September/October 2021
Official Publication of the United States Dressage Federation
Budget Travel for Dressage Enthusiasts (p. 48)
Clinic with Allison Brock: There Are No Training Shortcuts (p. 38) A Year in the Life of a Working Student Train Your Postural Muscles for Better Riding, Less Pain (p. 42)
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USDF CONNECTION
The Official Publication of the United States Dressage Federation EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Stephan Hienzsch (859) 271-7887 • stephh1enz@usdf.org EDITOR Jennifer O. Bryant (610) 344-0116 • jbryant@usdf.org
An official property of the United States Dressage Federation
CONTRIBUTING EDITOR Hilary M. Clayton, BVMS, PhD, MRCVS EDITORIAL ADVISORS Margaret Freeman (NC), Anne Gribbons (FL), Roberta Williams (FL), Terry Wilson (CA) TECHNICAL ADVISORS Janine Malone, Lisa Gorretta, Elisabeth Williams
YourDressage delivers exclusive dressage stories, editorial, and education, relevant to ALL dressage enthusiasts and is your daily source for dressage! Look for these featured articles online at YourDressage.org
EDUCATION “Great Learners Make Great Riders”
Looking to improve your riding? Open your mind to have a learning mindset in and out of the saddle with these tips.
COMPETITION “Bob: The Accidental Dressage Horse”
A Region 6 rider shares how she had no intentions of ever riding dressage or owning an Arabian – yet fate had other plans.
ACHIEVEMENT “Striking the Jackpot in Reno”
A competitor from Region 1 reaches the FEI Levels with her BLM Mustang, Reno, after hard work to gain his trust.
COMMUNITY “The Silver Lining”
After the loss of her beloved horse, a young rider shares the lessons learned during this tragic time in the life of an equestrian.
PLUS!
“5 Highlights from the 2020 Tokyo Olympics”
We are so proud of the US Dressage Team for bringing home a silver medal! Check out our favorite moments from the Olympics.
It’s YourDressage, be a part of it! Visit https://yourdressage.org/ for all these stories & much more!
SENIOR PUBLICATIONS COORDINATOR Emily Koenig (859) 271-7883 • ekoenig@usdf.org GRAPHIC & MULTIMEDIA COORDINATOR Katie Lewis (859) 271-7881 • klewis@usdf.org ADVERTISING SALES REPRESENTATIVE Danielle Titland (720) 300-2266 • dtitland@usdf.org
USDF OFFICERS AND EXECUTIVE BOARD PRESIDENT LISA GORRETTA 19 Daisy Lane, Chagrin Falls, OH 44022 (216) 406-5475 • president@usdf.org VICE PRESIDENT KEVIN REINIG, 6907 Lindero Lane, Rancho Murieta, CA 95683 (916) 616-4581 • vicepresident@usdf.org SECRETARY MARGARET FREEMAN 200 Aurora Lane, Tryon, NC 28782 (828) 859-6723 • secretary@usdf.org TREASURER LORRAINE MUSSELMAN 7538 NC 39 Hwy, Zebulon, NC 27497 (919) 218-6802 • treasurer@usdf.org
REGIONAL DIRECTORS REGION 1 DC, DE, MD, NC, NJ, PA, VA BETTINA G. LONGAKER 8246 Open Gate Road, Gordonsville, VA 22942 (540) 832-7611 • region1dir@usdf.org REGION 2 IL, IN, KY, MI, OH, WV, WI DEBBY SAVAGE 7011 cobblestone Lane, Mentor, OH 44060 (908) 892-5335 • region2dir@usdf.org REGION 3 AL, FL, GA, SC, TN SUSAN BENDER 1024 Grand Prix Drive, Beech Island, SC 29842 (803) 295-2525 • region3dir@usdf.org REGION 4 IA, KS, MN, MO, NE, ND, SD ANNE SUSHKO 1942 CliFFord Street, Dubuque, IA 52002 (563) 580-0510 • region4dir@usdf.org REGION 5 AZ, CO, E. MT, NM, UT, W. TX, WY HEATHER PETERSEN 22750 County Road 37, Elbert, CO 80106 (303) 648-3164 • region5dir@usdf.org REGION 6 AK, ID, W. MT, OR, WA PETER ROTHSCHILD 1120 Arcadia Street NW, Olympia, WA 98502 (206) 200-3522 • region6dir@usdf.org REGION 7 CA, HI, NV CAROL TICE 31895 Nicolas Road, Temecula, CA 92591 (714) 514-5606 • region7dir@usdf.org REGION 8 CT, MA, ME, NH, NY, RI, VT DEBRA REINHARDT 160 Woods Way Drive, Southbury, CT 06488 (203) 264-2148 • region8dir@usdf.org REGION 9 AR, LA, MS, OK, TX BESS BRUTON 5696 Piper Lane, College Station, TX 77845 (662) 702-9854 • region9dir@usdf.org
AT-LARGE DIRECTORS ACTIVITIES COUNCIL SUE MANDAS 9508 Bridlewood Trail, Dayton, OH 45458 (937) 272-9068 • ald-activities@usdf.org ADMINISTRATIVE COUNCIL BARBARA CADWELL 324 Benjamin Street, Fernandina Beach, FL (715) 350 1967 • ald-administrative@usdf.org TECHNICAL COUNCIL SUE MCKEOWN 6 Whitehaven Lane, Worcester, MA 01609 (508) 459-9209 • ald-technical@usdf.org USDF Connection is published bimonthly by the United States Dressage Federation, 4051 Iron Works Parkway, Lexington, KY 40511. Phone: 859/971-2277. Fax: 859/971-7722. E-mail: usdressage@ usdf.org, Web site: www.usdf.org. USDF members receive USDF Connection as a membership benefit, paid by membership dues. Copyright © 2021 USDF. All rights reserved. USDF reserves the right to refuse any advertising or copy that is deemed unsuitable for USDF and its policies. Excluding advertisements, all photos with mounted riders must have safety head gear or USEF-approved competition hat. USDF assumes no responsibility for the claims made in advertisements. Statements of fact and opinion are those of the experts consulted and authors, and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the editors or the policy of USDF. The publishers reserve the right to reject any advertising deemed unsuitable for USDF, as well as the right to reject or edit any manuscripts received for publication. USDF assumes no responsibility for unsolicited material. All materials must be accompanied by a self-addressed, stamped envelope. Questions about your subscription or change in address? Contact USDF Membership Department, 859/971-2277, or usdressage@usdf.org. POSTMASTER: SEND ADDRESS CHANGES TO: USDF, 4051 IRON WORKS PARKWAY, LEXINGTON, KY 40511. Canadian Agreement No. 1741527. Canada return address: Station A, P.O. Box 54, Windsor, Ontario N9A 6J5.
