Making it Work by Ana Forsell
Dreams are Worth the Wait Ana Forsell and the EAP
EAP
Ana Forsell was second in the 2012 National Finals of the USHJA EAP program, this is her own story of the journey.
email from USHJA that I was one of the twenty four riders accepted to the EAP regional clinic at Hansen Dam Equestrian Center I was ecstatic! And then my brain starting filling with questions, “Did I belong there?” and,” Was I really what the program was looking for?” The questions didn’t stop.
W I had very little show ring experience.
I had done some little jumpers and rode a project horse with hopes to one day do the Grand Prix, but with four to five horse shows a year, my show mileage was minimal. I had never done a Clinic, nor did I have the opportunity to take regular lessons. Suddenly I wasn’t so excited, I was nervous and I wasn’t even sure I wanted to go. But I sent in the acceptance letter anyway.
hen I received the
The clinic came up quickly and before I
knew it I unloaded my horse and was bedding my stall at Hansen Dam. Over the four-day clinic we lessoned with Anne Kursinski and learned about all aspects of stable management with Anne Thornbury. Afternoons were spent discussing all other aspects of our sport with Kathy Hobstetter, Anne and Anne. I tried to be a sponge and absorb as much information as I could.
On Sunday, the last day of the clinic,
everyone helped set a jumper style course and walked it with Anne Kursinski. My goal for that day was to apply as many of the things we had learned as I could, from getting my horse show ring ready to riding and using the techniques she had taught us. I rode the course as planned, both Anne and myself were happy with the ride. We said our good-byes, loaded my horse and started on our 9 hour drive home.
Monday morning I was up at 6 AM doing
my morning chores: cleaning stalls, swapping turn-outs and helping feed the 32 horses that live at Crystal Clear Farm, the barn I call my home. Life was back to normal; I rode my usual 10-12 horses per day and taught my usual lessons. For about a week I was
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iJumpSports.com I couldn’t believe that I would be traveling
back east for a Final and I told myself everything there would be icing on the cake since just being invited was more than enough. My barn family was wonderful, and even held a surprise raffle fundraiser for me at the final
Photos © Tricia Booker/USHJA
on cloud nine hoping I would be one of the sixteen EAP national finalists chosen to ride with Peter Wylde in Gurnee, Illinois. I put those thoughts to the back of my mind as I focused on the horses and riders that were in front of me.
On September 6th I checked my email
after getting off of my first horse at 8 am and saw a USHJA email regarding the EAP National Finals. My heart started to race and I almost couldn’t breathe. The first word was “congratulations” and I started smiling. I was so excited I didn’t even read the rest of the email until that evening, all that mattered was that I had made it! Being accepted made me feel like someone actually believed in me; someone thought I could be somebody in this sport. I felt reassured that I wasn’t making a mistake with my life choice of being a professional instead of going to the college my Mom and I had planned for me since I was in Elementary school.
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