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Saturday, June 19 2021 / Published in Sidelines Feature

Focus and Family in the Hunter-Jumper Ring

By Nicki Shahinian-Simpson 

Nicki Shahinian-Simpson had a successful career as a junior rider in the East, where she won both the ASPCA Maclay National Championship and the U.S. Medal Championship. After moving to the West Coast, Nicki continued to place well in major Grand Prix events and has competed in the U.S., Mexico, Canada and Europe with major wins and placings, culminating in nearly 35 career Grand Prix victories thus far. Some of her career highlights include: winning the U.S. Trials for the 2010 World Equestrian Games; being a member of the U.S. Team at the 2002 FEI World Equestrian Games in Jerez, Spain; being short-listed for the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team; and receiving a Leading Rider Award at Spruce Meadows in Canada. Throughout her career, Nicki has competed in seven FEI World Cup Finals.

Nicki currently offers personalized training and care from the barn to the ring through her business, Riffle Hitch LLC, while competing at the highest level herself. Riding Silver Raven Farms’ Akuna Mattata, Nicki rode to top finishes throughout 2020, placing in nearly two-thirds of the classes they competed in and winning the 2* Welcome in Split Rock and 3* Grand Prix in Tryon.

How do you handle stress when you’re about to go into the ring?

Growing up catch riding, I learned to become better under pressure, so these days I find myself learning to deal more with the adrenaline rather than stress. I typically get a feeling about each class that I’m riding in, and when that adrenaline isn’t there, I start to feel like it will be a 4-fault class. I have to keep that out of my mind by trying not to let my subconscious and my superstitions get in the way. I keep myself focused by sticking to the basics, keeping it simple, and visualizing my round. I don’t do anything different than I normally would to help keep my psyche out of the picture.

When competing Akuna Mattata, my mind is always on different things like keeping calm in the schooling area or not running into anyone. She has her own antics, but she’s also very predictable — when we go into the ring, I look around and catch my breath before she starts her spins each way and once the buzzer goes, she picks up her canter like she’s coming out of the start gate and she’s off! I rarely have to worry about a specific question on course. As long as I’m keeping myself focused and relaxed, I’m able to have confidence that she will do her thing on course. Keeping my focus on her also keeps me from overthinking things, which is nice. It actually calms me, so we help to balance each other in that sense.

What’s your process when you get a new horse?

It all revolves around the relationship and getting to know that horse. My first instinct is to adapt myself to what that horse is going to need by spending a lot of time on the flat to learn them and what their buttons are. These are things that you keep establishing over time as you move up through the divisions. When you reach the higher 1.50m and Grand Prix classes, knowing the horse and having that chemistry really helps to gel that combination of horse and rider. I’m very comfortable getting on, feeling out what the horse wants from me and being able to produce quickly the horse in its best fashion through feeling out what they need. Over time, you can start to work on a weakness, but it’s a gradual process.

How do you juggle family and riding?

My dad comes from a very big family and my mom’s side is very small, so family was a big part of my upbringing. I always wanted to have kids at a young age, and that was very important to me. It can be so difficult within our sport, with timing being such an important factor — major events happening in different years or horses that you feel like you can’t take a break from because of their window of potential. I was very fortunate when I had my kids, Sophie and Ty, that I had family around me: My mom was our barn manager and my grandmother was also there to help take care of them. I had a lot of support, and that’s always been a big factor in making it possible. I never wanted to miss out on the opportunity to have a family and kids — it’s important for myself and what I need out of life. It’s something I still place a lot of value on to this day, especially now that I’m a grandmother. There have been times I will make a 24-hour trip and think nothing of it. I will do whatever it takes to stay connected.

Do you ever compete against your children and how do you handle that? 

Our whole family has competed against each other, especially once my kids aged out and we were in more of the same classes. Even with Will, my ex-husband — when we were doing those classes, you always felt like if it was all in the family, it’s good. If we finished first and second, it didn’t really matter who was first; memories like that are special to have. You’re doing your thing when you’re in the ring, but the support is just as strong for the family, despite it being an individual sport. I think it’s exciting and fun — I can’t wait for the day that Ty has a bigger string and we’re really doing it together.

Caption:

Nicki Simpson, riding Akuna Mattata, talks with her son Ty.

Photo by Barre Dukes, Four Oaks Creative

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Tagged under: family, hunter-jumper, professional trainer

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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...

 ✨ALVESTA OWAIN✨
Thistledown Arctic Lore x Alvesta Fairy Lustre
13.1hh, Welsh section B
Stud Fee $750 (plus collection)
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Fairfield, VA

Contact Cheryl Maye at (703) 431-9096 for more information
https://www.mayeshowponies.com/more-info/stallions

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

#horse #horses #horsesofinstagram #equestrian #horseriding #equine #hunterjumper #equestrianlife #horselove #dressage #sidelinesmagzine
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