2 September/October 2021 | USDF CONNECTION
USDF Connection
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2021
Volume 23, Number 3
Columns
48
4 Inside USDF
Opportunities for All By Sue Mandas
6 Ringside
Wanderlust
By Jennifer O. Bryant
Departments 16 GMO
Manage Your GMO’s Essential Functions? There’s an App for That By Penny Hawes
20 The Judge’s Box
Dressage Seat Equitation: The Adult Perspective By David Schmutz
24 Salute
Features
48
Grand Prix Travel on a Training Level Budget
Savvy young dressage enthusiasts share strategies for touring Europe on the cheap
By Colleen Scott
By Hilary M. Clayton, BVMS, PhD, Dipl. ACVSMR, FRCVS
Color Me Traditional By Jean Kraus
38 Clinic
Conversations on Training By Beth Baumert
A Year in the Life of a Working Student
42 Rider
What’s it like to work for a top dressage trainer? A working student shares her experiences.
By Calah Puryear
Happy Scappies By Joy Hicklin
72 My Dressage
60
Meet the Candidates
Strengthen the Sling
34 Free Rein
56
By Kim MacMillan
28 Sport Horse
Aloha Spirit
Get to know who’s nominated for USDF Executive Board office this year
My Greatest Dressage Challenge By Katherine Walcott
Basics 8 Sponsor Spotlight 9 Collection 68 Rider’s Market 70 USDF Connection Submission Guidelines
On Our Cover The World Equestrian Festival CHIO Aachen in Germany is considered one of the world’s greatest horse shows. Photo by Arnd Bronkhorst/arnd.nl.
70 USDF Office Contact Directory 71 Advertising Index
USDF CONNECTION | September/October 2021
3
Inside USDF Opportunities for All That’s the goal of the USDF Activities Council’s six committees By Sue Mandas, USDF Activities Council At-Large Director
A
s the at-large director for the USDF Activities Council, I would like to take you on a tour of our six committees. Going alphabetically, I begin with the Adult Programs Committee, chaired by Holly Hilliard. The committee members strive to offer education programs that adult members value and will participate in. They frequently look to USDF’s group-member organizations (GMOs), seeking ways to support and enhance dressage education at the local level, and they created the USDF GMO Education Initiative (GEI), which can provide both monetary and organizational support. The National Educational Calendar and Map is another of its brainstorms, and this is also the committee that comes up with ideas and presenters for the educational sessions held at the Adequan®/USDF Annual Convention. Due to the success of the virtual sessions held in 2020, they are developing more Zoom modules for this year that will be available through the USDF website. Next is the Awards Committee. Led by chair Amy Swerdlin, this committee oversees the roster of USDF horse and rider awards. It frequently reviews existing awards programs and evaluates the potential of new ones, such as the Diamond Achievement award, which beginning in the 2021 competition year recognizes riders who have earned the full slate of USDF bronze, silver, and gold rider medals and bronze, silver, and gold freestyle bars. Chaired by Roberta Williams, the FEI Junior/Young Rider Committee develops educational and competition opportunities for
riders aged 12 to 21 who compete in the FEI Pony, Children, Junior, and Young Rider divisions. The committee verifies the selection of the US dressage teams for the FEI North American Youth Championships (NAYC) and keeps an eye on these riders’ progression toward participation in US Equestrian’s US Dressage Festival of Champions. New for 2021 is the Amanda Johnson Pursuit of Excellence Trophy for the NAYC Junior division. The Regional Championships Committee is chaired by Janine Malone, with Anne Kuhns as vicechair. This committee is hands-on with all things concerning the Great American/USDF Regional Championships, and 2020 was an especially challenging year. The committee rose to the occasion and made many adaptations to the qualifying procedures in order to make the dream of competing at Regionals possible for many USDF members. The Sport Horse Committee, chaired by Kristi Wysocki and co-chaired by Natalie DiBerardinis, strives to foster and advance the breeding and development of top US
4 September/October 2021 | USDF CONNECTION
dressage sport horses. It has created the USDF Sport Horse Prospect Development Forum, the USDF Youth/Young Adult Dressage Sport Horse Breeders Seminar, the USDF Sport Horse Handlers Clinic, and the USDF Sport Horse Seminar. The USDF Youth/Young Adult Ambassador program engages and mentors the breeders of tomorrow. The Sport Horse Committee also supports management, owners, breeders, and competitors in dressage sport-horse breeding (DSHB) competition. The Youth Programs Committee, chaired by Roz Kinstler, focuses on educating and recognizing the young equestrians who are the future of our sport. This committee created or supports the USDF Youth Dressage Rider Recognition Pin Program, the USDF/USEF Young Rider Graduate Program, the USDF Youth Volunteer of the Year award, USDF youth convention scholarships, the USDF Shining Star awards, the USDF nomination for the USEF Youth Sportsman’s Award, and the USDF Ravel Education Grant. It is also very involved with the USDF Dressage Seat Medal Semi-Finals. One of this committee’s huge recent accomplishments is the creation of a Quick Reference Guide for the Youth/Young Adult Dressage Rider, available on the Youth page of the USDF website. These six committees are always looking for input and suggestions, all of which can be directed either to the committee chairs or to me. They work hard to make the sport of dressage one that every USDF member can be involved in on some level. Let us hear from you!
