YourDressage
August 2016
Dressage Riders Go on a Grand Canyon Adventure
A United States Dressage Federation Publication
Welcome to Your Wonderful World of Dressage YourDressage is compiled by the United States Dressage Federation, written by participants from throughout the dressage community. The articles in this publication are submitted by people like you to share and be shared by all. Experience their stories as they navigate through the wonderful world of dressage and become friends with your dressage community. It’s YourDressage, be part of it! If you would like to submit your story see the last page of this publication.
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What to See Inside Departments SADDLE SORES: Fear and Riding Vicki Frey tells her story of how she overcame her fear of riding. YOUNG & INSPIRED: From Dressage to Vet School Ferrin Petersen tells us how dressage shaped her future vocation. Heard ARound the Arena: At the NAJYRC See what people were posting on social media from this year’s competition. USDF flashback: Dressage at the Olympics Through the Years We look through our archives for past Olympic photos. GMO SPOTLIGHT: The Connecticut Dressage Association (CDA) Take a look at this group member orginization.
Cover story Three Dressage Riders and a Husband: A Grand Canyon Adventure
Dressage riders take a break and go on an adventure riding mules down into the Grand Canyon. Note: USDF strongly recommends all riders wear protective headgear when mounted.
Feature Road To The Finals
Jennifer Keeler begins a three-part series sharing three riders’ journeys to attempt to compete at this year’s US Dressage Finals. Give us your feedback. #yourdressage
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saddle sores
Fear and Riding By Vicki Frey Photos by Michele Dodge
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y 10 year-old mare, Rousseau (Roo), and I have been together for six years. Roo lives at my house and we trailer out to various local arenas to train. Unfortunately, I have come off of her a few times and gotten hurt in the process. I never blamed Roo, as these incidents have all occurred following a period of lack of work. Instead, I blamed myself and my busy life. When Roo was four years old, she kicked out during the canter and unseated me, then started bucking. I ended up in the hospital with two broken wrists and doctor’s orders to stay out of the saddle for up to four months. With Roo being the young and inexperienced horse that she was, I wasn’t very scared to get back on her at that time, thinking that her bucking was something she would eventually grow out of. But she repeated this behavior twice more over the course of the next few
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saddle sores
years. I wasn’t seriously injured again, but as time went on and her bucking continued, my fear began to grow. This past December, she threw me a fourth time due to a nasty spook, which unseated Click here to rate this story .
me. Fortunately, I had no broken bones and ended up with only a bruised rib and sore body, but the fear really took hold. I love my horse and I don’t give up easily, but it was evident that I was now living in fear of riding Roo. All my friends told me to sell this horse and get something calmer, with less nervous energy. Unsure of what to do, I gave my trainer of many years, Carrie Harnden, a call. Carrie had moved out of my area several years ago, but she told me to bring Roo down to her ranch, as she might have a potential buyer. I promptly loaded Roo into the trailer and off we went, on a seven and a half hour drive, to Carrie’s place in central California. My goal was to have my trainer ride and tune-up Roo to sell her, but deep down I really just wanted to regain my confidence with her. After three days of watching my trainer ride my beloved mare, I mustered up the courage to get back on Roo and work through my fear. I only trot#yourdressage
ted that first day under Carrie’s guidance, but it felt so good to ride without incident. I decided to stay at the ranch for three weeks and get my in-saddle confidence back, under the tutelage of my trusted trainer. Carrie rode Roo five days a week. I would get on at the end of each ride to understand what my horse learned from the exercises that day, and to gain more trust with Roo. We changed my tack and equipment, and I found a new saddle which made a huge difference in how secure I felt. By the end of the three weeks, I was riding with more confidence and casually hacking Roo around the open spaces of the ranch. My trust in my lovely mare was slowly but surely being restored. I now understand that this mare needs consistent work, and I am grateful to have a good trainer that helped me overcome my riding fears. The decision to keep my mare was the right one, and I look forward to a buck-free future with Roo. August 2016 Z YOURDRESSAGE
YOUNG & INSPIRED
From Dressage to Vet School By Ferrin Petersen
