California Riding Magazine • August, 2010

On Course With Zazou
Creating a strong relationship with your trainer has long-term benefits.

by Zazou Hoffman

Lights, Camera, Action! Filming the intro to the “Judge My Ride” contest at
Cindi Merritt’s Baycrest Farms at Middle Ranch.

After a recent trip to Lake Placid, where the sun was shining and tubing on the lake was a daily excursion, I realized how important it is to develop a strong relationship with your trainer.
Missy Clark and her staff at North Run welcomed me back with open arms after my hiatus since the ASPCA Maclay Finals in November of last year. With multiple other North Run alumni at the Lake Placid Horse Show, we all chatted about how we think our success in the junior divisions was very much influenced by the fact that we were close with the trainers at North Run.

We all agreed that as long as we left North Run in good standing, we would be infinitely welcomed back. Having one core group of trainers and staff that you know you can approach to talk about goals or bounce ideas off of is essential for any competitive rider. The experiences I had with Missy over the five years that I rode with her as a junior have made it so I can come back to her barn for a leisurely trip to the horse show or advice about the next step in my career, any time I want. Missy and her husband John Brennan are people I plan to have as a part of my riding and non-riding life indefinitely. I cannot stress enough how important that relationship is.

What many fail to realize at times is that even professional riders have trainers, or a group of people that they turn to for advice. The top of the sport is an intertwined network of professionals who respect each other, and becoming part of that network needs to start as a junior. If you watch a Grand Prix anywhere in the world, you will see riders and trainers walk the course with other professionals so they have that second opinion that could give them the winning edge or open their eyes to another possible way to ride the course.

This advice isn’t to be taken so literally that you refuse to attend clinics with other trainers, but try to develop a relationship with one group of trainers that you are comfortable with so that you know they are always there for you. Certainly, go out there and work with the best people you can get in contact with and study the riders who are winning in the international ranks. At the same time, find that set of people who will be your support system in your quest to achieve your goal, whether it be Short Stirrup champion or international Grand Prix winner.

As a side note, I recently had the pleasure of being part of a promotional video for an upcoming contest called Judge My Ride, where riders are encouraged to send in video correspondence for feedback from top judges and trainers. I had a great time filming it with international rider, Rob Gage, who even gave me some very helpful riding advice! I encourage all of you to check out their web page on Facebook or visit www.judgemyride.net and start putting together videos for the contest. I’m off to Europe to travel with my family for two weeks but I will report back soon.

After a junior career capped by her win of the 2009 ASPCA Maclay Medal, Zazou Hoffman is now riding and teaching as a professional. She is available for lessons, clinics and private consultation, as well as Grand Prix sponsorship. Based in the Los Angeles area, she can be reached at zazouhoffman@gmail.com.