Last week, the horses and riders who will represent the Netherlands at the World Championship for Young Dressage Horses from September 4 to 8 in Ermelo were announced. Kirsten Brouwer, who is almost always present at the event, is known as a young horse expert and has been successful at all levels up to the Grand Prix.
Success with youngsters
Kirsten has won prizes with several five-, six-, and seven-year-old horses at this World Championship. Last year, she won bronze with Lightning Star (by Ferguson), who also secured a podium spot in 2021. She also earned medals with Dancer (gold 2014), Eye Catcher (bronze 2014 and 2015), Five Star (silver 2016), Sultan des Paluds (silver 2017), and Dancer (gold 2014). This year, she is presenting the impressive Kaiman-son Ohio among the five-year-olds.
Unique event
“I have indeed been there many times in Verden or Ermelo with one or more horses,” Kirsten says. “It’s a unique event where you see the very best young horses together. I really love being there again. Will Ohio secure a medal? I’m not going to say that; anything can happen! But I make sure we are optimally prepared and put in the best possible performance.”
Confidence in Ohio
Ohio is a horse Kirsten has a lot of confidence in. “He is the first breeding product of Jan Pieter Dalsem, who also owns horses like Hartsuijker from Dinja van Liere and Hero from Devenda Dijkstra. My brother Emile broke him in; then I took over and did the test with him in Germany, after which he was approved for the Oldenburger and Hannoveraner Verband. Ohio exudes power, but he is a sweetheart; he stops eating to cuddle. He is a very handsome horse with three good gaits and a very calm mind.”
Gaining experience
The 5-year-old black horse hasn’t seen much yet. “It will be a while before the World Championship is in sight. We will use the coming weeks to give Ohio more ring experience. We are participating in the Pavo finals; he doesn’t get stressed easily because he is so calm, and at such competitions, he can only grow. We will also take him to a few other locations to train. Furthermore, it’s important not to ride differently or want too much suddenly. He should remain cheerful and fresh.”
Technical test
You may have a very talented horse, but at the World Championship, it’s also about riding the test technically well. Kirsten explains, “A lot is asked of these young horses: pirouettes, correct transitions, simple changes… Fortunately, we have good guidance, so we know what the jury wants to see: harmony between rider and horse, a horse that is ridden from the hand beautifully and responds lightly to aids. Relaxation is also important, so all three gaits come out well. We have one more training before the World Championship to perfect the details.”
Blossoming Young Horses
Kirsten gets a lot of satisfaction from training young horses. “Training and competing a horse at the highest level is amazing and something you ultimately aim for, but riding young horses is also wonderful. You can still shape them completely and have a lot of influence on their development. It’s beautiful to let a talented horse like Ohio, who immediately shows he likes working with you, blossom.”
