Paula Bertram and Coriolanus (CA)
Team #886: Paula Bertram and Coriolanus
From: Placerville, California
Ages: 77 & 23
Combined Age: 100
Test: Fourth Level Test 3
I started riding when I "inherited" my daughter's well trained and tolerant Pony Club horse. I spent the next 20 years doing 3-day eventing and trail riding. When my present horse Cory and I met, he was a middle-aged aloof Oldenberg with a murky history. I was already in my 60s. He proceeded to tell everybody that I really knew nothing about riding-- and he had been sent to inform me of that indisputable fact. Cory can be 1200 pounds of "No way!" He has a big spook and a large bag of tricks to get out of hard work. But a series of wonderful trainers have helped me to unwrap the layers and find the buried talent. Every time we reach what to me feels like a milestone, he groans as if to say "Finally! I knew this all along--you just have to ask for it correctly." We gradually inched our way up the ladder of dressage, getting our bronze medal a few years ago and riding the Century Club ride at Fourth Level Test 3 in May. Cory is hoping to retire, but I'm still harboring hopes for a Silver Medal, before we're done!
