Episode 26 - Martin Rønnestad

We had the great chance to catch Martin Rønnestad in between teaching in different countries to chat with us about being the new team leader for Norways young riders, his training philosophies, inside leg-outside rein and his new horse Kjalar. We talked about his experience competing at the World Championships, riding not only Icelandic horses and how he is training.

Get ready to ride without stirrups! 

Come and join us for this super interesting episode.

You can follow Martin:

• https://www.instagram.com/martin_ron/

Music by Cob.
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Transcript

Lionel: 0:00

Hello everyone, one more episode and one more amazing guest. He's competing for Norway and a trainer flying all over Europe. If you ever wanted to know what is inside leg, outside drain, listen to us, listen to our guest Martin Rønnestad. He's in The Tölt Tales podcast. Hello, Martin.

Martin: 0:27

Hello, hello.

Lionel: 0:28

How are you? You good? It's end of day, and you said that you just finished your work now.

Martin: 0:34

Yeah, I just was hurrying back from the stable. Always in the evening, I end the days with doing my dressage work. So yeah, I had to hurry up a little bit, but now I'm here and ready.

Lionel: 0:47

Maybe it's a weird question, but where are you now? What country?

Martin: 0:55

So now I'm in Germany, where I live. So I just came home yesterday evening from Denmark, from the Ice Horses Festival. And now just home for the weekdays and then I'm going to the Netherlands in the weekend.

Lionel: 1:13

Like two weeks ago or three weeks ago, you were in Iceland or something like this, right? For a couple of days, you tend to travel a bit?

Martin: 1:23

Yeah, it's a lot of travel with my work, basically because my main thing is teaching. So through the teaching, I'm traveling a lot. And in Iceland, I went together with one of my best friends to search for a horse for her. So that was a quick trip. We just had three days and had to look at many horses. So it was quite a full program, but yeah, it was also fun.

Lionel: 1:57

Was it successful? Did you find a horse?

Martin: 2:01

Well, yeah, we found one horse, but it was actually not what we planned to find and to buy. So I think my friend, she's still looking for another horse, actually, but she ended up buying a young and promising one. So yeah, we will see if she finds another one.

Lionel: 2:24

I feel a lot of people will be able to relate, though. Like you look for a horse, and you don't necessarily find the horse that you had in mind, and you come back with two. So maybe it's... Yeah.

Martin: 2:38

Yeah, it can be dangerous. Her husband was quite frustrated. So yeah, yeah, yeah. That can be a problem.

Lionel: 2:50

Yes, yes. Yes, that can be a problem. So just to rewind a bit, maybe we can start by, where do you come from, Martin? And I have a follow up question, which is, how come do you ride Icelandic? So maybe where do you come from? Maybe you can present a bit yourself.

Martin: 3:10

Yeah. So I'm born and raised in Oslo, Norway. So then I think when I was 15, we moved to a place called Lundskog, which is just outside Oslo. And that's where my horse life really began.

Lionel: 3:31

And before 15, you were riding horses at the riding school, or did you have contact with the horses?

Martin: 3:40

Yeah. So I started riding when I was 6 in the riding school. And then I went to the riding school until I was 13. And then when I was 13, I got my own horse. And my parents, they are like not really into horses, or they were not really into horses, but I always was really like drawn to horses from a young age. I think I was 2 years old, and when I saw a horse, I just wanted to go to it. So my parents figured out quite early that horses was going to be my thing. And my mother had been riding a little bit, so...

Lionel: 4:25

Okay.

Martin: 4:25

Yeah, she knew, but just like a little bit in riding school, but not really much.

Lionel: 4:30

But yeah, leisure riding or something.

Martin: 4:34

Yeah, yeah, but not really, not much, just a little bit in the riding school. But yeah, when I was 13, they thought I'm old enough to take care of a horse for myself. So then I had my first horse, which was quite challenging because we bought a young five year old horse. And of course, I was 13, I thought I was already the world champion, which I soon then realized not to be. And it was quite challenging. He was running off with me all the time. We tried to sell him for some time, but everyone fell off. So we were not able to sell him. And then I actually started or I got to know a man that was doing a lot of natural horsemanship. So I moved my horse to his place in Lundskoog, or where he had his horses. And he helped me with understanding and connect more to this horse. And over some time, yeah, we got to be best friends. And we were riding without a bridle and saddle in the forest, doing counter and everything. So that was like the story with my first horse, which was not a competition horse, but yeah, my first horse.

