We are happy to share this fabulous story of friend Dr. Courtney Varney’s road to success in the world of dressage. They will be heading off to Lexington Kentucky for the 2015 Greater American Insurance Group’s USDF Dressage Championships November 5th – 8th and we wish them the best of luck!!
The following article is compliments of Ocala Horse Properties.
For amateur equestrians who love their horses, this story may appeal to you. It is a story of hard work, determination and a $500 Arabian mare.
Courtney Varney was a Navy kid, moving to the Orlando, Florida area as a young child and living a typical suburban life, dreaming of ponies. At the age of seven she started taking formal riding lessons and showing Arabians in the halter, hunt seat and country pleasure classes until settling on her favorite discipline, dressage.
“I went to take lessons at Summerset Farms and they just happened to compete with Arabians. When you’re seven years old being around any horse is exciting but the Arabians at that farm immediately appealed to me. I also never grew beyond a 5’1 frame so Arabians were a good fit for me.”
Throughout her youth Courtney continued to ride and show Arabians, but like many amateurs, when the pressure of the “real world” with work and school life entered the equation, riding and competing took a back seat.
“I have always had two goals— I wanted to be an Equine Veterinarian and I wanted to get my USDF (United States Dressage Federation) Gold Medal on a horse that I broke and trained myself. Before I entered college, many people with more experience than myself said that riding competitively and being an equine veterinarian were literally not possible. It was discouraging to hear but I never let that change my goals.”