Nadine fell in love with horses when she was introduced to them at her neighbor’s Standardbred race barn in rural PEI when she was only six. She’ll never forget the night her mom asked if she’d be interested in starting riding lessons; at nine years old she officially started riding English and her passion for horses has continued to grow ever since.
Nadine’s grandfather bought her her very first (totally green and sassy) pony, Holly Nova, and shortly thereafter came her foal, Rocky. Holly and Rocky boarded at the barn next door and Nadine assumed total responsibility for their care at 13 years old.
Where (and when) she grew up, there weren’t opportunities to join organizations like Pony Club or 4H, and through the years, accessibility to coaches and lesson programs wasn’t consistent. Throughout her journey, she worked hard to gain as much knowledge as possible and actively sought the support she needed. She did manage to find her teenage dream job working at a riding stable and stayed there for many years, eventually managing the day to day operations and care for the 25+ horses.
After several years of focusing on her career in business and moving around Canada with her husband, Nadine was finally able to live out her dreams of buying a reining horse and entering the world of competition. The challenge was – she was now in Nova Scotia, didn’t know anyone in the industry, and was unsure where to look for information on how to get started.
Every year, it seems that things get more clear and she gets more confident entering the ring or trusting her own intuition. Often though, she has noticed others in similar situations to what she has experienced and wished there was something she could do to help them feel more comfortable with their horses, around their peers, and in the arena.