Category: Ruth’s Journal

When I ask my son (13) or daughter (9) what they want to be when they grow up they either come up with what may at first seem like an outlandish idea (bush pilot, Russian spy etc…) or I get the simple, ‘I don’t know’. As if to say, ‘WOW, how could you possibly think I have any idea what I want to do with my life at this age’… I remember a distinctly defining moment in my life (approximate age – 10 years old) when I asked my uncle Paul (early 40’s at the time), what he wanted to be when he grew up… without missing a beat he said, ‘rock star’. I remember feeling so relieved that there was no age limit on when you had to figure out what you wanted to be, and that the sky was the limit in terms of choices!

I can absolutely say at this point in my life that I know what I am good at. Exploring this can be a valuable exercise in introspection that I think we should all do. I’ll start us off with a few examples from my life:

Disney trivia: I feel like I could hold my own against Cinderella, I mean seriously she’s not as smart as she looks.

Math: When faced with even the simplest math equation my mind drifts off into grocery lists and lesson plans.

Board Games: I have an unbelievable ability to win board games by simply outlasting the competition. No one leaves my table until I win, success!!

Cooking: Even the most simple of tasks in the kitchen can turn into a flaming bag of popcorn for me. True story, at the last horse show the hotel we stayed at had complimentary bags of microwave popcorn… somehow after only a minute in the microwave, mine turned into a terrifying fireball of flames as charred popcorn smelling smoke filling our hotel room. Don’t worry, everyone was fine (except the popcorn). Let’s be realistic, I can’t be good at everything, it wouldn’t be fair to everyone else J

Coaching: If you look up the definition of ‘Coaching’ one of the explanations you might find is that the term coaching is brought into play, ‘to describe the process used to transport people from where they are, to where they want to be’. For me coaching isn’t a job I went into in order to subsidize my own riding dreams. I made a very conscious decision to be trained, evaluated, certified and then to continue training in order to give my athletes the best I can possibly provide them. I wake up at night thinking about how to help move my athletes forward, and the feeling when one of them crosses the finish line (figurate or literal) is absolutely indescribable. The biggest adrenaline rush for me is being a participant in helping transport people from where they are, to where they want to be.

I remember reading once that 2% of the population is PASSIONATE about what they do in order to make a living. I am so glad/relieved/lucky that I get to say I am in that 2%.

This past weekend we took a group of 14 riders to a local Derby as a training competition opportunity. For some of the riders it was chance to get to know a new mount before their first Horse Trial, for some an opening to school over some different fences and for a few it was their first break into the world of showing. Our athletes ranged from 9-29 years of age, and they were entered in classes varying from cross poles to 3’0” and yet they all worked together, they all cheered each other on and they were all active participants in each other’s successes. To say that I am proud of them is an understatement.

Oh yeah, and I haven’t even told you how cool our coaches are!! Over the last month we have read blogs from Helen, Blair and Megan that have been informative, thought provoking and entertaining! Keep up the good work ladies, I am thrilled to have the opportunity to work with you and am impressed with how you have stepped up to the challenge… wait until you see what I have in store for you next month!

Just an FYI to the 13 riders we have going to the ‘Eventing at the Park Horse Trials’ this weekend… When I say we are leaving at 8:00am (for example), I actually mean 7:45am. 😉

This weekend we had 10 horses loaded on 3 different trailers in under 10 minutes, team work makes the dream work… the pressure is on!

Until next time, I leave you with this:

Coaches: Make your athletes better at whatever already makes them good.

Riders: Be patient, Excellence takes time.

 

Ruth

When we hold our Show Team meeting in January, I sit in the room feeling an awesome rush of adrenaline that carries me through the whole show season.  The feeling of excitement, anticipation and genuine delight that fills me when riders who affiliate themselves with our program leave the start box/ turn down centre line/ or realise the dream in whatever way is important to them is indescribable.  And I am lucky to have surrounded myself by an inspired group of coaches that drive these students and myself to be better every day.
In my fictitious world of rainbows and unicorns I had always hoped of having a pool of coaches who have amazing expertise that I could draw on to make me the best possible teacher my students deserve.