Lionel: 5:50

And it was a big horse. It was not an Icelandic horse at that time.

Martin: 5:56

Yeah, that was actually Icelandic horse as well. I always wanted to ride other horses, to be honest, but my parents, they have always heard that Icelandic horses are so nice and sweet and safe. So they said like, you can have a horse, but it has to be Icelandic horse. And my riding school was also a riding school with Icelandic horses. But they also had two other horses, and that was Norwegian fjord horses. And actually, I always wanted to ride them, and not Icelandic horses in the riding school.

Lionel: 6:39

But you never owned a fjord horses, I guess?

Martin: 6:43

No, I never owned one, because my parents, as I told you, they insisted that it had to be an Icelandic horse.

Lionel: 6:51

Do you think with your extended knowledge in horsemanship is a good assessment that it's better that you buy an Icelandic horse, they are safest?

Martin: 7:01

I think, yeah, the Icelandic horse, they really have a great mind. I mean, now I also have a Hunderdranian horse, and through the years, I live it in, live it into the big horses, and then live it out again. If you see the character and the way they behave, then Icelandic horses are quite remarkable, I think. But now I'm quite challenged with my young Hunderdranian horse. I fell off and broke my shoulder last year, so...

Lionel: 7:31

Yes, okay.

Martin: 7:35

So, I had to go to a hard school with him.

Lionel: 7:38

Oh, okay.

Martin: 7:40

That was actually quite bad at that time, because I was going to compete with Kongur from Kranishtal that summer. And actually, I was just done doing the first competition with Kongur. And then it was the day after, yeah, I went there to ride my dressage horse, and I fell off and broke my shoulder, and I thought like now the whole season is gone. But luckily, I was able to heal very quickly. The doctors were also really surprised. So, after two weeks, I was riding the next competition.

Lionel: 8:17

And you managed to, was it before the World Championship?

Martin: 8:20

Yeah, it was just in the spring. So, I saw the whole season flying away. But luckily, I understood quite fast that I will recover quickly and will be able to ride again.

Lionel: 8:41

Almost no harm done.

Martin: 8:42

Well, almost.

Lionel: 8:45

We discussed at the beginning that you went for an Iceland trip to help one of your friends buying a horse. But when is the last time you yourself bought a horse?

Martin: 8:56

So, yeah, me myself, which I really own myself, is my dressage horse, which I bought one year ago. But now, in cooperation with some very nice people, I also now got to find the Kjalar, which will be my new competition horse and future partner.

Lionel: 9:24

Right. How old is he?

Martin: 9:27

Kjalar is actually 13 years old. So he was a bit older than what we were looking for.

Lionel: 9:36

Obviously.

Martin: 9:37

When I went to Lippertorf to try horses, I was actually having a younger horse in mind, but they told me that they also have Kjalar, so I thought, yeah, when I'm going there, I can at least have a look at him. And then, yeah, actually already when I saw him, I thought like, oh my God, that's such a nice horse. And I was very fascinated by his looks. And also, I already knew his pedigree and knew that he was also in family with my old Svartur, Svartur from Hochwald. And then, yeah, I was riding him and I think after 10 minutes, I was there with one of my best friends, Anderleende van Engelen. And after 10 minutes, we just looked at each other and we agreed that it was the right horse for me.

Lionel: 10:28

Right, yeah, it's like a fell in love.

Martin: 10:32

Yeah, it was. Actually, I'm always very much analyzing when I'm trying horses and I'm really a thinker. So it can take some time before I made up my mind. But with him, it came very easily to me that I wanted to have that horse.

Lionel: 10:51

And you mentioned it, you plan on him being your future star or your competition horse.

Martin: 11:01

Yeah, of course, he's a grown up horse, so he has already been competing quite much. But yeah, I will take some time now to try to find our style and our way. And then we will be ready for the tracks.

Lionel: 11:18

And you plan on competing with him this season already, right? Yeah, he's already ready for that.

