Life on the highway might not be ultimate for some, however boyfriend Nicole “Nikki” Arnold lives for it.
“I do very nicely in fast-paced environments,” he stated. “Having to be there on a regular basis is a problem, however in these moments all of your work shines. It is an excellent feeling to see your horse stroll into the ring and compete, after which you possibly can say, ‘I did that; I used to be a part of it. ”
Arnold works for trainers Missy Clark and John Brennan at North Run, a searching, leaping and driving secure primarily based in Warren, Vermont and Wellington, Florida. This system is likely one of the largest within the enterprise, recognized for producing riders who’ve gained quite a few equestrian finals, nationwide championships and been profitable in worldwide grands prix. Doing so entails numerous horses and numerous journey: On common, North Run will journey with as much as 50 horses at a time, with every groom sometimes caring for 4 horses every.
“I like being part of this group,” stated Arnold. “We win loads and we’ve nice horses. The youngsters journey rather well, and that basically helps. Everybody works very exhausting right here, together with the working college students.”
Arnold, 24, grew up in San Diego and, when he was 5, grew to become fascinated about horses on his grandparents’ cattle farm in Iowa. Arnold’s sister, Danielle, was despatched one of many horses as a pet, and Each ladies’ obsession with horses took off from there. They started driving on the county-level present circuit.
“At one level, we owned seven horses,” Nikki stated. “We stayed in a smaller secure and did all of the work ourselves, each English and Western.”
Till Nikki left for faculty, coach Virginia Mulvaney taught her all the pieces she knew about caring for horses.
“She actually took me beneath her wing,” Nikki stated. “She taught me how you can lower, pull a mane, stroll a course, lengthen, drive a truck and trailer, and so forth. She made me the Amazon I’m at the moment.”
When it got here time to resolve on a university, Virginia Intermont School in Bristol, Virginia, first piqued Nikki’s curiosity.
“Virginia graduated from VI, in order that’s one of many causes I actually wished to go there,” Nikki stated. However the college closed its doorways the yr she started making use of to school, so she as a substitute set her sights on Centenary College in Hackettstown, New Jersey.
“As all driving college students do, I began from the underside up within the Centenary driving program,” he stated. “Regardless that I knew numerous the newbie ideas, she confirmed me that Virginia had given me a stable basis. Because the lessons progressed, I added much more instruments to my toolbox.”
Whereas at Centenary, Nikki labored on the secure when she wasn’t in class, serving to look after this system’s 110 horses, getting ready her to work at a big operation like North Run.
“It gave me numerous publicity,” he stated. “I used to be capable of see how you can deal with sure conditions that I won’t have skilled in a smaller barn.”
Throughout his sophomore and junior years, Arnold helped with horseback driving rehabilitation and labored intently with the equine employees veterinarian, Dr. Jesslyn Bryk-Lucy, DVM. Along with being a waitress and waitress at a neighborhood restaurant, Nikki was a member of the Centenario Intercollegiate Horse Present Affiliation group and the Centenario hunter/jumper group, which competes in horse reveals in Zone 2. She was additionally a vp of presidency scholar.
Nikki graduated in Could 2019 with a minor in Equine Research and a minor in Equine Enterprise Administration and Social Media Advertising and marketing.
“I believed having a enterprise diploma would assist me sooner or later if I ever wanted a backup plan,” he stated.
Every week later, Nikki packed her issues and drove straight to Vermont to start her work at North Run.
“I used to be about to take one other job in New Jersey, but it surely simply did not really feel proper,” he stated. “So I turned it down and began trying once more. I discovered a submit on considered one of Centenary’s Fb teams about North Run, messaged them, interviewed them, and acquired the job. I at all times thought that having a hairdressing job would aid you in all features.”
Nikki credit North Run for placing numerous expertise beneath her belt.
“For me, getting arrange with a circuit A barn is a good way to do all of the issues I by no means acquired to do as a child,” she stated. “It exposes you to a style of the actual trade and has taken me to locations I’ve solely dreamed of. I’ve discovered so many issues, that I can not even categorical them in phrases, about horse care, therapies, working with the most effective professionals within the trade, all of that”.
Brian Robinson, Clark’s longtime Vermont barn supervisor, has offered a lot steering to Nikki.
“At any time when I’ve a query, I can name him and he at all times solutions,” she stated. “Any sort of trick, he is aware of all the pieces. He has performed an important function in educating me and guiding me.”
One in every of Nikki’s favourite horses to look after is Jordyn Rose Freedman’s Finnick, a 16-year-old Westphalian gelding (Cayetano L—Landliebe), who gained the 2021 ASPCA Maclay Finals with jockey Zayna Rizvi on the Nationwide Horse Present (Kentucky). ).
“That was an empowering second for me,” Nikki stated. “All the things got here full circle. I began on the backside in California, and now my horse had gained the Maclay finals with Zayna. We have been all very proud. We had 5 youngsters within the prime 12, it is an unbelievable feeling, it is indescribable.”
Along with Finnick, she additionally cares for 2 of Rizvi’s grand prix horses: Nektarina B (“Angie”) of Windsor Present Stables, a 17-year-old Holsteiner mare, and Wonderful (“Hef”) of Peacock Ridge LLC, a mare 13 years previous. One yr previous Dutch Warmblood gelding.
Taking good care of Angie on the U25 stage was Nikki’s introduction to the bigger lessons. Nikki groomed Hef when he and Rizvi gained the juniors particular person gold medal on the 2021 FEI North American Junior Leaping Championships on the Nice Lakes Equestrian Pageant (Michigan) and within the Netherlands when he and Rizvi helped to Staff USA gold on the 2021 FEI Junior Nations Cup Remaining.
“Being part of that profitable second was superb,” stated Nikki. “We have been holding our breath till the final driver. I positively wish to be part of one thing like that once more.”
She believes that working at North Run has helped her turn into a greater rider.
“I’ve turn into extra impartial and might belief myself extra,” she stated. “I additionally discovered when and the way issues or surprising occasions must be handled.”
For these contemplating a profession within the equine trade, Nikki recommends studying how you can correctly groom horses first. She believes that she significantly improves horsemanship expertise, which lays the inspiration for future success.
“Do it and take a look at it, you study much more issues and new methods of doing issues,” he stated. “You study the persona of every horse and the ins and outs of them. You already know what they like and how you can make them joyful, which is essential for all features of their life.”
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