Our E-Commerce and Marketing Director, Michelle Drum recently had the absolute pleasure of sitting down with Kelli Cruciotti Vanderveen, associate trainer and resident Grand Prix rider for Serenity Farm Show Stables, located in Wellington, FL. Kelli Cruciotti-Vanderveen is one of the top Under 25 riders in the country.
Here’s a quick look into the life of Grand Prix rider Kelli Cruciotti Vanderveen including her favorite music, her post-show care routine, and a few true amateur moments.
Michelle
If you and Gideon were toy figures, what two pieces would you come with?
Kelli
My gosh, I didn’t really play with dolls as a kid, I had ponies instead.
I would assume I would have be like some kind of Barbie and he would be my horse. Yeah. we would have a big barn and there’d have to be plenty of stables. Turnout, a ring, maybe a trailer. think that’s more than two items, but I want the whole barn.
Michelle
When you’re schooling at home, do you ride with music?
Kelli
Sometimes I do. If I’m flatting on my own, I like to have some music in the background. My speed horse in particular, he loves music. So when you flat him, he has to have his music on.
Michelle
Nice! What are some of his favorite groups?
Kelli
Well, we like our Christian rap. He gets into it and surprisingly Cindy said he also is very into Beethoven.
Michelle
What’s currently at the top of your playlist?
Kelli
Probably Newsboys or anything by Phil Wickham I love.
Michelle
Another ice breaker question. If you could ride any horse, still with us or gone, who would it be and why?
Kelli
I’ve always said this. I would love to ride Fit For Fun. Yeah, used to be written by Luciana Denise. I think she took her to the World Equestrian Games. She was amazing. Chestnut mare. Spicy. My type. I would definitely love to ride Fit For Fun.
Michelle
If you had to choose between Jumpers and Grand Prix’s or Hunters and Derbies, which would it be?
Kelli
I mean, they’re both very fun, but probably Grand Prix’s.
Michelle
Is there anything in your tack trunk that you cannot leave for show and not have with you?
Kelli
I have to preface this because it used to be, I had this thing when I was a junior right before the Devon Grand Prix, I didn’t have two pairs of gloves, so I just wore two left ones and I won the class. After that I was like, it’s a thing, I need two left gloves. And it’s not in the typical sense you’d think. I just flipped the other one upside down, so it looked like I actually had two left hands.
That myth got quickly debunked when I had a few too many fences. So now I try not to rely on too many superstitions or anything, but I’m like any rider. I like my, you know, my backpack with my setup, my favorite pair of spurs, you know, I’m not a person that likes to switch too many things. So I’m pretty consistent with the things that I like.
Michelle
Thinking back on your riding life, can you tell me about a time you parted company with a horse that you can now look back on and laugh? Like a true amateur moment?
Kelli
I don’t think it was a fault of any of ours. My horse of a lifetime was Chamonix H. And the only time I actually ever technically fell off of her was in a jump off at WEF. I think I was last to go on the grass and I thought I was just nailing it. I was on it and I turned to the last turn and I think I turned too sharp and she just slipped. Just went out. Just, I mean, just out from underneath you.
And somehow I was sitting on the ground and she was already thinking, I’m like, I thought we were winning. I don’t know what happened. And somehow I’m not winning now. I’m in the grass. So no fault of either of ours, but it was a little bit of a mind-blower because I really envisioned through the finish timers, the crowd, thunderous applause, but none of that.
Michelle
Everybody falls. Even for the dumbest reasons. mean, it just happens. So it’s just nice to know that at your level, you can also reflect back on times when things just didn’t go your way.
So when you get on a horse, a strange horse for the first time, what is the first thing that you ask the owner, rider, caretaker?
Kelli
I love to know history about horses, so like my favorite thing to do in my off time is to scour the internet and know everything about every horse there is possible. I want to know like what bridle they went in as a four-year-old. So I like to be in the know, so typically before I get on a horse, I probably know more than I should or I’m letting on, so I try to ask questions that aren’t too creepy that I already know the answer to and still act surprised.
Michelle
At what point in your youth did you realize you wanted this is what you wanted to do this was you wanted to do?
Kelli
Oh, early. Probably seven or eight. Obviously, my mom is a trainer and has been for years, so to grow up with that role model was something I always aspired to be. This is exactly where I want to be.