Martin: 11:24

Yeah, I will compete with him this year, but I'm not having any big goals for this year.

Lionel: 11:30

No, okay.

Martin: 11:33

So for example, I will not be trying to qualify for the Nordic Championship or anything. So I will just ride some competitions to get to know him there as well. And then I think, yeah, a good winter with training will make us ready for some big stuff.

Lionel: 11:53

You mentioned the Nordics, do you plan to compete with another horse, with maybe Kongu, or another horse for the Nordic?

Martin: 12:01

No, I will not be competing there at all because I am also the national team trainer of the Norwegian youth team. And at the Nordics, the team is very big with riders in sport and getting a Kepne, and also with junior riders. So life will be busy in August when it's the Nordic Championship. I would be allowed to bring a horse as well, but at the Nordics, that's not so realistic, I would say.

Lionel: 12:37

Yeah, you will probably be extremely busy with the Norwegian youth team, I guess.

Martin: 12:45

Exactly.

Lionel: 12:46

Yeah, but you will still participate to the Nordics, but in a different capacity, I guess, then.

Martin: 12:53

Exactly.

Lionel: 12:59

You're traveling a lot to train, right? Is there a reason of why the traveling? Is it because you have your... Is it a habit or because you live in Germany? In Germany, it's the biggest country in Europe for... in Icelandic horse, for instance. There will be possibility to just train in Germany, I'm pretty sure. Is there a reason why you go in the Netherlands or anywhere to give training?

Martin: 13:29

Well, that's actually a good question. And yes, in Germany, of course, it's a very big community and I could also just do my business here. But I guess it's already started a little bit when I was living in Norway. I was going a bit or starting then to go a little bit to different countries to teach. And in Norway, of course, it's not so big. And then it just continued and it's about like the places I'm going to. I'm going to over many years already. And good customers and good people and it's well organized. And of course, it's also exciting to be a little bit in different countries and to see how are things in the different countries.

Lionel: 14:31

Yeah, different horses, different people, for sure it brings.

Martin: 14:34

Exactly. It's quite exciting. I like to have an international community. And I'm also teaching in Germany, but that's now mainly in weekdays. And then in the weekends, I am traveling to teach other places.

Lionel: 14:55

Right. When we interviewed a trainer, we always talk about a system, a methodology. Would you be able to describe a bit what is your system, your methodology around training?

Martin: 15:13

Yeah, so I would say some of my main focuses are to have a rider that is in balance, because we are always talking about balance in the horses and how we can improve the balance of the horse. But I think it's then really important to start with us as riders, because we are on the back, and if we are not in balance, we make the job for the horse harder. So that's where I like to start. And from there, I like to see that we had to, the riding should be communication. The communication is educated also to the horses and to the riders, how to communicate in a clear and correct way. So for me, it's very important that the aids that we give, that we give them in a way and in a system that the horse understands it. It should not be a random movement that you do with your hand just because it felt like it, that you felt like it. You should know what you're doing and when you're doing it and what you're telling the horse in that moment. So I would say those are like, those two things are foundation in my training. And then apart from that, I think my students would say that they hear a lot of inside leg to outside leg. Which is quite classical.

Lionel: 16:52

Yeah, yes, yes. I mean, all the riders in the world should have anyway in their head the little sentence inside leg, outside leg anyway when we ride.

Martin: 17:05

Exactly. But it's quite often that people don't know it and don't understand it. And when you just say it inside leg, outside leg, it's not logical to just understand it. It takes time to understand this expression. So it's harder than what it sounds like.

Lionel: 17:28

How do you explain it yourself to your students?

Martin: 17:31

Yeah, it's a lot of, I think you start learning the inside leg and outside leg when you ride on the circles. Because the horses, they are on the circle, not naturally going in a good bend, and they are struggling with the balance on the circles. So they tend to fall out in the shoulder, or fall in with the shoulder, or take the hind leg to the inside, take the hind leg to the outside. So when you ride on the circle, you want to put the energy into one direction and make sure that the horse is carrying on the inside hind leg. So that's where you start. So your inside leg is giving impulsion and energy to ask the inside hind leg to move under. But if you then don't have the outside rein, then all the energy is just flowing out in the outside shoulder. So that's where your outside rein comes. So that you can actually catch that energy that you put from the inside leg. And that's when also that you get the inside hind leg to step under the horse.