Photo: Sharon Packer Photography
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Ringside Wanderlust Travels and tribulations
industry is grinding its gears as it lurches back into action, globe-trotting is reviving, as well. I am relieved that freelance writer Colleen Scott’s feature story in this issue, “Grand Prix Travel on a Training Level Budget” (p. 48), is in fact seeing the light of day at a time when “travel” means more than going to the grocery store.. For her report, Colleen interviewed several young-adult dressage enthusiasts who managed to “do Europe” on a shoestring budget. With their experiences and advice, coupled with tips from a seasoned travel agent, you’ll have a solid starting point for turning your dressage dream destination into a planned itinerary. For many equestrian enthusiasts, no trip to Europe would be complete without attending the renowned World Equestrian Festival CHIO Aachen, Germany, whose iconic logo and stadium are pictured on the cover of this issue. The 2020 Aachen show fell victim to the pandemic, but it’s back for 2021, scheduled for September—later than its usual date. In 2022 it’s being held in its traditional late-June/early-July time frame, so start planning that summertime trip! Or perhaps you’d
6 September/October 2021 | USDF CONNECTION
like to visit Denmark in August for the 2022 Ecco FEI World Championships in dressage, para-dressage, jumping, and vaulting—one of the “splinter competition” world championships following the International Equestrian Federation’s decision to try splitting up the all-discipline FEI World Equestrian Games. Whatever you choose, it will surely be a thrill to get back in the travel saddle. To flog the overused phrase yet again, the past 18 months have brought unprecedented challenges. Pandemic-related challenges weren’t the inspiration for the revamp to one of USDF Connection’s long-running columns, but dressage is all about challenges, so: Beginning with this issue, our back-page column, “My Dressage,” has a different focus. Freelance writer Katherine Walcott, who for many years has profiled dressage-community figures from grooms and farriers to photographers and tack manufacturers for our “Behind the Scenes” item, will be asking noteworthy trainers, riders, and others one question: What has been your greatest dressage-related challenge, and how did you overcome it? Kicking it off in this issue is California-based trainer and sporthorse expert Willy Arts, who explains how he struggled to…well, I won’t spoil the ending for you. Turn to page 72 to read Willy’s story. Hope you enjoy getting out there, whether “there” is across the pond or the best destination of all: the barn.
Jennifer O. Bryant, Editor @JenniferOBryant
MICHAEL BRYANT
I
n the summer of 2020, as we masked up and braced ourselves for the upcoming COVID winter, my usual USDF Connection editorial planning for the coming year—a bit of a leap of faith in the best of times— could really have used an assist from a crystal ball. Would the postponed 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games actually take place in 2021? Would there be a full slate of dressage competitions in 2021? And would a planned 2021 story on budget travel to “bucket list” dressage destinations end up being completely out of step with a locked-down world? Well, here I am one year later, and I’m thankful that the doomsday scenarios I’d imagined largely didn’t come to pass. As I write this, the Tokyo Olympics are half over, and although they may indeed be “the No-Fun Olympics,” as one wag dubbed them, the Games are happening and a spectacular dressage competition is in the history books. Veteran equestrian journalist Diana De Rosa is in Tokyo covering the dressage for USDF: Check out her multimedia “Postcard from Tokyo” on USDF’s YourDressage.org website, and in the next issue of USDF Connection we’ll bring you Diana’s full Olympic dressage report, exclusive photos and interviews, and more. On the home front, it’s been a “normal” year for dressage competitions, and both the Great American/ USDF Regional Dressage Championships and the US Dressage Finals presented by Adequan® are a go for 2021. (Which makes me wistful—I’d really hoped to be there, but my horse is currently sidelined with an injury. Maybe next year.) Finally, although the travel
“What a difference, he will be on this for life!” –Mariah B. from Vineyard Haven, MA
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Collection Bits and Pieces from USDF and the World of Dressage IEA Dressage Finals ★ Get Ready for the US Dressage Finals ★ Bringing Horses to Underserved Communities
TERRI MILLER
IN THE FRAME A moose and her newborn calf caused some disruption at the Alaska Dressage Association’s two-day recognized show in June. Show manager Rosa Meehan, judge Axel Steiner, and technical delegate Peter Rothschild arrived Sunday morning to find the baby lying between the warmup ring and A, with mama pacing back and forth. Equestrian photographer Terri Miller-Steiner, who accompanied her husband to the show, took this photo of the mother moose sampling one of the arena-marker floral decorations. After a delay and a hasty reconfiguration to block the entrance at A and to allow competitors to enter at H, the show went on, Miller-Steiner wrote on her Facebook page. Sadly, a US Fish & Wildlife Service representative determined that the moose calf was not thriving, and it did not survive. USDF CONNECTION | September/October 2021
9
Collection YOUTH
GOVERNANCE IEA Holds Inaugural Dressage Finals
Its planned inaugural Dressage National Finals in 2020 fell victim to coronavirus pandemic restrictions, but the Interscholastic Equestrian Association (IEA) finally realized the event in 2021.
