Thisarticle is written by NF guest blogger Annika McGivern.The pursuit of high-performance is the pursuit of excellence. In equestrian sport when you picture someone striving for high-performance, you may imagine thousands of hours in the saddle honing physical skills and hundreds of hours of lessons with experts mastering the technical and tactical aspects of the discipline. You likely imagine effort, sacrifice, and the partnership with the horse. But what about the riders mind? Do you imagine them training their mental fitness? Your mental fitness determines how skilled you are at managing your thoughts, emotions, beliefs, and behaviours. Today, we have the privilege of understanding more than ever before about the mental training required to reach the highest levels of equestrian sport and everyone can use that knowledge to hone their personal path to high-performance.To sustain motivation, effort and confidence throughout the many years it takes to achieve high-performance in equestrian sport, certain characteristics such as perseverance, self-awareness, and a desire to keep learning are essential. Luckily, we all can nurture and hone these characteristics within ourselves it all starts with understanding our beliefs. In my work as a Mental Performance Consultant, I have helped hundreds of equestrians examine and re-structure their beliefs to create more consistent results. In my personal experience as an equestrian athlete, I have seen first-hand how re-writing your beliefs can not only improve results, but also bring back confidence and the fun of competition. In this article, I will explain what a belief is, and why they are so central to high-performance. Ill break down several common beliefs that hold us back, and leave you with examples of high-performance beliefs that, if adopted, will positively impact your efforts for years to come.So, to start what is a belief?A belief starts as an idea. If this idea is reinforced through our experiences, it will eventually become something that feels true about ourselves or about the world. For example, someone may believe that most people are kind, and another person may believe that most people are trying to take advantage of you. These two different beliefs create very different ways of thinking about, and relating to, the people around us. Beliefs, once formed, impact our thoughts and emotions daily. The fascinating thing about beliefs is we experience them as reality, and yet they are simply an idea, or a story that has come to feel true. Recognizing this allows us to become a little pickier about the ideas we give power to.Beliefs are powerful, in part, due to an interesting effect called Confirmation Bias, which refers to the brains tendency to search for, prioritize, and more easily remember the information and experiences that confirm or support what we believe is true. In this way, our daily thoughts and experiences are shaped by our most deeply held beliefs. If I believe Im not good enough as a rider, I am likely to interpret my mistakes as confirmation of that belief. I am also likely to attribute any success to luck or give the credit to other people (or my horse!).Beliefs form the foundation for high-performance.Beliefs are so fundamental to our habitual thinking and sense of reality that it can be strange to see them as something we can choose for ourselves. But that is exactly what we need to do reach for our fullest potential. Remember that high-performance requires us to be persistent, self-aware, and prioritize learning. Well, whether our daily thoughts and actions align with these characteristics is largely down to our beliefs. It is possible, and common, for riders to unknowingly hold beliefs that slow down, or limit their progress. These are called Limiting Beliefs. Remember, at its core any belief is simply an idea that has come to feel true. Sometimes, we just need a little help seeing why and how these ideas are not actually true (or limiting us), and a little help discovering the ideas that support high performance striving.Lets look at some examples of commonly held limiting beliefs and their high-performance belief counterparts.Common Limiting Belief #1: Im not good enough.I work with many riders who hold the belief that they arent good enough as riders, usually because they feel other people dont believe in them, they arent getting good enough results, or theyre struggling more than they think they should be. Rider are likely to give up prematurely when they hold this belief.Heres a different idea that is central to high-performance: good enough is not determined by results, other peoples opinions, or anything else that we have no control over. Good enough is determined by something far simpler how we choose to show up every day. Here are three examples of principles that truly determine good enough.You keep showing up and giving it 100% of what you have. This is easier said than done and will have an enormous impact on our progress.You manage your mistakes well. Mistakes are unavoidable, and the real key to progress is to become skilled at recovering from them quickly and learning everything we can in the process.You stay connected to your values and purpose. Competition and other challenging endeavours are not always fun. Riders who are clear on their values and purpose can stay more focused and consistent throughout the ups and downs.None of these things are easy to do, but they are all completely within our control. Choosing to believe that these principles are the true definition of good enough leads to the empowering high-performance belief that we are in control of being good enough.Common Limiting Belief #2: Ill believe in myself whenIts common for riders to believe that self-belief (the experience of being sure of ones ability) will magically arrive when theyre finally successful. The problem is that they never seem to arrive at that magical moment and are therefore stuck in a never-ending cycle of self-doubt.Heres the high-performance idea: Self-belief is an active choice, not a passive consequence of success. Imagine if you chose to wake up every day and fiercely protect your belief in your ability to learn, grow, and succeed, regardless of what was happening in your life? This idea leads to the high-performance belief that every individual is ultimately responsible for, and in control of, their own self-belief and as such special attention should be paid to the way we speak to and about ourselves every day.Common Limiting Belief #3: Mistakes should be avoided to protect my imageA rider who believes that making a mistake or failing in competition means they dont have enough talent, will usually start avoiding or dreading challenging situations that put them at risk of things going wrong. This happens because the experience of mistakes and failures becomes so upsetting that they are motivated to avoid situations where they might have to face those feelings. The important thing to recognize here is that the root cause of their distress is not the mistake itself, but their belief about mistakes.Here's the high-performance idea about mistakes: Mistakes are unavoidable and essential to growth. Mistakes are not to be feared or avoided, but rather managed to the best of our ability. This idea leads to the high-performance belief that the goal is to manage all mistakes well by recovering quickly from them and learning everything possible before moving forward.An important related idea here is this: I will never be done learning, and the pursuit of continuing learning in the key to my success. High performers never want to be done learning, and therefore never stop pushing into the discomfort of developing new skills and making mistakes.Lets summarize the high-performance beliefs covered in this article.Good enough is determined by the daily actions you have control over.Every individual is ultimately responsible for, and in control of, their own self-belief.Mistakes are essential to progress. Manage all mistakes well by recovering quickly from them and learning everything possible before moving forward.I encourage you to start playing with these high-performance ideas. Try them out and experience the shift in your thinking and emotions for yourself. When you apply these ideas consistently, youll see a shift in the wayyou see yourself and the process of striving for high-performance. Youll notice a boost in your confidence, consistency, self-awareness, and desire to learn. When you create high performance beliefs, conformation bias begins to work in your favor, and you are able to see your progress more clearly. With time, these ideas will start to feel true and become your new foundation for high-performance striving.If you'd like to learn more about how to support your mental game, check out ourour Masterclass with Dr. Jenny Susser.About the Author:Annika is a Mental Performance Consultant who works with Equestrians to build confidence and develop key mental skills to support competence and progress in the saddle. Having grown up as a Three-Day Eventer in British Columbia, Canada, Annika worked internationally in eventing and show jumping after graduating high-school as a groom, rider, and coach in Ireland, Australia and America. During her riding career she encountered Sport Psychology and was fascinated by the impact it had on success in horse sport and so, after completing her Equine Canada Competition Coach certification, Annika returned to school to study psychology. Today, with an MSc in Sport and Exercise Psychology, Annika works with riders and other athletes to understand and build mental fitness for sport and performance. Her philosophy of practice is grounded in the science-backed tools and methods of performance psychology, and theoretical frameworks such as Cognitive Behavioural Coaching, Positive Psychology, and Solution Focused Coaching. Annika is a professional member of the Canadian Sport Psychology Association. Find out more at www.annikamcgivern.com or on instagram: @annikamcgivern.performance.

