Emerging Dressage Athlete Clinic

Upon completion of the Emerging Dressage Athlete Program Clinic with olympian Lendon Gray, we were thankful to have had the opportunity to ride and participate in the lectures of the weekend. The very generous Tempel Farms in Gurnee, Illinois donated their beautiful facility for the event where youth riders under 21 from within Region Two joined. Riders from age 8 to 20 were present, schooling intro level to Grand Prix. It was an opportunity for riders and auditors to experience the development of riders and horses of all levels, ages, and breeds. 

Throughout the clinic, Lendon stressed the importance of having choices while riding. Developing a communication with the horse so that he wants to cooperate, giving the rider the ability to do anything. She described dressage as a means of making the horse better through therapy, no matter the breed or age.

For the riders and auditors involved, Lendon encouraged participation, allowing for a fun, interactive learning experience. Participants were able to learn about the gaits of the horse, the aids used while riding, and effective warm ups. Then the comparison was made to see how the theories applied to the actual application.

The Gaits of the Horse

While lecturing on the gaits of the horse, she had participants describe the gaits. The canter, which has three beats begins with the outside hind leg, then the outside front and inside hind leg as a pair, and completes its third beat with the outside hind and inside front leg. Knowing this allows for increased understanding of the aids, such as the use of the outside leg of the rider to initiate the canter. The trot, which has two beats, was discussed to have diagonal pairs. This knowledge is important when training at all levels, and is it is important to maintain diagonal pairs was the horse achieves the most collected versions of trot: piaffe and passage. The last gait, the walk, is often under ridden and spoken about, although Lendon suggested that all riders take time to achieve a forward, matching 4 beat walk with the horse stretching into the contact. The strides of the walk (if starting with the left hind) are left hind, left front, right hind, right front. Again, knowing when each foot is coming off the ground is useful in having accurate timing while riding.

Aids

It was a nice refresher for all participants to go over the basic aids while riding. It was quickly established that two direct reins mean stop, and two legs at the girth mean go, however Lendon explained the importance of knowing how to influence the horse using the leg, rein, and seat.

While watching lessons, the participants were asked to watch as riders performed movements, and observe the aids (or sometimes lack thereof) that were being used. For example, during the shoulder in, we watched to see that the rider had the inside leg at the girth for bend and engagement of the inside hind leg, that the outside leg was behind the girth to contain the outside hind leg and prevent the shoulder in from becoming a leg yield, and that the rider was not using an indirect outside rein to pull the shoulders of the horse to the inside.

Warm Ups

Lendon also stressed variety in our warm-ups, encouraging the execution of many transitions within and throughout gaits and change of directions. These are the moments that set the tone for the ride and it is important to get the horse interested, engaged, supple and relaxed. She made the point that a rider should strive to have the horse relaxed in his work by having an effective warm up.

Lendon challenged riders to ride outside their comfort zone to improve. If nothing changes, there will not be improvement. One prime example that happened continuously was when a rider applied their leg or half-halted and there was no reaction from the horse. When this happened, riders were instructed to release the aid and apply a stronger one to encourage a response from the horse that would be followed by a praise of voice of pat on the neck. She emphasized the importance of not nagging the horse, but communicating clearly without a grey zone.

Lectures

Tempel Lippizans

During lunch, we had the opportunity to watch a demonstration from the Tempel Lippizans on training the piaffe and passage to their horses and their training program. Following the methods of the Spanish Riding School, the farm breeds Lippizans and trains them to the top levels of dressage while working with the traditional in hand work of the school, including the capriole and the levade.

The trainers explained that the most important thing is that the horse learns to be comfortable in the work and builds a connection with the trainers. Then, they have the desire to express themselves willingly, not by force. The horses are for short periods with frequent rewards, seen when the trainers working in hand would often stop the horse to praise them with a pat, voice, and a cube of sugar.

While demonstrating piaffe in hand and under saddle, the instructors stressed that the horse learns to become confident to carry himself and be light. One trainer explained that the rider should have the ability to lightly feel the horse’s mouth and allow him to move in an effortless, confident way.

The collaboration amongst the trainers at the farm critical to enhance the training of the horses. They observe the horses at liberty as youngsters to see which horse will have potential in different areas of work, such as the airs above the ground, and talk about the future and training that will best fit the individual horse.

