part 2/2 The best week of my life!

    It's another week and I'm still behind in my blogging :(. Being broke like most college students, Christmas break has not really been a break because Ive been working 5 PM to 1 AM at Steak-n-Shake in order to make a few dollars so I can continue on with my dream :).

   Prior to Christmas break, a NARA administrator pulled me aside and told me that he'd like me to meet someone. I followed him into the neighboring trainer's office and standing there was none other then Jean Cruguet, the jockey who rode Seattle Slue to the Triple Crown. This amazing jockey pulled off what most jockeys aren't able to achieve by winning the Kentucky Derby, the Preakness and the Belmont Stakes on one horse. There have only been 11 horses to achieve this with the first being in 1919 and the last being in 1978. Mr Cruguet conquered this feat in 1977. It was an honor and a pleasure to be able to meet Mr. Cruguet!

   Tuesday, December 6th started out as a disappointment. It was the last week of class.  When I woke up at 5 AM, it was raining outside which meant we would be riding inside. When I arrived at the barn and was about done mucking out several stalls, I was surprised when Chris told us to begin oiling the tack because we were riding outside even though it was raining. This has never happened, so I thought it was a little strange that we would be riding outside in the bad weather. After we finished, we went back to the classroom for our lecture and at around 10:30 Chris broke the awesome news to us. He casually announced that today we'd be doing things a little differently and we would be riding on the track!  My heart skipped a beat. I had been working so hard for the opportunity to ride on the track and the moment had arrived. We left for the barn and started tacking up the horses. So many emotions were running through me: excitement, joy, nervousness. I had never been on a horse on the track and didn't know what to expect. As I rode my horse, Ease, down to the track he was bouncing/jostling and getting more and more excited as we got closer. As Ease placed his foot onto the track, I felt a sense of awe.  I had done it!  Not only had I overcome the dragon lady, I conquered my neck injury! I had gone through so much and worked so hard for this. Although we only jogged the horses around the track. I couldn't imagine what it would feel like to let them fly!

   Things only got better the following day because we were able to let them gallop. It is one of the greatest feelings galloping a horse on the track. However it's not all fun and games. Ease, the horse I was on, is one of the fastest horses in the barn and loves to run. The problem is we weren't supposed to let them go all out and so keeping him in check was one of the most physically demanding things I had ever done. He would pull against me with all his weight and I had to muster whatever I had in me just to keep him at only a gallop.

   December 8th was the craziest day of my life at NARA. I was overjoyed that we were able to ride on the track again. As usual we would jog them the wrong way, going clockwise, then turn them around and go the right way, counter clockwise,  and let them gallop. I knew Ease would be pulling again, so I settled back, put my hands firmly down on his neck. When I turned him around to gallop, he pulled pretty hard so I tried to calm him down, but nothing worked. All he wanted to do was breeze. On my second lap around I was losing my strength and all of a sudden it happened. My energy was gone and Ease sensed it so with one hard lunge he grabbed the bit and away he went. I was out of energy trying to stop a speeding bullet. All I could do was sit on top of him and try to talk him down. My arms felt like jello and It was like they didn't even exist. As we were coming down the back stretch I new I had to pull him up; otherwise I'd have to signal for the outrider on the track to come catch me and my runaway horse. I felt helpless, because he had my number and was taking me for a ride. At the end of the back stretch I dug in deep and found a little bit of strength left. With that little strength and talking to him softly, I was able to pull him up and didn't need the outrider. Being run off with is embarrassing but the reality is, it happens to everyone at some time or another.

   December 9th was our last day before the break, a day that will never be forgotten. Mr. McCarron told us that we where going to jog them like usual then turn around and give them their head. We were going to get to breeze them going 35-40mph down the track. I totally lost it. I began high-fiving and hugging people Yeah, probably a little overdoing it, but I couldn't help myself.  I was about to breeze my first horse! I was one step closer to my dream :). All the time I was tacking Ease I was overjoyed and kept on saying "We get to fly today big boy!" Yes, it is a little strange talking to a horse, but it can settle them down or hype them up. As I was given a leg up onto my mount, I had the biggest smile on my face. All the way down to the track I couldn't help but pat my horse and smile from ear to ear. I was going to be the 6th rider to breeze.  As Ease and I saw the others go flying around our excitement grew and Ease began prancing and jumping. Then it was my turn. This was it!  This was the day I had longed for!   As I jogged my horse around the track and got closer to the place where we were going to start our breeze, my heart began to beat faster and faster. I turned him around and started off at a jog then went into a canter then a gallop. I then relaxed my hold on the reins and in an excited voice said, "It's time, boy. LETS FLY!" I couldn't hear anything but the sound of the rushing wind and the pounding hooves. As we approached where some of the students and staff where watching. I couldn't help but yell "YEAH BABY!!!!" Yes, it's kind of an unprofessional thing to do and won't happen again, but I couldn't control myself. I was having the time of my life. As I saw the finish line, I realized my ride was coming to an end. It all happened so fast.  It was the greatest experience of my life. I slowed my horse down, pulled him up, and whispered, "We did it big boy.  We did it" :). I then headed back to the barn and the smile never ever left my face the whole day. I will never forget this day or my buddy, Ease. Thank you Mr. McCarron for giving me the opportunity of a lifetime and helping me achieve my dream!. Later that day we found out we were the first class in NARA's existence to not only go on the track during the first semester but to be able to breeze them! What a way to end the semester and year. I couldn't have come up with a better ending!

