Feature Article: Blue Ribbon Ambition

As I look back on the feature articles I've written I can't help but to notice some commonalities. While each person is unique and involved in totally different professions each has a sense of purpose and fulfillment in their lives.  They each are doing what they love to do.

This month I'm excited to introduce you to Jessica Smyth. I met Jessica a couple months ago and as we all do when meeting someone new I asked the usual conventional questions. When Jessica informed me that she was an equestrian I literally did a double take, I mean its not every day you meet a woman in her twenties that rides horses competitively.

I have had a love of all animals my whole life but horses have a special place in my heart. I have an intense love and respect for horses -- they are incredibly beautiful and complex creatures. Their honesty, presence, and power simply take my breath away.


ATTENDING A COMPETITION

My husband and I have never attended an equestrian competition before so when she invited us to her next competition we jumped at the chance.

Watching all the riders warm up their horses I had no idea what I was in for. As I heard the announcer introduce her I watched as Jessica entered the track riding her trainers horse Aslan. She was extremely poised, and to me, the whole event looked so chic -- it was like a Ralph Lauren ad come to life. 

I was mesmerized by what Jessica and Aslan did on that track, it was like watching a beautiful ballet. Jessica is an amazingly skilled equestrian who competes in the highly competitive equestrian sport called "Dressage" (pronounced: dress-ˈsäj)

WHAT IS DRESSAGE? 

Dressage is a french term that basically translates to training.

"The International Equestrian Federation defines Dressage 

as the highest expression of horse training, where horse and rider 

are expected to perform from memory a series of predetermined movements."

To give you an idea of what it looks like, here's a video of Jessica performing with Wester Aikema's Nico, back in 2007.

If you would like to see a competition here's a list of Jessica's upcoming events:

April 25-28  DEL MAR NATIONAL HORSE SHOW
May 23 - 26 DRESSAGE AT FLINTRIDGE

August (dates TBD) COOL AUGUST NIGHTS

And now, it's my pleasure to introduce you to Jessica Smyth and...

THE WORLD OF DRESSAGE 

                                                 Photo Credit: Lisa Smyth 

Jessica  riding Lorenzo at Prix St. George 2006    

                                         

Where were you born and raised? 

I grew up here in Los Angeles, in Sunland. It’s a little suburb nestled up against the Los Angeles Crest National Forest.

When did you begin riding horses?

My first pony ride was in Munich, Germany. My family lived there for two years when I was very young. I think I was about 3 in the pictures from the “Pony Hoff.” But when we moved back to California, I started taking lessons at the Los Angeles Children’s Riding Center in Sun Valley, and I was probably 6 or 7 at that time. 

What made you want to start competing?

Competition is sort of a natural progression in riding- sure you can take lessons and learn to stay on, but that only takes a few months. If you have been riding for years, then typically the trainer will start signing up the little kids to go to small shows. So I did small shows, jumping over tiny fences when I was a kid. But I started to really compete and try to qualify for championships when I moved over to my current barn, Rancho Tujunga in 1998. Then, when I started training with Dory Breneman in 2003, she really encouraged me to look at what I wanted to accomplish. She has tremendous faith in me as a competent rider, so with her guidance I bought a great horse and took my riding much more seriously, focusing on moving up levels and really pushing myself to be a better and more competitive rider.

How many competitions have you taken part in so far in your career? 

Tons! With Dory, we typically go to at least five competitions a year. We have our go-to shows, at venues we really enjoy, like the next one in Del Mar, or Cool August Nights at the LA Equestrian Center. But in any given year we can go to 5-10 shows. It all depends on the experience of the horse, rider or combination, and how well you score, if you qualify for championships with the necessary scores early in the year, or if you feel like you need more experience. I absolutely love to compete and would go to a horse show every two weeks if I could afford to- but competing gets to be very expensive. 

I met the horse you're currently riding, Aslan, at your last competition and it seems to me that a big part of any equestrian sport is the connection between the rider and horse, it seems like a deep relationship has to be cultivated - can you explain how you met the horse you're currently riding and the steps it took to create the necessary bond you have with him?

I met Aslan 8 years ago when Dory first acquired him. At that point, I had my own horse, Lorenzo, and was a working student for Dory. Aslan was pretty wild back then, and I really didn’t do too much with him, he needed some serious retraining, so about as much as I did with him then was brush him and feed him! But I was lucky enough for Dory to let me start riding him when I moved back here this past fall. By now, Dory has put 8 years of training on him- and he is really fun to ride! When she offered to let me start competing him this year, I was really excited. I went from just exercising him once or twice a week to riding him 5 or 6 days a week, and taking anywhere from 3-5 lessons on him. 

