Akron Ohio Stake News

In August, Sierra Carter of the Akron Ward participated in the Special Olympics Ohio State Equestrian Competition. We have asked her mother, Sister Deb Carter, to share some of the spiritual insights she and Sierra experienced during the journey.

For the past few months, Sierra has been practicing to compete in the Ohio State Special Olympics Equestrian competition. She has spent many days going to the barn to practice with the horse she leases, Freckles, a gray Arabian. The two have made a great pair and have complemented each other’s abilities for seven years.

Sierra practiced her routine for showmanship over and over. We worked with a trainer to help her along the way. Showmanship is detailed and judged by how you present your horse and how you make the horse stand with four feet square. It is little jingles of the reins that get the horse to stand square. With too much jingling, the horse could move forward or back. You must not be in the same quadrant as the judge when showing, and you must keep your eyes on the judge. Showmanship is a great time to look proud of your horse and what both of you have practiced together.

Sierra also practiced with Freckles for English equitation. This is sitting properly in the saddle with quiet hands on the reins (no movement), head up, and being on the correct diagonal (rising up in the saddle, posting when the horse’s outward front leg rises, then sitting down in the saddle when the leg is down).It is a motion on the horse when you are both in tune with one another, and it looks very impressive when done correctly.

Since the end of June, Sierra had been riding two times a week, practicing her diagonals and showmanship skills. She is a very mosaic individual (meaning she learns things and then can forget them), so she needs to practice repetitive movements more so than others. In July, progress was coming, but it was slow. Approximately three weeks before the horse show, she started to struggle in remembering what to do in showmanship. All I could think of doing was to pray for her to remember her routines. By this time she had diagonal down one way in the ring, but not the opposite way when her right leg was along the wall. Prayer became a key for me. I asked Father in Heaven to help me have patience with this mosaic person. I also asked how to teach her. If she did not get the diagonal down, she would not qualify and would not place in English equitation.

The Saturday before the event, I asked our ward to pray for Sierra that her mind would be sharp and focused. My calling in the ward is an assistant librarian, and I came across a Deseret News article at church the next day called “Focusing the Mind.” It was an article about how research shows that prayer improves an athlete’s ability. It stated that a relationship with God impacts the brain, and that prayer is the key to keep your mind focused. I decided to read the article at home with Sierra. After reading it with her after church, I looked at Sierra and told her that I asked the people of the ward to pray for her, but then I told her the right thing to do would be having prayer with her all along. We fell to our knees to pray and to ask for help and guidance. We both cried knowing that we were touched by the Spirit.

The next day at Sierra’s practice, things became clearer. She learned to train herself to sit one bounce in the saddle and she would be on the correct diagonal when her right leg was on the wall. She sang her showmanship routine to the tune of “Take Me Out to the Ball Game” and became confident in her training. By the end of the week, she was talking through the routine for showmanship, and I could see in her eyes she knew what she had accomplished. We continued to pray for one more thing: Freckles. Being an Arabian, Freckle’s doesn’t like to stand square. Arabians usually stand with one back leg behind. We spent countless hours of trying to set him up, but he just would not get it. We even had a prayer with Freckles in his stall to help him.

It was the day of the event and of course, Sierra did not show any signs of being nervous. We again started our day with prayer and asked God to help Sierra be on task and be focused and that Freckles the horse would be a great participant in the Special Olympics.

Sierra was in Class #3 for showmanship and the last person to show in that class. Her trainer gave her a few tips like “don’t forget to circle” and “trot your horse up to the judge.” I could hear Sierra saying the routine sitting in the stand. Many in the audience said, “She is talking herself through it.” She asked Freckles to trot and then said “WHOA boy” really loud, and he came to a complete stop and stood four foot square. Amazing! She watched the judge and moved into the correct quadrants. She placed 3rd and earned a bronze medal. Countless hours of working with her horse paid off!

Sierra then was in Class #23 English equitation. Her trainer gave her one tip: “When your right leg is on the wall, sit a bounce in the saddle and you should be on the correct diagonal.” She did and it paid off. She also sat tall and straight in the saddle. Her hands could have been up more when holding her reins, but she looked good. She did well and placed 4th in state in English equitation.

We learned so much during this journey! One thing I learned the most, is the power of prayer and how our Father in Heaven answers prayers. The Spirit guided me to help Sierra succeed. The Spirit told me how to get her to do things that she was struggling with. Prayers can be answered by guiding us with what to do in situations.

I know through the years, with my kids, that if I needed guidance or help I would turn to prayer. I don’t kneel often in prayer, but when I do, He answers my prayers. In my life, I pray often for guidance to help my children succeed. Prayer is where I turn to when I need guidance or answers. I look to my Father in Heaven to help me be an instrument in my children’s lives, and ask Him how to help His children. I love the hymn “Did You Think to Pray.” It reminds me to stop and pray even though life gets so busy. This journey is a start to a basic principle for Sierra: prayer does help you, IF you ask with a sincere heart. Listen to the soft voice of the Spirit and it will guide you.

Sierra plans to compete next year, but with a different horse. Freckles is 26 years old and this was his last great show to put in his book, but a beginning for Sierra. Sierra wants to jump (steeplechase) and will hopefully make the team again! She will have to rely again on the Spirit to help her make good decisions and to learn a new horse in one year.