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y first horse was a beautiful Arabian named Saheeh with a wonderful disposition, and I adored him. Unfortunately, he had some conformational issues including a club foot, which resulted in choppy gaits and consistently picking up the incorrect lead. I enjoyed riding English and jumping small jumps at local shows, but was told that my beloved horse would never be competitive in larger shows. Our farrier predicted he would be lame within a few years. One day, a dressage trainer was watching me attempt to force my horse into a collected frame and offered to give me a few lessons. I agreed, and over the course of several weeks she had dismantled my rigid and tight style of riding. She instructed me to feel the horse beneath me and to use soft hands and aids that develop supportive muscle to
My first show with Saheeh
invite him into the correct frame. Riding became enjoyable again, as I learned to patiently work with my horse in a fluid motion instead of straining to hold him a certain way. When my former English trainer observed me riding a month later, she was so excited about our improvements and anxious to resume lessons, but I knew it was the dressage instruction that made the difference in both the horse and my riding, so I declined. After a year of dressage training, he was a different horse. He was balanced, well muscled, and even moved gracefully in his pasture. Although his club foot remained a factor that would limit the dressage levels he could attain, it no longer stuck out like a sore thumb. I also came to understand that the dressage movements were increasing his overall health and longevity, by correcting his stiffness and imbalance. Each subsequent year, I saw not only improvements in my horse, but in my own abili-
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YOUNG & INSPIRED
ties as a horsewoman. Since I did not have the luxury of sitting on a well-trained dressage mount, who responded easily to my cues, I had to learn how to feel tiny imbalances by noting a dropped shoulder or a stiff jaw. We were usually beat by the athletic
My first dressage show
warmbloods at shows and I was encouraged to buy a better horse so that I could advance faster in dressage. However, I was attached to my horse and saw dressage as a way to improve his quality of life, so I continued to set new goals and work with my Arabian.
Dressage taught me how to listen to my horse and be in tune with subtle changes. I became increasingly intrigued by improving a horse’s health through symmetry, suppleness, and many of the other building blocks in dressage. This ultimately led to a passion for veterinary medicine. These same core concepts are essential to treating horses and improving their longevity. I began shadowing sports medicine veterinarians who analyzed the horses’ gait, muscle tone, and body suppleness. These subtleties came more naturally to me after numerous years of dressage training and drew me toward Eastern medicine, as I saw the value of integrating differing methods to solve a problem. I also learned to be patient and use various approaches to master a movement. When I focused on just one aspect of a problem, I would get frustrated and try to force success, sometimes resulting in further setbacks. Similarly, integrative medicine uses the whole body to bring about healAugust 2016 Z YOURDRESSAGE
YOUNG & INSPIRED
ing, rather than focusing on the specific problem at hand. I am currently in veterinary school at UC Davis, pursuing my same interest by focusing on equine integrative sports medicine. My Arabian is now 24 years old and still my favorite mount. I thank dressage for teaching
me patience, to look beyond the obvious and go beneath the surface of things. Dressage has also enabled me to better support my horse’s aging process. I believe we all have a lot to learn from dressage, whether we are in the saddle or merely journeying through life.
Saheeh enjoying his pasture time with a buddy Click here to rate this story .
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Three Dressage Riders and a Husband:
A Grand Canyon Adventure
Three dressage riders and a husband. (left to right) Bob on Big Steve, Carole on Bert, Trish on Lucy, Dianne on Matti. Note: USDF strongly recommends all riders wear protective headgear when mounted.
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he National Parks Service celebrates its centennial birthday on August 25, 2016, with the Grand Canyon dedicated in 1919. What better way to celebrate this historical milestone than to go on a journey of a lifetime? This trip was a year in the making, with our traveling party comprised of myself, my sister Carole, Carole’s husband Bob, and our close friend, Dianne. Dianne, Carole, and I are dressage riders, and while Bob may be a non-rider, he was certainly a willing participant. After two days of travel, we all managed to convene at the Bright Angel Lodge at south rim, Grand Canyon. When I arrived at the Grand Canyon, I was drawn to the rim. It is so stunning, so enormous, with so many colors and shadows that are always Before the trip, the view of where Bright Angel trail goes. Half way down to a grove of trees known as Indian Gardens, then along the plateau and over the edge to the inner gorge. Then across the Colorado River and up a canyon to Phantom Ranch.
