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Hoekstra Dressage

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Peterborough, ON
Hoekstra Dressage

Eddo Hoekstra promotes the art of dressage as a sport.

Eddo Hoekstra is dedicated to advancing the art of dressage, offering top-notch clinics, lessons, and training programs that span from Basic to Grand Prix levels. As a trainer and the owner, Eddo Hoekstra's passion for dressage shines through, treating it both as a sport and an art form.

09/23/2022

Dear friends, this morning had all the makings of a fine day. A real Canadian experience! After bringing our daughter to school we stopped by timmies for a cup of coffee to share which we enjoy doing together. And because the lineup for the drive through was packed like 401-rush hour we decided to park the car and while my wife went in to get the coffee I waited in the car and while i was waiting ,there were guys chatting nearby and discussing if they should go in for a double-double or opt for something else. I love using my senses and just enjoy the experience of being there watching and listening and just taking it all in. Coming to my senses allows me to enjoy the moment, get a grip and feel ready to take on whatever else the day might dish-up for me! Funny enough I've always done that in my training and no matter where I am or the condition I may find myself in it seems to work for me. The recipe is simple and inspired by my old friend Jan from holland. For this was the way we trained which becomes the way we live. Training results in behaviour modification.Show up, For I might learn something, step up and rise to the occassion .whatever situation I may encounter.It's in ya!-we are designed to deliver a good fight! You can do a lot more than we might think! Thank you Jan! And now I just enjoyed sharing something that I've learned with others using social media. Happy living eh! Our horses do this every day of their life! They use their senses to sniff out signs of danger as well as clues that something they might look forward to is eminent. Like breakfast. Yahoo!hurry up! We're hungry! Or a cup of timmies finest in this case!

08/28/2022

Those who like, may look around,but those who can't live without search and explore &look within! My friends, summer seems to go too fast, or is it just me? While training results in behaviour modification, exercises help manage emotions and allow you to "find " the feel of what you're looking for to develop the correct technique rather than trying really hard to make something happen which would only result in tension and prevent the horse from maintaining its natural forward tendency. Anything forced can never be brilliant !I hope that for many of you training has become an integral part of your life and find it as meaningful just like myself. Then we'll get up extra early for that each day! And we can motivate ourselves regardless of the conditions! And , show up! So we might learn something, step up! Whatever it takes,but not at all cost. It's in ya! Because you are capable of a lot more than you might think! Happy living eh.

08/26/2022

Dear friends, I'm not a big fan of watching others live their lives from the comfort of a chair Just to later looking back in hindsight with regret not having had more input in contributing to the content of my life and getting more skin in the game! Because life is just too darn short. I'd rather fail trying than later regret not trying it. Taking reasonable chances in life is part of it! Does that involve effort? Often most certainly yes! But I'll do it anyway! Whatever it takes, but not at all cost! And the feeling of control may be found somewhere near the edge of loosing it! And since the process of searching is a little bit like fishing in the dark learning what to look for is found by restoring & cultivating forward (where to go from here) and half halting!(rebalancing what you already have before adding more!). Happy living eh.

