Advice from Daniel Deusser

When the ElvenSTAR staff traveled to the Longines Masters in Long Beach on October 1st, they were able to talk with some of the amazing riders who were there to compete. One of those competitors was Daniel Deusser who was riding all the way from Germany. He shared with us some great advice. “The most important thing to remember is to never give up. You’re working with an animal and it’s very difficult to overcome that language barrier. In this sport especially, you see much more disappointment than success. It’s a long way to the top, so you need to remain patient. And most importantly, you have to be willing to try over and over again,” Deusser said.

 Although he admitted he no longer gets pre-competition jitters, he did shed some light on what he thinks about before stepping into the arena. “You have to be honest with yourself. I just focus on the things I need to work on and how I can improve. If you’re sure about your training and if you are confident in your horse then there isn’t anything to be nervous about. Sometimes I feel nervous when there is a big show like the Olympics and you get there at the start of the week, and begin training but then you have to wait for the competition to start. But even then, the anticipation turns into a relief when you eventually get to compete. There’s no point for me to be nervous. Even at the Olympics, all the horse shows are the same, with the same excitement,” explained Deusser.

 For him, being at any competition is a thrilling adventure and another chance to show off your riding abilities. “Of course you come here to win, that’s your goal. Everyone wants to see his or her training pay off. The Longines has a beautiful facility but I was really drawn in for the opportunity to try and be better. I haven’t done very well so far but you can’t always win. But, if you never try then you’ll never win, so you just have to keep going in the arena. For me it’s exciting to keep trying, to keep getting better,” Deusser smiled.

 And with every ride, he becomes better as he creates a strong bond with his equine partner. “Your horses don’t have to do all of this, but they want to work for you. I like to take my horses out in big fields, on the track, or out in the woods. I just try to keep them happy. We don’t need to jump a lot before big competitions, so we like to keep the training fun for them during the week. We want them to enjoy their job and like working for us. As a young rider, you need to practice jumping, but you can also gain a lot of confidence by riding different horses. Having that exposure is good for any rider,” shared Deusser. And he looks like the bond he’s created with his mare has paid off because on Sunday, Daniel Deusser won the Longines Grand Prix!