Leah Lang-Gluscic, chapter 2

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In this article, Leah Lang-Gluscic continues her story of transitioning from an investment banking career to trying to make it as a professional eventer.  Thanks for writing this Leah, and thank you for reading.   

From Leah:

Hi Eventing Nation. So I have about one week of work at my current job left, am simultaneously trying to find a part-time job out in Illinois for when I get back in November, and am moving!  To say the least, things are a bit hectic. 

Not just me, but also BamBam has had quite the exciting three weeks.  Three weekends ago, I took him for a lesson with Mary Ann Sabin in Maryland.  Since I moved to DC two years ago, I have been taking "Schoolmaster" lessons on her Third Level horse, FlimFlam, to basically keep my dressage skills tuned up as much as possible.  Bam is the first horse of my own making that I have ridden for her, and she really liked him.  She thought he was a really nice mover and has a lot of potential.  At the time, the consistency of our canter transitions left quite a bit to be desired and we had not reached a point where a correct, balanced frame was status quo.  Mary Ann was a huge help with all of this.  After only week of working on the points Mary Ann gave me, Bam went to his first starter trials, where he finished 3^rdin the Novice out of 16.  He really tried and gave a double clear effort ending on his dressage score.  For his first horse trial experience ever, I couldn't ask more of him. 

The next weekend, we went to MD HT.  First of all, what an incredible facility and event, really just exceptionally well run and everyone was so friendly.  Bam completed his first recognized event, and I my first in nearly seven years.  I even sprung for the professional video, thought it would be worthwhile to evidence the carnage of returning to the sport!  However, no carnage, Bam had what I would call a respectable test in the high 30s, a rail, and had a very bold, clean cross country. We placed 13^th overall.  While there weren't any ribbons involved, I thought the day was a huge success for him and I feel better about Bam getting his feet wet at a large competition with some atmosphere before I am taking two horses to events by myself this fall.  I also keep forgetting that I have only had this horse for 6 weeks. Considering that we started with pretty much an inability to canter a circle and he is now a legit Novice event horse with tons of potential, I think he is doing just fine!

While I am in Virginia finishing my current job and focusing on my horses, my family is in Illinois busting their asses at the farm, by choice!  First let me say it is incredible for my family of non-riders to be involved in any way with the horses, but to actually help get the farm in operating order is unbelievable and beyond appreciated.  They have painted the office and the on-site apartment I will live in, have power-washed the entire facility, have picked rocks from the indoor ring, are getting appliances installed and are maintaining the land.  They have been mowing the many acres non-stop and clearing logs, etc.  Each time I speak to either of my parents on the phone, I've asked them to please wait until I am there so that I am the one putting in all these hours of work, but they are determined to have the farm in shape when I come home in November.  Beyond this, all three of my siblings, who are all soon to be eighteen and up and have much better and surely more entertaining things to do, have been helping as well.  It honestly blows my mind how incredibly lucky I am to have this kind of support!

There has been one slight hiccup back home.  When I was back in Illinois in May, I had taken a lesson with a really terrific eventing instructor not too far from the farm. However, much to my dismay, she is moving!  I guess the search will start again. Not too big of a deal, but I had been so relieved to find someone who had competed through the advanced level while being based out of Illinois.  She has recommended a few people that she works with, and between that, clinics, and traveling, I think everything will be alright.  I am also planning to start some barrel racing or reining lessons.  There's a place about five minutes from my farm in Illinois.  I am a firm believer that any riding makes for better riding, and I am curious as to how it may improve my balance, so going to give it a go.  To this point, I was listening to a talk that Bruce Davidson, Denny Emerson, and Buck Davidson gave at the USEA Convention last year, and Bruce was saying that when people say they are "event" riders, he is a little put off because that only limits your riding.  All three of them were talking about all the different things they have tried, barrel racing, endurance, point-to-point, and how you can take something from any discipline and it will make you a better rider, and that is really the point.  With my background, which involves pretty much sitting on any horse I have ever been given the opportunity to ride,  I really took this to heart and am hoping to act on it sooner than later.

Anyways, like I said, I have about a week left as an investment banker, and then am making the trek out to Illinois with a Uhaul to move all my non-horse related belongings.  I will be spending about two weeks out there with the family, hopefully going to a few job interviews, and also taking on the burden of getting the farm in shape for a while before returning to Virginia.  Clare at ODH has graciously offered to put my horses into the fitness program she uses for the staff horses, lots of road work and trotting, so that they won't have a full two weeks off.  Hopefully while I am home, I can wrap up most of the work at the farm, so that my family will not have anything left to do in my absence.  Next post should be from IL!