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A winning combination Photo courtesy David Acord Phoenix rider, his horse Doc earn spot in championship By KRIS HENRY It wasn't exactly love at first sight when David Acord was first introduced to Doc nearly three years ago. A friend had purchased the thoroughbred for $700, outbidding the meat man according to Acord. But when Doc bucked off that same fellow in an early test, Acord was given the chance to secure the horse for $900. "When I first looked at him he was so skinny, emaciated and mistreated that I thought there was no way I could take him," says the 19-year-old horse rider/trainer. "But then I got on his back and there was just something about him." These days, Acord is thankful he didn't pass on the trusty steed. Acord and Doc recently qualified for the North American Young Riders Championships, slated Aug. 8-12 in Wadsworth, Ill. "It's been a huge goal to get there for a few years," Acord says of the prestigious event. "I knew it would be a stretch to get there by this year but I guess we just pushed through it." All because he didn't judge a book by its cover. "There's only so much you can measure into a horse as far as it being a science of bone structure and things," says the Phoenix resident. "Sometimes you just mesh with a horse." That level of camaraderie is particularly important for Acord's choice pursuit - three-day eventing. In that specialty, Acord and Doc must go through trials ranging from the exact dance moves of dressage to the rigors of cross country jumping. "It's entirely a partnership," says Acord. "My horse counts on me to get him to the fences right and not make any mistakes that way, and I count on him to not get us flipped." To wit, Acord and Doc each spend several hours a week training to ensure a safe and successful navigation for the three-day competitions. While Acord attempts to hone his fitness level with cross training events like running and lifting weights, he says he gets the most from working out about six horses per day. "Riding fit is entirely different than just being fit," he says. "You use a lot of different muscles you don't use anywhere else." As for Doc, Acord has a strict schedule that involves one hard gallop, three long conditioning rides and two jumping days per week. Some time each day is also spent on obedience training for dressage. "The first thing you want to do is get them as fit as you can without them being crazy," he says. "If they get too fit then they're just unrideable. The other thing you want to do is get them obedient. You try to hit everything but not overdo anything." Acord firmly believes in that last point of interest. "You don't want to have any wasted steps on your horse," he says. "Every jump counts, every stride counts. An old cowboy told me once 'You're either training or untraining your horse with everything you do.'" Sage words from someone who didn't start riding until he was 10, and began training at 11 as a means to earn some extra cash. "I've just learned a lot by trial and error," says Acord. "I've had some good coaches along the way and read a lot of books, but most of it you just figure out by yourself." It didn't take long for Acord to realize cross country riding was the thing for him. However to compete in that discipline, he had to assume responsibilities for an event he'd rather avoid. "We have a running joke. We do dressage so we can get to cross country," he says with a smile. Acord understands the need for dressage, which he calls the equivalent of the floor exercise in gymnastics. Dressed in top hat and tails, each rider must show complete control of their horse - a precursor for the following events. Although there are competitions strictly for dressage, three-day eventing casts its own set of challenges on the discipline. "It's harder for three-day eventing because you come out with a horse that is fit and wired out of its skin because it's ready to go out and do 20 miles of cross country jumping," says Acord. "To keep it on all four legs is a challenge." The second day of competition is where Acord truly finds his niche. Six miles of trotting. Two miles of steeplechase over 5-foot hedges and the like. Six more miles of trotting. And should the horse pass inspection, a final 4-mile cross country jaunt filled with solid, natural obstacles. With fly fences, tight combination jumps and possible 6-foot drops into water, cross country riding definitely challenges the will of a person. "It's just all out guts," says Acord. "It's why I do it. Sometimes you walk the course and you're like 'I'm going to pee my pants,' but the best part is the rush." The worst part means a rush to the hospital. "It can be really scary," he admits. "You can get into a bad spot and it's not a very forgiving sport. A fall means a pretty serious injury." That's where the partnership between rider and horse takes over. "You try to get your horse to the best takeoff point possible, but when it comes down to it your horse is going to make the call," says Acord. "If they leave the ground funny all you can do is pray and hope you ride it right." As if that weren't enough to test a rider's mettle, the third day includes stadium jumping on a timed course with fences built to fall if jostled. "You come out of stadium jumping day and you're just wiped," says Acord. "Every muscle in your body just hurts and you know your horse must be feeling the same way." But as the saying goes: You only hurt the ones you love. Reach reporter Kris Henry at 776-4488, or e-mail [email protected] Mail Tribune Home | Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. | Dow Jones & Co., Inc. | Privacy | Contact Us Copyright � 2001 Mail Tribune, Inc.