Category: Ruth’s Journal

In everyone’s life there are jumping off points.  Junctures in time where we have to decide if the training wheels can come off.  But wait… you could argue that the training wheels don’t really ever have to come off… I mean seriously imagine yourself as a 40-year-old cruising down the street wearing your pink unicorn helmet astride your shiny new two wheeler with that extra set of tiny wheels on the back to give you balance as your sparkly streamers blow in the wind 😉 .  Now that’s what cool looks like!

Let’s face it there’s risk in taking off those tiny extra wheels providing so much to support you on that tippy purple bike.  On the other hand, my daughter pointed out to me that with them on you can’t go as fast, you can’t turn as sharp and you can’t test your balance.  When we first taught our daughter to drive our little dirt bike we routinely strapped hockey pads onto as many extremities as we could and we only taught her to drive in first gear (training wheels).  Figuring out when to teach her to shift to second gear took careful observation of her skill, her confidence and a certain amount of her whining that she couldn’t keep up with her brother.  We knew that there would be risk in teaching her to shift to second gear but we felt confident that she had the skills to handle the added speed.  Has she skinned her knees and elbows a time or two? For sure, but only once she felt confident to test things out like just how tight she can really turn on gravel.  Once she has mastered all of the skills on the little bike (now that she has found all the gears) we will strap the hockey pads back on and teach her how to ride a slightly bigger dirt bike.

Equally important to knowing when the training wheels should come off is knowing when they should stay on for just a little longer despite the whining.

Coaching definitely has some training wheel decision parallels and having the coaching confidence to make those decisions takes me personally a lot of contemplation, skill assessment, empathy and sleeplessness.

For me this weekend we had a few training wheel moments which I will describe below…in general… with no reference to anyone specific:

• You may have heard about the amazing team member we call ‘The Mulk’ (aka Megan Jenner – non specifically of course). This weekend I unleashed the 2 wheeler!  Oh yes, Megan took 2 members of the Dressage team to a Silver show to do 1^st and 2^nd level tests with my horse trailer and my students… oh revelation, maybe it was MY training wheels coming off in terms of trusting someone else to do what I do, and feeling they could pull it off.  It wasn’t without assessment of Megan’s skill, confidence and crave to succeed that I pulled the wheels off to say, ‘sure, this is a great idea!’.  Megan, Kristin and Jenna, (non-specifically) you guys rocked that dressage show and although I was there by text, you guys did this and were amazing!  With a splendid second test for Kristin and Kreacher earning a 61.7% at the First Level, and Jenna and Kinsale at Second Level earning a 67.43% in the first test and 66% in the second test as well as a Champion of the 3^rd and 2^nd level divisions combined it proved to be an incredibly successful day – without me!  Training wheels off.

• I was at Harmony Horse Trials for the weekend and what a great event they held!  With Dylan Barry as the Cross Country Course builder each track looked amazing when we walked it on Friday.  An all girl crew on the Oakhurst team (much like the Canadian Olympic Eventing team), leads us to recognize the splendid work of girl power.  I left the whiteboard in the trailer (leap of faith) and relied on the solidarity of the team to do their thing.  Well, the crew at the finish with riders who had completed their day, not started their day and who have driven 2 hours to be a part of their day did their work.  An amazing job by this squad and I couldn’t be prouder.

• Okay, but let’s talk about a young lady that takes a horse who hasn’t seen competition in a couple of years and moves from the Pre-Training level to the Preliminary level within the year… and gives the horse a good run???  I understand the perfectionist tendency that accompanies a sport this intense and I appreciate it.  But also understand that when you come to me with the plan for the latter half of the season I need to consider your skill, ability and confidence before taking the training wheels off.  Will you scrape your knees?  Of course!  Are you mastering second gear?  Of course.  Not only were you awesome, you gave back to the team which also shows your respect and empathy.  Go you, training wheels off!

• And then, who doesn’t appreciate a person up to a genuine challenge???  I LOVE it!!!  Throwing down the gauntlet of training a horse in a sport that he was not originally intended is the bomb!  Gallop fast… not his forte… solid obstacles… never seen them before… 20×40 what????  Oh yes, Charles WH has a jockey that is game!!  Training wheels off!

• And then there is the competitor who recognizes that maybe this isn’t the day for their horse and they have the Grace to Gracefully say that my horse needs to be right to compete.  So Gracie-ness.

 

• Did I mention already the recognition of training wheels??  My horse is young and although I am sitting in 3^rd place going into show jumping I am still thrilled with her after a few rails because she is so young and so brave.  Poise and charm are my new words for you… you impress me!

• I definitely haven’t told you yet about the training wheels we took off a courageous young lady who had a fall and concussion last go out at the level she competed at this weekend.  Was she nervous heading out on to cross country?  Obviously!  Was she amazing?  Obviously!  Did she take every direct route and win by over 23 points?  Obviously!   Girl power!!!

