Tara Yen Wee is a twenty-three-year-old dressage rider from Singapore who combines riding and competing with studying medicine at the National University of Singapore, where she is currently in her fourth year. Although based in Singapore, Tara regularly travels to the UK to pursue her dressage ambitions. “My main competition horse, Bubbles, is based in the UK, so I travel back and forth throughout the year to train and compete,” she explains.
How did horses come into your life and what led you to dressage?
Bubbles and Tara at the SEA Games in Bangkok last year
I first became obsessed with horses when I was eight years old and went on a family holiday to Thailand. My dad took me horse riding on the beach and I was totally hooked. When we came back to Singapore, I begged my parents to let me take lessons. I only started seriously competing when I was fifteen years old, when I got my first horse, Indi. He is originally a showjumper, and we competed up to 120cm. I suffered many injuries in my jumping career including a broken nose, multiple shoulder dislocations, back and hip injuries. I made the decision to retire from showjumping after having reconstructive surgery on my shoulder in 2021, and that was when I officially made the switch to Dressage. Indi and I learnt the small tour movements together at the same time and eventually made it to compete at the Inter 1 level in Singapore, where he even qualified for the Asian Games in 2023. It was always a struggle for us to compete with the dressage horses, but he put his all into it every single show, and for that I am forever grateful to him. I think the whole process of qualifying for the Asian Games really solidified my love for dressage. It was not without its challenges, but it was so much fun seeing the progress each week.
What does a typical week look like for you?
At home in Singapore, I ride at the Bukit Timah Saddle Club on my horse, Indi. In the morning, I’m at the hospital for my clinical postings by 7am, I spend the whole day there and I usually get to the stables in the evening around 5.30pm. I’m usually at the stables seven days a week, but I don’t necessarily ride every day. When I have the time on the weekend, I also help to exercise some of the riding school ponies or fellow livery horses. I must admit I’m not able to spend as much time as I’d like to at the stables on the weekdays as I must rush back and study for school the next day. When I’m in the UK however, it’s very different because the only thing I have on my agenda is to ride. It’s a great feeling because I spend however long I want at the stables, spending time with the horses. Currently I’m really focusing on how to properly ride the individual small tour movements, going back to the fundamentals to make sure I can ride each element of the test to the best of my ability.
How do you balance life as a dressage rider and a medical student?
Throwback to Tara’s showjumping days
Juggling school and riding is something I’ve done since I was in high school, so I’m quite used to it now. Some periods are harder to cope with both the workload and my riding aspirations, I would be lying if I were to say it’s been easy, and I’m not someone who is exceptional at coping with stress either. With the horses being in a completely different country, it does make travelling to the UK to train quite difficult at times. I’m fortunate enough that my school has been very supportive of my journey, and generous in granting me time to go overseas and train, especially in the run up to bigger competitions like the SEA and Asian Games, but I do wish I could spend more time in the UK training. I’m also very fortunate that my horses are so well looked after in the UK that I don’t have to worry about them being unhappy when I’m not there. I usually go over about every three to four months, depending on my school schedule, so I really have to make the most of the limited time I have there to get in as much riding and competing as possible. If I can offer any advice, it would be to know your motivations. Nothing motivates me more than the pursuit of my dreams, and I know that, for me, achieving them depends on finding a balance between school and riding. There have certainly been moments when I wished I could devote myself entirely to the sport, but I also recognise that it wouldn’t be sustainable in the long term for me.
Who do you train with?
I’ve been training with Andrew Gould for almost two years. I had struggled to find the right trainer and mentor in Europe for a while. He’s changed my mindset a lot about what it means to be a good rider and has helped me develop a maturity in my thinking as a rider. He’s also played a huge role in building up my confidence as a rider in such a short time. At home, Gena Marjanovic has been my coach for the past six years and she’s like a second mother to me. She’s seen me through many tough times and has shaped me into the rider I’ve become; I don’t know where I’d be without her belief in me.
What do you love about dressage?
Tara at the Asian Games in 2023 with a horse she leased name Jorito
I love how precise you must be in dressage. The horses reward you when you do it correctly, and they punish you, in their own ways, when you don’t. It’s a sport where there’s something different you can work on every day, and always something you can improve on no matter how experienced you are. I’m constantly working to be better than I was before. Some may disagree but I also find it very exciting. During those six minutes when I’m in the arena, something can go wrong at every and any corner, and I’m the only person who can control what happens next. Of course I don’t always manage to do that, but I try my best.
Can you share your experience of representing Singapore and what it means to you?
For as long as I can remember, it has been a dream of mine to represent Singapore. I had represented Singapore at a few youth jumping competitions when I was a teenager, but the first time my dream had really turned to reality was when I went to the Asian games in 2023. That was the first time I had ridden at such a big show, and I don’t think I was prepared enough for the reality of it. I had a much better experience when I went to the SEA Games last year, but still there were too many factors out of my control that once again led me to being ill-prepared. Unfortunately, the reality of this sport is that sometimes there are just too many factors that we can’t control. I still have so much more to learn and I’m trying to learn how to focus on the journey instead and appreciating the progress I’ve made. So, on the one hand, while it felt really amazing to be representing my country, I can’t help the disappointment that comes with not being able to perform at the level I know I’m capable of.
What is your training philosophy?
Always think of ways to improve.
Future aspirations?
In the near future, I hope to continue representing Singapore in future editions of the Southeast Asian (SEA) and Asian Games. The SEA Games in 2029 will be held in Singapore so I’m most looking forward to that, but long term I also hope that with more experience I will continue to mature as a rider and keep improving, and I’m excited to see where that will take me!
Your Top Tip
If you have a dream, don’t let anything get in the way of you achieving it!
What is the best piece of advice that you have ever been given?
I often feel that I am behind in life when I compare myself to friends and fellow competitors. The best advice I’ve been given is that there is no such thing as being behind or ahead because we are all on our own timelines, running our own different races with our own different struggles.
It takes a team to do dressage, who is in your support team?
My coaches obviously play a huge role, not just in their coaching but in providing much needed reassurance and emotional support, especially in tough times both in and out of the saddle, and of course Andrew’s team who I am so grateful to for looking after my horses so well while I’m gone. My long-suffering non-horsey boyfriend who listens and comforts me throughout my never-ending string of horse-related grievances. But most importantly, my parents. I know that they would go to the ends of the earth to make me happy. Their endless support of my riding journey and the pursuit of my dreams is something that I often take for granted. Being able to pursue my passion is not something everyone has the privilege of, so I am endlessly grateful to them for continuing to support me in this journey and believing in me.