Coping With Covid As An Equestrian

COVID has taken it’s toll on everyone. The pandemic has challenged the world to find a new normal, and although there is light at the end of the tunnel with vaccines being distributed, it looks like the world that we knew a year ago is not coming back anytime soon. For athletes we have had to find new strategies to continue to advance in our training, and the majority of us have suffered from setbacks due to the effects and restrictions of COVID.

The Challenges COVID Has Had On Equestrians

Training with Iguazu at our facility in California

As equestrians, we are lucky as for the most part our sport is considered an outdoor activity where social distancing is a lot easier to achieve than with other sports. However, like all other sports, equestrians have had to deal with cancelled competitions because they are considered to be events that bring people together, and limitations to access outside training like clinics which are a huge contributor to advancing our training. Equestrians are also suffering from the lack of community to bounce ideas off of and receive feedback. I keep my horse at a small training facility where we wear masks when we are not on horseback and are encouraged to not engage with other riders and to keep social distance as soon as we dismount. Equestrians, like all athletes, are also having a harder time keeping fit with gym and fitness facility closures that our so helpful with our riding positions which is essential to our training. These restrictions have led to my personal setbacks in working through the dressage levels, but I have found coping skills to be able to keep progressing during the pandemic (maybe not at the rate that I would like to, but we are all doing the best we can).

How to progress in your training during the pandemic:

Virtual Lessons and Recording Training Sessions

At my training facility, my trainer invested in auto-follow cameras to provide us with the ability to receive instruction from outside trainers and record our rides. Through this technology, cameras such as the brands Pixio and Pixem (created by the company Move ‘N See which markets to the equestrian demographic), can be setup in a ring and track you as you ride at home while wearing a headset/earbuds to hear the instructor. These cameras offer riders and trainers the opportunity to have virtual lessons and receive instruction from trainers that we would normally receive from clinics that have been canceled due to travel restrictions and social distancing. The auto-follow camera technology is also great for providing instructors who are financially dependent upon giving clinics a revenue stream teaching lessons from their own home without having to travel. A win/win for both riders and trainers during COVID, and so effective that this might become the new normal after the pandemic instead of having to trailer your horse to clinics or bring in outside training. This camera technology also provides equestrians with the opportunity to video themselves in the ring which is an excellent tool to critique our own riding and use video to market ourselves.

Joining an Online Equine Community

The new social app Clubhouse

Because our social interaction with other people has become so limited with the need to social distance, it is important during this time to fill the void of community. As an equestrian I get so much out of bouncing ideas off other riders, and talking to other people about their training and issues they have/are experiencing. Because COVID has prevented us from being able to organically see and interact with other riders, I have found that I am able to fill this void from an online community. I recently joined the social app Clubhouse, which is a brand new social media networking platform. Clubhouse is an audio drop in social network, that provides a place for authentic conversations from people around the world that share topics of interest. I have joined a group called “Equestrian Connect” that currently has 1.5k members, and will take 30+ minutes a day to join a conversation related to horses that might be going on, or join the Equestrian Connect chatroom and have a conversation with other horse lovers about pretty much anything equine related. Clubhouse has been a great tool to give me a diverse, international community of like minded individuals to run ideas by and hear about other equestrians training/businesses and provide my own feedback. Clubhouse is currently in their beta phase and you need to be invited by a member to join. I currently have some invites, so if you are interested contact me under my Contact Page, and if I still have some invites I would be happy to invite you to be a member!

Staying Fit At Home

One of my ways of coping with the pandemic has been to create an at home gym. I realized that for my mental health and also to stay fit as an equestrian, I needed to create a space in my home to be able to workout. With gyms being closed because of COVID, creating a home gym has kept me active and in shape for riding. I have found equipment that is at home friendly and does not take up too much space. I purchased the Tonal for strength training, the Peloton bike for cardio, and the Peak Pilates Fit Reformer for pilates.

Training with the Tonal

The Tonal provides weight training workouts by using electromagnetism to create resistance and mounts to your wall in a remarkably small footprint for a personalized full body workout through their virtual classes.

Training with the Peloton Bike

The Peloton bike is an effective and fun solution for getting my cardio in. The Peloton virtual classes are great for motivation and really get your heart pumping with interval training.

Training with the Peak Pilates Fit Reformer

The Peak Pilates Fit Reformer is awesome for at home use because it incorporates space-saving vertical stacking. Now I can do Pilates from home which is so important for my core strength and riding posture.

If you do not have room to create your own home gym, and/or don’t want to spend the money buying exercise equipment, there are great options you can find online that require no money or equipment.

Pamela Reif’s Workout Videos

I am personally a huge fan of Pamela Reif who offers great fitness videos on her YouTube channel. One of my favorites is her 10 minute ab workout videos which are great for keeping a strong core for riding.

