When I was 11 years old I was at a dressage show with Chauncey (the thoroughbred you saw here). A lady came up to me and told me I would look perfect on her mare. At the time I was looking for a new horse, so my god parents and I drove 6 hours to see this horse we didn't know much about.
When I first saw her out in the field, I knew I had to have her. She was big, about 16.3 and all muscle, but completely beautiful. After riding her about six different times, LaBelle was mine.
That was the end of 2004. We trained all winter and started showing in the spring of 2005. We started at training level at our first show. We won all four classes we were in, and ended up winning overall champion for training level! I couldn't have been happier.
Throughout 2005 we went to a ton of shows and won every single class we were in. She was unbeatable. Since things were going so well, I decided to show at the Regional Championships for the first time.
Our championship classes were Training Level, First Level, and Dressage Seat Equitation. Although we placed third for the first time at First Level, we managed to win Training Level and our Equitation class! Winning the Training Level Championships, out of 36 horses, was one of our biggest accomplishments. Overall, regionals was such a success!
At the end of 2005, LaBelle and I were ranked 2nd in the nation for First Level, 21 years and younger! How cool is that? She also won (three consecutive years) the Good Morning Memorial award, which goes to the best mare that competes in central Ohio. Also, there was an article written about us in Dressage Today, a national magazine.
2006 and 2007 were filled with a lot of shows and a lot of wins. We placed second (our second time not winning) at the 2006 Regionals in First Level. It was completely my fault; I went off course! Oopsies!
At the beginning of 2007, I was offered a very nice horse. Icon was super talented and was going to be my horse to compete in Juniors with. I couldn't keep up with two horses and high school, so I had to sell LaBelle after 3 years of owning her. Not only was she my partner-in-crime at shows, we had such an amazing relationship. We grew up together and I felt like we were one. She was so gorgeous, more beautiful than any other horse I have ever seen. She was so intelligent; if you told her something once, she would never forget it (She was the ground tying champion. I could leave her in the middle of the isle with no halter, bridle or anything, go clean my tack, go to the bathroom, do whatever I wanted, and she would just stand there until I asked her to move). She was definitely the best horse I will ever own, and I miss her to death. But, she lives a WONDERFUL, spoiled rotten life in Indiana! I couldn't have picked a better home for her. In the end, she definitely deserves her new home, especially while I am in college. But, that doesn't make me miss her any less.
Tomorrow I will post a bunch of videos of her, just because she is gorgeous :).
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