Meet Abigail!

A new coach has joined our team!

Originally from the Netherlands, Abigail moved to New Zealand in 2017. She started riding at a young age and has had great experience bringing up young horses through the levels of Dressage.

Tell us a bit about your riding background, how you got into riding and how you got into your preferred discipline. I started riding at the age of 9, back when I lived in the Netherlands, where I'm originally from. After high school, I went on to do an equestrian-sports course. Through this, I had the opportunity to do internships at international dressage and show jumping stables in the Netherlands, where I gained a lot of experience. Through this course, I also got my first experience with coaching. Since then, I have worked various horse-related jobs in the Netherlands as well as in New Zealand, from racing stables, as well as working as a groom at show jumping stables and now as a riding coach. Throughout the years I've worked a lot with young horses, and this is probably what I enjoy most as well as dressage competition.

Tell us about your horse. Recently I've got my own horse again, Scala. She is a 5-year-old thoroughbred mare (Dark Bay). She used to be one of the horses at the racing stable I worked in. She is currently turned out to rebuild condition and if she recovers well enough, I would like to retrain her as a riding horse.

Tell us about your biggest personal achievement in your riding career and why it is special to you. My biggest achievement I'd say is the journey I went through with my horse which I competed with in the Netherlands. I got him as a very inexperienced 4-year-old who didn't know much at all, and what he did know he often decided he didn't feel like doing, but through a lot of hard work, ups and downs, a lot of training he became a very well-schooled dressage horse, and we competed only 2 years later. We learned a lot from each other, which is why this horse still holds a very special place in my heart.

What do you like most about coaching and what made you want to start coaching? I really like it when the little things fall into place. Skills take time and practice, but what makes horse riding even more complicated is that it isn't just the rider or the horse, it is both together. A riding coach can assist in effective communication between rider and horse. It is great to see someone experience when things fall into place and goals are achieved. Being part of others reaching their goals is so gratifying which is why I enjoy coaching.

Tell us about a funny/awesome horse experience you have had in the past.

Back in my high school years, I used to spend my free time riding around for hours in the forest. I never really knew where I was going, I just took the paths I thought looked fun. My horse always knew the way back to the stables so once I would get to a point where I thought now it's been long enough, I'd just give the horse a long rein, and he'd always find the way back (eventually), sometimes we ended up being away for 4-5 hours. I think these are still to this day one of my favourite memories.

Who is your favourite horse at Maris Equestrian and why? It is probably still a bit early to make a decision on this as I haven't really spent enough time with all the horses yet. If I had to name one, I'd have to say Donte has really impressed me with his work ethic.