When I first signed up to write this blog on my experience in the L Program, I was excited to talk about Part 2. Few people go into detail about the second part and I thought it was because there was some huge secret. It turns out, now that I have gone through it, that the real reason we all stop writing is because you don’t have the time! This past weekend I spent the first weekend home in months. Between my D1, D2 and Final Exam, that was 3 weekends gone… and then there was the E Session (where you sit/scribe) for judges for no less than 10(?) hours each. The reason I don’t know the number is because I suggest you do a lot more. I went to Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Virginia, New York, Maryland and who knows where else to scribe and sit with countless judges. As a result, I decided to skip the Regional Championships I had qualified for – not only because I didn’t have time to go, but also because I didn’t have time to prepare 110%! As an experience, I have found the USDF L Program a wonderful, double-edge sword. You learn more than you will ever learn, to be a better rider/trainer/instructor/competitor. However, you are so busy learning that you never have time to apply that knowledge.

So, here is to being done, being home and getting back to the wonderfully-incessant daily grind that is training horses. No more trips, shows or interruptions. OK, I am headed to London for a much-needed vacation over Thanksgiving, but after that I will be back for good 😉