Lionel: 18:42

And here we have it. Thank you Martin. Now if people are wondering what does it mean, Martin, just explain to you. It was very clear. I loved it.

Martin: 18:53

Okay, that's good. That's good. I tried my best not to talk too much and get too complicated into it. It's always easy to just end up talking too much, but I hope it made sense.

Lionel: 19:07

It makes total sense. Yes, so to the people who listen to us, if they wonder what means inside legs, outside rein, we just got the definition. You mentioned that you, the first thing you mentioned is balance, the rider's balance. Does it mean that you work on the seat, on the position of the legs, all of that?

Martin: 19:32

Yeah, exactly. All of that to come in the right balance. Yeah, so the seat is super important. It's also when your seat is good, then suddenly it gets much more easy to influence the horse in the right way with your aids. So you get a lot of benefits for doing it. And the challenge for people is that in the moment, they have to correct their seat. They feel like they ride worse in the beginning because the usual stuff that they're doing with your hands or the legs, it's hard to do everything at once. So sometimes you have to be willing to be, or to feel like a little bit worse rider for a moment to really improve your seat. So and very often, very often we see riders doing just too much, actually, when they ride.

Lionel: 20:27

Oh, right. Like you mean like in terms of aids or or too much movement?

Martin: 20:33

Exactly. Too much movement. And there again, the balance is coming through the stability of quarts we have to move and do stuff. And it's very individual from different horses and what challenges they have or what challenges the riders are having. But very often I see people move a little bit too much, especially when they try to ask stories of something.

Lionel: 21:03

Right. Me, I started to ride not so long time ago, like less than 10 years ago. It's by meeting my partner, Ariane, that I started to ride. And I know that the seat, maybe it's the last year, I got someone who correct me heavily, my seat. As you mentioned that you repeat inside legs, outside reins. That was not that. It was more like, leg back, leg back, heel down, leg back, heel down, heel down, and over and over. And it especially resonated to me when you say you feel for some time that it doesn't feel right. It's just like, it's worse. But I guess it's years of memory of your body that you try to correct. So you will feel wrong, I guess.

Martin: 21:54

Yeah, yeah, exactly. Yeah, it's riding is so much about controlling your body and controlling the movements in your body. And we are doing so much that we are not aware of. So just to be more aware of our body, I think that's a huge step in the riding.

Lionel: 22:11

Yeah. I remember we had, you know, I don't know if you do that, removing the legs from the stirrups, for instance, to just feel if you put a lot of weight on your stirrups. Or not, just to see if you need that. Or I know that it helps so much to work on the seat, for sure.

Martin: 22:30

That's actually something that you reminded me now, that it's something that I have to do more often with my students. So maybe they are now like, oh my God, that French guy should shut up.

Lionel: 22:46

Well, I will definitely tell you, Louise, our trainer here, she told me when we started a year ago, she was like, okay, you're going to walk without your stirrups, we're going to do some trot one day, or canter one day, we're still not there. So she has an old program, I can hook you up with her. She has a plan on riding without stirrups. So sorry for all your future students.

Martin: 23:17

Exactly, exactly.

Lionel: 23:19

I know that it helped me a lot, like feeling your seat bone.

Martin: 23:23

Exactly.

Lionel: 23:24

That you don't wait on the... Yeah, it's super helpful. I think something that helped me as well is a... It sounds stupid, but a better saddle. I changed saddle not a long time ago, and I was a game changer on... Correcting my seat was already started, plus a good saddle was a game changer.

Martin: 23:43

Yeah, that's a big thing as well. You really need to have a saddle that helps you with the balance. And to be honest, it's very often I see people that are actually sitting on a saddle where they have to work against the position that the saddle wants you to sit in. And of course, that makes it really difficult. So yeah, that's a very good point.

Lionel: 24:08

But do you have a favorite exercise that helps you understanding, maybe the level of your students or get into the move of the groove into a better balance, etc. Do you have a go-to exercise?

Martin: 24:22

I think like the one thing I ask all students the first time I see them is to just do a little bit of leg yielding in work.

