The Horse Podcast

Allison was part of the bronze medal winning US Olympic dressage team at Rio in 2016. Her story is amazing. She’s a “normal” person doing extraordinary things so she’s a good one to pay attention to.

Having grown up in Hawaii, she left home as a teenager to pursue her riding dreams and through sheer hard work, she reached the top of her sport.

In this interview Allison talks about how being highly motivated, hard working and driven can find you quite a few fairy godmothers on your journey to the top. She gives her opinion on why the Germans are so good and getting horses into the competition arena happy and healthy. Speaking of which, she talks about her Olympic partner, the Dutch stallion Rosevelt. Allison has been coached and inspired by some great trainers and it’s interesting to hear about the problems she overcame to get a Rosevelt to the top.

We also get an insider’s opinion on why Team USA has become so successful, why you need to compete overseas and why it’s best to train horses all the way through from babies. And I had to know what it was like for her to take on her first Olympics. For me though her best bit of advice was: You have to be comfortable with being uncomfortable. Cool, huh?

Interview with photos: http://www.horsemagazine.com/thm/2016/11/making-it-on-your-own-rebecca-ashton-profiles-allison-brock/

Today’s interview is with the lovely Beatrice Buchwald who I spoke to at last year’s Bundeschampionate. You’ve probably heard of the German dressage rider as not only is she incredibly talented, but she’s been associated with some really super horses. The stallions Belantis and Lordy Carnaby, Victoria’s Secret, Daily Pleasure and also Isabell Werth’s current Olympic mount and European Champion, Weihegold. Beatrice was stationed at Isabell’s for five years before going it alone about 18 months ago, basing herself at Gut Kostenschlag, the stable of long time friends and supporters, the Hödl Family. She’s been successful at Bundeschampionates, Grand Prix and everything in between and has a Nürnberger Burg Pokal and Louisdor Prize to her name.

Beatrice talks about working with Isabell and what she learnt, the importance of softness in the horses and how to best prepare and manage the young horses for the big shows. Why she like sensitive, intelligent horses and managing her charges to keep them sound right from the young horse classes to Grand Prix.

And of course there’s the important questions: what’s Isabell like as a coach and what was it like to have Weihegold as your first Grand Prix horse?!

Link to the transcribed interview: http://www.horsemagazine.com/thm/2018/01/beatrice-buchwald-making-it/

Chris Hector and and Roz Neve chat to their friend and master German horsewoman Susanne Miesner. Susanne has been successfully training horses for over 30 years and was awarded with the “Stensbeck plaque”. Her trainers have been Herbert Rehbein, Fritz Tempelmann and Johann Hinnemann. She’s won numerous championships and Bundeschampionat titles, successfully training horses from young horse classes to Grand Prix. She has incredible theoretical knowledge as well and was one of three authors to write the “The Principles of Riding” for the German National Equestrian Federation and has been a member of the German bereiter testing committee for over 15 years

Susanne talks about the problem with some bits, the main key to good dressage and making the horse better at each level, what is true contact and why it’s so important (and why we keep bringing you articles on it!), fitting nosebands in the most efficient and effective way. She talks about the correct half halt, the standard of riding today and ideas to uphold the principles of dressage.

Link to articles: http://www.horsemagazine.com/thm/whos-who/meisner-susanne/

Robert Dover has been at the forefront of American dressage for over 30 years. He competed at every Olympics from 1984-2004 winning four team bronze and a WEG bronze in 1984. He has been the technical advisor to the American team since 2013. Robert’s list of trainers is just extraordinary and that’s played an enormous part of America’s success and depth of good talent in America has today.

Robert discusses judging through the ages, how the public loses with the new three horse team policy and the the risk to our art of change for change sake and why riders as a group should be consulted first before changes are put into place. He talks about the role media plays in the sport, why Isabell gets the marks that she does and he also touches on life outside of dressage. And what does Robert have in common with Bob Hope and Cher?

Isabell is simply the queen of dressage. She’s been to the Olympics five times and has won 10 medals in the process as well as six world championship titles. Her success began early, back in the 80s on the big chestnut Gigolo owned by Dr Uwe Shulten-Baumer whom she trained with for 16 years before going it alone.

Unfortunately I didn’t conduct this interview! Journalist extraordinaire and The Horse Magazine’s editor Chris Hector caught up with the champion at Aachen and talks to her about the ups and downs of the top sport and coming back from the dips. She shares her real love…..trying to find “the key” for each horse; she never gives up on them. She tells what she looks for in her horses and what struck her with more interesting individuals such as Don Johnson. Isabell talks about her time with Dr Schulten-Baumer and who she’s has turned to for help since she’s been on her own. And finally….. the topic of how to improve judging in the modern sport and the education of judges.

And her big takeaway? NEVER GIVE UP!

Link to Bates website: https://www.batessaddles.com/au/

Link to transcribed interview: http://www.horsemagazine.com/thm/2017/08/isabell-werth-on-the-ups-the-downs-and-what-lies-ahead/

Portugal’s show jumping queen Luciana Diniz is a three time Olympian who was born into a horsey family in Brazil and is now based in Germany. We talk about dealing with stress, getting over injury and her wonder horse Fit For Fun. And what advice did she get from her idol Roger Federer?

The transcribed interview can be found at: www.horsemagazine.com

Luciana's website is: www.luciana-diniz.com

Albert Voorn…one of the Netherlands most successful…and most controversial show jumpers and coaches. He won the individual silver at the Sydney Olympics and has competed in many Nations Cups. He continues to pass on his knowledge and is quick to speak his mind but in doing so, gives very thoughtful answers. He’s a gentleman and is quick to stand up for what he believes and is always on the side of the horse. You may not agree with everything he says, but he will definitely make you think.

We discuss horse welfare, expand on his video that went viral about angry, young, riders, the problem with the 2* circuit in Europe, why it’s better to respect your horse than to love it as well as when to stand up for things and when to step back.

A link to the interview can be found here: http://www.horsemagazine.com/thm/2018/03/albert-voorn-showjumping-good-bad-ugly/

Johnny needs little introduction to the dressage world. He’s been the trainer of the German A, B and Future Squads and has himself competed in all three disciplines of Dressage, Jumping, and Eventing.

He completed his bereitership with Rosemarie Springer and later trained with Herbert Rehbein and Detlef Saul. He’s had numerous Grand Prix victories including the German Professional’s Championships in Balve in 1992.

Today you’ll always see him arena side at all the major championships, helping the top riders and always with a smile on his face!

A link to the transcribed interview can be found here: http://www.horsemagazine.com/thm/whos-who/hiberath-jonny/

Carl Hester, who is arguably one of our great modern dressage masters. We look at modern dressage, what’s good, what’s not and why, learning from others and that often contraversal topic of expression in the dressage horse.

Carl talks about working with “average horses’….his words…and they’re in air quotes….and the importance of belief in your horse.

The transcribed interview can be found here: http://www.horsemagazine.com/thm/