Georgia Dressage and Combined Training Association, Inc. June 2018
GDCTA is a Group Member Organization of USDF. Their members are automatically USDF Group Members
In This Issue
3 – May Meeting Highlights 4 – Three Little Words by Bill Woods 7 – Walter Zettl passes on . . . by Chris Hutchings 9 – The Uncomfort Zone with Robert Wilson 10/12 – Inaugural Rescue Horse Championship at GADS by Nancy Cox 18/19 – Timing Quality Accuracy by Ciera Foley 20 – Thank You to Our Donors 21 – Calendar 22 – Membership Form
On the Cover
Joanne Morse on Graf’s Girl owned by Kylie Co. California Currently for sale
PHOTO: Travis Maton
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GDCTA Board Meeting Overview May 21, 2018
May meeting was called to order on May 21, 2018 at Shannondale Farm. Board members in attendance were Caren Caverly, Peri Lambros, Liz Malloy, Joanne Morse, Julie Shannon, Amanda Garner, and Peter West. VP of Dressage – The Arthur Kottas Clinic is coming up on May 27-29 and is full. The Laura Graves Clinic is also full with a waiting list. VP of Combined Training – The Stephen Bradley Clinic is coming up June 16-17 at Poplar Place Farm. There has been great interest. Clinic is almost full but there are still spaces available. Membership – We are up six (6) members from last year. Junior Dressage was the biggest increase. Horse Show Recognition – 39 rated shows have been approved from February through July. More shows coming in every week. Youth – GDCTA Youth education event will happen during the next GDCTA show on August 4. Sponsorship – Triple Crown has committed to a sponsorship. Regionals – Vendors are already sending in their paperwork for the show. Many vendors have agreed to sponsor as well. Georgia is now on the calendar to host regionals in October 2019 as well. Kudzu – Clinic coming up very soon with Leah Marks at Foxberry Farm in Dallas, GA, followed by another with Erin McCloud at Peach State Dressage in Powder Springs, GA. Grant – The grant deadline has been extended to June 15. Grant recipients will be announced on July 1st.
Yearbook We are in the final proof reading and editing stage. Will be ready for print soon. Nominating Committee – Amanda Garner, Liz Malloy, plus a general member will make up the nominating committee. Nominees will be in the October newsletter. Next meeting: 7:00 PM June 18, 2018 Shannondale Farm 2395 Birmingham Road Milton, GA
DISCLOSURE
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Complete GDCTA Board of Directors meeting minutes are available upon request to the Recording Secretary.
Financial records are available upon written request to the Treasurer.
For information regarding Awards, Show Recognition, Membership, Education, or the Web Site, contact the appropriate chairperson on the website Contact Us page.
Three Little Words By Bill Woods
No importa. Mittel nichts. It doesn’t matter.
In every riding language these phrases remind the student of an essential fact of training. When something goes wrong, be careful your “cure” doesn’t make things worse than the original problem!
This is the Law of Unintended Consequences as it applies to dressage. Example: I was helping a woman with her sensitive FEI horse as she tried to teach the mare her one tempis. She could do “over and back” pretty well, but when she wanted to add the third sequential change, the mare would make a mistake and then hollow and retract. It reminded me exactly of a horse that nips at you and then immediately flinches and draws back, knowing that a whack on the nose is about to follow. This horse knew that a mistake would be punished by a sharp check with the rider’s hands and often an abrupt halt. That expectation practically assured that the third or fourth change would fail. Yes, we all know there are behaviors that need to be punished. A “gangster” who is trying to take advantage or intimidate his rider needs to be reminded of just where he stands on the food chain— presumably somewhat below his trainer. But very often a mistake is simply a mistake. Gloss over it and repeat the request, and many times the horse is happy and relieved to get the answer right. The less fuss this rider made, the more she just continued to ride the canter rhythmically forward, the more the mare regained her confidence and was able to make the 3rd, 4th, and even 5th and 6th change in a row.
