![]() What do you think makes you such an incredible rider? Its kind of like going to test drive a bunch of different kinds of cars and finally finding the one you feel meets your needs and standards. For example, do I need a very comforting horse for a timid rider, do I need an easy horse for a novice rider, or do I need a strong horse for a weak rider? I know almost immediately when I watch the horse and rider together if they jive. Does the horse naturally take off and land from the jump with good equilibrium, is his technique classic, and does how hard does he try not to hit the jumps? Of course, its not as simple as that though because you have to factor in the rider component too. In my opinion, the three most important attributes are balance, style, and carefulness. Everyone has different taste and everyone has a different opinion on what makes a good horse a good horse. Overtime you develop a sensitivity to what you need or want from a horse. I go through hundreds of videos each month searching for the right horses for myself and for my students. How did you find your horse and how did you know your horse was the one?Ī huge part of what I do is buying and selling horses. Do I need to pump him/her up or calm him/her down? Does he/she get nervous? Is she scared? Does he/she need to focus more? These are typical questions I address on a daily competitive basis. I have to recognize what makes the rider tick. Similar to mentally preparing my horses, my job is also to make sure my students are on the right mental plane. I always feel that I can spend extra attention on where my horse's mind is because I am able to easily be calm and thus focused. I am naturally a very calm person which has helped me a lot in my career. Like people, all horses have different personalities and a large part of my job is to get my horse in the right mind frame to compete at his best. What is made further complicated by show jumping is that you have another brain to manage. The mental aspect is, in my opinion, hands down the most important and challenging aspect of any sport. Obviously, as the rider, I have to make the horse go through the specific motions and exercises and that takes a lot of core, arm, and leg strength so I always try to be aware of how my body feels and where I feel needs more or less attention. When a tennis player or a football player trains there are specific daily exercises which are repetitive and of course special sessions as well. We do not jump everyday but we do what can best be described as cross training. ![]() I ride between three to eight horses per day, six days a week. Most of my physical conditioning involves conditioning them. I'm the first to admit that if you compare the horse to his rider, the horse is the real athlete between the two. What do you do both physically and mentally to prepare for an event? They can be therapeutic, they can provide the adrenaline rush athletes crave, and they can simply be companions. They're strong but gentle and in general, they reciprocate your actions. I think what I was drawn to then and continue to be now is the base nature of horses. In fact, an instant "barn rat," I insisted on joining both the morning and afternoon sessions on every available day. Immediately all I wanted to do was ride and hang around the barn all day. It was, what I would call a domino effect and basically they couldn't stop me. Apparent of my desire to play with animals, my parents enrolled me in pony camp during the summer. From a young age I always loved animals and nature. When I was a kid we had a house in Watermill, NY. How did your love of horses begin? And what is it about them you love so much? Professional show jumper and show jumping trainer
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