The Tölt Tales
Welcome to The Tölt Tales podcast.
This podcast is dedicated to our best friend the Icelandic horses. The show features interviews with breeders, trainers, riders, and enthusiasts who share their knowledge, experiences, and love for these remarkable horses.
Music by Cob
The Tölt Tales
Episode 1 - Sabina Svärd
For our first episode we are talking with Sabina Svärd, a professional rider, trainer and much more. Sabina took some time with us to talk about her, her stable and her training methodology.
We hope you will enjoy our first episode and we are looking forward to our 2nd episode next month.
You want to know more about our guest here some useful links,
Music by Cob.
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Hello everybody and welcome to The Tölt Tales Podcast. Hello, Sabina.
Sabina:Hello, Lionel.
Lionel:How are you?
Sabina:I'm really good, thank you.
Lionel:Yes, cool. So, for the people who don't know you, what is Sabina doing in your life?
Sabina:Oh my God, yeah. First of all, why I'm sitting here is probably because I'm riding Icelandic horses.
Lionel:Indeed.
Sabina:Nowadays, we have a small farm in the south of Sweden, outside of Lund. We're having around, I'm always stopping at 10, but we probably have more horses. But 10 is a good number. Yeah, it's a really good number. And my husband likes that number, and we just stay there. But it's probably a couple of more. I am riding, competing on a national level, and going a little bit abroad. I'm also teaching quite a bit, and having some horses from other people. I've been riding Icelandic horses now for, I always also stay there by 10 years, but there's definitely more. It's probably 15 years, perhaps even more than that. Before that, I was riding big horses, and even earlier ponies, and were doing three-day eventing on a level that were, I was riding quite a lot of championships, and was in the national team in three-day eventing. So been really involved in that scene, and yeah, and been doing a lot in my life. That means that I'm quite old now. I've been doing it for a couple of years.
Lionel:I think the natural question is, why changing from a three-day eventing to Icelandic? Is there a story there?
Sabina:Yeah, actually I had one Icelandic horse when I was around nine years old. My mom went to a really nice riding weekend for Peter Hagberg, I think it was, way back. And it was just such much fun. And she loved it. And then she bought a horse. But of course, I was interested. And it was perfect that we both could ride it. So it started there. And I was actually competing just a little bit on that one. And then I was really, all my friend was jumping and the club where I was training, it was a lot of three-day eventing. So I went into that. But somewhere, it was always a little dream to go back and have some nice, tilting Icelandic horse. And then it was a really long journey with the horses and the big horses. And I had a wonderful big horse that I was actually going to the European Championship for Young Riders. And she was also trying to go in the senior national team. And she got injured. And I had probably had 200 horses competing and always going up from like a young horse up in the classes. And it's really expensive. And it was really a tough way to go. And I was just also finished nurse. So many things went to that I took a decision that I will stop with three day eventing. Right. And then it was a little bit like, oh God, what to do now? Should I be a bad dressage rider? Even worse show jumping rider? No, perhaps I should open the door for the Icelandic horses again. And just be a beginner and just have fun with it. So here we are, having fun. So it's been a long journey, of course, and not easy.
Lionel:Ten years, you say?
Sabina:Yeah, yeah, ten years plus something. But it's amazing. I really, really enjoy it. And it was a really, really good feeling to be a beginner again. And you get really humble. And it is difficult to ride Icelandic horses. I was probably a little bit having the thought, how hard can it be?
Lionel:Yes, yeah.
Sabina:I mean, I've been riding quite a lot. It was really hard in the beginning.
Lionel:What is the switch looking like?
Sabina:I think for me, the hardest part, of course, is that I've never been faced with the problem. My horse is not trotting, for instance, or my horse is not able to canter. This was new questions. I was just totally stunned. And why is this button not working? Why can I not trot all of a sudden? I've been doing it all my life. So it was much more the feeling of you had to have your horses much more in balance, much more honestly relaxed. I had to be a much better rider, to be honest, to be able to ride the gates properly. So this was really, really interesting. And it's developed me to be a better rider, I would say.
Lionel:Why? There is obvious thing that you don't do anymore. I guess you don't jump with the Icelandic?
