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“I remember sitting in church as a child, very quietly and listening intently to the sermon,” says Cecelia. “Now, as wonderful as this may seem, I was motivated by the fact that if I was good, and could tell three things about the sermon, I got to ride my grandparents’ horses after church and lunch. Boy, did the congregation think I was a wonderful child!”
Horseback riding has been Cecelia’s number one hobby since she could walk. While she was growing up, she showed gaited horses throughout the South. In one season she placed two different horses either 1st, 2nd or 3rd at State Championship Shows in Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Tennessee, and North Carolina. She finished the year placing both horses 3rd in Amateur Pleasure classes at the World Celebration.
The next year, she moved to Kansas.
“I like people, so I will ride whatever my friends ride,” Cecelia says. “So, I began to jump and from then on I was hooked. I joined the Fort Leavenworth Hunt Club and began a new life of riding.”
Cecelia attended Equifest in Wichita, Kansas, in March, 2003.
“My friends and I went down specifically to watch Clinton Anderson,” she says. “During one of his sessions, there was an announcement that Clinton was writing a book that summer. He was looking for a Western Rider and an English rider to be in this book. We were told to go to the booth and apply — so I told my friends I was going to be in the book. They laughed, and I trotted over, wrote my story, had my picture taken, and stuffed the ballot box with my name and the comment that Clinton Anderson would really like to have me in his book! I REALLY wanted to do this!
“Of course, I forgot about it until he called and then I was thrilled. I couldn't believe it when he called back and said he wanted me and my horse. Life has been a roller coaster ever since.”
Though she had never attended a clinic of Clinton’s before, she was already a fan.
“When we got the satellite dish out here in the boonies, I found RFD-TV. It has been my main channel ever since,” she says. “I found Clinton doing his thing with the trailer and was overwhelmed at the results.”
Since, at the time, her horse Early News Edition (aka “Smacks”) emphatically did NOT load well – she tells a gripping tale of how he once reared up, punched through the top of a horse trailer and ended up being winched in on his side — she started watching every program of Clinton’s.
“I realized that he was not only a horseman, but a behaviorist. I was having nightmares over my horse, to the point that my husband and I considered putting him down,” she remembers. “Watching and listening to Clinton, made me put off that decision, for which I am very glad.”
Though Cecelia was an accomplished rider, Smacks was proving more of a challenge than a joy.
“Smacks was born on our place in 1998,” she says. “It was very exciting. My son and I did this little project together, so it was more than just getting a new horse. But from Day One, Smacks was difficult about everything…and it wore me out.
“I did all those things you are supposed to with a baby: grooming, handling his feet, halter leading, lunging, and blanketing. It was all met with resistance. I had horse friends come and help me — they were all in agreement that he was beautiful, talented and not very kind.”
While at Clinton’s, Cecelia worked with Smacks to overcome a lifetime of disrespectful behavior. Within a few weeks of their return home, she had ridden him for several of her “doubting Thomas” friends who knew what the horse was capable of.
“Clinton has made believers of all of us,” she says. “Clinton has given me tools for life, and I am so appreciative of it. I will use them with great confidence – they are my Dumbo feathers!”
07/31/04Smacks rode his three tests at an eventing competition today and had a clean sweep — First in all three classes! The big deal was that it was outside, in an open field with just the itty bitty white chains six inches above the ground for the border. Our goal was not to jump out of there! We rode our tests with airplanes taking off in the adjoining field, horse flies biting and other horses jumping warm-up fences!
Nothing bothered Smacks. He just looked at all that stuff and said, “I worked with Clinton Anderson… this is NOTHING!”
I am so proud of him. Wow: last weekend, rain, hail, thunder, wind — and first, second and second! This week, beautiful sunshine and all the outdoorsy distractions — first, first and first. I could get used to this.
10/06/04Smacks is at the top of the leader board for the KCDS showing school championships. We have one more ride on October 30 to add to our current scores. My job keeps me so busy this time of year that I cannot ride Smacks but once a week (and sometimes not until once every two weeks). I go through a few of the warm up exercises we used with Clinton and 15 minutes later I have a horse I can manage and enjoy.
We had a red letter day two weeks ago at the fort. I went out with a friend and her horse and we rode for 2 wonderful hours. Smacks did his bucking thing after we jumped a log and I did my Clinton thing to remind him about the rules. That got his mind right. Then, I did the impossible, I cantered him in a VERY LARGE OPEN FIELD. He bucked for the first 50 yards or so and I just pushed his little butt right into a nice canter. By the end of the ride, we were on the buckle and cantering quietly where ever I wanted to go.
By using Clinton's methods, I am also riding my 4 year old warmblood at the fort with the same success. He is cantering just as nicely -- and he has been under saddle only since April of this year!
07/09/06Rusty (Anthem) had a very remarkable FIRST show. He scored 71.50 and 75.239 on his first two rides Friday (July 7)… and was high point for that day. Saturday (July 8) he scored 70.924 and 75.00. He also finished High Point for the day. He behaved like an aged horse and handled his first show and camping trip well. I was thrilled. (Oh yes, I did the riding at the show. How about that sports fans!)
So, he has 4 blue ribbons and 4 trophies in his “area” at home. He took good care of me and listened to me when I was in the irons as well as on the ground.
Smacks paid a very important part in all of this. He is my daily riding horse while Deena trains Rusty. Smacks got me into shape for those 4 rides and helped me practice each test. It is a great situation and I am lucky to have two such wonderful horses, and a great trainer and coach to get us ready.
08/27/06Smacks was perfect today. It was another mile stone for him. I carried a dressage whip for the first time in a year. I never used it, just carried it. He was worried about it and rather hot, but unlike before, he didn't freak out. I dropped it after about 15 minutes, and did some simple walk trot walk transitions to relax him. He quickly relaxed, something that NEVER happened before. All the good training from Clinton's is really paying off.
Then I rode him more forward and slightly on the bit. That is major for him, and he handled that well. We did sitting trot, leg yields, canters and all sorts of transitions. He was a good boy. People just cannot believe he is the same horse, and those that didn't know him before this summer cannot imagine him EVER doing naughty things.
After a nice hour's work, we went on a 45 minute ride with friends (one of whom Smacks had bucked off 3 years ago) and rode on the buckle out in the green meadows. It has taken until his 8th year of age, but it is worth every minute of it. I am so lucky to be in the position to not have to give up on him. Some many horses are quirky like him, just because, and their owners don't have the luxury to wait them out. How lucky Smacks and I are!
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Ami Hendrickson is a bestselling writer, award-winning screenwriter, writing coach, and writing consultant. Ami is in demand as a book author, ghostwriter, co-author, editor, and story consultant. Books written by Ami include "Clinton Anderson’s Downunder Horsemanship," "Geoff Teall on Riding Hunters, Jumpers and Equitation," and "The Rider’s Pain-Free Back." Ami is an engaging writing workshop leader and writing conference speaker. For writing advice, free articles on writing, and writing inspiration, visit MuseInk, Ami’s WEBSITE FOR WRITERS. For information on current projects, observations about the writer’s life, and the occasional tangental rant, visit Ami’s BLOG or check out her Press Room. Ami Hendrickson and her husband and daughter live with their "vast menagerie" on a 100-year old farm near Lake Michigan in Berrien County, Michigan (near Chicago, IL; South Bend, IN; Kalamazoo, and Grand Rapids, MI, but still in the country!).