This is a unique and challenging time for everyone around the world. For our equestrian community, COVID-19 has cancelled shows, postponed the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and closed barns, which prevents many of us from riding or even seeing our beloved horses. Perhaps it’s that last bit that hits the hardest.
To help all of us get through this scary and unprecedented time, we’ve asked our Dressage Today friends from around the globe to share with us how they’re coping so we can be reminded that we’re all in this together. We’ll hear from friends in Germany, Belgium, Portugal, the United Kingdom and beyond and hope this encourages you to share with the DT family your secrets to getting through this difficult time. We hope everyone is safe and healthy. Much love from all of us at Dressage Today. Click here to find all of the articles within the series so far.
In this article, we hear from international Grand Prix dressage rider Valentina Truppa of Italy.
Dressage Today: How have you and your family been since the start of the COVID-19 situation?
Valentina Truppa: We live in our country house in Asti, Italy, not far away from Turin where our stable is also located. Our place is quite large and extended and we consider ourselves very lucky from this point of view.
How have things changed for you daily; both with regular life and with the horses?
In the morning, it is as it was before as to training horses, but our students are not allowed to come and ride their horses and I am also not allowed to leave and give clinics. We give the horses light work by alternating their rides with putting them in the paddocks or on the walking machine. In the afternoon I practice some fitness exercises and help my mother in the house. We are specializing in biscuits, cakes and other dangerous sweets! Once a week I go shopping for food or other necessary goods.
How have your competition goals changed?
In this moment, unfortunately, we do not have a competition program like everyone else in the equestrian world due to cancellation of all shows and, of course, any future program will depend on how the situation develops. The previous program was to compete in a couple of shows every month, either national or international. My father had several CDIs to judge, also cancelled. For sure no shows for him or me in April, let’s hope in June we can see things getting better!
What is your overall feeling about what is happening and how things will be once the world comes through this crisis?
I think, and I am sure you will agree, that at least two months ago no one could think that a disaster like this would happen! But here we are. We all must do our best to get out of this situation, meaning that we stay at our homes and pay careful attention in applying safety measures imposed by our government. Our hope is that the present situation goes over in a short time and that the whole world can learn out of this tragedy how to get better in the future.
Click here to read more articles with Valentina Truppa.
Italy’s Valentina Truppa has represented Italy in the 2012 London Olympics and 2016 Rio. She also competed at the 2014 World Equestrian Games in France, at two European Dressage Championships (in 2011 and 2013) and in two of the Dressage World Cup finals, finishing third in 2012. She lives in Asti, Italy, not far away from Turin where her stable is located. Her father and coach, Dr. Enzo Truppa, is an “O”-level judge and former international Grand Prix rider.