 

• Let’s talk for a second about a kid who is doing her upgrade and has a second horse to ride… no pressure there!  Training wheels???  They were gone long ago!  (her parents may differ!) Not only did she win her upgrade by over 10 points she showed conscientiousness in making sure that both horses received the same attention and consideration in competition earning an added top 4 finish.

• And then of course, training wheels off to a young lady (and family) who took a horse who was a thoroughbred rescue and have made him a part of their life.  This horse smiles when he sees this family, and he has a confident grin when he leaves the start box for cross country, like, is that all you’ve got???  Seriously, this kid thanked the dressage judge for judging her… I almost thought about thanking her for letting me be a part of watching her… what a team.

It was an awe-inspiring weekend all around.  Watching the students I work with currently and those that have branched out on their own made me feel a great sense of pride.  I am excited to watch what everyone has in store for the next chapter and hope that they jump head first into a leadership role of this great sport.  This sport needs the next generation to step up and grab the reins.  Its your time to shine and I will help you balance on the way.

The first time I rode a bike without training wheels I felt the comforting hand of my dad on my back helping me to balance… if you need help I will be there, if you need me to let you soar down that first hill on your own I will cheer.

This weekend we are excited to host another Silver Dressage Show at Oakhurst on the Saturday and will be at Stevens Creek Horse Trials on the Sunday!  Let the fun continue, let me know if you need an extra set of tiny wheels or some sparkly streamers cuz I’m your girl!

Ruth

 

So, if you know me at all, you know I suck at math, but in the same light, I love numbers! Since 1999 I have kept a results database on the horses and riders who have been a part of our team.  At the end of 2015 I had recorded a total of 2848 rides in competition with the Oakhurst team.  Break that down a little further and these numbers help to allow me year by year to see where the team is at and tailor our program to suit the needs of riders in any given year, and trust me that every year is different!

Is it slightly obsessive to keep track of all of our riders’ results year after year? Possibly, but staying ahead of the curve is crucial in my mind to give our riders the best program to suit their individual needs.  If we always do what we’ve always done, then we are behind the game.  The sport is constantly evolving and so must we.  Recognizing the ebb and flow of the levels of our students is also crucial.  So for the purpose of this blog I just looked at horses that competed at the Prelim level from 1999 – 2015.  I anecdotally tell kids that it takes 3 years for a horse to confidently get to Prelim once they start in the sport of Eventing, which in a generation of young adults that crave instant results must seem like a lifetime!

Check out the following numbers and see if the ebb and flow becomes more apparent. These are the numbers of horse/rider combinations that have competed at the prelim level on the Oakhurst team:

1999 – zero

2000 – 2

2001 – 6

2002 – 7

2003 – 8

2004 – 2

2005 – 7

2006 – 8

2007 – 6

2008 – 3

2009 – 3

2010 – 4

2011 – 8

2012 – 10

2013 – 6

2014 – 6

2015 – 3

For me what’s cool about tracking the numbers for me is that when I scan through results from 15 years ago I can picture each one of those horses and riders. No one is lost.  Its sort of my way to remember every single person that competed with us and to celebrate their accomplishments.

There are very few constants in life and learning to roll with the flow of every year, every month and every day is one of the greatest and most rewarding challenges we all face. As coaches we get to share in every accomplishment you make and we feel the sting of every loss.  We have to take tools learned in our experiences and put them to use in forging ahead to the next challenge, whether that’s learning to rise the trot, perfecting a dressage test or jumping around a cross country course.  One of the grandest constants in life for me, is getting to watch people reach their dreams and goals as well as helping them find new goals.  I look at the numbers above and remember every struggle, every tear and every smile along the way.  If the sport was easy I’d only buy boxes of red ribbons and hand them out before the start.

The next couple of weeks at Oakhurst will be action packed! This weekend we look forward to hosting a Silver Dressage show, don’t panic I have the candy all set for the whipper-in booth so be sure to check out the assortment!

The weekend after is the Oakhurst Horse Trials! Such a cool line up with Saturday Show Jump schooling and dressage ring familiarization available.  The Event on Sunday followed by a volunteer and competitor party that promises some added surprises… no, I can’t tell you, it’s a surprise!  You have to be there to believe it!

Monday August 1^st is what I’m most excited about.  Catered breakfast, guest speakers and a chance for anyone and everyone to school the cross country course while its still decorated and flagged.  This will be the only chance to school before the Ontario championships so be sure to check out the details here.

See you there, and remember keep moving forward, or in the words of Dory, ‘Just keep swimming’!