those competitions did not have a qualification process. US Equestrian “S” dressage judge Sandy Osborn of Georgia judged the competition, which for the first time included classes for walk-trot riders
Former US Dressage Team Vet to Chair AHC Board of Trustees Former US Equestrian dressage team veterinarian Rick Mitchell, DVM, MRCVS, Dipl. ACVSMR, was elected chair of the American Horse Council (AHC) Board of Trustees at the AHC’s midyear meeting in June, the AHC announced. He had been an AHC board member since 2012 and has chaired the AHC Health and Regulatory Committee.
TEAM CHAMPIONS: Pennsylvania’s Grier School equestrian team won the 2021 IEA Dressage Upper School championship title
LEADING RIDER: 2021 IEA Dressage Leading Rider Grace Young
IEA Dressage National Finals, held May 15-16 at the Texas Rose Horse Park in Tyler, Texas. Dressage had been an IEA pilot program since 2017. The organization held a “Finale” show in 2018 and 2019, but
in middle and upper school and for fourth- and fifth-graders. In the Upper School division, the riders of Grier School, Birmingham, Pennsylvania, coached by Chrystal Wood, bested 10 other teams to claim that championship title. The reserve Upper School Team Championship went to Linden Hall, Lititz, Pennsylvania, coached by Christina Stamos, Erika Kurtz, and Laura Snavely. Ten Middle School teams also jockeyed for titles. The championship went to Laurel Manor, Centerton, Arkansas, coached by Laura McKenzie Duncan, with Grier School taking the reserve championship. Upper School freshman Grace Young, from Spruce Valley Stables in Erieville, New York, was named 2021 IEA Dressage Leading Rider based on her top placing in the Varsity Open Dressage Test. Young also won the Varsity Open Dressage Seat Equitation class.
10 September/October 2021 | USDF CONNECTION
SUPPORTER AND FAN: Mitchell at the 2012 London Olympics
The AHC represents the interests of the US equine industry in Washington, DC. Mitchell is part-owner and president of Fairfield Equine Associates in Newtown, Connecticut, where he has practiced since 1989. For 14 years he served as the US dressage-team veterinarian, stepping down from that role after the 2016 Rio Olympic Games. He has served on the boards of US Equestrian, the Connecticut Veterinary Medical Association, and the American Association of Equine Practitioners. He is a founding member of the International Society of Equine Locomotor Pathology and is currently chair of the Foundation for the Horse.
WINSLOW PHOTOGRAPHY LLC; JENNIFER BRYANT
A total of 143 riders representing 39 teams from 12 regions from across the country qualified for the
OBITUARY
PHILANTHROPY Anne L. Barlow Ramsay
Physician, sport-horse breeder, and dressage philanthropist Anne L. Barlow Ramsay, MD, MPH, died May 6 in Fernandina Beach, Florida. She was 96. Dr. Ramsay’s best-known legacy in the dressage community is the $25,000 Anne L. Barlow Ramsay Grant for US-Bred Horses. Administered by The Dressage
COURTESY OF THE DRESSAGE FOUNDATION
BENEFACTOR: Dr. Anne Ramsay (center, holding plaque) endowed The Dressage Foundation’s famous grant for US-bred high-performance horses and their riders. She’s pictured presenting the inaugural Ramsay Grant in 2008 to Rhett and rider Jim Koford, flanked by then TDF board members Michael Matson, Lendon Gray, Ramsay’s daughter Barbara Cadwell, and Clay Teske.
