Hello and welcome to the 18th Straight from the Horse's Mouth podcast on Horse and Field!
This is the fourth in a series of chats with coaches AND riders, in connection with the Equine Development Academy set up by Penny Sangster.
Many listeners may have heard my previous conversations with Penny Sangster and be aware of her coaching and her involvement with Uniquest. Penny has now also set up an Equine Development Academy, in order to support coaches, as well as riders, while also being very aware of equine welfare.
Penny has got a number of coaches around Northern Ireland involved and has asked them to each nominate a rider, who they believe deserves a reward due to the hard work and dedication and perhaps adverse circumstances that they face in the course of their equine pursuits…
These riders may not be out competing regularly and may not be winning, but Penny’s intention is to reward riders who usually don’t get recognition for their daily efforts. The reward is a Training Day with Donald Kear, who is a well-known and well-loved BHS instructor from England. This is being held on November 16th at Danescroft, with lots of speakers also coming along to provide a full day of equine fun and learning for the coaches and their riders.
I was delighted to be joined by another of Penny’s chosen coaches, Ami Kwasnieska and her nominated rider, Hollie Surgenor, who is clearly dedicated to her animals and has put such a lot of effort into her young mare, who she got last year as a three-year-old and has been out jumping her this year and making great progress at just four!
I really enjoyed our conversation and found out lots about Ami’s equine background, as well as Hollie’s - please have a listen! Hope you enjoy it!
Straight From the Horse's Mouth: Ami Kwasnieska and Hollie Surgenor