Although Amanda has been riding for 26 years, she's new to the professional world. The Sun Herald came out to visit us at the Gulport Winter classic to see what it's like in a day in the life of a Grand Prix professional rider and trainer.
There may have been some broken ribs, but all eyes were on HHS Louis.
Amanda Forte was frustrated.
It was Sunday, March 8, the second-to-last Grand Prix of the Gulf Coast Winter Classic and the one with the highest purse at $77,000.
She'd given her 9-year-old Irish Sporthorse, HHS Louis, or Louie, a weekend off to rest for the event but now she was sidelined with broken ribs.
"I'm so disappointed," she said. "The hardest thing is being here and not being able to compete. I've been injured before in a hospital bed but this is almost worse because there's this disconnect. I'm here and feel like I can go."
Not that Forte was sitting around all day.