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changing. The Grand Canyon was carved by both wind and rain, but primarily by the mighty Colorado River that roars at the bottom of the canyon. It is indeed a natural wonder of our world. As I watched two condors glide by in the sun, I could scarcely believe that by the following evening I would have reached the canyon’s base. Dawn brought Carole, Bob, Dianne, and I to the corral where we would be assigned our mules for the trip. I always put “beginner” in the space that asks for a rider’s experience to ensure I receive a reliable steed. I also made certain to lay on the charm with a big smile to our guide, and was assigned a large, stalwart mule named Lucy. Carole claims it was my knee braces, back brace, and helmet which swayed our guide and not my smile. We can agree to disagree. Carole was paired with a smaller dark mule with a seal muzzle and gentle eyes named Burt, while Bob was placed with Big Steve. Big Steve was a draft Carole with Burt
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cross mule akin to a woolly mammoth. Dianne was issued a smaller sorrel molly mule named Mattie. At the corral, the mule skinners (wranglers), Ed and Jewel, tied our slickers on the back of our saddles. We all had quirts (a woven/braided whip that the wranglers referred to as “motivators”), slipped over our hand and tightened at the wrist. Carole chuckled at this, saying she knew I would never use mine. The chief wrangler, John, gave us the rules of the road and offered us our money back if we changed our minds. “Change our minds?” we exclaimed. “Never!” Let the journey begin. It was a bright, sunny day in the upper 30s as we began our descent into the canyon, on the Bright Angel Trail. The snow had mostly melted, but during the first mile and a half there was ice covering much of the trail. The mules did a good job of keeping their footing, while skating every other step, but the idea of sliding off the side of a cliff was unnerving. Each step our mules took
in the downward journey represented 20,000 years of geologic time. Our guides pointed out animal tracks in the stone, pueblo granaries, and incredible seaweed fossils in the walls beside us. We stopped for lunch at a small oasis called Indian Gardens. There was a clear, babbling brook for the mules to enjoy a water break, and a campsite surrounded by towering cotton trees for us to relax and eat our meal. Then on, on, we went, splashing through the creek as the temperature continued to climb even as we descended. A nerve wracking journey of switchback trails known as Jacobs Ladder ensued, with our mules carefully stepping over rolling rocks, and occasionally hanging their heads over the cliff in order to make the tighter turns. As we rounded a bend, we got our first look at the bridge we would need to cross in the distance. In order to cross the bridge, we would first have to pass through a dark tunnel that was carved through solid rock.
Watch a short video of their Grand Canyon adventure
Bright Angel Creek
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This tunnel was scarcely large enough for a mule and rider. Our guides reminded us not to take flash photography in the dark tunnel, as it could panic the mules. As Jewel put it, “We are almost there. We don’t need a rodeo now!” My helmet clinked on the entrance to the tunnel, reminding me that I needed to duck down further. However, we made it through and without any more time to think, the mules started crossing the bridge. At sixty-five feet above the roaring Colorado River, I was jubilant! All too soon we arrived at our destination of the historic Phantom Ranch, where we dismounted under spring green cottonwood trees. The cantina was the epicenter of the ranch, which was built by Mary Colter in the 1920’s with a rounded river stone foundation and dark brown lumber with green accents that blended into the surrounding landscape. Mary Colter personally supervised the building of Dianne and Matti above O’Neil Butte after climbing the switchbacks up its right side
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Phantom Ranch
the ranch and the embodiment of her vision for it. It was hard to imagine a woman in her midfifties swinging across the Colorado River in a cage to supervise the building of her dream ranch. She was truly a woman ahead of her time. The Phantom Ranch was once quiet elitist, with historical visitors being ranked amongst celebrities and US Presidents. We were a part of the humble masses known as national park visitors, distinct however, as only one percent of Grand Canyon visiGoing across the 440 foot long Black Bridge Click here to rate this story .