Photographer John Borys

The second day of the clinic photographer John Borys shared his love for photography and how he has began a career in equine photography.
John was introduced to equine photography while visiting Tempel Farms with a photo club from Chicago. He began sharing his photos of the Tempel Lipizzans with the Program Director who saw his potential but told him he had a long way to go if he wanted to learn “the right way to capture a dressage horse”.  John began studying other photographers and meeting with the staff at Tempel every week to learn what correct dressage movements looked like and what “moments” the riders wanted capture.  Soon he was attending Horse Shows at Silverwood Farm in Wisconsin and became exposed to many different riders and horses and fell in love with Dressage. His work began to be shared on Facebook and he got his first gig shooting a Dressage Clinic taught by Olympian Jan Brink. From there things started to take off.

John explained his favorite part of taking photos is meeting the riders and horses and getting to know them personally so he can get the best pictures he can. Knowing the clients has allowed him to get unique candid shots and a more comfortable face in front of the camera. He also developed some very special friendships with many wonderful people.  Most every one of which has helped him along the way with a bit of advice or encouragement from time to time.  John emphasized the importance of treating everyone respect and listening to others as being crucial to building relationships, getting to know your clients, and seeing their connection with their horses. From his dedication he has become the official dressage photographer at Silverwood Farms and lead photographer at Tempel Farms. Additionally he has worked with Horses Daily and Mary Phelps, and will be the official dressage photographer at Lamplight Equestrian Center in 2016.

Reflection on The International Dream Program

Embarking on this journey to Germany to watch the European Dressage Championships, I was not anticipating to become so close with the other 3 participants. I never expected that we would bond so quickly, or that we would have so much fun… We couldn't have asked for a better group! Being from all over the country, from Alaska to Chicago, didn't make a difference since we all share an immense love for horses and a passion for the sport of dressage. 

A photo of the group with Kyra Kyrkland 

 With my blog I have focused on the educational aspects of the trip, however it is of large importance to recognize something grand the Dressage Foundation and the International Dream Program did; they helped establish relationships for the future generation of dressage by linking us together in this unique experience. We were able to share our love, and as Michael Poulin had hoped, the trip certainly ignited our dream of being the best riders and trainers we can be. With all the knowledge gained from the trip, we were able to come home and begin sharing what we learned with others in our community and applying what we learned to our riding. 

There are not enough words to express how grateful I am to have had the opportunity to be a part of this program. The Dressage Foundation's International Dream Program is a once in a life time experience that I will forever remember.  

Missed Notes: Freestyles and The JSP

Creating a Great Freestyle with FEI 5* Judge Katrina Wuest

Left to right: Annie Morris, Jennifer Foulen, Rosie Simoes, Katrina Wuest, Sadie Lahey, Sarah Cohen, Charlotte Bredahl

Fundamentals

•  Good riding and execution is first and foremost
•  For an inexperienced horse or rider, don’t over choreograph… better to keep it simpler that overly complicated
•  Good choreography must fit the horse, demonstrate the highlights of the horse, and not place emphasis on the weak points. Ex: If the horse has a weak walk, show it walking away from the judge.

Choreography

•  Make sure it is not test like, that it is unexpected yet organized

•  Work to combine elements and not isolate movements. It increases degree of difficulty and makes for interesting choreography. (Ex: Medium canter to a simple change for a second level horse)
•  Show things more than once! It can improve technical scores and will increases degree of difficulty

Music

•  Fits paces, fits picture and appearance, fits type of horse, and takes the judges into account

• Fun, recognizable music stays in you head. Must make the judges dream and spark emotional response.

The Judges Supervisory Panel

Left to right: Annie Morris, Sadie Lahey, Rosie Simoes, Charlotte Bredahl, Mary Seefried, Sarah Cohen, Jennifer Foulen 

Relatively new to the sport of dressage and unknown by many is the Judges Supervisory Panel, or JSP.  Lucky for us, we were able to gain insight on the responsibilities of this panel from one of the members of the panel at the European Championships, Mary Seefried. 

What is the JSP?