   Check for next week's blog where I'll answer the questions that were asked a while back and will share two surprises. 

Have a great week

Jesse!

Nov/December Part 1

A big warm or rather COLD! seasons greetings from Starbucks in central Illinois.  Christmas break has began so I have moved from Kentucky back home. I apologize for not updating my blog for a long time.  A difficult situation came up at my apartment and I wasn't able to live there for about 3 weeks and then last week I was too busy with finals.  I have so much I want to write about, but to keep this blog from getting too long, I have decided to spread it out over three separate postings.

Part 1 - Before Thanksgiving

      I had such a good ride on a mare by the name of Tux today. She is a very hard horse to ride because if you touch the reins at all she will run off with you. It takes very quite hands to be able to gather in the slack and advance too the two point position (standing up in the stirrups and placing your hands firmly down on the neck) to be able to keep her in check and in a controlled canter. Today, I achieved this and had one of the greatest rides yet at the academy This was a huge accomplishment for me to be able to ride this mare.  Although it was not with 100% execution, she didn't take off with me and I was able to canter her nicely around the pasture. It was an amazing feeling to be able to achieve this small goal :)

      These past few weeks it has been getting quite cold, but than other days it will get in the 60s. It has been very strange weather. In addition, this has been the wettest year on record in Kentucky. Consequently,our riding is often restricted to the barn which is a little disappointing because all we can do is jog.  

    My vegan diet has since ended.  At the time I was going to post this, I had lost 7 lbs. It was an amazing feeling to be within a pound of the apprentice jockey weight requirement.  I wish I could go on to say that I have kept my weight down and I'm still eating healthy, but sadly that is not the case :(. When my diet ended, my body craved all the sweat, salty and fatty foods that I had kept out of my diet. I couldn't control myself and started eating anything and everything in sight.   I guess I psychologically told myself that if I went on another diet I wouldn't be able to eat these goodies for a while so might as well stock up. Due to this excessive uncontrollable binge, I not only gained all my weight back but I added a few additional pounds. I'm very ashamed with myself that I allowed my body to take over like that. However, this Christmas break I'm planning on kicking my bad eating habits so I can be back to my goal by the time I return to Lexington.

Here is a little teaser and snippet from part 2:

I met a very famous jockey and it is not Chris McCarron.  I get the pleasure of learning from him every day :).

Chris gives the greatest Christmas gift ever!

I'll be posting a few exciting pictures.
I get recognized in a racing enthusiasts blogg.

 Enjoy the holidays and the read!

  

Another week, another experience :)

    Hello Viewers! It's that day of the week where I sit down with my coffee and write my blog. Last week wasn't quite as packed or exciting as the week before, but it definitely did have some awesome highlights :).

    To kick this week's blog off I'd like to announce that I made it to the open field. I'm finally out of the fenced-in area and allowed to ride in the public field. It is a whole new experience going from a big fenced-in field to a large open field. The horses feel the difference of being in an open space and being allowed the room to run, run, run. All the horses feel more excited and anxious to go. Although they are sometimes tougher to handle, it is an immense amount of fun letting them gallop out in a wide open space. I can't wait till January when we get out on the track.  If I could compare it to anything it would be letting a bird fly loose after it was in a large caged in area. Yes, it has room to fly in the cage, but in the open it has all the room it wants. The horses feel the same way; they are excited to no longer be in an enclosed area and to see that they can just run to their hearts' content. I've greatly appreciated riding in the public field :).

    Although my form has greatly improved and I'm looking better each day, I do have some things I need to work on. One of the biggest things is being able to develop softer hands. By this I mean being able to feel the bit in their mouths and being able to control them, slow them down, or get them to relax by barely moving my hands on the reins. The best thing I could compare this to would be an egg toss. You want to catch the egg as carefully as possible. Clenching the egg as it enters your hands will break it, but having too soft of hands and letting the egg fall through your fingers and drop to the ground will also break it. With a horse, if you pull back too hard too fast on the reins, it will irritate the horse and it will get more out of control. But if you do it too gently the horse will grab the bit and run away without you being in control at all. There is a fine line in becoming soft but firm and this is what I need to work on; to be able to feel when the horse relaxes so I can slowly give back some tension or feel the horse pick up speed so I can gradually get him/her back into control.

    I'm almost halfway done with my vegan diet. I've been going strong and even turning down ice cream and cookies for dessert; before I never would have dreamed of doing that. Last week I decided to try a new dish that I made up on my own and it was delicious :). I started off with making home- made bread dough with flour and yeast. I then rolled the dough out into very thin sheets and cut the sheet into squares. I then placed broccoli or squash on them with a slice of vegan cheese, and folded the dough over to make a pocket. They turned out phenomenal :). After tasting my first one I thought that it would be even better if I had a sauce to go with the pocket. So I took vegetable broth, worcestershire sauce, garlic salt and a pinch of sugar and added a little bit of flour to thicken the sauce up. This formed an excellent dipping sauce. What made it even better was after I was finished with the pocket, there was some of the bread left in the sauce which made it a little thicker; it turned into an excellent soup in the end. Two great dishes in one. I believe it was a great find on my part. :)

    I think it would be really neat to get all my viewers involved. So to do this, if you have any questions about my journey, the school, or anything else, please leave a comment and I'll do a Q&A in my next blog :)



                                                Have an excellent week! 

