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

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!

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

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.

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.

“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!

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/.

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

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!

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