The JSP is a devise which is used in a lot of sports with semi-subjective judging. It is used to keep the sport fair for the riders and judges and helps prevent errors. "We are all human, we all make mistakes. It's a safety net for judges and riders," explained Mary. The JSP can change individual marks on movements up or down depending on the situation. It is a high pressure job as all marks must be finalized before the next rider enters the arena!

What does the JSP do? 

She continued to explain the panel consist of usually 3 members, 1 trainer and 2 judges, that each are responsible for different tasks; one watches a monitor with the scores coming in from the judges, one watches the arena where the test is live, and one watches a monitor with the live test. The collaborate to notice discrepancies in the judges scores in relation to the test. Only if there is a discrepancies of 2 or more points on a movement between judges, then the panel can change the score. 

When can they change a score mark? 

Scores can only be changed on the more technical elements of the test and cannot be changed for quality reasons. For example, scores can be altered if the rider made a counting error in a series of tempi changes, or in counting strides of the canter zig-zag. They can also change marks for discrepancies between judges on a flying change if it was late (behind, or in front), or if a combination did not perform enough piaffe steps. Marks cannot be changed on a basis of quality, for example an extended trot ect. Marks cannot be made lower than the lowest mark given from one of the judges.   

Important to Remember…

The Judges Supervisory Panel is a part of the team of judges sitting around the arena, even though they are stationed in a different area. It is not there role to judge the competition, however it is their job to help make the sport as fair and honest as possible.

Inspiration: Life Goals and Working Hard

Favorite quotes and notes of inspiration looking back at an amazing week in Aachen….

Opening Ceremonies 

Henk Van Bergen (NED) 

"Tomorrow I want to be a little better than I am today."

"If you want to get somewhere, you must work a little harder and do a little better than everyone else."

"You become successful by fighting back. Don't complain and give up! No matter how good you are there will always be disappointments… That's life."

Meyer zu Strohen (GER)

"Everyday I go a small step forward." Make sure you don't go too quickly forward, take things step by step. And, remember, it is natural to take 5 good steps and then 2 backwards.

Don't settle for good. Push yourself. You won't always have it your way.

Jan Bemelman (FRA)

"Success you make at home."

"Between the PSG and the GP you have the Alps!" Prepare for the climb.

Oliver Olerich (GER)

"10 years ago it (competing internationally) was only for the old ladies. They (young riders) were looking at the door with no way to get in."

But now Germany amongst other countries have developed youth programs to foster the next generation of young riders, giving us youth something to work for and smile about.

From a Rider's Point of View: Speaking with Mikala Gundersen

After the Grand Prix team competition, we met up with Mikala Gundersen to hear about her experience competing in Aachen and the program she uses to prepare her mount, My Lady, for a show of this caliber.

The International Dream Program Participants and Mikala

To prepare for Aachen, she explained her focus on having My Lady in good condition. The last week before the show she uses to ensure the mare is happy, easy going, and ready mentally and feeling fresh physically by training lighter.

"We have a lot of miles behind us now," Mikala told us about her and Lady. "Every step we must balance, but she just keeps getting better!"

Although she had a few unfortunate mistakes, she simply joked about them and was truly proud of her mare. She even jokingly told us how a judge laughed at how Lady likes to throw in her own touch, such as resting her hind leg in a perfectly square halt in the Grand Prix.

"Vegas was our best show yet," but Mikala explained the showing in Aachen is unlike anywhere else in the world because the audience is so involved. As a spectator at the event, I can only imagine was it is like to have thousands of educated eyes watching!

Mid-day Chats @ European Dressage Championships

What an opportunity it has been to talk to many of the top professionals in dressage. Even during an off day of competition, we still were busy! On the agenda for the day was speaking with Bo Jenå, Chef d' Equip of the Swedish team, Hans-Heinrich Meyer zu Strohen, the young rider coach for Germany, and Jan Bemelmans, the Chef d' Equip of the French team. 

Highlights from our chats with… 

Bo Jenå, Chef d' Equip of the Swedish Dressage Team 

Planning and Preparation
As the Chef d' Equip, we wanted to know from Bo, "How do you prepare for a competition of this magnitude?"

The answer was simple. Good planning.

"It reduces stress," he explained. The team begins preparing long in advance, with goals to reach and expectations of where they need to be at different times before the competition. The evaluate where they are at different times before the show to ensure the horses peak at the correct time. Generally the team trains lighter the week of the show to take pressure off and have the horses fresh mentally and physically for competition.

