Shortly after Devon and a 4 day clinic in Canada, Eiren headed up to New Gloucester, Maine to be a rider in the New England Dressage Association's Symposium with Carl Hester. With about 100 applications submitted to NEDA to ride, it was indeed a huge honor to be selected for the opportunity! Carl has been called a living legend, with a resume of hard work and extraordinary results both as a rider and coach, and he did not disappoint anyone during the symposium. On Lisa Smith's five year old Bacary, Eiren was the second rider in the packed arena Saturday morning. With close to 1000 attendants watching, Eiren and Bacary worked through canter-trot transitions to develop better self carriage in the canter. Bacary took in the atmosphere and applause like it was an everyday occurrence, and Eiren was beyond pleased with the experience. Her only complaint was that she didn't get a second ride, as the four and five year old horses were only scheduled for one day to keep the pressure on them low. However, enough fabulous training exercises and lessons were shown during the weekend that there is inspiration enough for months to come. What an absolute privilege to ride in front of Carl and the devoted crowd!
