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.

The Equestrian Workout

Equestrians often times have a very organized plan for exercising and conditioning their horse, but forget they need to do the same for their own body. Like with any sport, it is important to engage in physical workouts to achieve maximum success in training with your horse.  Riding is a workout on its own, but equestrians should build strength in important muscle groups to help improve their skills and position. I discovered years ago that the only way for a 1,000+ pound animal to listen to my commands is to strengthen my body off of the horse. I have put together "The Equestrian Workout", which has brought me great success with my riding.

Posture is extremely important for equestrians. Talent in riding comes from symmetry, balance, stability and coordination in static posture, meaning there is little movement in many of the joints in the body. The muscle action is small range sustained contractions. Riding uses all of the body's main muscle groups, but specifically requires very strong and fit postural muscles. It takes a different fitness to stand or sit in one position for many hours than to move around continuously, because the body fatigues much faster in static postures than in dynamic postures.

Correct Riding Posture

Midsection

A vital part of the body that is so important for correct riding, is the abdominal muscles. Strong abdominals are needed to stabilize the spine and midsection when riding. If the rider is weak in the abdominals he/she will have poor core strength resulting in "bouncing" in the saddle. By using the abdominals the rider ensures his/her balance and center of control, and by shifting the hips to either side cues the horse to move in a certain direction. 

Upper Body

The flexibility of the back muscles is crucial in riding in order to create a deeper seat and suppleness of the pelvis, especially in the sitting trot. If the rider is stiff in the lower back, he/she will brace against the horse and cause him to react. Riders also need to be strong to extend the lower back in the canter and sit as if “glued” to the saddle. Alignment and correct posture are of importance in healthy shoulder mechanics. Sensitive, independent hands are the goal of all classical dressage riders. This is achieved through adequate strength that is evenly balanced as a result of a well-stabilized shoulder girdle and upright posture. Shoulder and back strength allow the upper arms to hang freely.

Lower Body

The thighs, hamstrings, glutes and calves all play an important roll in riding. In the correct thigh position, the thighs are fully rotated inward from the hip joint. To keep your thigh rotated in, you must engage your thigh muscles. Engaging these inner thigh muscles will achieve quietness of the hips and pelvis in the saddle, and help you stay on. The hamstrings are the key muscle to control the lower leg and the seat. The hamstrings are also used for stability, and balance. The glutes play a vital role in controlling not only the hips, but also help coordinate the trunk and leg movement. If the muscles of the glutes are weak, the hip area can become unstable. When riding, the calves rest against the horse's sides and are used for delivering aids by applying pressure to turn the horse or ask him to speed up. 

The Equestrian Workout

I have created "The Equestrian Workout", made up of specific exercises that I found work the muscles needed for riding. I have put together routines using simple props and strength training with my own body weight. There are 3 props that are needed for this workout: A Magic Circle, Gliders, and 5-10 pound free weights. You can do this workout at the gym or purchase the props for at home use. Try to do the workout 3-4 days a week to receive maximum results in your riding.

Part 1: Magic Circle and Glider Routine

Magic Circle Routine

1. Ab Curls: 40

2. Hip Bridges: 40

3. Leg lifts: 15

4. Lying Ring Pass: 15

5. Outer-Thigh Press: 20 each side

Repeat Magic Circle series 2-3 times

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Gliding Disc Routine

1. Gliding Mountain Climber: 20

2. Gliding Leg Crossovers: 20

3. Gliding Arm: 20 (10 each arm)

4. Gliding Curtsy Lung: 20 (each leg)

Repeat Glider series 2-3 times

Click Here to Purchase Gliding Discs

Part 2 "Weight Routine"

Weight Routine 5-10 Pounds

1. Bicep Curl with Squat: 12-15 Reps

2. Upright Row with Sumo Squat: 12-15 Reps

3. Tricep Kickback: 12-15 Reps

4. Over-Head Shoulder Press: 12-15 Reps

5. Bent-Over Reverse Fly: 12-15 Reps

Repeat Weight series 2-3 times

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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!