Ruth

In the heat of competition, it can be very easy to lose sight of what got us all started in sport.  Its more than likely that we began our chosen sport because we had fun doing it.  We started competing because it was a way to challenge ourselves and test our skills, but competition was still fun.

Sometimes as a coach I have mixed feelings about placing emphasis on goal setting and yearly training plans… don’t get me wrong, I know that they are important pieces in outlining schedules, competition structure and ensuring that opportunities aren’t missed.

“A Goal is a Dream with a Deadline” Napoleon Hill

I think what becomes most challenging is the moment of clarity that the goal that’s been set needs to be re-evaluated, revamped and re-written, and all too often this re-evaluation can be mistaken for failure.  Sometimes it takes more courage to change a goal than setting the original one.

Some of my main life goals are to have fun and to feel like I am accomplishing something.  I know those don’t strictly fall under the SMART goals parameters that I preach but in my own way they do:

S = Specific:  Days should consist with at least 70% fun… of course these take some planning if you have do things like go to the dentist or get a needle but its doable.

M = Measurable:  That’s easy when it comes to accomplishments.  Every day I should feel satisfied that I helped make someone else’s life more fun.  Imagine a whole day of teaching lessons and being able to go to bed feeling like people enjoyed themselves, learned something and appreciated their horse… that’s a large part of my day!

A = Achievable:  How do I make sure I set myself up for success in achieving my goal.  Easy.  Surround myself with like minded people.  People who want to have fun and feel like they are accomplishing.

R = Realistic/Relevant:  Duh, of course it is!  (and this is really the whole point of this blog today so stop reading after this) If I stop having fun and feeling like I am making accomplishments I need to change and re-evaluate, revamp and re-write my goals.  Life is too short to not be having fun and feeling like you are getting shit done!

T = Time Bound:  Yup.  Til I die, that’s pretty finite.

Huh, I guess it does fall into the SMART goal model after all!

 ‘A goal is not always meant to be reached, it often serves simply as something to aim at.’   Bruce Lee

This past weekend we had a 3 riders (Emma Richardson, Jackie Naida, Barb Eamer) attend a Silver Level Dressage show at First Level and all three of them achieved goals of getting over 60% in each of their tests, not to mention Emma Richardson & Sokit2ya winning the overall Champion of the First Level Division!

Then on Sunday we went to Touch a Rainbow Horse Trials with a couple of riders braving the heat (Jenna Mayhew, Kenzi Greer)!  Kenzi jumped around her first Training level and came 2^nd!

But I think the biggest win of the weekend were the laughs that we all shared over silly things that remind us why we all got started in this.  From Tate packing a cot (which I used) and sleeping bag on one of the hottest days of the year so far.  To Grace and Alexa cooling off in their warm up ring row boat/bathtub, these are some of the things that make us smile and remember to enjoy each other.

This week we are pleased to have joining us guest Clinician Jessica Phoenix.  We will undoubtedly learn lots as well as enjoying each others company and appreciating our horses patience.

Next weekend we have 13 riders going to the Ottawa Horse Trials which so far is calling for beautiful weather which will be a pleasant change from the soggy Event there in the spring.

Buckle up kids, its going to be a busy week!

P.S.  If you haven’t appreciated my mowing yet be prepared for golf course type cross country field… I love mowing!!!  It brings my happiness quotient way up and I get a feeling of accomplishment… see, meeting goals all the time!

Through the winter we diligently build lesson plan after lesson plan trying to ensure that all aspects of the sport are covered.  Through the general preparation period of our yearly training plan we try to make sure that we include all aspects of schooling in order to bring out the best performance we have deep down in us once show season starts… but when that first big show of the season is just about to begin I have to admit that I feel butterflies.  Like, elephant sized butterflies, until this year.  I have previously had that moment of, ‘did we school the dressage test enough?’ or ‘should we have dropped into water just one more time this week’ as we headed out into our first Event.

This year marked a change for me.  As you’ve probably heard, a group of riders and coaches at the barn worked through the winter with sports psychologist Paige Mattie to up our game.  For me it changed the way I built lesson plans.  The general and specific preparation periods of our YTP’s (yearly training plans) took more structure and through that structure I have moved into our show season feeling more prepared than ever (not that I plan on getting complacent!).

The night before an Event I go through a check list, some of it is written on the white board in the barn:  passports, hay, water, buckets, etc… and some of it is mental.  Set alarm, prep the coffee, pick out coaching power outfit based on the weather forecast, etc…

And then, if I have set the alarm for 5:30am I typically wake up at 4:43am.  Lets be quite clear… non-show days I wait for Mark to bring me coffee in bed before making a move but on show days I am up and puttering around with all the lights in the house on at 4:43am!