Sabina:No. Yeah, I was jumping quite a bit. I've been jumping until I had one of my best Icelandic horses that was competing a lot. He was starting. I was riding T2 with him. And he was starting to charge on the fence, you know, on the track. Because he said, well, this is what we do otherwise. So then I said, OK, that's a little bit the wrong way to go. So then I actually stopped jumping him from when I was sitting on him. But still, the horses that enjoy some jumping, I can still do it like free jumping, just to make it a little bit more fun for them.
Lionel:So you said, when you move from big horses, let's call it like that, to Icelandic horses, you were a beginner again, learning new things. Does it mean Sabina, great rider since 10 years, had to learn from zero, like take lessons, is it how it looks like?
Sabina:I had a really good opportunity to ride some really nice, just to sit on some really good horses in the beginning, to just get a little bit of a reference to, this is to it and this is how to it should feel like, because obviously to it was the gate that was rather new, even though I've done it when I was younger, but still getting a good feeling for it. And then I was just, of course, I'm a little bit competitive and I want to be good at stuff really rather fast. So then I actually decided to go early on to Germany and work in a stable, because of course, I was also not that young, going over to the Icelandic horses. And if I would have a chance to get better a little bit faster, I need to ride a lot. So I went down there and always had like 10 horses per day to ride. That obviously, you get a feeling for it a little bit better. So I think that was my start and I was riding everything. I was riding many horses that were rather difficult. And that was the best teachers ever. And of course, also getting lessons. I'm a strong believer in many hours in the saddle. And just like getting a feeling and a little bit of... You need to try a little bit different things, because we never ride exactly alike. So I needed to find my way to get the horses to the point that I wanted. So a combination of what I learned before with the big horses. And riding a lot.
Lionel:And riding a lot. Yes. So you moved to Germany. You rode Icelandic horses there.
Sabina:Yeah, exactly.
Lionel:And you moved back to Sweden, because this is where we are in Sweden now.
Sabina:Yeah.
Lionel:So just where are we here, actually? Can you say where are we recording this episode?
Sabina:We are now on our farm. And we bought it... Oh, God. It is...
Lionel:10 years, you said?
Sabina:Yeah, 10 years again. 2014, actually. That's really 10 years. And we were looking at me and my husband, Matthias Farnholz, who I met down in Germany. We were looking at farms around Hamburg, but it wasn't really possible. It was rather expensive and too big, often. Really, really big farms. And that's not where we want to go. And then we're talking like for 100 horses and stuff. So it's... And my mother is living like 15 minutes from here. And she said, there's a farm for sale. Don't you want to look at it? Perhaps come home. So we looked at it and actually bought it from Germany, so to say. And yeah, that was a really big step. And I'm biggest step for my husband than me, obviously, because it's my home neighborhood. But I think I'm also talking for him. He says it, but we're really, really happy here. And it's a lovely little farm. We have an oval track and we have spaces for some horses. And my mom has also a farm nearby.
Lionel:Yeah. You say you train, you give lesson, you train your own horse.
Sabina:Yeah.
Lionel:You give lesson and you breed.
Sabina:Yeah. We have lessons here on the farm. It's really easy when you have many horses yourself to ride. And it's time efficient and that's working really well. I'm still, I am a nurse and I am a specialist nurse in cardiology.
Lionel:Okay.
Sabina:So I'm working still two times per week at the hospital in Lanskrona. It's also nearby. Weekends are always busy, giving lessons or competing and having always like around ten horses in training.
Lionel:Just to go a bit on your daily life, how does it look like to be Sabina on a daily basis? It's like waking up at two in the morning.
Sabina:Yeah. I'm waking my husband up at six o'clock so he can feed. No, actually, it's lovely. He's feeding every morning at six o'clock. I'm really happy about that. And I'm going up at half past six, having the coffee and the day starts at eight. So, I'm trying to ride horses. Yes, starting early, I'm best in the morning and I really want to ride as much as possible early. Yeah. So, nowadays, I'm perhaps finished with the riding. It depends on what kind of riding and how many young horses and so on. But it is, of course, I'm sitting on horses until perhaps five or something. Okay. In between that, of course, doing the stables and the shores around and feeding and then perhaps having lessons in the evening.
Lionel:In the evening.
Sabina:Okay.
Lionel:And at the moment, how do you see the training that you do for your own horses?
Sabina:That is obviously a big question. But depending on the age, the youngsters, I start all the horses when they are three years old. But then it's more about a little bit me getting to know them.