Foundation (TDF), Lincoln, Nebraska, the annual grant supports a promising high-performance American-bred dressage horse and its rider by helping to finance training in Europe or in Wellington, Florida. Dr. Ramsay was a familiar face at USDF conventions and awards banquets. She was a longtime member of the USDF Historical Recognition Committee and USDF Board of Governors delegate. Horses she bred at her Annie B Farm earned many Adequan®/USDF Year-End Awards and Adequan®/USDF All-Breeds Awards. Usually accompanying Dr. Ramsay was her daughter Barbara Cadwell, also of Fernandina Beach, co-owner of Annie B Farm, who is currently serving as the Administrative Council at-large director to the USDF Executive Board. Born in Yorkshire, England, to Scottish parents, Dr. Ramsay earned her medical degree from the London School of Medicine for Women, the first medical school in Britain to train women as doctors. After university she spent time in Canada and later moved to the US, joining Abbott Laboratories in 1963 as a medical writer and climbing its professional ladder to a vice presidency. She also earned a master’s degree in public health (MPH) and served in numerous public-health roles over the course of her career. “She was a leader in the fight for women’s rights and for the provision of health care to the underprivileged,” Cadwell said. Besides her daughter, Dr. Ramsay is survived by her son, John Cadwell, and by two stepchildren. Memorial donations may be made to The Dressage Foundation (dressagefoundation.org).
US Equestrian Launches Fund to Support Community Access to Horses Many organizations are taking a hard look at their efforts to promote diversity and inclusion, and those in the horse industry are no exception. In June US Equestrian announced the launch of a fund intended to support increasing access to horses, horse sports, and equine-based learning opportunities among underrepresented or underserved communities. The concept for the project, called the USEF Opportunity Fund, was developed by US Equestrian’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) External Thought Leaders—people like Philadelphia Urban Riding Academy executive director Erin Brown, US Marine Corps veteran and Operation Wild Horse program founder Jimmy Welch, and Ebony Horsewomen founder and president/CEO Patricia E. Kelly. The Opportunity Fund, a grant-making resource for “grass roots” organizations, was seeded with a $50,000 contribution approved by the US Equestrian Board of Directors in January. Funds will be available beginning in 2022. To learn more or to donate, visit usef.org/OpportunityFund.
HORSE INDUSTRY Equitana USA Returns to Kentucky The coronavirus pandemic forced the postponement of the planned 2020 reboot of the Equitana USA equine expo, but it’s on for 2021: October 1-3 at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington. Featuring a wide variety of equestrian stars, performers, a trade fair, panels discussions, and a special evening performance, Equitana USA is designed to appeal to horse lovers of all ages and breed/discipline affiliations. Dressage enthusiasts will want to catch the clinic with Olympian Laura Graves, among other featured attractions. Tickets include free US Equestrian fan membership and admission to the Kentucky Horse Park—which is home to the USDF National Education Center, among many others. The USDF is an Equitana USA association partner. Learn more at EquitanaUSA. com or KYHorsePark.com. USDF CONNECTION | September/October 2021
11
Collection OBITUARY
Sonja-Marita Vracko
The German-born US Equestrian “S” dressage judge Sonja-Marita “Sonja” Vracko died May 18 of lung cancer at her home in Woodinville, Washington. She was 87. Before she immigrated to the US, Vracko was a jazz singer who performed throughout Europe and North Africa. In 1958 she and her late husband, Rudolf Vracko, moved to the Seattle area, where they established the facility View Ridge Farm. Vracko is survived by her three children and two grandchildren. Memorial contributions may be made to a University of Washington fund to support lungcancer research: online.gifts.washington.edu/peer2peer/ Campaign/sonja-vracko.
USDF BULLETINS L Program Accepting Faculty Applications
Applications for new USDF L Education Program faculty members are being accepted for consideration. Candidates must meet the following requirements: • US Equestrian-licensed “S” judge for at least two years • Experience teaching in a classroom or lecture environment • Willing to serve on the USDF L Program Committee and to assist in working toward the committee’s goals. Please contact the L Program Committee liaison at lprogram@usdf.org for an application and more information. Deadline for applications is November 15, 2021.
Corrections July/August’s “GMO: Conflict Management for GMOs” misidentified the GMO affiliations of two sources. Barbara Harty is president of the Texas-based Fort Worth Dressage Club, and Corinne Spaulding is president of the Central New York Dressage and Combined Training Association.
THE NEAR SIDE
Awards Deadlines and Reminders
Yearbook Photograph Submissions October 1: Rider awards October 29: Year-end awards (first place only) For submission instructions, see the USDF Photo Release Form (go to the Downloads/Forms “Quick Link” at the bottom of the usdf.org home page). Year-End Awards September 30 is the deadline for: • Submitting birthdates for Vintage Cup, adult amateur, and junior/young rider awards • Filing Vintage Cup status and verifying adult-amateur status • Joining USDF for Breeder of the Year awards • Submitting online Rider Performance Award applications • Submitting online Horse Performance Certificate applications.
Check Your Scores
Check your scores at USDFScores.com. Contact USDF at scorecorrections@usdf.org or at (859) 971-2277 if you notice an error. The 2021 competition year ends September 30. All corrections must be reported by October 15 at 5:00 p.m. ET.
Regional Championship Competitor Survey
USDF wants to hear from you! Please be sure to complete the electronic evaluation form that will be emailed to competitors following each Great American/ USDF Regional Championship competition.
