Brianne Goutal
Q&A with Elite Equestrian Magazine EE: What gymnastics do you incorporate into your training routine? BG: I incorporate mainly small gymnastics into my routine. I incorporate a lot of bounces because they are good for the horses’ fitness, particularly their muscle and joint development. I know that gymnastics can be a good workout for the horses, but for me I think it’s important not to scare them with gymnastics so I do lengthening and shortening exercises (think accordion), and I never put the jumps up above 1.25m/1.30m. EE: What flatwork do you find to be necessary? BG: All flatwork is necessary. I spend a particularly long time walking when we start to warm up the horses without any pressure. We incorporate a little bit of dressage-type legwork like light yields, shoulder in, and so on but not too much since I am of course not training my horses to compete in dressage. All of the flatwork we do together is toward the end goals of keeping horses fit and improving ride-ability. EE: How does your training differ with your young horses than with your more seasoned horses? BG: The training between the two is completely different actually. With my young horses, I teach them everything from the beginning, whereas training with my more
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��������������������� seasoned horses consists mostly of fine-tuning and touching up. For instance, with an exercise as simple as riding a line, I need to teach my young horses the proper number of strides, make sure they ride straight, learn to back off the vertical, etc. With my older horses that I have been riding for years, I go through a combination and focus on details such as checking the timing and making sure it is up to the level of competition.
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EE: How does your training routine change when you are traveling abroad? BG: I believe that horses are creatures of habit. Therefore, I try very hard when traveling with them to keep a consistent program as I do at home. This way they are more comfortable and can put their attention and energy into competing rather than adjusting to changes. EE: What is the best piece of advice you give to those you train? BG: Show jumping can be an emotional sport, and nerves can be an asset by pushing us to properly prepare but also can be our downfall, and it can be a fine line between them. I tell those I train to stay calm and keep your head in the game, be ready but not nervous.