Professional harness training

The first year shapes everything that follows. We take the time to introduce the horse to harness, sulky and handler — and we never skip a step. A proper foundation produces confidence at the track, and confident horses are fast horses.

My time in the US shapes how I work. There a stable is measured by how long its horses last, not only by how quickly they go as two-year-olds. I build fitness through long, calm kilometres, a patient build-up of muscle and a mental education that makes the horse meet the racing environment curious rather than nervous.

The goal is a two-year-old that is physically and mentally ready to race — but only when the horse itself shows it is. Never on the calendar.

From the three-year-old's first real season to the seasoned campaigner chasing the next level — every horse needs something different, and none of them thrive on a template.

We start by reading the horse. Form analysis, fitness testing, a review of background and recent performances. From that I build an individual programme: the right amount of interval work, the right recovery, the right race density. When I both train and drive the horse, there is a continuity of understanding that shows up in the photo finish.

Race planning matters as much as training. We pick races where the horse has a real chance to perform — not races that simply fill the calendar. Every start has a purpose: development, form or result.

Wellbeing is not a slogan, it is the method. Sleep, feed, routine, social contentment. When those pieces are right, the horse delivers what it has within.