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to set the stage. Within nine months she had her going training level, rarely finishing out of the top five. By this time, Hawley was really in love with her. Mike said, “The joke around the barn was that I wasn’t getting my horse back!” When asked about Sienna, Hawley said, “I just adore this horse, she is the perfect package. I love, love riding her! Every single picture I have of me on her, I am smiling. She floats around, just a gorgeous mover and I feel like I can just gallop down to any jump on her.“ The following year, Mike felt he was ready to start eventing himself. But jumping into a sport like that with so little experience proved tougher than he imagined. After about a year of struggling with stops and run outs, trying to
Sienna’s win photo
cope with show nerves and generally not hav-
home base of two-time Olympic eventer Hawley Bennett. Mike
ing a lot of fun, he decided to pull out of eventing, and just do
thought it seemed like a good idea to get some dressage lessons
dressage for a year or two. This time was spent working on learn-
to help his endurance riding. With him being as green as he was,
ing to ride and developing his seat. Things started going quite
and Sienna knowing nothing but racing, Hawley agreed to get
well, with Mike consistently scoring in the mid to high 60’s and
her started. After just a few rides though, Hawley commented
ready to move up to first level. Then, in the spring of 2012, some
that Sienna was a pretty talented horse and asked Mike if he’d
health problems arose for Mike.
thought about eventing her. He had only recently seen his first
He had entries in at several shows when he developed a her-
3-Day Event and was in awe of the sport. “I can’t do that,” he said,
nia. The first show on the schedule was a Arabian show at Galway
to which Hawley replied that she would ride Sienna and until he
Downs, so he asked well-known Arab trainer and dressage rider
was ready to try it himself. “I remember asking her if she could
Katherine Rich-Elzig if she’d take the ride. She did and took first
do both endurance and eventing. Hawley said ‘sure’ but I think
place with a score of 70, even with having never ridden Sienna
all along she knew what Sienna was meant to be, and that was an event horse,” said Mike. What followed was another revelation, and that was seeing just how good she looked doing dressage and jumping, especially with Hawley in the tack. Seeing her compete and do well was an unexpected joy. “Not only had I not considered showing, but I had never considered being an owner and watching someone else compete my horse. But I was like a proud father watching his little girl excel in sports or dance. I imagine I seemed a little Amy Myers Photo
silly to all the seasoned owners and competitors, but I was brimming over watching her go!” recalled Mike. She proved to be not just a pretty face; she had real talent. Hawley took first place the first time she showed her, beating 11 horses in beginner novice at Woodside Horse Park, which seemed
Mike and Sienna