Using This Time To Fine Tune Your Training

As an equestrian each show season we are trying to move up another level. With the cancelled shows last season and the uncertainty of the next show season, COVID provides an opportunity to deal with the issues we tend to sometimes overlook because we are so focused on getting to the next level. As a dressage rider with a young horse, COVID has given me the time to work on my horse’s self carriage, obedience, and my riding position. These things are essential for me and my horse to be successful at the upper levels, and can sometimes be overlooked as priorities in training when riding in the lower levels because we are so focused on learning the new movements our horse needs to know for the upcoming show season. The pandemic is an opportunity to deal with training issues and work on the basics that are essential for having a horse and rider that will receive higher scores at the lower levels and have the proper foundation at the more advanced levels of the sport.

The Pros and Cons of Owning a Stallion

A question that I am asked constantly, “Why do you keep your horse a stallion?”. Because the answer to this question is complex and there is so much controversy when riding and competing a stallion in the United States, I wanted to take the time to explain why I have chosen to not castrate my horse.

Safety is always the Number One Priority

Before addressing this question and talking about the pros and cons of owning and competing a stallion, I think it is important to discuss my background and experience to provide some insight to why I have chosen to not geld my Lusitano, Iguazu. I have been riding horses since I was 4 years old, been competing since I was 12, and have trained with stallions in Spain for almost two years with some of the top trainers in my sport (a very important reason why I have not gelded my horse!). I would categorize myself as an experienced rider and horse owner. As a young rider going through Pony Club, I was taught before anything else, SAFELY COMES FIRST. When I refer to safety this means my personal safety around horses, my horse’s safety, and the responsibility of the safety for other people and horses around me. If you are not familiar with basic horse safety I recommend reading this article on Horse Safety Rules & Safety Manual Guidelines from the American Youth Horse Council, https://www.eqgroup.com/library/horse_safety/. For a more in depth explanation of horse and rider safety I highly recommend the book, “Start with Safety Guidelines” which can be purchased at this link or on Amazon https://www.ayhc.com/product-page/start-with-safety-guidelines.

Safety with Stallions

Horseback riding and handling horses is not something that should ever be taken lightly. Even if you do everything right, at the end of the day horses are unpredictable! You have to always be aware of your surroundings and be thinking ahead of time of all the things that can possibly go wrong. This mind frame is essential for riding and handling a horse on the ground, and even more important when you work with a stallion... a horse that is driven by hormones. A hormonal stallion can be one of the most dangerous horses to handle. Handling and riding a stallion should never be casual as even with the most skilled horsemanship things can go south quickly.

The European Mentality of Dealing With Stallions

Me riding a Lusitano Stallion in Andalusia Spain

So why is it that I take the extra risk to own and compete with a horse that has the potential to be most unpredictable? Part of my answer to this question has to do with my exposure to the European mentality of riding stallions. As I mentioned I had the privilege to ride and train in Andalusia Spain with some of the top trainers in the world. It was very rare to see a high level dressage horse in Spain gelded. Almost all the horses that I trained on were stallions. Very different to the American barns where it is almost unheard of to see a stallion at a training facility. The Spanish and Portuguese have a different mentality of raising their male horses than we do here in the United States. Based upon my experience and knowledge, here are some reasons why the Spanish and Portuguese choose not to geld their horses:

Physical Development of Iberian Horses

In Spain and Portugal the majority of the dressage riders work with Iberian horses who originated from the Iberian peninsula. The Iberian horses in modern day are categorized into 18 horse breeds that are officially recognized as Iberian horses. Two of the breeds have become very popular for dressage competition: the Andalusians (also known as PREs or Pura Raza Española) most communally found in Spain and the Lusitano (also known as PSL or Puro Sangue Lusitano) most commonly found in Portugal. The Iberian horses matures late, towards their sixth year. Because these horses physically develop much later then other breeds such as Warmbloods, Iberian horse breeders and trainers have found that not gelding their horses at the an early age has benefitted their horses to physically mature properly and does not stunt their growth.

Behavior and Socialization of Iberian Horses in Europe

It is known that the Iberian stallions tend to be calmer and more manageable than the warmblood stallions. If you talk to a trainer in Spain they will argue that the Iberian horses are more sensitive and have a better temperament than warmbloods making them easier to remain stallions. Although I find this statement to be a little biased, it proves credible when you go to a barn in Spain or Portugal and see 5 stallions tied up next to one another without behavioral issues (for the record I do not recommend doing this!). From my time training in Spain and the experience of working and owning Iberian horses, I do see how people claim Iberian horses have a good demeanor setting them up to be more manageable as stallions. But, I also witnessed how the Spanish and Portuguese raise and handle their stallions, which is very different then how we raise ours here in America. They are not isolated. They are well socialized and are around other stallions/geldings from a young age. In general, they are not treated as a liability, but simply a horse that requires extra precautions. However, most training barns I visited in Spain had at least one stallion that everyone told you to stay away from because they were too unpredictable. These stallions were only ridden by an advance trainer, and just like humans, I think both nature and nurture played a role in a stallion's behavior. Even if you do everything to raise and train them right, there are just some stallions that will always be just too risky and should not be handled by anyone but a professional.