One of my favorite images which I inflict without remorse upon my students is “make your horse like a vending machine.” Make him universally prepared to instantaneously dispense whatever movement or figure you wish to execute. If he’s on the aids in shoulder-in, you aren’t supposed to have to write him another whole treatise just to make a canter depart or a medium trot. Everything is supposed to be percolating right under the surface awaiting your permission to come out. On the subject of unintended consequences, note that your horse’s vending machine has one unusual feature. Ironically, when it comes to restocking it, you don’t have to reload the items that you have used. You need to replenish the one’s you haven’t used enough! This is particularly the case as you proceed into more advanced work. If you only practice the fancy stuff, the “tricks” may work, but their quality will inevitably diminish. I remember one PSG horse that would get late behind in his changes, especially in a line of four-tempis. Over-riding him in the change didn’t help, but if I’d go back and make sure his trot-tocanter transitions were prompt, clear, and through, the flying changes would immediately be better. The Law of Unintended Consequences lesson: what you don’t do can hurt you! In a related matter, I met another talented mare being prepared for the FEI Five Year Old Test. She had plenty of animation, suspension, and a high, round frame. But her rider explained that the mare ground her teeth, didn’t like the sitting trot, and had difficulty making fluid transitions.
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Here the issue was another rider too eager to practice the “finished product” without stepping back to solve the original causes of those behaviors. This was a hot horse that ran against the hand and internalized her tension. For ten or fifteen minutes I asked the rider to forget all about impulsion and the volume of trot. Keep the horse in front of the leg but slow her down enough to relax and learn to wait for the pushing aids. Be able to stabilize her in a trot without constant restraint, even with her frame open like a hunter’s. “No one is judging this part,” I kept reminding the owner. “Establish a different relationship now and it will be easy to put the extravagance back into her. Fail to do this and the two of you will always be at odds.” Yes, it takes self-discipline and some faith in the system to go back to basics, especially if your friends are watching and they expect to see you doing all the fun stuff. But I’ve discovered this Dressage Fact by watching TMZ . . . I now know that those celebrity babes from the magazines don’t look like movie stars when they’re at the Safeway or picking up their kids at daycare. On the wide screen or on the red carpet are the only places where “the look” matters. The rest of the time—did you know?—they’re at home practicing transitions like everyone else.
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Walter Zettl passages on… By Chris Hutchings
GDCTA is proud to have sponsored a clinic with Mr. Zettl in November 2013, one of the last such events he conducted before retiring from traveling. Held at the lovely Shannondale Farm in Alpharetta, GA, the clinic was well-attended, and participants were treated to a wealth of knowledge gained by Mr. Zettl during his long and fruitful career. We were saddened to learn that the great dressage master Walter Zettl passed away on June 7, 2018. Mr. Zettl had been in declining health for some time, and although he had to forego traveling in recent years, he was able for a while to continue teaching lessons at his farm in Canada to those lucky souls who lived close enough to trailer their horses there.
Mr. Zettl was not only a highly successful rider in his own right, but he was also a much admired and sought-out instructor, first in his native southern Germany, and later in Canada and the United States (he emigrated to Canada in 1981). He was also a successful author of books about dressage; including “Dressage in Harmony” and “A Matter of Trust” (the latter was also made into a 5-DVD series).
A tribute to Walter on Chronicle of the Horse forum reads:
“Because of Walter, the world is a much better place for both human and horse. He taught us all with his unique level of kindness not generally experienced in this life. He showed us how to be grateful and generous to our horses, to our families, and to our friends and neighbors. He led with gallantry, poise, and sophistication. Walter was a true gentleman and a genuine role model for kindness.”
Walter Zettl was 89 years old at the time of his passing. This kind and gentle soul will be greatly missed by horses and humans alike.
