Helping horses and riders connect

Amira, or formally registered as Worthwhile One, is by Arabian stallion Aur Mystique, out of my Friesian Mare, Wiesje Fan Abbyview. I had tried breeding Wiesje twice to a Friesian stud but the shipments failed coming across the border - while I was still living in Canada. I wanted to know whether my mare was viable or not, so I chose one of my Vet's stallions that I liked and we tried live cover. Thankfully Wiesje caught on the first try and 11 months later along came Amira in April 2015. The hope was that she was born a small colt so that I would sell the foal and recoup some of my costs. However, after a rough labor, this stunning, large, dark bay filly came out. The rest is kind of history!

Amira grew up in mixed herds over the years, in a variety of settings, and with the help of my coach I started her under saddle. She had a slow start due to hock surgery as a 2yo to remove bone chips, and then moving from Western Canada to Florida. It wasn't really until her 6th year that she started to feel like a riding horse. 

Kristi didn't actually try the sport of eventing until 2014 when her mare Wiesje was pregnant with Amira. She went to her first cross country schooling with her coach and was hooked. Sadly it would be another two years before she was able to try eventing again. Wiesje was a very thick, baroque style Friesian who shouldn't have been well suited to jumping, but had the heart for it. For three years they competed together in a variety of disciplines, but exceled in jumping and cross country.

When Amira started to work under saddle, Kristi took her to some low key eventing camps and clinics. Amira took to it easily and has since been the best cross country horse she has ridden. While Amira tends to have to work harder for a reasonable dressage score, and may drop a rail in stadium jumping, cross country tends to be a double clear for her! 

Kristi firmly believes that fitness is the heart of a strong equine partner and uses cross training to improve this. While the Arabian side of Amira makes fitness easier, the Friesian side makes fitness an ongoing focus. Kristi takes all of her horses trail riding, out to play with obstacles, and focuses on proper body biomechanics. She also uses the nervous system to improve the horse, and is working through a nerve release course as well.