The time in the saddle is of course really important to start building a bond with any horse, but there is also a necessary level of carrot feeding and brushing involved! He and I are definitely still learning about each other, but now that we have a couple of shows under our belt together, I feel pretty confident riding him. We have had some challenging days in the barn, in the show ring, out on the trail in the mountains- all key points where we have had to kind of look each other in the eye and figure out how to go forward. What I am really happy with is how I can ask for more from him, and instead of quitting, he really tries for me. That's when you know you have some sort of bond- when the horse trusts in you and comes to each work out with a positive attitude. Eight years ago, asking him to just walk next to you was too challenging and he would quit. He has definitely come a long way.

Photo credit: Lisa Smyth

Photo of Jessica riding Aslan for the first time, June 2012

What disciplines do you currently compete in?

I solely compete in Dressage. When I was younger I did some Hunter/Jumpers, and then I also did a few years in competitive Quadrille. But my focus turned to Dressage 10 years ago and I really haven’t looked back. It’s one of those sports that isn’t necessarily very exciting to watch, but it is so challenging to do, mentally and physically for both the horse and rider. Once you start to understand all the really subtle aspects of Dressage, then you can really appreciate it as a sport. 

I love that everyday I can focus on some minute detail of my position, or the horses balance or tempo, and can accomplish something different or better than the day before. I also love that no matter how good you get, you can always improve. That can be disheartening to some people, that there isn’t a clear black and white designation between good and bad, because the sport is judged so subjectively. But that is the challenge to me, and I really enjoy it. 


My Jumper friends tease me for being a Dressage Queen- we wear white pants, shadbelly coats and top hats, and essentially make a horse prance around. Meanwhile they are galloping around going over fences. But I know they aren’t just pointing a horse at a fence and hanging on for dear life, and they know I’m not just sitting pretty on a prancing horse, there really is a lot more to it! 

Are there any disciplines you currently don't compete in that you're interested in pursuing in the future and on the flip side, are there any that you're not interested in competing in?

Whenever I watch some Cross Country- it is like off road jumping, where they gallop full speed across fields, through ponds, over jumps- it looks like a crazy amount of fun! I would love to give that a try. There are so many disciplines, I wouldn’t necessarily write any of them off, but at this point in my life, I am not interested in starting all over in a new sport. It would be like a baseball player deciding to play basketball one day. It’s still a sport where you run around with a ball, but to compete at a professional level, you just don’t see it happen too often. Same thing with riding, at the professional level there isn’t too much crossover between disciplines. I can stay on pretty much any horse, but I would probably be jumping over fences or chasing cows while trying to make the horse prance around! 

Photo Credit: Lisa Smyth

I am an actress so I understand the rehearsal process as a means of preparation for a performance. Dressage seems similar to a performance to me, would that be an accurate correlation? 

Absolutely! In fact, Dressage is really about trying to make it look like the horse is dancing, and showing that harmonious connection between the horse and rider, like a real performance art. Every day when I ride, I work on certain basics, like getting the horse using his whole body, tapping into certain muscle groups, being flexible, balanced, strong, relaxed. But leading up to a show, you have to put all the pieces of your training together, and showcase them in the 6 minutes you have in the show ring. that's the difficult part- putting all the pieces together and having a fluid performance. With Aslan, we rehearse our test forward and back several times, figuring out the places where we need to be more focused, more relaxed, have more energy, or be more prepared. there are so many variables to work with, it is very similar to doing a dress rehearsal before a play- sure you have learned all the lines, but can you put it all together on the spot?

You are gearing up for a competition at the end of the month -  do you have any specific routines that you follow leading up to your competitions, what's your "rehearsal" process? 

For me, it is really getting into that mental state of being at a competition. Riding at home is very different from being at the show grounds. Often, I have the arena to myself when I am riding at home, but at the show, you are in a warm up with 20 other horses! And there are people watching! And there is just a buzz at a competition. I love that, I feed off of the buzz. Some people get nervous having to perform in front of a crowd, but that is what gets me really focused and what makes me a better rider. So leading up to the show, I try to recreate that adrenaline I get when I know there are people watching, and when I know that there are other really talented riders all around me. Aside from the mental preparation, I also rehearse the actual test, or pattern, I will have to ride. That week before the show is all about really dialing in on the finer points I want to improve on, or those subtle things I want to make sure are just right. Aslan also gets a ridiculous amount of bath time leading up to the show-much to his dismay- in order to make him as sparkling clean as possible! Performance at a show is important, but your turnout is too!

