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Sponsored Rider
Sarah Schroder
About me: I am a full-time coach and rider at Oakwood Riding School in Clyde Nth. I also teach at various other properties and clubs while competing takes up many weekends. Any time away from horses I try to spend with my partner and our two dogs.
Riding Discipline: Dressage, Eventing
Name of Horses: “The High Life”
Breeds: Clydesdale/TB cross
About my horses: Purchased as a yearling 8 years ago, he was my first young horse to “start” and educate myself. We are currently competing elementary/medium dressage and preliminary eventing.
Awards & Achievements: EA NCAS Level 1 coach- general.
When and why did you first start riding?
When I was 6 years old a friend invited me to have a series of lessons with her at a local riding school. I instantly fell in love with horses and the sport! With allot of perseverance (nagging), at 10 my parents bought me my first pony. 20 years later and I haven’t looked back.
What’s your best riding moment?
When I was about 12, a friend and I used to set up a single fence and compete as to who could clear the highest. Each time clear, we would raise it another hole. My horse at the time (Buzz) was faultless one particular day and cleared a huge 5'3"!! After that I thought he was invincible.
What’s your worst riding moment?
I was riding a horse in a lesson for a client that had begun to stop at fences. He was actually going quite well for me when he put in a rather dirty stop and sent me hurtling through wings and poles! As I re-mounted, I suddenly had 3 Olympic riders/coaches (whom I’d only ever heard of and highly regarded) shouting numerous instructions from all angles! On I went and came off another 2 times in the following minutes!! The previous day I had told someone it had been years since I’d fallen off. Jinxed! I was so sore but far more embarrassed!!
Idols: Carl Hester, Mark Todd, Gillian Rolton.
Other hobbies and interests: Snow-boarding (although I am not very good!) and I love live music!
Pony Clubs/Riding clubs I belong to: EA member, Oakwood Riding School
Favorite Windsor garment: Has to be my Windsor jacket I have had for years!!
Tonimbuk Horse Trials were held on the weekend where we were entered in the preliminaryA section. Saturday started out with beautiful weather and even bordered becoming quite hot. Our dressage was at 9.30am and we produced quite a good test (3rd, with 72.4%). Show-jumping followed and we weren't on until 3.20pm which left us with hours of what felt like "cooking" in the sun. At last it was time to jump and although a little spooky and distracted, we finished with only 1 rail down.
I was quite happy with "Koda's" performance and we headed back to the float to unplait, finish setting-up for the night's camping and then walk the xc course. But, 5 minutes after dismounting, the sky turned dark, REALLY dark, and storm warnings were spreading fast between competitors. They always say "when it rains, it pours" and that was exactly what happened! Wind, rain and hail ripped through Tonimbuk Equestrian Centre for about the next hour and a half and turned the outdoor arenas into lakes!!
The night that followed was definitely a memorable one- EVERYTHING was wet! Koda was uneasy, we had no power, no dry shoes or jackets left and still the rain wouldn't let up. In the morning the xc course was a wash and the event was declared a combined training day for (obvious) safety reasons. I was partially relieved and my fiance (Luke), Koda and I were keen to get home to clean, dry clothes and shoes, so we packed up and headed home! Still haven't found out the final scores/placings, but either way, it was definitely a weekend not to be forgotten!