When we welcomed Will-oh! to Willow & Withers last winter, many people naturally assumed she'd be a fantastic tool for the colder months.
And she absolutely was.
She kept riders learning, improving, and riding when the weather made getting into the saddle a little more challenging.
But something interesting has happened this summer.
Rather than disappearing, Will-oh! has become part of many riders' regular training routine—just in different ways.
The simulator isn't replacing time in the saddle.
It's helping riders get even more from the time they spend with their horses.
Here's how riders are making the most of Will-oh! this summer.
A few weeks later, they're returning to Will-oh!
Not because something is wrong...
But because they're noticing little things they'd like to improve.
Perhaps one stirrup feels heavier.
Maybe they're collapsing through one hip.
Or they're preparing for the next step in their training.
The simulator offers a chance to check in with your position and make small adjustments before taking those changes back to your horse.
One of the biggest surprises this summer has been the number of riders booking a "mid-season check-in."
You've been riding for a few months.
You've settled back into your rhythm.
Perhaps you've attended a clinic or two, competed at a few shows, or simply spent more hours in the saddle.
Now is the perfect time to pause.
What habits have crept back in?
Where have you improved?
What small adjustment could make every ride for the rest of the season even better?
Sometimes one session on the simulator changes the focus of every ride that follows.
Summer is show season.
One of the features riders love is that Will-oh! has two virtual dressage arenas available, allowing you to ride through your test as many times as you'd like.
No weather.
No distractions.
No worrying about what your horse might do.
Just an opportunity to focus on accuracy, geometry, and your position.
Then take that confidence into the show ring.
Let's be honest...
Some summer days are hot.
Really hot.
Will-oh!'s climate-controlled studio offers riders the chance to continue their training without battling the heat or humidity.
It's amazing how much easier it is to focus on your position when you're comfortable.
Sometimes the best ride of the day happens indoors.
One of our favourite offerings this summer has been our Ship-In + SIM sessions.
Riders trailer their horse to Willow & Withers and begin with time on the simulator, where they can isolate specific position or biomechanics goals.
Then they head into the arena to immediately apply those changes with their own horse.
It's one thing to understand a movement.
It's another to feel it.
This service bridges the gap between the two.
Summer evenings are made for getting together.
Our Barn Night experiences have become a fun way for barns, riding friends, and equestrian groups to experience the simulator together.
Everyone gets a chance to ride, learn, laugh, and cheer each other on.
Planning a day in the Annapolis Valley?
Pair your Barn Night with dinner at one of our fantastic local restaurants or a visit to one of the area's many wineries.
It's become one of our favourite ways to introduce new riders to Will-oh!
One of the things that excites me most is seeing the simulator used alongside talented coaches.
This summer we're thrilled to welcome clinicians like Aerial Boesener, combining expert coaching with the instant feedback available from Will-oh!
Sometimes understanding a movement away from your horse first makes it much easier to reproduce once you're back in the saddle.
The simulator doesn't replace great coaching.
It enhances it.
One of the things we've loved discovering this summer is that no two riders use the simulator in exactly the same way.
Some come to prepare for competition.
Some are returning after a riding break.
Some are refining biomechanics.
Some are building confidence.
Some simply want to become kinder, more balanced riders for their horse.
Whatever your goals, Will-oh! can become part of your training journey—not just in winter, but throughout the year.
Because every improvement you make on the simulator is designed to make the time you spend with your horse even more meaningful.
We'd love to welcome you to Willow & Withers and help you discover how Will-oh! can become part of your summer training too.