Lionel:Okay.
Sabina:And also getting a feel of some horses need a little bit longer, then I get the time for it and I can really take it easy. And the ones that are really obvious in everything and easy going, I just check them a little bit, they get a saddle and a bridle and I just sit on them and then I pet them and say thank you and then it's all good. It's all good. So and they are going, I work them perhaps three times a week and it's really short sessions. It's perhaps 15 minutes at the most. And then it's getting a little bit more when they're four years old. Also, always individual, how much they need and many breaks, of course. But perhaps they are working three to four times per week. And with longer breaks, also like a month off here and there. And in winter, always like two months off.
Lionel:Do you feel it's needed?
Sabina:Definitely. They're always better after a break.
Lionel:For young horses or even for all horses?
Sabina:All horses. Actually, I am a stronger believer in that. I've always done it. And that's something I learned when I was riding, then a lot of three-day eventers.
Lionel:Yes.
Sabina:That if you give them that longer break, they are much fresher in the body and mind. So that's a good way to just keep them happy about what they're doing.
Lionel:Okay. Okay.
Sabina:And I've been, thankfully, of course, that's many different reasons probably, but I've been really not having much injuries on my horses. And I do believe that the breaks are the reason of that, that I am giving them... It's a little bit like you and me, and horses are really hard because they don't talk.
Lionel:No, they don't.
Sabina:But if we work for a while or we get a sore point, like we can get a shoulder or we can get whatever, but if we take a little bit time off, that often heals without us getting any more medical help. So I'm a little bit of that. They're not losing any condition or muscles if you take a month off.
Lionel:No.
Sabina:Not even... Like, yeah, two months, then you have to be a little bit careful in the beginning.
Lionel:When you come back to it.
Sabina:Yeah, building up. But still, they are not really losing the big muscles or condition. Just being a little bit careful in a couple of weeks in the start up.
Lionel:So you have three youngsters and you said you just start them. You have also your own competition horses.
Sabina:Yeah.
Lionel:How does it look like?
Sabina:Yeah. So I have many youngsters at this point, and they are four and five year olds. And then I have a group of older horses that are more on a national level going to the Swedish Championships and so on. They are going and riding them every second day and training them. It's not always that I'm sitting on them, but they are going generally every second day. And then of course, it's a program that I have, what to do on every training session.
Lionel:Is it more structured for them?
Sabina:Really structured. Really. It's nothing. Sometimes you get on the horse and you have a plan, and you get a feeling, oh, the horse is not up for that. Then it's something else. Of course, I then do something else. Or sometimes it's just jumping off and saying, hey, you take a break today.
Lionel:Yes.
Sabina:Because I can feel that. But it's all good. But I'm following a schedule, and it's all about actually just working the horse to a better condition. I have one day of cantering to get the condition a little bit better. And then you have more muscle training. You have, of course, the communication training on the track, where you perhaps the gates are a little bit more in focus. And then you have, yeah, all these balance and also for the mindset a little bit, like fun, just going out with like a friend or having like fun time in the woods. But it's still obviously training. But I do have a schedule for it. And I've been doing that for a long, long, long time.
Lionel:I was about to ask, is it coming from the three day eventing? Or you're like, this is a program, this is how we get them?
Sabina:Yeah, definitely. So that was, I had a training day, like you write it in a book when I was younger. I'm not writing in a book nowadays, but on the top horses, I'm actually, when I had a really good training session where I was like, oh, this was nice feeling. Then I always put down what bridle, what bit did I have, which saddle, which blanket, what was it that actually put it that nice together. And if I can see, like, if I put it down every time it feels really, hmm, this was nice. Or also when it didn't feel good, just to a little bit see what does this horse really enjoy and like. And trying to make it more and more individual. And that they, I always want to have the best feeling. And it is hard, you need quite a lot of years to get to know the horse and how they work. So this is, and of course it can also change a bit, but it is, if you put it down in writing, you can always see some this, you can put it two and two together and then you can see what they actually, how they work and what they need. So it is details, it's everything.
Lionel:Yes, I can see that. So you have your own program, I guess it's based on the last competition, for instance, how you feel?
