Chatting with Dominique D’Hoore-van der Horst

  Dominique started her equestrian career at the age of eleven on a horse called Filou. Before that, she sometimes sat in front of the horse with her father and mother. With Filou, she managed to ride in the Z dressage within 2 years and the pair were selected for several championships. They were also invited to the Rabobank Talent Plan selection for both dressage and jumping. Eventually, she made it to the Z2 class and junior dressage and Z jumping. Dominique was given her mother’s Intermediate I horse, Dimorf’s Kait. With Kait, Dominique gained experience in the national and international dressage classes for Juniors and Young Riders, together they were successful all over Europe.

In addition to all equestrian activities, Dominique has completed her Gymnasium education. Dominique worked for Assouline Dressage, England, the dressage stable of Grand Prix riders Mette and Michel Assouline. Rode horses for Stal Bria of Isabel and Wil van Gisbergen-Sponselee in Hooge Mierde. And became acquainted as a stable rider for Lustroso Andalusians in Brasschaat with the Baroque horse breeds, in addition to PRE and Lusitano stallions. During her studies in Logistics & Economics, Dominique met her future husband Brecht at her then trainers Johan and Penny Rockx. Together with Brecht, she started Wolfshoeve Training in Hoogerheide in 2014. She was also able to win a few prizes at senior Light Tour level with her giant Bones. In s 2021 Dominique made the transition to Middle Tour under the guidance of Anne van Olst with her horses Excel and Dancing Boy. At the end of 2021 a successful Grand Prix debut followed with Excel! In 2022, Dancing Boy also followed to the national Grand Prix level and Excel made his debut on the international platform in the royal class. Not only a highly talented rider, Dominique is an ORUN certified instructor and jury member for the Belgian national federation at Light Tour level and FEI young horses.  

   

Tell us about you and your horses 

I’m Dominique D’Hoore-van der Horst, Dutch CDI 4* GP rider, Small Tour judge, coach, wife to GP rider Brecht D’Hoore and mother to our son Emile. As a family we run our equestrian centre in the Netherlands, close to the Belgian border between Antwerp and Rotterdam. We mainly focus on training both national and international students who have the possibility to board and live at our facility. We organise shows, have a livery part and a breeding facility. Usually, I have 6 horses in training for myself. From youngsters to GP. With Tsar v/d Wolfshoeve, a 5-year-old homebred gelding by Romanov x Danone I, I competed at the World Championship for Young Horses this year. He is a horse with 3 elastic basic gaits, though not an extremely flashy mover, but with an excellent mind and rideability. He embodies the characteristics we strive to breed.  

I also rode the Oldenburg licensed stallion AMI’s Jaguar US (Jovian x Grey Flannell) in the 4-year-old division at the WCYH. He is owned by Mr. Huyghe, a stallion I have high hopes for. He comes out of the line of Total US, Dante US, Mister US etc.  I have a 4-year-old gelding Uncrowned v/d Wolfshoeve by Millenium x Danone I, homebred half-brother to Tsar, he has the same brilliant mind.  

A 6-year-old gelding Nononsense v/d Wolfshoeve by Totilas x Donnerhall, he was a bit quirky to start but seems to have some real talent for the GP work.   My 9-year-old gelding Kenzo G (De Niro x Jazz) is doing well in the small tour with multiple CDI wins. Though he looks like an ordinary bay in the stable, he has that sparkle in the show ring. You can see the twinkle in his eyes when he is allowed to show off. He plays with the Grand Prix exercises at home, I’m slowly taking the time to get him ready for the big step into the arena.  

Excel (Rousseau x Contango) is my first Grand Prix horse, we swapped him in a deal with another horse, he was 3 years old at the time. He always enjoyed his work, though not a flashy horse and a bit of an old-fashioned type, he always progressed in training. He is quite sharp on the aids and has a lot of talent for the piaffe, passage and pirouettes and truly enjoys the Grand Prix work. I owe him a great deal; he made me the rider I am today.   Last but not least my second Grand Prix horse Dancing Boy (Gribaldi x Pion), what a character he is. The smartest horse I have ever ridden. Although being a bit lazy and easily bored as a youngster, he is such an enthusiastic Grand Prix horse. He really needed that extra brain stimulation of the more difficult exercises to get his interest. He is so much fun to work with and be around.  

 

How did horses come into your life? 

My grandparents and parents had horses as a hobby, so I rolled into it as a child. My pony time was only fun and games, no competitions. By the time I was eleven years old, I took over my mum’s horse, a true schoolmaster who did a junior level dressage test and 1.30m showjumping. I did both disciplines at that level as well with him. Filou was a homebred Naturel x Rigoletto, a son of my mums first horse. 

