"Heels down, eyes up," I think to myself as I canter around the ring. This is a constant reminder of Renee, my horseback trainer who lost her battle with breast cancer 5 years ago. Funny, kind, and nurturing, she was a second mom to every kid in the barn. She knew how to get you to give it your all-what to say, when to be strict, and when to be relaxed. When you fell off, she would dust you off, wipe your tears, and get you back on the horse. She was the heart and soul of that barn; the center of all operations. Her organization kept everything running smoothly and made the chaos of horse shows a little easier. She would stay at the barn until late at night, making sure everyone went home and the horses were tucked in safely before leaving. She kept working through her illness until she was no longer physically able to.
Although I only rode with her for a short time, my sister had the privilege of being her student for several years. She taught us both so much and was one of the best trainers we have ever had. My sister can vividly remember her first show where her pony was being bad and she was so nervous she was crying. Renee kept reassuring her she was going to do great, and of course, she did. My mom was very close with her and made sure to spend extra time with her-taking her to chemo treatments, delivering dinner, and going to lunch together.
It is crazy to think it has been 5 years since her passing, but all the girls know she is watching over us every time we step into the ring. For the longest time, we still expected to drive up and see her teaching in the center of the ring. We keep her with us on our wrist or in our pockets-with a blue and yellow beaded bracelet handmade made by her best friend.
She is our hero and guardian angel. We miss her everyday.