This past Sunday we had 13 horse/rider combinations compete at the Eventing at the Park Horse Trials and at 4:43am I was dressed and working on my hair.  Have you seen my hair?  Ever watch the Simpsons?  My hair in the morning is definitely Sideshow Bob-ish unless I attempt to do something with it.  So by 5:30am I was happy with the hair situation, had a thermos of coffee, and had a cooler packed… and that’s when it started raining.  Not sure if you know this but Ruth’s hair + rain = drowned rat look, (quote from one of my students) 😉

The rain carried on pretty much the entire day and the greatest part about it was that our sport psychologist had prepared us for this moment.

You can’t control the environment but you can control how you deal with it.  WHAT???

Oh yes, we have prepared for this!

When I saw the weather forecast I immediately started thinking about my footwear choices.  Oh yes, its true… rain all day definitely = sandals!  Here’s the thought… if my feet are going to be wet it should definitely be my choice.

I have control over how wet my feet are so I will choose to make them wet.

That idea that we have a choice about how we will respond to things is paramount.  This weekend given the adverse conditions on rain for the entire day did not ‘dampen’ our need to show our skills.  Although my hair got rained out our spirits did not, and our results showed it.

Training Junior

• Alexa Bresnahan & Aragon – 1^st Place

Training Senior

• Laura Gravelle & Tatti – 1^st Place
• Devon Svoboda & Abbigael – 6^th Place
• Sarah Catt & Drummore Bay – 8^th Place

Pre-Training Junior

• Emma Richardson & Sokit2ya – 1^st Place
• Kenzi Greer Mitchell & Top Gun – 2^nd Place
• Rebecca Walker & Silver Lining – 5^th Place
• Kieryn Davison & King Stag

Entry Junior

• Taya Davison & Gemini – 8^th Place

Entry Senior

• Chelsea Arden & Charles WH – 9^th Place
• Megan Jenner & Portia – 10^th Place
• Misha Wylie & Oliver – 11^th Place

Pre-Entry Senior

• Jenna Mayhew & Kinsale – 5^th Place

To watch riders put their skills into practice was awe inspiring.  And to watch them deal with the environmental challenges of the day was even more exciting.

I have waited all winter to see if the training we have been doing is heading the right direction and based on this weekends results I feel confident that we are on the right path.

Next weekend we have a Gold Level Dressage show on Saturday as well as hosting a Coaching Certification Evaluation at the Instructor level.  Not to mention that Sunday we are headed to the Meadowvale Upper Canada Derby where we look forward to testing our skill once again.

I look forward to every challenge that we are about to face and am excited to watch our athletes handle it with ease.  To know what life ultimately holds for us is a mystery, but to know how we will deal with it is completely in our control.

In the words of one of the greatest coaches ever – John wooden:  Success is never final, failure is never fatal. It’s courage that counts.

On to the next challenge/adventure/test.  Be courageous and see what the world can bring to you.  See you at 4:43am next show day, game on!

Ruth

 

In January when I have a sleepless night I think about some of my favorite things… and no, that list does not include raindrops on roses, or whiskers on kittens.  Bright copper kettles?  Seriously!  For me the list is more likely to include things like drawing jump course maps and mowing grass.  Or what about whipper snipping, putting up signs and roping?  Yup!  Harrowing rings, putting out garbage cans and making sure there is toilet paper ready for the porta-pottie, not to mention how much I love the smell of a brand new marker ready to write numbers on my whipper-in whiteboard, these are a few of my favorite things!

Setting up for horse shows becomes like a well oiled machine, however adrenaline does help a little too!  This past weekend we held a Derby on Saturday and a Dressage show on Sunday.  This past Thursday Mark said to me, “for a Wednesday before a show we are so far ahead of schedule!”.   😉

Saturdays Derby saw 200 jump rounds.  I watched horses and riders learn from their rides; I watched coaches doing brilliant debriefs; and I watched spectators beam with pride when their rider came across the finish line.  There was fun and learning and training all happening in a competitive environment.  What a great opportunity to test out everything learned over the winter months.

By Saturday night at 8pm there was almost no evidence of a derby, but instead stood 2 dressage rings on beautifully harrowed footing.  I would say it was like magic, but instead it was by a small army of adrenaline filled helpers!

Sunday was met with a bitter cold wind and a new crew of horses and riders ready to tackle the art of dressage, and that they did!  With approximately 100 tests ridden on the day by a large field of competitors we again witnessed horses and riders rising to the challenge of putting their skills to the test.

Its been a long wait to get back into the heat of competition and it was a joy to watch everyone bravely step into the ring and try out their skills.  And here’s the bottom line as I see it:  whether you were champion this weekend or went home with a little dirt on your breeches you undoubtedly grew a little by the experience of pushing yourself.  Go you!!

You might not have just won the Grand Slam at Badminton, but you put yourself out there and there’s a lot to be said for that.

