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Description
Introducing Mateo! A new potential rider for Willowglen. We shall see where his Eventing career takes him <3

Mateo had just recently joined the Willowglen Estate training program and had been assigned to a lovely chestnut traaker mare named Perseverance which did seem appropriate with how hard he had worked to get to this point in his equine career. Mateo was nervous riding the new mare as he had always ridden his trusty girl Maia who is quite a different ride, being part draft. His dream of doing eventing may yet pan out, but Mateo would see in the coming months as he worked to develop himself with the head trainer Andres. If all goes to plan he would move on to compete and board at Briar Mills Equestrian in Canada.

Mateo did not know what to expect working with Andres for the first time but he had heard rumors of his quiet serious stare that chills you t the bone and makes you wonder if you are riding like a sack of potatoes. All one can do is ride their best and keep moving forward. Tacking up the liver mare in Mateo's favorite migraine awareness gear made him feel slightly more secure. He after all suffers from migraines and it tends to make him feel more at home when he would use this particular tack set. He walked Perseverance out to the arena and over to the mounting block, putting one foot in the stirrup and swinging his leg over. He heard Andres talking and walking up to the arena with another rider he had yet to meet.

"Okay, Mateo, let's see what you have got!" Mateo's face drained of color, his heart pounded in his chest. Why was he so nervous!
"Pick up a working trot around the arena and do some serpentines through the middle"
Mateo did as he asked trying his hardest to look coordinated with this new sporty trot he had never felt.
"DIAGONAL!" he heard Andres shout. Crap, sitting a step he fixed his error.
"Better, now let us pick up a left lead canter and cross the diagonal of the arena and ask for a lead change to the right".
Mateo did his best leaning into the diagonal and preparing to ask for the change.
"Very nice!" Andres sounded approving as he praised the correctly executed lead change.
"We may have something to work with here after all! Good job Mateo, that is enough for today, tomorrow we will have a follow on lesson to look at your current jumping ability". Andres turned and walked out of the arena.

The quick and high pressure lesson was over and Mateo felt his whole body relax. First lesson in the books and he didn't completely embarrass himself! He was actually looking forward to the jumping lesson tomorrow.

Horse featured: WE Perseverance
Rider featured: sta.sh/0zfene8e5io (design sheet from a while back--to be updated) Mateo Bennett
Trainer featured: Andres Falk

Description
Introducing Mateo! A new potential rider for Willowglen. We shall see where his Eventing career takes him <3

Mateo had just recently joined the Willowglen Estate training program and had been assigned to a lovely chestnut traaker mare named Perseverance which did seem appropriate with how hard he had worked to get to this point in his equine career. Mateo was nervous riding the new mare as he had always ridden his trusty girl Maia who is quite a different ride, being part draft. His dream of doing eventing may yet pan out, but Mateo would see in the coming months as he worked to develop himself with the head trainer Andres. If all goes to plan he would move on to compete and board at Briar Mills Equestrian in Canada.

Mateo did not know what to expect working with Andres for the first time but he had heard rumors of his quiet serious stare that chills you t the bone and makes you wonder if you are riding like a sack of potatoes. All one can do is ride their best and keep moving forward. Tacking up the liver mare in Mateo's favorite migraine awareness gear made him feel slightly more secure. He after all suffers from migraines and it tends to make him feel more at home when he would use this particular tack set. He walked Perseverance out to the arena and over to the mounting block, putting one foot in the stirrup and swinging his leg over. He heard Andres talking and walking up to the arena with another rider he had yet to meet.

"Okay, Mateo, let's see what you have got!" Mateo's face drained of color, his heart pounded in his chest. Why was he so nervous!
"Pick up a working trot around the arena and do some serpentines through the middle"
Mateo did as he asked trying his hardest to look coordinated with this new sporty trot he had never felt.
"DIAGONAL!" he heard Andres shout. Crap, sitting a step he fixed his error.
"Better, now let us pick up a left lead canter and cross the diagonal of the arena and ask for a lead change to the right".
Mateo did his best leaning into the diagonal and preparing to ask for the change.
"Very nice!" Andres sounded approving as he praised the correctly executed lead change.
"We may have something to work with here after all! Good job Mateo, that is enough for today, tomorrow we will have a follow on lesson to look at your current jumping ability". Andres turned and walked out of the arena.

The quick and high pressure lesson was over and Mateo felt his whole body relax. First lesson in the books and he didn't completely embarrass himself! He was actually looking forward to the jumping lesson tomorrow.

Horse featured: WE Perseverance
Rider featured: sta.sh/0zfene8e5io (design sheet from a while back--to be updated) Mateo Bennett
Trainer featured: Andres Falk