Adult amateurs, it’s your time to shine! We are featuring all things adult amateur throughout the month of April.
Dressage riders who are designated as an adult amateur with USEF are eligible for amateur-exclusive year-end award divisions, including Master’s Challenge, Vintage Cup, Adequan®/USDF Adult Amateur Awards, All-Breeds Awards, and more!
An adult amateur who is managing chronic illness shares how she balances and accommodates the bad days while embracing the good times with her horse!
By Amanda Moretz
I was in Tennessee to work, not buy a horse.
As a licensed vet tech and massage therapist, I was at Kathryn Jordan’s farm, Rock Hill Sporthorses, for a day of work. She breeds Trakehner horses and told me about her favorite mare, who was in foal, and how this foal was bred to be a great adult amateur horse. She also told me that it would be a great match for me. As I said, I wasn’t looking to buy a horse and really couldn’t justify the cost.
But I went in to meet Ruby anyway. As I put my hand on her big pregnant belly, I felt a little foot kick my hand. It was at that moment I knew – this foal was going to be mine. He picked me. Two weeks later, Drogon arrived in the world and immediately knew he was the center of the universe.
Drogon came to live with me in Atlanta once he was weaned and gelded. While I had worked with foals extensively as a vet tech, raising my own was a new experience. It was a learning curve for both him and me in those first few years. But the bond that came from our experiences and adventures was worth it all.
Drogon is very much a social horse and loves to meet everyone. But he is also emotional at times, and needs his people around to keep him grounded. I found out early that he loves to work, but it has to be a game. Strict, structured work is not for him. He’s such a funny guy and loves to be involved in all aspects of barn life.
While he was growing up, my own massage therapy business with the horses was growing. I was busy traveling all over the greater Atlanta area and to other nearby states, so making time to keep working with Drogon was hard, but I found the time. He is very smart, and I found that I had to make his training a priority to keep him mentally focused. There were many days I was at the barn well past sundown working with him. Owning him helped me finally find a balance between my work and horse life.
During those early years with Drogon, health issues that I had lived with my whole life started to really impact my day-to-day life. I finally got the diagnosis of hypermobile Ehler-Danlos syndrome (hEDS), a connective tissue disorder that affects the collagen all throughout my body. The main symptom is excessive laxity in my joints from stretchy tendons and ligaments; not only are my joints unstable, but they also sometimes dislocate. Beyond that, hEDS causes issues in every part of the body, since collagen is everywhere. So I also have dysautonomia (postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome [POTS]), which leads to a high heart rate and dizziness when standing and exercising. POTS also causes gastrointestinal issues, fatigue, weakness, neurological problems, and a laundry list of other symptoms.
I have made it a priority to keep riding, as I know moving is key to helping my body. Though some days, I do have to be kind to myself and recognize my limits. Dressage is an ideal equestrian sport for me, as it helps my body by improving my balance, and it isn’t as stressful on my body as other disciplines. I focus on having a regular riding schedule and lessons, but I also make sure to balance the rest of my life.
I eat a diet that doesn’t trigger flare-ups, and take supplements and medication that my doctors have helped curate for my specific needs. Speaking of doctors, I had to research and search to find the right ones who understood my conditions.
The other key for me is strength training. I make sure to add in weight training so my muscles can be stronger in order to keep my joints more stable. But I am always under the guidance of my doctors and physical therapists. I also allow myself some grace, and know to take things day to day. Some days, it’s a full dressage school, others it is just walk work. Occasionally, I just need a day to hang out with Drogon. He never minds the days we just hand graze around the farm.
Showing is harder for me, but I work to find the best way to make it happen. Drogon and I have shown through First Level so far, and we have even ridden a freestyle.
I will always remember going to the 2021 Great American/USDF Region 3 Dressage Championships here in Atlanta. We competed in the Training Level Adult Amateur Championship class! I was unfortunately in a flare of my chronic illnesses and dealing with my hip regularly dislocating. But, with the help of some great friends, I made it through show day prep, and we went down centerline at our first regional championship. We finished in fourth place in a really large class. The awards ceremony will always be a core memory for me. Even Drogon seemed to enjoy the lap around the arena and all the excitement.
While I have had to take a break from showing to focus on getting a handle on my chronic illness, I hope to get back out there soon. Luckily for Drogon and me, we are happy with our daily training and spending time together. He is a very special horse, and I know he picked me as his human for a reason. Having him in my life has helped me accept the fact that I do have a disability, but that it is okay.
While I have had to step away from my work as a vet tech and massage therapist, I am working to find my next career path. I also hope to look into para dressage, and see if it is a viable option to allow me to return to the competition ring. In the end, I remind myself that I am an adult amateur and dressage is supposed to be fun. The riding. The showing. The day-to-day life at the barn.
The best advice I have found is not to get caught up in the grind. Always remember: journey before destination.
