New USEF Safe Sport Educational Requirements

Posted on October 24, 2018October 29, 2018 by CWDS Web Designer

US Equestrian developed their Safe Sport program to create and maintain an equestrian community free of all forms of emotional, physical and sexual misconduct. They state that all of their members have a mandatory duty to report suspected sexual misconduct. They have recently developed the USEF Safe Sport Policy and U.S. Center for SafeSport Code which are intended to protect all competitors.

Their homepage for Safe Sport can be found by clicking on this link. There is a compelling video on the homepage of five time Olympian Anne Kursinski sharing her experience of being abused at age 11 by a worldclass trainer. In this video she encourages everyone to become educated about what to look for so that no more children suffer what she suffered.

In order to be eligible to compete in any USEF events in 2019 you need to take the three Safe Sport training modules. The instructions for taking the training can be found on the US Equestrian Safe Sport homepage. Additonally they have phone numbers for a 24 hour helpline and a link to electronically report sexual misconduct as well as resources for victims of sexual misconduct. They also have resources for parents including a “Complete Parent Toolkit” and a “US Safesport Directory” of individuals who have successfully completed the USEF background screening check. Please feel free to contact the USEF if you have any questions.

CWDS Equine Massage Clinic

Posted on May 12, 2017 by CWDS Web Designer

Our April 30th CWDS Equine Massage Clinic was a great learning experience. Ellen Roy was kind enough to volunteer her horse “Chance” for the demonstration by Liz Kelley, a Certified Equine Massage Therapist. Ms. Kelley taught us about pressure points and the associated muscle weaknesses that can be found in our horse’s bodies. She then demonstrated how she looks for these pressure points when working with one of her equine patients. In particular, she demonstrated how she investigates the tissue along the horse’s spine and in their shoulder area for problems. Next she showed us how as a Therapist she addresses pain and injuries in the equine patients with her gentle touch. She also demonstrated how her work helps to create balance in the horse’s musculoskeletal system.

In addition to demonstrating treating the equine patient, she also taught us simple practices that we could do to improve our horses’ health. One thing she recommended was the use of a curry brush with magnets to increase muscular circulation. She also emphasized that we provide our horses with a nice cool down after each ride. There were many other tips and tricks that she gave us to help us keep our equine partners feeling and performing their best.

We would like to thank Liz Kelley for donating her time to help educate us about the benefits of Equine Massage. If you would like to contact her to work with your horse please click on this link for more information about her practice and how to set up an appointment for your horse.

About Central Washington Dressage Society

Central Washington Dressage Society is committed to offering Educational Opportunities like this, in addition to Clinics with esteemed Dressage Trainers and Schooling Shows, to it’s members on a regular basis to help them to develop in their dressage endeavors. To learn more about the benefits of becoming a member, please go to the Membership Page of our website.

TDF’s Op-Ed: What Judges look for at Fourth Level

Posted on November 4, 2016November 4, 2016 by CWDS Web Designer

By Sarah Geikie

Sarah Geikie is a USDF Bronze and Silver Medalist, and successful competitor through Grand Prix. She is an FEI**** (C) Dressage Judge, USEF S Judge and a USDF Examiner and Faculty Member, who is also certified through Fourth Level. Sarah was the 2011 recipient of TDF’s Major Anders Lindgren Scholarship for Dressage Instructors.

Have you ever wondered what judges look for at Fourth Level? Fourth Level is the stepping stone from the USEF National Tests, to the FEI level of tests, which starts with Prix St. Georges, progresses to Intermediare 1 and 2, finally culminating in the Grand Prix.

Fourth Level Test One has similar movements as found in Third Level Test 3. New movements in Fourth Level Test 1 include showing very collected canter steps on the circle and doing three flying lead changes on the diagonal. Fourth Level Test 2 introduces the quarter-turn working canter pirouette, as well as three four-tempis. Fourth Level Test 3 is a bigger jump in difficulty than test one and two. In the Test 3, there is the Schaukel. The Schaukel is a rein-back four steps, forward four and rein-back four then immediately forward again. The horse must be forward-thinking throughout this movement and stay over its back. Also in Test 3 are working half canter pirouettes as well as tempi changes to fours and threes, as well as one counter change in canter where there is a canter half-pass to the right, a flying change, and an immediate half-pass left and flying change.

Fourth Level 3 introduces more difficult movements testing the horse’s degree of collection and balance. There is less ‘breathing’ space in Test 3, so it requires the horse to be strong and balanced enough to sustain collection for a period of time.

Laura Graves, 2016 Carol Lavell Advanced Dressage Prize Recipient from TDF

Let’s take a look at some of the key movements at Fourth Level, especially the movements that have double coefficients:

First, there are the walk pirouettes. It is surprising how often these are done poorly, or one is done well, and the other direction is done poorly. Pirouettes in the walk teach the horse the mechanics of pirouettes in the canter. The pirouette requires that the horse (and rider) have a thorough understanding of the turning aids in combination with the bending aids. The horse is bent in the direction of the turn, and balanced over the inner hind leg, while maintaining the rhythm and footfall of the walk. Pirouettes are performed from the collected walk, in which the walk steps must become shorter and more active. This will set the horse up to do a turn that will be able to sustain the rhythm of the steps as well as the balance. One of the biggest rider errors when performing the walk pirouettes is that the walk steps are too long, free and often the balance is on the forehand. If this is the case, the horse will end up stepping out with the outside hind, sticking with the inner hind, or simply have too much weight on the outside shoulder. The inner leg and seat bone of the rider is the important emphasis of the aids, as they regulate the bend and activity of the inner hind leg. The rider’s aids consist primarily of the leg and weight aids. The rein aids, especially the inside rein, are secondary, and should not overpower the other aids.

Riders should look at the walk pirouettes as the preparation for the canter pirouettes. The mechanics for the horse are the same. When the walk pirouettes are understood by the horse, the canter pirouettes will have a higher chance of being successful. The aids are basically the same. In Fourth Level 3, half working pirouettes are asked for. The horse is allowed to make a radius of three meters, so the difficulty level is a bit easier than Prix St Georges canter pirouettes. The same criteria is important for the canter pirouettes as the walk pirouettes. The horse should maintain the rhythm of the canter, take more weight on the hindquarters, and be mobile enough in the shoulders to turn around the hind end. The turning aids of the rider initiate the pirouette and engage the outside hind leg, and the inner leg and seat control the engagement and balance on the inner hind leg.

As in the walk pirouette, the preparation is the key to success. Very often riders come in too fast, lacking collection, resulting with the frame and balance too much on the forehand. There are really four phases to riding a good pirouette. First is the preparation, where the rider must create more collected steps. Next is the beginning of the pirouette, where the rider initiates the turn with the outside aids and engages the outside hind leg of the horse. The third phase is the pirouette itself. Here the rider must make sure to sit slightly to the inside of the turn, to allow with the inner rein and support with the legs and core. The last phase is the transition out, where the rider must make sure to control the ending so the horse does not overturn, but comes out straight and shows the collection for a few strides after the pirouette. Control is a key word here, where control of the movement and the balance are maintained.

Next we have the four- and three-tempis. Clearly, the counting is a huge factor to success with these! It is extremely important that the horse is very reliably on the rider’s aids for single changes. The other very important ingredient is that the horse needs to be straight! He must be straight on two levels. First, he must be straight on the line of travel, where the shoulders are in front of the hind legs, and the horse’s spine follows the line of travel. The second layer of straightness is that the horse should be taking even weight on both hind legs and be even into both reins. When horse and rider can master these two elements, the tempis can then be successfully developed.

The last movement, the Schaukel, is a movement that does require practice and correct aiding from the rider. This movement tests the horse’s suppleness, especially over the back, the degree of throughness, as well as the correctness of the rider’s aids. The horse needs to think forward throughout this movement, and it should flow, with no interruption. The rider needs to keep the horse connected on the seat and back. The quality of the halt at the start of this movement has a big effect on the rest. The horse must step with the hind legs into the contact during the transition and stay reliably on the bit and the rider’s aids. Getting the correct count of 4-4-4 is necessary. This indicates that the rider has enough control of the balance to get the correct number of steps. The judge assumes that the rider can count!

Some final advice to riders is to study the movements that have a double coefficient. Practice them. Make sure you and your horse understand how to ride them correctly and then practice! Judges want to see riders and horses be successful so we can give good marks. Do not present your horse to us unless you are able to perform ALL of the movements in the test.

Good luck!

TDF’s Op-Ed: Changing the Pirouette from “Marginal” to “Excellent”

Posted on October 7, 2016October 7, 2016 by CWDS Web Designer

This month Maryal Barnett will teach you how to change your Pirouette from “Marginal” to “Excellent”. Maryal serves as Chairman of the Board of The Dressage Foundation. She is a USEF “S” Dressage Judge, retired FEI Judge and a member of the USDF “L” Education Program Faculty and a retired USDF Instructor/Trainer Faculty and Examiner.

You may ask, “What can I do to increase the marks that I receive on my pirouette from 5s to 8s, or better?” From the judge’s perspective, it is very interesting to observe the progression of the turns on haunches at Second Level to the pirouettes at the FEI Level. Each requires certain prerequisites before the horse is able to perform them well. Knowing what they are and then identifying what is missing in the horse’s education is the roadmap for increasing the marks received in the tests.

The turn on haunches is the first movement that we ask of our horses that eventually lead to the more demanding pirouettes at the canter. It comes out of the medium walk which is shortened just before the turn on haunches. If the horse has not been taught to shorten its stride with discreet aids coming mainly from the seat and leg, the horse is going to have difficulty making a quality turn. If the rider uses too much hand, chances are the rhythm of the walk will be compromised. If the horse is not supple enough in its connection, the correct bend is difficult which can create other problems such as stepping back, stepping wide or turning on the center. These are just a few of the reasons that low marks are given. It is important for the rider to address these basic skills at this point, as they will cause problems as the horse moves from the turn on haunches to the pirouette at the walk and finally to the pirouette at the canter.

Photo by Susan J Stickle of Tom Noone on horse, Fred Astair, demonstrating lowering the haunches.

The tests give the rider a progression to follow. The concept of pre-pirouette canter is introduced in Fourth Level, Test One. This is a skill that is essential for correctly balanced pirouettes. This adjust-ability and the development of the horse’s ability to lower its haunches are the path to “Good,” “Very Good,” and “Excellent” pirouettes in the FEI Levels. There are many different adjust-ability exercises that can be used to develop the horse’s strength. Also at Fourth Level, working pirouettes are introduced. The concept of having the horse between the rider’s two legs so that the rider has the ability to control the turn and therefore the balance is emphasized in these working pirouettes in tests 2 and 3. Again, it is up to the imagination of the trainer/rider to develop the exercises that are most beneficial to the horse at this time of its training.

The half-pirouette at Prix St. George must have the above skills for the horse to perform it well and confidently. It is necessary that the basics of the Pyramid of Training are confirmed. Additionally, the mark can be enhanced by the quality of the canter and modifiers such as using the corner to set up the movement and riding a straight line both before and after. Often, it is the little things that can make a difference between one mark and another. Let the high marks of 8s, 9s and 10s be your goal!

TDF’s Op-Ed: Training a Horse to Grand Prix

Posted on June 6, 2016 by CWDS Web Designer

Michael Poulin’s Thoughts on Training a Horse to Grand Prix

About Michael: Most people who reach Grand Prix in dressage make their mark in one primary facet of the sport – competitor, trainer, instructor, judge. Michael Poulin is all four. He is a member of the Bronze Medal winning United States Team at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics, and boasts multiple national and international championships. Michael heads the Poulin School of Dressage at the Dressage Center, Inc. in DeLeon Springs, FL, where he works with a prominent student roster.

This article gathers some of Michael’s thoughts on classical riding to Grand Prix.

Foreword: Congratulations on choosing dressage as your discipline. As you know, dressage is designed to make a better riding horse, not necessarily a better competition horse, although if you do the correct training on the ground from the beginning, you will be a very happy rider.

