My Turn: Childhood dreams realized at a horse show

My horse journey began as a child who begged for riding lessons. After repeated requests, my parents gave me the opportunity when I was 11, in the early 1970s, to take group riding lessons at Glenview Stables, now gone from Glen Head. We rode once a week with an instructor, learning to walk, trot and canter. I took two sets of lessons, with each set lasting about eight weeks. A school friend joined me for the first set, over the summertime, but not for the second, in the fall. At the conclusion of the fall lessons, the riding school announced it would hold a horse show open to all students. I entered the walk-trot and beginner jump classes.

On the day of the show, only my father came to watch. I tried especially hard to ride with proper form in the morning walk-trot class and was astonished to be awarded second place out of eight riders. I considered placing second as a sign from God that I had a degree of talent for riding; I couldn’t have been prouder. We left the stable after the first class and returned later for the beginner jump group, but this time my father invited our neighbor to watch me compete. I didn’t fare as well in the jump competition, ending up fourth out of four riders. I knew I just needed more practice to succeed, but my parents would not allow any more riding lessons.

Fast-forward to 2021, when my childhood dream was realized with the purchase of my very first horse at age the age of 60. Primoroso is a beautiful 17-year-old dark bay Holsteiner-Thoroughbred that I take lessons on and board at Sundance Stables in Manorville. My trainer, barn owner Lynne Weissbard, along with trainer Thom Trout finally gave me the green light to participate in a horse show this summer — though my basic skills are still developing. Showing was something I aimed to do again from the day I started riding at the stable in 2019. In fact, I announced my interest in competing at my very first lesson!

The Old Field Farm Schooling Show was at the beautiful Old Field Farm show grounds in Stony Brook. I arrived at the grounds before 8 a.m., ready to go. The officials at the sign-in tent warmly welcomed me as an adult beginner and had created a special class for me to enter. I was given competition card 511 to wear on my back. Etiquette for the hunter ring required my hair to be in a hair net and tucked under my riding helmet, something Lynne helped with. Then I put on my new show jacket and got help from a stable mate to attach my number card. My boots were newly polished, as shiny as I could get them. I hopped up a ladder, climbed aboard Primo, and we made our way from the stable in the rear to the show ring up front.

That morning, I felt the same sense of determination to succeed in the show ring as I had experienced 50 years earlier. This time, though, my husband and Sundance Stable family were ringside to support me. I was thrilled I could perform successfully, winning two second-place ribbons and two third-place ribbons as well as a “Reserve Champion” ribbon in my special beginner group. I thank the two children who competed against me, and their trainers, for putting up with an older lady in the ring!

Life is unpredictable! At 11, I never would have imagined returning to the ring after a 50-year break. While I have more skills to learn and develop, I look forward to returning to the show ring as soon as possible — I truly don’t have another 50 years to wait!

Laura Emert,

East Setauket