Discovery Gallery with Coswick. HANNA KARASIOVA

 I can’t imagine my life being any different

 Young and beautiful, chestnut in coat, Barishnikov is the horse that Anna brought to the photo shoot. He doesn’t understand that the hay next to him is for the photos. He keeps trying to steal a bite, but Anna is firm with him: “Darling, we are working!” And he keeps following her commands while softly trotting on the hardwood flooring.

“He is only three. He is just starting to perform. We selected him for his gaited tendencies and the looks. I believe that he will be great, so we called him after a well-known ballet artist, Mihail Barishnikov. I think the name will help him. There is a saying in Russian language, the sailing path of the ship is defined by its name”, – explains Anna.

Horses are Anna’s biggest passion from childhood. She chose this path herself when she decided to enroll in the horse-riding school at the age of ten years. And she lived there since. She was a high achiever in school but had to make a sacrifice when she chose riding. Her father, a professional athlete himself, and mother supported her drive and desire to train. They knew that with her strong character, she will always get what she wants.  And they were right.

She is a five-time champion of Belarus, winner of many and nominee of numerous levels of the World Cup, participant of two finals of the World Cup, participant of the European Championship. In 2018, she brought home four gold medals from the Russian Level 4 Tournament. She is a professional athlete at an international level in equine sport and the captain of the National Equestrian Team.

“A will of steel, getting up and doing whatever it takes any time of day and night, there is no such thing as taking it easy. This is what it takes to be a champion. You have to do it now, no procrastinating, no fear”, – shared Anna in one of the interviews.

Anna is very strict with herself. This is the only explanation of how she managed to become a mother of three children, while continuing to ride and hold on to her captain status of the National team. She was riding after a month of birthing her second daughter. Four months post-delivery, she won a Ukrainian Tournament. Just recently, she gave birth to a son.

“Some people think I am crazy, but ten days after delivery, I was competing in the international competition in Lithuania and brought home three first places, – calmly shared Anna with us. – I love horses and the equestrian life. And I can’t imagine it being any other way”.

It doesn’t matter how many injuries there have been. She is always calm, confident, and elegant; with a perfect posture, she approaches her horses every morning. Anna is unshakable in her choices. But to the horses, she is very different. She cares for them with motherly love and with lots of respect as equals. Love, care, communication, humility this is the only way.

Genetics 

Anna’s oldest daughter, Dasha, inherited mother’s love for horses and is following in her footsteps. She is ten now, and she is already very serious about equestrian sport.

“Dasha is a warrior; she wants to be the best at everything, – Anna is not hiding her pride. – I think she will make it in this sport. I will help her get there”.

But her eight-year-old Sasha is very different. She is an artist.

Close to the dream

Right now, Anna is so close to achieving her dreams – to participate in the Olympic games. However, because of Covid-19 pandemic, the Tokyo Olympic Games were postponed to 2021. For the same reason, all international competitions were canceled. Among which was the World Cup final in show-jumping and dressage in Las Vegas (USA). Anna was among 18 participants, the best athletes in the world. But Anna, as always, takes the punch:

“I look for the positive side in everything and do not lose courage. We continue to work and prepare for the competitions. Now it is important that both horseback riders and horses keep their shape. In addition, there is time to pay more attention to young horses, they are making great progress”.

She lives as if ignore the hurdles. Calmly and confidently goes to the goal. She governs the destiny and remaining loyal to herself and her favorite horses.

In project used hardwood floor Coswick Oak Geneva.