Lionel: 24:34

Right.

Martin: 24:35

Because there you can easily see how the balance is between the leg and the hand. And then we come to this understanding of the inside leg, the outside leg. It starts there as well. And then you can easily see how the riders are sitting and how they're able to use their seat or are they aware of where they are sitting when they're doing the sideway movements. So I think leg yield is the first thing I ask them to do.

Lionel: 25:10

Do you try the horses? Is it something that you do often or you don't feel you do it?

Martin: 25:17

When I have new students, I always try the horses, always.

Lionel: 25:22

Yes.

Martin: 25:24

So I start the session with just telling them that they had to ride a little bit by themselves and just show me the horse. And in the different gates, the only thing I really ask them to do in the beginning in the walk is the leg yield. And apart from that, I say ride as you want to, just a little bit on circle, a little bit straight. And then after that, I try the horses always. Yeah, because it's many things you can see, but not everything.

Lionel: 25:50

Right, okay. This is what you try to... Yes, it's like... Is it connection of what you see and what you can feel or something like this?

Martin: 25:57

Yeah, exactly. To combine those two, that's really good and helpful for high quality teaching.

Lionel: 26:06

You mentioned balance. You talked about communication. And I guess I understand how, but can you describe with exercise or what you try to... How do you try to improve the communication between the rider and the horse? Do you have ways to do that techniques? Or a way to think about it?

Martin: 26:30

So I think with the communication, it starts with, like we talked about, to be aware of your own body, what you're doing, the body control, so that you don't move more than you have to when you ask for something. It has to be clear for the horses. So I would say what we work on for the communication is just to put your aids in the right position and then wait for the horse to have a chance to think. And when they start to think in the right direction, we have to be good with rewarding them. So not, for example, when we talk about horses giving in, you know, giving in on the rain. As a good rider, it should not be that you give in when the horse is giving perfectly in. When you're a really good rider, you give in when you feel that the horse is thinking about giving in.

Lionel: 27:23

Right.

Martin: 27:24

And then you have perfect timing in your release, in your rewarding of the horse. And then things comes much, much quicker in the training.

Lionel: 27:36

How would you do it? Is it a feeling or is it practice? Is it technique?

Martin: 27:42

For example, if you have a rain contact and you have a steady rain contact, you're adding a little bit pressure in leg and hand. If you feel that the horse is suddenly giving you, starting to push a bit less against your inside leg or starting to get a bit softer in your hand, that's the moment when you think, okay, now I try to release. And most of the time then, then things are coming to the place where you want to be.

Lionel: 28:10

So it's really like being tuned in with your horse and make sure you understand the subtle movement, I guess.

Martin: 28:17

Exactly. And what we then see too often is that people are like, they ask and release and they ask and release and they ask and release. And then the ask and release is not a good communication. So sometimes, like I said, you had to go into it with your aids, slowly add a little bit pressure, and then try to feel like, when is the horse thinking in the right direction? Do you feel that it's getting like a tiny little bit less tension against your aids? Then you reward it. When you feel the horse is like just a little bit less tense, then you start to reward it. And then they pick up where you want them to go.

Lionel: 28:57

You know, at the beginning of the recording, you mentioned you got your first horse and you were thinking you were the world champion. This is when you start to ride. I think my first trainer was saying like after six months, you feel you are the king of the woods, you know, but six months and one day, you're still in the wood. You're not a king of it by any means because you're still gonna learn. So I guess that's also all this feeling, the horse, et cetera, it's just require I guess hours on the saddle.

Martin: 29:37

Yeah, and of course, everything I'm saying is like, you know, like a general thing, but they are all different individuals and you have to approach them a little bit differently. But this is at least like a red line that I haven't tried to keep in my training.

Lionel: 29:56

Yeah, yeah, yeah. We talk about you being a trainer, but are you taking lessons? Do you have your own trainer?

Martin: 30:08

So, actually, that's a good question. I'm a little bit embarrassed to answer it, to be honest, because through the last years, I have not really had like a trainer. So if you say like in the last 10 years, maybe, I have not really had like one, which I would say like that's my trainer. But, I'm always discussing a lot and with videos and everything with my friend, Anneliene. And now also, I'm very happy to be, now it started last year, actually, I'm working a little bit together with Inga Trottenberg, which is an international judge. And also a professional rider herself. And she lives in Eendorf, where I also have my horses. And yeah, we usually like, once a week or something, we see each other and share some opinions. So that's really nice.