This blog is written by NF guest blogger Helen Townes.Pregnancy is life-altering and brings dramatic changes: your body, those ginormous prenatal vitamins, and endless OBGYN office visits, among others. But pregnancy doesnt have to come between you and your love of horses.Whether you choose to ride, or wait it out on the ground, there can be many benefits of carrying on with your barn routine: bonding with your horse, maintaining your fitness, preserving a sense of normalcy and routine, and connecting with your barn mates.Lets take a deeper look at how pregnancy might affect your time in the saddle, how to decide when it's time to stop riding, and what precautions to take if you decide to continue to ride. Well share stories about riding while pregnant, and present options for staying connected with your horse beyond climbing aboard during those nine months.What to Expect When Youre (a Rider Whos) ExpectingWhen you first find out youre pregnant, its important to consult your physician before deciding to ride. Pregnancy will change how you feel in the saddle, even as early as the first trimester, says Wendy J. Smith, MD, MPH, a board-certified obstetrician/gynecologist who has been practicing in Portland, OR since 1995.If you know how to ride, and how to ride well, you are not likely to be doing anything in the first or early second trimester that will cause trauma, she emphasizes. Especially in the first trimester, Dr. Smith added, the uterus is down low in the pelvis, and its well protected by the pelvic girdle, so theres very little risk.Most riders will see significant changes during their pregnancy in how riding feels, however, Dr. Smith points out. Hormonal changes and increased body fluid volumes might lead you to feel more tired and breathless even in early pregnancy and may affect your concentration and focus. As your body works overtime in pregnancy, measures of physical exertion can change as well; you might see increases in your heart rate and rate of breathing during activity, and its more important than ever to stay hydrated and nourished. You may have ligament laxity in the joints surrounding the pelvis, which can contribute to soreness and an increased risk of joint injury.Its during the third trimester that there is a heightened risk, Dr. Smith emphasizeseither to the expectant woman herself, who may experience pelvic discomfort from increased elasticity, or to the fetustrauma in a fall during these last three months could cause a placental abruption or even pregnancy loss.Naturally, there are warning signs to stop riding at any stage of pregnancy. The Athlete Health and Safety page of the Federation Equestre Internationale (FEI) addresses Horse Riding While Pregnant with a list of symptoms you should never ignore:Excessive shortness of breathChest pain or palpitationsFainting or dizzinessPainful uterine contractions or preterm laborLeak of amniotic fluidBleedingExcessive fatigueAbdominal painPelvic girdle painReduced fetal movementBreathlessness before exerciseHeadacheMuscle weaknessCalf pain or swellingDr. Smith acknowledges that the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists generally recommends avoiding horseback riding during pregnancy, but she has a balanced view. I think every woman can make her own choice. I would never tell a patient not to ride, as long as they understand the risks.Conversations About Riding During PregnancyMy biggest piece of advice to a woman thinking about riding while pregnant is to listen to your body, assertsHolly Coetzee, a British-born, Two Star international show jumper based in the United Arab Emirates. Since attending university in the UK and receiving a degree in Equestrian Sports Science, Holly has lived and worked as a trainer in Dubai.Holly has ridden and trained clients throughout two pregnancies, competing until she was 20 weeks in her first trimester, and hacking well into her third trimester during her pregnancy with her first son, Teddy. For my second pregnancy [with Oliver] I unfortunately was much sicker during the first trimester and needed to be hospitalized. This obviously meant no riding. Once the sickness improved at around 20 weeks, I did get straight back to riding, she remembers. I was able to continue light schooling and hacking comfortably until week 36.I am sure keeping physically active and mentally happy was only a positive for both of my pregnancies, Holly added. Being pregnant is really hard, so whatever keeps you feeling good, mentally and physically, can only be considered a positive in my opinion.Kendall Bourgeois, head trainer at hunter/jumper barn Imagination Lane in Sherwood, OR, is an upper-level hunter/jumper competitor and was able to ride through her entire first trimester of her pregnancy with her daughter Alison, who was born in May 2023. Kendall competed at the 2022 Desert Holiday competition at Desert International Horse Park in Palm Springs, CA late in her first trimester. After that competition she took a break from showing herself but still supported her clients and their horses.I went from riding five or six horses a day to riding one or two, mostly the senior citizens and safe horses, Kendall says. But I was able to stay really active through my whole pregnancy. Even at Thermal in March I was still lunging horses and doing a lot of other things. Kendall felt supported by her barn community, and even by her doctor, although she admits she didnt encourage me to ride. She did her jobshe shared the risks of riding and let me make my own decision.Veteran West Coast trainer Lynne Dennis runs Silver Winds Farms, a hunter/jumper training barn in Banks, OR. Lynne rode through the seventh month of her pregnancy with her daughter Chelsea, now 33. Lynne decided to take a break when my belly was touching the pommel when I was posting! she laughs. Lynne admits that she did fall off once while jumping when she was six months pregnant. I had an old-time country doctor, and when I called him, hysterical, he just chuckled. He didnt tell me not to ridehe just said dont fall off again!And its okay to acknowledge that riding may just get downright uncomfortable as your pregnancy progresses. Amateur rider Kate OHara shared in a 2021 Equestrian Voices podcast with Noelle Floyds Caroline Culbertson, I felt comfortable riding through the first trimester [to] keep flatting and hacking but probably stop jumping because my horse is a little green, she said. I stopped a little sooner than I planned, because it just started to feel like it wasnt the right fit for me. I was tired, a little nauseous, and I just felt like I had a hangover all the time.Some Safety Equipment and Tips to ConsiderNaturally, its a no-brainer that one should always wear a protective helmet while riding, pregnancy or not. Additionally, there are Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) options for pregnant riders to help ensure their safety. Riding vests can be adjusted to fit a pregnant rider comfortably and provide necessary protection (make sure to consult the vest manufacturer to confirm if this is the case for your vest first). Maternity support belts can offer extra support for the back and abdomen during riding.Lynne has additional suggestions for pregnant riders. Is your horse spooky? Dont be too proud to have the pro ride your horse and move to a lesson horse, she points out. Also important, she says, is to stick with what you know best. Dont start something new, jumping, for example, or endurance riding. Its not the time to try something youve never done before on a horse when youre pregnant.Holly adds to this, saying If you are feeling tired or sore, dont make yourself ride. If you get on and feel pain anywhere, dont push it that day, she urges fellow riders. I found that some days I would feel fantastic and able to even jump my horse with no issues, and some days even moving out at the walk caused soreness in my pelvis, so those days I just had a short ride and called it a day. I also would dismount onto a tall mounting block once I reached around 30 weeks, to avoid jumping down off my horse.Kendall has coached her own clients through pregnancies, and says theyve been very sensible about riding while pregnant. One client was very decisiveshe told us how long she was planning to ridebut she was also very cautious, and would stop if it was too hot, or if her horse was being naughty. There can always be compromisesif youve been jumping, then stop, and stick to riding horses who are more on the safe side. Its different with everyone.Choosing a Nine-Month HiatusWithout Losing Your Equestrian IdentityFor some equestrians, especially those who have a high-risk pregnancy, dont have access to horses they trust completely, or just dont want to take the risk, a break from riding is the best choice.Equestrians should remember that there are many safe alternatives to riding while pregnant. Groundwork exercises with your horse are very beneficial and can significantly improve your relationship with your horse. In good weather, it's enjoyable to walk your horse, hand-graze them on a lead rope, and appreciate nature from the ground.Grooming is another way to (relatively) safely spend time at the barn with your horse while your abdomen is growing. Maybe this is when you learn to braid your horses mane and tail for your next post-pregnancy show!Lynne remembers a client who was hoping to ride through most of her pregnancy with her second child. She started having breakthrough bleeding early on and stopped riding immediately. But she still got her horses ready for other riders and watched them ride. She mucked out stalls. She spent just as much time at the barn as she did before.The Choice is Personal OnePregnancy and having children is a transformative journey that brings about significant life changes, but it doesnt have to end your identity as an equestrian. If you choose to ride through some, all or take a break from riding, the choice is entirely personal.I think clients and I have always been able to know when it was time to stop, Lynne says. There will always be lots of time to ride after you have that baby!. Dont forget, the time spent being pregnant is a relatively short period of time in the grand scheme of things, so dont put any undue pressure on yourself.Another way to stay involved and continue your own education during those nine momentous months is to sign up for a NF Equestrian Masterclass membership. With course offerings from the world-renowned equestrian experts including (but not limited to) Tik Maynard, Boyd Martin, Laura Graves, and Karl Cook, youll have access to over 50 in-depth online courses, guided rides, and training programs. Think of it as "pregnancy homework": you'll get back to riding post-pregnancy armed with new knowledge and confidence.About the AuthorHelen Townes is a writer and editor based in Portland, OR, and holds a masters degree in journalism. She rides her Hanoverian Joey at Silver Winds Farms, a hunter-jumper barn in Banks, OR, and enjoys spending time with her family, watching soccer, and reading.