Cultural Differences

I saw in Spain and Portugal cultural differences in the breeding and training of their horses. I believe these differences have an underlying role in determining whether a culture is oriented towards keeping and training stallions. In Spain and Portugal the equestrian culture is fit for handling and training stallions safely and successfully partially because they are hard on the horses and expect nothing less than good behavior. The training barns have very similar processes and requirements that include specific accommodations (example stalls, turnouts and stallion friendly barns), handling skills of the grooms, and training tactics that meet the needs and priorities of stallions. Not allowing the stallion to inch forward without being in control of the horse, correcting a stallion's behavior while engaging safely with the horse, correcting a stallion when he comes too close into the rider's space by asking him to step back and remain in that safe space, are all examples of critical training methods that stallions require to remain safe. These techniques are not administered casually and the Spanish and Portuguese do not raise stallions without a firm presence. Their horse training methods provide an environment to train stallions properly and they showed me how wonderful working with stallions can be. Americans might consider some of these tactics as a little too harsh, but the stallions need structure and more discipline then geldings and mares.

Treating Horses as Teammates versus Pets

While in Europe, I noticed there was a significant difference between how people treated and interacted with their horses and built their relationships. In Portugal and Spain, horses are viewed more as teammates for recreation and/or work. They are trained and expected to do a “job” together with their rider to achieve training goals.

In America, we often see our horses more as pets or companions. Many Americans are less structured horseback riders than their counterparts in Spain or Portugal and seem to focus on enjoying the horse as a pastime rather than training the horse in a firm systematic way. In my observation, the average amateur American equestrian seems to be less structured and strict with their horses, perhaps because they may seek more relaxation and companionship with their horses rather than achieving aggressive training goals. A more relaxed training schedule and environment is not ideal for most stallions which is partially why we have less success and interest in training them.

Why I have kept my horse a Stallion

After experiencing and working to understand the mentality and uniqueness of the Iberian horses, I can now answer the question of why I have not gelded my Lusitano stallion, Iguazu:

Temperament and Training Tactics

Training with Iguazu at home

I purchased Iguazu when he was 4 years old from a Portuguese breeder/trainer who only worked with Lusitano stallions. From the time Iguazu was born he was raised/trained with the European stallion mind frame which I explained above. He was in a barn with other stallions, turned out daily next to stallions and geldings (with proper fencing and accommodations built for stallion safety), and trained to be a teammate not a pet. This basic but stallion focused training provided me with a manageable young stallion when I purchased him. He understood boundaries and reacted well to his work under saddle. Although there were days when he would be hormonal and distracted, I continued with the European training techniques he was raised with to keep him progressing. This level of training and respect for one another has been beneficial to his growth and taming his hormonal moments to work to our advantage under saddle. The riding skills I learned and use with Iguazu include always being very confident, setting boundaries with my space, focus on the job at hand, and making decisions with conviction to provide my stallion with structured training and handling methods. I can transfer Iguazu’s stallion energy into the training at hand and keep him engaged. My goal with each ride is to have him participate and perform while training so together we can pursue our goal to advance in dressage levels. The best way I can explain it is, I have been successful in channeling his testosterone energy to remain focused and get the job done while training.

Future Breeding Opportunities

Iguazu’s Grandfather Riopele

Iguazu has amazing bloodlines and his grandfather was a world champion in Portugal. What this means for me is that Iguazu has potential to one day be studded out, and I might want to breed him and even keep one of his offspring. When I tell people that this is one of the reasons why I keep him a stallion, the question I am typically asked is, “if you are keeping him a stallion to breed him why don't you freeze his sperm and then geld him?” There are two reasons why I have not decided to just freeze his sperm and geld him if I one day want to breed him. The first is, Iguazu is still a virgin. Based upon stallion knowledge, I do not believe that a stallion who is training and competing should be breeding at the same time. Once you intentionally activate a stallions' sex drive most often the horse's behavior drastically changes. Once exposed to intentional ejaculation the stallion's energy, that I have worked so hard to channel into training, risks being directed towards the mares and engaging in the release of his hormones instead of getting his work done. The second reason... if I decided to freeze Iguazu's semen and then castrate him I would be at risk of losing the well behaved horse that I currently own. I would be releasing a sex drive that he has not yet tapped into only to then take away his testosterone by castrating him. In my opinion, this would change his temperament and create issues with his performance that jeopardize our good training. Now let me be clear, if Iguazu was not a well behaved stallion and I felt uncomfortable around him I would of course freeze his semen and castrate him. Fortunately, he shows no signs of needing to go down that road and is very manageable with the proficient stallion care I practice. When the day comes that I retire him or if he ever gets injured and can not compete, I know that I am preserving the gift of him becoming a stud horse and having a career change as a breeding stallion. From what I observed and learned, it is best not to confuse a stallion that is well behaved and on purpose. Right now, he knows his purpose and we are devoted to training and competition.