Presenting Your Horse
Along side being prepared is knowing how to present the horse in an vet inspection. Not only does it show the judges that you know how to handle your horse in a professional way, it also allows them to see the horse at best. Make sure when running in hand to use one hand on the reins, keep good posture, and turn the horse away from you. When you take off to jog, the horse should follow your right shoulder as a signal that it is time to go.

Long Lining
At his barn, long lining is an important part of training. For him, it is important because it allows him to see everything that is going on with the horse, not solely relying on feeling. Sometimes you are riding and "it feels good but it is not correct". It is important to have mirrors and eyes on the ground to help in the training process, but long lining is a way to work from the ground with your horse, get the benefits of riding, and see for yourself what is going on.

Using cavalettis with the long lines is something that Bo likes, as it helps the horse increase balance, and his horses get trained on the long line once a week.

Some of the most important details to him when working his horses in this way? Not to work the horse in too small of an area, on too small of circles, and to make sure to have the horse on the outside rein.

The Quadrille

Earlier we had the opportunity to watch the German young riders practice their quadrille, so when Bo brought up its importance, we were all ears. He explained the three major benefits he finds to riders working in this format…

1. It demonstrates dressage tradition.
2. The riders are required to have their horses in a "good way of going", meaning on the bit, paying attention, and ready to prepare and preform the group choreography. 
3. It takes discipline to practice, learn the choreography and keep up with the group. The riders have to be on top of their game, make sure they are accurate, know where the other riders are, and maintain good rhythm, balance, and harmony with the horse. 

Hans-Heinrich Meyer zu Strohen, Young Rider Coach for Germany

Qualities of a Top Young Rider
The riders Hans-Heinrich sees rising to the top have a few qualities that he finds paramount to great riding:

1. They have a "top quality seat".

The riders spend hours upon hours working on improving their seat (on the lunge line, working without stirrups act). He advised us to get to work! The seat is critical so that while you are riding you can be effective, feel the horse, and have independent control over different areas of the body.

2. They have great feeling while riding. 

The riders can feel what is happening with the horse, mentally and physically.

3. They take time to know the horses and have relationships with them. 

It makes training enjoyable for the horse and rider, and in competition judges can see it when the horses and riders are having fun… and isn't that what riding is supposed to be about? 

And, the best riders say thank you to the horse. We ask a lot of the animals, and it is important they can feel they are doing a good job. It makes for a happy horse that wants to work! 

Going Step by Step

Some of my favorite advise of the week so far was to take things one step at a time. "Everyday go a small step forward. Not a quick step or a large step."

He pointed out to us that usually after 5 good steps you are going to have 2 steps backward, but that's life. Most important is to not let things set you back, and continue to push yourself to excel. Hans-Heinrich advised us to never settle for the good, push yourself. "You won't always have it your way," but you must continue to try. 

Jan Bemelmans, Chef d' Equip of the French Team
The Story of Bandina Altena and Her Rider Pierre Volla
Jan recalled when he first met the mare when she was green and Pierre was making the switch from jumping to dressage. She was super hot, explosive, and complicated. But now the pair has made it to international Grand Prix, is competing this week at the European Championships, and doing a darn good job!

With this year being the first at Grand Prix, they have taken big risks, however it has paid off tremendously. Jan joked, saying, "I made a good choice (with Bandina and Pierre), and will have a job for another year!"

The French have some very promising young horses to look forward to in the future that did a great job at the championships. Their potential has developed into greatness, securing a spot at the Olympic games for the French team.

On Preparing for a Show
As chef, Jan was more than eager to share with us how preparing for competition is crucial. He stressed knowing the good and weak points of horses, and in his position, he pays special attention to how the riders and horses are progressing. Preparing months in advanced to the show and balancing training leads to success. "You don't want to over, or under train the horse", he explained to us. And, also important is keeping it easy going once at the show… because by then, it is too late to fix any major problems! Best to keep the horses and riders happy and fresh!