This blog is written by Equestrian Masterclass member Grace Wilkins Maxwell.When I started back riding as an adult, I made a deal with myself: I was going to buy a house and have a family before I bought a horse, because I was worried once I was fully back into the horse world, I might never prioritize my real adult goals. I wanted to get my feet under me first, and then Id buy a horse. Then I had my son and bought three horses in the span of a year. Whoops. I finally had the finances to make it happen and a program I felt good about. My vision of how horses fit into my life was finally coming into focus. I had a foal, who was my 5-6 year plan, and when the horse I was leasing turned out to want a different job, I just so happened to talk to a local breeder who had a three year old who sounded like he would make a great adult amateur horse one day - I bought him and named him Nugget. It was perfect.I had one horse for now, one horse for later, and then later on, one horse for my son.Now, 4 years later, it hasnt really played out the way I intended. I think the biggest challenge I had with becoming a mom was that the second the world knew I was pregnant, my identity suddenly shifted to being in the context of how I related to another human being. It felt like everyone had the expectation that I would of course sacrifice anything in service to a healthy baby because thats what I was now: a mom. I knew my priorities would shift, and I love my son, but I grieved the loss of a life where I existed for who I was as a person and that was enough. As horse people, horses are our identity. Theyre in our bones, sometimes figuratively and sometimes quite literally, traced in lines of old fractures that we wear as a badge of honor. So much of equestrian sport heralds the true horse(wo)man as the person who is willing to give the most and sacrifice the most and do the most, and suddenly you have a small human to prioritize. And I have just had to give that up.Personally, I struggled immensely (and still do) with the sense that even though I was doing so much I was on the brink, it still wasnt enough. I still didnt have time to rub Nugget down with my old sisal cactus cloth that used to be part of my routine, even when it meant I missed bedtime with my son to go ride after everything was handled at 9 pm when it was below freezing. Everyone got less than they deserved, and what used to fill me up started to feel like something that was just another thing for me to fail at because there was not enough of me to go around.So, I gave up for the first time. A little bit. In the winter of 2022, I flew down to WEF and met up with Val Renihan and Chris Strucker, who encouraged me to get out of the house and come where its warm and horse show. At no point in my riding career beforehand would I ever have thought to show a horse I just met, or find a program where I could meet said horse at the mounting block and dash off to take a work call as I handed the reins to someone else (who would then care for the horse impeccably, and do all the things I couldnt do these days with the million directions I am pulled in all day) but I did, and it was incredible. I got to enjoy horses in the capacity I was capable of, and the team reminded me that I was just as much of a real horseperson as I ever was, even if that looks different these days. It took me a while to believe that truth, and to be honest some days I still dont, but it was amazing to have horses feel the joyful, and not feel like a battle against the windmills of reclaiming my identity in the context of a life that just does not allow for it any longer. Maybe Im less of a horsewoman right now because Im more of other things. 16 year old me would be horrified, to be sure. Ive had to do the mental work to get to a place where Im ok with that. I try to find joy in the parts that I can participate in, which realistically means that I cant ride a lot and when I do, its going to a horse show where I can block off the time to go immerse myself in my old identity and everything that goes with it. I still own my young stallion, who has been a joy to watch develop even if its from farther away than I would like. Nugget is now living his best life with a little girl who can come ride more often than I could. On the other side of things, Camp is now in speech therapy, and he also got kicked out of preschool for being a three year old delinquent (turns out leading the class in an original song called no naps isnt the kind of leadership thats appreciated in that context) and hes also taking swim lessons and oh of course I also have a job that never really turns off.But what Im learning is the more I give up on my plans and my old arbitrary rules on what I had to do and who I had to be, the more room that Ive been able to make for what I CAN to and who I WANT to be. In the moment, that sometimes felt, and feels, like failure, but its also always inevitably opened the door to something new that brings me joy in the present. Truth is, an identity is never just one thing, and youre never just one person, and nothing could have taught me that lesson better than being both a mom and a horseperson.

This month, were going to be taking a deeper look at stories that center around horses and mindset, be it dealing with injuries, juggling horses and life, or making difficult decisions in moments of high pressure.To kick off our series, we sat down with Equestrian Masterclass member Carolyn Naoroz, an adult amateur rider who spent her formative years in the high stakes, high pressure world of professional dance. When an injury cut her career short, she eventually found her way to horses as a means to channel her energy. Read her story of what she initially faced as a relatively new adult rider to the sport, and how she needed to constantly adjust her mindset throughout her journey as different roadblocks appeared, including a new, debilitating injury that came completely out of the blue.Sophie Coffey: As a former professional dancer, whats your relationship been with injuries, and where were you in your riding before this latest injury occurred?Carolyn Naoroz: I was in some sort of dance training from the age of 3 through the age of 23, very intensely from the ages of 10 - 23 in pre-professional and professional programs. I had to retire from dancing when I developed tendonitis in both of my knees, which was due to wear and tear and wasnt something that could just be fixed at that point. At that point, I realized that the future I had been training for all of my life was no longer going to be a reality, and that was a major mindset shift I had to go through at that point. It was an extremely complicated process to go through at such a young age, and while it took me a few years to figure out where to put all of the energy I had channeled into physicality. I took the path of refocusing it into intellectual pursuits, doing the same sort of mental gymnastics that I had done physically with my body before.But after I got my PhD, I knew that I had to do something to put my energy towards, and I said to myself, you know, Ive always wanted to seriously ride horses. I think its time for me to tackle that pursuit. I was 34 at the time and had always been a lifelong horse lover, but had never been able to do anything with it as a kid because all my time and focus was spent on dancing. I finally decided to join a hunter show barn, went in knowing nothing except it had been a dream to own a horse, and thats where I wanted to end up.Coffey: What goals had you set for yourself in the saddle prior to your most recent injury?Naoroz: After the first few years of taking lessons, then leasing, then purchasing my first horse Perkins and being in a show barn environment, my goal was to be able to have a clean 2 hunter course and be able to enjoy showing without getting nervous. In fact, my nerves were the largest hurdle to achieving my goals, my old dancing injuries didnt affect my riding at all at the time, but the mental aspect of being in the show ring was daunting. As someone who is not afraid of being in front of people or performing, my nerves were all around the inherent dangers of riding, especially as someone whose body is already compromised in some ways from my background. The mental game was very present and wrapped up in those goals pre-injury.So the struggle pre-injury was very much the mental game, and I worked with a lot of professionals to try to get my mindset to a place where I could not have debilitating nerves, which is what I was experiencing: the sort of nerves where you freeze and you cant do the things you know you need to do to perform and stay safe in the saddle.Coffey: It sounds like your goals were realistic and you were on a set path to attain them, so what happened when the physical piece started to interfere with your progress?Naoroz: I had never had sciatica before, and it started off in my left leg, which is the leg you use to mount up with and needs to be weight bearing and on a moveable balance point in the stirrup iron. It started off feeling like pain across my glute where the peraformice muscle is (my dance background does help because we had to learn anatomy so we could be very specific in telling the masseur or body workers where we had pain after a performance or rehearsal). It started to be just a dull pain that I could ride through, but very quickly escalated into, Wow, I cant stand, I cant be weight bearing on that leg. It was absolutely mind blowing for me. It first presented in August of 2023, and by the end of the month, I couldnt even drive. I couldn't be comfortable at all unless I was laying down flat on my back. And when I stood on it, it was the worst pain I had ever felt in my entire life, which is saying something considering my background as a dancer and all of the injuries Ive had over the years from that.Coffey: What was going on in your head as you were talking to doctors and trying to figure out a path forward? What was your initial mental state and how were you having to rethink things?Naoroz: Initially when trying to diagnose an injury like this, you have to go through a process. First, you get X-rays, then they prescribe physical therapy, then you have to get an MRI, and there were months between each of these appointments. I was also doing acupuncture to address it, and at first every new approach gave you hope, but then you are just in pain for so long without being abel to do the things you normally do that it gets very dark.For example, my husband would have to drive me to the barn, and I would lay in the back seat of the car and have Perkins walked over to the car just so I could see him, because I couldnt even make it down the barn aisle to see him. And this was when I had just purchased another horse, Roya, who we had just brought home. I had a total of 5 rides on her before my injury set in, so the other mental thing in this was, I was so excited for this new partner, to get to know her and learn together and see what sort of horse she was, and now all of that was on hold without any guarantee that it would come back.By the end of September with no real diagnosis, I was in a downward spiral for sure.Coffey: When did things start to turn the corner for you?Naoroz: In the beginning of October when I went in for the MRI, we finally found the root of the problem, which was disc degeneration and a herniated disc in my lumber spine between S1/L5, and L5/L4. All of that was from my years as a dancer, and was just the wear and tear that comes with that