DECEMBER 2022 THE RIDER /27 Confident Horsemanship:


no longer feel as confident as you used to. Taking lessons is a good way to get back in the saddle and build your confi- dence. Having the support of the right coach can make a huge difference to your riding confidence and progress, and can help you overcome mental blocks that could be holding you back. Many riders will choose a coach


based on their reputation in the show ring, the number of students they teach, or their lesson fees. But there is so much more to consider for the nervous adult rider to be sure the coach is the right fit for you right now.


Anne Gage for The Rider - December 2022


By Anne Gage Whether you are an adult rider who


is returning to riding after time off or has had a bad fall, you might find that you


Here are some signs that a particular coach might not be the right fit for you: • You’re not comfortable talking your goals with them • You feel like they are pushing you too far out of your comfort zone too quickly (and it is making your fear worse)


What To Look For In A Great Riding Coach As A Nervous Adult Rider


• They cause you to feel bad about your- self in any way • They treat you like a child with the ex- pectation that you will just do as you are told (without questions) • Puts their goals (or ego) ahead of your goals and learning • Teaches different age groups and abil- ities in the same group lessons


Here is what to look for in a rid-


ing coach for a nervous, adult: • Has experience teaching adults be- cause adults learn differently than chil- dren do and have different needs • Understands, has empathy for, and ex- perience working with nervous/fearful/anxious riders • Communicates clearly and is able to explain concepts in different ways (be- cause people learn differently) • Wants to know your goals and supports you in achieving them (and never puts


their goals ahead of yours) • Is supportive and helps you to feel good about yourself • Is willing to go slowly ensuring you and your horse have a solid foundation on which to build • Celebrates even the tiniest successes (because that’s how big successes hap- pen - one tiny step at a time). • Gently encourages you to move out of your comfort zone without overwhelm- ing you


When you are looking for a coach,


do your homework. If possible, observe a lesson and/or book a taster lesson to get a sense of their coaching style. If you have a coach but are not get-


ting what you need, have an honest con- versation with them. It may simply be that you have not been clear about your goals or how you are feeling. You might just find that they appreciate having that clarity so they can help you better. Or


you may mutually decide that the fit is not right for either of you and you can move on. Remember that you and your coach


are a team and it is important that you share the same vision and values in order to build a long-lasting, trusting and respectful relationship. Your coach should always make you feel safe, sup- portive, and good about yourself.


Author Bio: Anne Gage, The Horse Riding Confidence Coach, shares advice and tips for horse riding women of a certain age. From managing riding nerves and anxiety, understanding your horse's behaviour, building a deeper partnership with your horse, and more. Whether you're a lifelong horse rider, just coming back to riding after time off, or just starting out, learn more at www.rideconfident.com


Mill Spring, NC, Nov. 17, 2022 – Karl Slezak of Tot- tenham, ON, and his own Hot Bobo took the win in the CCI 3*-L competition during the Tryon Interna- tional Eventing Competition held from Nov. 10-13 in Mill Spring, North Carolina. In a field of 40 combi-


Karl Slezak Wins CCI3*-L And Young Riders Earn Podium Places At Tryon Photo Credit: Shannon Brinkman Photo


nations, Slezak entered the multi-day competition with a broken hand but that didn’t seem to stop him from earning his spot at the top of the leaderboard. Rid- ing the nine-year-old Irish Sport Horse/Thoroughbred mare, Slezak started off scoring 31.8 penalty points in the dressage phase and tying for 5th place. The pair’s climb began


on the following day during the cross-country phase, where a clear round and no time penalties moved them all the way up to first. And with that big confidence boost, they executed a clear show jumping round, end- ing with no further penalty points and securing the win. “Before I even got


here, I broke my hand, so I didn’t have a great start,” Slezak said, grateful for his horse to balance out his im- pairment. “Once I got here, she settled in really well, I was excited. She was a little spooky on dressage day, so it wasn’t quite the test I was hoping for, but we kind of worked our way back up.” The pair were one of only seven contenders to come in under the elapsed time in the cross-country phase, and he was proud of her speed and accuracy. “She (Hot Bobo) was on fire, she’s a little on the small side, and I have had to baby her a little bit over the years,” Slezak added. Hot Bobo was pur-


chased by Slezak five years ago when she was four years old, as a sales horse from the Monart Sale in Ireland. “She was a bit too spooky for people when they would cross-country school her, so I never sold her. From the get-go, I just loved her, she’s been amazing,” he added. “Anybody who knows me thinks it’s ridiculous how much I love her.”


tition with a score of 33.6 in the dressage phase for fourth place. The pair would then have a clear cross- country round and an elapsed time of 7:09, mov- ing into first. In the final phase of show jumping, the duo incurred eight penalties with rails down at fence four and seven, to finish with a final score of 41.6 for the bronze medal. The team of Leblanc,


Karl Slezak - Photo Credit: Shannon Brinkman Photo The 40-year is excited


about the promising mare. “I hope to aim her at the Pan Am Games next year, she’s phenomenal jumped and doesn’t feel like there’s a limit yet,” said Slezak. One other important


event that took place at the Tryon International Eques- trian Center & Resort (TIEC) during the three days was the USEF Event- ing Young Rider Champi- onships presented by the United States Eventing As- sociation (USEA), offering CCI1*-L, 2*-L and 3*-L levels. Cassandre Leblanc of


Beaumont, QC, and her own Riffel, sired by Mountain


Caitlyn Sutherland of Foothills, AB (11th; 59.2)


in the CCI 2*-L Division. For full results of The


Dutta Corp. Tryon Interna- tional Three-Day Event and USEF Eventing Young


Rider Championship pre- sented by USEA, please click here. Reference from US


Eventing: Dan Kreitl and


Carmango Take Their First FEI Win at The Dutta Corp./USEF CCI 4*-L Eventing National Champi- onship (useventing.com)


Din Sinclair- Photo Credit: Shannon Brinkman Photo


Boy XX, finished in third place in the CCI YR 2*-L. Riding the 17-year-old Thoroughbred gelding, Leblanc opened the compe-


and Mégane Sauvé from Saint-Paul, QC (12th; 69.0), finished in second place with a score of 169.8 points


Butteronmytie is a gorgeous four-year-old, 16.2h gelding looking for a forever home as a low level hunter. He is a beautiful, floaty


mover, with a calm, yet playful personality. Due to a minor knee injury he is limited to jumping under 3ft but will turn heads in the show ring at the lower levels! If you're interested in meeting “Butteronmytie” please contact LongRun!


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48