INTERNATIONAL HORSE HUNTERS: Spring Break Edition
Across the Pond
Living in the mountain ski resort town of Sun Valley, Idaho, most of my friends choose to spend their winter holidays in a location that is warm and tropical, complete with a sandy beach and plenty of down time to relax and soak up the sun. Call me crazy, but that is not what I wanted for my last high school spring break. Instead, I wanted to travel abroad and have my first European horse experience. I had an irreplaceable weeklong adventure with my trainer, Julie Young, along with both of my parents and we traveled throughout Denmark, Belgium, and Holland. The European horse shopping experience was so unbelievably unique and eye opening from anything I had experienced in the United States. I cannot wait for another opportunity to return, especially as my equestrian pursuits become a potential business after I graduate from college.
Below are a few observations through the eyes of a “first-time” shopper in Europe.
To My Surprise
• The Brisk Weather. Looking at the weather report before I left, I was not one bit worried about being cold. It said 50-degrees Fahrenheit! I live in Sun Valley and I am a mountain girl, thus when I saw the report, I thought “t-shirt weather!” The minute I stepped off of the plane in Copenhagen I realized I was wrong. I was not prepared for Denmark’s intense untamed weather conditions. I’ve never witnessed rain, sleet, and snow occur multiple times in one day! I do not think I have ever been so cold while on top of a horse. All I can say is wear layers, layers, and even more layers.
• European Automobiles. When booking your rental car online, you will notice all European cars are very small. Let me emphasize … VERY SMALL! My biggest tip is to find an SUV. But again even the SUV’s are small so make sure you check for trunk space. Twice we had to change rental cars because our luggage did not fit, especially since it included backpacks and saddles. Additionally, our shopping bag collection kept growing because the European tack stores are hard to walk out of empty handed!
• Night Time Rides. Prepare for late night rides. It was not unusual for us to arrive at a barn in the evening hours. I had days that started at 8 am and ended at midnight. I was completely shocked at the casual vibes I received from most of the trainers/agents and their relaxed and friendly attitudes towards staying up late to show us horses. I felt it was the perfect environment to get to know the raw form of the horse with the darkness of the night sky, the dropping temperature, and the odd hours. I suggest taking a car nap before the late night rides, since riding horses all day can be exhausting!
• Road Travel. We would wake early, get in the car and begin our drive across the country. All I can say is that I am very glad I can nap anywhere at anytime, because much of our trip was spent driving. We would spend roughly 6 hours a day in the car. One time we did get lost and added four hours to our day. It’s definitely important to love the people you're traveling with because there is a lot of time-spent sitting arm to arm.
• Food. Always make sure to stock your vehicle with snacks and water, especially if you have special dietary needs/preferences, because there are not a lot of options traveling through the country. While we were in Denmark, a lot of our lunches were provided from gas stations. Yet, their gas stations are an upgrade compared to the U.S. and usually had small restaurants with fresh sandwiches and salads. The gas stations often had small Starbucks kiosk, which were a major highlight to the trip as coffee is an absolute necessity.
• Horse Selection. Before leaving, I only saw about 10 videos of horses that I planned to try. I was not expecting to preview about 50 horses. Typically, we would drive into each stable yard and introduce ourselves to the trainers and then receive a tour of the barn facility. As we would walk down the barn aisles, the trainers would keep naming what we could try. It was like walking through a candy shop!
How I Grew As an Equestrian
• Comfort Zone: I learned to ride outside of my normal comfort zone. I started jumping a little over five years ago and I currently compete in junior hunters, derby and the big equ. I have always wanted to ride in the jumper ring, but it was a little too far out of my comfort zone, or so I thought. While in Europe, I had a little peak into the jumper world and decided that I was ready for the challenge.
• Confidence. My experience in Europe boosted my confidence to a whole new level. Riding one unfamiliar horse after another, while being watched by an audience, builds confidence like no other. Riding unfamiliar horses is a tough task, but as I sat on several different types of rides my self-assurance grew. The different styles gave me more confidence as I learned how to quickly adjust to each horse and then when the jumps began to substantially grow in size, I didn’t panic. I was completely comfortable; even though I was jumping the biggest I had ever jumped.
•Evaluating Propsects: I started to develop an eye for prospects that could fit in the U.S. hunter, jumper, and/or equitation rings. Since all of the barns are jumper facilities, you have to learn to evaluate prospects differently. We would look past variances between the U.S. and European sport horse industries including the faster pace, how the horse was shod, and riding with a constant feel. We looked at a variety of horses of all ages, heights and experience, As I would brainstorm with my trainer and parents and reflect on my rides, I began to better see the potential in every horse and wether they could be a fit in the U.S.
VIDEO: Stepping Out of My Comfort Zone
Epilogue
College is my primary focus after graduation, but I plan on remaining heavily involved with equestrian sport after this year’s indoors. We did proceed and import two horses, including one for me to start my future in the jumper ring and the other as an equitation prospect investment horse. My future of building a business around horses has started and I cannot wait to ride both of the imports next week; they just exited quarantine and are settling into their new program in the U.S.!