life when your primary shock absorber has been put under that amount of pressure.When we finally figured out what it was, my main concerns were how can we treat it and when can I get back in the saddle. My goals had changed to the point where I just wanted to sit in the saddle again, regardless of what I could do once I got up there. I just wanted to be able to stand and groom, and I couldnt even do that piece.Coffey: Once things were diagnosed and a treatment plan was in place, did your goals and mindset shift at all from where it was before your injury?Naoroz: I will say that I was very lucky that even though physical therapy didnt help and nerve pain medication didnt help, the injections that I received at the end of November (just as you would inject a horse thats having a problem), I did slowly start feeling better. I was still very weak in my left leg, and will probably always be a little weaker in that left leg, but really by the time I got to Christmas I was just thrilled that the doctors cleared me to get back in the saddle at all.I was just thrilled to have horses back in my life at all. I was also very lucky that my longtime partner Perkins was still there to help me through it. We had decided to sell Roya since I just didnt know what my long term future would be like and she deserved an owner who could really devote time to riding and bonding with her, there were just too many unknowns. But I knew that Perkins would take care of me and be the horse to help me come back.The goal for me once I started riding again was to figure out my new baseline, and if it was what I could do before, which was walk/trot/canter and jump some crossrails. Today, I am definitely at that baseline and beyond. I legged myself back up just the way you would leg up a horse - I started with tack walking, increased the time, then added in some trotting, increased the time, etc It took a while, but it was worth it since no outside physical therapy can really recreate the fitness that comes with being in the saddle.The most amazing thing though was that through that legging up process, I found that I no longer had that debilitating fear in the saddle. The limitations that I felt pre-injury went away. I found myself thinking, I dont care about getting hurt while riding, as long as my injury is gone, I want to do this no matter what level Im at - this is where I want to be. Sitting on the sidelines for 6 months made me realize how much I wanted to do it, and that overcame whatever anxiety I had previously felt about it. Now when I have nerves or a moment or panic, I just take a breath and keep going. Tonya Johnston says that you have to want it more than you fear it, and I really think that this time of being injured and now knowing what I would be able to do coming back from it changed my mindset to, If I feel good, Im riding. Nothing is going to hold me back.If you are having challenges with your mindset, Equestrian Masterclass offers several courses which could help, some of which Caroline herself took and recommends:Tonya Johnston Teaches How to Be a Consistent RiderDr. Jenny Susser Teaches How to Control Fear and AnxietyAnnette Paterakis Teaches Becoming a Confident RiderOr, start your two week free trial!* image credits to Fine Run Photography and Carolyn Naoroz

NOLLE FLOYD is seeking a savvy Paid Media Specialist to join our dynamic team on a part-time basis! The Paid Media Specialist will play a crucial role in our overall paid ads strategy via implementation, optimization, and creative input. If you have a passion for equestrian sports and a background in paid advertising, this is the role for you!Job Title: Paid Media SpecialistLocation: RemoteJob Type: Part-Time (7-10 hours a week average)Key Responsibilities:Work with marketing team to develop and execute comprehensive advertising strategies on digital advertising platforms, namely including Meta and Google, to achieve company objectives, including generating sales, increasing brand awareness, and driving website trafficWorking cross-departmentally to align campaign strategies and goals across the organizationConduct in-depth keyword and website research, ad grouping, and audience targetingMonitor performance of paid media campaigns via Hyros and optimize accordinglyMake recommendations for additional paid advertising opportunities that align with business objectivesGive input on creative assets for top ad performanceQualifications:Experience and in-depth knowledge of Meta Advertising, Google Ads, Google Analytics, and additional paid media platforms and toolsA willingness to experiment and push the boundaries of creativity in the paid ads spaceA passion for equestrian sports and a solid understanding of how NOLLE FLOYD fits into the equestrian spaceExceptional attention to detail and the ability to work independently, meet deadlines, and manage multiple projects simultaneously.Excellent communication skills, as you will collaborate with our remote team.Availability to work part-time hours in a remote setting, with a flexible schedule.About NOLLE FLOYD:Launched in 2012 as a blog, NOLLE FLOYD is one of the most recognizable equine media brands in the world. With the major success of their educational platform, Equestrian Masterclass, and the overwhelming response to the launch of their podcast, Equestrian Voices, NOLLE FLOYD is now considered to be the fastest growing equine media company in the industry.Known for high production value, award-winning digital media products, innovative storytelling and relatable content, NOLLE FLOYD is leading the charge when it comes to equine media content. Our leading product, Equestrian Masterclass is focused on offering online equestrian education aimed to empower riders with the tools to be the best rider they can be.Collaborating with some of the best teachers, clinicians and minds within the equestrian world, Equestrian Masterclass has become one of the leading platforms in online equestrian education and #1 in North America.Equestrian Voices, launched in 2021, now ranked #1 in the world for equestrian podcasts. Our three time award-winning podcast dives deep into the emotions, lives and stories of equestrians. Each episode brings the intention of heart-felt and meaningful conversation about the realities of riders from all backgrounds. Hosted by Caroline Culbertson, our podcast gets to the 'human' of all horse people.How to Apply:If you are enthusiastic about the equestrian world and possess the skills and passion to contribute to NOLLE FLOYD's excellence, please send your resume, and a cover letter detailing your relevant experience and why you are the ideal candidate for this position to hiring@noellefloyd.comNOLLE FLOYD is an equal opportunity employer, and we encourage candidates of all backgrounds to apply.

When I bought Azul in the fall of 2021, I did so with the intention that she would be the horse that would make all of my dreams come true. She was young, beautiful, well bred (and the "right" breed - Oldenburg), talented, and sweet. When I brought her home, I immediately went about moving forward to achieve all of the goals I carefully mapped out prior to her purchase. I've always been someone who strives to achieve, and riding was no different. I had a strict plan, and managed her daily routine as closely as I possibly could. If she came in with so much as a teeny bump, I cold hosed and inspected and wrung my hands. If a ride went poorly, so did the rest of my day. There was very little, if any, separation between my life and my riding.Ultimately, despite all of my planning and monitoring and oversight, her career ended a year after I purchased her with a heartbreaking suspensory diagnosis that despite careful and vigorous rehab didnt heal enough for her to be riding sound. All of my goals and dreams abruptly ended. We found her a soft landing back with her breeder, and shes now living her best life in a huge Florida field.The culmination of the experience left me broken, and it took me a full year of watching horses on the sidelines before I decided to take a dip back into horse ownership. Part of my hesitation was centered around the fact that calling a horse my own, while rewarding, also felt exhausting. I remembered the constant worry about injury or a set back in my training routines. I hated pinning the quality of my life on the quality of my riding, and deciding whether a day was good or bad based on whether my ride was good or bad. The year without owning a horse allowed me to get back into running, reading, and other passions that I hadnt had time for while Azul took up all the free space in my mind and life.On the other hand, I truly missed having a horse to call my own and have my own special bond with. As riders, we all know there are few things more rewarding than calling our horses names and having them run across a field to greet us, or whinny as they hear us entering the barn. There is just something magical about being a horses person.With that reasoning in mind, I purchased a lovely off the track Thoroughbred named Testa, not because I have goals for my riding, but because I want a fun relationship with a horse. I am keeping him in a training program that specifically caters to these wonderful athletes transitioning into second careers, and my role is to be there for him and support him and brush him and just generally spend time with him. My only goal is for him to be a happy, well adjusted horse, and my aspirations in what we do together are open ended.I have to admit, this laid back approach to horse ownership is pretty fantastic. I didnt even get on Testa until a full month after I brought him up from Florida, allowing him ample time to adjust and for my trainer, Kate Samuels, to assess his level of fitness and bravery before I climbed aboard. Even when it was my first time to ride him, it was on a hack down a hilly gravel road - not a flat session in a well groomed ring. When he comes in from turnout with a bump or scrape from roughhousing with his buddy Hank, my heart rate remains steady instead of spiking. Im not in a rush to get anywhere with him, and Im not closely planning every single day of the week around any sort of training routine.So far while Testa has been up in Virginia, hes been trail ridden, hes learned to ground tie, hes getting clicker trained, hes splashed around in a river, hes navigated steep and rooty terrain, hes gotten used to young dogs daring all around him, and hes said hello to cows, all in a laid back environment that prioritizes play and exploration over force and submission. As for me, I havent had this good of a time with my horse since I was a little girl bombing around Virginia hunt country with my small pony.Most importantly, Im now able to enjoy life with a horse in it, instead of my life being about my horse. The difference between the two is subtle - its not as if I dont deeply care about Testa, its more that my daily happiness is no longer tied to how my visit to the barn pans out. To further the point, I dont drive to the barn with any sort of expectation of how the visit is going to go. I just stay in the moment, see what happens, and try to meet it from a place of positivity. I dont have any arbitrary goal or place I need to get to with him. Heck, I could do nothing but walk him down a road and play in a river with him and be completely content.This time, Ive finally learned how to just sit back and enjoy being with my horse. We are still on a journey together, I justdon't have any set destination for us in mind other than our happiness.