Sabina:I'm actually, I'm a little bit boring there, but the low season, what I call this, perhaps I ride the last bigger competition in beginning of September or something. Then they have a break of two months, the competition horses, then the real training starts. It's really basic. So then it's muscles and condition, and just putting all the small, boring details sometimes, but it's really what's not been working on the last season. It's perhaps that they need a stronger core. You need to have a better communication. Just generally putting really small stuff. You're not riding really flashy. It's not the big gates. But still, it doesn't mean that I ride without energy. I have a lot of energy work, and it should be fun so that they build themselves up during the low season. Because when the competition season later comes, it's really hard to put on the condition, because there you're just maintaining during the whole competition. And often, they need also small breaks and you're competing. I'm competing perhaps once a month with the horses, and the time in between is rather short.
Lionel:Yes, so it's more like working on some details and maintaining the level and just building up from that, I guess. Exactly.
Sabina:So that's because the week after a big competition, you're taking it really easy with them, and then you have around perhaps two weeks to really just also ride out, have a little bit nice feeling and then some details, and then all of a sudden it's competition again. So you can't really, you don't want to make the horses sore or that they feel a little bit off.
Lionel:Yes.
Sabina:They need to be really happy and on. That is the goal. It's not always like that you really are on point, but it is the goal.
Lionel:What kind of competition you rode in last September, for instance?
Sabina:Yeah, that was the Swedish Championships in Gatinga, Kepni. I'm actually not really a Gatinga, Kepni rider, but I do enjoy it. It is really, really nice way, both for a little bit younger horses, but also for the sport horses, because it's a little bit freer. It's a little bit more, they are allowed to canter or gallop like really fast, and it's fun instead of always like really, really constricted and on the point.
Lionel:Yes, yes.
Sabina:So I need it as a rider, because I'm still a little bit of a dressage rider. So I need to get a little bit more edgy and like freer, and that's helping me a lot. And of course, the horses as well to just keep it fun. I do enjoy that.
Lionel:You were riding sports more before.
Sabina:Yeah, I am actually.
Lionel:You plan on doing both or?
Sabina:I've been doing both during the season. Also a little bit because the season looks, here in Sweden, a little bit more that we have. Sport until the Swedish Championships that goes in June. And then after that, it's actually gating at Cap New Seats. So it's a little bit like half season of each.
Lionel:So, how do you take a new horse?
Sabina:If I meet, like giving lessons, if they're coming horse and rider together, of course, we're talking about goals, and what is also the good sides of easy parts, and what's a little bit more of a struggle. We talk first. And I get a little bit of a view of the rider's view on the riding. Often, I have a feeling that many riders are way way way too hard on themselves. Like listening and hearing and oh, this is hard and we're not able to do this and this. And then they start riding and often thinking, wow, okay, that's not a big problem. And that's really nice. But it shows also a little bit about many being a little bit insecure, perhaps, and also we are all, of course, we all need to work on that, but a little bit putting perhaps too much pressure on ourselves. And then also through that on the horses. So that's a little bit, that's totally not a discussion. But then after that, I'm looking at often we don't have a lot of equipment on our Icelandic horses, but it's really, really important. Of course, we are big riders on small horses, and we need to have a really fitting saddle, both for rider and horse. So that is always what I like have a look at from the ground and then later in the riding that it's fitting appropriately. And then, bridle, I have really a lot of, like, it should be comfortable for the horse. It's super important. So, we have to think about that the bit is the right bit for the horse. That can be a journey, of course, to find something that they feel nice in the mouth. If you ride with a bit, you can obviously ride without as well. And then you need the noseband, have to be fitting really correctly, because they are nose breathers. So, we not restrain the breathing. And really, really important, we have small horses, but really rather big heads. So, they often, many riders are a little bit small. And what do you say? The band, the pan-band. The pan-band, yeah. I don't know if it's called that, but...
Lionel:I don't know either. This is what we call it here.
Sabina:Actually, many times that's too short or too little. And then you push, it's getting a little bit on the ears and the neck, so to say. So, the neck band is getting a little bit too much forward. So, I always say on the training basic level, either go with out or just have it big enough, that sometimes we need to buy it extra big to just fit. So, it's small details, but it's really, really important. And then I have a look on the horse, how it's built, to just get a little bit view of muscles and what we have to work with.
Lionel:Okay.
Sabina:And also shoeing. Super important. How does the feet look?
Lionel:Yes.
Sabina:Are they standing? And I'm not after any specific, I want really good angles.
