From the Arabian Sport Horse Nationals to the U.S. Nationals, StressLess® ambassador Laurie Salmi shares her 30+ years of experience with Arabian horses, what she has learned about stress in competition horses, and how StressLess® helps her sensitive horse, Sheldon, stay focused in busy environments.
A Love Affair with the Arabian Horse
For more than 30 years, Laurie Salmi has been part of the Arabian horse community. From a journey that began somewhat unexpectedly in the early 1990s, it has evolved into a lifelong passion for the breed. Today, Laurie brings her experience from nearly every side of the horse show world, from exhibitor and trainer to groom, scribe, and show manager. That experience has given her a unique perspective on horse show stress and the many ways travel, unfamiliar surroundings, and competition can affect even the most experienced horse.
As a StressLess® brand ambassador, Laurie has also experienced firsthand how helping a sensitive horse manage the sights, sounds, and stimulation of competition can make a difference. Her horse Sheldon has always been a particularly sensitive individual, but with StressLess® as part of his routine, Laurie says he has learned something incredibly important: he can trust himself.
Laurie’s introduction to Arabian horses came in the early 1990s, when she accepted a position as Assistant Trainer to Wendy Potts at the iconic Ventura Farms in California. Having previously spent years in the Eventing and Hunter/Jumper worlds, Arabian horses were unfamiliar territory, but it didn’t take long for that to change.
Over the years, Arabian horses introduced Laurie to an incredible community of friends, experiences, and opportunities. But it is the unique relationship between Arabian horses and their people that has kept her passionate about the breed more than three decades later.
“Arabians are such unique creatures who truly choose their people,” she explains. “One cannot be disingenuous nor dishonest around them. They call you out! This same trait demonstrates their loyalty to their people.” For Laurie, that bond is at the heart of everything.
A Fall Filled With Arabian Horse Shows
Fall is one of Laurie’s busiest seasons, and this year is no exception. Her schedule takes her to some of the biggest Arabian events of the season, including the Arabian Sport Horse Nationals at World Equestrian Center – Ohio, the IALHA National Show, the 60th Annual Arabian U.S. National Show in Tulsa, and the 57th AHAF Holiday Festival Arabian Show at WEC Ocala.
While it would be difficult to choose a favorite, each show represents a different part of Laurie’s equestrian journey. The Arabian Sport Horse Nationals showcases the versatility of the breed through dressage, jumping, carriage driving, and Sport Horse classes. In October, Laurie will help with the production of the IALHA National Show before heading to Tulsa for the Arabian U.S. National Show. The U.S. Nationals highlight just how diverse the Arabian breed truly is, featuring disciplines including halter, performance, working western, working cow, and trail. Then, in November, Laurie heads back to WEC Ocala for the AHAF Holiday Festival Arabian Show, which is a particularly meaningful event for the Arabian community.
“This show is so special in that our Arabian Family has been spending Thanksgiving together for over 50 years!”
She may not be able to pick one event above the others, but she knows exactly what connects them all: spending time together with her Arabian Family.
Understanding Horse Show Stress
Laurie’s experience working at horse shows from so many different perspectives has given her a unique understanding the challenges of horse show stress. One of the biggest emotional stressors is something that can be easy for people to overlook: unfamiliar surroundings. A horse that is comfortable and confident at home suddenly finds itself in a completely different environment, surrounded by unfamiliar horses, people, sounds, smells, activity, and routines. Good trainers, Laurie says, work hard to maintain as much consistency as possible.
There are also physical considerations. Traveling and competing can expose horses to changing weather conditions, different feed suppliers, potential illness or injury, and the physical and mental demands of performing at their highest level. All of those factors can add up. Laurie learned an important lesson early in her career from Greg Gallun, a halter trainer she worked with at Ventura Farms.
“Put eyes on every horse every day,” he taught her. That philosophy has stayed with her.
Knowing a horse’s normal habits, behaviors, and personality makes it much easier to recognize when something has changed. Laurie pays close attention to anything that isn’t ordinary for an individual horse. Signs she watches for include agitation, depression, changes in appetite, gait abnormalities, tension or changes in stride, and unusual behavior while being groomed or tacked. A horse may still walk into the ring and perform, but that doesn’t necessarily mean everything is fine. For Laurie, knowing the horse means knowing when something is different.
Sheldon: The Ultimate “Hall Monitor”
Laurie’s horse, Sheldon, is a perfect example. A highly sensitive horse, he has a tendency to take things personally and worry that he is making the wrong choice. Laurie describes him as having a bit of a “hall monitor” personality. He needs to know everything that is happening around him and, preferably, why. When Sheldon started StressLess® several years ago, Laurie noticed a difference almost immediately.
“The difference in him was noticeable in 24 hours,” she says. “He was a changed horse.”
One of the biggest changes Laurie noticed was Sheldon’s ability to process the constant stream of information around him. Before StressLess®, Laurie says, Sheldon struggled to organize all of that input.
“He was a basket case literally—he couldn’t keep the input organized.”
With StressLess® as part of his routine, Laurie describes the difference as an ability to prioritize stimuli without over reacting. Importantly, Sheldon hasn’t stopped noticing things. In fact, he still notices everything. The difference is that he can process what he sees and hears without becoming overwhelmed by it.
“Trust me, he still notices everything—he just can process it now.”
And if something truly is wrong?
“Just look at Sheldon,” Laurie says. “He will tell you!”
With an especially busy fall show season ahead, Laurie believes one of the most important things owners can do is simple: put the horse first. That starts well before the trailer leaves for the show. Laurie recommends helping horses manage horse show stress by making sure a horse is physically fit to travel and compete and working closely with a veterinarian and farrier. She also believes that the weeks leading up to competition should be as consistent as possible, avoiding unnecessary changes so the horse has a good baseline before departure, as travel and competition can contribute to horse show stress.
Young horses, in particular, benefit from gradual preparation. At Wilson Training & Bloodstock, where Laurie keeps Sheldon, trainer Mike Wilson takes young horses to local shows before asking them to navigate the challenges of larger competitions. These experiences help him understand how each horse responds to travel, unfamiliar surroundings, distractions, and the overall show environment. That information can then be used to develop a plan for bigger events. It’s an approach that reflects a fundamental principle of horsemanship: know your horse, listen to your horse, and prepare your horse for what lies ahead.
After more than 30 years in the Arabian horse world, Laurie has learned that horses are remarkably honest communicators. Her advice to fellow horse owners is straightforward:
“Horses don’t lie. If something is off, find out why.”
And perhaps that is one of the most important lessons of all. A strong relationship between horse and human is built on trust, consistency, observation, and understanding. Arabians, Laurie believes, remember the people who care for them and those who don’t.
“Having a trusted bond gets you both through tough times.”
Help Your Horse Find Their Calm
For Laurie and Sheldon, that bond has continued to grow through years of travel, competition, and countless experiences together. And today, when Laurie describes what StressLess® means to her and her horses, she doesn’t need a long explanation. She says it in three words: Sheldon trusts himself. For a sensitive horse who once struggled with horse show stress and organizing the world around him, that may be the greatest measure of calm there is.
Every horse experiences stress differently. Whether you’re preparing for competition, traveling to a new environment, or simply helping a sensitive horse navigate everyday distractions, understanding your horse’s individual needs is an important part of keeping them confident and comfortable.
Learn more about how StressLess® Horse Supplement can become part of your horse’s daily routine and help support a calmer, more focused horse.
Discover StressLess® and find your horse’s calm at StressLessHorseSupplement.com.