12 September/October 2021 | USDF CONNECTION
OBITUARY
US DRESSAGE FINALS
USDF FILE PHOTOS; COURTESY OF DEBBIE WIEGMANN
2021 Finals News Roundup Declare and Nominate Hoping to compete at the 2021 US Dressage Finals presented by Adequan®? Horse/rider combinations must declare their intention to participate by filing a Declaration of Intent form (usdressagefinals.com/ declare). The deadline to declare is midnight the day prior to the first day of your Great American/USDF Regional Championship competition (including any day of open competition before the start of championship classes). You must declare at the level(s) and eligible division(s) in which you intend to compete. There is no fee to declare. In addition, nomination (preliminary entry) is required for participation in US Dressage Finals classes. The nomination deadline is midnight, 96 hours after the last day of your Regional Championship. Find the nomination form at usdressagefinals.com/nominate. See page 36 of this issue for declaration, nomination, and entry deadlines by region. For the prize list and other information, visit usdressagefinals.com. Travel Grants US Dressage Finals competitors who reside in one of the applicable states (WA, OR, CA, HI, AK, MT, ID, AZ, NV, UT, WY, NM, CO) are eligible to apply for travel grants. A rider may apply for a grant with each eligible horse entered. To be considered for a grant, you must submit a grant request with your entry by checking the grant-request box. More program details can be found in the prize list.
Sue Curry Shaffer
High-Score Breed Awards The popular high-score breed awards will again be offered at this year’s US Dressage Finals presented by Adequan®. Participating breed and performance registries will award two high-score awards in both the adult-amateur and open divisions: one for the national levels (Training through Fourth Levels combined) and one for the FEI levels (Prix St. Georges through Grand Prix combined). There will also be one high-score award in the junior/ young-rider division for the national levels (Training through Fourth Levels combined). To be eligible, register your horse for the awards when you enter the competition. Learn more at usdressagefinals.com. Two New Perpetual Trophies USDF is pleased to announce that two new perpetual trophies will be offered at the 2021 US Dressage Finals. The Verne Batchelder Memorial Trophy, presented by River House Hanoverians, will be awarded to the FEI The Verne Batchelder Memorial Trophy highestscoring US-bred horse. The Top Hat Perpetual Trophy, presented by Janet Foy, will be awarded to the horse with the highest freestyle and non-freestyle average score at the The Top Hat same level. Perpetual Trophy
USEF “S” judge, FEI 3* para-dressage judge, USDF L program faculty member, dressage instructor/trainer, and sport-horse breeder Sue Curry Shaffer suffered cardiac arrest in her sleep and died April 25 at her home in Santa Rosa, California. She was 67.
AT HER POST: Shaffer in an undated photo
Raised in Pennsylvania, Shaffer rode as a child and discovered dressage during her time at Lake Erie College in Ohio. She moved to Colorado after graduation and established a horse business, competing several horses successfully at the FEI levels. In 1992 she and her husband, Dyke Shaffer, relocated to California. They established Fairwind Farm in Santa Rosa in 1999. At Fairwind Farm Shaffer established a thriving sport-horse-breeding business. She imported stallions from Germany, including the Oldenburg Donnerschlag (Donnerhall x Pik König), whom she also competed in dressage. Over the years Fairwind Farm hosted many Oldenburg inspections. A popular instructor/trainer, Shaffer coached many students to their USDF bronze, silver, and gold medals. She also served as northern regional director of the California Dressage Society. Memorial contributions in Shaffer’s name may be made to The Dressage Foundation (dressagefoundation.org).
USDF CONNECTION | September/October 2021
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DRESSAGE: THE NEXT FRONTIER USDF is looking to the next frontier with a new convention format, incorporating technology and a nonconflicting agenda. With USDF creating a streamlined event, members are given the opportunity to access more components of the convention experience.
annual co
AGENDA HIGHLIGHTS: These events will be hosted onsite during convention week.
Council Open Forums US Dressage Finals Open Forum USEF/USDF Open Forum Region Meetings Competition Open Forum Group Member Organizations Committee Roundtables Board of Governors (BOG) General Assembly Featured Education Team USA Olympic and Paralympic Open Forum Salute Gala
SALUTE GALA:
The onsite Salute Gala will be held on Friday night. Join us as we recognize the 2021 Lifetime Achievement and Volunteer of the Year honorees, USDF Rider and Breeder of Distinction Award recipients, and the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic teams.
Make sure to visit the 2021 Adequan®/USD updates on the agenda, educational offe
www.usdf.org Disclaimer : USDF continues to follow and adhere to all federal, state, and local guidelines and res
onvention
HOTEL INFORMATION:
JW MARRIOTT HOUSTON BY THE GALLERIA HOUSTON, TX
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DF Annual Convention website for the latest erings, and other important information!
THANK YOU TO OUR TITLE SPONSOR
g/convention trictions, as related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Due to this, all USDF events are subject to change.
GMO Manage Your GMO’s Essential Functions? There’s an App for That What can a customer-relationship management (CRM) system do for your club? A lot!
U
SDF group-member organization (GMO) board members put in a lot of hours. They need a simple way to keep up with their regular “housekeeping” chores, such as tracking membership status, volunteer hours, and year-end awards standings. For many GMOs, a simple spreadsheet just doesn’t cut it any more. Fortunately, there is a better way to
than a basic spreadsheet. Platforms offer dozens of features, from event management and website hosting to e-mail marketing and even e-commerce capability. What a CRM system doesn’t do is run itself. Once purchased, it needs to be set up. Most companies offer extensive documentation and customer service to get you started, but you still need to put in the time.
