A team built on trust, not just talent.
IEA riding is different from showing on your own horse — you draw a mount you've likely never met, warm up for a few minutes, and go. What makes it work is the team around you: teammates who scout the horse's quirks ringside, coaches who talk you through a plan in sixty seconds, and the shared understanding that a bad trip isn't a solo failure.
I joined Eastern CT IEA to compete beyond individual shows and be part of something bigger than my own scoresheet. Over three seasons, the team has become less about who's on the roster and more about how we prepare each other — walking a course together, comparing notes on a horse's stop side, cheering from the rail as loud for a teammate's trip as our own.
Our group spans multiple grade levels and experience levels, which means practices double as mentorship — newer riders learn the format from veterans, and veterans stay sharp by explaining fundamentals out loud. That exchange is where most of the real growth happens.
