Spanish Mustang at Steepleview

By Jennifer Klitzke

Steepleview Cross-Country Schooling Days, my trusty Spanish Mustang Indian’s Legend, and coach Len Danielson of North Run Farm helped me reach one of my lifelong dreams! I have always aspired to be an event rider, but paralyzing fear had held me back.

Twenty-five years ago I fell off a few too many times which resulted in debilitating panic attacks any time I felt out of control on a horse. The fear crippled me so much that I could only ride in a 20-meter circle at a walk going to the left in an indoor arena on a calm day with no distraction. That’s when I faced a cross roads: quit riding horses, the very thing I loved most, or face the fear in hopes of overcoming it. The latter won out as I pressed on for over two decades. And praise God, irrational fear no longer controls my life! And it helps to have a bold and sensible horse like Indy.

Indy and I had the best possible summer weather for Steepleview Schooling Days. About a dozen cross-country coaches donated their time on Friday-Sunday, July 19-20,2013 to instruct dozens of riders from starting to advanced levels. Len Danielson of North Run Farm coached Indy and I along with three other riders and their horses. We rotated around Steepleview’s superior cross country course through rolling hills and forest over obstacles, ditches, banks, and water obstacles. Had I been given a preview of what we would be encountering, I probably would have chickened out. But I trusted Len that he wouldn’t over face me or my horse and I am so happy we did it!

We warmed up by cantering up and down hills and jumping over cross rails and then a vertical before moving to fixed obstacles like logs, tree trunks, banks, ditches, and water structures. I loved it all! No doubt Indy’s favorite was the water. It was a nice way to cool off after a couple hours of riding.

At the end of our two-hour session, Coach Danielson looked at Indy and said, “Now that’s what I call an all-terraine vehicle. I love his attitude!”