Facility and Trainer

Me taking Iquazu in from turnout at facility where I board him in Northern California

Lastly, the reason I want to keep Iguazu a stallion is I have found a wonderful training facility and trainer who understands and welcomes stallions. Iguazu is stabled in a barn with a gelding on either side of him. They really are his buddies and he is turned out safely everyday to socialize just like every other horse in the barn. He has proper fencing on both sides of his stall with electric shocks that provide a safe living situation. Safety measures and the appreciation of the stallion by my trainer and her staff have ensured Iguazu is not looked at as a liability. Often in the U.S. people have a perception that keeping a horse a stallion is cruel to the horse. Well, I will argue any day that if a stallion can live and train in a facility that provides him a good lifestyle in a healthy and safe environment, it can work out as the best scenario for both horse and rider. Iguazu is constantly stimulated, is not looked at as a liability, and receives outstanding care from the staff at my barn and me. I am very lucky to have a trainer that appreciates and embraces a well behaved stallion while understanding his needs and characteristics. She manages her training barn based upon the needs and personality of each horse and has herself extensive stallion experience. If I did not have the right accommodations and trainer for Iguazu, it would be very difficult for both of us to progress with our training and goals and I would constantly be torn with the anguish to geld him. Iguazu's care and well being is the first priority to me and I am very fortunate to have found the ideal environment for him to be a healthy and happy stallion in a dressage training facility. His living and training environment comes close to the successful stallions I was exposed to in Europe and does not isolate and label him as a liability. This only compliments his work and decreases the likelihood that he develop aggressive or dangerous behavioral traits.

The Challenges of Owning a Stallion: Liability of a Hormonal horse

The first and most important challenge to owning a stallion is the extra liability of having an unpredictable horse, and that’s why I started this post with the importance of safety. I always have to remember that Iguazu has the potential to be more aggressive than other horses because he is a hormonal stallion! I am constantly thinking ahead of time of everything that can go wrong! It is my job to prevent putting him or myself in risky situations where something might go wrong. An example, if a mare is being tacked up in the cross ties, I wait until she leaves before tacking up Iguazu or tack him up in his stall. Especially at shows where he is in a new environment, I go out of my way to make certain precautions are in place to not improperly engage him, myself, someone else, or another horse. When I lead him in a situation towards a potential issue, I always put a stud chain on his halter to give me more control over him and his movements. I never interact with him without the proper foot gear, always wear my helmet when I ride him, and carry a dressage crop as a training aid and as needed for discipline. He is never left unsupervised and I plan all my movements on and off the saddle ahead of time to help in risk management.

Respecting other’s Fear of Stallions

Owning a stallion comes with the responsibility to be extra respectful towards other people who might be nervous around a stallion. Practicing first rate barn etiquette and safety is my job. Taking on the responsibility of a stallion also means that I need to respect and be extra conscientious of how people perceive and receive him. I know that the lack of exposure and experience with a stallion can be intimating and others easily fear the unpredictability of a stallion's behavior. I make sure I never walk Iguazu up to someone or other horses unannounced or unchecked and go out of my way to make sure other people and horses feel safe having Iguazu around them. It takes time and patience and understanding as some people want no contact with a stallion. Although he is not an aggressive horse, I always give new comers the heads up he is a stallion and give them the opportunity to find their comfort zone. Taking responsibility for owning a stallion requires extra work and consideration for the boarders at my barn and when I take him to shows. Just because I am comfortable with handling and riding a stallion does not mean that others are or have to be.

Transporting and Showing

Planning ahead of time regarding transportation and accommodations is necessary when you compete with a stallion. When it comes to transporting Iguazu or taking him to shows, I have to go out of my way to make sure he is not close to the mares. This often requires arranging separate transportation and arrival time. Communication and alerting the show grounds ahead of time that I have a stallion is critical to safely boarding away from mares and in a barn that best suits us. . Taking a stallion off property is not an easy mission! I need to make all the necessary arrangements and notify the facility ahead of time to make sure Iguazu travels safely and is in a stall that can accommodate a stallion keeping him and other horses safe.