All of the results from the weekend can be found on the home page of the website:  www.oakhurstfarm.com

Can’t wait to see everyone at the next show, and now that I have recovered from Sunday’s windburn and frostbite I am ready to go again!  Bring it on.

Ruth

P.S.  After the cold weather on Sunday I have definitely not included in my list of favorite things:  ‘Snowflakes that stay on my nose and eyelashes’… who wrote that line???

“If you’re not making mistakes, then you’re not doing anything. I’m positive that a doer makes mistakes.” John Wooden

This past weekend we hosted a prep day for coaches who are looking to move forward to being certified as Instructors and Competition coaches. Not only did all of the candidates have to prepare a lesson plan to share with the group they then had to bravely step into the arena and teach that lesson in order to get feedback.

The candidates that enrolled for the prep day made a bold leap when they signed up. After all, they already know that they enjoy coaching, and they are likely already making some money at it, so why take the chance of standing in front of their peers and potentially have someone tell them that they are making mistakes?

There is no more intimidating feeling than putting yourself out there. I was evaluated as a Competition Coach Specialist in 2012 after having been certified as a Coach 1 in 1994 (before most of you were born 😉 ). For 18 years I had been making a living at coaching and the thought of standing in front of evaluators with even the remotest possibility of them telling me I was making mistakes was definitely nerve-racking! So why do it?

For me it was a very distinct decision to be certified in the context that I was now working in as a coach and believe it or not I actually crave the idea of being graded. Okay, don’t get me wrong, when it comes to math or my cooking, don’t even think of grading me… I get an ‘E’ for effort but that’s about it!

But when it comes to this thing called coaching that I am insanely passionate about, I actually want to know where I can improve so that my athletes get the best opportunity to learn and grow. I’m not saying it wasn’t without careful planning and some well-placed trepidation that I stepped in front of a pair of evaluators who are icons in the industry in order to have them assess my performance as a coach. Here are the things that went through my head when thinking of going ahead with the evaluation:

• What if I just plain stink as a coach?

o   I’m pretty sure I don’t stink as a coach which is why I have athletes who are successfully reaching goals

• What if I can’t form a complete sentence when I get into the ring to teach?

o   It hasn’t happened before and I have taught in front of lots of people, plus I live for adrenaline, so maybe I will be even better!

• What if I think I am amazing, but they don’t?

o   We can’t all think I’m amazing, and maybe the feedback I get from the evaluators will make me even better than amazing!

• Why am I even doing this, I already make a living as a coach?

o   Because I want to be the best I can.  My athletes put themselves on the line all the time to get better and to be judged, why shouldn’t I be willing to do the same!

For those of you who are taking the leap to put your skills to the test and be evaluated, I salute you!  The candidates we had with us on the weekend worked collaboratively in order to bring their ‘A’ game to their lessons.  Did they make some mistakes when they stepped in the ring?  For sure!  Did they get better at recognizing where they could improve?  Absolutely!

It was fun to watch everyone step into the ring to teach their lesson and get a glimpse of their style and rapport with the riders.  Whether we are watching a coach new to the industry or one that has been   imparting wisdom for years, we all have something to learn by watching and listening.

Yesterday I trailered two of our girls over to a Hyde Moffatt clinic and although the sunny spring weather was more like sideways sleet, it didn’t dampen our spirits.  The horses were well behaved, Hyde was excellent in communicating his expectations of the girls and there was learning all around.

The opportunity for me to watch my athletes ride with another coach is always an enlightening one.  I get the opportunity to see things through a fresh set of eyes and come home with a renewed sense of where to head.

And speaking of clinics, you may have seen on our website that we have a date firmed up for our annual Jessica Phoenix clinic – Wednesday June 29^th & Thursday June 30^th.  All of the information about the clinic can be found here.  Applications are already rolling in so if you want a spot, get yours in soon.

And speaking of getting paperwork done, those of you on the show team have noticed in the barn the folders of entry forms waiting to be filled out.  The sooner you get those filled out and returned, the better!  Spring is definitely heading our way and along with it an exciting season of challenging our learning and our skills.

Here’s one last quote to leave you with today:

“Success comes from knowing that you did your best to become the best that you are capable of becoming.” John Wooden

The ball is rolling past, it’s time to bend over and pick it up!

Ruth

Each fall when we plan our winter education program we try to come up with a catalogue of opportunities that will captivate, inform and elevate our athletes.  This winter in my opinion has been Grade A!

I first heard the term ‘holistic athlete’ a couple of years ago when listening to Ozzie Sawiki talk about the complete training of an athlete.  It occurred to me this fall that doing just the typical lunging, bandaging, stable management type clinics over the winter was just not enough.  As coaches we have the ability to do more for our athletes and we should, so following the words of Sara Bareilles, ‘Honestly I wanna see you be brave’, we tried something a bit new for us.

