Ep. 51 HYS - Holly Jacks: Dreaming From Scratch

Welcome back and welcome to the first episode of Hitting Your Stride in 2023! Today, Tracey welcomes event rider Holly Jacks from Holly Jacks Equestrian. She's coming off a 2022 season that saw her and her partner, Candy King, represent Canada at the 2022 World Championships in Italy, and she gives Tracey a peek inside the world of someone who's been coming on strong for the better part of two decades. A British Columbia native, Holly knew she was going to be hopelessly dedicated to horses when she took a working student position in Ontario with Penny Roland that was supposed to be for six months ... and it turned into a five-year sojourn. Going from a girl who was breaking thoroughbreds as a summer job to now owning her own business developing and coaching young riders while still competing, Holly paints a picture of what her life in the saddle has been like. Going through all of that while trying to deal with ADHD is something she's learned to manage as she goes, and she credits one particular coach with helping her make the right adjustments at the right time. Having been short-listed for the Olympics before, Holly says that the trip to Italy with the Canadian team has only whetted her appetite and she has her eyes set on another spot representing the Red & White when Canada heads to Paris 2024. Tracey and Holly talk about how she's got to this position in her riding career, the various coaches she's worked with (and learned valuable lessons from), and they discuss things like the importance of the basics, and how she navigates this journey that she admits she couldn't do without the support of the people closest to her. Anyone wanting to reach out to Holly Jacks about coaching or to find out more about her business can find her online at www.hollyjacksequestrian.com.