The Incredible Week

     The cold has begain to set in and although thanks giving has yet to come you know winter and the christmas shoping is apon us when Starbucks starts advertising their winter coffees (egg nogg, gingerbread, peppermint latte, etc.) during the Christmas season.  Although you can ask for these specialty drinks out of season, it's just not the same sitting down during the summer with a gingerbread latte.. I usually save those special occasions for the winter or on a cold night like tonight which is my BLOG night!! I love Monday blog night!  Maybe i should be paid by Starbucks since I'm advertising them so much ;).

Now on to the the news and updates.

We started last week off with a field trip to Churchhill Downs.  We went on the back side and had the privilege to meet and take pictures with some of the top well-known trainers: D. Wayne Lukas, Larry Jones, Todd Pletcher, Steve Asmussen, and William "Jinx" Finch. It was great getting to talk with these incredible trainers who have accomplished all sorts of records in the racing industry. As an upcoming jockey, I was star struck just being able to talk to them and would be honored to be able to race for some of them in the future.

    Today was my first week benchmark on a vegan diet. Surprisingly, I'm not struggling too hard, but I miss my meat and dairy.  I do feel better and healthier.  So by the end of my trial period, i may not become 100% vegan or vegetarian, but will more than likely eat less red meat and possibly switch out dairy milk for soy or cocunut. Soy vanilla flavored milk is surprisingly quite tasty, especially on Kashi cereal with some fresh cut up strawberries. For lunch, i eat either a salad, PBJ with organic peanut butter, or a BLT made with veggie bacon and whole grain bread.  My favorite sandwich so far is a veggie/soy bacon and turkey with lettuce, tomato, avocado, and mustard.  Yummy!  I sometimes throw in humus as well. Dinner is usually a stir fry of veggies and soy chicken, veggie chili, or a sandwich. For snacks and desserts I have pudding or ice cream  made with cocunut milk and  of course my weekly Starbucks coffee which I now get with soy milk:).  As a vegan, I stll have to watch what I eat, because there is still plenty of junk food that is considered acceptable on the diet . This week, I'm going to try to cook more of a variety, so my lunch and dinners aren't so much alike.  I also want to eliminate as much high fructose corn syrup as possible . If anyone has any great Vegan recipes, feel free to leave a comment.

   Like I mentioned in my previous blog, I was fortunate enough to obtain free Breeders Cup tickets :). Let me tell you, it was spectacular!  Churchill Downs was filled with an immense amount of energy.  Watching the high caliber fillies race was thoroughly enjoyable. I can't find any words to describe my emotions as I watched the lucky jockeys racing in the Breeders Cup and hoping that one day I would be able to participate in it. Few things are more exciting than racing for a 2 million dollar purse. It was a great day of hanging with friends and watching the races.

  My riding keeps improving every day. We are still galloping in the big pasture and I'm eagerly awaiting the day I get to ride in the public field:).  After Christmas break, we'll start taking the horses on the training track which will move me even closer in my journey to not only becoming a jockey but to racing in the Kentucky derby.

   This past week was pure excitement. Have a great week.  If you get the chance to make your way to Starbucks, pick up a holiday coffee and think of me and my blog and how you (my family, friends and followers) are all playing a huge role in getting me to the derby.
 
   would also like to thank my dad for proof reading and editing my blog. He is a big part in this blogging journey. Major props go to him.

Till next week! 

Jesse Sauder 

A Big Thanks

I want to start this blog off by personally thanking the people who have donated to my blogging endeavor. It not only means a lot that you take the time to read my weekly updates but that you generously donated to my once a week coffee outing. It is greatly appreciated. 

 

  I've got some great exciting news to share with you about my progress in the jockey school. I have graduated from small arena to the big pasture. Actually I did not graduate. As my previous English instructor and my high school friend "Valedictorian" said: "We use the term graduate in the wrong tense. We do not graduate, but it is the institution that graduates us."  So, I did not graduate from the arena but NARA /Chris McCarron graduated me from from the arena. I thoroughly enjoy being in a bigger space where I can let the horses gallop out and have the ride of my life. There is nothing that can describe the feeling of being one with the horse and flying across the open field on a crisp calm morning.        On to other news.  A fellow jockey classmate and I have decided to embark on a 30 day vegan diet. After reading a book by Rory Freedman and Kim Barnouin, I was utterly grossed out by their disgusting description of eggs and their research about steroids that are in meat as well as all the awful things that happen to meat after it is butchered. I'm not choosing to become a vegan because of the cruelty done to the animals, but more because of health.  I want to see if I feel healthier and If I would lose a few more pounds so I can attain the apprentice jockey weight requirement.  I'm not planning to stay a vegan.  But, who knows, I may turn into a vegan, perhaps a vegetarian, or even a pescaterian.  But then again, I might just go back to my carnivorous eating habits. In my next blog, I'll talk more about what I've been eating on my diet. I should mention that we have decided to take a one day break from our vegan diet during November.  With Thanksgiving coming up, I couldn't possibly give up the turkey, pie, mashed potatoes etc.  I've been waiting all year for that:)

Till next time, have a great week,

Jesse

Breeders cup

     In honor of the upcoming Breeders Cup Races on Nov 4th and 5th, the University of Kentucky Horse Club held a discussion panel with Pat Day, "retired hall of fame jockey." It was very interesting listening to Mr. Day talk about riding in the Breeders Cups during his career.  These races are like a wrap up championship race for thoroughbreds where the elite of elites run.  The Breeders cup offers over 26 million in purse earnings over the two day event making it the richest day in sports after the Dubai World Cup. Because I was affiliated with NARA, I was privileged to receive free tickets to the Breeders Cup from the UK Horse Club.

