I came to the UK in the summer 2003 immediately after finishing my degree. My grand goal was to travel to various European countries to gain skills and knowledge to set up a training centre and a riding academy in Poland. In 2005 I met my partner Rick and the plan took a very different shape! I made the decision to develop the riding and coaching career here in the UK and have been battling my way through various ups and downs ever since.
My adventure with horses started in 1989 when age 10 I was given the opportunity to have lunge lesson with an Army trainer on a retired ex-race horse. Later, as many other teenagers I went through several years of helping at various riding schools in exchange for riding. Apart from spending every waking hour I could in the stables I also trained Athletics at school and a local Club, representing my region in long-distance running. This has given me an insight into the value of progressive, professional, comprehensive training programmes for young athletes and how important quality coaching is in any sport.
In 1995/1996 I landed a fabulous chance to train with one of the top Polish show-jumpers, Grzegorz Kubiak and that was it. I was hooked on show-jumping throughout my Junior and Young Rider years and competed for BKJ Boguslawice (Boguslawice Stallion Depot) on variety of performance and breeding stallions. My totally non-horsey but very supportive parents bought my first horse for me when I was 17 . It was an experienced 12 years old Trakehner stallion who had jumped over Junior tracks and who gave me my first proper show-jumping experience. Sadly, he also taught me a lot about equine ailments...despite of careful micro management of his environment and training, he had to be retired to stud due to severe navicular syndrome and very hard to manage form of equine asthma (RAO).
Discovering my passion
There was a very important time in my late teens when I coincidentally discovered my passion for teaching. Due to a serious knee injury which put me in plaster 8 times in the space of 2 years, I was unable to continue my training and competition programme as well as I would wish. Out of frustration of not being able to ride I threw myself into teaching and it changed my life completely!
In 1998 I decided to study on MSc in Management & Marketing to gain business knowledge in preparation for my riding academy plans. I moved to Warsaw and took my new 4 year old Anglo-Arab stallion with me to compete for Legia Warszawa. I continued training mostly show-jumping at a time competing in style & performance and 1.20m/1.30m classes and groomed, schooled and taught after lectures to fund my training & competing.
In 2000 I moved yet again and happened to livery my young horse at a yard where the dominant discipline was Dressage. My knee was giving me a lot of trouble at the time and it seemed a good decision to re-focus to a new discipline which didn't put that much strain on the joint. Only several lessons later I was well and truly blown away with the training ethos, the discipline, commitment and friendly approach to training a horse as an athlete.
Arrival to the UK gave me the chance to improve my riding and coaching further. I passed the BHS coaching exams up to the BHS Intermediate Teaching Certificate and built my freelance teaching in London and Home Counties. In 2009 I got given a fantastic opportunity to learn from an international Dressage rider & trainer Anna Ross-Davies and I try to organise my work to be able to shadow Anna's training & teaching each month. Out of interest in coaching I also enrolled to Hartpury College on part-time BSc Equine Sports Science and I am hoping to secure enough funds to be able to one day complete the studies.
As a young rider I would often dream about being put through my paces and pushed to the limit to find out how good I could be...I've never really got that chance but realised there were many more riders like me out there. The Aspire Equestrian Riding Academy project had been forming in my head for the last 10 years. I combined my equestrian, coaching and non-sport specific knowledge to bring series of interesting and hopefully inspiring Training Programmes for all dedicated, passionate riders.
I'm always keen to discover how good a rider can be...regardless of level.
Wiola Grabowska BHSInt.Teach.
*Photo: Grzegorz Kubiak & Omen