Lionel:Yes.
Sabina:Okay. So, it's because it's angle that is off is a really big issue and it could be lead to injuries quite easily. Or making it harder for the horse to move at all. So, that is because we have gated horses, we need to think about that quite a lot.
Lionel:Is it coming from your experience as an overall rider or it's more important for Icelandic?
Sabina:I wasn't thinking about it as much.
Lionel:It's more the experience, I guess.
Sabina:Yeah. Now, going on Icelandic courses, it's really big interest of mine. So, I've been just looking a lot into it and learning more. I'm absolutely not at some point an expert, but I am able to see, obviously, good angles. Yeah, exactly. And I have experienced that I'm not after any... We have a tendency or a tradition with really big hooves in Icelandic horses. And we have nowadays, through a really good breeding, also big movements in our horses. And that is a combination that sometimes make it much more... We're getting closer and closer to injuries that way. And we should be really, really careful, because we have these big, big movements, and putting big feet on big moving horses, and perhaps angles that are not completely correct. Then we are getting really, we're walking on a fine line between having a horse that is able to perform and staying fit quite easily.
Lionel:And this is the type of feedback you will give to the rider that you will come in, like, ah, maybe you should look at your ferrier when he does that.
Sabina:Yeah, talk to your ferrier and talk about it, and also ask, perhaps, a veterinarian. Yes. It's always like having a good team around you is super important. Yeah. And sometimes you can keep the team that you have and just start up the discussion. Sometimes you have to perhaps seek somebody else and change.
Lionel:Yes, I guess the same goes for saddle, like, just like the old equipment.
Sabina:That is really hard. And then it's really important to see rider. And I'm really, I think the position of the rider is super, super.
Lionel:I was about to ask you exactly that.
Sabina:Super important that we sit on the horse in a good way to make, of course, once again, we are rather big on our horses and everything we do is getting a real big effect. And we have big gates on the horses. So we have a big task to sit correctly.
Lionel:Is it like, OK, flappy, flappy legs or what are you looking when you say, OK, but you need to improve a bit your sit?
Sabina:Yeah, I would say a quite easy way to look at it is a little bit that you will should be able to sit on the horse as you stand on the ground. OK, relaxed. Many, of course, it is a balance thing. And when it's a little bit difficult with the balance, sometimes you like hold your breath and holding your breath, you get a little bit tense and then you do stuff that is strange. And sometimes we do things with our body that we are absolutely, we don't know about it.
Lionel:OK.
Sabina:And it's happening only on the horse. When you're standing on the ground, it's lovely. You have a good balance. It's not. And then you get up on the horse, not you especially, but like people in generally, when they get up on a horse, things happen. And that's the thing that we're trying to just find a really natural, but efficient position where we can help the horse and make it easier for them. So I'm not like a big seat or I'm not, it's not like a religion for me, but it's really a big point.
Lionel:Let's put it that way. What do you feel a bad seat will trigger in the horse?
Sabina:Often we get definitely gait problems. Gait problems. Like on the Icelandic horse, that's the easiest way to see it. Also, the horses get tense. We're getting that role in the in the torch that we don't want to have, or horses running away or not wanting to move forward or...
Lionel:And just form the seat.
Sabina:Yeah, definitely. Definitely. And also following in in the corners and so on and so on. So the balance gets really off. I thought one day, hmm, it's really strange. All my horses are moving more to the left. And this was not before. So then I was a little bit like looking at myself and just thinking, this is obviously coming from me. All of a sudden all the horses are doing the same stuff. I'm doing something. And then I recognized that I was really not that flexible in my right leg as I was in the left leg. So that meant that from the knee up, I was a little bit tighter. So that made a bigger pressure on the horses on that side and just pushing them quite easily to the left. And this, I was not recognizing it until the horses were showing me this is wrong. And I needed to start getting more flexible in my right leg. So that, and when I could open that up, all of the horses magically stopped going to the left in the corners.
Lionel:So is it a subtle way to say even a competition, very experienced rider have problems with their seat?
Sabina:Oh, definitely, definitely. And then it is amazing how little you can do with your seat and it has an effect on the horse. It's so, so, so small things. You have to go theoretical at some points, but definitely feeling and just sometimes just riding out on your own and going into the bubble and just feeling, what am I doing? And if I do like this, what happens then? And just trying out a little bit with your body to find, how does my horse like me to sit? Because it's also different. So I have to have different seats and different horses. So that's also keeping you humble and on your toes, because it is complex.
