Emma Huizer

Emma Huizer (12 jaar)
Pony Xam (11 jaar)
Eventing M-Z

The Challenge 

Improving the conditioning of our 12-year-old daughter Emma’s eventing pony so that she can continue her successful start in the M-class. The initial assessment revealed that Xam could handle the desired fitness level but that he fatigued too quickly.

The Approach

A few years ago, Carolien assisted our son’s pony. This pony was older, and we were looking for a responsible training program. We were very satisfied with Equine Integration at the time, which is why we asked Carolien for advice again. Based on the initial assessment, she devised a suitable training schedule for three months. It was an intensive program that was sometimes challenging to combine with other training sessions, dressage, and show jumping competitions. Carolien prioritizes the well-being of the pony and indicates when it’s too much. We learned to skip a competition occasionally to keep the pony physically and mentally fit. It was a learning process for our daughter too, which is why we did everything together. We were particularly conscious during the conditioning sessions (every 4th day). In bad weather, we used the large sand arena at the local stable. After each session, Carolien analyzed the measurements and emailed her findings and advice. She provides clear explanations and tips to optimize the training.

The Insight

It was very instructive to look at the training in this matter. Our daughter learned to feel more consciously how her pony moves during training and competitions. She now knows better what to pay attention to and can adjust her plan if necessary. I recommend such a training program to all pony riders who have the ambition to ride at a higher level. By being consciously involved in training from an early stage, M-class, you learn a lot about the intensive equestrian sport. This way, you are better prepared for riding at the highest level.

The Result

Xam has improved conditioning and no longer fatigues during training or competitions. In 2018, alongside regular competitions, Emma participated in two international competitions. It was wonderful to see that Xam had improved conditionally and came out of the competition fit.