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Thursday, October 20 2016 / Published in General

Show Jumper Brian Walker Answers Your Questions

Brian Walker and Chico’s Bandita Photo by Diana Hadsall Photography

Brian Walker and Chico’s Bandita
Photo by Diana Hadsall Photography

Brian Walker, a dual Canadian and American citizen, has trained, worked and ridden alongside the best in the world over the last 25 years. As a junior, Brian won the Maclay Medal Equitation Championship in 2001. Brian has made a name for himself by developing quality horses into successful competitors in both the hunter and jumper arenas, earning accolades for himself and his clients. Do you have a question you want Brian to answer? Send questions to editor@sidelinesnews.com.

I just bought a new horse, and during our practice rides where the number of people watching varies, she’s great and outgoing. During my competitions, she becomes very shy and doesn’t like to perform. I’m afraid that my family made an investment in a horse that doesn’t like to perform in front of people.

For starters, competing is done alone and so a horse’s stage fright isn’t so much about competing in front of an audience but more about being alone in the ring without other horses to keep them company. I don’t think horses care whether there are a lot of people or no people watching them. Bigger crowds tend to actually make horses perform better in my experience. Nerves of the rider can also lead to the horse’s character changing when it shows. As for an investment, unless you’re a professional that can develop and add value to the horse by riding, I think most people end up disappointed if you think of buying a horse for a junior or amateur owner as an investment. Horses shouldn’t be thought of as investments in this case. The investment is in the rider when buying a horse for amateur or junior riders. You’re buying a tool with which they can learn and gain more experience. We also never know what we’ll get when we buy a horse — we try the horse and if we like it and have a good feeling, we buy it. After buying it, then we start to figure out how the horse acts, what to do with the horse training, etc. Obviously, horses can’t talk, so sometimes we do things the wrong way even though we think it’s in the horse’s best interest. Sometimes your first horse doesn’t work out and sometimes it’s not until the 11th hour that the horse you buy doesn’t work out. Eventually though, you’ll find the perfect match.

My horse and I work very well together. Recently, my horse got scared when an umbrella opened during a competition. I don’t blame my horse, but when competing I want to be able to calm down my horse in a subtle way so it doesn’t disrupt our ride. I don’t want the judges to see either of us getting nervous.

When a horse gets spooked, you have to be smart and try to understand what and why the horse is afraid. If a horse is spooked at jumps then you need to practice jumps at home to desensitize the horse. To assist the horse, try either riding beforehand or lunging, or even a combination or alternation of both, depending on the horse. If your horse gets spooked at something that isn’t normal in a typical surrounding, like an umbrella, which I think 90 percent of horses are afraid of, you can’t worry about it. Let them walk around or even get off and hand walk the horse around until it settles. Normally, they do. If something really wakes the horse up before competing and it won’t settle down, always try to move down in the order and bring the horse back to its stall for 5 or 10 minutes and then try again.

You’ve been competing for a while in Europe. What has changed since you last lived there? How have the shows improved? What’s your favorite competition?

Since I last lived in Europe, there are a lot of new shows both small and big. The quality of the shows has improved across the board like it has all over the world. Show organizers are better, I think for a few reasons: Technology has helped them become more efficient and allows better access to information from the exhibitors. The bigger shows have raised the standard so the smaller shows use some of their ideas and apply it to their shows. Prize money has increased everywhere. Horse shows in Europe are geared towards the riders so when you’re competing there, it makes you feel special. This year I really enjoyed The Baltica Tour shows in Poland. They’re not the biggest shows I’ve showed at this year, but the nicest. The management is great, the schedule is good, you can bring a bunch of horses, the show facility is beautiful, the people are so friendly, the food is amazing and there’s a beautiful five-star hotel right at the end of the Grand Prix ring.

How is the European showing experience different from that in the U.S.?

Showing in Europe versus the U.S. is like comparing apples to oranges. Show jumping is the same sport across world so that isn’t any different. When you walk in the ring it’s all the same. However, in Europe, the shows host nice events for the spectators and most importantly the exhibitors. As riders, you don’t have to worry about running around to five different rings trying to get all your horses in the ring before the classes close. In Europe each rider is limited to a certain number of horses per show and there aren’t that many shows with multiple rings. So because of that, as a rider, you have more time to work with your horses and focus on your own riding. In Europe, the business is driven by professionals whereas in the U.S. the business is driven by clients.

What’s the best course of action to take for a junior rider successfully finishing up their junior years that will put them on the right track for being a successful professional later on?