     With the weather getting colder every day, riding has become more exciting. The horses are more active and want to play and run.  My hands and feet have also been getting cold and stiff which has thrown some loops into my riding but nothing too strenuous. 

        I'm adding a donation button to my blog for those of you who would like to donate to my once a week Starbucks outings where I do my blogging.  Don't feel obligated,  but if you would like to donate that would be awesome.

Till next time,

Jesse

Keeneland with Mr. McCarron

This past Friday, was College Day at Keenelend Race Track. It is a day where college students get in free and have a chance to win $1,000 scholarships and other prizes that are raffled off after every race. I was lucky enough to win, but not lucky enough to win the scholarship. I ended up with an elegant Vineyard Vines custom Keeneland tie.  It is now the most expensive piece of clothing I own.

      When the other jockey students and I arrived at Keenelend, we met Chris McCarron outside of the Jocks Room. It was awesome to watch all the people who came up to talk to him.   Whenever Chris spotted someone in the crowd he wanted us to meet, he would call them over to talk to us.  We even got to visit with Jean Cruguet,who won triple crown on Seattle Slew.  We then went to the paddock where only the jockeys, trainers and owners are allowed and watched the jockeys as they were thrown up on their mounts for the first race. We then walked over to the winners circle and watched the race from there. It was an awesome opportunity most  fans never get to witness. After the race was over, Chris took us up to the Jocks Room where we had  the pleasure of meeting and talking with two NARA graduates, as well as with Calvin Borel and Edgar Prado, the jockey who took Barbero to the Winners Circle in the 2006 Kentucky Derby.  After the tour of the Jocks Room we were escorted to the starting gate where we could actually watch the horses break from the gate. We then went back to the Paddocks where we were able to talk with retired jockey, Gary Stevens. Chris McCarron can practically go anywhere at Keeneland and be granted access with open arms. Our trip to Keeneland with Mr. McCacron was a rare opportunity and will never be forgotten.

NARA with retired jockey Gary Stevens 

NARA in front of the keeneland starting gate 

Have a great week 

Light BULB

    This past week was my greatest week at NARA. On Wednesday, everything all of a sudden clicked. My hand position, balance, and stance all came together. It was one of the greatest feelings ever!  Since Wednesday, I've been improving every day. My riding doesn't only feel better, but I can control the horses with a very soft touch. The only way I can describe how I felt is to use the words from the movie Despicable Me "Light Bulb!"

      This past Friday, Keeneland opened.  It was great to hang out at the track with the other race enthusiasts. It was an awesome scene as the horses made the last turn and came flying down the stretch towards the wire to thunderous screams and applause.  Electricity filled the air and made me so pumped up to be a jockey.....to think that I'll be out there racing one day! I'm not only blessed to be alive, but blessed to be a part of such a fantastic sport.

        My friend, Tim  Holahan, is professional  photographer who takes pictures of horse races and other equine events. http://www.timholahanphotography.com/ He has one picture in particular on his website that you all should check out. It is one, if not the greatest picture of Mike Smith and Zenyatta in action, going for the win.

Have a great week,

The beginning of fall

With the coming of fall, I have experienced the great, the bad, and the little things that matter.

     I am updating my blog from Starbucks where I am enjoying a pumpkin spice latte. Yes, I know you can purchase it during the off season, but it isn't the same as when you sip on the pumpkin spice latte and feel the cool temperatures and see the orange and yellow leaves.... I'm going to start off my blog with the bad so we can end on a positive happy note :).

      Monday was the worst ride I have ever had. I couldn't do anything right. It was not only frustrating, but discouraging.  It felt like I was learning how to walk all over again. What made me the most upset with myself was that I had really improved last week only to hit the brick wall on Monday and totally fail at the riding portion of the class. The beginning of the ride started off great.  I was in a superb mood and had my horse tacked and ready 15 minutes ahead of schedule. As we headed off to the field, everything was going fine. The trouble began when we entered the small sectioned-off portion of the field to start our ride. When Chris asked us to trot, it was like I forgot everything. My feet were too far forward.  I was humped over like a turtle.  I couldn't post if my life depended on it. When Chris asked me to go from a trot to a canter, I couldn't shorten my hold  (move my hands up the reigns very slowly and smoothly).   My hands looked like they were on a caffeine high.  They where going everywhere.  When I finally did shorten my hold and took the 2 point stance, I couldn't maintain my balance and confused the heck out of the horse. After the ride, all I wanted to do was hide in a corner. I wasn't mad at the horse, or at Chris for getting upset at me. I was annoyed with myself because I couldn't effectively complete my tasks. After the class was over I went to the NARA exerciser room and worked on my technique. 

   Last week,  I tried to focus on the little things that matter. My basketball coach always told our team that no matter how good we were as an individual, if we couldn't complete the simple tasks of boxing out, hustling, or diving on the floor after loose balls, he would take us out of the game. Chris told me the same thing last week. If your tack isn't on properly, the keepers aren't in their place, the saddle is too far back or too far forward, or the reins are twisted, everything else will fall apart. It is the little details that not only prevent accidents, but make it possible to ride. Chris said if you can't remember the little tasks, later on down the road  you will struggle because the learning only gets harder.