Conclusion

I want to be very clear, I did not write this post to encourage people to purchase stallions! What I intended was to bring to light some of the challenges and misnomers behind owning a stallion in the U.S. I can remember during my Pony Club and eventing years the discomfort I felt knowing a stallion was being stalled in my barn or at a show. My early horsemanship had me fearing stallions and believing that they were all dangerous. To my own unexpected delight, I have found so much of those early fears to be stereotypical and wrong. I am very grateful I had the privilege to experience the wonders and strengths of owning and training with stallions during my time in Spain for it was through the ancient European horse rearing culture of this country that I was honestly introduced to the stallions. They can be truly wonderful partners when worked with properly. At the end of the day, whether its a mare, gelding, or stallion, it’s essential to find the right horse that fits your experience, needs, personality, and riding goals. And in taking on this partner, It is also your job to provide them with the proper care and training that every horse deserves.

Horse Buying in Spain

I have begun the search to find my four legged Spanish teammate. The best way I can describe this process is it is like going on blind dates. You might know a little about the person, (or in this case the horse), but until you meet them you have no idea if you will have a connection or if what you "know" about them is even true. Horse sellers can give you very appealing descriptions about a horse as well as produce attractive pictures and/or videos, but it is not smart to trust the sellers descriptions.  You need to see, meet, and ride the horse in person. It is very rare that you hear of equestrians finding a high level competition horse easily.  High level, well trained horses with excellent health and conformation with the right mind for competitions are hard to come by. When I went to France to find my eventing horse, I rode over 10 prospective horses and was lucky to find my Hipius the last day of the trip.

I am very fortunate to have been connected with an incredible Spanish dressage competitor and trainer Cristina Duran, who is helping me search for my Spanish horse. Cristina is very well connected and respected in the Spanish dressage community, and is able to find horses that are just coming on the market. Last week, Cristina and I ventured out on a 12 hour journey through the Andalusian region of Spain to view the first two prospects. As I rode each horse, she provided me with instruction and feedback so I could test the horse's training and abilities.

Prospect #1

12 year old PRE Stallion

The first horse we visited was located in a stunning facility. He was ridden by a top notch trainer who trained and studied at the Royal Andalusian School of Equestrian Art. The trainer mounted the horse first to give Cristina and me a demonstration. The horse preformed the majority of the upper level movements, but had not mastered his flying lead changes which are critical for upper level competition. The horse is 12 years old and at this age he should have his tempi changes down.  If the horse were younger this would not necessarily be a concern, but at 12 years old he should already know tempi changes in order to be an elite competitor in the dressage arena.  The horse had incredible collection at the canter, but when I asked him to do a piaffe he was always looking for a way out and did not want to go straight.

He is a sweet horse and willing to please, but because he started his dressage training later in life he did not develop the flexibility and knowledge of the movements typically acquired during early years of training. Another concern was that he has never competed. I need a horse that has been in competitions and is comfortable being in a show environment. The horse was fun to ride and if I were looking for a mount to train in the lower levels of dressage and for pleasure riding, he would be ideal.  But, I am looking for a horse with higher level training, and with the training he has at his age he would not be suited to be a successful high level competitor.

Prospect #2

12 year old PRE Stallion

Cristina and I continued on to see the second prospect which I was very excited about as I saw videos of him and he looked like he had mastered all the upper level movements. After about a three hour drive, we arrived at a small family owned facility. The horse’s owner had a wrist injury and had not been able to ride his horse for three weeks.  Cristina got on the horse first to test him out before I rode him. Cristina is an incredible rider and got the horse to preform the majority of the upper level movements, yet she was surprised how heavy he was in the mouth. She gave me the heads up before I mounted that he pulls. The horse was very heavy in the contact and was constantly bracing on my hands. At one point I had to take a break, as my hands were cramping up from him pulling so hard. The horse had amazing collection and a piaffe that would receive high scores in competition. I was hoping maybe the horse pulling so hard on his mount was a result of him just being rusty from not being ridden in three weeks. The deal breaker for me was not necessarily the pulling, but when I dismounted I noticed a lump on his side. It turns out the horse has melanoma, a type of skin tumor associated with the color of the horses coat, a very common problem in grey Spanish horses. Although these tumors are usually benign, the tumors can keep growing and cause the horse discomfort and more tumors can pop up throughout the horse's life. There is treatment for horses that suffer from melanoma, but the treatment is not available in Spain. The last thing I want is to purchase a horse with preexisting health problems. Finding out the horse has melanoma was a deal breaker for me.

Although I was not successful on my first go around, it was good to get an idea of what is on the market and what questions to ask before going to view more horses. I look forward to round two and know that my future horse is out there waiting for me!

