Ep. 71 HYS - Canada's Equestrian Future is in Ruth Allum's Hands

Ruth Allum is not shy about meeting challenges head-on, and that shines through in abundance in this episode. There is a liveliness in her spirit when it comes to living the equestrian life, and she's all in on making the good things great. Among her many titles, Ruth is a certified Equestrian Canada Coach Evaluator and an NCCP Certified Coach Developer, and she's playing an integral part in working with the sport's teachers to help them find innovative and effective ways to bring along the next generation of riders. She talks about building a training plan that works and covers all the important areas of a rider's life in and out of the saddle, the need for balance, and how good coaching means always having time for a question. Ruth believes in having mental resilience, being coachable and to never take anything personally during the process of being coached. The work she's done with Ontario Equestrian's GRIT program is discussed, and she praises the dedication of those involved in making it one of the organization's developmental jewels -- as she says, we have all the right people in the tent, making it a wholistic environment. Mentorship, the willingness to learn and keep on learning, and how she's forbidden from doing Oakhurst Farm's bookkeeping all come up over the hour, providing insight, humour, and desire to know more about what's on her mind. This peels back the layers of who Ruth Allum is and what her vision stands for. You can find Ruth Allum online at www.oakhurstfarm.com.