Then it was England for 15 years from late 1990s onwards. It was eventing first. I took part in many CCI’s 3-4* in the UK.
Later we moved to the Netherlands and then to Belgium — the center of modern world show jumping not only in terms of competitions, but more important in terms of breeding - where sport horses appear from nowhere - where they are born.
Moved on to pure showjumping.
When I started riding in a sport school in the USSR, we were told the main idea, or even the ideology of this sport:
We were expected to find a way to train our randomly allocated horse into a champion.
I repeat, there was no other way. We could not choose what horse we rode.
Your talent was measured by your ability to make that horse jump and perform for you. I grew up with this attitude.
Every horse has to be worked in a way that makes it jump better. If it has the physical ability, it should be prepared for the highest possible level of competition. Or even if it does not.
I trained really hard and I trained my horses, finding every little bit in them, to make them perform at the top of their ability, physical and mental. As we all know — jumping for horses is not only about physical strength. It is also very much about mindset.
So I know what I am talking about.
And we got results together.
Many of these horses moved on, to other owners and riders. They had further competition careers. As moving is a good thing, we also are not immediately set to one choice in life - job, partner or house. These horses brought other people happiness and earned good retirements for themselves.
One of the brightest examples is the horse that stayed with us for life. And his personality inspired this club project.
Unique - he is now 25 years old - with us, walking in the field with mares and planning to live 20 years more.
KWPN gelding, with whom we had many top international placings together, including winning at the five star CSIO Grand Prix.
Now, after all these years of experience and hundreds of horses under saddle, I can say — horses are not the same.
The sport was about skill. About finding a way to connect with your horse and get the best out of it.
But now the idea has changed a lot. It is now:
Do you see the difference?
My horses are not top-50 quality.
But I strongly believe in chances for everyone. And may say that I am an example of this myself.
We work with the horses that crossed paths with us.
My current horses are also the proof of this. Okay, they are not in the Olympics yet. But they are not in a slaughterhouse either, not changing owners every 6 months through auctions, not rented out for low level sport amateurs - the trend becoming more and more popular now - this “sport horse leasing” thing.
All my horses lead happy horse lives in “never sick or sorry” style for years with us.
They go outside every day, spend a lot of time in the fields, on grass, they enjoy the company of other horses, including the same management for stallions.
And they certainly entertained you and brought you here — by their performance on those videos.
These horses are doing their jumping job better than many.
I believe everyone deserves a chance.
But do not give up.
As these horses are both yes and no at the same time, they have no value, because they are priceless. They do amazing things for me, and may do the same for another rider.
What I have noticed — that almost all conversations about a potential sale turn in a strange direction.
People ask if the horse is for sale, ask actively with a lot of desire, but cannot form an offer or even name a budget they are prepared to pay for the horse they like.
Then, almost immediately, they act as if it was me who had to explain everything.
As if I was the one who started offering the horse to them almost against their will.
Our horses can go to other homes, and perhaps they will be great combinations with the new riders.
But I see it in a different way. As a UNIQUE CHANCE.
A fair play, in the honor of our old winner Unique.
Real FAIR PLAY and not what FEI means by checking hind boots or nosebands at warm ups.
This is what I have done my whole life, and what I will continue doing:
Meeting with new horses, training them in a way that suits them individually, discovering what they are really capable of, and showing them that they can do far more than they think they can.
Most horses can. They simply do not know it yet. Or they do not trust themselves. Or nobody ever shown them what they can.
Follow us and you will see different stages of this process and how we do it.
When the correct feeling comes, some of our horses will move on through a fair draw to members.
We believe that the opportunity to ride and compete should not be ruled only by money.
And that horses who may be strange or special - also deserve a chance to develop and prove themselves.
The best is to be patient, generous and devoted to what you do - and something will come up.
That is what the Unique Chance Club stands for — fair chances for everyone, horses and people alike. If you share these values and our way of looking at life — come, follow and join us. Interesting horses will meet good people — and vice versa.
And nobody will need to pay huge money for that to happen.