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.