On training a horse: I work a young horse from the ground for several months before I get on him for the first time. By working from the ground, you can eliminate the horse’s fear and anxiety because you are teaching the horse commands that he can easily understand. This gives the horse more confidence in the work. Learning to long line will be one of the most valuable tools for your future Grand Prix horse. Once he has developed balance and strength from this approach, you will have already made a major leap forward in the understanding of what will be asked for in later development.

The value of training a horse at the speed that he can learn is always the best. By training at the horse’s pace, you will create confident advancement in the horse. If you train a horse to do something within ‘X’ number of days, forcing the issue, you will create restrictions within the animal that promote the slow deterioration of his movement, and he may never become a top horse. Not all horses are going to be top Grand Prix horses, so don’t expect too much from horses that have limitations.

On finding a coach: I would highly recommend getting a coach who will take on the problems of the student, rather than create them. A good coach is someone who has a track record of being kind and confident; with a proven system and methodology that shows itself in the arena. The student should be able to easily understand the steps to take in the training. Even if you have to travel a great distance to find the right coach for you, do that. Take the time to find a coach who will support you.

I would caution you towards any trainer, coach or teacher that uses inappropriate language, creates negatives in your learning process or doesn’t have the answers for your questions. That is someone you do not want to spend your time with. Pick a trainer who has a good knowledge base and riding background. There are many trainers who can start something but have very limited knowledge on how to develop it. When the pitfalls come, the coach will not see them, and your horse will learn to resist in an incorrect way, hurting the animal and your future. It’s a lot like a flying instructor teaching you how to get the airplane off the ground, but never teaching you how to land it.

On gaining experience as a rider: I cannot stress this point enough – if you want to be a top rider, you will need lots of experience on an FEI horse. If you don’t have the money to buy or lease an FEI horse, be a working student for someone who does. Riding is feeling, and if you don’t know the feeling, you won’t be able to apply that feel to a young horse. Do lots of reading about what you are to look for while training and why. Remember that you’re supposed to develop the horse’s gaits – not diminish them.

Historically, many horses do well until Third Level, but when it comes to the upper levels, there are very few that make Grand Prix. This can be due to the lack of correct training towards that individual horse at an early age. You should learn the training scale and know how to explain the value of all six individual parts, so when you look at a horse, you can see if the basics are clearly in place. Remember it takes a lot of time to develop a good upper level horse.

Rhythm – Clear footfalls at each gait or beat. Walk is 4-beat, trot is 2-beat, canter is 3-beat. Maintain tempo within these gaits.

Relaxation – Absence of tension, physically and mentally.

Contact – Acceptance of the bit through the acceptance of the feet, leg, and rein aids.

Impulsion – Increased energy, thrust, and suppleness generated from the hindquarters through to the bit.

Straightness – Correct alignment on both straight and curved lines. Note the footfalls on the diagrams.

Collection – Increased activity from behind and a lightness of the forehand.

Don’t be afraid to ask questions along your training journey. Most people who are very successful like to speak about how and why their training programs work, and some even share what mistakes they made. There is a tremendous amount of knowledge on the internet, but there’s nothing more helpful than working with a coach or trainer who has trained many horses to Grand Prix and dealt with problems within the training process. I would highly recommend going and spending some time with someone who has trained horses up to Grand Prix, so you can actually see the process in action. This is also useful because you can get a feel for the temperament and demeanor of your coach.

Your seat is going to be a VERY important part of your future, so make sure you work on it every day! If you can’t follow the rhythm and stay in balance with your horse, you can’t be creative with your seat, your legs or your hands. Don’t underestimate the value of having a good seat! It is absolutely vital.

On choosing a horse: A big key to successful training is picking your horse. You can first start to understand breeding by looking at the history of Olympic horses. Who were the sires and the dams? Did they do dressage and how successful were they?

When I look for a horse, I ask:
1. What is the horse’s temperament?
2. What is its character?
3. Is the horse intelligent?
4. Is the horse aware of its surroundings?
5. Does it respond to sound quicker than sight?
6. Is it a looker? Does the horse spook at everything?

For me, I don’t want to fight with the horse every day to get by the same spot on the ground. It’s not fun having to work around that for years and it slows the process of learning. It can be fixed in time but it’s a lot more work.

Everyone wants three good gaits in a horse. For me, the canter is the most important. The walk has to have four clear beats and should not be too big. A huge walk is difficult to keep clear as you enter collection. A quick hind leg is a must. And remember, the trot can be developed much easier than the canter. Don’t ever pick a horse by its color!

End note: Classical knowledge is imperative to classical riding. The philosophy of classical riding is that the horse understands the rider’s aids with relaxation – not fear – and relates the aids to the physical movement that he’s doing. Classical riding develops the horse’s physique with mental understanding.

Please follow this link to see more issues of The Dressage Foundation’s Op-Ed.

TDF’s Op-Ed: What do Judges Look for at Training and First Levels

Posted on May 4, 2016 by CWDS Web Designer

By Sarah Geikie, USEF ‘S’ Judge

What do judges look for at Training and First Level? This is a very interesting question, one that I am asked very frequently by riders. Many riders at these levels, especially riders new to dressage are not aware that there is a ‘roadmap for dressage training.’ It is called the Pyramid of Training. This guide is not only for riders and trainers to abide by, but it also provides the framework for which judges evaluate dressage tests. For every movement in a test, the judge must make a decision on whether the criteria for the movement has been met. For example, the first movement of the test is enter working trot, halt, salute, proceed working trot. The essence of that movement is the straightness on the centerline, the transitions into and out of the halt, and the quality of the halt itself. Additional elements of this score are the quality of the trot before and after the halt, the overall balance of the horse, both lateral and longitudinal, and well as the quality of the connection. The elements of the Pyramid of Training; rhythm, relaxation, suppleness, contact, impulsion, straightness, and collection, are guidelines the judge uses to determine how well the horse and rider have fulfilled the criteria for the movement.

A day of judging for the dressage judge involves the judge literally making thousands of decisions to come up with the right mark and score for each horse. The big joke at the end of a show day is a group of judges going out to dinner. No one can make a decision on what to order because we have used up our quota of decisions!

At these beginning levels, Training and First Level, the foundation for the education of the dressage horse is being laid down. It is of vital importance that the correct foundation is established for the horse, as well as the rider. What dressage judges are really looking for is correct riding and correct training. So the question becomes, “What does correct riding and training look like from the view at C?”

First of all, we should see that there is a clear communication system that is understood between the horse and rider. The rider has learned to use light, supple aids, both with the legs, seat and hands. The rider has trained the horse to react to small leg aids, the use of the weight aid and an invisible rein aid. As a result of this communication, the rider is able to establish relaxed acceptance of the aids. In turn, this provides the rider with the necessary tools to develop a clear rhythm and consistent tempo, and a soft acceptance of the contact.

So far, correct riding looks relaxed, rhythmic, and harmonious.

At Training Level, the judge is expecting to see that the horse can easily fulfill the requirements for this level. That is to say the horse goes freely forward, with acceptance of the aids and bit. The horse demonstrates that it can move in a level balance, shows correct bend on twenty meter circles, in corners, and can manage progressive, balanced transitions.

At First Level, judges expect to see a horse that has developed more strength and suppleness, so is able to move in an uphill balance. A First Level horse is also able to do less progressive transitions, such as trot-halt, leg yields, smaller circles, and lengthenings.

Let’s take a closer look at the rider now. The position, balance and independence of the rider’s aids play a deciding factor on the success and quality of the training. The rider has a responsibility to learn to sit correctly and in balance 100% of the time. A crooked rider creates a crooked, stiff horse, resulting in confusion in the communication system. A rider that is dependent on their hands and stirrups for balance can never train a horse to balance itself.

Judges hate to see rough riding, with harsh, obvious aids that are working out of rhythm and balance with the horse. This kind of riding lacks harmony and is painful to watch.

Another offshoot of incorrect aids on the part of the rider is inaccurate figures, such as falling in or out of corners, circles not round, geometry slipshod. Riding accurate figures is the only way a rider can develop suppleness in the horse. At Training Level, the degree of bend is really very small. Judges expect to see that the horse’s body conforms to the path that it is following. This establishes balance. Later on at First Level, where there is an increase in bending lines, there should be more suppleness in the horse.

Another thing that judges expect to see is that the horse is shown and presented at the appropriate level. The rule of thumb is that the horse should show one level down from the level he is training at home. So, if the horse is schooling Second Level at home, show First Level. The judges do not want to see the horse struggling. We want to see a horse performing with confidence, trust in the rider and in an easy balance.

In conclusion, judges want to see a horse presented at a level where the horse is securely confirmed at that level. The horse will be confident, balanced, and relaxed. The movements will look easy for him, not difficult. The balance and suppleness has been developed so that even at this level, the gaits will start to be improved.

The rider will present themselves in a quiet, balanced position. The aids will be invisible. The emphasis in the aiding system will be on the seat, weight, legs and least important the hands.

One of the best things for a rider to do is volunteer to scribe at a show. By doing this, you will see the point of view of the judge, and most likely be mildly shocked! The view from C is very different from what you would expect, but it is one that when experienced, will change your ideas about dressage tests.

The role of the judge is to serve as a mirror for the rider.

The judge must make it clear to where the horse and rider stand and determine if they are up to the standard for their level.

What are the strong points, what are the weak points, what areas need to be improved? The other role of the judge is to adhere to the principles of dressage and to make sure that these principles are followed as intended, and do not become watered down. The last and very most important job of the judge is to be a protector for the well-being of the horse.

About Sarah Geikie…

Sarah Geikie is a USDF Bronze and Silver Medalist, and successful competitor through Grand Prix. She is an FEI**** (C) Dressage Judge, USEF S Judge and a USDF Examiner and Faculty Member, who is also certified through Fourth Level. Sarah was the 2011 recipient of TDF’s Major Anders Lindgren Scholarship for Dressage Instructors and now serves on TDF’s Board of Directors.

To see other TDF Op-Ed articles Click on this Link

New USEF Vaccination Rule for Recognized Shows

Posted on November 19, 2015November 19, 2015 by CWDS Web Designer

The USEF announced a new Vaccination Rule that will impact individuals that compete in recognized shows. Upon registration for a show, each competitor will need to provide proof that their horse was vaccinated within 6 months of entrance to the competition. We wanted to make everyone aware of this so that you could be prepared ahead of time for the 2016 show season. The official announcement sent out by the USEF was as follows:

November 12, 2015

USEF Equine Vaccination Rule
From the USEF Communications Department

Lexington, Ky. – In January, the USEF Board of Directors approved an addition to the rule book, which outlines equine vaccination requirements at licensed competitions. Beginning December 1, 2015, all horses entering the grounds of a Federation-licensed competition must be accompanied by documentation of Equine Influenza Virus and Equine Herpes Virus (Rhinopneumonitis) vaccinations within six months prior to entering the stables.

Due to several high profile Equine Herpes (EHV) outbreaks in recent years that have involved the neuropathic strain of the virus (equine herpesvirus myeloencephalopathy-EHM), some competitions have placed vaccination requirements on their competitors that go beyond most accepted medical opinions and raise concern that unnecessary requirements can potentially put a horse at risk. The intent of this rule is to ensure that all licensed competitions comply with the vaccination guidelines for Equine Influenza and Equine Herpes (Rhinopneumonitis) published by the American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP). These guidelines are reviewed by infectious disease experts regularly, and recommend vaccinating competition horses at six-month intervals for both equine influenza (flu) and rhinopneumonitis (EHV-1 and EHV-4). There is not a vaccine that protects against EHM.

Intended to promote proper vaccination protocols, this rule does not anticipate an increased workload for competition management. The flu vaccination information can be added to the documentation already required by most competitions: a horse’s health certificate and a negative coggins test.

Read GR845 in its entirety

If you have questions regarding GR845 please contact the USEF Drugs & Medications department at medequestrian@aol.com or 800-633-2472.

What is Tellington TTouch for Dressage Horses?