Well shut the front door!!!  I am blessed with Helen Richardson, Blair Nicol and Megan Jenner to draw on to make me sharp, current and critical of what I do on a daily basis as a coach.  All certified.  All invested.  And yes, all hopefully planning on replacing me one day.
My hope/dream/passion/drive is to create coaches who will surpass me.  It seems defeatist right??  In my opinion, success has been achieved when we teach someone else to be better than we have been.

And hey, the big news from our coaching staff this week is that our coaches will be wading into the blogging experience!  Every week we will be rotating through our amazing coaches in order to tap into what they are doing, and what excitement they are finding throughout their week. Keep an eye on the “Coaches Journals” section of our website for weekly updates.

For me this week, I am of course excited to have jumped into our show season with a clinic last weekend with Diana Burnett, and this coming weekend with a huge extravaganza of Dressage fabulousness at our ESD show on Saturday and Derby awesomeness in our Upper Canada Derby on Sunday!  Summer is definitely feeling close, signs of spring are everywhere.

Speaking of signs of spring – I’m sure you have heard by now about the arrival of this little lady last night… A few weeks early, with the most impossibly long legs you have ever seen, Jasmine’s filly caught Blair by surprise this morning.  Even though we wait and wait for them, the surprise of seeing the foal that has been growing for 11 months is always sweet, and the exuberance and innocence they bring to the farm always makes us feel like summer is knocking on the door. She’ll be fun for all of us to watch grow this summer! (Better pics to follow once she gets a little more comfortable in her surroundings!)

Personally one of the biggest spring fancies for me is the daffodils that adorn themselves throughout the property.  The guy who planted those around the property was my dad… Robert F. Allum.  And to be honest, every time I wear the OAKHURST flag I thank my parents… my dad from ‘MILE OAK FARM’ and my Mom from ‘HURST GREEN FARM’, hence OAKHURST Farm.  The daffodils were my parents planting originally but I propose that this fall we all plant some.  Who’s with me?  Who else has their parents to thank for their ability to indulge in this sport?

I am eager to see everyone this weekend at our ‘Spring into Summer’ shows and am delighted to watch the Mother’s Day celebrations that will take place!

P.S.  Who has heard of the Oakhurst Dressage team?

Are you scared??

You should be!

We have team jackets!!!

I have heard about people who go on ‘vacations’… they sound interesting but I can’t quite get my head around what happens. I assume you relax, eat, drink and socialize… Don’t I already do that now combined with work? … and I wouldn’t trade it for anything!

This weekend I was in Ste. Justine de Newton, PQ with 14 horses and riders at Harmony Horse Trials. Our dinner reservation on the first night was for 40+ people and the second night one of the families travelling with us (The Brown’s) graciously cooked for all of us. There are 4 campers, a couple of tents and others staying at nearby hotels. We will socialize, eat, drink and collectively kick ass at an Event… doesn’t that sound like the best vacation ever?

One of the most logistically amazing parts of the whole weekend for me was that the secretary of the event (Rene Dumont) arranged my riders times so that I wouldn’t miss any of them at any phase of the competition. I assume that it must take him days to figure out how to not only set the times so I have no conflicts but also to make sure I have time for lunch? Total Genius!

There is a long list of factors influencing competition and competitive spirit and in my opinion, the format of multi day events taps into the best scenarios of those. The time for competitors to focus on the dynamics that ignite them is hugely beneficial at a two day competition such as this one. They can put their best foot forward and take the time to excel at each phase. As a coach I have time in a multi day competition to warm up, watch and de-brief riders with the intention of setting them up for the following phase which is something in my opinion we miss in the one day format.

This year marks the 20th anniversary of the Oakhurst riding school and me coaching as a full time job. My goal in the first couple of years was to have a student compete at the Training level… This weekend our team took home 1st and 2nd place in the Preliminary division amongst a host of other top 5 and top 10 finishes. To say that I got a little teary a couple of times watching our riders crossing the finish line would be a complete understatement. For me, seeing the team of people that believe in the spirit of the competitive nature is unbeatable. From my 9 year old niece (Zoe) to our chief cheerleader this weekend (Laura Gravelle), there was no lack of fighters maintaining the fire for the team.

