“This letter is written on behalf of Victoria Holmes regarding her equestrian pursuits. I am one of Victoria’s trainers in Tuscaloosa Alabama, and while I have not been teaching her for very long, one of her attributes that stands out the most is her work ethic and dedication to the sport. Victoria came to Westminster Farm in Tuscaloosa in August of 2021 and since she arrived, has hit the ground running with her college equestrian goals in sight. Victoria commits to having four riding lessons a week, and most of her weekends are spent at horseshows when available. She, herself, is the person who signs up for these lessons rather than partaking in extracurricular school activities during her senior year. Her parents and trainers are not responsible for making sure she spends enough hours in the saddle. Victoria is the person who designates her time and sacrifices other activities to make sure she is giving herself the opportunity to become a better rider. This speaks to her work ethic as well as her time management. Not only does she dedicate many hours to riding her own horses, but Victoria also rides many other horses at the farm. Whether they are sale horses, other clients’ horses, young green horses, or naughty school ponies, Victoria is anxious and willing to ride them for us because she knows the more horses she can ride, the better prepared she will be to be a part of a team that rides a wide variety of horses in competition.
From strictly a training standpoint, I can honestly say that Victoria has impressed me with her improvement in a relatively short period of time. Again, this goes back to her work ethic and holding herself accountable. I often see her riding outside of a lesson without stirrups and practicing exercises on the flat that will correlate to jumping courses. She is very particular about the horsemanship side of the sport as well. For example, always icing her horses’ legs after riding, grazing her horses after a bath, and cleaning and putting away all of her tack neatly. To me this is one of the most valuable attributes to look for in a team member because I believe the little tasks that are done when others are not looking show a person’s drive and dedication.
Count on Victoria to always be punctual and give her best effort. For her, the horses come first and I believe that is one of the most important things to look for. I am proud to have her as a member of our barn family and I know she would make a fantastic teammate to an equestrian program as well.
Please do not hesitate to contact me if you wish to discuss Victoria and her future.”
~ Reid Ricket;t Westminster Farm, Tuscaloosa, Alabama, reid.rickett1993@gmail.com (205)394-0313