1. The Netherlands, 2. Great Britain, 3. Germany, Team Competition Results

Hans Peter Minderhoud, member of the gold medal team

It was a sight to be seen at the European Championships today, as the Netherlands came away with the team gold, being just around a percentage point above Great Britain that claimed the silver, and Germany that claimed the bronze.

We were all on the edge of our seats watching as Charlotte and Valegro rode. There is a reason they are top in the world, as they navigated the test with such grace, balance, and power. Unfortunately the pair has mistakes that effected the score, but still managed a well deserved 83%+ to individually take the lead in the grand prix.

 Promising was the number of up-and-coming superstars. The class was loaded with 9 and 10 year-old horses that typically were receiving scores in the low 70% and showed tons of potential. It was fun to sit and watch what is up-and-coming.

 The leader of the Grand Prix, Charlotte Dujardin

With having Charlotte Bredahl (who is an FEI judge and international competitor) as one of our mentors, we had the unique experience to discuss how scores were given, what the judges were looking for, and we took turns giving comments on the tests (look for a later post about this!). We all agreed that the future of dressage is very exciting!

His Novel began at the European Championships

The International Dream Program group with Carl Hester 

Competition stated today at the 2015 European Championships, and after watching and discussions with our chaperones, Charlotte Bredahl and Annie Moris, we met up with Carl Hester at what he would name the, "fountain of youth". 

Carl was quite funny and more than enthusiastic to speak with us. Here's a little of what he had to say regarding…

His Program

Coming from an eventing background helped Carl decide how to set up a program to work his horses. By now most of us have heard of his two days of work, one day of hacking followed by two more work days, another hack, and then a day of rest. But hearing it from Carl himself was different than reading about it, because there is a method to his program.

The second day the horses work, there is a large improvement on what was worked on the first day and he feels it is a system that works well with the horse's mental process. Then during the "hack" day, the horse has a chance to rest the muscles and think about something else.

But hacks aren't just for fun. The horses go on hacks all over to get them exposed to the world outside the arena. Going down the road and in busy places are a part of training for competition, so when have to deal with the activity and unexpectedness that a horse show they are better prepared.

Affording Horses

Carl is a firm believer that there is no better way to learn to ride then by training your own horses. "Feeling and timing are hard to teach," but it's special when a rider has those qualities and can do more than push buttons on a trained horse. His biggest advise to us as aspiring professionals and riders: Don't wait for someone to buy you a horse. Buy what you can afford and train it. Then you can sell it and get a better one if need be… But, who knows, you could have yourself a great partner! If you wait around for a sponsor, you could miss out on what could be great and on learning from the ultimate teacher, your horse.

Charlotte and Valegro

After much talk about the partnership, it was obvious he was proud to have made the pair happen. He smiled and said, "There is no point in being selfish!" He laughed and told us that once it was decided Charlotte would be his rider and Valegro was at the top level, he had put together a great team for the British. "I was one, Charlotte was two, and it happened that Laura made three! We had ourselves a great team!"

Riding tests

Everyone has their own approach to test riding, but Carl's is pretty simple. He simply will visualize the movement at its best while riding. His advise was to think about one movement at a time and by not hurrying through it, make it the best it can be.

Another tip: Ride the short sides! Show the judge that you can soften and give the reins for a stride and improve the general impression of the ride. Ride the corners well, and show the judge your horse's gaits. These things seem small, but the short sides can show the judge how effective you are in between movements and the harmony between you and your horse.   

Carl paused while we were thoughtfully taking notes, looked at Charlotte, and laughed. "Send me a copy of my new novel when it comes out!" Grinning, we all nodded. These are highlights from our chat, but from all his wonderful knowledge, we really could write a novel!

Side Note…
After falling off this morning, Carl left us to go buy a new helmet for the competition tomorrow. Read about some of the events of the day here:
http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/news/michael-eilberg-performs-and-carl-hester-falls-off-aachen-european-championships-505575?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social

And So It Begins… 2015 European Championships, Aachen, Germany

Jennifer Foulon, Sadie Lahey, Kyra Kyrklund, Annie Morris, Sarah Cohen, myself, and Charlotte Bredahl

Thanks to the Dressage Foundation and all who support it, US Youth Coach Charlotte Bredahl, chaperone and trainer Annie Morris, myself and the other 3 participants arrived in Aachen, Germany for the start of the 2015 European Championships. 

