~Jocelyn's Corner~

A series of fortunate equestrian events brought Jocelyn Thibodeau to Vermont. There, she is pursuing her dream to retrain off the track thoroughbreds for new careers. She currently works full time as a rider at a private Morgan farm, rides her own atomic mare as well as training horses in the afternoon, and squeezes in tutoring high school math/science. Needless to say, she also considers coffee to be an essential nutrient.

Jocelyn Thibodeau

Jocelyn's Blog Post # 7

Those Closest Can Be the Most Inspiring

Hannah schooling Sol - after many years of working
for trainers,and riding horses for clients, Hannah has
achieved a life long goal of owning her own horse and farm.
I have seen her sit "chilly" on a multitude of horses
and watching their progress and the relationship
she could build with them always left in awe.

A strange thing happened one morning. I woke up, went downstairs, looked in the mirror, and realized I had no desire to be Buck Davidson. It isn't as though being Buck is an option, or that I have anything against him, or that I wouldn't love to have Petite Flower on my string, or even that I don't want to compete at the upper levels (because I do, someday). But, I don't want to be Buck, or any number of top professional riders. (Click on Blog Title above (in blue) to read full entry)

Jocelyn's Blog Post # 6

What IS Fit?

Right now, I am sitting in a forced time out from riding. The tendons involved in the broken finger I had screwed together last year adhered to the scar tissue and it required surgery to release so I could function normally (I was struggling to hold reins for a sustained period of time without straining muscles in my forearm). Suki, in turn, is also going through a bit of a let down period. In some ways, it's for the better, she did work hard this summer and needs a chance to grow out her hooves. Long story short, her hoof wall got a bit brittle in August and she just would not keep on shoes. We'll hit it hard when I'm cleared to ride again.

The Flying Sausage Returns

(Click on Blog Title above (in blue) to read full entry)

Jocelyn's Blog Post # 5: The Cost of Expectations

Back in the day, I was one of the founding members of Boston College's IHSA team. I absolutely loved being able to hop on a horse, with no chance to evaluate how a horse went beyond watching them warmed up by the hosting team or during other rounds, and jump a course with them. I learned that you didn't always place by having the best round, but sometimes by having a better... (Click on Blog Title above (in blue) to read full entry)

Jocelyn's Blog Post # 4

You Know How to Trot, Don't you?

Recently, I found myself cantering sideways, downhill, looking into a gnarled patch of brush creeping closer by the moment. In the background, I could hear Denny yelling at me, in that thought piercing, instant tone that anyone who has ridden with him knows. Good thing, too, because he was getting further and further away. (Click on Blog Title above (in blue) to read full entry)

Jocelyn's Blog Post # 3: What Do You Do When the Problem is You?

Last week, the two trainers I ride with gave me similar lectures on two consecutive days. The first told me I need to get out of my head and stay there, that my ability was held back by my intensity and anxiety. The second said that my academic mind focused too much on the abc of what to rather than allowing myself to feel what to do. The bottom line seems to be that under the layer of over analysis, I have the ability to ride...but, somehow, I needed to break free of my mind... (Click on Blog Title above (in blue) to read the full entry)

Jocelyn's Blog Post # 2

Different Horse, Different Warm-up

For six years, I primarily evented the same horse. Over those years, I honed his warm up routine. He did well with a day off the day before an event, particularly if we trailered in the night before. Dressage warm-up was a light hand gallop up off his back to warm him up followed by a run through of test movements in no particular order, all within 20-30 minutes. As a former "curler" with a longer back and a habit of internalizing stress, this got him thinking forward and make his job his focus. (Click on Blog Title above (in blue) to read full entry)

Jocelyn's Blog Post # 1: Breaking the Law: Every Action Does Not Need to Have an Equal and Opposite Reaction

When I taught, managing large classes was not always my strongest suite. The class would get loud, rowdy, and I would get frustrated. My knee jerk reaction was to use a louder, angry voice, subconsciously trying to match the energy level of the classroom. Let me tell you how ineffective that is! Believe it or not, the middle school teacher would approach this problem by whispering or saying nothing at all. Surprisingly enough, most students would settle down when they realized that they weren't getting a reaction and were missing out on information. (Click on Blog Title above (in blue) to read full entry)