And So It Begins… 2015 European Championships, Aachen, Germany

Jennifer Foulon, Sadie Lahey, Kyra Kyrklund, Annie Morris, Sarah Cohen, myself, and Charlotte Bredahl

Thanks to the Dressage Foundation and all who support it, US Youth Coach Charlotte Bredahl, chaperone and trainer Annie Morris, myself and the other 3 participants arrived in Aachen, Germany for the start of the 2015 European Championships. 

We hit the ground running by heading to the show and watching the riders warm up horses after the jog. Being able to observe different styles of riding and approaches allowed for us to discuss what we saw as a group, the main point of discussion was the presence of harmony as horse and rider worked as one, something that as a judge, Charlotte finds to be paramount to dressage.

The group was able to speak with superstar Kyra Kyrklund, ask questions, and get a sense for how she works with the horses. Here are some topics we discussed: 

Topic: What kind of schedule do you prefer for the horses? 

Every horse is different and you need to experiment to see what works. The horse dictates what kind of schedule he needs. Some need more work than others. But, the most important part is good riding. 

Topic: Young horses 

The young horse program sets up good goals for the horses, but again, she stressed that the horse dictate those goals. some horses need more time, some horses need to take a break from training… It all depends, and you won't know until you begin work with an individual horse! If something is easy for the horse I can use it to help the training process as a tool. If you present information correctly, the horses are quick learners. We have to be responsible teachers in making sure they are learning when appropriate, in a way that is good for them. 

Topic: What kind or type of horse do you like? 

 *Laughing* "I like a good horse!" 

Kyra explained breeding is important to know and understand so you have an idea of what you are working with, but that you can't judge a horse solely on his breeding. They are all unique. 

Topic: Getting to the top of the sport

The best thing to do according to Kyra…

Work hard, get good instruction, and watch good riding. If you have to muck out stalls, then so be it, but to be an elitist in this sport you need to be emerged in it. 

Another tip: Mentally ride. Practice what you do on the horse in your brain off the horse. Making the connections in your brain actually is found to improve your ability, and it will better prepare you for when you are riding. "Be a passionate idiot!", and try to make yourself as good as possible.