We hit the ground running by heading to the show and watching the riders warm up horses after the jog. Being able to observe different styles of riding and approaches allowed for us to discuss what we saw as a group, the main point of discussion was the presence of harmony as horse and rider worked as one, something that as a judge, Charlotte finds to be paramount to dressage.

The group was able to speak with superstar Kyra Kyrklund, ask questions, and get a sense for how she works with the horses. Here are some topics we discussed: 

Topic: What kind of schedule do you prefer for the horses? 

Every horse is different and you need to experiment to see what works. The horse dictates what kind of schedule he needs. Some need more work than others. But, the most important part is good riding. 

Topic: Young horses 

The young horse program sets up good goals for the horses, but again, she stressed that the horse dictate those goals. some horses need more time, some horses need to take a break from training… It all depends, and you won't know until you begin work with an individual horse! If something is easy for the horse I can use it to help the training process as a tool. If you present information correctly, the horses are quick learners. We have to be responsible teachers in making sure they are learning when appropriate, in a way that is good for them. 

Topic: What kind or type of horse do you like? 

 *Laughing* "I like a good horse!" 

Kyra explained breeding is important to know and understand so you have an idea of what you are working with, but that you can't judge a horse solely on his breeding. They are all unique. 

Topic: Getting to the top of the sport

The best thing to do according to Kyra…

Work hard, get good instruction, and watch good riding. If you have to muck out stalls, then so be it, but to be an elitist in this sport you need to be emerged in it. 

Another tip: Mentally ride. Practice what you do on the horse in your brain off the horse. Making the connections in your brain actually is found to improve your ability, and it will better prepare you for when you are riding. "Be a passionate idiot!", and try to make yourself as good as possible. 

Notes From the Courtney King-Dye Horsemanship Clinic

Instructors during the week, Scott Hassler and Lendon Gray. 

Lendon Gray's Dressage4kids has opened doors for youth riders, of all levels, and is promoting and enhancing dressage in the US like never before. I am forever grateful to her for that and so thankful to everyone wo took a part in organizing and who volunteered for the 2015 Courtney King-Dye Horsemanship Clinic that took place in Maryland this past week. The owners of Riveredge Farm, the clinicians, the guest speakers.. all who were more than generous with their time and so insightful, thank you. And, to Donna Stockton, who owns the beautiful Adagio who I was able to ride in the clinic, words cannot express my gratitude. Here are some of my notes from the week of training and lectures. 

From Scott Hassler: 

1. Coach your horse to produce results. When the going gets tough there may be some resistance, and he needs your help as the rider to get through it. Help him become the athlete he wants to be! Correcting your horse is necessary… As Scott pointed out, without guidance many of us would've been in a juvenile prison!

2. "Our aids are our conversations with our horse. How much pressure is the tone of our voice, and our goal is to have a nice tone." 

3. Be creative with your riding. Use turns to create energy and suppleness. Use your corners to prepare and collect your horse.

4. Ride in short, useful sets to keep your work positive and keep your horse fresh. 

5. Think forward! When a horse comes back he should want to go forward. 

6. "The quickest way to access the horse's body is through the mind."

7. Develop exercises to improve weaknesses and to help your horse progressively improve. 

8. Develop strategies when riding to motivate your horse to improve mental and physical state and build confidence. 

9.Understand resistance in your horse and develop gymnastic exercises to break through it. 

10. Ride proactive, not reactive. Use half halts as reminders to maintain your conversation to be proactive in your riding. This way you don't have to be reactive. 

From Courtney King-Dye: 

Courtney teaching rider Nicole Nowak 

1. When riding a new horse, test the responses from leg and hand. 

2. Use the dressage tests to help you. Don't skip things along the way!

3. Nervousness comes from feeling unprepared. 

4. It is a waste when people don't ride corners. 

5. Bend your horse! Use leg yield, half pass, leg yield exercises to improve bend in the neck and body. 

From Susanne Hassler: 

1. Good riding starts with good intentions. 

2. The rider's posture is the rider's responsibility. 

3. Equitation needs to be functional. Actively look to improve your riding. The way you sit affects your horse. 

International Dream Program

June 1 I summited an application to the Dressage Foundation hoping that I would be one of four chosen to travel to Europe to observe great riding, training, and competition, and this week I heard back… I was picked! All I can say is, thank you to the Dressage Foundation for selecting me to go on the International Dream European Tour!

