EQUIMO BLOG

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Nikola Egrová is a Czech showjumper who competes with her and other horses in national classes for juniors. She’s been riding with EQUIMO for two years and it helps her to organize the training system, which she arranges mostly with her dad in the app.

Nikol, will you introduce yourself and your riding career?  

I‘m Nikola Egrová, I’m 18 years old and I’ve been interested in horses since I can remember. Even though my family is not from the equestrian world, I started to ride in a riding school. I passed my riding exams when I was 12, and I’ve been doing showjumping since.  

Thorough my riding career, I won two rounds of the Czech Junior Cup, became a regional champion in the children’s category, and won the Czech championship as a junior in 2020.  

What can you say about the horses you currently ride?

I ride five horses this season. Two of them are owned by my parents, and I ride the other three for their owners.

Three horses jump with me in junior categories: Quilisca, Balotelli, and Arisca Nata. These horses jump up to 1.30 and we progress further together.

Another mare, Andromeda, is coming back to the sport after an injury and we compete in 1.20 classes.

And last but not least, Calimero PL competes in classes for 4yo horses.  

What are your goals and dreams in equestrian sport?  

I’d love to travel abroad – it has been our plan for several years, actually. As I’m stepping up into the U25 category, my goal is to reach the 1.45 level. Then I’ll be able to ride the individual class at championships, and maybe represent our country.

However, my goal is to ride every class in the best way possible.

How has your season been, what are your plans for this and the next year?  

This season has been pleasant so far. My number one horse is coming back to the sport, and together we are getting back up, and hopefully, even higher than before.  

It’s been like a rollercoaster, but easier classes with other horses have been going really well.

Our plan, for now, is to attend the Young Horses finals and the next rounds of the Czech Showjumping Cup, including the finals in Martinice. Then there’s one more show and a well-deserved rest for all of us.

The next season will start slowly as I’m graduating in spring. I don’t want to stop competing altogether, though. We’re planning the U25 series and our first senior championship, where I’d like to ride the team competition.

Everything will be planned according to my horses‘ condition. I want us to progress. And the last season taught me that a step forward doesn’t always need to be a step higher.

 How often do you train, and who are your trainers? 

We have jumping sessions every week during the winter and every other week during the season. We travel to Zduchovice to see our trainer, Jaroslav Jindra.

Dressage sessions are a part of our training as well. I want every horse to have one dressage session per week if possible.

I regularly use EQUIMO during my sessions if I don’t forget it at home. :)

How long have you been riding with EQUIMO  and what are your experiences so far?

I have been riding with EQUIMO for two years and I use it almost every day. It helps me burden both sides of my horses‘ bodies equally, and I know the schedule of every horse owing to the calendar. I also write down events like the dentist, physio, or farrier. This way, I have control over everything.

My dad is in control, too. He is an essential part of my team and he takes care of our horses‘ regime. We share all of our horses in the app and he can see everything they do.  

What is a typical week for your horses like when it comes to workload and rest?  

It is highly individual. I want them to have a day off, after which they are lunged. One day is devoted to flatwork, and then there is a jumping session or a show.

The rest of the week is spent in nature. Many things can be done on meadows, fields, or in the forests, so my horses can be in the arena just for jumping sessions.

Each of my horses has a favorite lead to work on, and thanks to EQUIMO, we make the workload balanced for both leads. Fitness work outdoors can also be tracked using the data from the app.

How has EQUIMO helped you and what are its benefits?

I have useful information about my horses in one place.  

I track my approach to fences and the performance of jumps. The tempo graph tells me if my tempo is even, and I know my weak spots for future sessions.  

I think that balanced training makes my horses happier, and can help us in the future as I’ll pay attention not to burden one side of my horses‘ bodies more.