Living Her Dream

– First I thought that horses weren’t really anything for me but, but very quickly I was totally hooked, she recalls.

– I loved being with the horses, spending time in the stable, brushing them, polishing the gear and all that, she recalls. But I still did not enjoy riding.

It was only later, after starting at a riding school, that she developed a feeling for being on top of the horse, just not level with it. She also discovered that she enjoyed competing, and found the drive that would take her to the top.

And what a ride it has been—and still is. At the moment, she is riding her victory parade mainly on Mount St John Freestyle, a mare that was competing in the very top a few years back. But now she has a new home, and a very enthusiastic rider—who still tries very much to be level with her horses, working with them, keeping them happy, curious and relaxed.

DESPITE HER SUCCESS in the arena, it’s not competing that she enjoys the most.

– I truly love the training. I actually have to push myself to go out and compete because I prefer the daily setup with my horses, my team, and my lessons with Kyra, says Cathrine.

Cathrine’s training philosophy is all about adaptability.

– You can make schedules and plans, but when you pick up the reins and feel that today is not the day, you have to adjust. Some days the horse feels fresh, some days they feel tired, and I think it’s best to be flexible, to take what the horse can offer me on that day, she explains.

– They are just like us—some days you are full of motivation to hit the gym and do some crazy lifts, and really wanting to push yourself… while other days you don’t feel that way. So I think we have to adjust instead just forcing them to do whatever you made a plan for, says Cathrine.

Typically, her horses have one or two high-intensity training sessions per week, and the other days she focuses on keeping the horses loose and motivated with groundwork, hacking out or sometimes aqua training.

When she is asked to share one of her exercises, she reveals her go-to favourite.

– This is one thing I do on almost all my horses almost every day. I start to do my rising trot, then I walk through all the corners. I do plenty of transitions. The transition into walk makes the horses wait for me, and the transition into trot gives me the possibility to check if they are in front of my leg. I can bend them a little bit through the corner, and I make sure that I move them in a gentle way. Walk, trot, walk again—it’s really very simple transitions. I find this very useful, this is an exercise that works for almost any horse and any rider at every level.

– Kyra is just a magician!

– She always thinks outside the box, she is curious, she never forces anything on anyone, and she always works on the horse’s terms, says Cathrine.

– I mean: she is not one a million—but a zillion!

One of the reasons they clicked so well Cathrine thinks is because they prefer the same type of horse, which makes them able to communicate in a non-verbal way.

– I feel really, really humble and so grateful that first of all she wants to work with me, and also that she takes time to fly to Denmark or to some other corner of the world. That is absolutely a dream coming true.

EARLY IN 2025, Cathrine joined Team KRAFFT. Now, she uses Groov Protein and Low Starch Pellets as the main feed in the stable. All the horses also get Low Starch Gastro Mash® once a day, to help maintain gastric health.

– Now I’m getting to know all the KRAFFT products really well, and I have had a lot of help from Trine from KRAFFT. She is visiting our farm quite often, and together we check up on how the horses are looking and feeling, says Cathrine.

Some products are used when needed. For example, Performance SPC MaxBalance is good for horses that are frequently transported, as it has a positive effect on the horse's fluid regulation in the cells.

– If someone needs more energy, I can add Sport Original. But I try not to make too many changes, says Cathrine.

APART FROM THE NOW happy retiree Cassidy and Freestyle, Cathrine keeps several horses—some to be future stars and some for training. When choosing a horse for herself, the most crucial factor is their mindset.

– The main thing for me is their character, that they enjoy working and being around me, she says

– If they love to perform, and are curious and happy doing it, I believe we are already ahead of many others, she explains.

Cathrine also has a preference for high-energy horses.

– I like hot horses, ones with a lot of temperament. And of course, you look for some sort of quality as well. But having said that: Neither Cassidy nor Bohemian were obvious stars to be when they were young. Some people did not believe in them, but I just loved working with them every day, she says.

Right now, there are a few yet unpolished gems she cannot wait to see how they will develop.

– We recently bought a new horse from my colleague, Daniel Bachmann Andersen, and he actually reminds me a little of Freestyle. He also has a mind similar to Cassidy’s—he is a bit shy, but super sweet and very sensitive. I’m really clicking with him, she says.

Another promising horse is a seven-year-old named Nox, a Dutch-bred horse that she describes as “a hot potato”.

– Those two horses have so much quality, so it’s only up to the rider to show it to the world, says Cathrine.

CATHRINE HAS HAD a mental coach from a very young age, and that is something she is very happy about. Adopting the right attitude can be hard, but if you want to perform, it’s a must.

– I have plenty of tools how to deal with my competition nerves, says Cathrine. Because yes, I do get nervous and, like, excited about how the performance will be! But I do believe that it makes me sharp, and then that it keeps me sharp, that those feelings are there because it really means something to me. I want to go in there and present myself and my horse in the best possible way.

Horses have nerves as well, and dealing with them is not always easy.

– Cassidy had a lot of adrenaline as a young horse, but became more relaxed with experience. Freestyle is completely different—she is a lion. She wants to go in and attack the arena, she loves to perform. She can still get a little fiery in certain atmospheres, but she is clever and completely fearless, says Cathrine.

Freestyle is also getting more and more brave.

– Now, I feel she is really starting to dance with me, the choreography does not feel as set as when we started. I think it’s more alive, what we do now when our partnership is coming together. She now knows that she is allowed to be very free when we enter the arena, and I try to listen to what she wants as well. It’s not just my schedule, it’s us doing something together, says Cathrine.

Recently, Cathrine was awarded “Optimist of the Year”, a title that she hopes reflects her mindset.

– Sport—and life—is full of ups and downs. One day, everything is perfect. The next, nothing works, it’s minus ten degrees, and your hands are freezing. But I always try to stay positive. I feel like a lucky potato every single day because I get to live this amazing life with my horses, my wife, and my team.

DESPITE THE INTENSE life with the horses, Cathrine and her wife make sure to prioritize each other and their closest friends.

– When we know that all the horses are happy, all the dogs are happy, we look at each other and say “Okay, now it’s our time”. But to be honest: of course the horses always are our first priority, because they are our responsibility, says Cathrine.

– I think you always feel short of time, but everything is a matter of like prioritising what you want to spend your life on, says Cathrine, but adds that she would not mind a few days of vacation.

– But having said that, we have chosen this life because we love it. I jump out of bed every morning and run to the stable with a big smile on my face to start working with my horses. I don’t think I could ask for more.

_{Text: Noomi Heberts 
Foto: Catarina Hall}