CHELSEA ALLEN'S "SECRET"
By Lela Stone

It’s been a big year for twelve year old Chelsea Allen and her 14.1 hand Morgan gelding “Don’t Tell Daddy” (barn name “Secret”). In an unexpected move up to FEI Pony Level (which is like Third Level without the flying changes), they have found themselves to be leaders among the pac—winning nearly every FEI Pony division in which they’ve been entered. How did they do it? This is their story.

Chelsea’s mother, Linda, doesn’t know exactly when her daughter was bitten by the horse bug. “It was just always something she wanted to do” she explains. Chelsea began taking lessons at age six at a local hunter barn. The family was living in El Paso, Texas at the time. Chelsea took naturally to the horses, and it wasn’t long (in fact only about five months) before she had her first mount, a six year old Pinto pony named “Snickerdoodle”.

A year later the family moved to Yorktown, Virginia, bringing Snickerdoodle along with them. Chelsea began taking balanced seat lessons and joined Pony Club. For the next three years, she did what most Pony Club kids do—participating in games, eventing, and dressage competitions. Mary Clare of Williamsburg, Virginia became her eventing instructor, and Kathy Rowse of Silverleaf Farm in Suffolk, Virginia (an FEI trainer and S Level judge), became her dressage instructor. Snickerdoodle did well in all of the activities, including dressage. Through hard work and dedication, Chelsea competed him thru Training Level dressage, doing much of the training herself.

As Chelsea began to outgrow Snickerdoodle, the time came to look for another mount. Through an ad in a Morgan magazine, the Allens found him in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. “Secret” wasn’t your typical sport pony prospect. He had primarily been used as a carriage horse. At age thirteen, the small bay had only been broke for a year. An A Level pony clubber had trained and competed him in Beginner Novice eventing, and he showed much promise. Although the Allens had originally shied away from owning a Morgan due to the image of a hot and high stepping show horse, they now found themselves the proud owners of a very special Morgan sport pony. They would find out later on just how special he was.

Chelsea and Secret clicked right away. In their first year of showing they successfully debuted at Training Level and capped off the season by winning the 2002 BLM Championship at JR/YR Training Level. They also continued to event, and won second place at the Beginner Novice Championships. They were on a roll, and the future looked bright.

Then in March of 2003, disaster struck. Secret suffered a devastating attack of Intercolitis. The illness nearly killed him, and it was touch and go for the two weeks he spent in intensive care at Blue Ridge Clinic in Charlottesville, Virginia. The pony’s will to live and the perseverance of the Allens and veterinary staff prevailed, however, and Secret lived. But the illness had taken its toll, and he returned home a shadow of the horse he once was. “He came back as a waif” Linda Allen recalls.

The Allens were determined to do everything they possibly could to aid in Secret’s recovery, and Chelsea played a critical role in nursing him back to health. With a maturity beyond her years, she assumed the delicate task of reconditioning Secret ever so gradually. It would take months, and the outcome was uncertain, but it was a labor of love. What Chelsea would lose in riding time she would gain in wisdom and experience. Chelsea’s parents knew that it would be a life lesson in “responsibility to the animal—not just glory and showing” for their daughter.

It was a time of bonding and healing, and Chelsea’s relationship with Secret deepened during this period. Her dedication to her pony never swayed, and after six months of careful reconditioning, he began to look and feel like his old self. Protective of him after their near loss, eventing was not even a consideration, but dressage was. In October of that year, Secret had a successful return to the show ring where he competed at First Level. After seven months, he was back!

But another challenge lay ahead for Chelsea and Secret. After Secret’s illness, the Allens moved to Erie, Pennsylvania. They found themselves in an area with few dressage opportunities. With no local trainer, Chelsea would have to do much of the day to day training herself. The Allens had faith that their daughter had the inner discipline to make it happen, and they made “a deal” with her. If she kept up her grades, they would trailer her and Secret to all of their “horsey” events, including a twice monthly twelve hour trip down to their longtime trainer, Kathy Rowse, in Virginia.

Chelsea trained diligently, riding Secret six days a week and making sure to vary the routine. In addition to training bi-monthly with Kathy, she also participated in monthly clinics with FEI trainer Jim Kofford. “The deal” with her parents paid off, and in early 2004 Chelsea and Secret began to climb thru the levels. With success at First Level, it was decided that Chelsea and Secret should try a First Level Musical Freestyle. With the help of Tigger Montegue, of Charlottesville, Virginia, a freestyle was choreographed. Chelsea and Secret began competing at Second Level, where they were also successful, earning scores consistently in the low to mid 60’s. Then, in June of 2004, they attended an FEI Pony Clinic hosted by Lendon Gray, and learned for the first time about the FEI Pony Level.

That summer brought a chance to be a working student for Kathy in Virginia. Chelsea seized the opportunity. This allowed her and Secret to spend six intensive weeks training with her trainer. The team learned quickly, and their efforts were rewarded. By the end of the six weeks, an unanticipated decision was made: It was time to give the FEI Pony Level a try!

Chelsea and Secret focused on the FEI Pony divisions the remainder of the 2004 show season with incredible results—winning all of their classes except for one. “It truly has been the year of all years!” Linda Allen remarks. When asked about her riding highlights this year, Chelsea mentions several. The Christopher Reeve Freestyle Competition and the National Horseshow in New York, which were exhibitions to which the pair were invited, were definite highlights. Competing at Devon (although it wasn’t their best performance) was also exciting. (It didn’t help that Chelsea’s boot zipper broke at the last minute, and Linda Allen had to frantically wrap black electrical tape around the boot as a quick fix!)

But there are even more highlights to mention. In 2004, Chelsea won both the FEI Pony Individual and Team Tests, as well as the written horsemanship exam at the Lendon Gray Youth Dressage Festival. She also won two BLM Championships: one for her First Level Musical Freestyle and one for Second Level JR/YR (making a total of three BLM Championship wins). But perhaps the accomplishment she takes most pride in is finishing the 2004 show season with a ranking of fourth in the entire US in OPEN First Level Musical Freestyle (with a score of over 74%). “I was competing against all adults!” Chelsea says with amazement.

When asked about her tips for other budding dressage riders, Chelsea offers the following advice: “Practice! Practice! Practice!” Be consistent. Establish goals. Rather than riding randomly, have a purpose. Think of each ride as part of an overall program, and plan accordingly. “It’s like a job, not just an activity” she says. Also “Don’t focus on age.” Embrace open competition. (In open competition, Chelsea is often the youngest rider on the smallest pony. She feels that open competition raises the bar for young riders.)

So what are Chelsea’s dressage goals? She answers clearly and without hesitation. “I want to make it to Grand Prix with Secret!”

There’s no doubt that the odds are in her favor. Chelsea has an unusual clarity and sense of mission for one so young. She has more than kept up her end of the bargain with her parents, and has continually maintained a straight A average in school despite long hours on the road for training and competition. And Chelsea’s parents have more than kept up their end of the bargain by sacrificing and supporting their daughter in every way. After nearly losing Secret (who is now seventeen years old), the Allens realize how precious he is, and want to make the most of their time with him. Good luck Chelsea and Secret—we’ll be watching you!