The opportunities I have had in the equine industry never seize to amazing me, and I have found that if there is something you want to do, you might as well give it a shot. If you don't make it, at least you know you tried, and if you do… Well, it feels pretty amazing!

Thank you again to the Dressage Foundation and to everyone who supports me. :)
http://www.dressagefoundation.org/newsroom/newsroom.html/article/2015/06/23/tdf-chooses-four-young-riders-for-international-dream-european-tour

Adagio's First PSG

I am lucky to have had the opportunity to grow up with and train a German Riding Pony who has taught me many, many things. His owner has always been more than supportive, and the two of us have loved watching as the pony has grown up, finally settled into his own.

So, it was a proud moment today as I piloted him through his first PSG test. Of course, silly mistakes happened, but none that cannot be fixed. And for a pony who has struggled learning flying changes, he did a great line of fours! There is nothing more rewarding than teaching horses and having them feel proud of themselves. I feel so thankful to have this little guy in my life!

Florida Dream Tour

Thanks to Dressage4Kids I was able to attend the Florida Dream Tour hosted by the Dressage Foundation. The day was based off and supported the International Dream Program, which sends ambitious young riders to Europe to observe elite dressage training facilities. However, the Dream Tour had no restrictions on who could participate, allowing dressage enthusiasts of all ages to take part, and the participants visited 4 stables of professionals working in the Wellington area.

Stillpoint Farm owed by Tuny Page, Four Winds Farm owned by John and Leslie Malone, Yeguada de Ymas owned by Javier Bacariza and Cristina Daguillencourt, and Roundabout Stables owned by Patricia Stempel were all on the agenda for the day. Watching these professionals at work was informative, demonstrated amazing riding, and, as an up-and-coming rider, I was extremely grateful to spend the day observing. Watching great riding is crucial to achieving great riding. It provides riders a visual of excellence and promotes a high standard.

And with this high standard of riding came a common thread; the importance of a variety in work and special attention to each horses needs. While each instructor and rider had a slightly different approach to the horses, their goals were nearly the same- to produce supple, attentive, and relaxed athletes preforming at their best. Here is an overview of what each stable had to offer.

  

Stillpoint Farm

At Stillpoint international competitors Tuny Page, Christilot Boylen, Lara Griffith, Laura Bechtolsheimer-Tomlinson demonstrated while Dr. Bechtolsheimer taught.

For many of the horses at Stillpoint, it was a light day of work. Tuny Page used the day to focus on transitions between gaits and within the gates, making the horse responsive, on the aids, and working through the body. When she would work the horse in collected work, she would take care to allow the horse to stretch after. This relaxed the muscles and gave the horse a reward, especially after very collected canter work, which she equated to people doing crunches or an abdominal workout.

Christilot Boylen, a 7 time Olympian for Canada, had much wisdom to share. She was quick to explain her motto that practice doesn’t make perfect, perfect practice makes perfect, a lesson she applies riding each day.

           

While doing a light school on her Grand Prix horse, Christilot demonstrated the importance of riding with 2 legs and 2 reins in a basic exercise of leg-yield head to wall. She explained how the exercise quickly shows what the rider is doing and how it affects the horses body and alignment and continued to explain its usefulness in training. Along side that, Christilot stressed that horses must be supple 2 ways; laterally (side to side) and longitudinally (over their back), and that as riders we must be able to check the horse’s balance by giving the rein and seeing if they can balance themselves.

Lara, who has worked with the Bechtolshiemers since 2010, rode with Dr. Bechtolshiemer in a lesson. To warm her large horse up, she allowed the horse to stretch, then worked the shoulder in, renver, and traver in the trot, and throughout the lesson rode many transitions. Watching her work with Dr. B allowed auditors to see the communication between rider and trainer. When the horse was over eager practicing the canter zig-zag, she made the horse wait and explained the excitement from the horse to Dr. B. Working with the Grand Prix horse, she rode lovely and well-executed trot piaffe trot transitions, which helped engage him more, and would frequently ask him to sit very collected for a few strides then ride out in trot and canter.