TECHNOLOGY WORKS: Customer-relationship management (CRM) software can streamline many of a GMO’s membership and management tasks
manage your club’s data: by using a customer-relationship management (CRM) platform.
What CRM Does (and Doesn’t Do) A CRM system is a type of cloudbased software service, also known as an SaaS (Software as a Service) platform. A CRM system has a much higher level of functionality
Once you’ve set up the system, then the automated actions will begin to streamline the workflow, but getting from purchasing the system to having it up and optimized for your GMO can be a long process.
Begin with the End in Mind If it’s time for your GMO to look into CRM, your first consideration should be the needs of your club.
16 September/October 2021 | USDF CONNECTION
“It’s really important to identify the problem you’re trying to solve in the first place,” says Dawn MacKenzie, membership coordinator for the New England Dressage Association (NEDA). NEDA, USDF’s largest single-chapter GMO, has been using YourMembership (yourmembership.com) for years to track the organization’s thousands of data points—but before your GMO runs out to purchase its own subscription, MacKenzie cautions, know that CRMs are not one-size-fits-all. Consider: “What data are you going to be trying to get out of it (and into it) to serve these stakeholders?” MacKenzie says. “What are your constraints in terms of both financial and human (work hours) capacity? Who are your most important stakeholders, and what information will they need from you? For example, we have to coordinate our data with what the USDF needs from us, so there’s a need for matching and searchable data fields—our member numbers and the USDF’s, as well. We also take data in from show secretaries for year-end awards, so making sure those inputs flow smoothly without a lot of manual tweaking is vital for an organization that’s volunteer-run.” Other CRM criteria for NEDA included easy mailing-address updates for its “snowbird” members, automatic event attendance tracking, and giving members the ability to print certificates for attendance or for volunteer hours worked, the latter of which is “popular and very low-levels of work on our end, as well,” MacKenzie says.
SHUTTERSTOCK
By Penny Hawes
In the long run, investing in a dedicated CRM platform may be cost-effective for your GMO. If your club is currently paying for an e-mail provider, a website host, and accounting software, bundling these services into a single platform may provide some savings. Most CRMs have the capacity to: • Generate financial records and invoices, and to integrate with financial programs, such as QuickBooks • Offer custom website creation and hosting, or plugins to work with your GMO’s existing website • Provide an integrated e-mail service to send newsletters without the need for a separate e-mail marketing provider (e.g., MailChimp or Constant Contact) • Accept online payments, which can be useful for both members and your GMO’s membership chair because it enables online membership renewal • Create a digital shop—perfect if your GMO offers sweatshirts, caps, water bottles, or other clubbranded items for sale.
way to go because so many people have a basic understanding, and the database can be handed off from one person to the next seamlessly.” Sarah Szachnieski, president of the St. Louis Area Dressage Society (SLADS) in Missouri, loves how easy it is to use ClubExpress (clubexpress.com). SLADS, which averages 90 to 150 members, was looking for a platform that would not only track memberships, but also be able to handle online event registration.
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A CRM for Every GMO We asked several GMO representatives to tell us which CRM system they’re using and why they chose it. The Lehigh Valley Dressage Association (LVDA) uses Google Sheets (google.com/sheets/about/). “All the show managers and committee chairs can access it to add volunteer hours as needed,” says LVDA vice president Sherry Morse. “That way, it’s done after each show or event, so at the end of the year it’s very easy to see who has enough hours for awards. Much easier than using paper forms.” A spreadsheet is sufficient for the Central New York Dressage and Combined Training Association’s needs, as well, says membership coordinator AJ Torelli. “Being ‘old school,’ he says, “I use an Excel spreadsheet to aggregate and manage our membership list. For those smaller GMOs, using Excel is a good
“Online registration became a huge asset when COVID came around, as we were able to quickly offer virtual schooling shows,” Szachnieski says. “One of the coolest things about the platform is the ability to put out requests for volunteering, which allows people to sign up online, and it also allows you to send out reminders to each type of volunteer. It has made coordinating volunteers much more simple, as we host a Level 2 show each year. [
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USDF CONNECTION | September/October 2021
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GMO Because our software is so sleek now, we have offered our volunteers and our online sign-up platform to the National Equestrian Center [a large St. Louis-area event facility] as part of the [Great American/USDF] Regional Championships for 2022.” “Just recently we started expanding some of our educational outreach activities, and we’ll be saving them on our website under the members-only section, where a login and password is required for access.” ClubExpress also houses the SLADS website, and the platform was a one-stop shop for the GMO’s virtual schooling shows, handling everything from creating prize lists to collecting entry fees. The Northern Virginia chapter of the Virginia Dressage Association (VADA/NOVA) also uses ClubExpress. Board member Anne Harrington likes the platform for many of the same reasons that SLADS’ Szachnieski cited. Using ClubExpress, VADA/NOVA can collect required information when a member registers for an event—emergency contact information, Coggins documentation, annual waivers, and horses’ vaccine records. Harrington also appreciates the ability to list volunteer opportunities on the site at the beginning of the year so that people can plan ahead. Nicole Miller, president and webmaster of the Louisiana-based Southern Eventing and Dressage Association (SEDA), has high praise for MembershipWorks (membershipworks.com). As its membership grew, the GMO decided that it needed more than just a spreadsheet app and searched for an easier way to track everything. According to Miller, MembershipWorks had solutions for practically all of SEDA’s needs. “It’s a plugin, which means it can be added onto a website based on WordPress,” Miller explains. “It integrates with MailChimp, the platform through which we send out regular e-newsletters to our members: Our