Walter A. Zettl
Born March 21st 1929 - Died June 7th 2018 7
GDCTA Summer Finals Dressage & Combined Training Schooling Show
Aug 4-5
Closing Date: July 27 Wills Park Equestrian Alpharetta, GA Lisa Seger Insurance AA Medal Championships Dressage Seat Equitation Championships Western Dressage Classes Show Jumping Rounds (NON-JUDGED) GDCTA recognized “GAHA Participating” Show
www.gdcta.org/gdcta-summer-finals
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THE UN-COMFORT ZONE with Robert Wilson
What's Holding You Back?
I noticed the training wheels on my son’s bike were no longer touching the ground. He was riding without them. “Let’s take those off,” I said. “No Daddy, I’m not ready.” “Sure you are; let’s give it a try.” After I removed them, he got on the bike, but couldn’t get enough momentum to stay up and fell right over. “See Daddy, I can’t do it. Put them back on.”
“Let’s try it again, this time I’ll push.” I grabbed the back of the seat and started pushing him. He was pedaling and riding perfectly, and I was having to run as fast as I could to continue holding the seat. “You’re doing it!” I cried. “I’m going to let go now.” “No Daddy, don’t let go. I can’t do it.” I let go, and he stopped pedaling. The bike rolled a few more feet, began to wobble, then fell over. “I can’t do it. Daddy, please put the training wheels back on.” He couldn’t see what I saw: that he was already riding without them. He was like a circus elephant tied to a stake in the ground. That elephant is strong enough to push over a tree, yet because she was tied to a stake as a baby - when she wasn’t strong enough to pull it up - she continues to believe it can’t be done. Greek Stoic philosopher, Epictetus, observed in the first century: “Men are disturbed not by things, but by the view which they take of them.” I’d like to rephrase that, “We are held back by our perception of things.” When we encounter challenges in life, we attempt to resolve them with what we know to be true. When that doesn’t work we’re stumped. Today in business we’re stumped by recession, international competition, high taxes and government regulation. We’re boxed in. We need to follow the advice of Albert Gyorgyi, the Nobel
Prize winning scientist, who discovered vitamin C, “Discovery consists of seeing what everybody has seen and thinking what nobody has thought.” Easier said than done. The trick to “thinking what nobody has thought,” begins with changing our perception. Again, easier said than done. The trick to changing your perception can be accomplished by changing your perspective... changing the view which you take of things. In the classic motion picture, The Dead Poet’s Society, an English teacher has his students stand on their desks to change their perspective. He says, “we must constantly look at things in different ways.” You can read a dozen books on how to think creatively, and each of the techniques you learn will be to accomplish just one thing: changing the way you look at the problem. By looking at it from a different perspective, you will begin to see different solutions. With my son, I continued to push the bike and run as fast as I could. After falling down a few more times, he finally got it, and was able to ride on his own. I would have given anything to spare him the pain and the tears. Someone else, much more creative than me, saw the problem from a different perspective and came up with a better solution. It is called the “balance bike.” Seeing that children became dependent on training wheels, this unknown person asked the question, “What if, I didn’t have training wheels?” The solution was to take the pedals off, and let children learn to balance on the bike first by walking it along. As the children’s skills improve, they will lengthen their strides until they can lift their feet off the ground and coast. Once this is accomplished, the pedals can be put back on the bike, and the problem of becoming dependent on training wheels is eliminated. It is human nature to constantly improve the way we do things. If the traditional way of doing things isn’t working for you, then change your perception. Ask yourself what you would do if the current solution did not exist. Now you’re looking at it from a different perspective. You’ll be amazed with what you will come up with!