This month, we've been diving into stories of where both patience and play mindset pay off big in the end. On that note, let us bring you the story of Equestrian Masterclass instructor Chelsea Canedy and her amazing mustang mare, Luna.Luna came to Chelsea as an unbroke and wild 6 year old who only knew the very rudimentary basics of how to be haltered, led, and sent onto a trailer down a chute. Up until that point, she had lived her life on BLM property in a wild herd in California, and needed not only to be taught the basics of being eventually ridden, but also the basics of simply being around humans. The path hasn't been easy, but through taking things slow and never going faster than Luna was ready to handle, they're now well on their way to a solid partnership.Canedy and Luna will be participating in September's Mustang Classic, a competition meant to showcase this amazing breed's versatility and capability. We will definitely check back in on them during the event. For now, read about her amazing journey with Luna, and what it can teach us all about horses and horsemanship!Sophie Coffey: How did you acquire Luna? What were the circumstances that brought her into your life?Chelsea Canedy: It all started with Tik (Maynard)! We were chatting late summer of 2023 and we just found out that he was going to Road to the Horse, and we were talking about his prep for that, and he said, You know, if I wasnt doing Road to the Horse I would be doing the Mustang Classic, to which I replied, I have no idea what that is. So he forwarded me the email from the Mustang Heritage Foundation and said, You should do it, you would do a great job. It would be such a cool experience to do something with a mustang.The more I read about it, the more I decided that it was really something I wanted to participate in, both because it would be an amazing learning experience and because it fit really well with my expertise. The former because while Ive handled green horses and Ive started some horses, Ive never worked with a horse that was completely untouched. The latter because of the eventing format of the competition, and then theres an added bonus of if you get into the Top 10 of the competition, you get to do a freestyle of liberty work. So it married all of the things that I really enjoy doing plus the fact that I would need to also learn a lot to rise to the occasion for it.Sophie Coffey: What are the criteria for the Mustang Classic? Is it similar to the Retired Racehorse Project Thoroughbred Makeover event in that the horse has to be a certain age/cant have more than X number of rides, etc?Chelsea Canedy: First off, the horse needs to be adopted from the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) after a set date in September of 2023, and it needs to be a wild horse. I believe that you can get an approved BLM horse from a second party in that time frame as long as theyre still relatively untouched, but I personally wanted to start from scratch.The one thing that I figured out pretty quickly though was that most of the mustangs are out West, and Im about as far East as you can get since I live in Maine, and there are just not a lot of easy ways to get a hold of a mustang out here. There was also some weird timing in that the BLM and the Mustang Heritage Foundation parted ways for their programming right when it was time to acquire a horse, and so it became that much harder to find one.I wound up turning to some mustang Facebook groups asking if anyone could help me, and this wonderful woman named Meg in Ohio who had been part of the BLMs Tip Trainer program, where someone will take a mustang and get the very basic handling on them. They can get loaded onto a trailer, haltered, brushed, and comfortable with their feet getting picked. So she had been doing that in partnership with the Mustang Heritage Foundation for years, and she saw one of my posts and told me that she was going to a pen in just a few days and said she would look for me.She looked at a lot of mustangs and sent me videos and pictures and called me while she was there, and we wound up both picking Luna together. First off, Luna was very curious, she didnt come right to the edge of the pen, but she really watched Meg and tracked her. Second, she had a cute build to her, she had a more athletic look to her as well that I thought would serve us well in our journey. Third and finally, she was 6, so a little bit older than the 5 I was aiming for, but since I knew I would need to start jumping relatively soon I didnt want to pick one that was 3 or 4.One thing I want to say is that I really couldnt have found Luna without the help of the online Mustang community. These people love mustangs, and they put their heart and soul into the work they do with them and really believe in the mission of getting them out of BLM holding pens and into good homes where theyre going to learn how to be good citizens so they can have a happy life.So Meg brought Luna to her place and the timing worked out that she was with her for 2-3 weeks, and she put in those basics I mentioned earlier so that when she brought Luna down to Kentucky, where I happened to be teaching, I could load her up easily and take her back to Maine.Sophie Coffey:What were the first goals that you had with Luna, and how long did it take to accomplish them?Chelsea Canedy:I knew right away that I was not in a hurry, that if I really took my time in the beginning, that things would go quicker in the long run. I made it my mission to just earn her trust and open a very clear line of communication. Its so interesting with mustangs, and Luna is my first one, they are very wary of people and human touch, but not so much with objects in their world. So getting them to touch a humans hand or take food from a human can be tricky, but getting them to take food out of a bucket that youre holding is much easier.Right away, I used a clicker and got her into positive reinforcement training. Immediately, that gave me AND her absolute clarity when she did something that I wanted her to do, and she really thrived with that type of mindset. And oh my God are mustangs smart - I cannot overstate how intelligent Luna is. It blows my mind. I just today taught her how to do the Spanish Walk, and it took her three minutes to figure it out, whereas other horses its taken three days and they barely have it. Its because they grow up in the wild where literally everything is a problem for them to solve their whole life, and they always have to be extremely street smart.That also, from what I understand anecdotally and from what Ive experienced, those street smarts also make them extremely wary of people. Its not true of ALL mustangs, but it was definitely true with Luna. It took me weeks and weeks for me to just be able to put a rope around her neck and run my hands over her body. Once she understood that I was her person, though, she was game to try anything, she just tries so hard. I think that not rushing her or forcing her into anything really created that strong foundation for us, one that was built on trust and choice.Sophie Coffey: What has the journey been like overall? What were some setbacks, and how did you move through them? When do you feel like things really turned the corner from them?When I had just started to ride Luna, I had a pretty bad fall where she blind bolted away from me and I couldnt stay on. It was a very humbling experience, and also one that really shook me because I thought I had checked all of the boxes you needed to check when starting a horse from scratch, and Luna had been amazing. She trusted me and was willing to try anything, so there were no signs that I had missed anything along the way because she was so relaxed and so happy.What happened is that when I got on her that particular day, she started to put a little of her own energy into the work. Then, she felt me moving above her, which was only a sensation that she had felt before to a small degree. Then, she also felt me saying wait, dont do that, which was a very new pressure for her, something pulling on her face. Ultimately, she genuinely didnt understand what it all meant when she experienced it altogether, and became genuinely terrified as a result, and she just ran.So I clearly knew that I had missed something in her training, some box I hadnt checked, but in the moment I didnt know what that something was. I took her down to Florida with me, and Tik was there prepping for Road to the Horse, and it was the perfect circumstance because he needed to be working with pretty unbroke horses, and Luna knew a ton of stuff on the ground but she wasnt broke to ride. So her level of riding was about where Tiks mount would be at Road to the Horse.Tik had been doing a ton of prep work for his own journey, and had learned that you had to up the pressure and the amount of energy that you put out around the horse. It wasnt enough to keep things quiet all the time, you had to do more, touch them ALL over, make more noise, do things above, around, behind, and help them learn how to be OK when things got to be too much.I watched him go through that process with her, and I would go back home and work on it, and I would take her back and she would be further along and then Tik would take the next step. So when he finally did get on her, she also had the same bolting behavior with him, but he was smart and was in a round pen in a western saddle, the first of which I hadnt done myself because my round pen was buried under snow and ice. Tik was set up to basically ride it out, and I was not.It took her about a minute of I dont know whats happening! before she settled down in that ride, and it took her only about 2-3 rides where she was squirrelly like that to start until she said, Oh, ok, this is just another thing to learn and accept. I would say that it took about a month of riding sessions like that to get her to the point where she was really solid, where I felt like I could take her out of the round pen and start walking, trotting, and cantering.What that entire process with Tik helped me realize is that I had done a really good job helping her to understand how to solve the problems I was asking her, but I hadnt done as good a job teaching her how to manage her own emotions when the answer wasnt easy to find and the energy of a situation became overwhelming for her. So she was super relaxed when I had been training her, but I never pressed her into a situation where she might not be, because I was trying really hard to keep everything quiet, calm, and relaxed.Sophie Coffey: What are you working on with Luna today, and how would you describe where she is in her training?Chelsea Canedy: Now Luna just feels like a green horse. Wait, let me revise that, because I just found out that Luna is actually a pony. We had her measured and she is 14.2 hands tall, which is a lot smaller than what they said on her BLM papers. Right now shes working on understanding contact. I would also say that she is 100% a boss mare, so she can set her jaw and have some, Id rather not, types of moments, so it can take some coaxing to tell her its OK to let go. I think its still really hard for her to let go completely and just be willing to have a conversation with me under saddle, because she just has a little part of herself thats on guard.The jumping, though, shes a beast. I point her at something and she just says, Ok, Im going! But I started her at liberty with jumping, and I used the clicker and clicked every time she jumped, so shes just never been afraid of it. And now shes just a little bit of a machine, I point her and I soften the reins and she goes. So right now, were just working on being able to keep a steady rhythm with her over the jumps and cruise around the course.Sophie Coffey: When is the competition, how much more time do you