         After the bad news and the lesson of the week, it is time for the Best News ever. The dragon lady, "Jezebel," has vanished from her lair. She can no longer tear me down and keep me from my dreams. Last Friday she was banished from Area. I am now happier, much more excited to wake up in the morning, and able to ride in peace.

     From the Starbucks coffee shop, have a great week and pick up a pumpkin spice latte when you can.  It is a great treat this time of year :)

It's all about the connections

            Life is all about connections. The more people you know the more help you will receive throughout life. In the jockey world connections are what will make you are break you. The only way to keep on track to getting that derby mount is through connections. Yes, your riding and winning percentages do matter, but the majority of the jockey's mounts come from connections.  I'm currently letting everyone I meet know I'm going to NARA and planning on being a jockey. I also tell them that if they are interested they should check out my blog. Even though these people may not be into racing, they may be related to or know someone that is and one of those connections may end up being an owner, trainer, or a friend of some one in the business. By increasing my social networking groups, I'll have not only more people to hang out with in my free time but more than likely people who are interested in my same hobbies. It is important to not let the connecting game get to your head so that you only meet and get to know someone for their connections. Although it is useful, its never good to use someone.  Go out, have fun, meet new people, make friends and strengthen your connection base.

see you next Monday

Dream crushing dragons

     Everyone usually ends up sometime facing a dragon in their life that shoots words of fire, delivers crushing blows and inflicts physical and mental pain as they attempt to ruin your dreams.  These dragons will not stop until they have either become victorious or slain. I have recently faced my dragon.  Yes, it is a she beast who is very powerful and is much older than me. Over the past few weeks, she has tried to discourage me from achieving my dream.  She told me that I likely won't make it and will be lucky to end up as an exercise rider. Since trying to discourage me from being a jockey didn't work, she tried to remove me from the program. Using my past accident, she tried to convince higher authorities that I was not physically stable enough to be a jockey and should not be allowed to pursue my dreams.  Her accusations crushed me.   Experiencing a full recovery from my accident, hearing my doctor tell me that I was restriction free and being admitted to the NARA was a great victory for me. Now, one person is challenging my dream and making me relive my accident over again.   It was a tremendous blow, but I managed to stand what little ground I had and not be defeated.  It has been a very tough week.  Although she is trying to destroy me, the day will come when I will be the victor.   I will not back down and have someone crush my dreams.
        Here is the dragon herself,  "Jezebel, " named after the evil biblical princess that destroyed and betrayed many people with dreams of their own. 

Picture Time

I decided to switch things up from my usual postings.to showing some pictures around the facility. Enjoy the pictures of and nara

This is an overview of the a few of the other barns from our barn #30

Welcome to Nara Barn #30

Part of the tack room at nara

The stall sign to my boy I take care of. He is the 2nd greatest horse ever. My horse definetly comes first. Sorry buddy

My boy Guss a bundle of energy intense pooping machine and a great ride! :) 

a look down the messy shed row of nara. Obviously this was taken before we left. Chris would be one unhappy instructor if this is what it looked like after we left for the day.

The Legend himself  "Chris McCarron"

 

 

 

Me in my riding Gear

The first week!

On Monday (8/15), I began my life as a jockey student.  I started my day by moving into The Courtyards.  My apartment location couldn't be any better!  It is right next to the pool, volleyball court, and tennis court. Overall it's a decent pad.  I then switched my IL license to a KY one and registered my car in Kentucky. It was one long packed day. Monday night one of the students was kind enough to have all of us other students over to her home to get to know each other and eat some awesome Chinese food. We even ended up doing a crazy but fun stick horse race.
Tuesday we had orientation where we learned more about what was going to happen over the next 2 years and what we were to expect. We also purchased our safety vests and riding helmets.
Class begins at 7:00; so, that means waking up at 5:30, 5 days a week. I try to get there at 6:30  to muck the stalls and prepare for the day. This is definitely not for a person who wants a normal college experience of sleeping in and going to class late. Only the ones that are determined and have a passion for being a jockey would be sane enough to do this.
Wednesday was the first day of class. Mr. McCarron showed us what the day to day grind would be like and the basics of grooming and tacking up the horses. Although I have ridden horses for 4 years, Western style is totally different than racing. The two can't even be compared. Thursday and Friday we did pretty much the same thing as we did on Wednesday.

Today we began riding. Although it was only at a walk it was great to get the feel of the saddle and to work on the technique.  This is the greatest experience of my life. It's been a great week of chilling with my roommates and other jockey students. It has only been one week and I still can't believe I get to enjoy this for two years.

All packed up and ready to go!

I purchased a new car recently. Since I was having a hard time parting with my old miata, I bought a 2001 miata :). I love this car so much and didn't want anything else. To insure my safety, I bought a roll bar and had it installed :). I encourage any one with a soft top to do this. Since my accident, I have come to the conclusion that it is necessary to have a roll bar with any soft top car.

  

 I currently have everything I own (i.e., my clothes, tv, gaming equipment and everything else I'll be using down at college) in boxes. It's sort of weird having all your life possessions packed in boxes ready to leave the home you have lived in for the past 10 years. Roanoke has been my home for the past 18 years and I'll definitely miss some parts of it, but I'm looking forward to my new life in Kentucky.