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tors make it below the canyon’s rim. Our mules were given two days of rest while we hiked and explored the north Kaibab trail. All too soon, it was time to begin our journey back with our trusty mounts. Thank you to the mules who delivered us safely on our journey to the center of the earth and back! This was truly a spiritual ride, and the unforgettable adventure of a lifetime. Note: USDF strongly recommends all riders wear protective headgear when mounted. August 2016 Z YOURDRESSAGE
November 30-December 3 • St. Louis, MO
2016 Adequan®/USDF Annual Convention Join us at the Hyatt Regency St. Louis at The Arch for
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Road To The Finals By Jennifer M. Keeler
Every year when riders and horses from across the country gather in Lexington, KY, for the US Dressage Finals presented by Adequan®, they not only bring top performances to the Alltech Arena – they also bring amazing stories. From overcoming tough odds, facing life’s daily challenges, healing from medical and veterinary conditions, or simply being the unlikely underdog, the tales which unfold at the Finals are nothing short of inspiring. Leading up to this year’s Finals, which will return to the Kentucky Horse Park on November 10-13, 2016, we will share with you three riders’ journeys on their Road to the Finals, available exclusively on USDF’s new digital publication titled YourDressage through the USDF app. Each month, through the good, the bad, and the ugly that entails life with horses and competing in the sport of dressage, these three riders will allow readers behind-the-scenes access as they try to qualify at the Great American Insurance Group/USDF, to pursue their dreams of competing with the best of the best at the Finals. This month, you’ll meet our featured riders and horses. Here are their stories:
Amy Paterson with trainer Melissa Allen, Cindy Olson, and Lysa Hodgson
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Ride of Redemption Amy Paterson and Wies V/D Klumpert Region 4
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ow do you go from the glory of riding Grand Prix in the biggest show you’ve ever attended, to having the worst test of your life? Would you have the courage to put it all on the line again and pursue a ride of redemption? That’s exactly what Amy Paterson is determined to do. Paterson’s family owns Greenwood SportHorses in Lee’s Summit, MO. An accomplished adult amateur competitor in Region 4, Paterson also works full-time as a mortgage loan officer with NBKC Bank. “My entire family is involved with the horses, starting with my dad Bob Stuhr who is the ‘head tractor driver’ and arena groomer extraordinaire,” laughed Paterson. “My mom Angela also rides and has a wonderful FEI schoolmistress – she is a great supporter and good ‘eyes on the ground’ for me. And last but not least, my husband Doug may not have a background with hors-
Find out more about the US Dressage Finals presented by Adequan® here
es, but he is incredibly supportive and is my #1 cheerleader!” With the help of her trainer Melissa Allen, Paterson has taken her former “fire breathing dragon” Dutch mare Wies V/D Klumpert all the way through the levels to Grand Prix. “I’ve had ‘Wie’ since she was just six years old and at a very green Third Level in her training,” Paterson explained. “She could trot like an auction horse and sort of do a flying change each way, but she was very hot and was missing a lot of basics. With a lot of hard work on both of our parts, she has turned into a wonderful, reliable amateur’s horse, and even though sometimes I wish I still had all that energy for the Grand Prix where she needs it most, I’m quite happy not to be sitting on a live wire anymore. I remember a few years ago schooling her at Lamplight Equestrian Center in the Chicago area before a show, and Wie was absolutely electric!
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I walked out of the ring thankful to have survived, only to find my husband asleep in a chair next to the ring. I was like honey…really? You should have been standing by the ring with a net!” With their collective energies channeled in the right direction, Paterson and Wie claimed USDF Adult Amateur Champion awards at Third, Fourth, and Intermediate 2 Levels, as well as a multitude of Region 4 Championship titles. Then in 2014 Paterson realized her dream of attending the US Dressage Finals in Kentucky, where she and her mount were crowned as the Intermediate B Adult Amateur National Champions. “It was an amazing experience, and a moment I will never forget,” she remembered. But as Paterson quickly discovered, success in the sport of dressage can be fleeting. “After how well we did at the Finals in 2014, I figured, eh, how hard could Grand Prix be?” she said. “Well, surprise! It’s really hard! Showing Grand Prix for the first time in 2015 was sort of like when I took college calculus — it Click here to rate this story .