have?Chelsea Canedy: I feel really good right now, the competition isnt until September, so I feel like I have time now to really put polish on everything. I feel like I could go right now, but it wouldnt be as pretty as I would like to make it, so now I have time to make it beautiful. We take lots of field trips together, and were entered to do Beginner Novice at a competition in July (which I think well just do the Dressage and then decide if were jumping or not day of, because the Mustang competition is run at the Starter level). So well go and have the experience of going to a new place, stabling off property, working in large groups with other horses, you know just getting the Horse Show experience. And then I have about 5-6 other local outings planned before the competition, and were just going to plug away at it all summer and hopefully be in a really good place come fall.Sophie Coffey: Do you know what your long term plan with Luna might be past the competition?Chelsea Canedy: Well she measures as a pony and she really does clock around a course, and I think shes only going to get better, but right now it's really hard to say. At this point, we definitely have a bond. I took her to a local show about a week ago, and I would leave her with a student when I had to go coach, and when she saw me as I was walking back she started to whinny at me, and she did it 5 or 6 times, so it was definitely an I see my person! reaction, and its very hard to have a horse like that and then say, Ok, Im going to sell them now. I really dont know what the future holds. I would like to think in the long run Ive set her up well to be someones perfect pony, but Im not at the point where I know how any of that is going to unfold. We have a lot of fun with the liberty work and I could see putting together some acts with her in the future It's just hard because I love to do so many things and it's difficult to put enough attention into every aspect of the horse world that I enjoy! But I could see Luna being a wonderful low level eventing partner for someone, or children's hunter or jumper, or somebody's liberty horse who is also fun to ride. We just started our bridleless work And that's only going to make her a cooler horse in the long run.I also want to say a special thank you to Co-Sponsors Alison Brigham and Michael Frankel, as well as my amazing barn staff at Unexpected Farm who help make this journey possible. I truly couldn't do it without them!If you would like to learn from Chelsea,you may be interested in the following Equestrian Masterclass courses:Chelsea Canedy Teaches Groundwork 101The New Horse Starter Pack

We've all seen them - the horses who just don't want to do the job. They rear, they spin, they plant their feet, they tell us in the clearest of terms that they know how: No. Most of the time it's due to physical pain, but sometimes, there can be an underlying issue of anxiety or a lack of confidence that overwhelms the horseand causes reactions of this nature.British Showjumper and Lily Chandler (owner/operator of LC Equestrian) met such a horse inEric (Eragon Von Der Held) when he came into her sales barn. At first, she did what most of us would do, and attempted to address the issue as it happened. Over time, though, she made the decision to step back and address the very root of the problem rather than just the symptom.Read her amazing story of how she was able to turn this special horse from borderline dangerous into one of her mostbeloved mounts in (and out) of the ring.Sophie Coffey: Tell us the story of Erik! How did he come to be with you, and what is the backstory of your journey together?Lily Chandler: Eric actually came to me to be sold, and I had a message on my business page of someone saying they had a difficult horse that they didnt really know what to do with. They sent me some videos of him rearing, and I thought, Wow, okthats some intense behavior. I called the owners and we discussed everything about him, and they told me first and most importantly, that he had been FULLY medically checked out. They had a saddle fitting, X-rayed everything, scanned all the tendons and suspensories, and even went as far as doing a bone scan to make sure that pain wasnt the cause. They did find low grade ulcers, which they treated, but nothing physically stood out as a cause for his behavior.So they were at a loss, it was a mother and her teenage daughter, so I agreed to take him on with the agreement that if it didnt work out, I would send them back. I wasnt sure at first that I would be able to change his behavior, but there was something I liked about him, so I agreed to take him on a trial basis. When he arrived, it was December, and we had just had a huge snow storm so we couldnt turn the horses out for a while. I thought he was going to be terribly fresh for his first ride. We even had to trailer him down the road to an indoor ring since ours was still unrideable, but he was just amazing for that first ride. He was so well behaved, a few small bucks from being fresh, but no rearing or other behaviors that I had seen in the videos. He jumped and gave me an amazing feeling over the fences, even though they were small. I said to my dad at the time, Gosh, I like this horse. He props himself to a fence, hes so intelligent, and everything I ask he just seems to know exactly what I want. He had a great attitude towards his work, and I thought at first that maybe he just didnt get along with that one rider for whatever reason.But it didnt take long for his behavior to come out. We took him to a small training show, and he was - in the nicest way possible - absolutely terrible. He stood in the corner for about 3 minutes, he just kept rearing, but I could tell it was from anxiety and stress. So I just quietly let him get it out of his system, and then he actually walked forward and jumped the course. I thought to myself, Ok, I can work with this. We just need to find a way to manage this anxiety before he starts jumping, because once he starts jumping, he almost settles into himself and he knows his job.Over the course of 6 months, I got him to a spot where he was very relaxed in the ring and good to ride and hack out at home - it wasnt perfect, but it was loads better. We got him to some shows, got him some good results, and I thought he was in a good place to move onto a new owner. Unfortunately, everyone who came to try him fell off - not a single person managed to stay on. So at that point, I said to the owners that he just needed more time, and we came to a deal where I purchased him so they could move onto another horse that was more suitable for their daughter, and I could keep giving Eric the time he needed to continue to gain confidence.Now of course, its safe to say that Eric isnt going anywhere. Im extremely attached to him, and I think that some horses are just 1 person horses - if he were to go to another rider, even if they were very good, I think it could set him back tremendously. So now hes with me to stay and I love him dearly.Sophie Coffey: So how did you turn him around? What sort of methods or techniques did you use, and how did you sort it out so that hes the self confident horse you have today?Lily Chandler: The first thing I want to say is that it definitely hasnt been linear progress - it's been 2 steps forward, 1 step back nearly the entire time. We would have a few weeks, or even months, where we had no reaction at all and we thought that maybe the behavior was gone forever, and then something would happen and it would set him off.When we were about 8 months into having him, so 2 months after purchasing him, I took him to a show down the road after a few months of him being so good, and he just had a huge meltdown. He just got so upset and anxious in the ring, and he hadnt been that way for so long, it was essentially a disaster. At first I was very disappointed, because I thought we had made a breakthrough and the behavior was behind us, and it really wasnt until that show that I decided I needed to change something - just going out jumping and trying to practice in a show environment wasnt working, and it felt like maybe we were just masking his anxiety rather than addressing it. It felt like we had only built up half of his confidence, that if the environment suited him, he would be fine, but as soon as he experienced something that rattled him, he reverted back to how he was.So over the winter, I gave him 2 months off in the field to just decompress so we could completely start over. When I started to work with him again, I focused solely on groundwork and his own emotional regulation for a long time. Hes such an insecure horse that when he had big feelings, he didnt know what to do with himself. I didnt even get on until I felt that he was completely relaxed in-hand no matter what we did. I took him on lots of in-hand hacks and really tried to get him to build more trust in me as his go-to for support when he did feel overwhelmed.Its hard to describe the exact things I did with him, but I used the techniques I learned from a lot of great natural horsemanship people. It was a lot of positive reinforcement, I dont believe that just releasing pressure is going to get you the result you want, especially with a horse like Eric. I really wanted to use reward based training for when he did things like investigate something that was scaring him rather than spooking at it, or stepping forward into an environment that made him uncomfortable. Eventually, he learned that instead of melting down, he could just take a moment to assess the situation and move forward when he felt ready. All of that was amazing progress for him.When we did go back to ridden work, we eased into it very gently. Just lots of hacks, lots of positive reinforcement and keeping things fun, easy, and small. We didnt train him like he was a competition horse under pressure, because it was hard for him to handle that sort of mindset, and I wanted him to enjoy what he was doing.Then when we started competing him again this year, I noticed a huge difference in his attitude. At our first show back together, we had a warm-up that was busier than I wanted and less than ideal, but he walked into the ring on a loose rein, popped around the course, and walked out just as happy and relaxed. That was when I said to myself, Wow, taking that step back with him is actually working. Were no longer just skipping over or masking the issue, hes truly a more confident horse.So now he goes into the ring and wants to do it rather than feeling like he HAS to do it. Ive planned this year very deliberately to give him breaks where we can go back to the groundwork so we can keep his confidence up. And hes had an amazing year so far, Im just so thrilled. Im even thrilled about the fact that now when he does still have a reaction to something, not only is it appropriate in scale, but its also due to him trying to tell me something is wrong rather than his anxiety.For example, at a show a few weeks ago, he had a small episode but still nothing like it was before - he didnt feel anxious as much as he just felt off, and like he was trying to tell me that, so I retired him after a few jumps and got the vet out the next day. Sure enough, we found a problem in his hocks. Im proud that he was able to let me know that there was an issue without blowing it out of proportion.I cant wait to see what we do with each other this coming year, and Im so happy with how hes developed and the relationship I have with him now. For him, patience really did pay off, and taking a step back to address the root of his anxiety and lack of self-confidence rather than treating it like an isolated horse show issue. Turning things into a more play mindset and making sure he not only enjoyed his job, but WANTS to do it, has been key for us.