In less than 23 hours I'll be heading off to Kentucky to pursue my dream and life long goal :)

NARA class of 2013

       I apologize for it being so long since my last blog post. I have been super busy with work, figuring out classes, getting my lease set up and getting everything ready for me to move down to Kentucky. Anyways on to the new news.
       I have been in contact with the other students, getting to know them, and finding roommates. I can't believe that in a few weeks I'll be moving to Kentucky to pursue my dream. After a long search I finally found the apartment I'll be staying at for this coming year. Each step I take and each item I check off my list that needs to get done before moving down makes me all the more excited. Besides myself there are 9 other students in the class of 2013. I'm looking forward to all the experiences and great times we will have together as we all strive to achieve our dreams. I'm really looking forward to these next two years and what they have to offer.
        Two weeks and a day until my dreams start coming true, til I'm on my way to begin studying for my future job. Til my life really begins. The past 18 years have been preparing me for this moment. It's been a fun, long, bumpy and scary ride at times but I've enjoyed every bit of it. I am about to take a leap into the unknown and I'm looking forward to every minute of it.

Its been a long road

Taking a step back I wanted to summarize my journey so far. I started this blog at the end of January explaining how my goal was to not only become a jockey but win the Kentucky derby. The posts to follow where about \the NARA. I than tolled of my experience when I  visited The NARA and how much I fell in love with the program. after the trip I let everyone know how very selective it was and that I still had hope of getting in. Than on the night of March 14th my life and dream almost came to an end when I had my car accident. I told of the long process of wearing my halo for 3 months and how I was thankful not to only have my life but that I was still able to be a jockey. Than came the day I was suppose to get my halo off but unfortunately there was no bone growth. The following Friday I was planning on heading to Kentucky for my Interview and I didn't want anything to get in the way So I opted for the surgery the very next morning. The surgery went well even though my throat was very very soar. I was thankful I was still able to attend my interview. A few days after the interview I received the email telling me I had been accepted It was one of the happiest days of my life. It has been a long road with a bunch of twist and turns but I have made it. I'm going back to steak n shake July 6th to start working again. Things are finally starting to go back to normal. Even though there have been numerous challenges. I made it and am heading towards my dream at a full sprint. I will become a Jockey and I will win the Kentucky derby nothing will stop me and nothing can hold me back. I'm on my way and wont be looking back. I see the open road ahead and running at it at in a full out sprint.

I'm In!

When I woke up today I did the routine check of looking at my phone to see if I got any txts or emails. As I glanced at my phone, I saw I had an e-mail waiting for me. When I opened my inbox, I thought it was probably the usual junk mail.  But, then I saw it! It was an e-mail from Chris McCarron. Thoughts went racing through my mind. Did I get in to the NARA or was it an e-mail telling me I didn't make it. I put all the bad thoughts out of my head and opened it. As I read the words: "Congratulations you have been accepted for the fall 2011 semester." I couldn't hold my self back.  I went nuts with excitment! I did it!  I made it into the school that would launch me into my career. This day is one of the best days of my life. It looks like I'll be heading down to Kentucky in August to get ready for when school starts on the 17th.

Last night I was browsing youtube and came across this music video. This song is my life and my dream. It is my new theam song. "A Horse that can Fly" by Templeton Thomposn

Surgery and Kentucky were both a success!

My surgery was a success! Although my neck is still very stiff and I still don't have full neck movement yet, I'm doing well. The odontoid screw fixation process took about an hour. When I woke up my neck was very swollen and it was extremely hard to swallow. I am thankful that the surgery was able to be scheduled last Friday so I could make it to my interview with Chris McCarron. I have been through a lot over the past few months on the way to  fulfilling my goals: almost died in a car accident, had to wear a halo for almost 3 months, graduated from high school even though it was challenging at times, went through a spinal surgery since the halo didn't work, and had a wonderful interview with Mr. McCarron. There are no words to describe how thankful, excited and blessed I am. My passion and life long dream lay before me. I'm currently waiting to see if I passed the interview and I should know within a week.

Surgery

So I've been wearing a halo brace for the past 2 months so that my spine could heal from my c1 and c2 fracture. Just got back from the Drs and found out there had been no bone growth so having the pain and dificulties of wearing a halo for 2 and 1/2 months turned out to be pointless. I'm going into surgery tomorrow morning at 9:30. The surgeons will be placing a screw that will fuse my c1 and c2 together. Thankfully the drs said this will not interupt my plans of becoming a jockey. Hopfuelly I'll feel good enough to go down to Kentucky for my interview on June 3rd. I've gone through alot over the past months but my dream is still alive!

Graduation+an awesome surprise!

Graduation, a time of excitment, memories, and parties. On Sunday I officially graduated from Roanoke Benson. I had so many great experinces at that school that I will never forget. As graduation ends my dream comes closer and closer.  I am still excited by moving one step closer to my goal. I hope to be in Kentucky soon attending jockey school and being closer to the Kentucky Derby. Now for the big surprise. Last Saturday I was checking my emails and came across one from the academy. I clicked on it, wondering if this might be an email about an interview. My heart started racing and I could hardly contain myself. I had an interview with the academy! It is now on me to prove to them that I should be accepted and show them my hard determination. I'll hopefullly be getting my halo brace off on May 26th and heading down to Kentucky for an interview and to sign up for classes on June 3rd!