Posted on September 2, 2015 by CWDS Web Designer

Linda Tellington Jones, the founder of Tellington TTouch, has a long history of involvement in Dressage. She studied Classical Dressage, was a founding member of the California Dressage Society, she has had the honor of riding Grand Prix horses throughout the world, has worked with numerous world class riders and their horses, including Ingrid Klimke, and has offered seminars at the Spanish Riding School at the private stable of Arthur Kottas. She also worked for years with Reiner Klimke and was featured in a Dressage Today article entitled “Reiner Klimke and Linda Tellington-Jones: Working Magic with Dressage Horses” which you can read in full by clicking on the link.

In her book Dressage with Mind, Body & Soul, she talks about how her TTouch massage techniques help horses to relax and supple their bodies, which causes them to be more comfortable when they are working thereby improving the quality of their performance and lengthening their careers. The Tellington Method also includes groundwork techniques with obstacles that help horses learn hoof-eye coordination, balance, confidence and patience, which carries over to work under saddle, in hand or in the trailer. Finally her system includes a series of “wraps” which calm horses and helps them to gain more awareness of their bodies so that they can move with more engagement from front to back. The following video shows a mare relaxing and improving in her connection from front to back almost immediately with the application of some of the TTouch techniques:

To help people who are schooling their horses in Dressage, Linda outlines in her book TTouches, ground work exercises and wraps that help horses with each step of the Classical Training Scale. She talks in her book about how many horses and riders are currently suffering because they ignore the Classical Training Scale. In her opinion, it is partially because they do not always understand how to apply it in their training, which is why she offers other techniques to help horses gain proficiency in each level before they progress to the next. Finally Linda has added another layer to the foundation of the Training Scale that she calls “Balance”. She defines Balance in her book as “mental, physical, and emotional well being”. She specifically references the quote from Klaus Balkenhol where he says “caring for horses appropriately, providing good training, plenty of love and knowing and understanding the Training Scale… are of utmost importance to your success as a dressage rider.”

My horse Midnight and I have already benefited from the few TTouches and wraps that we learned when Julie Jene’ came from Spokane for a seminar back in July. Since then I have purchased Linda’s book on Dressage and have been going through it in detail to try to find ways to help my horse develop in his skills as well as being a happy and more comfortable partner in our work together. Julie Jene’ will be returning to Selah on October 10th for another workshop that I will definitely be attending. I would like to encourage everyone who is interested in helping their equine partners to perform at their best, while being comfortable and happy in their work, also to attend. Information about the seminar can be found on the calendar page of our website. I hope to see you there!

Dawn Fulton

Working Equitation-Dressage with Obstacle Course Work

Posted on August 11, 2015 by CWDS Web Designer

Working Equitation was born as a sport in Europe in the early 1990s. The four founding countries of Working Equitation (WE) are Spain, Portugal, France and Italy. It is based on the cattle working traditions of Southern European countries, especially Spain and Portugal. This area, known as the Iberian Peninsula, has thousands of years of history, not to mention infrastructure, built upon the relationships between horses, cattle and men. The goal of the sport is to preserve and perpetuate not only the traditional types of equitation worldwide, but also the cultural traditions of each country and their horses.

Working Equitation is a sport that melds dressage with obstacle course work, effectively applying dressage principles to actual functions, such as opening and closing a gate calmly and smoothly or negotiating a slalom of posts at canter. There are three phases of WE: Dressage, Ease of Handling and Speed. The latter two phases are held over an obstacle course. The dressage tests and judging criteria for WE have been developed by WE participants and leaders in the sport, not the USDF or USEF. Classical dressage tenets are emphasized and rewarded. A fourth phase, cattle sorting, is held at team competitions only. There are three recognized types of competitions: schooling, recognized, and championship. Rules and tests for Working Equitation in the US may be found here: http://www.weiausa.com/#!rulesandshows/c6gz. In competition, riders are required to use tack and attire from the same genre (i.e., you cannot wear dressage attire while you horse wears Western tack), and riders are encouraged to depict the historical background of their horse’s breed or the traditions revolving around what the breed has been used for in the past. There is no need to purchase a new fancy turnout, you can use what you probably already own.

The World Association for Working Equitation, found at http://www.wawe-official.com/, is the international governing body for the sport. In the US, WEIUSA, found at http://www.weiausa.com/, is the national governing body for the sport and regulates rated shows. WEIUSA’s mission is to ‘…exist solely for the support and promotion of Working Equitation in the United States, with the expectation that an active WE community in the US will also support the growth of WE worldwide. To this end, we commit to a continued focus on education of current and future competitors, education and licensing of judges, and promoting competitions. We further commit to support the WAWE in its efforts to receive FEI recognition for the sport of Working Equitation. In the United States, this may require the WEIAUSA to work closely with the United States Equestrian Federation, to achieve this goal.’

In short, WE is another way to improve your relationship with your horse, build your skills as a rider and create a safer and more pleasant riding companion of your equine friend.

Central Washington Dressage Society is going to be offering Western Equitation tests at their schooling shows. If you are interested in riding a Western Equitation test at one of our Schooling Shows, please specify the test on your entry form.

Pilates for Riders Class – A fun learning opportunity!

Posted on August 6, 2015August 10, 2015 by CWDS Web Designer

Our recent Pilates for Riders class gave all CWDS members an opportunity to enjoy an evening of Pilates with Pam Brooks. Ms. Brooks is a certified Pilates instructor and an avid rider. We spent our session concentrating on Pilates basics that would particularly be valuable for Dressage riders. Among other techniques, we learned the value of concentrating on the core muscles of our pelvic floor and abdominal wall. One such exercise is the chest lift with rotation. This exercise utilizes the oblique muscles of the abdomen and builds flexibility through rotational activities that are common during riding. In addition to the excellent instruction we enjoyed good fellowship and good food!

CWDS April Schooling Show was Fun for Everyone!

Posted on April 26, 2015April 26, 2015 by CWDS Web Designer

There was a wonderful turnout of competitors and volunteers for our CWDS April Schooling Show, which was fun for everyone! Individuals of all ages competed in a wide range of traditional Dressage classes including Intro to Second Level. We also had competitors participate in Western Dressage and LeadLine classes.

Here are some pictures from our Dressage Classes…

Our Western Dressage Classes…

Our girls and Moms who competed in the leadlining classes…

And our Horses in Waiting.

Our Junior High Point Award was won by Emily Glover and Star, and our Adult High Point Award went to Cheryl Beaudry and Lyrica, owned by Judy Lewis…

Results for the Show can be seen by following this Link:

CWDS April Schooling Show Results

Our Judge Lucy Curley took the time to help coach the riders…

Our volunteers Karen Lenberg, Judy Schott and Ann Hays helped tally scores…

Our team consisting of Rae, Jerry, Tim, Mark, Diane, Megan, Judy,and Marli set-up the arena…

We would like to offer special thanks to Lucy Curley for being our Judge and for assisting/coaching our competitors. We would also like to offer special thanks to our CWDS VP Judy Schott and Megan Hays who organized the show. We greatly appreciate Jim and Ellen Roy who loaned us equipment, as well as Karen Lindhorst for gate keeping the whole time, Anne and Teresa for scribing, Karen Lenberg for scoring, and to Shannon, Ellen, Rae, Tess, Allison, Cindy, Barb, and Emily for helping to do whatever was needed.

Tips for Hot Weather Riding

Posted on April 22, 2015April 25, 2015 by CWDS Web Designer

Hot weather seems to be upon us. How do you tell if it is too hot? Add the temperature and the humidity. Let’s say the temperature is 70 degrees and the humidity is 50%, the heat index would be 120. That would be a fairly safe index. A heat index between 130 and 150 would still be safe if your horse had access to cool drinking water. Anything above 150 probably is not safe.

How can you help your horse to work in warmer weather? Try to ride in the cooler parts of the day. Make sure your horse is fit and not overweight. Ride him or her at least 4 times a week at all three gaits to get your horse into shape. If your horse is mostly stalled you may have to start at a walk. Have a salt block available.

At a show, have your own water and keep it cool by keeping it in the shade. If you have an extra cooler use that in the shade. Some horses may not drink water that is different than what they are use to. Have your horse ready to show so that long warm ups are not necessary. Have extra towels you can soak to put on your horses neck and head to help cool them and change them often. Or sponge your horse. There are synthetic coolers made for horses that really work well. Look for those on the internet. Try to keep your horse in the shade. Make sure your horse has access to water. If your horse is stalled and you have access to electricity set up a box fan. It keeps your horse cooler and keeps the bugs off.

These are just a few tips to help you and your horse as we enter the hot show season.

Elizabeth Ann Hays DVM

Paula Helm Saddle Fitting Clinic-Saturday March 28th

Posted on February 10, 2015February 17, 2015 by CWDS Web Designer

The Central Washington Dressage Society is pleased to invite you to attend the Paula Helm Hands-On Saddle Fitting Clinic on Saturday, March 28^th from 10:30am to 12:30pm. The event will include a lecture and demonstration that will be held at Sue Bisko’s barn at 12383 Vantage Highway in Ellensburg. There is no cost for CWDS Members, however Non-members* will be charged $25 per person. Everyone is invited to a Potluck after the Clinic. Following the potluck, Paula will have appointments available Saturday, March 28^th in the afternoon, and Sunday, March 29th for individual saddle fittings.

Costs for individual saddle fitting (fees payable to Helm Saddles, LLC) are as follows:

Barn Call: $15.00

Saddle Check Fee: $60.00

Flocking (includes saddle check): $185.00

About Helm Saddles, LLC: Paula Helm’s love for horses, and her desire to help make them comfortable, resulted in her training as a professional saddle fitter. She enjoys being able to help riders and horses work together. Paula rides and currently trains with Jennifer Williams out of Summervale Premier Dressage competing HS Whrapsody at FEI, and HS Wroyal Prince at 3^rd Level. For more about Paula and Helm Saddles, LLC, please visit her website at: Helm Saddles.

To sign-up for the Clinic and/or an individual saddle fitting, please contact Kim at khixson01@aol.com or (509) 698-6778. One to three demo horses will be needed for the Hands-On Lecture. Please let Kim know if you are interested. To attend you will need to complete the following registration form and send it to Kim:

Paula Helm Clinic 2015

*Non-members are invited to join and be able to attend at the member no-cost rate. Membership is $45.00 annually. For information about CWDS and for information on how to become a member click on this link.

2015 Platinum Performance/USDF Region 6 Jr/YR Clinic

Posted on February 10, 2015 by CWDS Web Designer

featuring

George Williams

George Williams is a prominent figure in international dressage competition whose career highlights with Chuck and Joann Smith’s grand prix mare, Rocher, include: three-time Dressage at Devon Grand Prix and Grand Prix Freestyle, 2005 United States Equestrian Federation/Collecting Gaits National Grand Prix Champion, team bronze at CHIO Aachen, 5th at the 2003 World Cup in Sweden, United States Dressage Federation Grand Prix and Grand Prix Freestyle Horse of the Year as well as being named Dressage Horse of the Year by the Chronicle of the Horse. Mr. Williams has been studying dressage since 1973 and has coached many Young Riders to Medal finishes. George traveled to Germany to enroll at the Reitinstitute von Neindorff’ where he earned his German Bronze Rider Medal. He was later a resident trainer and rider for The Tempel Lipizzans in Wadsworth, IL for 20 years. Mr. Williams has trained in Germany with the former US Dressage team coach and Olympic gold medalist, Klaus Balkenhol, on numerous occasions. He currently is active as the President of USDF, a member of the United States Equestrian Federation Dressage Committee, a member of the USEF High Performance Eligible Athlete Committee, a member of the USEF Board of Directors, and is Chair of the USEF High Performance Dressage Committee. Mr. Williams was co-winner of the USEF William Steinkraus Equestrian of Honor award for his success in 2005. He was a contributing author to the USDF’s booklet on arena footing, Underfoot, and his accomplishments and training techniques have been featured in many publications. From the summer of 2000 until the spring of 2009 Mr. Williams rode and trained for the Smiths at their Gypsy Woods Farm in Richwood, OH. On May 1, 2009 he started to ride and train for Elizabeth Juliano’s Havensafe Farm of Middlefield Ohio and Wellington Florida. In addition he continues to teach and coach with Williams Dressage LLC. In 2014, George was named the USEF National Youth Coach and will be conducting national clinics in pursuit of finding talented young dressage riders.