I am not a Sport Psychologist, or a Nutritionist or a chiropractor or a physiotherapist, I am a coach.  Do I think my athletes could benefit from working with all of those people?  Absolutely, but I had to be brave enough to:

A) Admit that I am not an expert in all things (who knew?)

B) Ask for help for my athletes from the amazing professionals who are truly experts in what they do,

C) Relax and let the experts do their job,

D) Embrace the program with reckless abandon!

So, in this idea of creating holistic athletes I have adopted the understanding that an athlete needs a coach who looks at them as a whole person, taking into account their mental, social and physical demands.  Seems obvious right, and I know that as dedicated coaches we are all already thinking in that light, however this year I challenged our team to take it one step further and am I ever glad.

This coming weekend marks the last group session we have with Sport Psychologist Paige Mattie.  We have honed our mental imagery techniques, practiced progressive relaxation routines, worked on goal setting and so much more.  One of the big pieces we are hoping to tackle this weekend is the Pre-Performance routine.   I’ve talked for years about the benefit of a post-performance analysis, but here is my recent revelation:  What if we took that post performance analysis and devoted energy into using it to make an effective pre-performance routine!  Ta da!!!

This year at our annual Oakhurst Christmas/Awards party we gave all the 2015 Show Team members that were there a super pretty and functional Oakhurst Journal.  I had a plan!  Then at our show meeting in February I spent great lengths to explain the importance of journaling all the little details of a competition to our riders in order to see trends (knowing full well that most of them had fancy – unopened journals that I had given them – plan falling into place!).  I was sitting listening for feedback when one of our riders spoke to the fact that there was absolutely no rhyme or reason to what made one event go well or disastrously.  Right then and there I was hit by a lightening bolt… The post-performance analysis worksheets that I had weren’t working.  Coaching fail!

At the time I wasn’t sure how to deal with this idea that there is no pattern or formula that an athlete could refer to as their best practices.  Then I heard something from our wise Sport Psychologist Paige when we were talking about stress management skills that lead me start thinking about specifically targeting our pre-performance routine to help alleviate some potential stressors.  Let’s face it, we can’t control everything in the day but (in the words of Paige), “we can control how we react to it”.

I didn’t have a complete plan yet, but there was definitely the beginning of an idea forming in my head…

Then when we had Heather MacKinnon come in and talk about Sport Nutrition I heard about this idea that planning out what you are going to eat before show day, on show day and after show day could actually help performance!  I thought to myself, hey here’s another example of something we could target in a pre-competition routine that we carry into training.

Train like we mean to compete!  Lightening bolt #2!!!

Would we change our horses entire diet on the day of a horse show?  So why then is it okay for us to go to the canteen and order the greasiest burger ever an hour before dressage and think its not going to affect our ride?

This past weekend we had Dr. Lindsay Buchan come and do a Stretch & Strengthen workshop for the riders.  She spoke to the importance of core stability, flexibility and leg strength, then worked through a plethora of exercises designed to target those areas.  That’s when it hit me!!

Lightening bolt #3:

A) Sport Psychology isn’t for athletes with mental problems

B) Sport Nutrition isn’t just about Gatorade and spinach

C) Support from Chiropractic/Massage/Physio isn’t exclusively for after you sustain an injury, it is used to help prevent injury!

I had it now, a complete picture of all the cool tools available to our athletes to make them a stronger, more confident, whole contender.  It’s a package deal.  We spend hours thinking about what training techniques, nutrition, and support the horses get, it’s time to put that much effort into ourselves.

For those of you who know me well you can appreciate that the process of bringing in experts to work with our riders has been invigorating and enlightening.  Watching them get new tools to help them be the best that they can has been awesome.

I challenge you to look at your program and see where the gaps are.  Nothing is random.

I am 42 this year and somehow I thought that I would magically be gifted the answer to life the universe and everything – too many late night movies!  I don’t have all the answers but I am brave enough to call in experts to help out!

Be the best you, you can be!

Ruth

plus I heard a Canada Goose this morning, so it also means that winter is almost over 🙂

So, after what seemed like the most temperate winter in memory we finally have our first taste of the chilly north with a weekend in the -40’s (with the wind chill) and a day of warmer but definitely snowier weather.  Today is a ‘Snow Day” for all of the kids in the area because we have a forecast of 40cm of snow fall which equals so much indoor time… possibly!

The great news is that our Oakhurst Show Team meetings coincided with this super frosty time.  This past weekend we held meetings for both our Horse Trials team and our Dressage team in the warm comfort of the Equine Canada Office Board Room.

