26/ JULY 2023 THE RIDER Confident Horsemanship:


much to do with competency or expe- rience. You’ve probably known riders who were not as skilled or experi- enced who were more confident about trying new things or didn’t seem to get nervous at horse shows. Brave riders are always in the


By Anne Gage, The Horse Riding Confidence Coach


There is one main difference be-


tween confident or “brave” riders and those that are called “nervous”. That is what they are thinking. It’s not so


present moment with their thoughts. They are focused on where they are riding and have a plan for getting there while still being able to make adjust- ments in the moment. Because they are present, they are fully aware of what’s happening around them as well as what they are feeling from their horse. They are connected. Nervous or anxious riders’


thoughts are focused on the future - imagining what terrible things could possible happen. Because your brain can’t differentiate between what is real and what is imagined, those terri- fying thoughts are real to your brain.


The Real Difference Between Brave And Nervous Riders


So it responds as if you are in immi- nent danger. Which is why you can feel anxious hours (or even days) be- fore you actually get on your horse. Because the brave/confident rider


is always in the present moment, she is able to ride with precision and is easily able to respond to changes and make adjustments in the moment so that she prevent things from going wrong. Because her mind is clear, she is able to make good decisions and take the right actions. So her commu- nication and connection with her horse is always clear and in tune. Because the nervous/anxious


rider is constantly battling thoughts of horrible things happening, she is busy scanning for trouble or signs that her horse is going to do something bad. Because of this busy-ness in her mind, the nervous/anxious rider becomes paralysed with no clear plan of where


she is going. Her mind and body are in a reactive state so she is not able to think clearly, make good decisions or take the right actions. She is stuck in a mind and body responding to an imaginary threat. She is unable to communicate


clearly to her horse. She is discon- nected and her physical tension gets in her horse’s way - restricting his move- ment and even inadvertently punish- ing him which increases the possibility of something going wrong. And it damages her partnership with her horse. I work with many anxious horse


riders to rebuild their confidence and partnerships with their horses, and get the joy of riding back. And one of first techniques I teach them helps them to be more present so they focus on what’s actually happening in every moment. By simply setting up cones


or poles, they can focus their thoughts on riding a simple pattern. Because the mind can only hold one thought at a time, it can no longer create anxious thoughts. As the mind becomes less stressed, the body can also release ten- sion positively impacting their pos- ture, connection, and communication with their horse.


Author Bio: Anne Gage, The Horse Riding Confidence Coach, shares ad- vice and tips for horse riding women of a certain age. From managing rid- ing 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


Remembering Eve Mainwaring - 1925 -2023


ing on June 8th, at age 98, marks the closing of a chapter in the history of the CWHBA. Recognition of Eve as a major influence in equestrian sport in Canada is universal. Much has been written about her life, coming from Estonia, her war experience and her rise to prominence in sport and coaching – especially her in- volvement with Big Ben and life long friendship with Ian Millar. However, Eve’s impact on the Warmblood breeding industry is no


The passing of Eve Mainwar-


Jennette Coote, at the time a fellow Trakehner breeder, to attend the in- augural meeting of the Canadian Warmblood Horse Breeders Associ- ation. Eve accepted the position of Vice Chair and soon after was the founding President of the Ontario Chapter. Travelling year after year


less important. Her immense knowl- edge and experience was generously shared for over thirty years. In 1988 Eve was recruited by


LongRun’s TB Star of July


“War Factory is a good looking, super sweet 16.1h gelding looking for a jumper home. He does best


in a consistent work program, with proper muscle strengthening. This spir-


ited guy needs an experienced rider who is not afraid of some fun and games, but in return Warf's athleticism will amaze you, and his cuddles will melt you. He


has a ton of potential for the right rider! If you're interested in meeting “War Factory”


please contact LongRun!!


Eve Mainwaring, Chris Gould, 2008 SPT Champion and rider, Fritz von Blottnitz and Jennette Coote.


Pictured from the left Hakan Wahlman, Hendrik Gaeble, Call (416) 675-3993 ext 3440 www.longrunretirement.com • info@longrunretirement.com


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across the country, with interna- tional judges, she served as the backbone of the inspection team. Eve gained the respect and lasting friendship of Manfred Lopp, Ingvar Fredriksson, Fritz von Blottnitz, Hakan Whalman and several others, who brought international standards of excellence to the process. Her translation skills and role as a men- tor to junior judges ensured every- one worked as a team.


It is


Wielkopolski stallion that subse- quently stood at Olds College in Al- berta and her connection with Big Ben influenced her decision to im- port the stallion Fantast who shared his parental sire. Syndicated, Fantast stood at MJ Farms, ultimately pro- ducing 146 CWHBA registered off- spring. These constitute part of the tan-


affection for the Prussian horse led her


to import Wermizel, a


gible legacy of Eve‘s contribution to the CWHBA, but she also had a far reaching personal impact. Those that had the privilege of working with her, experienced her generosity, humour, positivity and benefited im- measurably from her knowledge, which she was so willing to share. Eve possessed the greatest gift a teacher can have, the inquiring mind of a life long student. In 2003 Eve retired as Director for Ontario and was immediately in-


impossible to measure just how im- portant she was in bringing consis- tency and impartiality to the Stallion Performance Test, as the permanent member of the judging commission from its inception in 2000 to 2010. Her Estonian background and


https://cwassociation.smugmug.com /CWHBA/People/Eve-Mainwaring/


ducted as Honourary Life Time Di- rector of the Board; citing her un- stinting generosity in volunteering countless hours as Senior National Inspector, since 1993 and Vice Chair, In this new role she continued to advise and encourage in every way she could. She is remembered with extreme fondness and will be missed with immense sadness. An era has ended. To view more photos visit


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