Lionel:Is there a difference between men and women, for instance, in terms of seat?
Sabina:Obviously, men are sometimes a little bit having a more on seat.
Lionel:Okay, yeah.
Sabina:It's what I am like now. It's always sensitive to be generalizing like this, but many have it rather easy to get the whole get energy in the horses. Yes. So that is a little bit what I would say if you have the big, big difference.
Lionel:Yes.
Sabina:Icelandic riders, and now I'm also having like, but people, island people, because I also been working in New Zealand, and that was a little bit similar. I have a feeling they ride more on feeling. They've been riding out a lot and just finding a way. So it's not always looking perfect, but the horses are going amazing.
Lionel:Okay.
Sabina:And that's also what I had an experience in New Zealand where it is so hilly, like the hills going down hills in three day eventing, that was like for me, born here in the south of Sweden, where it's so flat, that was super scary. But they are like so natural with it and they're having a balance because they've been doing it for always. And it's really cool to see that natural riding in another way.
Lionel:Would you say that they will try to fix the issue while riding? Is it what you feel?
Sabina:A little bit, perhaps more in the flow.
Lionel:Yeah, okay.
Sabina:I think it's good that we are having, because I'm at Dressage Ride, like somewhere, I've been doing it a lot. It's really good to have the knowledge, but sometimes, it is getting too much into the square, and a little bit, we're not getting that extra out of the horses. And perhaps sometimes you have to, a little bit more fun, a little bit more alive, so to say. And that's my issue that I really am working with a lot, is really going out and just don't have to be so perfect. Perhaps the perfect is coming after you just let the break a little bit go, and you're just doing it a little bit more freely and lovely.
Lionel:Is it the type of things you try to foster in your, let's call it, students? Okay, that's the theory, but try to fix it also while you ride?
Sabina:I am really, of course, I want the riders to have the basics and understanding for the basics, because that's all the schools shoulder in and so on. That's really good to know what it is and be able to do it correctly. That's, of course. But I am probably doing a lot of this, that you need to ride in different kinds of tempo. You have to get energy into it and riding really, really a lot straight out. Because we are competing on the other track, and many of the students want to compete. And me, myself, obviously also compete quite a lot. And then I need to be able to ride my horse straight out in self-carriage, good balance, and really relaxed. But still forward. So then you have to train that. So it's hard to sit on a circle. And even if you're not competing, I think what are those riders want to do? They want to ride in the woods in a really nice way. I think we all have that feeling, you know, light horse that is just dancing over the fields or whatever, and in a really nice big tolt. I mean, that's what we all want. So and then we need to train that. If you don't train that ever, you won't be able to find it.
Lionel:Got you.
Sabina:So and it's not always perfect in the beginning, but then you try again. And it's okay that it is, like you have to, if you never do it, you won't be able to do it if you only sit on a small circle.
Lionel:Got you.
Sabina:And the cool stuff is when you do that, you get happy horses and happy horses are the best horses and they always want to perform. So that is a horse with the ears forward and saying, yes, come on. That's wonderful.
Lionel:That's one of the nicest feelings.
Sabina:It is. It is all we want.
Lionel:When you train people, is there a good to exercise that you always go like, okay, just do that?
Sabina:You should ask my students. Now, I'm thinking a little bit. I actually, what I go to, okay, if I think a little bit, I'm always having like a warming part, working part and then a wind down part.
Lionel:Okay.
Sabina:That's probably what, that's my go to. So I'm actually always saying, even though we have a really strong Tölt or whatever, and we're more interested in the Tölt, we're always starting with just having the feel of the trot, just relaxed on a really rather long rain. And then we're going into, even though if they're not good in canter, we're just trying some can.
Lionel:Okay. Yes.
Sabina:And just having like rather many small parts of canter and just to get the body going.
Lionel:Yes.
Sabina:So that's always my go-to in the warming part. Some horses, we only canter and we don't trot. Canter is a really, really good way to get the horses relaxed, both in mind and in body.
Lionel:Okay.