Being a successful junior has nothing to do with being a successful professional. Once you complete the status of a junior, you fall right back down to the bottom of the ladder regardless of how good your junior success was. Professionals, for the most part, all ride well and have more experience. In this sport, experience means a lot. The only way for a junior to develop further is with the passage of time. On their way up the ladder to becoming a successful professional, youngsters first need to be willing and able to accept the fact they will need to work very hard to reach their dreams. These days that work ethic is atypical, partly because of the “full service” system we use: hand the horse to the groom and walk away. Young riders need to learn how to take care of their horses and be good horsemen and horsewomen. You also need to place yourself with people you can learn from and respect. That’s different for everyone depending on what discipline you want to become an expert at. A strong mentor is essential in the development of a young professional. You also need to be open-minded and absorb as much as you can. Sometimes watching someone do things that you don’t agree with is also good to take in, to learn the bad and the good. I see a lot of young professionals with attitudes and a sense of entitlement that get in their way of becoming successful when they have the actual physical talent to get them there. Being a top professional is both mental and physical.

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Marie Meyers has been around the world because of Marie Meyers has been around the world because of dressage, but it’s her farm in Moorpark, California, that has captured her heart. The farm and the business that thrives there represent Marie’s lifelong journey—a journey made up of good friends, spectacular horses and relationships made to last.

Marie was raised in Southern California, and spent her childhood playing just about every sport under the sun, but she didn’t discover riding until she was 14 years old. “I loved animals so much, so I started taking lessons. I did jumping at first, but I was very bad at that, for sure!” Marie laughed.

After some time, Marie moved on to take lessons at Foxfield Riding Academy and began riding dressage. “I fell into dressage by accident,” Marie said, “At the beginning, I thought it was extremely boring, but then I got hooked. By the time I graduated from high school, I had plans to travel to England to work for Franz Rochowansky, a former head of the Spanish Riding School.”

In 1988, Marie’s hard work paid off, and the pair was selected as alternates for the 1988 Summer Olympic Games. “They didn’t take the alternates that year, so we didn’t go to Seoul, but the experience, the training and the European Tour afterwards set me up for the 1990 World Equestrian Games in Stockholm, Sweden,” Marie said.

In addition to having success representing her country, Marie was busy with her life—marriage, a business, teaching lessons and clinics. 

Learn more about Marie in this month's edition of Sidelines Magazine. Click the link in our bio for more 🦄

📸Photos by Lindsey Long Equine Photography, www.lindseylong.com

#dressage #equestrian #horse #horses #horsesofinstagram #dressagehorse #equestrianlife #showjumping #horseriding #equine #pony #pferd #instahorse #dressur #horselove #eventing #equestrianstyle #cheval #dressagerider #horselife #horselover #pferde #love #riding #jumping #pferdeliebe #horseofinstagram #horsebackriding #paard #dressurpferd
We are starting a ‼️new series‼️ here on o We are starting a ‼️new series‼️ here on our socials where we share some of the lovely stallions, and their breeders featured in each month's magazine. Our first feature on this #STUDSunday is...

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Contact Cheryl Maye at (703) 431-9096 for more information
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You can find ALL of the stallions featured towards the back of the magazine in the equestrian gallery. Keep a look out EVERY Sunday for a new handsome STUD muffin🧁 and don't forget to subscribe to get your very own edition of Sidelines Magazine, the magazine for horse people, about horse people 🦄

📸  SAS Equestrian
‼️ROB JACOBS COLUMN‼️ The purpose of this ‼️ROB JACOBS COLUMN‼️

The purpose of this month’s column is to help the young equestrians of our sport develop and maintain healthy friendships within the industry. Cultivating healthy relationships with other members within the industry is not as easy as one may think. As a young equestrian, it may be difficult navigating friendships at the barn and at horse shows. Typically, kids have friendships within the barn they ride at but also friendships with others from different barns in their area. 

Initially, it may seem as though making other friends in the sport would be easy and ideal; after all, there is the common interest of horses. However, because of the natural therapeutic benefits of horses, the sport has a history of attracting all types of people, with a wide range of personalities. This can be both an advantage and a drawback. We are now in an era that acknowledges the growing need to discuss and manage one’s mental health. 

One thing I have learned is that we are likely to notice mental health challenges at an age younger than most people may think. Some of the friendship dynamics I have observed over the years have caused me to pause and really think about the future of our sport. Without looking for a source to blame for the cause of this, i.e. social media, parents, school, teachers, etc., I think if all adults involved worked to encourage, affirm, love, and respect our youth, the likelihood of them developing authentic friendships with their peers may increase.

Both humans and horses were designed to have connected relationships. These relationships allow a greater sense of security when one experiences challenges in life. Cultivating the quality and authenticity of these relationships requires intentional work. 

Thank you Rob for providing your helpful insight on developing healthy relationships. Check out his tips in his column you can find in the link in our bio.
Never miss a story by subscribing to Sidelines Magazine🦄 

Photo by Blenheim Equisports

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