To register for this Clinic, please go to the USDF Region 6 Website.

Don’t miss the January Clinic: “Intro to the tests of 2015” w/Mike Osinski

Posted on December 2, 2014January 7, 2015 by CWDS Web Designer

Get Ready for the 2015 Season!

The Oregon Dressage Society Hosts:

“Intro to the Tests of 2015”

w/Mike Osinski-FEI 3*

Jan. 17-18, 2015

This clinic will go through all of the changes for each test from Training to Fourth Level. There will be a lecture on Saturday afternoon and 15 rides on Sunday to demonstrate the new tests. This will be an interactive clinic with a lecture and video, live riding demos and lots of time for questions. Deadline for Pre-Registration is 12/18/14. Please go to the following link for more information: “Intro to the Tests of 2015” Clinic.

Dressage through the Levels – Dec 6-7 at Donida

Posted on November 2, 2014January 7, 2015 by CWDS Web Designer

December 6-7, Donida Equestrian Center will be presenting “Dressage through the Levels of 2015″. At this symposium the new USDF 2015 test movements Training Level through Grand Prix will be demonstrated and scored. Additionally Scott Hassler and Janet Foy work with each horse/rider combination to correct the basics and move them up the levels. Janet and Scott will give examples and demonstrate training exercises to help the horses/riders achieve the correct basics and balance for their level. Both interacting with the audience for consistent question and answering periods. For more information and to register as an auditor for this clinic please follow this link to the Donida website: Dressage through the Levels of 2015, or you can also view their flyer which is below:

Dressage through the Levels of 2015 Flyer

The Dressage Foundation 2014 Newsletter

Posted on October 7, 2014January 7, 2015 by CWDS Web Designer

Below please find the 25th Year edition of TDF News. We hope you enjoy reading about our grant recipients, hearing from donors and looking back on a great 25 years of supporting the growth of our sport.

TDF Newsletter 2014

For more information on The Dressage Foundation please go to www.dressagefoundation.org.

Educational Grants now available from The Dressage Foundation

Posted on September 20, 2014January 7, 2015 by CWDS Web Designer

The Dressage Foundation has updated their list of educational grants. The flyer that was recently released, and that summarizes the current grant opportunities, can be seen by clicking on the link that is given below:

2014 Educational Grants-TDF

You can also learn more by visiting www.dressagefoundation.org or by calling (402) 434-8585. Please consider applying for one of these grants.

Guide to Buying a new Blanket

Posted on September 9, 2014January 7, 2015 by CWDS Web Designer

Winter is vastly approaching and many of us will soon need to replace old, or buy new, horse blankets. One of our Board Members found this link that we thought you might find to be useful: http://www.horse.com/horse-articles/horsecoms-guide-to-buying-a-blanket/9663/.

Also please check out our previous post that has a really good video illustrating “How to Fit Your Horse Blanket”: https://centralwashingtondressage.org/856/how-to-fit-your-horse-blanket. We hope you find this information to be helpful in keeping your equine friend comfortable and warm this winter!

Dressage Clinic with Meg Hays – Sept. 6th

Posted on August 6, 2014January 7, 2015 by CWDS Web Designer

The Hixsons will be hosting a dressage clinic with Meg Hays on Saturday, Sept 6th. If you ride an Arabian or Half Arabian, Meg has been to the Arabian Sport Horse Nationals and has won several Regional and National titles. She has also shown her horses at open competitions. She is willing to work with traditional dressage breeds as well as the non traditional breeds. This clinic is open to CWDS members only and the lessons are $40.00 for 45 min. To register please complete and submit the following form:

Meg Hays Sept Clinic

“Let’s Talk about Financial Well Being” – The Dressage Foundation

Posted on July 21, 2014January 7, 2015 by CWDS Web Designer

“Let’s Talk About Financial Well Being”

By Beth Baumert/President & CEO of The Dressage Foundation

This article is based on the talk given at the USDF/USEF Young Rider Graduate Program held in January 2014 in Wellington, Florida. Whereas TDF President, Beth Baumert wanted to talk about The Dressage Foundation grants available to young people, she couldn’t help but put herself in their shoes and think of what she wishes someone had told her when she was their age. Here is the substance of her talk on what happens to money–personal money and TDF money.

Money moves. It’s the nature of money. If I give you $10, how long will you have it? You might buy groceries with it, or you might add it to other money so you can pay your rent. You might add it to funds with which you plan to buy a car some day. You might give it to someone who needs it more than you. It’s hard to make money stop moving. You earn it and then you spend it. (Notice the sequence. You don’t spend it and then earn it. You earn it first and then spend it.)

People who are financially responsible “earmark” money that they earn. That is, they categorize expenditures into what you might call “buckets” of money. I like to call them buckets because it sounds like you have a lot of money even when you don’t at first.

One bucket of money is for your necessary, fixed expenses. That might include your rent, your groceries, your phone-internet bill, fuel for your car, insurance, taxes and other expenditures that you consider necessary.
One bucket of money is to save for something important. Maybe you know your car may only last two more years so you’re saving for the car you will need in the future.
For developing professional riders, a training program is another necessary expense. You need to put aside some funds for your training.
One bucket of money is to give away to a cause that you’re passionate about. The universe gives to those who give. I’m not sure how that works, but I’m old enough to know that it works. It’s a Law of the Universe. I’m not saying you should give to TDF (although that would be very nice), but you should give to some cause that’s greater than you. Don’t make the mistake of thinking that you can’t give enough to make a difference because even if you start out by giving away $25 a year, that’s something. That means you have designated a bucket–even though it may be small–of money to give away for a cause that’s greater than yourself.
One bucket of money should be for you to save forever for your retirement. It seems ridiculous to think of that now, but later I will give you a very compelling reason to start now. My favorite quote about personal finances came from a young person who said, “If I’m financially fine right now, and I’m fine for the future, I figure I’m totally fine.” That means that from the very beginning, you save for your future; you pay yourself by starting to save when you’re very young. That’s especially important if you’re going to pursue a career that is financially challenging. Training horses definitely falls into that category, so I want to talk about saving for your future again later.

Now I want to talk a little bit about The Dressage Foundation (TDF). TDF is, financially, like a bank. Donations come in from people who want to support the sport of dressage. Then TDF invests that money in several different ways:

TDF investment advisors invest the funds in the traditional way: In stocks of solid, respectable companies, in bonds and in CDs.
TDF awards prizes and grants to worthy recipients, and that’s an investment too. For example, when Catherine Chamberlain (AZ) was chosen for the International Dream Program (formerly called Olympic Dream) in 2012, TDF made a good investment because when Catherine came back, she spread the word about what she learned; she rode better and taught better than she would have if she hadn’t gone on that trip to Europe. As a bonus, Catherine has done fundraisers for TDF, and she has given back financially too!

Whereas TDF is, financially, like a bank, emotionally, it’s made up of a group of people like you who are passionate about dressage. We are a little army of donors that seek to “up the game” for riders at all levels. That is, we have grants for young riders, graduate young riders, adult amateurs, breeders, judges, instructors and high performance riders. We want to, bit by bit, change the game across the board.

Now, I’ve already mentioned how easy it is to spend money. TDF is the same. It’s really fun to give money away, but those awards depend on donors–big donors and small donors. The big donors of TDF are like the generals, colonels and majors of our little army. They are directly responsible for the grants that TDF is able to award. Some of them are: Carol Lavell, her father Gordon Cadwgan, Maryal Barnett, Renee Isler, Ralph Dreitzler, Anne Ramsay, the Boomer family, Violet Hopkins and others. They are directly responsible for the grants that TDF awards–which was nearly $200,000 last year. These funds that are given as grants and awards are “restricted,” which means they can not be used to pay ordinary TDF operating expenses. Restricted funds are reserved for grant-giving.

The smaller donors, who are the captains, lieutenants and foot soldiers in our little army are indispensable because they implement the ideas of our generals, colonels and majors. Some of them add to the restricted funds that are given as awards, but they also help pay for TDF’s operating expenses. Some of the major donors help with operating expenses too. Just as you, in your personal finances, have necessary expenses, the TDF office has printing, mailing, paying our extraordinary staff and professional advisors. The donors who help pay the expenses of operating TDF are extraordinarily important because, without them, we couldn’t survive.

Now to get back to your personal expenses: Financial well being is within the reach of almost everyone, but it has to do with the buckets of money for saving and for giving away. The one for giving is from-your-heart generosity, and the one for saving comes from your head. Paying yourself is just smart.

The US government has provided an avenue for you to become financially comfortable forever–that’s with a Roth IRA. An IRA is an Individual Retirement Account, and the key to its success is to start saving very early in life. If you don’t know what a Roth IRA is, learn about it online. I’m going to give you some examples. Currently, you are allowed to save $5500 per year in a Roth IRA, but even if can you only save $2500 per year, and you start when you’re 21, and the market does its average thing over the next 49 years, you’ll have over $1.5 million–tax free–when you’re 70 years old. If, however, you don’t start saving until you’re 30 years old, you’ll have about $1 million and if you’re 40 years old when you start, you’ll have $475,000, and if you’re 50 when you start, you’ll have about $125,000. Are you getting the idea? If you don’t know about Roth IRAs, learn about them online and start saving as early as possible. It will make you feel financially whole.

And don’t forget about the bucket of money that you give away to a cause that’s greater than yourself. Generosity is always rewarded. It’s the personal quality that somehow magically bounces back to you. The Universe gives to those who give.

I wish you all great financial well being and, of course, success with your horses.

Most important, to see how The Dressage Foundation can help you reach your dressage goals, check it out online at www.dressagefoundation.org!

Do you need money for your Dressage education?

Posted on June 24, 2014January 7, 2015 by CWDS Web Designer

CALLING ALL ADULT AMATEUR RIDERS!

by Carolyn Desnoyer, Gifted Fund Recipient

Carol Lavell and Carolyn Desnoyer/Photo by Jennifer Bryant of USDF Connection

My horse life has been pretty exciting lately. First came the news of winning one of the eleven Gifted Memorial Fund scholarships granted annually to Adult Amateurs in pursuit of dressage education. Then, quite coincidentally, came the opportunity to meet dressage legend Carol Lavell and thank her in person for her sponsorship of this wonderful program. My scholarship journey has really just begun. In fact my training week hasn’t even happened yet, but I’ve already gotten such enormous value from the experience! So when Ms. Lavell commented that “The money’s there. I just don’t understand why more amateurs don’t apply”, I was surprised and started thinking through the reasons Adult Amateurs may not take full advantage of the opportunity.

Perhaps I speak for the many amateur riders out there bound by the reality of trying to fit their horse hobby into an already-overbooked schedule, juggling work, school, family, and myriad other priorities that always seem to take away from time with our horses. We may feel that because we’re not able to spend hours every day in the saddle honing our skills, somehow we’re not “serious” enough about dressage to be worthy of a grant. We’re intimidated by the idea of riders who immerse themselves in the sport and are able to dedicate copious amounts of time to riding, taking lessons, and showing. But Carol Lavell and The Dressage Foundation have crafted this scholarship exactly for people like us, the “reality bound” riders! It’s intended to provide the recipient with a chance to get away from the pressures of daily life to spend several days of concentrated time riding, training and just bonding with the horse. Spending time grazing your horse, pampering him with a leisurely bath, or just having the time to stand in the stall and scratch his ears are all part of the intended plan for scholarship recipients.

Maybe just the thought of filling out the application is a bit intimidating. Rest easy, the process to apply is not nearly as daunting as it may seem at first glance. The Dressage Foundation’s website has excellent resources to assist, including an application checklist that details each bit of information required, step-by-step, and easily leads you through the process.