Dozens of dedicated show team members braved the cold weather to plan their show season through the use of PowerPoints, SMART Goals, YTP’s, and calendars.  We explored the specific requirements of the different divisions of competition and worked through an interactive exercise in groups where we investigated the physical and technical skills that are required at each stage of competition in order to gain a better understanding of the necessities at each level.  The gained awareness brought to the athletes through this exercise was awesome!  Even just the knowledge that at the Training Level of Horse Trials although the Cross Country jump height is 3’3”, the base width of the jumps on Cross Country can be 5’2”!  That’s wide!

Watching the excitement and the understanding in the room when we talk about the upcoming show season is inspiring.  We started putting together a ‘Show Team Handbook’ back in 1994 when we constructed our first team of athletes looking to compete.  I’ve said it before, but will happily recapitulate the statement that when I first made the shift to coaching: my dream was to one-day coach an Event rider at the Training level that would finish in the top 3… Needless to say our show team meeting now not only encompasses what’s involved with competing potentially at the Training level but well beyond.

It’s a pretty inspiring group of individuals we get to work with, and the dynamic of the Show Team meeting is so cool.  We have athletes that have never competed in anything equestrian; athletes that have aspirations to be the best walk/trot local amateurs on the dressage circuit; athletes that have hopes to make it to the Provincial Championships for both Eventing and Dressage and athletes that have goals of representing our nation one day.  They all work through their goal worksheets in full support of everyone in the room despite the level of athlete development that they are presently in.

To support these phenomenal individuals, we have contracted the skills of Sport Psychologist Paige Mattie who has been helping our athletes with goal setting, visualization techniques and best performance practise.  This week brings our 3^rd session with Paige and I can’t wait to see what we learn this week!

To support this endeavour of making our athletes holistic competitors we have also reached out to Registered Dietician Heather Mackinnon to work with our athletes and parents.  She is coming in on Sunday March 6^th from 1-3pm and will help to educate us all on what to ‘Eat to Win!’, talking topics such as:

• foods to eat before, during and after training and competition
• Making good choices while eating on the road
• Do you need vitamin, mineral, protein supplements
• Hydration and sports drinks
• The vegetarian athlete
• Caffeine – help or hindrance?

Check out the information on our website to sign up.

We are headed into a very exciting season, and once we dig out from this blast of snowy fabulousness we will get started on the pathway to an adventure of amazing Champions and Championships!  ‘TEAMO’ is on the hunt for a great year, will you be part of the movement?

Stay warm,

Ruth

They are super swag slightly sparkly extra long leg warmers.  Oh yes, it’s a fashion thing here in Ashton!

Before you get too jealous of my fashion sense and style I should let you know that I just spent 10 days in the sunny south.  First, visiting an alumni student who is now running her own Equestrian centre in Saratoga, New York.  Then on to Ocala, Florida to visit friends who are there for the winter.  Finally, on to a cruise ship with my husband of almost 20 years to swan about the Caribbean as tourists.

When you think of tourists you probably think of people who sleep until late morning… lie by the pool and drink Bahama mamas all day and party all night long.  For those of you that have been away with me before already know that there is a schedule that has to be followed!!  C’mon people, you know that feeling of power when you whip out a fresh highlighter and place that first awesome bright stripe on a cruise newsletter of the days’ events.  Breakfast starts at 6:30am, don’t be a slacker, the day has started!  The day can be packed full of informative and educational opportunities if you are up to the challenge.  We attended Port Tour talks, Morning Trivia, Scavenger hunts, Afternoon Trivia, Musical Trivia, Nap time (Mark said it was mandatory), evening shows and so much more…

But none of that is what you should be jealous of.

When returning home to the not so warm north I planned my outfit according to the outside temperature for my first night back teaching, which of course included my super long length leg warmers.  Oh yeah, now your jealous.  They are black and have a hint of sparkle to them and let me tell you that worn with a long coat they take the edge off the -25 wind chill!  Of course the heaters in the arena help too 😉

We wonder as coaches what kind of lasting impression we will leave on our athletes and although my leg warmers are smile worthy I hope there’s more than my odd sense of fashion that gets left with a student.  Getting the inspiring glimpse into the lives of athletes we have worked with, and what they are doing after they leave our nest is not only moving but should also serve as a source of motivation to stay invested in the athletes currently in our program.

On our way to Florida, having the opportunity to stop in on a young woman who is working her tail off to make a go of a fantastic Equestrian business with her fiancé was a treat.  She welcomed us with open arms, gave us a tour, and sat with us and talked as a peer in this great industry.  It was a definite pleasure to see that the work and dedication she has made her life is paying off.