Its almost Derby day

In two more days, owners, trainers, and jockeys will be in the biggest race of the year. It is like the super bowl of football, the championship of basketball, and the World Series of baseball. It is the Kentucky Derby, where people from all walks of life tune in to watch a fantastic race. It is this race that I long to be in. I created this blog because of this race. Looking back I have come a great distance in getting closer to fulfilling my dream. I'll be keeping my eye on the the number 10 horse Twinspired. His jockey is none other than the legendary Mike Smith. Although the odds are against him I believe it comes down to how much the jockey and horse want to win it together. My second favorite would be the number 11 horse Master Of Hounds. Garrett Gomez will be racing this horse for his first Derby win ever. Even though he is one of the greatest jockeys in the U.S., he has yet to win the Kentucky Derby. Two other people I'll be watching is the number 1 horse Archarcharch ridden by Jon Court, and last but not least, the number 7 horse Pants On Fire. Jockey Rosie Napravnik will be riding him and will also be looking at setting a record as the first woman to win the Kentucky Derby. Major props go out to her. The only thing that could have made this derby better is if Joe Talamoe was racing in it. Good Luck to everyone. This Derby should be a great one!

first come first serve

The jockey school is currently running on first come first serve basis, which means the first ones that mailed in their applications are interviewed first. Because of where my name is on the list some people may have to no longer be interested or not pass the interview process for me to have a chance at getting in. The jockey school will be starting the interviews shortly. They'll start interviewing down the list until the class is full. I just hope they reach my name before the class is full. If I don't get in I'll have some thinking to do over the summer. Getting in would mean the world to me and would get me closer to reaching my goal.

Recovery

Here is a little update since my accident. I went to the neurosurgeon a week ago and he said my spine is healing nicely which was great news. However, the recovery process has been long and painful. I am taking Vicodin about every 4 hrs to keep the pain level down. But even with Vicodin, the pain doesn't completely go away. I'm currently on track to have the halo removed at the end of  May/beginning of June. I am happy my spine is healing and my dream of becoming a jockey is not over. I went back to school last Friday for a couple hours. Thankfully, I'm going to be able to graduate and hopefully finish out my science, history, and language classes on time. The school staff has been super helpful. After the halo is removed, I'm guessing I'll have a few weeks of therapy.  The doctor said I should be as good as new and have full neck movement. I'm still anxiously waiting on a phone call from the academy inviting me to come down for an interview.

Very Thankful

Monday March 14th was one of the scariest nights in my life. I was driving home from picking out a prom tux. On the way home I started nodding off, but I was so close that I figured I could make it and it wouldn't be worth pulling in a gas station to get a coffee or take a power nap.  Less than a half mile from home I caught myself heading towards the ditch. I turned the wheel the opposite way but overcorrected. Within a split second my car swerved back, started fish tailing and then shot into the ditch. As I was heading down the steep embankment all that when through my mind was "Don't flip!  Please, don't flip. I don't have the money for a new car!" I hit the ditch around 60mph and as my car started flipping I remember thinking "Crap how am I going to get around without my wheels?" As my car flipped over, my head was like a pinball in a pinball machine hitting everything possible it could reach. Thankfully the car stopped right side up. As the dust cleared I felt blood streaming down my face and the back of my head was throbbing. I took off my heavy jacket and climbed out the driver's side window. I immediately  called my dad to tell him what happened and started walking to the neighbors to get help. By the time I got to the road a car approached and I waved it down. The driver and his daughter were very nice.  He gave me  something to hold pressure on my cut and told me to sit down immediately. Soon after my dad arrived  he was about to take me to the ER until I told him my head was hurting; he called 911 right away. Miraculously,  two trauma ER nurses where driving by and stopped to help.  The only reason I can think of why they came instantly upon the scene of my accident is  that God sent them my way. They had me lie down.  While one stabilized my head, the other started asking me the usual awareness questions. Within several minutes the fire trucks and ambulance arrived. They put a head and neck brace on, placed me on a backboard, and put me in the ambulance. I was rushed to the trauma center and was given a CT scan. Every few minutes a nurse would walk in telling me the CT scans looked good and that I probably had a small concussion. About an hour later a nurse came in and told me I had fractured my C1 and C2 vertebrae. It is a miracle that I could still move all my limbs and was not dead. I realized God was definitely watching over me because I could have done permanent damage to my neck as I crawled out of my car and started walking down the road.  The neurologist  came in and explained that I either needed surgery or had to wear a halo apparatus.  The doctor said that I would be better off with the halo because with the surgery I potentially wouldn't have full neck movement and would have arthritis at a young age. I decided to go with the halo. To make a long story short, they put the halo on and I was kept in the hospital a few more days.  The pain was so intense I found myself pressing the morphine button every six minutes. I have been home since last Thursday and have been feeling better each day. I still spend my days and nights confined to the Lay-Z-Boy.  I am beginning to spend time on the computer and playing my X-box. I have to have the halo on for two to three months and after that I should be as good as new. I am thankful to be alive and still be able to pursue my dream of becoming a jockey if I get accepted into the program. 

Waiting on a Phone call

My future is currently waiting on a phone call and an interview. My living arrangements, money budget, and college placement tests are all waiting on one phone call. The day Chris McCarron gives me the call to schedule an interview for the jockey school will be one of the happiest days of my life. It will not only lead to the start of my jockey schooling and racing experience but will also involve leaving home, finding a new place to live and work in Kentucky. It is a weird feeling having all of your plans and expectations waiting on one phone call. There is always that question of what if I don't get in this yea? What is in store for the future and what will I do college wise if I'm not accepted.  However, I am confident my dream will come true. It is never good to have a pessimistic attitude, but there is always that lingering question WHAT IF?  I can't wait for the future and it's somewhat exciting yet scary not knowing what lies ahead. What ever happens, I know it was meant to be. I look forward to making Kentucky my home and the Academy my school for the next 2 years.