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Inaugural Rescue Horse Championship at GADS I, II Georgia International Horse Park, May 12-13 by Nancy Cox
A new championship category for rescue horses debuted at the Greater Atlanta Dressage Show I&II. These are horses that find themselves in a rescue situation, such as abused horses seized by law enforcement or the many unwanted horses that flow through the auction process to find themselves at a Kill Pen awaiting transport to a slaughter facility. In this population of horses, many athletic, trained, and sound horses silently flow to their heartbreaking end. Hundreds of rescue organizations do their part to save as many as financially possible. The Georgia Equine Rescue League, the co-sponsor of the championship, is central to supporting all rescue horses here in the Georgia. They know too well the magnitude of this issue. This problem was the inspiration for the Rescue Horse Championship. The goal is to generate visibility of the issue and potentially motivate future horse buyers to “adopt, don’t shop” for their next horse. Getting the Rescue Horse Championship Off the Ground Starting something new is always a challenge. For the first show, one horse was eligible for the championship (full transparency: the entry was one of my rescue horses). Other riders had inquired, but were not quite ready. Therefore, the championship will be held again at the Labor Day Show (with plans for 2019 in development) to continue to inspire others to participate. The Georgia Equine Rescue League is also looking at other disciplines to incorporate this idea into other shows. First Show: Introducing Chloe the Rescue Horse Chloe made quite a statement by winning her classes on both days! This is remarkable when you consider what she had overcome to make it to the show in the first place. Chloe’s story is a common one, but this time with a much happier ending (or new beginning!). Last fall, Chloe appeared at one of the many Kill Pens that peddle the horses that were acquired over the last week or so. Those that look like they may go for resale (or “flip”) get a moment of time to have that chance. The vast majority are
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outheast Schooling Show Championships September 29th and 30th 2018 at
Opening Date August 7th 2018
Participating States: Florida, Georgia, Alabama, South Carolina, North Carolina, Tennessee, Mississippi, Louisiana.
Introducing Collegiate Challenge Awards Look for details the end of February!!! For information and qualifications go to www.chatthillseventing.com/SESSC
GDCTA AWARDS CHAIR Caren Caverly ccaverly@comcast.net 770-713-4025
Join us for the USEA 2018 Area lll Championships July 6th, 7th and 8th Featuring
Opening Ceremonies, Vendor Village and Bouncy Ball Team Races! To reserve a Vendor Space or sponsor one of the Bouncy Ball Horses Email designonpenny@yahoo.com for more information
www.chatthillseventing.com
(770) 892-2117
Chattahoochee Hills Eventing, 9445 Browns Lake Road, Chattahoochee Hills, GA 30213
KUDZU KLINIC: Dressage with Erin McCloud A GDCTA Members-Only Event When: July 14
Where: Peach State Dressage 4724 Dallas Hwy Powder Springs, GA 30127
Auditors welcome!
Requirements: You must be a GDCTA member to ride. A copy of a current negative Coggins certificate must be sent with entry. Riders must include payment with entry to reserve a place in each clinic. Pay online or by check. All entries must include a signed copy of the GDCTA Hold Harmless agreement.
Fees: o o
Questions? Kathy Duffy wkssduffy@bellsouth.net / 404-290-9749
Rider – $20.00 Auditor – $10.00
About Your Instructor: Erin Lea McCloud is a USDF Silver and Bronze medalist. In 2015, she graduated from the USDF “L” Program with distinction.
Erin Lea believes in using classical dressage methods to create a strong and clear partnership between horse and rider. Based out of her facility Peach State in Powder Springs, she offers an enthusiastic and straightforward approach to dressage and horsemanship that resonates with all combinations of horses and riders. Over the years she has gained experience with many types of riders and horses and focuses on the basics for success in the dressage ring!
GDCTA.org 13
KUDZU KLINIC: Centaur Session with Karen Kreider August 4, 2018
Wills Park - covered arena - 9:00 AM 11915 Wills Rd Alpharetta, GA 30009
This will be a FUN two-hour interactive seminar. We will have an open and honest discussion about how well we feel our riding skills are progressing. We will explore what our brains are focused on when we ride. What are we doing up there? We will discuss and emphasize body self-awareness and self-learning, and we will play with some un-mounted exercises (Sally Swift) that will help us understand the language we are using with our horse, what that feels like on his end, and things we can do to improve our communication on our end.