Lionel: 31:20

But why do you feel, why did you feel embarrassed?

Martin: 31:26

Because I feel like I should have had, like, you know, my trainer. So I think, yeah, I have been training myself a lot through just videos, you know, like when I see videos, of course, I correct myself. And through the years, I've been doing a lot of videos. And so I always correct myself. And of course, you find inspiration everywhere. So I'm open for inspiration from different angles. So I think I'm just a very, yeah, like I'm always searching to be better. But in that way, I feel like I should really have had, like, yeah, one trainer. But yeah, that's how it was.

Lionel: 32:22

Yeah, yeah, yeah. I mean, but I guess, I don't know. My feeling on that is, I mean, most of the professional riders, most of the, yes, they have trainer, but if I, not that I'm thinking about him because we interviewed Nils-Christian Larsen, and you have both, you both share Norwegian roots. I know that he was mentioning it more as the external eyes. That's what he's looking at. So when you take a video, this is what you get, I guess, you get to see you from outside, and you can, you have enough experience, and the training and the knowledge to like, okay, that's what I see, it doesn't look great, or okay, I should do that. So you have your own way of getting the external point of view, I guess.

Martin: 33:18

Yeah, yeah, that's true. And of course, from the beginning of my career as a competition rider, when I was younger, I had some very, very good trainers that I was riding for regularly. So they all gave me a good basic. So of course, yeah, when I was younger, I was riding for trainers regularly. And I also, I was very often going to trainings.

Lionel: 33:50

Yeah. You know, when we started, you said that you were a trainer. Is it your first, if you present yourself, you say you're a trainer before a competition rider, for instance, or professional rider?

Martin: 34:04

I would say like, yeah, I mean, as a profession, a trainer is the main thing, I would say, because I spent so much time doing it and that's how I earn my money. And through competitions, you of course build up your name through competitions, but in our sport, we don't earn any money through doing the competitions. So, yeah, I mean...

Lionel: 34:34

You spend more the money than you get money.

Martin: 34:37

Yes, exactly. But of course, when you're doing well and you can show yourself, that's a good commercial for you.

Lionel: 34:47

Yes. A bit of a segue, like you mentioned that you don't ride only Icelandic horse. I'm just curious to know, like, is there a reason why, apart from maybe the love of the horses? But is there more than that, is there something that you feel is bringing you a different perspective on your Icelandic riding? Do you feel it? Do you translate one to the other, from Icelandic to this horse, or the other horse to the Icelandic world?

Martin: 35:18

Yeah, for sure. I think it's something to learn from all kinds of equestrian sports. And with the dressage riding, I have always enjoyed it. And over many years, I have wanted to do it more, like do it more and also compete in it. I never came to the point that I competed in it, because of time and money and everything. It's like Icelandic horses, it's my job, so I always prioritized that. And it was hard to take the step to say like, okay, now it's okay to spend time and money on something that is not my work. But yeah, I think it's absolutely a lot to take with you from the dressage riding. So that just makes me a better rider. And also just to, I think through dressage riding, you get much more tools that you can use. And for example, you can make your horses more athletic and you learn to do more exercises. And it's so many great exercises that we can use for the horses to be more supple, to be stronger, to be more straight. And instead of just talking about the hand and the leg, but it's a lot of exercises we can use.

Lionel: 36:57

I mean, you're using the same dressage principle from your big horse to Icelandic or somehow the same.

Martin: 37:06

Yeah, it is, of course, some things that are different, but the basics are quite much the same.

Lionel: 37:15

For me, when I hear like, okay, you're riding dressage on a big horse, I'm thinking Gettiger List. Is it something that you... I know it's not super popular probably in Europe compared to Iceland, for instance, but did you ever thought about blending the two, to have a Gettiger List horse?

