by Bert Sheffield | Dressage Rider & Coach | 🍁Paralympian
My spring has been all about one horse: Nardando.
At seven years old, this beautiful gelding, bred and owned by Jolanda Brugman, is stepping into his spotlight moment. After taking last summer off while I focused on preparing Fairuza ( known as “Wonky”) for Paris 2024, Nardando’s holiday is over and the next chapter of his life is in full swing. And what a journey it’s been already.
The decision to pause his work last year was tough, but it paid off in ways I’ll never forget. Fairuza exceeded all expectations in Paris—6th place finishes across the board, qualifying for the individual Freestyle final, and setting a new Canadian Paralympic record score. To top it off, she was named Equestrian Canada Horse of the Year for the second time
But 2025 is Nardando’s year.
With Fairuza quietly in the background,, the focus now is all on developing Nardando’s technical training, confidence, and giving him exposure. Before this spring, he had only done one competition in his life, so we knew the road ahead would need to be steady and smart.
We began with foundational work—training, training, and more training. Then, to broaden his experience and gently challenge his comfort zone, I brought him to a cowboy friend’s barn. The facilities are fantastic and the atmosphere is so relaxed and horse-friendly—it was the perfect way to introduce Nardando to new environments without pressure. It was wonderful to have Sean’s support during those early trips away from home.
From there, we started venturing further afield. I began taking him along to ride in different arenas—some with mirrors, some indoors, some with wild geese dive-bombing us as we rode, all with the usual unpredictable energy of life away from home. Nardando handled each outing with more maturity than the last.
One of the greatest sources of support during this phase has been my coaching clients. They’ve welcomed Nardando as he’s come along with me a couple of times a week, often settling in borrowed stables while I teach. Their patience and understanding has made it all possible, and I’m endlessly grateful.
I’ve never been one to haul horses from show to show just to get them used to it. For me, competition environments—especially for the younger, more sensitive horses—can be overwhelming and unpredictable. Rigid time limits, unfamiliar settings, high pressure… it’s all too easy to accidentally teach a horse to associate going out with stress, rather than confidence.
And here’s the crucial part: if they don’t get the chance to truly settle, process, and relax before performing, you risk reinforcing the very behaviours you’re hoping to improve. Taking them out of the environment before they’ve had that decompression moment can embed anxiety, rather than ease it.
That’s why I’ve taken a different approach with Nardando.
Instead of rushing him into the ring, we’ve focused on gradually layering good experiences—riding in different arenas, staying in unfamiliar stables, working around different horses and people. Once I see him relaxed and confident in those situations, we step up to the next challenge.
This spring, that meant heading to friendly shows—not to chase scores, but to train. Alyssa Carter, my support rider, has been so vital to this work. (As a Grade 2 Para Dressage rider, I can have another rider ride my horses in the warm up for a maximum of 30 minutes) We’ve shown H/C (hors concours, or non-competitively) to practice warm-ups in a show-like setting without the added pressure. It’s been a great way to help him understand that he can stay composed and connected even in a busy, unfamiliar environment.
Throughout all this travel and activity, one constant in Nardando’s life has been his High Fibre HorseHage. Wherever we go—whether it’s a friend’s arena or an overnight stop at a show—he has his favourite forage with him. It’s easy to store, keeps beautifully, and travels well, which is why there’s always an “emergency” blue and white bag tucked away in my horse truck. Knowing I can offer him something consistent, familiar, tasty and dust-free no matter where we are has been a huge comfort—for both of us.
With this solid base in place, we recently made the step up to our first full competition of the year: the Addington FEI CPEDI3*. Three days of international competition is a big ask for any young horse, but Nardando rose to the occasion. He started out babyish, just as we expected, but as the show went on, he trusted me—and Alyssa—more and more. He blossomed with each ride.
By the final day, that trust and hard work paid off. Nardando delivered a lovely Freestyle test, stepping up to the podium with a 3rd place finish. A special milestone.
It’s been a spring of learning, patience, partnership—and now, a taste of what’s possible. I’m so excited for what the future holds. We have 3 more FEI CPEDI3*s in the diary for the summer!
We’re proud to support Bert and Nardando on their journey, and it’s been a real pleasure to watch their partnership grow this spring. With many exciting competitions ahead, we can’t wait to see what they achieve next.
For more behind-the-scenes moments, training insights, and updates from the road, be sure to follow Bert on Facebook and Instagram.