Turning My Passion into My Career

Making my passion my career has always been my life goal. My dream has been to have my horses in my own backyard where I can fully dedicate myself to training, competing, breeding, and loving them. I have made the decision to make my dream a reality and start the process of looking for an equestrian property in Spain.  There, I can run my business and focus on my career as a full-time dressage competitor with the Spanish horses and trainers.

Having an equestrian property sounds glamorous, but is a huge commitment and takes a lot of work. The upkeep and responsibility of keeping horses at your residence can become overwhelming if you are not properly prepared. Unlike boarding your horse at a facility that feeds, mucks their stalls, handles all the maintenance, and deals with issues that can come up with running the facility, all of this now falls on you. Your horses become completely codependent upon you, and you need to make certain you have the right setup to provide the best possible care for your horses including the amenities on your facility needed for your training. As I begin the process of searching for my equestrian property, I need to keep reminding myself what is involved and what sacrifices I will be making choosing this lifestyle.

One of my challenges in searching for an equestrian property in Spain is understanding and complying with Spanish real estate laws. Because I do not speak Spanish fluently, it is important I find a realtor that is fluent in English and has a good reputation; I don't want to be taken advantage of because of the language barrier. I also need to find the right individuals to guide me through the process and understand the inspection process, contracts, and negotiations. Finding a knowledgeable and referable realtor, preferably one that deals mainly in equestrian properties, will ensure I see all listings that fit my criteria  and help me to become fully informed about each available property.  

The next step after finding the proper real estate professionals to work with in Spain, is to decide what I do and do not need. I don't want to get in over my head and have a facility that becomes a money pit and has more space then I  need. Many equestrian properties are set on large parcels that accommodate many horses. For me, the facility is  for personal use and will not be a boarding facility.  I do not need a huge barn, multiple arenas, and/or large pastures. Five horses is the maximum number that I can manage on my own without having to seek outside help. This means that I need to have accommodations for at least five horses which would include a barn that has minimum five stalls, land for paddocks so the horses can be turned out, a dry area to keep feed, and an appropriate area for waste. For me, having a regulation size dressage arena with all weather footing is critical. I need a regulation arena to train properly for competitions with footing that can handle heat and has excellent drainage so I can exercise and train the horses year round.

A Regulation Sized Dressage Arena

Finding a property that fits my space and facilities criteria is not necessarily the most difficult part.  Finding a property that is in good condition and is low maintenance is what will be challenging. Having a rundown facility that needs a lot of work can become a financial and time-consuming nightmare. Dealing with old plumbing, drainage issues, old footing, and broken fences is not something I am willing to take on, as remodeling a facility would be enormously costly and require permits, finding and hiring competent workmen, and managing the project.  All this would take time and money away from training. This is why it is crucial I get every inspection possible to make certain everything is up to code and any repairs that need to be done are disclosed ahead of time.

An Updated Five Stall Barn

I am so excited to find the perfect facility to start my full-time equestrian career in Spain, but knowing this is a huge decision, I need to be patient, do my homework, view all available options in order to set myself up for success. I look forward to sharing my journey of property searching as I embark upon this exciting new chapter.

Off to Find My Iberian Horse

As I discussed in my last post, through a series of events I have made the leap from an Eventer to a solo Dressage Competitor. It was a tough decision as I have been competing at the upper levels in Eventing for 10 years. Having made the change to the solo discipline of Dressage, I need an appropriate horse with which to compete. For the reasons below, I have decided on an Iberian Horse.

The Iberian horses ancestry dates back to 30,000 BC. Cave paintings as old as 20,000 BC have been discovered showing a profile of a horse that looks like the Andalusian. The Andalusians were recognized as an individual Spanish breed in the 15th century calling them the Pure Spanish Horse or PRE (Pura Raza Española). They were used as war horses for the Spanish royalty and kings across Europe rode and owned Andalusians. The breed is known for their strong build and compact yet elegant grace. The Andalusians have an energetic gait and are extremely athletic. Even though the breed is known for its strength, they are not tall horses averaging at 15.5 hands (61.5 inches, 156 cm). One of their distinguishing physical characteristics is having very thick and long manes and tails. Andalusian's personalities tend to be submissive while remaining intelligent and sensitive. They are very quick to learn, responsive, and cooperative in training. In Spain the Andalusian has long been used for bull-fighting. Their courage, agility, intelligence, and ability to turn quickly on the haunches make them ideal for dealing with an angry bull.