Martin: 37:37

I think Gettiger List is super exciting. And we had it once in Norway, and I attended that, and that was a lot of fun to ride it. And I wish we could have more of it. I don't know actually why we don't have more of it. In Denmark, they have tried a little bit to organize it sometimes. And I hope that it's something that can come. Yeah. I think it's a great, great thing. And everyone enjoys to watch it from Maesrader Lid. Yeah, yeah, yeah. It's a highlight that everyone likes. So, actually, I don't know why it's not more spread already.

Lionel: 38:29

I told you it was a stupid question. I don't know why it rigs. It's just like for me, it's just a, oh, but you could do Getting a List. I guess I'm looking for...

Martin: 38:39

Yeah, yeah, yeah. And I think, like how they have made Getting a List, you can actually ride it with all kinds of different horses. But I think, I think we are also like that's for us. It's a big step to take to ride Getting a List because maybe we feel a bit vulnerable, because we are actually like showing how our horses are trained, and it will be obvious what they cannot do with the training. And we all want to be good riders, and we want to be able to influence the horses well, and to be good at knowing where are the shoulders, where are the hind legs, and to find and to show that we can do different stuff with a very nice connection. So I think it's a bit scary for the Icelandic horse community to ride it.

Lionel: 39:38

I never thought about that. I always felt like, okay, what you just said makes sense for me, as it shows how you train your horse. This is, I guess, most of us are using some of those exercises. Maybe the least talented of us do it only in the world, but the best rider can do it in the Tölt and Trot and other things. But I didn't thought it would be, yes, okay. I like your point of view. There is a vulnerability here.

Martin: 40:14

I think it's really a competition of how good is your training.

Lionel: 40:20

Right.

Martin: 40:21

It's like in our regular oval track competitions, you can hide things much more easily than what you can do in getting a list.

Lionel: 40:34

Yes. I'm a huge... I don't know. I always find fascinating when... Yeah, like in Mesteredalen, for instance, you see some of the riders who really show for getting a list, and maybe some others that are coming with their horse, but they didn't prepare for it necessarily. And you see there is a huge gap in knowledge in how they perform. But indeed, it shows how you train. So yeah, maybe it's a bit scary then. Even during the spring with a broken shoulder, you managed to go to Switzerland with Team Norway in the World Championship. How was the competition for you? What did you learn? If you have to do a post-mortem on the spot a bit of how was it for you in Switzerland? What would you say?

Martin: 41:40

First of all, I had a blast. It was really fun and I joined it a lot. Because for some years, I was not competing because of some personal stuff. Yeah, it was just in the family. My mother got ill, so I was a bit back and forth between Norway and Germany for some years. And I had to put a bit of things to side. And then for me to be back there and ride, that was so enjoyable. And I then realized how much I had missed it. So that was for me really, really fun. And the learning from it would be to stay true to your riding. I think in my 4th preliminary, I was not so happy with that because I maybe wanted a bit too much. And it was also not the best day for for Kongur. They also have good and bad days. And like us. And then in that moment, of course I had to push it a little bit, but yeah, to really just stay true to my riding and what I enjoy. And I know that I really don't enjoy too much tension when I ride. And even though the preliminary gave me a spot in the B-final in Forgate, I was not so happy with my performance in that preliminary. But luckily, then in the B-finals, I was riding two B-finals in T2 and in Forgate, and I had a super feeling, and it was so much fun.

Lionel: 43:43

I mean, this is not everybody, right? Who just went into world championship of our sports and go in the B-final and compete. Was it something that you mentioned you were a bit not upset, frustrated by the preliminaries? Is it because you had a different goal in mind? You wanted to aim for a final? Or is it that that created a bit of the disconnect? Or no, it's just how you felt on the horse that was not...

Martin: 44:19

It's a bit strange because I'm actually a very competitive person. And when I'm competing in everything else than with horses, I'm the worst loser ever. But with horses, I tend to learn differently. And my goal for that four-year preliminary was not necessarily like a position or anything, but it was really to have this good riding feeling, to be able to show the riding that I believe in and that I like. And that was like my main goal. And I felt like I failed a little bit in that. It was not really bad or anything, but I was not totally satisfied with it. And then my T2 preliminary was nice. I had some things that could be better, but at least I felt that I stayed true to my riding. And that was the annoying part in my four-gate preliminary, that I was just going a little bit too hard.

