I am a dedicated equestrian enthusiast who aims to continuously develop and gain new experiences. I have trained and developed myself in several different stables both in Estonia and abroad to improve my skills and bring new knowledge and approaches to equestrian sports.
You can read more about my experiences and development journey here.
Grevlunda Estate, Sweden
2025 summer
After I visited Belgium, I realized I wanted to complete my school internship abroad and gain even deeper insight into the world of top-level sport. One question has been on my mind for a long time: “How can top-level sport be practiced so that both horse and rider feel comfortable in their own bodies and perform willingly? / How can top-level sport be practiced so that the horse, the rider, and the surrounding team all feel good and do their work willingly?” I thought the ideal equestrian to seek answers from was Peder Fredricson. Peder has brought home several medals from the Olympics and is known in the equestrian world primarily for his so-called "horsemanship".
At Grevlunda, I saw a truly professional team working, which I was honored to be a part of as a team member. The daily schedule was thoughtfully, meticulously, and efficiently planned in terms of horse care, stable management, and team coordination. At Grevlunda, there was a lot of collaboration with specialists in their field to know their horses as well as possible and based on that, offer them the best possible life. I also conducted interviews with specialists in the field, which you can find on my blog.
The photo shows me with Peder Fredricson and his wife, Lisen Bratt Fredricson.
MSA Sporthorses, Belgium
2024 summer
Summer break arrived, and there were no horses to ride. That’s when I thought, why not go abroad? No sooner said than done! I applied and got the opportunity to start working for Mart Sander Aarma. It was a completely different world there. I had the chance to ride many sport horses, work as a groom at competitions, and attend some of the most prestigious equestrian events. I was invited to watch the CHIO Aachen competitions and the Sentower foal auction, and I even had the chance to groom a bit in the 5-year-old finals at CSI Valkenswaard.
Thank you, Mart and Birgit!
Working with Mart gave me many new perspectives on horse training (for example, improving the jump parabola), walking courses at competitions (planning the best path for a successful round), and stirrup length adjustments (to better feel the horse).
The photo shows me with the horse William and Mart guiding me before my start. I competed in show jumping at 95 cm and achieved 3rd place for a fast round.
Järva County Vocational Education Centre, Horse Caretaker
2023-...
I am studying to become a horse caretaker at Järvamaa Vocational Education Centre while simultaneously completing my secondary education. For my family and me, this felt like a door-opening choice, as it allows me to be in an environment with others who share the same passion and to expand my personal network.
At Järvamaa Vocational Education Centre, I gain knowledge from specialists in the field, including feeding and care instructor Maris Juul, riding trainer Reet Jänes, breeding specialist Astra Nilk, reproduction specialist Ulvi Martin, equine health expert Liis Maisla, equine psychology … and Helen Aava, as well as stable instructors Helen Aava and Monika Linder.
A very special thank you goes to my coach, Reet Jänes, who has helped my riding skills and mindset grow at lightning speed!
In the photo, you can see Bounty Hunter and me riding the ABC1 test.
Honey King
2021-2023
I had a strong desire to develop myself in show jumping and needed to find a horse with whom I could do this. After a long search, I met Liis Jõevee and Honey King. Honey King was my very first true sport horse. He was extremely fiery, sharp, sensitive, and intelligent. The goal was to train me to compete in 110 cm show jumping, but unfortunately we didn't succeed. Honey injured a joint and can no longer handle the demands of sport.
Nevertheless, Liis and Honey taught me valuable lessons about building a relationship with a horse and growing together with one. I also learned important lessons about horse care. Honey spent two summers at my home yard with companions, the donkey Sally and the pony Roosi. They were so curious that they explored the sauna house and even walked on a Persian carpet, investigated the fireplace, and took positions at the table!
Liis has guided me to think more modernly in the equestrian world and introduced me to her idol, Peder Fredricson, who has now become one of my role models as well.
The photo shows me doing gymnastics exercises with Honey at Lagedi.
Niitvälja Riding School
2020-2021
Once again, I felt the need for a different approach. We chose Niitvälja because it is a place where more athletes are active, and you can see the world of sports more closely. At Niitvälja, I trained under Ellen Vatsel, Agnes Kutsar and Tarmo Kutsar. I also found a great mentor in Merle Männik, who is always a good person to consult for advice.
At Niitvälja, I spent a lot of time focusing on dressage, which was very exciting. With the school horse Lily, we even reached the LK1 level in competition.
The photo shows me competing at 90 cm with the English Thoroughbred Lincoln at Massu Riding Club.
Lagedi Riding School
2020
My goal has always been to develop myself and learn to ride skillfully while truly understanding and feeling the horse. The next step in my journey was Lagedi Riding School, which specializes in eventing. My trainers there were Ain Unt and Helina Eistre. Lagedi was one of the first stables that opened up more aspects of riding to me and strengthened my determination to work on my seat and balance, as I was always given challenging horses to ride.
The video shows Ain Unt giving me a seat lesson on Vis Vitalis.
Kolgaküla Stable
2018-2020
The next stable I trained at was Kolgaküla, where my trainer was Maret Kasemets.
At Kolgaküla, we always had fun and adventurous trail rides. We swam in lakes, ran horses up steep hills, and some rides could last up to three hours. Beyond the fun, I also had more opportunities to compete and break my own high jump records.
The photo shows my trainer Maret with her stable dog Pätu, and me sitting on Viirok, a Tori breed horse, who was one of my favorites at Kolgaküla.
Ülearu Riding Farm
2014-2018
I started riding in 2014 at Paunapõllu, which later moved and became Ülearu Riding Stable.
My very first trainer was Kaili Allmägi. At Ülearu, I participated in my first competitions in a neighboring village, where we traveled there on horseback. I competed in a beginner rider class on Aidur, a large chestnut Tori breed horse. After the competition, trainer Kaili commented that I had good competition nerves, as I remained focused, calm, and confident throughout the entire course.
Even though it was my very first experience competing, I learned a lot about managing horses independently and how to bring them in from large pastures. When bringing horses from large pastures, I sometimes even managed to jump on a horse and ride it to the training spot; bringing horses to training was always an adventure.
The photo shows me competing on Aidur in a beginner rider class at Kolgaküla stables.