The Academy

Visiting the North American Racing Academy was an incredible experience. When I arrived and was directed to go to barn #30, home of the horses for the academy, I was about to see my possible school for the next two years. Barn #30 is a large old barn that has a fragrance of fresh hay and horse sweat. When I entered the barn  the jockeys where all saddling up their steeds, getting ready to head to the track. I had a brief introduction with Mr McCarron and then began talking to some of the students as he started checking the jockeys' horses to make sure everything was correct. I talked with several of the students about their typical day and how awesome it is to be taught by Hall of Fame jockey Chris McCarron. There aren't many schools, if any at all, that are taught by the top person in that field. Mr. McCarron has a personal relationship with each student and every student respects him. It is like they're one big family. I then walked down to the track and watched them warm up and then breeze the horses. Seeing the jockeys thundering past, riding like one with the horse, made me excited to become a student at the Academy. Since the Academy only allows 16 jockey students a year there is a long wait list and interviews that have to take place. I am anxiously waiting a call from Mr McCarron to schedule an interview and hopefully be granted one of the spots to send me off in my dream to win the Kentucky Derby.    

Kentucky!

On Saturday, I drove down to the beautiful state of Kentucky.  There are no words that I can use to describe how amazing and beautiful Kentucky is. The rolling hills and numerous horse farms where a nice scenic break from the wide open spaces of Illinois filled with corn fields. This is truly the horse capitol of America. Everywhere you look there are horse farms. Since I enjoy these animals so much, seeing them all around is outstanding. I cant wait to be able to call Kentucky my home for the next 2 years. Tomorrow I'm meeting with Chris McCarron and touring the North American Racing Academy. I look forward to meeting him and talking about my future plans. My dream of becoming a jockey is almost a reality.  Coming to Kentucky has made it more of a reality.  I'm looking forward to the future.

Accepted!

I recently received my acceptance letter to Blue Grass Community and Technical College. I was thrilled when I received the letter, but then I was hit with the reality of what it will cost me.  After receiving my acceptance letter I immediately applied to the North American Racing Academy. I am anxiously waiting for their response.  I am looking forward to visiting the academy on March 7th. My dream is getting closer every day.

Dieting

At 5'4 122lbs I thought I was small enough to be a jockey. I was dead wrong. The North American Racing academy prefers there students to be under 112 lbs. Before, I could eat what ever I wanted, whenever I wanted. I had a high enough metabolism that no matter what or how much I ate I would stay right around 122lbs. Needless to say I needed to start cutting back on my calories to weigh less than 112 lbs. Over the past few weeks I have limited myself to 1200 calories a day. At first I was hungry all the time.  But after the  weeks of dieting, I found myself not starving but not totally full ether. I am currently at 110lbs and plan on raising the calories to maintain my weight.

Dieting is very important in the jockeys' life style. Before every race the jockey has to weigh in. If he or she is too heavy they are scratched from the race. Because jockeys eat so few calories,  it is impotent to get enough calcium, veggies, proteins, and other nutrients. Every food item a jockey eats has to be carefully chosen so that they are getting the most amount of nutrition for the calories. Chocolates, cookies and other tasty snakes don't have to be eliminated but should be taken in very small amounts. 

 At first the dieting is a chore and it takes time figuring out how many calories are in each food item but over time it becomes easier and easier to know how many calories one has consumed.  I have learned to appreciate food more and have slowed down eating so I can savor every bite. I never dreamed of going on a diet.  But since I have chosen my career as a jockey,  counting calories has become a life style and I have been keeping on track.

My Race

My race to the Kentucky Derby started when I was a toddler. Ever since I was young I loved animals, especially horses. I always dreamed of owning my own horse. When I was 10, we moved from town into the country. Now, we had the space for a horse. I just didn't have the money. I used to constantly spend my birthday and Christmas money on toys that only lasted a year or two. One day my dad told me that if I saved enough money to buy a horse he would build the fence and barn. I wanted a horse so bad that I saved and saved. I would not spend my money on anything. Finally the day came. I had saved $1000 towards getting my first horse. My horse search began. After a few months of searching I found a small but very spunky half- quarter half-Arabian horse named Ellie. When I saw her for the first time I knew she was the one. Although she had  major attitude problems, I was convinced that I could break her bad habits. The long days of training lay ahead but after a year she was perfect. Becoming the owner of Ellie started the race.

Ellie

After I had Ellie for a few years, I knew I wanted to work with horses for my career.  I first considered becoming a rancher, competing in rodeos or even becoming a horse trainer. When I was 15 I really started getting interested in becoming a jockey. Every time I saw a horse race there was this sense of awe that came over me. I wanted to be out there racing the horses around the track. I knew this was my calling.

 As my junior year ended and my senior year of  high school began, it was time to choose a college. I knew I wanted to be a jockey, but couldn't find a college that had a jockey program. One day as I was browsing the web about how to get connections with owners and trainers to start out my jockey career, I came across the North American Racing Academy. My heart skipped a beat. Could this be true? Is there really a college that has a jockey program? After reading more about the program I sent in an application. I have made an appointment to meet with Mr. Chris McCarron, owner of The North American Racing Academy, on March 7th.

Little did I realize that my love for animals at a young age was the beginning of my quest to win the Kentucky Derby, which is now becoming a possibility. I can't wait to meet with Chris and check out his school. This is my race to the Kentucky Derby.