takes more than just good notetaking and “good looks” (on my horse’s part) to do well. You have to have some real skill, help, determination, and support to be a good Grand Prix rider. “But we prevailed and qualified once again for the Finals, so I returned to Lexington to ride in the Grand Prix Adult Amateur division with stars in my eyes,” Paterson continued. “Unfortunately, I had a dreadful test – by far the worst fail in my dressage career to date. Every movement with a double coefficient (and there are many, many, many of them in that test) was botched. After coming in with expectations of glory, I ended up last in the class and utterly deflated.” But like a phoenix rising from the ashes, Paterson overcame her disappointment and for the last nine months has “been on a mission to return to the Finals for a chance at redemption!” But how far will she have to go for an opportunity to ride for glory in the Alltech Arena once again? Amy Patersson with mom and dad #yourdressage
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From Ranch Life to Equestrian Paradise Cindy Olson and Pikko del Rio Region 3
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fter what she described as “the amazing fortune” of representing Region 4 at the US Dressage Finals in both 2013 and 2014, 55-year-old adult amateur and former Western rider Cindy Olson moved herself and her horse halfway across the country to further pursue her dreams. Now, she’s working towards another chance to come to Lexington. “I got started riding late in life because my younger years were devoted to practicing pediatrics and raising my own children,” Olson explained. “My journey in dressage has only taken place over the past six or seven years. I began riding western on an unruly paint horse when I was 45, and shortly after that I had the opportunity to attend the Alltech/ FEI World Equestrian Games and watch Edward Gal ride Totilas to victory. My life hasn’t been the same since.” Her 12-year-old Hanoverian gelding Pikko del Rio, bred in New Mexico by Horses Unlim-
Find out more about the US Dressage Finals presented by Adequan® here
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ited, is a full brother to Olympian Lisa Wilcox’s latest Grand Prix star, Pikko del Cerro. Olson described Rio as a horse that is not only incredibly talented, but also has quite the sense of humor. “Every morning when I arrive at the barn, he pokes his head out of his stall and literally stares me down until I bring him his morning apple, and after we finish riding he gets a handful of frosted oatmeal cookies,” she noted. “If I don’t remember, he patiently reminds me by nudging me, or if that doesn’t work, by pulling the bottom of my shirt out from my pant waist before I realize what is happening. He likes to pick up my whip when it is propped against the fence, hold it in his teeth and taunt me with it. You may not think these are the traits of a champion, but that remains to be seen.” Together Olson and Rio competed at the inaugural 2013 US Dressage Finals at Training Level, and then returned a year
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later at Second. “Participating is the US Dressage Finals has been the best competition experience I have ever had. The venue is horse and rider friendly, the facility is beautiful, and the heated barn was a wonderful haven. I remember every time I saw another competing pair, I would say, ‘that’s a beautiful horse,’ and after I said it so many times, I had to laugh because all the horses were beautiful,” said Olson. “For me, a highlight was to enter the arena with my name and the name of my horse lit up on the scoreboard, which made me feel very proud. But I think Rio would say that the highlight for him was the time he managed to get away from me when I took him out to graze on the cross country course. I watched as he took off running and wasn’t sure I’d ever see him again. He had a nice buck and gallop, but fortunately the green grass was too tempting and he stopped after a short distance to sample it.”
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After years of enjoying rural horse ranch life in Nebraska, in 2015 Olson decided to take on a cross-country move to Wellington, FL. What prompted her to make this life-changing decision? “I had the opportunity to haul Rio to Wellington for a couple of weeks for two consecutive winters with my trainer from Nebraska, Jami Kment. After the first trip, I was looking for a winter condo, and after the second, I was hooked and ready to relocate year round,” Olson explained. “Rio’s breeder, Anne Sparks, suggested I work with Mikala Gundersen who had originally trained him, and fortunately she agreed. Luckily there is a big demand for pediatricians, so I was able to find a job without difficulty and I have been able to work out a flexible schedule so I can ride five mornings a week and then work from noon until 8:00 pm. That’s the only way to beat the blazing summer heat.” Despite the inevitable dis-
ruption and exhaustion of making permanent relocation and settling into a new job and training schedule, Olson and Rio have blossomed in their new environment. “Wellington is horse heaven, and I am still amazed by the world-class equestrian events we are able to attend for no or very little cost; and during the high season, there is a different show we can participate in or attend every single week,” she said. “This is just the latest chapter in our story which has certainly had some twists and turns along the way, including my hospitalization when Rio got excited to play with the other horses and bucked me sky high just a few weeks after I bought him in the summer 2012. But as scary as that was, I didn’t let that stop me, and now we’ve come so far together. We’ve already qualified for the Region 3 Championships in Atlanta at Third Level, so this year I am ready to try for the Finals again. I can’t wait.”
