{"id":125888,"date":"2025-04-25T14:59:13","date_gmt":"2025-04-25T12:59:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/antares-sellier.com\/?p=125888"},"modified":"2025-04-25T14:59:13","modified_gmt":"2025-04-25T12:59:13","slug":"antares-rider-bryan-balsigers-season-in-review-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/preprod.antares-sellier.com\/en\/antares-rider-bryan-balsigers-season-in-review-2\/","title":{"rendered":"Antar\u00e8s Rider: Bryan Balsiger\u2019s season in review"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
We\u2019ve been following Bryan Balsiger<\/strong>\u2019s remarkable rise for almost 10 years<\/strong>, so it\u2019s a treat for us to look back at his 2021 season with him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You\u2019ll also get some exclusive, handy insights<\/strong> from this professional Antar\u00e8s rider<\/strong>!<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cMy first goal was to compete at the Olympic Games in Tokyo<\/strong>. It was really my top priority. Then, I won a team gold medal at the European Championships in Reisenbeck,<\/strong> Germany which I\u2019m really proud of. The horses jumped very well and it was the first year in the world top 40 rankings<\/strong>. These were certainly the season\u2019s highlights for me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It really was a busy year. We took a short break from May to July to deal with an outbreak of equine herpes but then it was back in the saddle competing in all the events, one after the other. It\u2019s when things like this happen that good horse management<\/strong> is a must. I had one or two horses that were injured when the season restarted so had to alter my plans a bit but I was lucky enough to have several leading horses that could compete at this level. Having these options helped me compete in the Olympic Games, the European Championships and the Nations Cup Final, in Barcelona.<\/strong>\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cRest and recovery time really depends on the horse and its age. Generally, for horses up to 8-9 years old<\/strong>, we try to give them a 2-month winter break from competition<\/strong>. In any case, they don\u2019t compete for 2 to 3 months, to then start back in the spring on outdoor trails and tracks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For slightly older horses<\/strong>, or those with more set routines, like Twenty, I know that she shouldn\u2019t rest for too long. We avoid 2 to 3-month breaks from competition and instead take just a few weeks, say 5 or 6 weeks, without competing<\/strong>. That said, she has to keep up the training to be sound in mind and body<\/strong>. She\u2019s the kind of mare that needs it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Often, with older horses, we have to manage them differently and try to find the right number of weeks in and out of competition that suits each horse. That\u2019s also why it\u2019s important to have several horses<\/strong> to give them a break, let them rest and to compete in the right number of events so that they are competitive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Then, for me, when it comes to maintaining horses, it\u2019s their mindset that counts<\/strong>. Is the horse happy<\/strong>? Does it want to work? That\u2019s why it\u2019s key to try to vary their work-outs<\/strong>, change their routines and habits and not do the same exercises in the same place (dressage ring or covered arena). You can also try making up games<\/strong> with them to make the training more fun so that they enjoy working with you.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cFirstly, it\u2019d be to qualify for the World Cup Finals in Leipzig<\/strong>, Germany. I\u2019ve not got many points right now but I\u2019ll do my best to make them up during this winter break. Then, looking ahead, obviously, there\u2019s the Outdoor World Show Jumping Championships<\/strong>, where I want to make the Swiss team<\/strong>. I\u2019d really like to give it my all for my country and be among the top 4 or 5 riders that will compete for the Swiss team.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cGo for a gallop in the snow<\/strong>. It\u2019s sheer bliss for the horses and riders too! Anyway, we\u2019re lucky enough to be able to do that in Switzerland. Usually, there\u2019s enough snow to gallop in the fields and make the most of the opportunity.<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n Credit: @Tina-Dufour<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" We\u2019ve been following Bryan Balsiger\u2019s remarkable rise for almost 10 years, so it\u2019s a treat for us to look back at his 2021 season with him. You\u2019ll also get some exclusive, handy insights from this professional Antar\u00e8s rider! The season in review (performances): \u201cMy first goal was to compete at the Olympic Games in Tokyo. […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":20,"featured_media":85124,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[347],"tags":[],"prestashop_id":[234],"class_list":["post-125888","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news-en","prestashop_id-234"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nThe season in review (performances):<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
The rest and recovery process for the horses (how and for how long):<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
2022 season goals:<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
I\u2019ve a fun fact or recommendation to finish with, to keep horses in good condition during this winter break:<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n