One piece of information required is your training plan. You are encouraged to think about your riding skills and your horse’s level of training, as well as training goals for both short and long term. Then you need to document what you would do differently from what you do now to achieve those goals, should you receive one of the scholarships. I found this part of the application to be especially valuable as it forced me to become more analytical about current strengths and weaknesses, both for myself and my horse. This is a marvelous opportunity for introspection! And having those goals in writing helped strengthen my resolve and commitment to really make them happen. Much like writing down a fitness goal, or a weight loss goal, actually documenting your training plan makes it real and helps you stay focused on it so you’re much more likely to achieve success.

Volunteerism is an important part of the selection criteria. Carol Lavell is a staunch believer in giving back to our sport and that is, in part, what led to the creation of the Gifted Memorial Fund. Volunteering your time to help beginner riders, holding an office for your local GMO, working on the newsletters, helping run dressage events and activities, are all ways you could get involved and there are countless more. We can each give back in some way and the intrinsic benefits received by giving of your time are immeasurable.

So my fellow Adult Amateurs, whatever your reason for not yet taking the plunge into this wonderful opportunity, I strongly encourage you to go for it! The application deadline is September of each year. Regardless of the outcome, you won’t regret the experience. You’ll learn a lot about yourself just from the application process and you’ll find a renewed dedication to your horse and yourself. Who knows, your efforts just might pay off in scholarship dollars too!

This article appears in the July/August 2014 issue of USDF Connection. Thank you to USDF for allowing us to share the article with you.

MORE TDF GRANT OPPORTUNITIES

Not only are Gifted Fund grants available for Adult Amateurs this year, The Dressage Foundation is proud to offer grants to instructors, judges, breeders, young riders, high performance teams, and dressage clubs/groups. The donors support dressage enthusiasts across the board!

The following grants have application deadlines this summer and fall. Mark your calendars today!

Heldenberg Training Center Fund – Young Riders and Adult Amateurs

Applications Due: July 1st

Continuing Education for Instructors– Instructors participating in the USDF Instructor Certification Program

Applications Due: July 1st

Region 9 Teaching Excellence Award– Instructors

Applications Due: August 1st

Caroll Lavell Gifted Memorial Fund– Adult Amateurs

Applications Due: September 15th

Major Anders Lindgren Scholarships– Instructors

Applications Due: September 30th

Anne L. Barlow $25,000 Grant– High Performance Teams

Applications Due: October 25th

Be sure to visit The Dressage Foundation website to learn more about these and other opportunities!

Paula Helms Saddle Fitting Clinic – June 28th & 29th

Posted on June 9, 2014February 10, 2015 by CWDS Web Designer

Please join us at Ellen Roy’s barn,Last Chance Rance, 1502 University Parkway, Yakima, WA 98901 on June 28th and 29th for a Paula Helm Clinic. In the morning Paula will be teaching group Dressage Lessons on Suppling and Moving Forward and Leg Yields and Haunches-In. Riders purchase both days for a total of two lessons, one on each day. In addition, Paula will be fitting, flocking and demonstrating saddles for individual clients in the afternoon.

Both clinic days include a delicious continental breakfast and a lunch, beverages included. Snacks will be provided to “graze” all day and although the start time for meals is definite the end time is not, so it is okay if you arrive later than others to eat. We will have expert equine educational guest lecturers each day during our lunch hour. Please bring a lawn chair with you to sit.

Due to insurance reasons to ride in the clinic or to ride at the barn in your saddle for a demo/fitting, you need to be a CWDS member. Annual dues are $45, payable to CWDS and can be done at the time of the clinic. Clinic auditors do not need to be members.

Basic clinic fees pay for your meals and the lecturers. Auditors pay $20 a day or $30 for both days. Clinic riders/saddle demo people will pay $10 a day. Haul in fee to Ellen’s is $10 a day, overnight stalls are available in a neighboring stable, please let me know and I will help you make any arrangements. Also, if you have any dietary needs or allergies, I would be happy to assist. We will have vegetarian food available. Clinic fees for meals and lecturers for both auditors and rider/demo people are made out to CWDS, however all saddle demo/fitting/flocking expenses are paid to Paula. Please bring your checks with you the day of the clinic.

Group Dressage lessons will be in the morning and will last an hour, cost is $45 and will include two riders. We currently have one opening on both days at 1015-1115. You will be riding with me and my horse Hans Felix. He is easy going and so am I:)

We held a Paula Helm clinic last Fall and it was a great success, we hope to see everyone there. Please let me know if you have questions or need assistance. Marli Parobek 509.834.9714, marli@parobek.com.

Tentative Schedule: Saturday, June 28th 2014

0830 Breakfast Served

0900-1000 Group Lesson #1 Suppling and Moving Forward:

(Open Entry)

Ellen Roy

1015-1115 Group Lesson #2 Leg Yields and Haunches-In:

Marli Parobek

(Open Entry)

1130-1230 Torey Griswold: Equine Chiropractor – Lunch Lecture

1230-1345 Michelle Long – Saddle Fitting

1400-1530 Megan Hays – Saddle Fitting

1545-1745 Vangie Crago – Saddle Demonstration

Tentative Schedule: Sunday, June 29th 2014

0830 Breakfast Served

0900-1000 Leg Yields and Haunches-In

(Open Entry)

Ellen Roy

1015-1115 Suppling and Moving Forward

Marli Parobek

(Open Entry)

1130-1230 Bruce Samels: Equine Massage – Lunch Lecture

1245-1330 Allison Enters – Individual Lesson

1345-1445 Pete Dimoff – Saddle fit/flock

1445-1545 Holly Warner – Saddle Demonstration

1545-1545 Marli Parobek – Saddle Demonstration

Yakima Valley Business Times article Features a CWDS Member

Posted on June 4, 2014January 7, 2015 by CWDS Web Designer

The Yakima Valley Business Times recently published the following article that featured CWDS Member Megan Hays in their April 18, 2014 Issue. The article was written by Linda Prier and is reprinted here with permission of the Editor.

Not-so-easy Riders:

Lessons, Training Can Help Novices Handle a Horse

Horse trainers tend to have been raised on and around horses. They carry the knowledge learned when they were just babes on into their adult relationships with horses and with the people who ride them.

Members of the Hart family, owners of Hart Ranch in Selah, have all been in the saddle since they could walk.

Roger was raised in Mabton and Sue in Sunnyside; after they married, they raised 2,000 mother cows on a large ranch near Conconully for 20 years.

During that time, their young sons, Willy and John, were in the saddle much of the day. It was here that they, like their parents, learned the art of training horses. Twenty years ago, when Roger and Sue decided to move back closer to warmer winters and to where they were raised, they purchased their horse facility in Selah and focused entirely on horses, with a few cows on hand for roping.

The Hart family — from left, Willy, Sue and Roger — have spent their lives around horses. Hart Ranch offers horse training services plus boarding and riding lessons.

Hart Ranch specializes in training and boarding horses and giving riding lessons. The ranch is well set up to do so. The Harts have a huge indoor arena, over 40 indoor stalls and many outdoor spaces for boarding horses. They also sponsor a number of horse clinics, usually weekend events put on by renowned horse trainers.

Roger and Sue, both in their seventies now, still give riding lessons, but it is Willy who trains horses. And while he quit competing in team roping in the Pro Rodeo Circuit in 2009, that is going to change this year, now that the circuit finals will be held in Yakima.

Hart Ranch Saddles

All kinds of saddles, boots and other equine equipment abound at the Hart Ranch, which features an indoor riding arena, 40 indoor horse stalls and more space for boarding horses outside.

He has a large tack room full of saddles he has won over the years, and now those saddles are used for riders who come to Hart Ranch for lessons.

He said that as a child, his father taught the children by letting them ride with saddles, but without stirrups, which helped Willy and his brother learn balance. Another thing that really helped him was participating in FHA and in FFA in which English saddles were used.

“I learned to feel which lead my horse was on by using an English saddle,” he said.

The five most important things to teach a young horse are to “stop, stop, stop, stop and stop,” Willy said.

And along with teaching that important lesson, as a trainer, it is his job to inspire confidence in the horses he trains. “When a horse shows fear, it’s like taking your child to the haunted house. You have to be calm,” he said.

He said horses need to be taught by using small steps. “The art of getting on a young horse is not mashing on the gas pedal. You must imagine the reins as kite strings. You are very gentle, as you would be with a kite, and you are somewhat more aggressive with your legs,” he said.

He also said that it is often helpful to have someone on hand who is riding a veteran horse, for that horse’s presence creates an aura of calm.

He has trained several hundred horses; he tries to take new horses to different venues so they get used to scary new places. He specializes in colt breaking and colt starting and in team roping.

Hart charges $850 per month for training, and he provides full care. Lessons cost $40 per hour if people take their own horse or $60 per hour if they use one of the Harts’ school horses.

A Life in the Saddle

Like the Hart family, Megan Hays has been riding since she was a toddler. She said she has always been “horse crazy” and that she started riding Tuffy the pony when she was she was 4.

By the age of 9 she had graduated to Top Secret and was very active in the Yakima Pony Club, where she learned horse management and care, dressage and jumping. By the age of 17, she had progressed to a C3 rating and was clearing jumps that were over 3 feet.

She said that she has always really loved dressage and after pony club, she took lessons in Olympia, with famed dressage trainer and dressage judge Mike Osinski. After working with him, she won (with the help of her horse Satin) the US Dressage Federation’s Silver Medal.

Hays said that dressage is a “ballet between horse and rider, where the rider communicates with the horse in a way that emphasizes harmony and grace.”

Hays and her horses continue to compete. For them, competition this year begins at the end of April in Boring, Ore., and ends in September in Nampa, Idaho. Hays said that this year, she and her horse, Ca Zare’s Darjeeling (an Anglo Arab) are trying for gold.

Megan Hays starting riding horses as a toddler. She specializes in dressage riding and started offering training last year. She also competes in dressage events around the country.

She started training horses professionally last year. She is in the midst of building an outdoor arena, which will be ready for use at the end of spring, but for now, she primarily goes to people’s homes to train their horses.

She currently has 15 students who range in age from 15 to 60. Some of her students are beginners, but most choose Hays as a teacher because they want to learn dressage or to learn basic dressage.

When asked what her biggest challenge as a trainer is, she said, “There’s a tendency for people to over-horse themselves.” By this she means that people tend to buy horses that they may not be comfortable riding or handling.

“It is my job to teach students to become more comfortable with their horses, or to help them find a horse that is the right fit,” Hays said.

Another challenge is taking in a horse, training it, and then returning it to an owner who doesn’t know how to ask the horse to do the skills it has learned. Hays said that to make sure that the owners progress at the same rate as the horse in training, she asks the owners to have a weekly lesson on the horse while it’s being trained (once the horse is safe to ride) so that horse and owner skills are in sync and improve together.

Hays is also a registered nurse and is on call at the Kittitas Hospital in Ellensburg, and she occasionally fills in at her parents veterinary practice in the West Valley.

She charges $575 per month for training and $45 per hour for riding lessons. She can be reached at 360-348-8519.

Teaching The Basics

Emily and Tristan Bettinger, owners of the Golden Nugget Ranch in Selah, have also been in the saddle since they were children. They were both active in 4H, and while Emily hails from Spokane and Tristan from the Washington Coast, they met up in Powell, Wyo., where they both attended North West College and graduated from a two-year equine riding and training program in 2008.

They started the Golden Nugget Ranch in 2012.

Emily Scherzinger works with a horse in the ring at Golden Nugget Ranch in Selah.

“We are an amateur- and youth-friendly barn. Our training program is designed to produce safe horses who enjoy being ridden,” Tristan said.

He said they primarily offer Western-style riding lessons and that kids make up 80 percent of their clientele.

He said that their barn is set up to train six horses right now, but that most of their business involves teaching young riders the basics. “Getting the kids to the point where they are in charge of the horse is very gratifying.”

Tristan and Emily Scherzinger of Selah’s Golden Nugget Ranch, work mainly with young and inexperienced riders trying to learn the basics of horse management. Here Tristan puts a horse through its paces.

What’s the hardest part of being a trainer?

“Most trainers develop a technique and get comfortable with that technique. But horses, like people, are individuals, and you have to adapt your training methods to match individual horses,” he said.