What was the strangest or funniest incident you've experienced?

The funniest incident would have to be when my pony, Crystal, decided to lay down in the middle of the show ring and roll in the dirt, with me on her. I was 11 or 12 years old, and I was so angry with that pony! Of course it was all caught on camera by the videographer, with a pan across spectators including my mom, who was singing the purina dog chow jingle, and my friend whose jaw dropped to the ground. Crystal was not turned into any dog chow, but that was a real learning experience for me! The strange thing was that I showed Aslan this past November and I went to pick up my video after the show- the videographer remember me from that day 13 years ago! He said to me, “Jessica Smyth- weren’t you the girl with that pony Crystal who rolled at a show one time?” Out of all the horse and rider combos he has filmed, it was funny to know that one stood out to him! 

What advice would you give other women interested in pursuing a career as a competitive equestrian?

You have to love competing, of course! Because you aren’t going to have a great ride every time, and it is really hard work, but you have to look at every ride as a single experience and as a part of the whole. There are going to be problems with each ride, but there will also be improvements. It is just important to remain focused on your goals, and not to get discouraged by bad scores, or embarrassing moments. You just have to look at everything as a learning experience, and no matter if you get a blue ribbon or if you don’t place, look at what you learned from the ride. But I am really just setting out on my own career as a competitive rider- so I am still looking for advice. I am so lucky to have a great coach like Dory who pushes me to be a better rider, but also is quick to point out the positive stuff when things get tough. 

Photo Credit: Lisa Smyth

What do you love most about what you do?

I love the rush I get from going into the show ring- its one of those do or die moments. You either have your stuff together at that moment or you don’t. It's what every minute of your training leads up to- and it is amazing. But I really just love the connection with the horse- he is your team mate and if you can’t develop a good relationship, it really doesn't matter how trained he is or how practiced of a rider you are. Horses are such kind and intelligent animals, I feel so lucky to spend so much time with them everyday.

What is the best thing that has happened to you in 2012?

I came to LA for a weekend to visit and I went to the stable and Dory threw me on Aslan and gave me a lesson. I had put down my horse, Lorenzo, in 2010 after he had gotten really sick, and from that time until the lesson with Dory, I hadn’t gotten on a horse. I was out of shape to say the least! I couldn’t walk for the next week I was so sore! But it was a key moment when, even though my legs felt like they were going to fall off, I was happier being on that horse and getting my butt kicked by Dory in that lesson, than I had been for two years. I realized that riding was really a huge part of who I am and that I had to get back into it. The next week I called Dory and told her I was moving back. Things just all fell in place- I got back to LA and her working student had just moved, so she had work for me to do and horses for me to ride, and it just felt so good to be back at the barn everyday!

What is your biggest wish/goal for 2013?

My goal is really just to qualify for championships with Aslan and not to be too embarrassingly beaten by the other riders I am competing against. Because of my age, I am no longer a designated “Young Rider” so I am in the next division up- the Open Division. The competition is tough. At the last show, there were 3 former Olympians in my class. These are my peers now, so I would like to be able to prove myself as a respectable competitor by the end of the year. 

What are the upcoming competitions that you will be in? 

I will be competing in the Del Mar National Show this coming week, and it is one of my favorite shows! It is huge, everyone is there, its just really exciting. Then we come back home, have a few weeks and then go to Dressage at Flintridge at the end of May, and then will have a few months off until Cool August Nights at the end of August. That's another fun show because you ride at night instead of early in the morning, and it always seems to get the horses a little more excited! 

What one thing would you do if you knew that you could not fail?

I am doing it. Being a competitive rider is what I want to do. If I knew I couldn’t fail, that would be nice I suppose, but honestly, because I know that I can, I work harder every day, I stay focused Knowing that I am not already the best out there is what motivates and inspires me. 

If someone were to describe you in one sentence what would they say? 

“Jessica goes after what she wants until she gets it.” 

It's the end of a great week and you have some free time on your hands - what do you do?

I never pass up a good cocktail with friends, or reading a book by the pool!

** LINKS **

FOR MORE INFO ON DRESSAGE
FACILITY WHERE JESSICA RIDES RANCHO TUJUNGA