Laura’s extraordinary story: lawyer on workdays, jockey in her spare time

The work of a lawyer is another very important part of Laura’s life. “This profession is interesting because it has many options. I worked for almost five years at the Ministry of the Environment and protected the nature around us, but I wanted to change and improve, so it is a very sensitive area: defending the rights of the smallest members of our society turned out to be an invaluable opportunity to try to work meaningfully. Therefore, I have deliberately chosen the State Service for the Protection and Adoption of Children’s Rights ”, emphasizes Laura.

In addition to being unprepared for a long time, perseverance also comes in handy at work

“My daily job is to help families and children in difficulties. Situations are complex and change does not happen here and now: we are approached with determination, in small steps, each of which has infinite significance. Therefore, only a person who does not give up and believes in the meaning of his work can work in this field ”, says the specialist.

Today, a year after assuming her new position, the lawyer is confident that the work met all her expectations, and what interests her most is that there are no standard situations in the Service for the Protection and Adoption of Minors, each decision is like a new challenge. the life of a person.

The promoter of natural horse breeding is open: at work, the will and perseverance developed in sports help her a lot. In the endurance competitions in which Laura participates, any means of encouraging the horse is prohibited: sticks, horseshoes, etc. The horse must run of its own free will and free will. It is monitored if the horse is not encouraged throughout the competition.

“You can call your horse with a voice or with gentle movements. For a horse to respond to the owner’s voice, it must be very well trained. Learning to control a horse in this way requires infinite patience, says the athlete. “Although the competitions are held only 6-8 times a year in Lithuania, I prepare for them all year round, I drive them in winter, I prepare intensively for spring, the first competition in April.”

The choice of sport was determined by character

Laura does not hesitate to argue why she chose endurance riding: “This discipline promotes extremely responsible treatment of the horse. I am thinking of the fact that in horse farms the customer’s wishes are often prioritized over the horse’s needs while working in Norway. I have seen that the health of the horses is taken care of irresponsibly, inventory is not applied, only the customer is satisfied. This is not acceptable to me, it is bad for the horse. “

The equestrian enthusiast points out that endurance riding is the youngest sport in equestrian sports. It stands out from the crowd in that it evaluates the horse’s welfare very responsibly and, even with the slightest suspicion that the animal is experiencing discomfort or pain, it is not allowed to start the competition.

“It is not the horse that has traveled the established distance, but the one whose heart rate is more likely to return to normal. This shows how healthy and careful the animal is. Upon arrival at the endurance competition, a veterinary control: according to 36 parameters, blood tests brought, vaccination documents, veterinarians examine the horse by grasping it and measure the pressure. If the horse’s back cracks during the examination, this indicates the pain it is experiencing, there may be an uncomfortable chair. In that case, he will not be allowed to start, “says the pilot.

Field work for the girl was an opportunity to control the horse.

Since childhood, Laura’s life is simply a natural and obvious choice, whether in her career as a lawyer, in sports, or elsewhere.

“My family and I lived on a large farm, so the smell of the animals and their closeness was familiar to me and it never stressed me. Horses, cows, sheep, all kinds of birds, they were everywhere when I was a child, ”Laura shares.

The girl also remembers the speeches of her relatives that when everyone got together, her grandfather Kazimieras proudly told that when he came to visit his daughter in the village, he saw the granddaughter who had just started to sit alone in the horse saddle. Aunt Rima, a lover of horses, was only holding her baptismal daughter at the time. The aunt was the man who transmitted Laura’s love for horses. Riding is an aunt’s lifelong passion. He took his baptismal daughter to a cattle ranch near the house in the Garliava area. Laura’s first coach and teacher was Rimas Karmazinas, who continues to work today.
There were not enough workouts for the teenager, she was looking for opportunities to stay with the powerful and intelligent animals that interested her longer. For this reason, he undertook all the agricultural work that required a horse: “From the age of fourteen, I tore the land, dug up early potatoes and even helped my neighbors prepare the plots for the collective gardens in spring.”

When she was a schoolgirl, Laura rode most of the Lithuanian stallions. During his studies, he managed to work in various riding schools in Norway. And after graduating, he bought his first two horses and started professionally in endurance riding.

Without a doubt, trust Pilate

Laura’s horse for Pilato Ollo is now thirteen years old. Above all, enjoy the wonderful connection between the two of them and the horse’s abilities.

“During the competition, the horse runs from 20 to 80 kilometers. And I have absolutely no navigation skills. When my mom found out that I was going to compete, I laughed that when I went out to pick mushrooms I got lost a step away from the car. But I am calm, my Pilot, no matter where I go, if I get lost, he will always bring me back ”, says the pilot.

Laura says that friendship with a horse not only brings her joy, but also restores her peace. When working as an advocate for children’s rights, there are often tense situations where it is necessary not only to legally assess the current circumstances of family situations, but also to try to respond to the best interests of each child. It is a job that requires a lot of responsibility, so it is best to distract yourself or just focus your thoughts when you go out with the pilot.

“Fifth morning, the forest is still burning. I go out into that forest and all I have to do is bend over, just curl up my leg and my horse already knows how to run to the left or to the right for him. Like no other, a horse knows to a person by smell and voice, responding to the tone of the voice. Although Pilot is characteristic, perhaps a little capricious, he gives himself infinitely to the hostess “, – Laura does not skimp on praise for her horse.

Last year, the jockey could not start in the endurance competition. However, two and three years ago, Laura Šarkė’s last name was in the top ten in the Lithuanian Equestrian Federation ranking of endurance cyclists. Even so, the interviewee emphasizes that although she starts with professional cyclists, riding is only her hobby: the priority is the work and achievements of the defender of children’s rights.