But he added that good trainers know how to adapt and most are naturally adaptive.

And like the other trainers, Bettinger stressed that green riders should not be paired with green horses and that when he trains a horse for someone, lessons for the rider are included as well.

The Bettingers have a large, outdoor arena and charge $40 per lesson for riders who take their own horse or $35 per lesson for two people who supply their own horses. Their phone number is 509-481-1196.

Western Dressage

Posted on March 5, 2014January 8, 2015 by CWDS Web Designer

The Central Washington Dressage Society is happy to offer Western and Gaited Dressage tests in our upcoming Schooling Show Series. Western Dressage is an exciting new discipline for many equine enthusiasts. To read the article published in the USDF Connection regarding Western Dressage, please follow this link:

USDF Connection – May 2012 Article on Western Dressage

Information about Western Dressage from the WDAA Website and some useful links can be found below:

The idea of Western Dressage had been brewing for some time. When a few prominent trainers met in 2007 and began to discuss the many horses they had trained, the successes and the failures of different techniques, as well as the conversations they had had with both trainers and horse owners, they realized that there were some core concerns shared by everyone involved in today’s horse industry. In late 2010 a meeting was held in Dallas, Texas to discuss these issues. The WDAA founding directors met with several gentlemen of the Western Horseman Magazine. The discussion was inspiring and gave impetus to the importance of moving forward with a plan. An organization and rallying point was needed, one that would provide information which would benefit all western horses and riders. That organization would honor the horse in its rightful place as the living symbol of the American West, value the partnership between the horse and rider, and also celebrate the American West as the beautiful and legendary place where it all began and continues today. This would require the building of a Western Dressage Community dedicated to all these concerns. Fulfilling that mission required agreement on the following:

Love of the Horse

The horse itself is important to everyone. Far too many horses fail to become suitable mounts due to mistakes made along the training path. That path is a significant journey for both horse and rider, and it is one that benefits from the practice of Classical Dressage. Although Classical Dressage techniques have been used by top western horsemen and horsewomen for many years, until now there has never been an organized effort to give that combination a name and recognize it as its own discipline. The Western Dressage Association^® has now done that in the hopes that many more horses and their owners/riders will benefit as a result.

Expense

In an economy when horse owners are looking for affordable ways to train, Western Dressage clinics by master horsemen and women and videos produced by them provide helpful demonstrations and examples to help with rising training expenses. The Western Dressage Association and its website give location and direction to these efforts, enabling people in many different locations around the world to learn from these aids.

Inclusiveness/Exclusiveness

Inclusiveness is important. A discipline which invites all breeds to participate gives incentive to every horse owner for their horses to benefit from the teaching of good training techniques. Any breed that can walk, trot, and canter can participate in Western Dressage. From top competition horses to recreational trail horses, training methods which utilize Classical Dressage on western horses improve that horse and not only help the green colt with a great start but benefit the older horse that has become bored or soured after years of arena work.

Multilevel Entry and Involvement

Western Dressage offers many entry levels. The beginning rider can participate in an atmosphere which is both inviting and non-intimidating. The rider who comes in at a more advanced level can learn to perfect her or his horsemanship and training method. The precision of Classical Dressage encourages more advanced riders to perfect their techniques, turning their horses and themselves into improved performers. This multilevel entry and advancement opportunity provides a place for every rider and every horse to become a success story.

Celebration and Stewardship of the American West

Where would western riders be without the place which gave birth to their passion for riding? The Western Dressage Association^® believes that we must acknowledge and preserve the many places which permit continued use of the horse. From the high mountain trails of the Sierra Nevada to the ancient migratory paths of the Navajo winding through the deserts of Arizona; from the scenic splendor of a Rocky Mountain vista to the seemingly limitless Great Basin of Nevada; from the rodeo and arena grounds of our State-owned facilities to the zoning controls put upon the facilities of those who board and train horses, the Western Dressage Association^® believes we must all work to preserve this legendary place we know as the American West, a place unequaled anywhere in the world.

For more information, please follow the links below:

Western Dressage Association of America

Website: http://www.westerndressageassociation.org/

USDF FAQ’s for Western Dressage

Website Link: http://www.usdf.org/faqs/western.asp#2

WDAA Rules/Tests/Guidelines:

Website Link: http://www.westerndressageassociation.org/western-dressage-rules-tests/

Western Dressage of Washington State (pending)

Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/WesternDressageWashingtonState/

Western Dressage of Ellensburg, WA

Featuring Trainer Jillian Santi

Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/WesternDressageWashingtonState/#!/groups/528475740552477/

USDF offers new “HART” Online Training Tool

Posted on January 28, 2014January 7, 2015 by CWDS Web Designer

The USDF has developed a new Online Training Tool to help you track your progress with your horse(s). The program, Horse And Rider Together (HART), is a tool that all USDF members can use for free to record and share their daily riding activities. The online training journal allows participants to track their rides over time, share how their ride went with friends, and earn achievements based on the number of hours spent in the saddle. You can use it on your smartphone, tablet, or computer. If you are considering trying the CWDS Levels Program this year, you might find this tool to be a quick and easy way to help you track your progress.

We have permanently posted a link to the login page for this tool under the USDF/USEF/FEI Links Page on this website, but you can also follow this link to access the HART tool directly: http://www.usdf.org/hart/.

Arthur Kottas Clinic: March 24-26 in Sauvie Island (Portland), OR

Posted on January 3, 2014January 7, 2015 by CWDS Web Designer

Arthur Kottas was accepted as an Eleve in the Spanish Riding School of Vienna at the age of 16. He rose rapidly under the tutelage of Col. Podhajsky to become Bereiter and then Chief Rider, both in the shortest time in the school’s history. He was elevated to the post of First Chief Rider in 1995, and served until his retirement in 2003. At the same time he operated his own training stable, coaching riders up to Olympic level. He is also a master of the use of in-hand work in the training of piaffe and passage. Due to his in-depth knowledge of classical dressage as well as his experience in the successful training of competition horses and riders, he is currently in huge demand world wide both as a clinician and as a lecturer. This is the only West Coast venue for clinics with Herr Kottas.

All breeds and levels are welcome. Both amateurs and professionals are encouraged.

For more information about the clinic, please contact Lisa Scaglione.

lascaglione@earthlink.net www.lisascaglionedressage.com (503) 504-2006

To see more information about Arthur Kottas, please visit his website at: http://arthur.kottas-heldenberg.at/

2013 Winners of the Carol Lavell Gifted Memorial Scholarship from Region 6

Posted on December 21, 2013January 7, 2015 by CWDS Web Designer

The Dressage Foundation has just announced this year’s recipients of the Carol Lavell Gifted Memorial Fund Scholarships for Adult Amateurs. The full list of all recipients nationwide is published here: http://www.dressagefoundation.org/2014_Gifted_Fund_Recipients.htm. Gifted Fund recipients will each receive a $1,000 Scholarship to enable them to set aside quality time in concentrated training with a horse they own, with a trainer of choice, away from the daily pressures of jobs and family.

The two selections from Region 6 are both ODS members who are heavily involved as volunteers locally as well as state-wide. The first is Lisa Koch from Redmond, OR. She is an “L” Graduate and is the Vice President of the Central Oregon Chapter and is a Director at Large on the ODS Board of Directors.

The second recipient is Ed Miller. He is known by many ODS members as our most recent ODS Past President. He is from Ashland, OR, where he serves as treasurer for the State of Jefferson Chapter – ODS.

“Congratulations to these deserving Adult Amateurs for being selected to receive a $1,000 scholarship! Thanks to the generosity of Carol Lavell, her family, and friends, we are thrilled to provide this support,” said Jenny Johnson, Administrative Director of The Dressage Foundation. “We hope that each recipient will make the most of the concentrated training time that this scholarship will allow, and we look forward to hearing from each recipient about his or her experience.”

If you are an adult amateur, now is the time to set calendar reminders to apply for next year’s “Carol Lavell Gifted Memorial Fund Scholarships for Adult Amateurs” next fall. The deadline for 2015 funds will be 9/15/2014 and the full program information is available on The Dressage Foundation’s website: http://www.dressagefoundation.org/The_Carol_Lavell_Gifted_Fund.htm.

How to Recognize Improper Saddle-Fit as a Potential Cause of Equine Lameness

Posted on October 28, 2013January 7, 2015 by CWDS Web Designer

Here is an insightful article that you may want to review with a lot of excellent technical references:

Saddle Fitting

How to take your Horse’s Vital Signs

Posted on October 28, 2013January 7, 2015 by CWDS Web Designer

Here is a very helpful video:

A Balanced Diet at All Cost: Stephen Duren, Ph.D.

Posted on May 19, 2013January 7, 2015 by CWDS Web Designer

Dr. Duren shared such informative information at CWDS’s latest seminar, I found this article he wrote to bring to all members just some of what we learned. More posts on this subject to follow for so much was presented. His first point was to know what we were feeding… have you an analysis of your hay?

For those people who own horses, properly feeding them is an important responsibility. A nutritionally balanced diet will allow horses to perform, reproduce, grow and maintain their health. However, with the current grain market and good quality hay in short supply, it can make feeding horses an expensive and perplexing proposition. In the last year, the price of corn, barley and wheat has increased an average of 55%. The cost of oats has increased nearly 20% compared to last year. With the price of grains increasing, the cost of commercial grain concentrates has followed suit. The hay market has shown a similar trend. Rainy weather during hay harvest has damaged hay in many parts of the country making quality horse hay difficult to find. Further, the price of fuel has increased both the production and delivery costs for hay. These factors add up to increased hay costs. How do horse owners balance their horses’ diets under a barrage of economic pressure?
With the exception of fresh, clean water, forage in the form of hay or pasture is the most important dietary ingredient we provide to horses. During the winter season, tempera- tures typically fall below that necessary for pasture grass to grow. Pastures that are depleted of natural forage become exercise areas and force the horse to replace pasture grass in
their diet with stored forage in the form of hay. A horse requires a minimum of 1.5% of the body weight in dry forage per day. This means a 1000 lb horse would require a minimum of 15 lbs of hay per day. Horses can consume up to 3% of their body weight in hay (30 lbs for a 1000 lb horse) if the hay is of good quality.
Horses require good quality hay because their digestive tract is “one-way” in direction. Horses normally are not capable of vomiting, and they become sick if fed moldy or dusty hay. Hay quality can be determined in many ways. Stage of maturity, leafiness, color, foreign material, odor and condition are physical parameters that can be judged to determine quality. Physical quality can be determined by observation and comparison of hay samples.
Physical Characteristics of High-Quality Hay
Stage of Maturity -Early cut hay is more palatable and digestible. Look for short plants with few or no seed heads. Leafiness – High quality hays have a high percentage of leaves (blades) to stems. Look for abundant leaves or blades, small, thin stems.
Color – Bright green color indicates proper curing, high vitamin content and good palatability. Loss of color indicates weather damage. Look for bright green color. Foreign Material – Hay should not contain weeds or foreign material such as dirt, wire, sticks. Look for grass or Alfalfa bales with no weeds.
Odor/Condition/Mold – Odors such as musty or rotten odors indicate low quality hay that was not properly cured or stored. Look for: Clean, fresh smelling hay free of visible mold or excessive dust.