All images by Impulsion Media.The Road to the Horse competition is seen by many to be the "World Championships" of colt starting. For those unfamiliar with this type of competition, it's pretty much exactly what it sounds like: competitors are assigned horses on day one that have, up until then, lived in a herd environment and are completely unstarted.Theythen have a set amount of time over the course of several days to see how far along they can bring the horse, with the final day usually being some sort of unmounted and mounted demonstration.At Road to the Horse, the competition takes places over the course of three days. After competitors are given their horses, they have 1 hour and 45 minutes on days 1 and 2 to get as much accomplished as possible. On the 3rd day, competitors are judged for 20 minutes in the round pen on saddling, and then are judged for 35 minutes worth of mounted rail work and obstacle course riding.Tik Maynard is onlyone of twoEnglish riders ever to win the event, coming in first on all three individual rounds and clinching the top overall spot. This interview comes from a conversation held on April 23rd, 2024, several weeks after the competition's conclusion.Sophie Coffey: Now that youve had a chance to reflect on Road to the Horse, both your performance in the arena and the interactions you had with those in attendance, here are just a few questions to ponder.First off, What are the two things you think went as well as they could have? What two things are you most proud of from your performance?Tik Maynard: The specific one is how I introduced picking up the feet with this horse over 3 days. I had a very particular plan going in and I was able to execute it really well. Every horse is going to go a different speed with picking up their feet, but I think with this particular horse I dont think I could have done it any better, really. The first step was to get the horse relaxed enough that I could start to work around his body without him being worried about me, trying to just get him being happy with me around him, whether Im rubbing him or scratching him or anything else, before I go to the feet. Then, there was an order of four things: One, being able to touch his legs with either a flag or a stick without it being a big deal, because I didnt want to touch his legs with my hands, especially his hind legs in case he kicked out in the beginning. Two, being able to touch all four of his legs in a smooth way without him moving or flinching or trying to pick up his legs. Three, being able to take his weight and put it mainly on the other three legs, so its 33% on each of the other legs and 1% on the leg that I would want to pick up. Fourth and finally is picking up his leg and being able to have him relax and put his weight in my hand before I put the foot back down. The most important piece is that I didnt try to do all of this all at once, I tried to pepper it in, little and often, throughout the three days so it was in very digestible amounts.The other thing is I feel very very proud (and happy and lucky and privileged) with the team that we had there that came together. Just as in a lot of horse sports, its one person competing but theres a large team around them, and it was the same thing in this event. I had an immediate team of Jake and Nick and Juliette and Sinead around me, and then I had a group that expanded around that. I had some ladies who were running the booth for me, I had some people who were watching the kids for me, I had family and friends that were there, Noelle (Floyd) was there, we had some people who were taking photos, Dan James lent me a horse for the awards presentation, Cathy Wieschhoff lent me a horse for a mounted demonstration, we just had a really good group of people coming around with a great positive energy and it just felt very uplifting. Ive played a lot of team sports in my life, but Ive never felt like a team came together quite like this before.Sophie Coffey: What are two things that, in retrospect, you would have approached differently, or may take a different approach with in the future for a similar situation?So a specific thing is just as with learning to pick up feet, there is a similar process for having the horse learn how to back up and turn, and I wasnt able to execute that as smoothly and as gradually as I would have liked. So because I didnt pepper it in enough or introduce it incrementally enough, because I got a little bit sidetracked, it just didnt have as good of a feeling about it. I had to be a little bit firmer with him whereas if I had been able to execute as well as I could have, I think it would have gone smoother.How I look at things is I try to give myself a score out of 10, like you would in a dressage test. Nobody gets a perfect 100 on a dressage test, and it was the same here. There was no thought it my mind that Im going through things scoring 10s on everything, there were a lot of things where I gave myself 6s or 7s, and some other things where I gave myself 8s or 9s. That leaves a lot of room for improvement in the future, to make you want to do better. Its a balance of realizing that we make mistakes and to not be too hard on myself while at the same time being hard enough on myself that it drives me to want to do a better job so that it can be smoother for the horse.The big picture thing is probably going into it next time with more concrete logistics in place for the reality of what youll be doing. There was an increased level of stress in the weeks before and the weeks after where I dont think myself or the people around me got to relax and really take it in as a once in a lifetime experience that we could have if we had spent some more time with either the logistics leading up to it or taking some time off after it. You know, the next day I was flying with 2 kids back to Florida and a few days after that we were headed off to TerraNova Equestrian Center to compete with a camper and a trailer and a groom and different horses and as Im driving down there Im trying to figure out babysitters and organizing flights, there were just a lot of balls in the air both before and after, and I think if we can get those lined up a bit earlier we would have more time to just enjoy the experience.Sophie Coffey:If you had been able to work with TomCatt for a 4th day, what would you have worked with him on? What would have been the goal of the session to make sure you ended the weekend on a positive note?Tik Maynard: This is a great question, because as you now know weve purchased TomCatt and I have him here in Florida and weve had a session with him, so I can tell you exactly what I did that first day with him.So basically, half of my short 20 minute session was just being able to walk in and out of his space, and also stay in his space (and I think of those as two separate skills) with him staying relaxed. Im not looking for him to want to be with me, but Im also not looking for him to leave, Im looking for him to just be relaxed - not much change in him, if hes eating grass he can just keep eating grass as I walk in and out of his space. The first goal is that I dont cause much of a reaction at all. The second thing is to start, in a very small way, to build up a little bit of draw so that he would rather be with me than not be with me. The first step is to create a neutrality, that he doesnt care, and the next step is, if youre thinking of an hourglass, to just very gradually shift the grains of sand to have him start to think, Huh, maybe I would rather be with you than not be with you. And you can do that in a big way, but if you can do it more gradually I think it can be a lot smoother. Sophie Coffey: I know youve watched this competition before, and that was part of your preparation. Did anything surprise you about actually participating, or was anything different in reality than what you visualized it would be like?Tik Maynard: I was anticipating a lot of pressure around it with the amount of hype and prize money and the number of people watching and so many of my friends and family there - I was anticipating that on an intellectual level, and on an emotional level its still a surprise and a shock to your system. Its just unbelievable what that feels like - Ive never experienced anything like that in my life, and I dont know if I ever will again.I had also very much prepared myself to be ready for my horse to offer something really unusual, like you cant touch their hind legs, or they buck an extraordinary amount, there are just so many unexpected variables that can happen when youre starting a horse. I was a little surprised (and happy) about how much my horse just exhibited what I would consider very normal behavior for a young, green horse that has just lived with other horses its entire life and was just getting exposed to people for the first time.And there wasnt a single horse there that I wouldnt have been happy to have a go with. That doesnt mean I would have had the same result, but I think all of the horses were horses I would have liked to work with.Sophie Coffey: Are there any memorable interactions or conversations that you had with folks at the booth that will stick with you?Tik Maynard: The whole weekend was made up of moments like that! One of them was my brother and his fiance and their three year old flew out from British Columbia and I dont get to see them very often. They flew out just to watch and to help look after my kids, and for my son to get to spend time with his cousin and for my brother and his fiance to get to spend that time with them in this sort of experience - you know, I only get to see them maybe once a year, and to see the kids getting to run around together in the Kentucky Horse Park was pretty special. And so many other family moments, like Sineads mom and my mom hanging out. Even though I wasnt a part of those moments, getting to see them all interacting was