Interview with Danielle French, Team Barastoc
Danielle French is one of latest sponsored riders to join Team Barastoc.
Danielle started riding at the age of 7 at the local riding school and has been riding ever since. She started competing at the age of 10 showing horses at local agricultural shows, including Canberra, Sydney and Melbourne and has gone on to win Supreme Champion exhibits, Rider & Lady Rider classes.
Danielle is currently the Vice President of the ACT Dressage Association and is committed to seeing equestrian activities continue to thrive in the region. Away from the horses she enjoys time with her young family, Nicholas 2 and Annabelle only 2 months.
How far in advance do you start preparing your horse for a competition?
The preparation of a horse for a competition is a long-term project at minimum. I start thinking about their preparation 6 weeks out, their training may however have commenced months or years earlier.
Closer to the competition at least 2 weeks out I start checking my competition kit and compile a list of things I need to replace. I like to wash all my gear after the last competition so I know the boxes are ready to go. Organisation is the key with two small kids and horses!
What do you feed your horse to enhance their coat?
I feed Barastoc Groom and my horses love it! Especially after the cold Canberra winter they’re all blooming. It’s highly palatable even my fussy eaters eat it.
What do you do in the days leading up to the event?
Train and ride my horses dependent upon their requirements, I try to keep my horses routine pretty much the same until we leave. To avoid a long chore at the event I like to ensure all my gear is packed and clean before I leave. I then check my draw so that I avoid clashing with other horses.
What tips would you give other riders on how to prepare yourself pre-competition?
Have a plan!! Know your tests and be organised so there are no last minute rushes. That includes knowing if you’re likely to feel nervous and having some water a snack at the ready. I always tell my students to have a plan and be organised so you feel calm and confident.
How do you calm your nerves just before you go out?
I try to have all my ducks in a row, I have a plan and I know how my horse is feeling before I go in so ride accordingly but basically being organised is the best way to calm nerves, no last minute panics, competitions are generally just a way to test your training so never expect more than you can achieve at home.
What do you pack for the competition?
Saddlery:
A clean saddle or saddles for each horse. I ride in WOW saddles and regularly have my saddles fitted. Girth and stirrups are checked to make sure everything is in order
Saddle blanket and a spare for working and competition one.
Bridle with a clean bit and reins and a training snaffle bridle for my horses in their doubles.
Working boots and one set of clean white bandages for each horse. I prefer a good quality pair of working boots. The bandages are just for presentation.
Bell Boots
Dressage Whip (the length double checked!)
Lunging gear, side reins, lunge rein and lunge whip.
Leather cleaning gear!
Grooming:
I have a Trans horse grooming bag that holds my grooming and plaiting gear and a quick check means I can just pack it but it generally has:
Body brush, dandy brush, hoof pick, show sheen, mane and tail brush, fly spray, braiding/banding rubber bands, comb, a few pairs of scissors (that always seem to go missing)
In a separate bucket I have:
Shampoo, conditioner, sponge, sweat scraper, white shampoo
Then I pack my horses stables gear:
I always take a spare halter and a couple of spare lead ropes, my saddle racks and bridle hooks, rugs for any weather (even in summer a rain sheet), horse feed – obviously Barastoc (I never change feeds for comps), hay, hay bags, float boots, chairs a little table live in my float, pitch fork and broom.
Then my gear:
My jacket or tails, white show jodhpurs, safety helmet and top hat, horses rego papers, top boots, boot pull, hair gear, a little medical kit for me with Panadol and a bottle of water (I never drink enough water) a muesli bar are all in my box.
How do you help minimise stress on your horse when travelling to and from competition ?
I try to leave enough time to allow my horse’s time to settle when they get to the grounds, ensure they’ve had time out before leaving, when I trained up in Brisbane with my long term coach Dianne Jenkyns we used to travel from Brisbane to Sydney which was a long trip. We’d always allow plenty of time to break up the trip and we’d do one longer day and then a shorter day to allow enough time for them to relax when they arrived.
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