Blowing mane and hair,
Careless of the weather,
Miles ahead of care,
Ring of hoof and snaffle,
Swing of waist and hip,
Trotting down the twisted road
With the world let slip.
-Anonymous, "Riding Song"
We are a group of dedicated equestrians who ride with trainer Tanya Sundlie. The group participates in many different disciplines, including dressage, eventing, and hunter/jumper. Our philosophy is to meet our own personal goals, and most of all, to have fun with our horses. We strive to create a supportive atmosphere for everyone on the team. Even when things don't go perfectly, we can still have a great show or lesson and learn something from it. The team competes in shows and events throughout the province and always seem to return with a great story or two involving a wayward tent on a windy day, or trying to coast into the nearest town with the low fuel light on. Even when we are faced with having to get up at 5:30 in the morning on cross country day or to trailer to a dressage show, we all still manage to have smiles on our faces. Having your teammates cheer you on as you get over that big, looming ditch, or as you head down centerline after an amazing dressage test makes the day that much better. The main ideals of the team are to develop responsiblility, good horsemanship, and comrodery between all team members as well as other competitors.
What do you expect at horse shows?
I firmly believe in taking students to shows so they can have fun and learn from the experience, not for the sake of winning. As cliche as it may sound, it is very important for them to realize that winning isn't everything. I always hope that my students have fun and learn something from every show, and that they do their personal best; ribbons are just a bonus!
I expect my students to have a good attitude, and to stay positive even if they don't win or place in their classes. It only takes one person with a bad attitude to spoil a show for everyone else, and bring everyone's mood down.
I love to see my students being supportive and encouraging of eachother. It can definitely be difficult competing against your friends, since there are hardly ever ties. What I hope to see my students do is not only create a fun environment where nobody feels badly if they place low or didn't place at all, but also give eachother confidence for the next class or show. I also hope to see them happy for the person who did win, especially if it is one of their friends! It is really quite easy to say to someone, "Good job, I thought you rode really well." It is always nice to hear an encouraging word or compliment that is not always just from me!
Why do you charge a coaching fee at horse shows?
As a coach at horse shows, I am there to give my students instruction and feedback, to help them prepare for their classes, and to help them learn as much as possible from the experience. Just like with lessons, riding instructors charge a fee for this service. I encourage students to show because I feel it is an excellent experience for them, and that they learn a lot from showing. I also feel that it is important for them to have instruction at shows, so they know what to focus on and have fun in a safe manner.
Please understand that from a finanical standpoint, I frequently give up teaching my lessons for a weekend so that I may attend shows with other students. My time is valuable to me, and my weekend lessons are a large source of income. Whether I am teaching at a stable or coaching at a show, I am still instructing students, and I must charge a fee.
Why is having you put training on my horse beneficial?
Just like people, horses need the proper instruction to progress. One of the neatest things about riding is that there is always more to learn. No matter how good you are, you can still progress further. That is why all upper level competition horses and their riders are in training with qualified professionals.
Like a car, horses require "tune-ups" because they can easily develop bad habits. If a horse is in training with a qualified rider, even just one or two days per week, any problems that aride can be caught and dealt with before they get out of hand. Quite often, issues arise during the training of a horse that a less experienced rider might not catch or know how to fix until they become quite prominent, or even dangerous. As always, prevention is the best cure, and the earlier you catch a problem, the easier it is to fix.
I strongly believe that horses benefit from regular training, just as students do from regular riding lessons. Since learning is ongoing with horses, it is important that they receive consistent training in order to reach their full potential. I know tht training fees can be expensive, which is why I have worked it into one of my lesson packages. I hope this will be a cost effective solution for many of you.
Why do you charge more for training sessions than riding lessons?
When I am riding a horse as opposed to teaching a lesson, I have to tack the horse up, ride, and untack. This adds close to an hour on to the time I spend actually riding the horse. As well, a training session is like a private lesson for your horse. It receives my undivided attention for that period of time, just like you would in a private lesson.
Since I feel it is so beneficial for your horses to be in regular training, I have priced my lesson/training combo packages so that the training sessions cost the same amount as a group lesson would in the same package.
Why aren't private and semi-private lessons as long as group lessons?
In a group lesson, the higher number of students means less individualized attention is paid to each horse and rider. The lesson is less intense, and horses and riders are given more breaks as the instructor pays attention to other horse and rider pairs.
In a private or semi-private lesson, the lesson is more intense, since the instructor's attention is focused on only one or two horse and rider pairs. The horses and riders get tired more quickly, and an hour tends to be draining for them. Studies have shown that horses learn the most within the first twenty minutes of the ride, and then their attention starts to wander. The riders also tire more quickly in a private or semi-priate lesson, and longer lessons would lead to fatigue and frustration for both them and their horses.
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