She is one of so many young individuals that I get to look up to and feel honoured to have had the chance to work with.  Some have stayed involved in horses as trainers, coaches, jockeys, farriers, and vets and some have moved in other directions to pursue their vision of becoming teachers, accountants, mothers, business owners, psychiatrists, lawyers and so so so much more.  I hope I speak for all coaches when I say that the respect, integrity and empathy you learned in sport help you in whatever direction life has taken you. Now just promise to stop aging you guys, you are making people think I’m old!  No worries my new flashy leg warmers are counter acting that, not to mention the exciting program we have planned for the winter!  Don’t forget the following dates:

Saturday January 23^rd – NCHTA Awards Banquet

Sunday January 24^th – Mental Training Workshop and the start of Drill Team Session #2

Sunday January 31^st – EC Rider Level Stable management session

Sunday February 14^th – Oakhurst Show Team Meetings

See you there!

Ruth

 P.S.  This is a very young Sam Mackenzie and Mr. Rudy… 14 years old at her first CCI 1*.  Thanks for taking the time to give us a glimpse into your life, keep running hard kiddo, you are making dreams come true.

On the 1st day of Christmas my true love gave to me:  One super fun barn movie night!

• This past weekend marked the first ever Oakhurst Farm movie night!  Held in the indoor arena complete with big screen, sleeping bags, tailgating and lots of laughs courtesy of the movie Elf!.  A definite new tradition in the making.

On the 2^nd day of Christmas my true love gave to me:  Two sand rings completely void of snow!

• The sand rings are both currently wet but definitely have no snow!

On the 3^rd day of Christmas my true love gave to me:  Three fabulous Eventing phases to base my lesson plans on.

• Oh yes, the greatest sport ever has three wonderful phases which provides us coaches lots and lots of lesson plan ideas in the off season.  No worries folks I have lots up my sleeve to get us through the winter 🙂

On the 4^th day of Christmas my true love gave to me:  Four awesome coaches to work with!

• We have an inspired group of coaches at Oakhurst who I am proud to be a part of.  The opportunity to bounce ideas off 3 other professionals who understand our program, our philosophy and the long term benefit of us working collaboratively for our athletes is a true joy.

On the 5^th day of Christmas my true love gave to me:  Five months until show season in Ontario!

• No time to waste, we are already planning for the 2016 season.  The Oakhurst Show Team meeting will be held on February 14^th, 2016.  Details will soon be found on the Oakhurst website, stay tuned.

On the 6^th day of Christmas my true love gave to me:  Six Amazing school horses!

• The notion that the horse will be the greatest teacher we will ever have as equestrians is so cool.  We can learn countless lessons from our horses if we pay attention.  Some lessons are more obvious than others and some of my school horses are more obvious about teaching them.

On the 7^th day of Christmas my true love gave to me:  Seven months until Daisy pops out a new life!

• Its true… although Daisy looks like she will be giving birth to an elephant already, she still has a while to go.

On the 8^th day of Christmas my true love gave to me:  Eight horses in Drill Team #1, and Ten horses in Drill Team #2!

• Sunday December 27^th at 2:00pm will be the big performance for both Drill Teams. Come and cheer them on and join us in the house after for pot luck drinks and appetizers.

On the 9^th day of Christmas my true love gave to me:  Nine Degrees of warmth outside!!

• Who could have imagined that outside on December 23^rd would be 9 degrees Celsius?  Definitely not me, but it does lead me to my 10^th point…

On the 10^th day of Christmas my true love gave to me:  Ten completely un-frostbitten toes!!!!

• I own heated insoles, high tech socks, and super warm boots all of which I haven’t used so far this winter and I have 10 completely un-frostbitten toes!  Although I would like for the mud to freeze up, I can honestly say that my toes look prettier this Christmas than in previous years.

On the 11^th day of Christmas my true love gave to me:  Eleven days until the Oakhurst Christmas Awards Party!!

• On January 2^nd, 2016 we will celebrate the 2015 season with an Awards party at the Glen Mar golf course.  We will have delicious food, an funny year end video, some super cool door prizes (shhh, Mark told me not to tell) and lots of awards to recognize all of the fabulous achievements made by our Oakhurst friends.  If you don’t have your tickets yet there is still time.  Check out the website or email me and I will hook you up.  Whether you are an Oakhurst student, boarder, alumni, friend or just a horse person looking for a fun night we look forward to greeting you there.

On the 12^thday of Christmas my true love gave to me:   Twelve cups of coffee!!

• On a personal note, one of my favorite times of the entire year is Christmas morning.  However, I have a terrible habit of waking up SUPER early and then I have to wait (noisily) for the rest of my family to wake up while I drink a pot of coffee.  Last year I was on my second pot of coffee when I finally made enough noise to wake everyone up… kids these days 🙂

From the entire Oakhurst Team, may your holidays be filled with love, good health and lots of horsey presents under the tree.

What is your pony getting for Christmas?

Ruth