Michelle
Do you have any tips or tricks on handling show nerves at the horse show?
Kelli
I always say I like to I like to envision my course. So like, close your eyes and envision yourself doing the course successfully. I think that helps a lot because you can kind of see it. You can see your plan. You can see the finish and then you’re like, okay, now execute it.
And just thinking about it, about less emotion and more like you have a job to do, get the job What a great idea. Just take the emotion and this is business. We’re business here. And then you can have the emotion after and everything like that. But I try to just think of it more as a job, get the job done and then celebrate or not.
Michelle
What does an average day look like for you? Either at the horse show or at home, your choice.
Kelli
At the show, an average day is busy. We start typically no later than probably 6 or 6 .30, prepping horses, getting them out. Every horse gets ready before they show, clients and my own. So that’s a busy morning. And then training and showing myself is always kind of the balancing act of how much I have to show.
It’s not all about me, so we gotta go to the hunter ring or the equitation ring or whatever it is in between classes. You just have to be really flexible and go with the flow. But I’m really fortunate we have such an amazing staff around us and between my mom and Kelli Clevenger, we have an amazing team. So wouldn’t be possible without all three of us.
Michelle
Can you share an experience in your writing career where you overcame a significant challenge like you started to learn a skill or a concept and how did you work around it or master?
Kelli
I used to be absolutely terrible at anything over eight strides. But 10 was fine. So nine strides in particular was like, I mean, it was it was for years. I would not do nine. I can remember losing classes because I wanted didn’t want to count the nine and ten was beautiful, but it wasn’t the right number. And then I thought, well, it’s just in equitation. No, it’s also Grand Prix and have to deny it you refuse to do nine and it doesn’t work out.
So big credit to Cindy, my mom, we just went home and everything in the ring was nine. The bending line, the straight line. Everything is how I learned to do nine. But it was frustrating because it’s something that I struggled with. feel like a lot of things in my riding have come naturally, but that was not one of them. And it was frustrating. If I didn’t address it, it was just going to keep coming up. So it was definitely a test of, know, perseverance and going home and fixing it.
Michelle
What does your post-show care look like for your horses? Like, you and Gideon finished the Grand Prix, we’re done, we’re going back to the barn. What does his care setup look like?
Kelli
So again, extremely fortunate to have such an amazing staff. His main groom, Martin, always takes care of him. Typically, he walks him out a little bit after the class, loosens the girth, walks him back. He’s a very easy keeper, so some of them that are funny about some things, he loves everything. So he’ll go in, we call them the fireman boots. They’re up to their knees. He stands in the ice submerged in water. Sometimes we do some compression wraps with those. Compression and ice always go great together. They’ll stand in those for about 25 to 30 minutes, get a shower, hoof packing, Epsom salts, and then poultice.
I like to do the racehorse poultice, you know up to the armpit, front and back, looks silly but anytime you have a top-level athlete you want to out any inflammation you can. They use their whole body. We also give him tons of treats obviously.
Michelle
What’s his favorite treat?
Kelli
He loves everything. He loves bananas. He wants the peel, but I still can’t bring myself to do it. I think it’s just gross.
Michelle
What do you enjoy doing when you’re not on the farm?
Kelli
My husband would probably beg to differ in this question. I don’t rest well for long periods of time. Two or three days, amazing. So typically when I get home, I like to like, I call it the hibernate. I don’t like to leave the house. I like to bake. I’m not particularly good at it. It’s okay. So about two days, I’m like, I’m good with baking. No more baking.
I just like to spend time with obviously my family, friends. We try to go out to some nice dinners and just feel a little bit more normal sometimes. We like to travel a little bit and we’re fortunate where we live. There’s so many cool areas within an hour’s distance.
Michelle
Have you been to any place interesting recently?
Kelli
A couple years ago, we went to Savannah which was fun with a couple group of friends of ours. And it was just nice to get away and do something a little bit different. It’s beautiful in Savannah.
Michelle
So what are your thoughts about alternative therapy modalities like acupuncture, chiropractic, deep tissue massage, bodywork, all that stuff?
