Today we’d like to introduce you to Cathryn Alexa Brekken.
Hi Cathryn Alexa, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I am a third generation equestrian with both my grandma and mom riding their whole lives. I begged for riding lessons as a child and I got to take my first lesson for my 8 year old birthday. I have been hooked ever since! I gained a depth of education and passion for horse care through the United States Pony Club. This is where I was also introduced to the Olympic sport of Three-Day Eventing, the triathlon of equestrian sports. I progressed up the levels with incredible support of my family, a fantastic coach, and my horse of a lifetime, Coin Toss. Since his retirement, I worked on restarting thoroughbreds off the racetrack. Now I breed and produce my own warmblood horses.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Nothing with horses ever goes to plan. Horses are as curious as cats, as destructive as beavers, and as fragile as butterflies and they were not designed to live without human domestication (intervention). Horses get hurt whether you made plans for a competition or not. Equipment malfunctions on a farm more often than not when you least expect it. And the weather will not cooperate regardless of prayers or rain dances.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I coach competitive jumper, eventing and dressage riders as well as starting young horses under saddle and producing them for equestrian sports. I am niche only due to my location. There are no other trainers or barns north of Nashville that do what I do at C. A. Equestrian. I am very proud of the approach I have developed in coaching and training. While all team sports require an element of mental coaching, equestrian sport is the only Olympic sport in which your teammate is an animal that you must bond with. We prioritize a “whole-horse” approach to their training environment, where we look at nutrition, fitness, body work, and more. And with our human athletes, not only are we coaching skills and fitness, but also sports psychology and mental health.
We’d love to hear about how you think about risk taking?
I am absolutely an adrenaline junky, risk taking is a regular activity. As an equestrian, I get to come face to face with choosing to be brave and choosing to follow my instinct on a more regular basis than someone working at a desk. Ultimately I believe that risk taking is more about intuition, wisdom, and instincts. Respecting those internal beliefs is very important to me personally as well as for my role as an equestrian professional.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.caequestrian.net/