When high quality hay is in short supply, horse owners often must settle for marginal hay. Marginal hay is hay that was cut late, meaning it is very mature resulting in poor digestibility. Marginal hay may also have lost leaves and its green color indicating weather damage. These hays will have a lower nutrient content and lower calorie content, meaning more hay is necessary to meet the nutrient requirements of the horse. If more hay is not fed, or if horses will not eat enough hay, horses will become thin and have poor coat condition. Hay that is moldy, musty or contaminated with weeds, sticks, wire, paper or other foreign material is considered poor hay and it should never be fed to horses.
If marginal hay must be fed, the remainder of the diet must be adjusted to account for the lesser quality hay. There are several methods to account for marginal hay. The first is to replace a portion of the hay with a pelleted and/or cubed hay product or a forage extender product. These products typically contain high quality fiber that horses can readily
digest. Feeding 1/3 of the total hay requirement as a forage pellet, cube or forage extender product will drastically improve the nutrients provided by the forage portion of the diet. If you account for the increased digestibility and less waste when feeding these products, their cost is often justified. A common concern with these products is if they provide horses with enough fiber. Since we are only replacing 1/3 of the hay portion of the diet with these products, fiber and length of fiber are not a concern. It is important to remember that hay pellets and/or cubes and forage extender products are not heavily fortified with vitmins and minerals. Therefore, they help account for marginal forage but they do not replace the grain concentrate or the supplement portion of the diet.
Another method to account for marginal hay is to feed “complete” products. A complete product is one that contains the forage, grain, vitamin and mineral portions of the diet. The word “complete” indicates they can be the only ingredient fed to the horse with the exceptions of water and salt. As you would expect, properly feeding a “complete” would entail a large feed intake. These intakes typically range from 12.5 – 20 lbs of “complete” per 1000 lb horse per day. Complete feeds can be used with marginal hays, but just like hay pellet and/or cubes and forage extenders they require that fortified grain concentrates and supplements still be provided to the horse. If plenty of marginal hay is available, a third method for making up the nutrients not in adequate supply in the forage would be to feed unfortified grains such as oats, corn or barley. Grain can never replace the forage component of the diet, but it can provide nutrients that are not in adequate supply in marginal forage. These grains would help satisfy the calorie requirements of the horses but would not provide adequate protein, vitamins or minerals since these nutrients are not added to the grains. The final option for making up for marginal hay is to feed a fortified grain concentrate. These products are fortified with protein, vitamins and minerals and they will allow the horse to achieve a nutritionally balanced diet. Selection of which fortified grain concentrate to be fed would depend on the nutrient content of your hay. For example, if you normally feed a 12% protein grain concentrate when good quality hay or pasture is available, you may need to feed a grain concentrate with a higher protein, vitamin and mineral content to account for the marginal hay. The higher nutrient profile grains are typically more expensive since they have more nutrition, but these products would need to be fed to achieve nutrient balance.
In conclusion, always make sure the horse first has an adequate amount of forage available. If that forage is in limited supply, feeding a forage pellet and/or cube, forage extender product or complete feed would be appropriate to provide additional fiber. If the forage is of marginal quality but in adequate supply, the nutrient deficits of the marginal hay can be made up by feeding unfortified grains (oats, corn, barley) and adding supplements. An easier method to balance the diet is to select a grain concentrate fortified with protein, vitamins and minerals to properly balance the diet. This will eliminate much of the expense and potential supplementing errors.

Is your bridle too tight?

Posted on April 28, 2013January 7, 2015 by CWDS Web Designer

After CWDS’s saddle fitting clinic, I began wondering about BRIDLE fit? Was there was a good article in cyber space that might help educate members? I found this informative article on TACK n’ TALK- a site worth visiting.

Written by Larissa Cox

Horses are amazing creatures as they have adapted so well to our human creations. Head discomfort most always goes unnoticed until there is a behavioral or physical problem. The most common behavioral problem due to head discomfort is that a horse will refuse to go forward. Unfortunately, when negative behavior occurs, the rider never checks their tack to ensure that it’s properly fit.
The horse’s head has more nerve sensitivity than any other part of his body. If the bridle is too tight, your horse is less likely to be able to think, breathe, and perform.
Your horse’s head should move easily when wearing a bridle so that the ear, jaw, lips and nose are not restricted. Tension or restriction on the head can lead to many negative behaviors, such as teeth grinding, biting the tongue, tension in the poll and/or neck, restricted movement, headaches, breathing restriction, loss of smell and general discomfort. Horses that are occupied by pain cannot think or perform well they just react trying to rid themselves of pain.

The nose band, also called cavesson, was designed to hold the horse’s jaw closed while racing across the battlefield so the horse would not bite it’s tongue with the extra weight of the armour claddened rider. Nose bands should not rub, press or irritate. A nose band should allow for at least two fingers worth of slack, anything less is too tight.

The sole purpose of the brow band is to prevent the bridle from being pulled back over the ears and down the neck. It is very important that brow bands shouldn’t rub or pinch and must allow the ears should be able to move easily.

The cheek piece plays an important role for the bridle since it determines the level of communication that will exist between your reins and the bit. If the cheek piece fits too loosely, the bit will rest too low in the horse’s mouth, causing the bit to hit the front teeth. A cheek piece that is too tight will cause the bit to rest too high in the mouth. This will cause the bit to dig into the cheeks causing it to pinch. Cheek pieces shouldn’t rub or press on protruding skull bones.
The purpose of the throatlash is to hold the bridle in place and prevent the horse from rubbing the bridle off it’s head. The throatlash should not fit tightly that it constricts your horse’s breathing. The common rule for proper throatlash fitting is three fingers width.
Even if the bridle fits your horse perfectly, without the proper bit size, you may encounter negative horse behavior. Please see my article, “Is your bit the right size” to get more information on some of the negative behavior that your horse will give you with an improper fitting bit. Earlier this year, I also wrote an article on how to fit a snaffle bit. This article will hopefully give you some pointers on how to choose the right snaffle bit for you and your horse as well as how to properly fit that bit!

Good luck and happy riding, Larissa

How Do I Know if My Horse Has Gastric Ulcers?

Posted on April 20, 2013January 7, 2015 by CWDS Web Designer

Found this informative article on Pilchuck Veterinary Hospital web site: Research studies estimate that 60% to 90% of performance horses have gastric (stomach) ulcers. What signs might they exhibit? Horses with gastric ulcers can present in a variety of ways: weight loss/hard keeper, poor hair coat, bad behavior, poor performance, low-grade colic, diarrhea, poor appetite.

The equine stomach has two distinct regions: the non-glandular (squamous) region and glandular (acid-producing) region. Ulcers can form in either region, but most occur in the non-glandular tissue.

Stomach ulcers are the result of multiple factors, including infrequent feeding, prolonged travel and intense exercise. Most importantly, horses continuously secrete stomach acid 24 hours per day. From an evolutionary standpoint, this makes sense. Horses are designed to graze continuously, which leads to direct buffering of the acid by feed material and bicarbonate-rich saliva. However, modern-day equine management often results in horses only eating two to three meals per day, putting our equine companions at significant risk for the development of gastric ulcers. Research has also shown that the size of the equine stomach decreases during exercise, which results in the delicate non-glandular portion of the stomach being in contact with acid for a prolonged period of time. Finally, the use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agents (such as “Bute” or Banamine) can cause gastric ulcers.

Currently, the only reliable method for diagnosing equine gastric ulcers is with gastric endoscopy. This procedure allows the veterinarian to directly visualize the stomach for the presence of ulcers or other abnormalities. Once diagnosed, gastric ulcers are very effectively treated with GastroGard (omeprazole).

– by Wendy Mollat, DVM, DACVIM, who is specialized in equine gastrointestinal issues

Planning to use cavaletti?

Posted on March 22, 2013January 7, 2015 by CWDS Web Designer

Found this at “Reflections on Riding” by Kate and thought it very informative in light of upcoming clinics….There is a best distance between cavaletti for every horse, at every gait. Those distances may get uniformly longer or shorter depending on the horse’s level of training, but this should be intentional, not random. If you vary the distances between cavaletti or if you choose the wrong distance to begin with, you undermine the best use of these training aids.

When you’re ready to set out your cavaletti, get out a tape measure, the way course designers do when they’re building a course of jumps, and use it to measure a true distance. If you’ve got a measuring wheel, that’s nice and easy and it’s handy for building courses later. If not, a 30′ tape measure will do, and will see you through building gymnastics (when you’ll be varying the spacing quite a bit, but that’s down the road.)

Before you can figure out how to train your horse over cavaletti, you have to figure out your horse’s natural stride. Which means you need to be able to create and recognize your horse’s best walk, working trot, and canter.
Dismount to measure the distance (if you’re using a metal tape measure, you might want to de-spook your horse to the sound first, because a lot of horses think it’s a monster, especially when it retracts). Or ask a friend to measure the distance for you, toe to toe. Write down the distances, because the last thing you want to do is repeat this exercise. (Later on, when you want to measure your horse’s natural jumping stride, you can follow a similar procedure, but you’ll be measuring from the point of takeoff to the point of landing.)
Set up your cavaletti so they’re spaced the same distance apart as your horse’s natural stride. That way, your horse can concentrate on learning where to put his feet without having to figure out how to rebalance himself at the same time. As you take your horse over the cavaletti, you’ll be asking for relaxation and expression. Your goal should be to try not to interfere. You’re not training your own eye here, you’re training your horse’s eye.
If you don’t have access to true cavaletti (either notched poles or X’s) and you use ground poles, use caution as well, because you don’t want your horse to stumble over the very things you’re using to build confidence. Use ground poles in a place where you can mound some footing over both sides at either end, to stabilize them. Just because you’ve never seen a horse stumble is not a reason to skip this step, any more than feeding a 2″ x 2″ piece of carrot is a good idea just because you’ve never seen a horse choke.
If you want to train over cavaletti at the walk as well as the trot, you’ll need to set up two sets of cavaletti, or you’ll be messing with one gait. Or you’ll need a ground person to alter the distances for you, or dismount and do it yourself. Same goes for canter.
Be sure to set up at least three cavaletti in a row so your horse doesn’t decide you’re training him to jump over a ditch or an oxer. Once that’s flowing smoothly, you can add one or more but don’t go crazy. The point isn’t the length of ground you’ll cover, but how well your horse learns to use himself.
Always give yourself a nice distance in front of the cavaletti to establish your pace and keep your horse between your hands and legs to ensure that you go over the center of the poles. Allow your horse to figure out the exercise, and encourage him to relax. If he wants to look down at first, that’s okay. Ideally, he’ll telescope his neck, raise his back and start swinging. Be prepared for a bigger movement and concentrate on keeping your seat light (two-point at the canter) and your center of gravity stable.
Once you can go comfortably through cavaletti at your horse’s natural stride, you can vary the distances, to teach your horse to lengthen and shorten his stride. If you’ve got a hunter or a jumper, you’ll want to teach your horse a 12′ stride at the canter as soon as he’s figured out where to put his feet, and only when that’s established will you work at shortening (first) and lengthening (second). You’ll work with your horse’s natural stride at the trot, shortening and lengthening. After that, you can move on to grid work and gymnastics, and use cavaletti to substitute for jumps, as Bert deNemethy did for the 1972 Olympic team. Rumor has it that Bill Steinkraus, Frank Chapot, Kathy Kusner and Neal Shapiro all thought he was an idiot at the time, before they secured team Silver.
If you’ve got a dressage horse, you’ll want to use cavaletti at the walk and trot to increase the articulation of the hocks, the freedom of the shoulders and the amplitude of the stride, first by extending the distance between cavaletti and then by shortening it.
There are lots of different arrangements of cavaletti you can use to keep the work interesting for your horse. With the proper foundation (which includes the proper spacing), you’ll know you’re helping your horse be his best at every stage of the game.

Enjoy the ride!

This member writes books!

Posted on March 3, 2013January 7, 2015 by CWDS Web Designer

I rode with Penny to the scribing clinic and shared stories. I was awed that Penny, a member living in Ellensburg, found time to author a book! So I took the opportunity to google her story and learned the following! Way to Go Penny!

Memories of a Female Trucker, published this February, is written from the cab of an eighteen-wheeler where Penny lived for five-years. The gist of the book takes place within the schism of the lush life of the 1950’s and the rebellion of the 60’s. It uses the grid of the interstate driving to deftly weave a collage of time and place. It is nightmare, visitation and new meanings where the past is squarely placed in the rearview mirror while the highway is always moving forward. This is a story of a woman and a man as well as of a mother and a daughter in which the intellectual brutality is always offset with the juxtaposition fo nature. It is a journey of healing and success. Available from amazon kindle… and just a side note, Penny has received 5 out of 5 stars for this story! I can’t wait to read this!

We learned a great deal at the scribing clinic!