Kelli
We’re big believers in anything that can help everyone feel their best, myself included.I actually see an amazing chiropractor in Florida who’s really changed my life, changed my husband’s life. And the horse is also, Gideon gets acupuncture, body work, anything that can make him feel his best. We use the Activo med blanket typically before he jumps. But everything that you can do, obviously, be educated in, know what’s happening and what your horse likes and doesn’t like because some horses don’t like it.
But every horse is specific and I feel like he enjoys the finer things in life. He likes to be pampered. We also have a Theraplate at home, which we really like. We stand on it too.
Michelle
From a performance standpoint, what is your go -to riding gear and pieces? And why do you like these pieces so much?
Kelli
I mean, obviously my go-to is everything Ariat. I think they’re the front runner for me in the sport for pieces that combine function with fashion. They look amazing, but they also feel amazing to ride in. So my favorite combination right now is the Luxe show shirt with the Ravello boot and the Meridian show coat. I think the colors are really beautiful. I’m a sucker for the blue and the green. I think it’s just fun, but it also sticks with a little bit of tradition.
And every year they’re coming out with something new, know, whether the fabrics are a little bit lighter or a little more durable, they’re always trying to stay at the top of the game. So for me, it’s everything Ariat.
Michelle
To date, what is your favorite moment in your riding career?
Kelli
That’s a hard one. I’d have to say there’s so many. Like I said, I’ve been so fortunate to have so many favorite memories. It’s hard to pick from one. Probably, I would say probably winning the Pessoa finals, the equitation finals because it was such a culmination of so many years of work with Cindy and I and so many other people that helped, but also was such a special horse with Monterrey.
He wasn’t everybody’s horse when we got him. He was kind of difficult. He had a reputation of being not so easy, and that day was just so special. I can remember every detail of that day. He came in ready to win.
It’s like one of those days when everything is perfect like just all the stars come into alignment and it’s just your day. And I can remember very few days like that except for that one. that would always be a special memory. then sharing it with my mom at the end was really special.
Michelle
What is your favorite horse show venue and why?
Kelli
I would say Devon always has a special place in my heart. The crowd there is like nothing you’ve ever seen. They’re so into the sport. They give you like so much energy. And obviously having such an unexpected win makes it my favorite. I definitely didn’t expect to win the Grand Prix. It was only the second time I’d ever jumped at that level. And it was just for fun mostly. And she just felt the crowd and was like, I’m not listening to you anymore. And we’re winning the class.
And even when I made it to the jump off, I didn’t even know the jump off. And there’s a specific moment on the video you can actually hear, someone in the crowd says turn. And my mare was so spectacular. was like, they’re telling me to turn. was right there. was like, yep, perfect timing. So I think Chamonix won the class. I was just along for the ride.
Michelle
What is one piece of essential gear for you and your horse that you’d recommend for riders this season?
Kelli
Probably, I’d say the Ravello boots are really becoming my new favorite tall boot. They last a long time. I ride, you know, six to eight horses a day at home at the shows, and they always look in perfect condition. They make me feel my best.
For my horse, I just like anything that keeps them really comfortable, anything that keeps them happy. They do a big job for us, so anything that you can do. And I’m sure everybody has their favorite, their favorite saddle pad or hack pad or saddle. We use Devoucoux and I feel like Gideon has his own saddle that he feels the best jumping in.
Michelle
Between shows when you’re home schooling, is there a very specific flat work or gymnastic exercise that you like to use at home? Is there something that you feel is very beneficial to all of your horses to keep them on their toes or keep them thinking instead of just drilling in the same stuff that us amateurs like to do?
Kelli
I would say this also gives total credit to Cindy. She is always doing something new. I think we are always having a new course every other day, a new exercise, the typical exercise that we like to do that I find most beneficial, we call it the box exercise. It’s just poles. You could do it with jumps if you want, but it’s just four poles that make a box. Typically one or two strides in between, and then you start building off of that. do one stride, you do two stride, then you can do the corners left to left in one, right to right in one or two.
And then if you want to feel like you’ve mastered that, then you start adding a transition in the middle. So you canter over the pole, walk, switch leads, canter over the next pole. It becomes really hard, really fast. If you’re feeling confident, just do a transition and then you’ll be very humbled. And it really gets them thinking mentally without feeling like they’re actually exerting a lot of energy.
Thank you again to Kelli for meeting with us! You can listen to our whole conversation with Kelli on our weekly podcast, Bit By Bit, available on YouTube and Spotify.
