Caroline Dowd Quarter Run Farm Carthage, North Carolina 910-949-3563 |
Email: dowdcrowd@pinehurst.net |
Meet Caroline! |
For me riding is not a way of life, it IS my life. When I'm on the back of a horse I am a whole person. I'm free from the distractions that consume "normal" people. I feel that every horse teaches us something if we slow down and listen. It may not always be the lesson that we want to hear, but we should still listen. I know that I was given a gift of passion for horses that goes beyond just galloping huge fences, or cantering down the center line in my top hat and tails. I still feel my heart skip a beat like a young school girl when I hear the hoof beats of my horses as I lead them down the aisle before each ride. Even on a day that I don't ride there is still a sense of peace in my body as I watch my horses quietly grazing in the fields. That joy that I feel rushing through my veins when I am galloping big fences, is the same joy that I feel when a student of mine learns to post for the first time, or jumps their first cross rail, or wins their first event that they have worked so hard for! No one of us would experience these wonderful feelings if it weren't for the magnificent horses we are so blessed to ride!! Caroline Dowd |
My parents are my biggest mentors. They have taught me never to give up, and to stand up for what I believe in. They taught me the importance of family, and that hard work does pay off. They have taught me to strive for the best, but be happy with who and where I am! Above all else, they have taught me that if a door in my life closes, a window will always open. Who could ask for better parents? Denny Emerson is a mentor of mine. I have known Denny since I was 13 years old. I have seen him breed and develop event horses most of my life. He seems to have an instinct for being just ahead of the times, as far as what people want in their horses. I have learned much from watching his way with up and coming riders - helping them to reach the top of our sport. I have also learned from Denny the need to support the governing body of our sport to ensure the future of eventing. Denny has helped me to look toward the future - in my riding, my farm and my business - to always be looking ahead. He has been kind, funny, energetic and supportive of me and my ability. Above all else he has been and still is my friend. Mike Plumb is another mentor. I was blessed to have ridden with Mike. Not all people can say that. Mike raised the bar for me. He taught me not to be just another person riding. He taught me how to get more out of my horses when I ride and he taught me how to get more out of myself when I ride! He taught me how to be tough mentally. He showed me how to be aware of details, and how not to back off when in competition. Above all Mike taught me how to gallop, how to be efficient across the ground, how to support my horses over long distances, and what speed is all about. He changed the way that I rode, and that teaching has had a positive effect on my riding to this day. |