Posted on February 27, 2013January 7, 2015 by CWDS Web Designer

Two of us traveled over the pass Tuesday evening to learn what it takes to be a scribe. Beth Glosten teaches this class as her contribution to the sport and what a fine job she does! Eight of us listened and watched and then were given the opportunity to scribe for several rides as Beth judged. My goodness, I will never again take for granted the comments I receive on my tests. It takes concentration to legibly write all the comments made by the judge, to get the right tone and exact words to express the judge’s thoughts. I found an article that sums up the evening and thought I’d share Jennifer Walker’s tips for a scribe:

Serving as a dressage scribe is really pretty simple. All it takes is good listening and fast writing skills. Here are some tips to keep in mind:

1. Arrive at the show grounds early so no one worries that you won’t make it. You’ll also want to have plenty of time to find the show office, get your scribe kit, and meet the judge.

2. Make sure you have the tests and plenty of pens. You should have a red pen for marking errors.

3. Ask the judge if she gives scores or comments first, and tell her if you’ve never scribed before, or if you have any questions.

4. Check the number on the horse to the number on the test. Every horse must have a number, and you must make sure that the pre-printed test matches. Write the number in the space provided at the top of the side of the test where you write the scores. If you can’t see the number, ask the rider as she rides by.

5. Write the score in the Points column. Do not write in the Coefficient or Total column.

6. The judge will usually fill in the collective marks, but may dictate them to you. Make sure she signs the front of the test.

7. Sometimes the tests move quickly. The most important thing is the score-if you miss comments, you can try to go back and complete them, but make sure you get the score. If you didn’t hear or understand something, ask.

8. Keep an eye on the rider in the ring to make sure you’re on track and writing in the right place. You will often be writing about one movement halfway through the next. If you’re not sure which movement a comment or score goes with, ask. “Was that for the transition?” or “Was that for number 6?” Judges are usually understanding of this.

9. Write as legibly and clearly as you can. Abbreviations are often necessary, but write out words if you have time, and make sure your abbreviations make sense. You can make a big O for circle or draw a square for “square halt.”

10. Do not offer commentary about the riders. Do not write anything the judge didn’t say.

11. Take a cue from the judge as to whether she’s interested in chatting or letting you ask questions. If she doesn’t offer, stay quiet and let her concentrate.

Scribing at dressage shows is a great way to see and learn about dressage, while giving back to the dressage community. Give it a try, and you’ll find it a rewarding experience.

Members do more than ride!

Posted on February 23, 2013January 7, 2015 by CWDS Web Designer

Deborah’s creativity: In addition to riding my horse, raising my daughter and teaching lessons I also enjoy the art of Lampworking (making glass beads with a torch). Once the beads are made I like to photograph them for reference and also for people to look at when they are deciding what they would like for their Lampwork browbands. Last night I was playing with pics of some of my beads that I make…….cropping out sections from the photo and then resizing it to see all the wondrous detail that dwells in these tiny artworks on a supersized canvas. Some of them look like pictures taken by the hubble telescope! I was struck by the of some of them I am using them as backgrounds for my computer! I am hoping to get one REALLY outstanding pic (eventually) that I can show at the fair next year…….along with the bead that the photo came from. Anyway……….enjoy!

I do some really beautiful organics (like the ones that these pics came from) with a glass that is loaded with silver and copper and has GREAT reactions. There are some that get a beautiful metallic shimmer on the outside which also creates a mother-of-pearl effect when encased in clear glass. I can combine some of the lovely, organic beads with some solid colored beads for a nice contrast. Also there is a beautiful ivory that gets a really great webbing in it when superheated. It makes a nice accent with the organics. Also reacts quite well with the silver glass! There are sooooo many possibilities!

One of the members recently ordered a cap and browband with matching bead sets. I’ll be happy to help you with a selection for your horse, or yourself. Let me know! Debbie D

What are your other interests? We’d like to hear from you and share your story!

It’s that time of year… Vaccinations!

Posted on February 21, 2013January 7, 2015 by CWDS Web Designer

I like to review the yearly core vaccinations I give to the herd and consider each pony’s needs, the yearling will get the boosters, the broodmare needs proper timing, and the others get the standard mix…It all goes into my record book. But first, what is it I need?

Vaccination Guidelines

Equestrian pilates for dressage

Posted on October 14, 2012January 7, 2015 by CWDS Web Designer

I love my early morning coffee and my computer! I set in the overstuffed chair and read favorite blogs and search for new ones that appeal to my horsey interests. Sometimes these searches are due to a “challenge” I may be experiencing, or a comment someone made as we discuss a lesson or technique. Recently I’ve become interested in the process of giving full my full attention to the horse, becoming so in-tuned with the horse that I leave all other issues and stress at the gate, some call it developing a “feel”. So I was quite pleased when I happened upon Elizabeth Hanson’s newsletters for her Equestrian Pilates. In this article she shares four skills used to maximize the riding experience and become a team member with your horse. The insight provided is just what I needed. Perhaps you too will enjoy her writings and read more of her work at her site equestrianpilates.com, an enjoyable way to begin the morning!

~ Ginny Erion

Click through on the link below to access this report!

IMPROVE YOUR RIDE

Recipient of the Carol Lavell Gifted Scholarship

Posted on October 3, 2012January 7, 2015 by CWDS Web Designer

Our very own Nicole Bisping has been honored as a recipient of the Gifted Scholarship program. Nicole has promised us her exclusive story here at Central Washington Dressage Society!

From the USDF press news:

“The Dressage Foundation is proud to announce this year’s recipients of the Carol Lavell Gifted Scholarships for Adult Amateurs. Each will receive a $1,000 Scholarship to enable them to set aside quality time in concentrated training with a horse they own, with a trainer of choice, away from the daily pressures of job and family.

“All of these adult amateurs are so deserving of these scholarships. They are all very active volunteers for their GMOs, busy with their daily lives, and deserve to have a bit of time to concentrate on their horses and their riding,” said Jenny Johnson, Administrative Director of The Dressage Foundation. “We thank all of the donors to this Fund, who have made it possible for the Foundation to provide these scholarships!”

The following Adult Amateurs were chosen as recipients from their respective USDF Regions to receive $1,000 grants for training in the 2012 calendar year.

USDF Region 6 – Nicole Bisping (WA) and her horse, Con Brio, plan to train with Mike Osinski. Nicole is a member of Central Washington Dressage Society.”

Nicole, we are grateful for your inspiration!

Here is a report of her experience from Nicole herself!

2012 Gifted Report

Equine First Aid Kits

Posted on March 3, 2012January 7, 2015 by CWDS Web Designer

What is this…?

Care to know what I found in my vet kit that is stored in the barn? Let’s just say that after dragging the kit from the barn…it looked as if something had slept in it, possibly died there, or left behind the remains of a dinner!

I always start the year with good intentions…like New Year Resolutions…. and then life happens! So, before I get sidetracked with good weather, I wanted to prepare a well-stocked kit! WARNING: this is NOT a 15 minute task, at least it wasn’t for me…

Our barn kit started years ago as a Pony Club essential and has grown from there, perhaps I should define grown as “the kit has become the dumping grounds for anything I might need ever…!” this mentality must change! My mantra is now “Do I know how to use this thing?”

I’ve included some tips from the Pony Club manual on Horsemanship and added more….but here is what is now in my “kit”.

* VET’S EMERGENCY CONTACT NUMBERS LAMINATED ON A CARD!

* CARD WITH NORMAL VITAL SIGNS FOR ALL OUR HORSES! This took some time to prepare, I also included a picture of the horse for identification.

* Petroleum jelly

* Digital Thermometer (or Veterinary Thermometer with thong and clip). Tip: You may wish to tape a tongue depressor to the end of the thermometer for ease of handling while taking the horse’s temp.

* Rubbing alcohol, is used to clean and disinfect items like

*Bandage scissors and thermometers. Shelf Life ALERT! Tip: Should be BLUNT tipped and capable of cutting through thick bandages.

* Betadine solution and Betadine scrub Shelf Life ALERT! Tips: A scrub can be made from a antibacterial/antimicrobial/antibiotic“solution” by adding a quarter to a third of the volume in liquid soap, then after mixing it gently pour a little out and see if it makes suds or at least feels slimy between your fingers. Antibacterial liquid soap is an inexpensive option for this item.

* Neosporin: Expiration date ALERT! Tip: Human treatments of any triple antibiotic ointment are an acceptable topical agent. You would need at least 2 ounces to treat a horse. This makes it more expensive then many equine specific treatments.

* Telfa pads (or other non-stick pad): I have several sizes available for those gashes!

* 1 Roll Gauze (at least 2″ wide) Tip: Roll gauze can be the brown type that veterinarians use, or stretchy cling gauze available in grocery stores.

* Flexible Stretch Adhesive/Cohesive Bandages.

* Stethoscope. Tip: remember to listen to your horse’s gut sounds often so you know what is normal!

* Diapers (~size 5)- I’ve used for packing feet…

* A notebook and pen/pencil / or Permanent marker: for taking notes. Nothing worse than not remembering what the vitals were 15 minutes ago.

* Flashlight and spare batteries.

* Electrolytes (and/or loose salt).

* Applesauce for oral dosing crushed pills (little lunchbox size is great) I’ve used more that I ever thought I might!

* Duct tape– a million uses!

* Sharp knife.

* Banamine, Bute, Ace, Dexamethasone.

* Feminine pads are great 1st layer bandages on bleeding wounds – clean, good size, absorbent, handy.

* Needles and syringes.

Now cleaned with a tight fitting lid, this is ready to return to the barn.

Wait, perhaps I need another kit for the trailer?

What is in you Equine First Aid Kit?

Do you know why each item is included and how to use it?

– Ginni Erion

About Central Washington Dressage Society

By Sarah Geikie

Laura Graves, 2016 Carol Lavell Advanced Dressage Prize Recipient from TDF

Michael Poulin’s Thoughts on Training a Horse to Grand Prix

USEF Equine Vaccination Rule From the USEF Communications Department

featuring

George Williams

Get Ready for the 2015 Season!

The Oregon Dressage Society Hosts:

“Intro to the Tests of 2015”

w/Mike Osinski-FEI 3*

Jan. 17-18, 2015

“Let’s Talk About Financial Well Being”

By Beth Baumert/President & CEO of The Dressage Foundation

CALLING ALL ADULT AMATEUR RIDERS!

by Carolyn Desnoyer, Gifted Fund Recipient

Carol Lavell and Carolyn Desnoyer/Photo by Jennifer Bryant of USDF Connection

This article appears in the July/August 2014 issue of USDF Connection. Thank you to USDF for allowing us to share the article with you.

MORE TDF GRANT OPPORTUNITIES

Tentative Schedule: Saturday, June 28th 2014

Tentative Schedule: Sunday, June 29th 2014

Not-so-easy Riders:

Lessons, Training Can Help Novices Handle a Horse

The Hart family — from left, Willy, Sue and Roger — have spent their lives around horses. Hart Ranch offers horse training services plus boarding and riding lessons.

All kinds of saddles, boots and other equine equipment abound at the Hart Ranch, which features an indoor riding arena, 40 indoor horse stalls and more space for boarding horses outside.

Megan Hays starting riding horses as a toddler. She specializes in dressage riding and started offering training last year. She also competes in dressage events around the country.

Emily Scherzinger works with a horse in the ring at Golden Nugget Ranch in Selah.

Tristan and Emily Scherzinger of Selah’s Golden Nugget Ranch, work mainly with young and inexperienced riders trying to learn the basics of horse management. Here Tristan puts a horse through its paces.

Love of the Horse

Expense

Inclusiveness/Exclusiveness

Multilevel Entry and Involvement

Celebration and Stewardship of the American West

Western Dressage Association of America

USDF FAQ’s for Western Dressage

WDAA Rules/Tests/Guidelines:

Western Dressage of Washington State (pending)

Western Dressage of Ellensburg, WA

Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/WesternDressageWashingtonState/#!/groups/528475740552477/

USEF Equine Vaccination Rule
From the USEF Communications Department