homework and flat work is done.

Surround yourself with coaches that aren't afraid to have these tough conversations with you. You don't want or need a "cheerleader" coach. You are paying you for your coach’s expertise... the positives and the criticism. Let them help make the best decisions for your horse, and for your program. The lessons on the horse and the lessons off of the horse. Are you ready? Are you doing what is best by your horse? You owe it to yourself and your horse....

*** Copied and modified from Courtney Sendak