12/ AUGUST 2023 THE RIDER We Can Hustle:


By Shelby Olyschlager Self-love is treating


yourself with respect and empathy, encouraging your- self to grow while being ac- cepting of where you are at. First, you need to under- stand where you are at and who you are. Society conditions us to


constantly compare our- selves to whatever set of “ideal” standards are trend- ing for beauty and success. We are always being served


new reasons why we are not good enough. Stuck in the feeling of inadequacy, al- ways trying to be something different, we might never get to know who we actually are. We become strangers to ourselves. Self-love be- comes an illusive concept that we are all being told we must master, but we don’t know how. We don’t know ourselves, and it is impossi- ble to love someone you don’t know. We attach our self-


worth to the standards of others. Instead of looking outward to the environment and then trying to mold our- selves in order to add value to that environment, we should first look within to find our value and then seek out the environment that of- fers the best opportunity for sharing and cultivating that


Self-Love: It Starts with Self-Discovery A We Can Hustle member and contributor.


value. We are all inherently worthy and valuable and there is a place for every one of us. Self-discovery is a diffi-


cult but rewarding journey. Some of us are resistant to look inside because we are afraid of what we might find. We think it will be


Casey Genge.


harder to love ourselves if we discover something un- settling. The good news is, we are in control of our- selves. And the things we can control are the things we can change. If we look in- side and find something we don’t like, we have the power to change it. We have the power to grow. You are the most powerful in the present moment. Use this moment to decide to look within. Decide to dis- cover the wonderland that is you. A wonderland of your own creation. If you don’t like the way it is right now, you can change it. You can be whoever you want to be. But I’ll bet as soon as you get to know who you really are, you won’t want to be anyone else. If you want to love yourself, you must first


know yourself; it is impos- sible to love a stranger and it is hard to hate someone you truly know.


Shelby Olyschlager Bio: Shelby is the host of the


We Can Hustle Podcast. She strives to deliver weekly support, education and con- nection for everyone going through their own unique journey with horses. As a barrel racer, she has learnt


through her own trial and error how to create real changes within ourselves and within our equine part- ners. She shares her lessons and the lessons of guests on her show and social chan- nels. “It all starts with our- selves. If we can approach life with empathy, an open mind and determination; we can all achieve what we set out to do.”


Beyond the Wither Tracing A Saddle-Fitting Series by Holly Barnett, REMT, CSF Where Does Bodywork Fit In?


your saddle. My sincere ad- vice is that you develop a regime that best suits you and your horse and monitor it closely. Waiting for problems to arise is a sure-fire way to ensure that your horse is end- ing up with some degree of biomechanical dysfunction that can easily lead to what equestrians dread most… in- jury and time off - so I’d cross that approach off my list. Here’s an approach I


Let’s talk about how


saddles and bodywork go hand in hand. How often do you in-


clude bodywork in your horse’s regime? Do you book it ‘as needed’? Just when- ever? Seasonally? Routinely? Not at all? What makes you decide


when to book a session – when you notice a problem has arisen? When you have extra money? When it’s con- venient? As a treat for your horse?


Do you prioritize fittings


as much as bodywork? How often do you have your saddle refit in comparison to booking bodywork? How closely do you monitor your horse’s pos- ture and muscle tension? Do you see where I’m going with all these questions! Truth is that bodywork


and saddle fit are far more in- tertwined than you likely re- alize. Some bodywork sessions can cause enough a shift in your horse’s physique that it will affect the fit of


recommend most – have a plan to monitor the fit of your saddle and condition of your horse. Start documenting changes and notice when things start to change BE- FORE they become a full blow issue. Start with a bare minimum game plan – 2 fit- tings per year and perhaps strategically book your body- work around them. Compare how your saddle fits before and after your bodywork ses- sion and keep a timeline of conformation photos to track


their posture. You can use your bodywork appointments as ‘checkpoints’ in between fittings and you’ll have a much more detailed mainte- nance plan that will highlight exactly when things started to get off track. At the end of the day the fit of your saddle is your responsibility – so make sure you stay on top of it! The close relationship


between saddle fit and body- work is the reason I devel- oped Saddle Assessment 4 Equine Bodyworkers & Pro- fessionals (SA4EB) saddle fit issues are the number one cause of musculoskeletal is- sues and early recognition is your best prevention – it also means your bodyworker stands a chance to make a lasting improvement in your horse’s topline and muscle condition. The next SA4EB runs


October 2023. For horse own- ers looking to develop their eye Foundations of Fit is an


online training available Au- gust 11th, 2023. Access in- cludes a 3-hour live training with 1 year replay as well as a documentation guide and saddle assessment workbook. If you find assessing saddle- fit challenging, this training was created just for you.


Holly Barnett is professional fitter and equine therapist for over 20 years. She’s worked with horses of all breeds and riders of all levels and disci-


plines throughout North America. Founder of August Equine, located in Campbel- lville ON, Holly now focuses on high level consulting, edu- cation and advocacy and is the creator of Saddle Assess- ment 4 Equine Bodyworkers (SA4EB) & Foundations of Fit. Holly works with a small team of saddle-fitters servic- ing clients across Canada. For upcoming clinics and ed- ucational events see www.au- gustequine.com.


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