Goldin Dressage and Eventing

04/07/2025

Professional Amateurs, Amateur Professionals.

Over the last 10 years, I’ve been lucky to spend a lot of time shadowing some of the best coaches in the world, and watching how the best riders in the world train and work with their horses.
Officially, the difference between an amateur rider and a professional rider is that one rides for pleasure and one rides for payment - but I’m a massive believer in that amateur riders can ride like professionals.

The key differences:

1️⃣ Stay in the moment.. Amateurs are led by emotion vs Professionals are led by logic.

2️⃣ Choose your hard.. Amateurs want it to feel good/easy now, which can make for hard later down the line vs Professionals will work hard now with the hope it’ll make the next ride easier.

3️⃣ Setting yourself up for success.. Amateur riders usually wait for an opportunity vs Professionals create opportunities, they make things happen.

4️⃣ Pilot/passenger.. Amateurs are usually led by the horse vs Professionals lead the way.

5️⃣ Forward thinking.. Amateurs are usually 1 step behind the horse, or the course, vs Professionals are usually 2 steps ahead.

6️⃣ Ready4Trouble.. Amateur riders start to anticipate an issue vs Professionals acknowledge there may be an issue, are ready for it, but stick to the plan until it happens.

7️⃣ A good dressage judge.. Amateur riders tend to sit on a 6.5 pressure scale (not enough when needed, too much when not needed) vs Professionals will go up to a 9 and down to a 3.

8️⃣ Subtlety.. Amateurs will often use 1 big aid, wait, then apply 1 big aid vs Professionals will continuously be working the power, balance and softness every stride.

9️⃣ Expectation.. Amateurs will often settle for ‘good enough’ vs Professionals will always strive for 1 better.

🔟 Balance.. Amateur riders will be dependant on the horses balance vs Professionals will be completely independent.

1️⃣1️⃣ Stick to the plan. Especially XC and with young horses, Amateurs will try to put the horse on the line and go with them vs Professionals put themselves on the line, and bring the horses with them.

1️⃣2️⃣ Reaction time. Timing of an aid is critical, by the time an Amateur has applied an aid or corrected a mistake, Professionals will have already moved onto the next thing.

1️⃣3️⃣ World Class Basics. Horses learn by repetition, often we think as you go up the levels it’s all about fancy movements and jumping big jumps, but 90% of the time Professionals will continuously be chipping away at the basics.

I asked Chris Bartle last year what makes the guys at the top so good, and he said ‘in the moment, they are willing to do what is necessary, not what they would like to do’.

A BE90/100 rider that has a full time office job outside of horses can ride like a professional, whilst still riding for pleasure (and I’m lucky to work with lots of them).
Having 20 horses in your yard does not make you a professional.

👊🏽
‘That makes you look like an amateur’
‘You rode that like an absolute pro’

04/05/2025

Brought three of my “Goldin girls” to Poplar for the first dressage show of the year. Kate competed Lakota in 1-3, and 2-1, with scores up to 69% winning all of her classes. She also added a few more qualifying scores for area champs. Addie Burke rode her sweet Sammy in Intro C and Training 1, with scores up to 70%. Impressive for their first dressage show together! Also competing in her first dressage show, Adeline and Cali competed in the Training 1 and Training 3. They laid down super solid tests, winning two, and placing second in two. And with 65%, they fully qualified for champs.

Apart from a wonderful weekend at the show, the highlight was being able to watch walk down the aisle, and see a few Bright Farms graduates! One of my favorite parts of this job is watching these girls grow up on and off their horses!

03/25/2025

We had too good of a time at Poplar Dressage with some of my “littles” this past weekend. Full recap later, but wanted to take a moment to thank some of people who make these weekends possible. Thank you to the parents for your incredible support. Your kids and I are very lucky for your patience, help, and ALL that you sacrifice! Thank you, Sandy, for your training and guidance. Thank you Launa and Alyssa at Poplar for being such gracious hosts of these wonderful events. One day, we’ll have all perfect entries with no odd time requests. And thank you to Stephanie for always bringing the fun and managing this wild bunch with an assortment of accents to keep everyone laughing.

03/25/2025

We had too good of a time at Poplar Dressage with some of my “littles” this past weekend. Full recap later, but wanted to take a moment to thank some of people who make these weekends possible. Thank you to the parents for your incredible support. Your kids and I are very lucky for your patience, help, and ALL tgat you sacrifice! Thank you, Sandy, for your training and guidance. Thank you Launa and Alyssa at Poplar for being such gracious hosts of these wonderful events. One day, we’ll have all perfect entries with no odd time requests. And thank you to Stephanie for always bringing the fun and managing this wild bunch with an assortment of accents to keep everyone laughing.

01/17/2025

11/28/2024

Forever grateful for this horse and the partnership we’ve built.

📸:

11/17/2024

We wrapped the 2024 eventing show season down in Ocala last weekend. Winter brought her precious Snap Dragon to compete in their first BN together. They won their dressage and finished in second after a green rail in show jumping. Chloe also competed in her first BN with Dante. They were looking great, but accidentally took what Chloe thought was the wrong jump (a bank next to the water) and retired. Turns out it was also flagged for BN. Hard lesson learned. But after the show they were able to finish their course and I’ve never seen them look more confident together. Kate and Lakota once again, won their dressage test. However some time on xc left them to finish in 3rd. Once those two piece it all together, they’re going to be unstoppable! Lastly but certainly not least, Adeline competed in her first recognized horse trial. They had a wonderful dressage test and confident jumping phases to finish in fifth.
I was so proud of each of these girls. And the ones back home! Looking forward to more in 2025!

11/16/2024

Our first Regionals at WEC was a blast. Kate qualified her pony Mongo, in both Training and First level. He was a bit timid in the big atmosphere and noise for the training test ,but held his own against some pretty spectacular rides at First level. Kate also quickly qualified Lakota this summer at training and in DSE. They had a beautiful training test, and the pair was nearly flawless in their DSE class, securing the win. Winter competed her own, Farris, in the Fourth level championship class, as well as the PSG class. Together, they laid down two very respectable and impressive tests for the week.
Of course we couldn’t do any of this without our team of support: and for keeping our ponies healthy and sound, .erdmanis for keeping our ponies happy and looking their best, for making sure we are riding our best, and last but not least, the parents for supporting these girls and their dreams!

That’s a wrap of the 2024 dressage season!

10/06/2024

We had a blast supporting the club team. Thanks to all the members for showing up and hosting. Y’all made the kids feel so very special! Special shout out to president . And to , the ultimate hobbyhorse child wrangler! .erdmanis raffle was great success, the food truck was a hit, even with the ponies. Thank you to for spending your morning graciously judging. And BIG thanks to all the parents!!! Y’all are the real heroes!!!!!

Oliver would like to do this again next weekend 😅