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Nervous Nellies UNITE! Lysa Hodgson and The Usual Suspect Region 1
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t took a lot of courage for Lysa Hodgson of Aberdeen, NC, to share her Road to the Finals story. “I’m a chicken about everything, and so is my horse,” she confessed. “To say I have ‘show nerves’ is like saying my fair skin turns a bit pink in the sun, when in reality I burst into flames somewhere around the 10-minute mark. So the idea of sharing my journey with your readers is about as terrifying a thought as I can conjure. At the same time, I don’t think I’m alone in my neuroses and fears. I think there are plenty of us out there who worry about every aspect of showing and traveling with our horses, yet we push forward and slowly grow our comfort zones. Nervousnelly chicken introverts UNITE! ” All kidding aside, Hodgson may be fearful but she is also determined and persistent – this year will be her fourth attempt to qualify for the US Dressage Finals. Her initial effort was during her first year of showing in 2013, and while she easily earned her qualifying scores she admittedly couldn’t
Find out more about the US Dressage Finals presented by Adequan® here
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muster the confidence to travel to the Regional Championships. The next year, Hodgson did travel to Regionals and finished in the middle of the pack at Training and First Levels, but just missed the wild card cut-off score. Things looked even more promising in 2015 after she earned the last of her qualifying scores in March. “My plan was then to simply focus on training at home and clinics in preparation for Regionals,” Hodgson explained. “Unfortunately, in July I suffered a treadmill injury. Yes, a treadmill injury, which resulted in my wearing an air-cast for months due to horrible tendonitis in my foot/ankle from over-use while trying to get fit for Regionals…..go figure!” Treadmill incidents aside, Hodgson describes her home life Click here to rate this story .
as “rather boring. I’m a pharmacist at the local hospital, and I work evening shift which allows me to ride and do all of the farm chores in the morning. I have an incredibly supportive horse-show husband Terry who is an Army officer and my complete opposite – nothing fazes this man. You could light his foot on fire and he would stop to make cowboy coffee over the flame before slowly smothering it with whatever happened to be nearby. We have a small farm which we share with three horses, two mini-donkeys, a dog, and seven cats. My trainer Anne DeKeyser is a wonderful soul who carefully balances my fears with my desire to progress. She’s been with me since I made the conversion to dressage six years ago after #yourdressage
spending almost three decades in hunter/jumper land.” Hodgson’s competition partner is The Usual Suspect or “Bogey”, a 12-year-old Percheron/Thoroughbred cross gelding who was a PMU rescue and later abandoned at a boarding barn due to the owner’s financial situation. “The barn sold him to me for back board payments, so now I’ve had him for six years which is as long as either of us has been attempting dressage. Bogey is a patient partner with a good work ethic, as long as he’s not tired or hungry…just like me. Unfortunately, we both need a hand to hold when things get too exciting. It’s a bit comical if you can get over the fact that I look like I’m about to pass out,” she laughed. “We’re currently schooling Second Level, but really trying to solidify First Level in the ring. I’m stuck in that ‘conscious incompetence’ point in the learning cycle, which is incredibly frustrating, yet offers glimmers of hope that keep enticing me to continue the journey.” Hodgson plans to compete at this fall’s Region 1 Championships in Training, First Level, and First
Level Musical Freestyle in her quest to finally conquer her fears and qualify for the US Dressage Finals. “If you’re looking for someone who can give you guaranteed photo ops with a champion’s sash around her neck, then I’m probably not the best candidate because my expectations are a little lower,” she chuckled. “My goals are to not have a heart attack, keep my trainer from wanting to strangle me, and really try to enjoy the whole process. I also look forward to having the opportunity to empower and embolden other nervous riders with my story of making it happen even when you’re terrified. I swear, this year I’m really going to do it. I might be worried about a million things along the way, but I WILL be in Lexington for my birthday on November 10th. Just have a bottle of wine ready!” As the summer show season rolls on, join us next month to find out how each of our featured riders fare as they pursue qualifying scores for Regional Championships. Don’t miss it!
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Heard around the arena The Adequan/FEI North American Junior & Young Rider Championships were held July 26-31 at the Colorado Horse Park. We went to social media to see what people were saying and sharing.