Laura Bechtolsheimer was riding a large mare that Dr. Bechtolsheimer explained, like many horses, benefited from warming up in the canter. He explained that “the horse dictates the pace of training”, and that it was important to have an individualized plan for working each horse. He also explained that the horses get out

2 times a day horses, once to hack, go on aqua tredmill ect, and once to work. This allowed the horses to have variety and improve their fitness.

Dr. B worked with the riders then explained to us auditors something that I find to be very true about training horses; being a trainer is like being a kindergarten teacher. You have to be patient and often think, “how can I make it easier for the horse to understand”.

Four Winds Farm

Next we traveled to Four Winds Farm were Michael Klimke, and Suzanne Hassler rode, and Scott Hassler, retiring young horse coach spoke. This team of instructors was refreshing to watch, as they all believe in the same principles of training, which became apparent watching them work.

While Michael and Suzanne rode, Scott spoke about the fundamentals of dressage and working with horses while relating it back to the horses working.

For him and his team, focusing on the individual horse was first and foremost, along with always striving to improve horsemanship. Scott sees himself as the horses’ coach and he strives to read the horse, find his strengths and weaknesses, and create a program that works for the individual. Building confidence and understanding with the animal, he said, is key to training, and working in highly concentrated work for short set, he believes, it one of the most effective ways to train because it keeps the horses’ bodies and minds fresh and ready to work. When riding, it is important to “listen to the horse and prepare it” for the movements ahead, he said.

Another key component Scott stressed was establishing relaxation in the horse before adding power to the work. This ensured that the horse says happy, confident, and working without tension. And along with relaxation, he stressed a variety in work and using the horses’ highlights to improve the weaknesses, such as allowing a horse who enjoys extended trot to perform this ‘highlight’ to build confidence for a movement that may be more difficult, such as a half pass.

Yeguada de Ymas

At Yeguada de Ymas, Juan Matute Sr instructed his son Juan and an additional rider as they worked with the horses. Juan Sr explained how the benefits of in-hand work to warm the horse up, rather than getting on the horse right from the start.

Both riders worked their horses in hand, schooling piaffe, passage, shoulder in and rever to loosen the horses for the ride. It was explained that this is a great way to teach horses to carry weight behind. By using the voice, the reins, and a whip lightly on top of the croup, the riders worked with the horses to prepare them for the ride.

Juan Sr also demonstrated himself working with the horses in-hand. “I always offer my hand to the horse,” he explained. He allows the horse to smell him and say hello when approaching them, and explained that he never wears sunglasses, so that he can look into the horses’ eyes. “Tricks are not hard to teach, the mind is,” and because of this, Juan stressed the importance of working with “no drama” to keep the horses relaxed and in tune while working.

Watching horses have this type of warm up was unique, but it was explained that not all horses benefit from stretching in the warm up as it causes some to become croup high and makes it a challenge for the horse to collect later. However not all horses we saw were warmed up in such a manner. A young 5 year old was presented and warmed up under saddle. This horse’s warm up was ridden very forward, with some 2 point in the canter.

Just as the other stables had stressed the importance of variety, Juan Sr. explained that they often took the horses out of the arena and took time to hack out.

Roundabout Stables

At he last stop of the day, Shelly Francis rode a lovely Grand Prix horse. She was amazing to watch because her horse was extremely in tune with her and very sensitive. The lightest touch of the leg produced a reaction, something she explained was very important for her to teach the horses.

Warming the horse up, she began in the walk for a good ten minutes, using lateral work to loosen the horse’s body and get it on the aids. She would often ride half passes, taking a few strides to push the haunches over extra or change the bend to a leg yield to work on suppling the horse.

In her ride, she worked many elements of the Grand Prix test, preparing for the Nation’s Cup that week. Shelly demonstrated beautiful transitions within each gate, proving the adjustability of her horse, all while maintaining relaxation and suppleness. She rode many trot-passage-trot transitions, all while testing the reactiveness of the horse. As many of the riders of the day, she allowed her horse to stretch after highly collected work, and showed clear relaxation in her ride.

Thank you again to Dressage4kids for the opportunity to participate in such an inspiring event, and thank you to the Dressage Foundation for the great day! It was a phenomenal learning experience and very inspirational!