Sabina:So just, and often standing in a little bit lighter seat and just letting them move. So that's my go-to. And then we take like a walk and they get a little bit like catching the breath. And then we go into the headwork, where we always decide today it's turd, often turd, because we're so interested in that. But it can also be that the headwork is trot, perhaps. So we always discuss that before. And then you have a wind down, then it's often trot in the ending, just relaxing and like stretching the neck. So that's what I always do. And why do I do it? It is so that the horses a little bit recognize. Also getting out on the competition, for instance, they can recognize us. And it's a security.
Lionel:Okay, okay, okay.
Sabina:For me and the horse.
Lionel:Like a routine, you mean?
Sabina:Yeah, exactly.
Lionel:So you do that for also yourself, I guess? Yeah, yeah.
Sabina:I always have the same routine.
Lionel:Okay, okay.
Sabina:So also when I ride out, I always do more or less the same.
Lionel:Okay.
Sabina:And then it's also getting the body going without us being too early, wanting too much. So we're a little bit also getting a time where we say, it doesn't really matter, we just move. So we're getting also ourselves a little bit warm and not as stiff. We're getting, can catch up a little bit on our own breathing, that we're actually relaxing our shoulders and so on, and just having a feel for it first. And I think we benefit for that. So it's an easy beginning, just like getting into it. And then we're stepping up and doing our work, whatever it is. And then in the end, it should be really easy and easy going. And the horse have a nice ending, also important. And you should be really careful that you end the session at the best point.
Lionel:When you're happy, it's less about the time, is it what you're saying?
Sabina:Yeah. So pet your horse and think that if I stop now, I have a really nice feeling, this is good stuff. Then you know that you will benefit from that on the next session. So the horses always remember if it was good the day before the session before. So really be careful about that and let it take a little bit longer and stay on that positive side. Okay. And sometimes if you have a day where it's not really going your way, do something easy, do something fun, do something that you know that you're good at and the horse enjoy. Perhaps you're just then riding on the going out and having a canter, whatever. So just then change the mindset. If it's going bad, then just stop, think a little bit and go to the point where it's a little bit easier and just succeed.
Lionel:And the idea is to leave the horse on the good note, I guess.
Sabina:Always, yeah. Because they're not learning from bad experiences. And that's the difference. We are rather clever sometimes and can think, oh, this didn't go well. I will not do that again. Of course, horses can also think, but they're often then even more saying, oh, this wasn't nice at all. I don't want to be involved. So we can actually get a bigger reaction. And yes, crazy, a bigger problem. So small, small steps and keep it easy. Some riders that have been training a little bit longer for me are also like, this was really good. Now we stop. Okay.
Lionel:Perfect.
Sabina:Because they are happy and they get the feeling, this is where the point is.
Lionel:Yes.
Sabina:And obviously, when you sit on the horse, you get the feeling even more. It's always, I mean, to be an instructor, you can only see, but you cannot feel. And that is a shame. I would love that. That would be an amazing invention, if we could also feel how it is. Sometimes you just want to jump into the ride and just have a feel how it's feeling, but we're not able to. So then I'm really happy when we can have a communication with the rider and they can tell me how the feeling is.
Lionel:Do you happen to ride the horse of a rider?
Sabina:If I'm allowed, I want to sit on the horse, first time at least, and then just to get a full view. Because sometimes you get a view on the ground and you're thinking like, oh, this is how this horse is. And then you get on, it's like, ah, no, it's different. And so I'm really happy that I'm still able to ride, because it gives really full information. Yes. And sometimes the riders are also, ah, it's hard with some exercise or it's a little bit difficult. Then I actually ask not to be the one that, oh, I'm going to show you how it's going. I more want to know what is happening, what is the horse doing and exactly what perhaps will solve the problem. Because that's only through feeling and sitting on them.
Lionel:Riding.
Sabina:Yeah, it is. Of course, you can have exercises, but I think it is a benefit if you can just sit a little bit on them sometimes. But I'm not sitting every time. Obviously not.
Lionel:So how about ground walk? Do you walk your horse from the ground?
Sabina:Yeah, we had a session this weekend a little bit with this. And I see a big benefit to work the horses, especially me having a lot of young horses. Yeah. But also the older horses that it's not necessary to sit on them. And if you can do some work and even get some benefit from the work you do on the ground when you then later sit on them, it's amazing. So I do a lot of I'm starting all my youngsters. Yeah, you always start from the ground, but also when you start with Tölt, I have a lot of forgaters that is sometimes having a little bit more of a struggle learning to Tölt. I'm starting them from the ground and learning commando for Tölt and always only on the halter. And so that they learn self-carriage and without me as an extra weight on them. And also these small muscles that helps them to just carry themselves in Tölt would then get activated and stronger before I sit on them. So I have a really good experience with that.
