clumsyjuliet

A bold rider is a good rider. Beezie Madden. Whatever problem confronts her, she doesn’t have temper, she doesn’t have excitement, but she practices boldness. Leslie Burr Howard, at the Lake Placid show before the Atlanta Olympics—it was raining, and she was in the preliminary jumper division. It was a few months before the Olympics and I said “Leslie, what are you doing riding that horse? It’s raining, it’s muddy, it’s up and down that Lake Placid hill.” She said, “George, I’m practicing my guts.” Yes, Leslie was practicing her guts. I admire her practicing her guts because we have to practice guts. I always had to practice guts. I used to go with him (Frank Chapo) in the back of the bleachers in Wiesbaden, Germany, and I said, “Frank, I can’t do this. I can’t jump those jumps.” He said, “George, you got good horses, we’re over here. You’ve got to do it.” I always had to practice guts.