A Voice For Equestrians
I started blogging as a place to voice my passion for horses and advocate for change, as well as sharing my journey to the Grand Prix ring. By approaching some heavy-hitting topics with a bit of sarcasm and humor I was able to get equestrians talking about important things that need to change. My satirical blog titled “Why You Shouldn’t Wear A Helmet.” was my first blog to his over 1 million views and be recognized by Equine Canada as a way to get people talking about the topic. Today ALL riders in the sport of dressage are required to wear a helmet in competition. When I wrote that blog, only riders under the age of 18 were required to do so.
My blogs were awarded the Susan Jane Anstey Media Award (the highest award available to equestrian media in Canada) with a group of fellow bloggers. Our team also won the Equestrian Social Media Awards Best Blog. I submitted my blog for an individual award. I won an iPad mini for Best Blog and Dressage Hub was born. I did not know how to edit a video but I found my way onto YouTube to share the fun and excitement of Wellington using video.
Today I am still a strong advocate for change and transparency in the sport of dressage. While most media outlets shy away from hot topics I am happy to touch on them. The other 99% of the sport needs a voice about ethics and integrity by the judges, officials, and riders. I open up the Dressage Hub Vault and upload videos to show our fans behind the scenes. I continue to advocate for better working conditions and a safe work environment for working students and young riders.
This is my way of giving back to the community. Dressage Hub serves as a much-needed voice for equestrians. Discussion and awareness are required in order for the sport to evolve and change for the better. Fans are encouraged to discuss hot topics, attacking myself or other riders by name-calling is not tolerated.
So bring your sense of humor and sarcasm and ride on over to Dressage Hub. We have a lot of fun here.
Dressage Hub Created for Amateurs by Amateurs.
Dressage Hub was started in 2012 with the notion of doing something awesome for the equestrian community. As a dressage rider, my biggest frustration was getting access to the type of training that I needed to be my absolute best. Upon my arrival in Wellington, I realized that I had the ability to bridge the gap for other riders and trainers by providing access to the top trainers, veterinarians, farriers, and other horse care professionals that are helping the best riders in the world get to the top of Olympic sport.
I began creating video content from all of the experts to share with people outside of Wellington, Florida, which I have personally coined the people of normal land vs the people inside Welly World.
Dressage Hub has been a journey driven by passion not finance and it will continue to grow fueled by passionate fans that deserve the best for their horse, regardless if it is worth $200 or 2 Million.
About Susan Wachowich
Fast Facts
- Qualified and Attending North American Young Rider Championship on an OTTB that was purchased as a 3-year-old and self-trained.
- Bought and Imported a 3-year-old KWPN gelding sight unseen off of 2 minutes of a video and a vet check
- Trained 2 horses to Grand Prix
- Started Riding at age 6 on a pony named Candy
- I still get excited when I see a horse in a pasture on a road trip
The Long Story
For several years I have tried to keep my identity separate from Dressage Hub so that I could maintain a private life. Since that ship has sailed I am here to tell you who I am and my story.
How it all started.
I grew up on a cattle ranch in Canada, my sister wanted a pony, so at the age of 6 we got our first pony. Her name was Candy and for the cost of $500 she came with all of her tack too!
Now, to be fair, I wanted a train at the time, I remember having a giant temper tantrum that day because my sister could have a real pony and I could not have a real train. I still laugh at the thought of my parents having to logically explain to me why that was not possible to my 6-year-old self.
Finding Dressage
Fast forward a few years and a few horses later. We now have over 50 horses on our ranch much to my fathers’ dismay and there was more to come.
At the age of 12, my dressage coach told my mom to go buy one of two thoroughbreds that he had found for sale. In true equestrian fashion, my mom purchased both. That was the day I met Johnny Chinook. I hated him. He was a thoroughbred off the track so there was a large learning curve for both of us. My mom had to bribe me to ride him and with a pasture full of fun well-trained horses that was not an easy task.
As the years went by, we both matured from ugly ducklings into a beautiful and graceful partnership. I learned a lot along the way.
By the time I was 16 my trainer had suggested it was time to focus on Young Riders, which may seem pretty normal now, but in Alberta, very few riders had ever qualified or attended the NAYRC. It was my trainers’ goal, not mine. I just loved riding and did what I loved.
As I moved up the levels Young Riders became more and more of a possibility. I really didn’t think it would happen so I didn’t even have a shadbelly for my first horse show! After borrowing one from my trainer for the show I was in a scramble to get one made for the next show.
Turns out I accidentally qualified for the NAYRC and in a whirlwind of excitement, I had an amazing team of people get me there.
I did not have big expectations, I was on a self-trained OTTB next to a lot of expensive professionally trained horses. It didn’t matter, I loved every minute of the journey.
Unfortunately, a horse died the night before and my ride time was bumped up to before the break. I looked for order of go sheets in the morning but there was none, and my chef d’equipe failed to communicate the time change to me.
I walked into the warm-up ring and a coach for another Canadian rider said that’s a pretty short warm-up. I said, “30 minutes.” She responded with, “You have 8, you are in next.” My heart stopped.
Everyone around me scrambled to get, wraps off so I could be ring ready. I entered the ring and then went off course twice.
My heart shattered into pieces as the biggest moment of my life quickly turned into an epic horse show fail.
Wanting More
My monstrous defeat at Young Riders only left me wanting more.
After graduating from University, I moved to California to ride.
While in California, I sold Johnny and cried the whole flight home.
Importing on Impulse
A few years had gone by, I had a few horses. I had a beautiful Spruce Meadows bred mare that was supposed to be my next Grand Prix horse but was convinced she would rather make babies. The search continued for me to find my next partner, more importantly, one that I could afford.
Then, one night while perusing the internet, I found Welmingh. He was a KWPN gelding out of Flemmingh out of a Cocktail mare and bred by Majestic Gaits, he had failed his stallion test because so many Flemmingh’s were there, which was perfect for me!
I was actually looking to buy a condo and be adulty at the time, but in true equestrian fashion, I bought and imported my next horse sight unseen.
Yes, I am crazy!
I did get a vet check and knew that if I imported him and didn’t like him I could still sell him and get my money back. So there was some logic involved in the purchase process.
Why Wellington
I had a successful job, a booming business, and a condo in Canada but I wasn’t happy. I was struggling to ride at the level that I wanted to be at. I needed better coaching. I had tried video lessons but it was always a struggle to really get what I needed. Phones and wifi were not as high tech as they are today.
I had fallen off and gotten a bad concussion. After 10 months of being in excruciating pain, I decided if I was going to live my life in this much pain I was going to do what makes me happy and walked away from everything in Canada.
I started a social media marketing agency and packed up my horse.
I made the decision to head to Wellington impulsively, on January 2nd I called my friend to see if she still had room on her trailer, she said yes but was unable to talk. I hung up the phone and started packing.
In 21 days I moved my horse and me to Wellington.
I found him a stable but I still had not found a place to live for myself. I signed up on Couch Surfing and found a place to stay for a week while I got sorted.
Welly World
They call it Welly World because it is akin to Disney for equestrians. While I found what I was looking for in terms of education, I, unfortunately, found some of the most malicious people I have ever met in my life.
I was riding better than ever and loving every minute of it but made the decision to sell my horse and take a sabbatical.
Dressage Hub
Dressage Hub has remained as my connection to the dressage world, both good and bad. I have built an amazing community around DH and I have finally made the decision to become the face of DH and tell my story, my way.