134 S U M M E R 2 014 U N TAC K E D
BEST OF WEB & PRINT
u Champions
Are Made When
No One Is
Looking
"I have recently made
it my personal resolu-
tion to ride (almost)
every day like it's
all on the line in the
hopes that one day,
in the heat of the
moment over a tough
combination on a big
course, I will have
practiced 'dig-deep'
riding to the point that
it is second nature to me, and I will that much more easily rise
to the occasion," writes eventer Katy Groesbeck in this recent
blog. "But discipline in riding starts long before our feet ever
reach the stirrups.
"No, scrubbing water buckets even though no one is look-
ing, or checking that it was done, will not make us world class
riders," she continued. "But the self-discipline and integrity to
try our hardest at everything we do, day-in and day-out, will
carry over into our riding and our careers as we make that
kind of behavior a habit."
Read at chronofhorse.com/article/champions-made-no-
one-looking.
u Heather Blitz's Path For Paragon Is Clear
In this illuminating Q&A, associate editor Molly Sorge talks
candidly with Grand Prix dressage rider Heather Blitz about
her talented horse's career, his declining scores, and why we
won't see the duo at the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games
in Normandy this fall.
Many dressage fans had expected Paragon to be a lock
after he was selected as the traveling reserve for the 2012
London Olympic Games, but the leggy chestnut gelding has
struggled in the ring since then.
"A lot of negativity came my way this season, and one of
my biggest challenges was to get through all the rumors and
u Turning Lemons Into Lemonade
Hunter trainer Tom Brennan always tries to lead by example with
his Winter Hill Farm students, so when strangers started criticiz-
ing his position in a competition photo posted on the Chronicle's
Facebook page, he used it as a teaching tool. Our subsequent
story of his admirable move went immediately viral.
"The next morning, he headed to Walmart at 6 a.m. to buy
posterboard and markers," writes Mollie Bailey at chronofhorse.
What's Hot
On The Web
KAT
NETZLER
PHOTO
MOLLIE
BAILEY
PHOTO
the negativity. Training Paragon is not nearly as hard as getting
though that kind of stuff," says Blitz.
Visit chronofhorse.com/article/path-paragon-clear to read
the full interview.
SUSAN
J.
STICKLE
PHOTO