An Andalusian, Bull Fighting in Spain

The breed has grown popular in the international competition of dressage, especially over the last 15 years. At the 2002 World Equestrian Games two Andalusians were on the bronze-medal winning Spanish dressage team; a team that went on to take the silver medal at the 2004 Summer Olympics. These accomplishments earned the breed respect in the sport. For a long time Andalusians were controversial in the dressage arena. There was prejudice aimed at the breed by dressage judges creating a widespread lack of credibility.  The breed has a special talent for collection, which is needed in dressage and the ability to turn on their haunches which is required in upper level movements. Their natural collection and turning capabilities has worked against the Andalusian's Dressage image instead of enhancing it.  They have been viewed as an easy horse to ride and train, causing judges to have preconceived notions about the horses before they even begin to preform in the arena.

Spanish Olympic Dressage rider Rafael Soto, competing in the National Championship 2004

The Spanish horse is different from that of the Warmblood breeds (who have dominated the dressage sport) as they have the ability to attain more easily the highest collected movements. Even though the Andalusians could preform the high level movements, consistently they were not given as high scores as fellow Warmblood competitors.  Many judges felt that it came naturally for the breed to preform dressage movements and should therefore not be judged equivalently as dressage Warmbloods, who lacking this natural ability, had to be trained diligently to compete at the upper levels.  Today while prejudice towards the breed in dressage competitions still exists, thanks to the Spanish dressage success in the early 2000s it has greatly lessened.  Since the breed has become more popular and accepted as a top level dressage competitor, today breeders aim to develop their horses to have more of a dressage conformation. Breeders try to give their offspring longer gait extensions to increase their ability to extend their strides. The Andalusian's shortcoming in the sport is the suspension, where the Warmblood breeds excel.

Andalusians are shown and bred throughout the world, while the region of Andalusia in Spain is still the motherland of the breed producing the finest horses. Ancient bloodlines of the Andalusians have been preserved by the Spanish government to protect the breed using selective breeding. A very careful selection program and a very strict breeding code upheld by the Spanish Stud Book, has produced a top quality, sporty and safe dressage horse. The government has focused on breeding a strain of Carthusian Andalusian (also known as Cartujano), which is generally considered the purest Andalusian strain and has one of the oldest recorded pedigree lines in the world.

The Pure Cartujano stallion

I have had the opportunity to ride and train with some Andalusians in the United States, and have fallen in love with the breed. Soon, I will be going to Spain to find some of the best Andalusians, train, breed and compete. My goal is to find a horse that has the capability to compete at the Olympic Grand Prix Dressage level.  I am so excited to immerse myself in the Spanish equine community. I look forward to sharing my journeys as I look to find the hunt to find my Andalusians, and start my training and competing.

Transition from Eventing to Dressage

Three Day Eventing (“Eventing”), is the "Equestrian Triathlon". Eventing consists of three days of competition, in three different disciplines, with the same horse, and one aggregated score. The first day is Dressage, where the horse and rider perform a set series of movements in a specialized rectangular arena, with the goal for the rider to communicate to the horse when, how and where it shall preform a series of intricate and subtle movements. The horse and rider must demonstrate impeccable balance, rhythm, and form. The horse and rider must in effect dance together and are judged by how well they do so. The second day is Cross Country, where the horse and rider must have speed, endurance, and jumping ability over varied terrain and solid obstacles in an open country field setting. The third day is Show Jumping (also known as Stadium Jumping), a timed jumping test in an enclosed ring, where a course must be navigated through colored fences made up of lightweight rails that are easily knocked down at a high speed. 

Eventing is debatably one of the most challenging equestrian sports, as the horse and rider must train in these three completely different riding disciplines, and master each discipline despite their dramatic differences. Eventing can be one of the most dangerous equestrian sports, as the Cross Country event requires the horse to move at very high speeds over solid obstacles. If the horse and/or rider falls, it is on jumps that do not collapse, which has resulted in numerous causalities for both horses and riders.

I started in Eventing at 12 years old. One of my Pony School trainers was an Eventer and quickly immersed me in the sport which I took to immediately. Soon thereafter, I was taken on by a well known French Eventing trainer and my journey into the world of Eventing began. I competed successfully at the upper levels in the U.S, on my Selle Francais, Hipius, who I purchased and imported from France. Five years ago, Hipius was sadly diagnosed with Navicular, a degeneration of the navicular bone in horses hooves, causing me to have to retire him. I stopped Eventing not only because I did not have a horse to compete on, but I also had some serious falls and broken bones, that made me rethink if I still wanted to stay in the sport. I continued to take jumping lessons here and there, but was not committed to looking for my next Eventing horse, and restarting my Eventing career.

Competing with Hipius, in Cross Country 

Most Eventers will tell you that dressage is their least favorite day of competition. Honestly, I used to feel the same. Compared to the adrenaline, speed, and excitement of Cross County, and Stadium Jumping, Dressage can seem like a bore. I used to dread my Dressage lessons as they were the most challenging for me. The intricacies and technical nature of Dressage often left me frustrated.

