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22    S E P T E M B E R /O C T O B E R 2 0 2 0 | U N TAC K E D 2. What do you wish you could tell your younger self ? As a junior rider, I was extremely high strung and very nervous. It's funny for me to watch my kids and juniors that I know nowadays—when I was a junior the equitation and most of the classes that I competed in were the be-all and end-all. It was my whole world, my whole life, my whole everything. I sort of wish, looking back on it, not that it wasn't a big deal, but I wish I had just known that there is more to this industry, and one individual class doesn't make you the rider that you are today. There is more to this sport, and there is more to come. 3. What's a piece of advice you're glad you didn't take? When I decided this is what I wanted to do, I don't want to say people were down on me, but for sure I wasn't getting reinforcement saying, "You can do this." I guess I expected all my friends, from both my generation and older, to be supportive and positive. It was a bit unexpected, but everyone seems to have the idea that you will never make it in this industry. "You aren't cut out for it. It's hard work. It's this; it's that." Nobody ever said that to me, but that's just the vibe I felt. I said, "Well, this is what I want to do, so I'm going to do it," and I'm really glad I went with my heart on that because it's brought me a lot of happiness, joy and success both as a rider and trainer. After that experience, I really try to be supportive of all riders who are trying to turn this into a career. There are a lot of incredible riders out there, and I think we should all be supporting each other. 4. Do you have any hobbies outside of the horses? Recently with quarantine I've really started to enjoy cooking. That's sort of a new hobby of mine. I started doing Amanda Shulman's Zoom classes. She's @HerPlaceSupperClub and @StayHungree on Instagram. 5. What's your most embarrassing horse show moment? I was doing the Pony Medal Finals at USEF Pony Finals (Kentucky), and as I was going around the class my pony stopped at a jump. I started crying, and I just wanted to leave the ring. I was training with Bibby Farmer Hill at the time, and she just looked at me and said, "No, you have to keep going." I basically just stood at the in-gate for about five minutes arguing with her about whether I could come out or not. She won—I turned around and finished the course but didn't stop crying.

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