 

When and where do you ride? 

Our homebase farm/equestrian centre is Wolfshoeve in the village Huijbergen. We are lucky to have indoor and outdoor arena’s but most lucky to live next to the woods where we can hack endlessly without having to cross a road. I ride my horses a maximum of four times a week to keep some time left for running our business and family time. In my experience they do well on training four times a week and the horses also go out every day in the field or paddock.  

 

Who do you train with?   

Brecht and I met at Penny and Johan Rockx, we were both training there for a long time. My whole junior/young riders’ period I got lessons from Penny. She is a soft rider and great at teaching you to sit and ride accurately. Later I trained with Johan who is awesome at suppleness and the basics.   I have been training with Anne van Olst for about ten years. In my opinion she is the coaching queen of piaffe/passage! I owe her my skills to educate a horse without force towards Grand Prix. The focus is mostly on balance. Horses just understand her way of riding, I haven’t had to teach my horses the GP exercises it just seemed logical to them. So, no need for in hand piaffe training. Just good basics and teaching them to balance themselves and make them strong enough over the years for self-carriage. We also tend to adjust training towards the horses’ needs. It is not a set system. Every lesson I still learn “new skills” after ten years, that makes you an extraordinary coach, or maybe I’m just a slow student.  Brecht of course helps me when I ask, he has an excellent eye for horses. And if I need help at shows he is there to coach. Sometimes I prefer to ride alone so I keep my focus better at a show. When I’m nervous, he is my rock. 

 

What you and your horses currently working on? 

I’m endlessly working on my seat, to stay loose in the saddle and not pinch with my upper legs so my core stability takes over and I can give soft aids to my horses. It is a never-ending story, so much to improve still. And of course, I hope to introduce my horse Kenzo G at Grand Prix level in the upcoming year, we are close, but he gets the time he needs to be confident at that level.  

 

What do you love about riding? 

The puzzle, how to make any horse shine and most athletic and comfortable with their body. But I do enjoy a good hack equally. As long as the horses get to be happy athletes or happy hacks. 

 

What would you like to be doing in the future, and do you have any goals? 

My goal is to be able to ride a solid 70% Grand Prix, though in a respectful way to the horse. Their wellbeing comes first. Also, I’m busy with my Grand Prix judging level. When I’m done riding actively I want to contribute to the sport, maybe as an international judge.  

It takes a team to do dressage, who is in your support team? 

My family, our staff at home who keep things running, my horse owners, my long-term sponsor Jean Beliard of Antares saddles and helmets, HorSeMolen horse feed, my coach, the farrier etc. 

 

Have you ever had to deal with nerves in riding?   

I’m not a very nervous person, but only recently at the WCYH Ermelo I was so nervous watching the other combinations in my class. So much talent and quality. Do I really belong her with my less flashy horse? Luckily it went away when I was in the saddle. And the judges loved Tsar for what he is, an awesome happy athlete who has 3 good basic gaits and shows good rideability and that he loves his work. He scored 3x 8 and a total just under 80%.  

 

How do you deal with them? 

I’m quite down to earth. Winning is nice, I love it. But being happy, healthy and surrounded by good people and animals is more important.  

 

Do you have any rituals before competing? 

Not really, I like to have my usual plan of cleaning my tack, plaiting my horse, brushing them, changing into my competition outfit and going through my test before tacking up. Nobody can interrupt me going through my test, that is important.  

Your Top Tip 

Enjoy life, stay positive! 

 

What is the best piece of advice that you have ever been given? 

Horse-wise: given by my husband to invest my time in Excel as a youngster. And by my horse (Bones, Royal Hit x Donnerhal) owner to start taking lessons with Anne van Olst.  

 

 

Down the Centre Line  

 

Who would be your dream horse to ride? 

Valegro, such a happy athlete 

 

Who is your equestrian hero? 

Carl Hester / Lottie Fry 

 

If you could have five people to dinner, who would they be? 

My family and especially my deceased grandfather, to show him the Equestrian Centre we built, in the new restaurant. Being an entrepreneur and horse lover himself, I guess he would have loved it. 

 

Favourite colour horse? 

  A grey. Love those big black eyes and white eyelashes 

 

Favourite horse event? 

Aachen 

 

Favourite food? 

Fruit de Mer 

 

Favourite way to relax? 

A good dinner 

 

Favourite film? 

Memoires of a Geisha 

 

Want More?

If you enjoyed meeting Dominique you might like to view more dressage rider “chatting with” interviews here .  You can keep up with Dominique’s progress and check out her instagram page here