披荆斩棘

马术障碍赛总是充满着起伏和未知的，而让一切都完美结合需要一些运气，也正是这份运气造就了成功和胜利。作为骑手的我们总是在寻求与马儿达到一种平衡，这是为了确保马儿能够在竞争中发挥出最好的水平，为了避免马匹受伤，甚至也是为了让马儿快乐。但是，事情常常会脱离我们的掌控。这时我们只能尽力保持乐观积极的态度专注地进行比赛。

为准备奥林匹克赛，我们整个夏天都在训练。开始我与两匹非常棒的马进行配合，这两匹马都已经准备好要参加这次比赛，同时为参加 Rio 2016 比赛作铺垫。但是非常不幸的是，我亲爱的未来之星在出色地完成德国的哈根斯坦大奖赛后，她在回家的途中发生了意外。之后我们得知：她的后腿肌腱受了很重的伤，而她因此至少六个月不能参赛。所以现在，我的身边只剩下一匹马了。

我抱着剩下的希望做了一个新的安排。整个夏天我们一直在训练和表演，于是在比赛来临之际，我的马儿已经蓄势待发。比赛那天，德国刮了一次大风暴。我第一轮热身刚进行一半，就下了大雨，比赛也就因此暂停了。非常幸运的是，我们第一轮一个障碍杆都没有碰掉。想赢比赛的我们开始了第二轮比赛。第二轮刚开始，我觉得一切都很完美，我和马比这个夏天任何时候都更有默契。但幸运又一次远离了我们，我的马踏入了水障碍中。一直以来，我的马出色得令人惊叹，他自从参赛以来从未踏入过水障碍中，然而这次他却这么做了。开始，这一切对我来说都是那么的不真实，我以前从未见过这种情况。赛事过后，我意识到了水障碍的失误使我输了这场比赛，也让我们队失去了奥林匹克赛的唯一参赛名额。说我没有觉得极度地失望是不可能的，去奥林匹克比赛的机会曾近在咫尺，然而最终我们与其失之交臂。

这就是比赛，但是你可以选择是否让失望的情绪继续影响你，我不会让它阻碍我做我喜欢的事情。相反，我会让这份失望激励我去实现我的目标。这周，我决定进军中国锦标赛，希望这次我能够发挥出最好的水平。所以，我感谢这一切——无论是起还是伏，无论是祝福、教训、挫折、爱护，甚至是厌恶，都会让你变得更加出色强壮，从而使你成为你所能变成的最好的骑手。

The sport of showjumping is always full of ups, downs, and unknowns. There has to be a certain amount of luck for everything to fall together perfectly. But that’s also what makes each success and victory so meaningful. We, as riders, are always trying to maintain a balance in our system with the horses. To make sure they can compete at the best of their abilities, to keep them sound, and even to keep them happy. But every so often, things happen that are outside of our control, and we just have to be able to stay positive and focused.

This summer has been a long journey of training and preparing for the Olympic Qualifications. I started with 2 incredible horses that were both ready to step into the ring and pave their way to Rio 2016. But unfortunately, the up and coming star of mine didn’t have that in her plans. In July, she had a very big accident in the transport on the way home after jumping spectacularly in the grand prix of Steinhagen, Germany. We learned shortly after that she had suffered a great trauma to a very important tendon in her hind leg, which will put her out of the sport for a minimum of 6 months. So, having just one horse left, I created a program for my remaining hope.

We kept training and showing throughout the summer and by the time the qualifications came, he was more than ready…we had a real chance. The day of the competition, there was a very large storm going through Germany…and halfway through the warmup before my first round, the rain came down hard and the class had to be put on hold. Luckily we made it through the first round without a single rail, and were heading into the second with our eyes on the prize. As we came through the second round, everything felt perfect…we were more in sync than we had been that whole summer. But yet again, luck was not on our side. My amazing horse, who has never in his career stepped in the open water, did exactly that. It seemed unreal at first, something I never saw coming. Once the class was over, I realized that the water fault had cost me the win and the only seat for our group to the Olympics. It was hard not to have an overwhelming sense of disappointment. Our chance was now gone, even though we almost had it.

But thats just the reality of this sport. You have a choice on how this type of disappointment affects you. I won’t let it stop me from doing something I love. Instead, I will let it drive me harder to achieve my goals no matter what. This week, I head into the Chinese Championships with the same determination, and to ride to the best of my abilities. So be thankful for it all…the highs, the lows, the blessings, the lessons, the setbacks, the comebacks, the love, and even the hate. They are all there to shape you into a better and stronger version of yourself, and to make you become the best rider you can be.