08/09/2022

Dear friends, I've noticed that many of you have shared through Facebook that you've been faced with challenges of all kinds the last couple of years. I feel for you, I really do. And if I just had a magic wand that I could just wafe to ease your burden. But I don't! I had some of my own as well and I thought I'd share something with you that I haven't shared with many till this point. In 2012 I was actually in the hospital when I experienced a stage seven stroke and as i was on the stretcher with doctors around me looking at a computer screen on the wall that was showing the effect that the stroke had on my brain as it was happening and listening to the comments like "there goes that part and there goes that part "and so on. And Eventhough it surely wasn't a desirable position to be in, it was strangely one of the most peaceful experiences of my life. It was almost like I had been training for this whatever I was about to enter and I was ready for it! And I was! I've always enjoyed a good challenge! And through the many years practicing the principles of classical dressage i did cultivate a certain level of preparedness for whatever was yet to come, I had learned to endure and think "forward "(where to go from there) ,make creative use of the skills I had and the things I knew,feel and see and how to use adversity as the vehicle for driving change. And looking for possibilities came almost like second nature to me. It's why I love what I do for a living being a classical dressage coach for all those years And now it came in very handy over the last ten years in my life after the stroke, which I called "round 2 "And I still love a good challenge! If one doesn't come and finds me, I'll look for one myself. And that my friends is always more fun! But other than that still the same to me! As if it were my choice!Because you never know what's around the next corner! I would climb out of the potholes I may find myself in just so I could start climbing the big mountain of my choice! That's the purpose of potholes! They provide training opportunities for bigger things that are yet to come! And I happen to love training and always remain curious about what life might have in store for me next! And every day when I have a challenge for breakfast it makes everything else seem so much easier and enjoyable. Happy living!-eh.

06/26/2022

Yes!showseason has once again arrived upon us! An opportunity to showcase our beautiful horses and the wonderful training we've been doing at home and a way to find out if we're heading in the right direction or should we concider a course adjustment?! What areas could use a little extra attention and which can we capitolize on and start showing off more?! Realizing ofcourse that we can't always win by someone elses standards but still be successful by ours! By dedication to our game plan and our training principles. And remember that your horse didn't volunteer for this assignment! Have fun, learn lots and happy riding.eh.

05/07/2022

Grand-prix dressage comes full circle! It's common knowledge that the road from basic walk-trot to grand-prix is a long one, but after my stage 7 stroke in 2012 I've now experienced that the road back from grand-prix to basic walk -trot can be an even longer one . but by applying what I've learned by following the principles of classical dressage over the many years, being granted another lease on life after being confronted with the fact that going back was no longer an option but forward still was , allowed me to realize what I've called round 2 (r-2)And so far no regrets! And I get to share my story on occassion with others who are curious to hear about how a life with horses rich in experiences can allow us to stay at the helm of our ship regardless how turbulent our life can become after it tries to take the wind out of our sails. Happy living my friends! Eh.

01/21/2022

The human version of " forward " is the autonomy of self!What does it mean to be patient my friends?; is it twiddling your thumbs waiting for things to happen? Nope! This is how i see it; as long as i can remember I've always enjoyed looking forward to where we were going between the ears of any horse I sat on. And without realizing it as a kid I knew I was on to something big! It's one of those things you always remember.But it took many years of practice until when life tried taking the wind out of my sails by presenting me at age 48 with a major stroke as an opportunity to put to the test everything I'd learned thusfar. And Eventhough I was really wishing & hoping for a fast recovery I knew deep down that a strong finish would be worth the wait! And in the words of my old mentor and friend from holland Jan "you've got time!" And my contribution;"asap ". Adjust swiftly adapt pronto ". Which indicates that when we practice adjustability ,quick without hurry! We can adapt to the various conditions that life can toss at us without hesitation ! Smoothly, just like in riding. Smooth happens when there's balance! Remember how walter was always big on smooth?! That's because as long as there's balance you and your horse can,in walters words "go to the limit but not over !"Happy riding my friends!and enjoy each moment that you can spent with your horse!because in jans words " you might learn something "! Eh.

01/17/2022

Sure, with this weather we're getting from time to time we could think of some good excuse to complain, but how would your life look like without occassional challanges folks. Lets take on each challenge as if it were our idea! For those of us who have called this great country home for a while love a challenge! It's part of our identity. We show up for it!, the truth of the matter is that we live for this ..it! And and as long as there's a Tim Hortons nearby that can serve up a great cup of coffee, we'll keep shuffling that snow and enjoy our cup of timmies finest to make us realize how good we have it! Happy living my friends, spring is not that far away anymore! Complaints anyone? Not here, that's for sure. But first I'm heading out again to shuffle some more snow! Lol.