Lionel:I guess you work on communication as well with your horse with that.
Sabina:Yeah, I'm really easy also at that point. I mean, like just really easy to command those, but it is important. Get the view of your own horses from the ground, how they are working and how they are naturally working with themselves to know weaknesses or what they are doing when they're like running around in the fields. Just having, because as you and me, they are moving, not always, perhaps, correctly. They just learned a way to move and it's making them, perhaps, really much stronger on one side. They're having a big, big mane on one side and always looking to the right because they have no mane there. So small things that can actually make a big difference when we ride them. So, we have to be like detectives and just get to learn a little bit about our own horses and their strengths and perhaps weaknesses and how we can help them. And it's so much details on this level, but it's really fun and it takes some time to get to know them.
Lionel:To get to know them. You talked about equipment before, bridle, saddle, do you have specific equipment when you work from the ground? Is there things that you use most of the time? Like you should always have that.
Sabina:Yeah, it's always not perhaps so important. I use quite a lot like equipment. I think that's been a good help, but I also do some taping. That's also for the core, especially. Summertime, wintertime, it's a little bit too much fur. Fur, that's the fur that gets in the way. Exactly. So, but that's been help like quite a lot of horses. I also, I always work them free.
Lionel:Okay, yes.
Sabina:So I can use a cap son.
Lionel:Yeah.
Sabina:Or I have mostly a halter or so. You don't have to go train to have like a big goal, but sometimes it's good to come perhaps and just is it okay? Perhaps you can ride out together with a trainer. If that's where you're always at, definitely. Just ask. I have two horses. Can you come with me? Can we have a little bit? Can you have a check just what I'm doing?
Lionel:Did it ever happen to you?
Sabina:Yeah, yeah, yeah. I've been doing a lot of, I've been running, biking, riding with pupils, because sometimes you also have problems that only occur when you ride in the forest. And then it's obviously much, much smarter to have the lesson out. So I'm open for actually everything. And sometimes, many times, I'm going up to Stockholm quite often to have, to give lessons. And last time, I think we were out with almost all of the horses because they've been going the day before in the paddock. And they were all a little bit like not... You can see they were thinking, wow, really? Today as well? Hmm, not really up for it. Then I asked to have a crotch like a four wheeler. And we just went out and having the lessons out. Perfect. They loved it. So you have to be open minded.
Lionel:Yes. Is Sabina taking lessons, taking, having training with trainer?
Sabina:Yeah, yeah, yeah, definitely. And I'm now having like on a monthly basis. Okay. So I'm training and just, I need to really get the view on myself, of course. But I also been having quite a big help. My husband has been filming me quite a lot. Yes, yeah. He loves it. But I'm like, can you film me? But like so, then I can have a look, because then I am always my hardest trainer.
Lionel:Yeah, critic.
Sabina:And I mean, then I can really see the feeling is so and so. But it's looking like this. I didn't think so. So feeling and how it looks is not always really going the same way. So it is a good way to keep that. And of course, I also ask Mattias, he's been with me and I guess he knows a bit. He knows quite a lot. So I can actually ask him, how is it looking? And he can say the things like a little bit more up or a little bit more tempo or whatever, or slower. So I can get input because it's the small I can. And I know the how, but it's not always, I need some eyes from the side.
Lionel:When you take maybe yourself lessons, this is also what you get. Someone tells you, well, this is what I see. Maybe you...
Sabina:And also opening new doors, of course, because it is, you do what you do. And it is always hard to create new ways. Yeah, you can read a book, definitely. They're also that way, getting inspirational from, yeah, nowadays they're... Alendis have quite a few like nice stuff and other platforms, but I think it's super nice to take lessons. And it's most of the time so inspirational and fun.
Lionel:Thank you, Sabina.
Sabina:Thank you.
Lionel:And thank you, everyone, for listening. We will come back next month with a new episode. In the meantime, do not hesitate to share this episode.
Sabina:Bye.
Lionel:Goodbye.