No riders. Open to all auditors. You can pre-register on the website GDCTA.org
FOR MORE INFORMATION Kathy Duffy 404-290-9749
FEES Participation – $10.00 This will include water & snacks.
wkssduffy@bellsouth.net
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Thank you to the following members for their generous donations
Micaela Leslie Laura Jessica Lori L. Caryl Sandra Beverly Rebecca Erin Isabelle Mary Charlotte Nan Carden Fred M. Allison Pat Susan Lucy Meghan Theresa Sandra Rhonda Dana Richard Susan Emily Seth Karen Mary Bess Susan M. Leeanna Lily Grace Martine Paula Justine Kellie Liesel Judith C. Paula Miranda Ciera Abigail Jean Corbett Michelle B. Susan
Acree Allen Beachem Beier Bell Berzack Bielawski Bowman Bowman Braden Braden Bryant Buckner Burdette Burdette Burkell Burns Burns Calhoun Cameron Campbell Carnet Cathy Clark Cohn Collins Copeland Copeland Crawford Davis Day Dick Draper Duff Dunson Eberhart Ellis Fazekas Fiorentino Fisher Flowers Foley Ford Fowler Futral Gampfer
Linden H. Pagan Abigail Verlia Meagan Renee Julie Ballard Paula Norah Juliet Hannah Maylyn Brooke Linda Allisa Paige Melody Mikensey Elizabeth Elizabeth Leigh Rebecca Ashleigh Alice Andrea L. Eleanor Valerie Elaine Creigh Christi Sarah Janie Carol Elleene J. Gabriele Sarah C. Kimberly Wisti Candece Leslie Hailey Marlene Patricia V. Janie Robin G Margaret
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Gaspar Gilman Goodwin Gower Gravlee Hall Haralson Harwell Henson Hess Hewitt Hinson Hollis Hudson Huestis Huff Jackson Johansen Jones Kane Kent-Scherzer Kestle, DVM Kinsley Kline Krakovsky Lawson Levin McAllister McNeil Meyers Mitchell Montgomery Morgan Morgan Mueller Murphy Murray Nelson Niss O'Neal-Olsen Palmer Perez Powell Pride Puryear Putnal
Shelley Gillian Alexa Aubrey Leila Holly Betty G. Kimberly Schisler Susan Helena Elizabeth Richard Brad Paige Alethea Claudia Jennifer Joanna Marie Sylvia Chandilyn India Cheryl Rachael M. Linda Sara Virginia Lauren Marlene E. Hallie
Rahiya Robinson Ryan-Oat Sabatino Saxe Scherzer Smith
Sosebee Stern Stokes Syribeys Taylor Thatcher Thorson Tinkle Tomaselli Tucker Vonderheyden Wade Wicker Wilkinson Williams Williams Wobeck Wolfe Woodcock Wright Young Zimmerman
CALENDAR (GDCTA events in red) USEF/USDF/USEA, 2018 Show Season Sep 1-2 Labor Day Classic I & II Oct 12-14 Region 3 Championships Jun 30 Jul 14 Aug 4 Nov 17-18
Clinics & Symposiums
Kudzu Klinic: Dressage Kudzu Klinic: Dressage Kudzu Klinic: Centaur Session Stephen Bradley Eventing
GIHP GIHP
GA GA
Sandy Donovan Sandy Donovan
sandydonovan@gmail.com sandydonovan@gmail.com
Dallas P. Springs Alpharetta Aiken
GA GA GA SC
Kathy Duffy Kathy Duffy Kathy Duffy Peri Lambros
wkssduffy@bellsouth.net wkssduffy@bellsouth.net wkssduffy@bellsouth.net plambros@bellsouth.net
GDCTA-Recognized Schooling Shows (green=pending), 2018 Show Season Jun 23 Jun 23 Jul 14 Jul 21 Jul 22 Aug 4-5 Aug 4 Aug 4 Aug 11 Aug 19 Aug 25 Sep 8-9 Sep 8
Foxberry Farm 3-Ph, CT, Dr Stable at Union Hill Big Cheese Schooling HT/CT NAE Dressage & 3-Phase Jumping Into the Stars 3-Ph GDCTA Summer Finals Big Cheese Schooling HT/CT Chatt Hills AYDC @the Horse Park HTPC Dressage, PC, CT Oxer Farm AYDC @the Horse Park NAE Dressage and 3-Phase
Dallas Canton Athens Cartersville Cartersville Alpharetta Athens Fairburn GIHP Covington Clermont GIHP Cartersville