wonderful.Another moment was Noelle (Floyd) being there, she's someone Ive known since I was a teenager, first in Pony Club and then I met her on a professional level with Equestrian Masterclass, and then for her to be a part of that, she was a part of the close knit team for almost four days, so that was really nice as well.The other thing to mention is that Nick Rivera was my pen wrangler and Jake Biernbaum kind of coached me. There were thousands of people watching, but I blocked out every single other person in that stadium except for me, Nick, and my horse. I was in that zone, but every so often, Jakes voice would come through the loudspeaker, either a yes or a good job, so that was pretty special.And then theres Mike Major who won in 2022 and 2023, hes an old school cowboy who I met backstage in the staging area where the horses are and where the competitors can go. We were talking about all the extra stuff that goes on, like the signings and the judges meetings and the competitors meetings, and he says he has a little bit of a hard time with all of that stuff because hes used to just getting to work on his ranch. So he said to me, Tik, the best part is when you actually get to go into the round pen with the horse, because once you get in there with the horse, you dont even have to think. All you have to do is what the horse tells you.And to me it was one of the most powerful moments, and quotes, from the week. Because its so true, but in order to not think, you have to be so prepared and so ready to let the horse lead you, and also get in the zone enough where you dont have your own voice or expectations in your head and you can let the horse lead you. So its easy in your head, but its also very hard.Sophie Coffey: What, if anything, has changed about your philosophy or the way you view training horses after coming home from this experience?I guess the biggest thing is, I got invited to Road to the Horse, which is the World Championship of Colt Starting, about a year ago - so a year ago, they thought I was good enough to invite me, and I thought I was good enough to accept. And the amount that I learned in the past year about colt starting would be the equivalent of somebody knowing how to jump 2 and somebody knowing how to jump 4. Which if youve got someone who is just getting good at jumping 2, and to think of how much better they would need to be to jump 1.30, thats a pretty big step up, right? Now, I believe the amount in front of me to see how good I could get at colt starting is the difference between someone jumping 1.30 who wants to jump 1.60 and go to the World Cup Finals in Vegas. So Ive always known that, but when you actually go through it, you realize how true it is.When someone tells me that they know how to do something, bridle a horse, or get on a horse, or jump, or they say theyre good at something - that word good means so many different things to so many different people. And theres just such a huge difference, even if you look at the Olympic level of any sport, the difference between the top 10% of the people competing there and the bottom 10% of the people competing there is actually a pretty massive leap thats insurmountable for a lot of athletes, even though they are all Olympic athletes.So compared to a year ago, thinking about how good you can get and where you can go with colt starting, its just a massive leap.For anyone out there who wants to get better at anything, the biggest part is recognizing and giving yourself an objective score at where you are currently.For example, if I were to give myself a score from the weekend compared to what a 10/10 could be, I would give myself a 65%, which is a pretty average score. If I were to go again, I would aim to get a 70%, and if I were to think about where I could be in 10 years, I would hope to be at 85%, which still gives you so much room to strive and improve.Sophie Coffey: Do you have any words of advice to those who want to get better and improve but maybe feel like they dont have the resources available to do so?Tik Maynard: I would say that anyone can improve by reading books, or watching videos, or watching lessons, or trial and error. I think its really just a matter of knowing yourself and knowing your learning style. I think there needs to be a mix of finding resources that can break things down into manageable steps, but also give yourself room to find your own way and make your own processes. You can read 10 different books on the same subject, and theyll all tell you 10 good different ways of doing the same thing - but ultimately, you need to pick and choose and find your own way.The reason for that is youre not going to ultimately achieve the next level of success unless youre authentic. And that means incorporating new things into an authentic representation of who you are. For example, just on a very physical appearance level of things for Road to the Horse, I wore jeans and cowboy boots and started a horse in a western saddle, but I kept my shirt tucked in and I wore a helmet - I didnt wear a baseball hat or a cowboy hat, and all of those were things I incorporated into my way of starting a horse, but it had to be an authentic part of who I was. I wasnt trying to be an English Rider OR a Cowboy. I just made sure I was comfortable and authentic to me, and what I truly felt was most practical on a logistical level to do the best job that I could.__________________________________________________If you want to learn more about Tik Maynard, check out his page on Equestrian Masterclass that has all of his Masterclass courses, articles, and podcasts!

This letter is written by Equestrian Masterclass instructor Tik Maynard with images by Impulsion Media.Dear TomCatt,I have watched Road to the Horsefor a long time, and I believe the winner is often not the one that is the most experienced, or with the best timing, or feel, or skill. There are so many other variables: the preparation, the judging, knowing the rules, luck, and of course, picking the horse. Most of all there is the ability to not be rattled. For whatever reason I was able to get into that Zone, that Sweet Spot, that Unthinking-Place, on the first day, and to more or less stay there with you, the next two days.My goal was to be the best prepared for that particular format. That might have had something to do with us getting into that Flow State together. For sure I was lucky too. No one can say what days the sun will shine, and what days it will storm. The only thing I could do was be prepared for any weather.I think it goes without saying that the format of RTTH is unique, and not how I usually start horses. We only had three days together to build a partnership, which is a bit, I imagine, like climbing Everest, a once-in-a-lifetime experience for very few people. Something only for the well prepared. Something not to be taken lightly a hike on a small or medium-sized hill, is probably the healthier thing to do, and I had prepared myself to turn back down the trail away from the summit if the conditions were not just right.But the most difficult decisions are made when a lot is on the line, and there is also a place to showcase the Trade and Art of Starting Horses, in a world that emphasizes the Grand Prix, to see what happens when just the right trainer and just the right horse, can come together on just the right day. I came to climb Everest, and you climbed right along with me, and for that, I thank you. The RTTH format was challenging for both of us - scaling mountains always is. With that foreknowledge, I treated you, and the situation, with as much respect and empathy as I was able.Most of all though, you should know that it was not my effort alone. I had an incredible team around me, and I couldnt have found that Zen place without Juliette, Nick, Sinead, and Jake. Our amazing performance together also comes from all the mentors that helped me prepare, and over the years taught me about Colt Starting, including, but not limited to, and in no particular order: Bruce Logan, Tom Pierson, Martin Black, Jonathan Field, Glenn Stewart, Nick Rivera, Jake Biernbaum, Diane Canafax, Pat Parelli, Linda Parelli, Yvonne Barteau, David OConnor, Oscar Scarpati, Cristobal Scarpati, Mark Rashid, Chris Cox, Vicki Wilson, JR Robles, Dan James, Kathy Baar, and Elsa Sinclair. Most of these people I have met in person, a few only briefly, but they all left a lasting impression on me, and allowed me to be the best version of myself for you when it mattered most.But there is still so much more gratitude to go around. Gratitude for Pitchfork Ranch. Gratitude to RTTH staff, volunteers, fans, sponsors etc etc. Gratitude to my family, friends, coaches, students. So many people! I love them all, TomCatt, and they share in our success.I also feel so much gratitude for everything that led me to meeting you - all the experiences, the luck and the coincidences. The debt I owe all the horses that Ive made mistakes learning on, and learning from, is deep, but hopefully is repaid by not making the same mistakes on other horses as I move forward.Most importantly, I want to thank you, TomCatt. There are no words. What we went through together is beyond description. The three days with you at RTTH 2024 still feels like a dream. Like Im going to wake up and it will all have disappeared.But it wont have disappeared. In fact, the opposite is true. In partnership with NOELLE FLOYD, Beatrice Von Gontard, and Adie Von Gontard, and you will be staying with me in Florida. Adie is one of the principal shareholders, and the president, of the Pitchfork Ranch, where you were raised. NOLLE FLOYD is a digital media platform founded by my dear friend Nolle Floyd. It is dedicated to continued education for both horses and riders.We wont be putting any saddles on you for a few months Next on the agenda for us is to work on some groundwork and liberty training. Cant wait to start!Love, Tik