01/08/2022

Those riders that have worked with me before are familiar with the fact that I encourage them within reason! To be a rebel! That simply means that when a rider notices the horses feeling good and wanted to try something at that moment than that's exactly what they should do because most of the time riders are schooling by themselves and can't always have someone there telling them what to do next, so it's crucial that riders learn to make their own decisions based on their own observations! Regardless of the concequences. And When I'm there that is a great opportunity to practice that for if something wouldn't turn out the way they'd hoped i can help them get back on track. It's all part of learning and that's what I'm there for! I wouldn't appreciate it if they go full out rogue on me and try taking over the show but a true team cannot function and stand the test of time if both parties are not given the chance to have some input and have learned how to lead the team and would excersise their willingness to follow. And if either party is affraid to take initiative, you ain't got no team! Really! Happy riding. Eh.

01/06/2022

Things we do are not so much about 'this ' OR 'that ' ,but where they fit into the bigger picture! We're merely contributing to the contents of something bigger! One piece at a time, one after the other! Sounds familiar eh?! And having an idea of different ways to get somewhere is vision! Regardless of the obstacles This is where experience and making creative use of the skills we have and the things we know, feel and see comes in handy! I love creative thinking and I invite you to join me in that activity where you may discover that if you can think yourself into a scenario you don't like you just think yourself into one you do! You will be practicing creating elasticity between opposites by adjusting your thoughts and notice that changing your thoughts changes the way you feel! All this practice will contribute to the mental part of riding and is mental cross training for riders and benefits both rider and horse. Happy living.eh.

01/05/2022

Much of life plays out in the grey areas,it isn't always as obvious as black or white. That's the character of life the way I see it! And for those who are experiencing one of lifes potholes, rest assured that wherever there's a minus there's always a plus side to balance ..it out. Another good reason to take on each challenge as if it were your own choice. Playing with the variables creates adjustability and allows us to adapt to the situation we might find ourselves in caused by variables beyond our control. Looking for balance is the practise of creating elasticity between opposites . It's everything we already practise with our horses just in your life away from the stable environment. When you experience frustration not to worry! Frustration is just unorganized thoughts. Learning to use this simple three step formula may help to manage your emotions and keep presence of mind. 1). Choose your activity or excercise.2). Focus on your technique.3) observe the outcome without labeling! Happy living. Eh.

12/21/2021

Here's some food for thought my friends, just in time for the holidays and beyond. Some things i believe in;we can't be good at everything, but everyone is good at something! Talent is overrated but what we're good at is not always that obvious but will show itself occassionally as indicators or characteristics and so we don't give it too much thought. But we should learn to spot them! - something else i believe in is that a barn is a structure that houses equipment or livestock whereas a stable provides an environment where you can find tranquility or sanctuary to calm the mind and through the interactions with our horses we can learn how to create stability in an instabil environment, so we can learn how to be the rock in an ocean of turmoil when needed or just find that ray of light or a beacon of hope so we can continue and learn to take that feeling of confidence and control with us into our life away from the stable environment. So we can find the freedom we need within the parameters we set ourselves by our own way of thinking. But our horse needs that freedom too! But for them it's called 'forward '. And last but not least; have you ever noticed that in most countries most of their coins are round! Yet our 'loonie?! Not so much! I'm going to out on a limb here but I call that character! . Are you guys with me on this one?! So let's contribute to that forward thinking and put our hearts and minds together and help give some of those old school values a new direction.-the practice of the principles of classical dressage as a roadmap for life in the 21 st century From which horse and rider both benefit! Happy living.eh.

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2833 County Road 29
Peterborough, ON
K9J6X5

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Eddo Hoekstra Dressage

The mission of Hoekstra Dressage Inc. (HDI), is to promote the art of dressage as a sport by providing high-quality dressage clinics, lessons and training, from Basic to Grand Prix level. We at HDI, aim to be a top-level dressage center with a friendly and comfortable atmosphere surrounded by people all working towards the same goal. Trainer and owner, Eddo Hoekstra is fully devoted to dressage as a sport and as an art.