September 2021 Issue

EAST COAST EQUESTRIAN September 2021 Page 29 Young Endurance Riders Set to Compete in World Championships (Continued from page 13) for Alex. As Charly’s mom, I can only do so much. Alex took Charly under her wing, and she has made all the difference for Charly.” Have Patience. Stay Focused. So, what is it like to be out on a 60 mile ride? Are there nerves? Is it hard to stay focused? “I don’t have a method, it just comes natu- rally,” Wert says. “I try to focus on my horse not going too fast, and that he’s feeling good.” “I stay focused by looking at the scenery,” Dugan says. “Every now and then I start singing songs to my horse. Usually my mom is riding with me and we talk.” Both Wert and Dugan have thought about what they might tell young riders who are interested in endurance. “Have patience,” Wert says, “because horses are live animals with minds of their own.” Dugan thinks young riders need to prepare for the physical as well as mental challenges. “When you first start out, every couple of miles you think ‘why am I doing this?’ But eventually it gets better. Believe in yourself. It gets easier!” A lot will be different for this young team once they arrive in Ermelo for the competition, but it’s clear they have each other to rely on and their combined expe- rience. They’ve faced disappoint- ments, as Wert says, when her horse was pulled from a compe- tition because of lameness. But they’re confident that they’ll be ready to face whatever the course in The Netherlands brings. Jellison finds herself amazed at the team’s maturity and gen- erous spirit. “It’s kind of inspir- ing for me to see them working together, because they’re putting the team ahead of themselves as individuals. They’re doing things the right way.”