What interesting or fun thing have you heard lately? Send it to us using #aroundthearena
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USDF FLASHBACK
Dressage at the Olympics Through the Years The 2016 Olympics are taking place in Rio de Janero during the month of August. We thought we would take the opportunity to look in our archives for past Olympic photos.
Col. Tuttle at the 1936 Berlin Olympics
The 1948 Olympics was the last one where equestrian dressage competitors were required to be military officers. The officers pictured above were probably the whole equestrian team, not just dressage. USA won silver team medals that year. To learn more about the 1948 equestrian team click here To lear more about the 1936 equestrian team click here
Arrival of Olympic Horses at Verden, Germany in 1936
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USDF FLASHBACK
1976 Olympic podium
The 1976 team coached by Col. Bengt Ljungquist received team Bronze, first medal for the US since 1948. From left to right, Hilda Gurney on Keen, Dorthy Morkis on Monaco, and Edith Master on Dahlwitz To learn more about the Olympic dressage history click here. To learn more about Olympic dressage today click here
Keen leaping at the 1976 Olympics
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USDF FLASHBACK
1996 Olympic team (left to right) Robert Dover, Steffen Peters, Michelle Gibson, and Guenter Seidel
Michael Poulin on Graf George at the 1992 Olympics Click here to rate this story .
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GMO SPOTLIGHT
The Connecticut Dressage Association (CDA) Group Member Organizations (GMOs) are the foundation of USDF and integral in bringing dressage and dressage education to the masses. Stay connected with your local dressage community and support dressage at the local level by joining a GMO in your area today! USDF GMO Established: 1976 Locality: USDF Region 8, Connecticut Website: www.ctdressageassoc.org How many members does your GMO have annually, on average? 150 members. Tell us a little about your GMO: The Connecticut Dressage Association has been in existence since the 1970s, and the fact that we are both in existence and financially stable makes us proud. We have an enthusiastic board, including a few people who have been involved for more than 35 years. Our membership has been consistent over the last few years, and is especially strong this year. We run a series of schooling shows that provide us with our working capital, and we donate to other charities each year: High Hopes and Hidden Acres (therapeutic riding) and Dressage4Kids, Inc. Several years ago, we hosted a USDF Instructor Certification series of workshops. It was extremely laborintensive, but we were proud that we were able to do that. We offer scholarships for adult amateurs, youth, or professionals. We also have a unique program called the Vista Vintage Award Program, which honors horses over the age of 18 that are still competing. Does your GMO offer unique classes or activities that cater to youth, adult amateurs, or professionals? We hosted one of the USDF Instructor Certification workshops a number of years ago, and we have always sponsored one or two Tell us about your GMO. #GMOSpotlight
teams for Dressage4Kids, Inc.’s Youth Dressage Festival, in August. We’ve also sponsored one or two teams of adult amateurs at the Northeast Regional Adult Amateur Dressage Championships, in the fall. We’ll host two Ride/Critique/Ride programs this year, one geared for adult amateurs and the other for youth. The highest scoring horse/rider at schooling shows and recognized shows receive a plaque and cash prize. What type of educational events does your GMO offer? As noted above, we offer our Ride/Critique/Ride programs and schooling shows, as well as host an educational speaker at our awards banquet. What type of “fun” events does your GMO offer? We have an awards banquet each year (in January or February for the previous year) that is free to all members. We provide the food, and have a guest speaker. We recognize our schooling show and recognized show winners with ribbons and very nice prizes for our first and second place winners. We also have a silent auction and award a few special awards: Volunteer of the Year and the Vista Vintage Award. August 2016 Z YOURDRESSAGE
Visit www.usdf.org for a list of GMOs in your area.
GMO
Support dressage and connect with your local dressage community by joining a USDF Group Member Organization today!
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Group Member Organizations Find a GMO in your region
Note: USDF strongly recommends all riders wear protective headgear Search for a GMO by zip code when mounted. For complete rules regarding helmets refer to the gmo@usdf.org USEF Rule Book. Click here.
Disclaimer: The United States Dressage Federation does not guarantee that all submitted stories will be published. Any opinions expressed in the pages of this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of the United States Dressage Federation
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Horse Registration usdf.org/faqs/horse-registration.asp horseregistration@usdf.org
For more information, check out the USDF Member Guide available on this app! August 2016 Z YOURDRESSAGE