GB dressage rider, Tyler Bradshaw, explains how consistency and preparation are key to turning out competition winning horses.
From starting out as a nervous, inexperienced rider with a couple of cast-off horses, Tyler has built a successful teaching career and become an elite dressage rider. Her tireless attention to detail, and consideration for how her horses are prepared for events, has helped her become successful with horses that cost a tiny fraction of most dressage winners.
“You can’t prepare weeks in advance, you have to build up over years. Everything from the tools and routines to the relationship with the horse, need to be carefully considered to make sure everything performs at the highest level,” says Tyler.
Competing all year round, whilst also running her teaching business, means the windows for preparing her horses are small at best. A constant washing and clipping routine keep the horses looking their best all year round and Tyler also finds time to keep herself in competition winning health.
“Cycling is my preferred way to get around and I go to the gym and swim regularly. But I am only part of the equation and my horses need to be in top condition and ready for events all year,” she says.
Tyler spends time with her horses every day and has built relationships based on trust, discipline and accuracy. She knows how her horse will move and is in complete control of where his feet are throughout a test.
“There is a balance to be struck. Horses are not machines and can’t be engineered to perform. I rely on my relationship with the horse and having repeatedly practiced movements to ensure that we both perform on the day. However, over the years I have found the downtime I spend with my horses as valuable as the riding time. Feeding, cleaning out, washing and clipping shouldn’t be considered chores, it’s a chance to build trust,” she says.
In the autumn she starts a rotation of maintenance that involves clipping her horses every four weeks.
“In the summer I can get away with just clipping tails, fetlocks, bridal paths and facial hair. However, in autumn and winter it is essential to keep on top of the clipping, so I need the right equipment and sharp blades for a close cut,” she says.
She suggests that there are no rules and regulations for turnout, but that the expectation is all horses should be as well presented as possible.
“For me, it’s really important to have the best turned out horse without putting in too many hours. I don’t have any help, I do everything, so I need tools that work with my time constraints that can get the same results. I need to be efficient in every part of the preparation,” she says.
She uses ProGroom shampoos the day before clipping and has a range of Heiniger clippers that are used at different points in the season. She suggests that with virgin steel blades she can manage six full cuts before the blades need sharpening and, that by keeping blades sharp, she leaves no lines in her horse’s coats.
“Some new blades are not up to the task of clipping a whole horse and some clippers lack the design to clip in all areas. For thick coats I use a Heiniger Xplorer, which is two speed and easy to tension, but I prefer the Saphir because it can manage heavy work while still cutting a clean and crisp line,” she says.
Her competition horse, Burt, was something of a project when she bought him from Holland more than a decade ago.
“I bought Burt and DJ at the same time. They were practically cast offs and Burt needed four people just to lead him round, but I was determined to ride him and become a dressage competitor,” she says.
Sadly, she lost DJ to cancer but Burt has been joined by Igor and both are now at Grand Prix level.
“You don’t need hundreds of thousands for a top-level horse, you need grit and determination. I like to think that I can demonstrate that it is possible to compete at the highest level in dressage by concentrating on doing the basics right. For me, it’s about putting the work in and having the right relationship with the horse,” she says.
Whilst she concedes that there are no points in dressage for the condition of the horse, she still believes it’s an important factor in how the judging unfolds.
“I think the way the horse is turned out shows your commitment to winning. It’s not easy to keep a horse looking in top condition all year round but, with the right routine and equipment, it might just make the difference at your next event,” she concludes.