Dressage is also well known and shown as a sport on its own. It is an extraordinarily complex and multifaceted discipline. The sport requires the horse and rider to perform high level movements that are not required in Eventing Dressage. In actuality, solo Dressage is a completely different discipline than Eventing Dressage.  Solo Dressage requires movements such as multifaceted Lead Changes, Pirouettes where the horse makes a circle with its front end around a smaller circle made by the hind end, Piaffes where it looks like the horse is trotting in place, and Passages where the horse suspends the leg for a longer period of time in the trot. None of these high level movements are required in Eventing Dressage.

An incredible example of a Dressage performance by Danish Olympic Dressage rider, ANDREAS HELGSTRAND, displaying high level Dressage movements.

Two years ago, through happenstance, I took a lesson with a famous Dressage instructor who had me ride a Dressage high level schooling master horse. Up until then I had only competed and trained in Eventing Dressage.  The instructor taught me to do Tempi Flying Changes in which I asked the horse for continuous lead changes at the canter, where it almost looks like the horse is skipping. This one lesson on this one horse had me hooked and was the instantaneous turning point for me from Eventing, to the discipline of solo Dressage. My ultimate goal became to compete in solo Dressage with the aspiration of competing at the Olympic Grand Prix level. 

After that lesson, I had a completely different outlook on Dressage. The sport is an art, and even though it might look to the common eye like it is easy, that is far from the case. The goal is for the rider and the horse to look like they are one being in complete harmony.  It must appear to the judges that the rider is not asking the horse to preform the very difficult movements that are required at the upper levels. The rider’s cues have to be phenomenally precise, and the horse must have the athletic ability and intelligence to move in ways that do not come naturally. I guess it is the absolute precision necessary to preform these high-level movements that got me addicted to the sport. In Cross County and Stadium Jumping I could make mistakes, and they would be overlooked as long as I completed the course in the necessary time. However, in solo Dressage, even the smallest mistake will not be tolerated by the judges. I have made the decision to focus on becoming a solo Dressage competitor. I have so much to learn, but am excited to go on my journey of trying to master the art of the “dancing horse”.

A Day with the Peruvian Paso

I recently traveled to Peru to explore one of the wonders of the world, Machu Picchu. On the fourth night of my trek, I stayed at the lodge Sol y Luna, located in the city of Urubamba in the Sacred Valley. The hotel just so happened to have one of the top equestrian facilities in Peru. Instead of continuing on the trek the next day, I decided to go explore the beauty and culture of the Peruvian Paso Horse. 

Until then, I did not know much about the Peruvian Paso breed. Like many things in South America, the horse arrived in Peru during the Spanish Conquest, tracing their ancestry back to the famous Spanish Andalusian war horses. Originally the breed was used in Peru as a working horse to transport crops from plantations. The Peruvian Paso has a smooth gait and good endurance, making them ideal for long journeys. Over time, breeders in Peru started selectively breeding the horses for their gait, conformation, and temperament, to produce a strong sturdy horse for comfort. A unique trait of the Peruvian Paso gait is “termino” - an outward swinging leg action, originating from the shoulder, in which the front lower legs roll to the outside during the stride forward. Today the horses are shown in performances, demonstrating the elegance of their lifting and gentle gait to the rhythm of the Marinera, an emblematic Peruvian Dance.

Everyday the Sol y Luna has a 35 minute show on the greens outside of their restaurant, demonstrating the Marinera on four of their top Peruvian Paso stallions. The show is led by their star rider Felix, and three of his brothers. During the show the horses dance in formation to Peruvian music. I arrived at the show early, to get a front row seat to the incredible display of the horse's ability to preform, and showoff their gaits.  

Felix and his brothers preforming the Marinera dance

After the show, I visited the barn to introduce myself to Felix, and meet his beautiful stallions. Felix's English consisted of saying "hello", and my Spanish consisted of saying "buenos dias". Even with our language barrier, Felix and I hit it off, and he offered me to ride his prized stallion. Right from the start I could feel the difference in the gait of the Paso. They are not tall horses, but have a lot of spring to their stride. The Paso's trot was easy to sit, and their canter felt like I was floating. After about 5 minutes of riding the horse around in the field, Felix galloped up to me on one of the other stallions, halted, and had his horse rear straight up in the air. The rearing position is called a Pesade, a classical dressage movement where the horse stands on the hind legs with the forelegs in the air. Through demonstration, Felix showed me how to balance my horse with no resistance, and ask the horse to levitate off the ground. Within minutes I was preforming a Pesade. Although my Pesade was not quit at the caliber of a classical dressage movement, it was an amazing experience, and such an unexpected surprise to be able to ride the horse and preform a highlevel movement. Felix and I ended the day with a peaceful trail ride around the beautiful Urubana River.

Felix and I at the end of our ride!