Namita Nayyar:
You have glowing skin and gorgeous hair. Share with us your hair care and skincare routine.
Ilona Hannich:
Well, this is not my area of expertise. I’m probably quite lucky with my hair and skin, it looks good without a big or reflected routine. I wash my hair almost every day which I know is supposedly not the best way to go. But as I train and sweat every day, I just like to feel clean and fresh afterwards.
For my skin care, I use a daily face cream, one for the night and wear a good sunscreen in summer. But that’s about it.
Namita Nayyar:
Building trust forms the core of vaulting athlete relationships with horses. Adapting to different horses for international competitions requires building trust swiftly. What is your unique strategy to build the near perfect connection with equine partners, Elaborate?
Ilona Hannich:
This is one of the most beautiful things about vaulting: Forming trust and friendship with your equine partner. I think the unity and relationship builds with shared experiences and over time. There’s no way around spending time with each other and making all kinds of different experiences. You have to learn how the horse reacts, what it likes and dislikes. And this might be different for every single horse you work with. You spend time and try to understand each other, make training motivating and rewarding for them and strengthen their trust in you.
I think it’s very important that we work hard on ourselves, so we are always in balance and soft on the horse. This also gives them trust. So like in a friendship with other people, the connection forms over time, and sometimes, with some horses, it instantly clicks and you feel like you’ve always known each other. The difference is that you don’t communicate as direct and the horse can’t talk, so you have to pay close attention to their body language and reactions.
Namita Nayyar:
Five athletic leisure brands you love to wear.
Ilona Hannich:
Nike, Swiss Designer Sport, the north face, adidas, on.
Namita Nayyar:
Five travel destinations on your wish list.
Ilona Hannich:
Canada, Brazil, South Africa, Japan, and Namibia.
Namita Nayyar:
Quote you live by.
Ilona Hannich:
If you can dream it, you can do it.
Namita Nayyar:
Tell us about a day in the life of Ilona Hannich
Ilona Hannich:
Mostly, every day looks a little bit different. In a day I work, I get up, often take a cold shower, eat my breakfast and read, then I leave for the office. I work in the office but leave early, probably around 3 or 4 p.m. and then go to training. Depending on the day, the training schedule is different, but mostly I train 4-5 hours.
For the days I don’t work, I get up with the same schedule as above, I get some things done I have on my to-do list and then mostly go for two training sessions with a break in between.
Disclaimer
The Content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.