GA GA GA GA GA GA GA GA GA GA GA GA GA
Sep 15 Sep 15 Sep 16 Sep 22 Sep 22
Foxberry Farm 3-Ph, CT, Dr LEAF GAHA CT, DR, WD, Hunters Oxer Farm The Welcome Farm Fall
Dallas Gainesville Dallas Clermont Roopville
GA GA GA GA GA
Fairburn
GA
Sep 29-30
Southeast Schooling Show Championship
Kim Abernathy kimfoxberry@gmail.com Lauren Eckardt lauren@bigtimeeventing.com Caroline Marlett silverthornfarm@gmail.com Rebecca Bowman gallop766@aol.com Kim Abernathy kimfoxberry@gmail.com Mary Lou Freil maryloufreil@gmail.com Caroline Marlett silverthornfarm@gmail.com Kelly Miller kellymiller@chatthillseventing.com Liz Molloy missliz@taramiaridingschool.com Christie Hanson marensmeadow@gmail.com Sandra Carnet scarnet@carnetstudio.com Liz Molloy missliz@taramiaridingschool.com Rebecca gallop766@aol.com Bowman Kim Abernathy kimfoxberry@gmail.com Dana Ferguson allfergs2@yahoo.com Pagan Gilman pagan@lisasegerinsurance.com Sandra Carnet scarnet@carnetstudio.com Katharina info@thewelcomefarm.com Huenermann Penny Morse sessc@chatthillseventing.com
Updates on GDCTA.org/calendar-of-events All scores received at any USEF/USDF recognized show or USEA Horse Trial in the USA are eligible for inclusion in our Awards Program.
All scores received at any GDCTA-recognized schooling show are eligible for inclusion in our Awards Program as long as they are sent in on time, on the correct form, and otherwise conÂŹform to the rules for that discipline.
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2018 Membership Application GDCTA is a USDF Group Member Organization and a USEA Affiliate
Print legibly to avoid errors
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Additional Supporting Family Members: $20.00 each/year or $60 each if a 3 year. 2nd Supporting Member:
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(if under 18)
GDCTA membershhip year is December 1 through November 30 each year. A senior member is a member who has reached their 18th birthday by January 1st of the membership year. A junior member is a member who has not reached their 18th birthday of January 1st of the membership year.
Support GDCTA with a Tax Deductible Sponsorship Volunteer for a GDCTA Event GDCTA sponsor contributions are a tax-deductible gift to Your active participation keeps dressage and eventing our organization 501(c)(3) in support of the continued alive in our region and is vital to GDCTA's mission! development for Dressage and Eventing in our area. Check off the areas you would be interested in! Contributions are required to be incentive free gifts and Runner Ring Steward may not be exchanged for advertising or other incentives. $10 $150 Board Member Gala Write for Newsletter $25 $200 Credit card payment by M/C, Visa, & Discover only.
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You may also choose to contribute to the GDCTA Grant Program which provides members, who are in good standing, an $800 grant to further their equine education. See www.gdcta.org for details.
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Please make checks payable to GDCTA and mail or Fax to: Mary Lou Freil, 335 Meadowcrest Circle, Canton GA 30115 - 770-330-2489 FAX - 770-727-0146 Email: gdctamembership@gmail.com
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