Lionel: 45:22

Yeah, the feeling on the saddle and you're like, okay, that's not what you want to show, I guess.

Martin: 45:27

Exactly.

Lionel: 45:29

One of our question that we ask is, do you have any goal for this year competition season? The Nordics was part of it, but you mentioned that you are then the team coach for the young team, Norway team. Is it what I understood? How did it happen?

Martin: 45:46

It was the leader of the Norwegian team. She came to me and asked if I would be interested to take that part. And right away, I was very interested because I have a big passion for teaching and training. So, and to help horses and riders to be a better team. So that was for sure something that I wanted to do. But at the time, it was not the perfect timing for everything. So I needed a little bit of time to think about it. But our team leader, she didn't give up on it. So in the end, I said yes. And maybe I thought like I would wait a little bit and then I would take the opportunity another time. But I'm happy that I did it. And this year, we got started and we have the Nordics. But I really have big plans for the next winter with the Norwegian team. So I'm just really looking forward for the next winter, actually, regarding our team.

Lionel: 47:00

So be careful, young riders from Norway, you're going to remove your feet from the stirrups. Be prepared, you can blame it on the French podcast host.

Martin: 47:17

That's my fault.

Lionel: 47:18

But as a team leader, what is your... Because you mentioned you have plans, so good luck with them. But is it like you want to create, I guess, a team spirit, you want to help them, training, you go and training, you will give training to them, and etc., etc.?

Martin: 47:40

Yeah, exactly. I will not go in detail on everything, but...

Lionel: 47:45

No, no, no.

Martin: 47:47

But, yeah, I will just take much more part in their training, and it will be... I will also expect more of the members.

Lionel: 47:59

Okay.

Martin: 48:01

So they have to be really committed to the team. So I'm going all in, and the ones that want to be a part of it, they should be ready for that. So yeah, I think that's the best thing to say.

Lionel: 48:20

You seem quite strict, no? As a teacher, as a future, as a current youth team for Norway, are you a bit of a strict trainer also? I didn't ask you that before.

Martin: 48:36

I can be, yeah, I can be quite strict. Through the years of teaching, I would say I am able to put myself more into the correct level of the student that I have. So to adjust the expectations. But when we get into now talking about top sport, then yeah, I will probably be quite strict. And very realistic and honest, but with good intentions.

Lionel: 49:06

I mean, this role is preparing the future for Norway, right? It's not a small task, right? It's like in five, six, seven years, they will have went through you if they were in the youth team. So it's not a small task to... There is responsibility, I guess. That's what I mean.

Martin: 49:28

Yeah, for sure. And I really feel like I also want to contribute to Norway in general.

Lionel: 49:34

Right.

Martin: 49:36

And we had a little bit like... It was a little bit declining in Norway with the interest of competing and everything. So and of course, now we had on the World Championship, some senior riders that did very well, but we want to raise our level even higher. And especially with our youth, I think we have a lot of potential, but we need to put it in the system, and need to motivate and catch their interest of reaching a high international level. So yeah, I'm really passionate about that.

Lionel: 50:15

Well, it starts with the Nordics, and then the sky, the limit, I guess.

Martin: 50:19

And then I just want to add in the end as well, because you asked me about my goals. And then I will just shortly go into it with Kjalar, and Kjalar, I want to compete at the Norwegian team for the World Championship.

Lionel: 50:31

So that's next year.

Martin: 50:34

Exactly, that's when I have more goals with him. So the Norwegian youth team and also with Kjalar.

Lionel: 50:42

So this is already the end of our episode. Again, thank you for taking the time. I know how busy you are. And it really means a lot that you spend an hour with us talking about your passion, your training, the competition. So I wanted just to say thank you for that. And thank you everyone for listening. We will come back in two weeks for a new episode. In the meantime, do not hesitate to share this episode with everyone. Like and never hesitate to reach out to us. Comment. You can follow Martin on his Instagram. Maybe you could see where he is. Maybe it's next to you for training. You can follow us on Instagram, on Facebook. We just reached a thousand followers on Instagram. We would like to thank you. Thank you so much Martin for spending an hour with us.

Martin: 51:34

Thank you so much for inviting me. I really enjoyed it.