I am honoured to work with dedicated athletes, parents and supporters… you guys make the team, I just get to chaperone. My role as coach is an absolute privilege and I can truly say that I am ‘Livin The Dream’. To those of you who were there this weekend: ‘ Thank you’ for riding your asses off. Your rewards are well deserved. For those that have come before you: I get teary when I think of the times you reached your personal best, no matter the level. For those who are still to come: I cannot wait to see what you will be able to achieve, it’s going to be awesome, and we’ll do it together.

One student said to me on the way to the start box yesterday, “Thanks for the support you always give me, no matter what”. You know who you are, and rest assured that if any student of mine, past, present or future needs support I will do my best to give it.

Speaking for all coaches who are passionate about the athletes we work with, we live your wins as deeply as your losses, and every day I am delighted you let me be a part of both.

What an amazing team of people I get to help guide. Livin’ the Dream.

Where will your next vacation take you?

Ruth

With the hustle of show season being well under way it can be easy to forget to take a breath.

Monday was a perfect day.

After starting the day Sunday before 5am in order to take 14 students to an Event, there is nothing I like better than sitting on a tractor for over 4 hours cutting grass the next day… Maybe some people wouldn’t see a half a day spent on a bumpy, sweaty, loud tractor as the perfect day, but for me, I can’t think of anything better.

I joke that I am retired on a daily basis because if I was retired I would do exactly the same things I am doing now. For me, riding the tractor with the world drowned out by a set of ear plugs the day after an Event gives me the perfect time for reflection. I encourage my students to fill out a ‘Post Performance Analysis’ worksheet after a competition and in my head I always do my own. Sunday I got to witness some amazing wins. Some were reflected on the score board (3 in fact) and others were reflected in the character and tenacity of our riders and support staff.

Yesterday I had with me 3 coaches (myself included), a brand new working student, a husband that drove the trailer back and forth from the farm to the Event site and vice versa 3 times, not to mention the parents, spouses, friends, grandparents and other fans that accompanied our 14 team members. I have a feeling that some people laugh at my colour coded spreadsheets with rider times for the day of an Event… I have no doubt it’s a cute joke amongst some of the other coaches! However, for those that know me well, you understand that I am a planner, a list maker, and I love organization. I like to tell myself that I can plan for every eventuality… life sometimes however seems to make its own plans.

One of the greatest things for me is to watch one of my riders make a mistake and correct it. One of my favourite quotes is stolen from Albert Einstein: “A person who never made a mistake never tried anything new.” The whole point, in my opinion, of Long Term Equestrian Development (which is what our coaching system is striving to move towards) is to teach our students to be able to answer all of the questions they will be asked by the course, or their horse without our help.

To make them independent athletes.

This must be scary to some coaches, to see their students, (their pay check) grow independent of their hand being held all the way into the show ring. For me, to see my students and past students move on to realize their potential is awesome! I strive to have my students be able to answer the questions without me at some point. It makes me proud of the job I have done…

Truly I am a coaching junkie. I was asked at a local Event recently if I missed competing myself… The answer is so easy for me and always has been, I get such an adrenaline rush from watching my students succeed and learn and conquer… why would I go back to competing myself. I am passionate about trying to figure out how to make each horse & rider achieve their very best. I am a coach.

If I can impart one sentiment in my ramblings it’s this: I once had the father of a student take me aside at an event and explain to me that in his opinion the sport of Eventing was a lot like fishing. You can buy the best boat, the fanciest rod, awesome bait and then you can sit in the best fishing spot ever, and some days the fish just don’t bite…

Some Events the fish don’t bite, but this weekend for me, I caught a whole school.

Ruth

P.S. Riders: Post Performance Analysis Sheets are hanging on the bulletin board in the barn 🙂