e-mail list is automatically updated, so no extra steps are required. It’s pretty seamless. “Online payments are integrated into it via Stripe and deposited right into our bank account,” Miller continues. “Most people join or renew online. We still accept checks, of course, but this has streamlined the process exponentially. The amount of information we collect on each person can be customized to a degree, and we can easily track memberships— who joined when, or who has not renewed. This is important because qualification for our year-end awards program hinges on the join/renew date of the member. With everything done online with a time/date stamp, we can validate that someone was actually a member when they earned their scores or points.” Miller commends MembershipWorks’ product support—“which is important since the board member in charge of it can change every couple of years. There needs to be access to ‘how to do X’ in case a question arises.” MembershipWorks is also scalable should your GMO grow, Miller says. But even at SEDA’s subscription level (the 150-member club pays a modest $29 a month), the platform provides ample services, which also include scheduling membership-renewal reminders and exporting data for mailing lists and other purposes, she says. Wild Apricot (wildapricot. com) is a big improvement over the spreadsheet-with-website-plugin system that the New Jersey-based Eastern States Dressage and Combined Training Association (ESDCTA) previously used, says membership chair Gary Maholic. “The way our club does its membership required a bit of customization, and as we needed to make changes, the customizations became super-buggy and it was causing way too much work for our membership.” The ESDCTA continues to process certain functions outside of
18 September/October 2021 | USDF CONNECTION
Wild Apricot, Maholic notes. The platform doesn’t integrate with the GMO’s website; the club doesn’t track volunteer hours or point standings; and the ESDCTA isn’t able to use Wild Apricot to issue refunds. Although “reporting is a little bit limited,” he says, “it hasn’t really been a big problem for us.” Wild Apricot works well for the 700-plus-member Georgia Dressage and Combined Training Association (GDCTA), according to webmaster June Brewer. The club previously used the CRM included with Wix, its website host, but found that it became unwieldy with its large number of members. Now, using Wild Apricot, GDCTA members can sign up for events and the information is recorded in their membership files. “Everything’s recorded and tagged to a member,” Brewer says, “and reminders go out. You set them to go out automatically, and they go out! We’ve got so many events going on—so many programs and so many things that we’re trying to do for the membership. And this is a way to manage it a little bit better.”
Helping Your GMO Work Smarter, Not Harder If your GMO board thinks it could benefit from new or improved CRM, evaluate the many options against your club’s needs and budget, and consider the time and effort required to get a new system up and running. Shop wisely and your club may find that, as the ESDCTA’s Maholic puts it, “All in all, it was a great move for us. The membership chair loves it, and I think our members do, as well.”
“GMO” columnist Penny Hawes is a coach, writer, and experienced GMO board member. She lives in Virginia with her husband, daughter, and a plethora of cats, dogs, and horses. Visit her online at thehorseylife.com/usdf.
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ANN
IVERSARY
Sept 28th - Oct 3rd, 2021 CDI & World Class Breed Show for Horses and Ponies Largest Open Breed Show in the World Top performance classes from 4th Level to Grand Prix Musical Freestyle New in 2021! Presentation of Sale Horses Fabulous Shopping Great Food & Entertainment Ladies Hat Day • Parade of Breeds Kids Day on Sunday w/ Dressage Explorers Please visit our website for more information. The prizelist will go online in July. ©Stacy Lynne Photography
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The Judge’s Box Dressage Seat Equitation: The Adult Perspective Looking to expand the appeal of the USDF Regional Adult Amateur Equitation Program, a judge sought feedback and ideas from competitors
ADULT EQUITATION CHAMPION: Amanda Braun on Commando was the 2020 Region 1 USDF Adult Amateur Equitation champion
produce updated DSE guidelines as well as an educational PowerPoint presentation. A US Equestrian “S” dressage judge, she continues to judge and to promote participation in DSE classes—for adult amateurs as well as for youth riders. At the 2020 Great American/ USDF Region 1 Championships, Alison served on the panel that judged that region’s USDF Adult Amateur Equitation Regional Final class. After the show, she posed some questions to the adult amateurs who
participated, to learn their thoughts on this relatively new program. Here is a synopsis of the interview and the riders’ responses. What types of adult-amateur riders participate in DSE classes? Many of the respondents were: • Younger adults who had continued riding through college and into their professional lives • Riders from other equestrian disciplines who had gravitated toward dressage or who compete in more than one discipline • Adults resuming riding after the demands of jobs and family. Most (but not all) compete at the US Equestrian levels (Training through Fourth). Unlike junior riders who compete in DSE classes, a number of whom ride horses belonging to others, all of the adult amateurs at the Region 1 Final were riding their own horses. How did you hear about the DSE program for adults? Most respondents had not heard about the DSE program for adults via the usual USDF promotional channels, including the USDF website or USDF Connection. They either noticed a DSE class in a prize list and decided to enter, or they qualified for a Great American/ USDF Regional Championship and were subsequently informed that they were eligible to compete in the corresponding Adult Amateur Equitation Regional Final. Only one competitor had ridden in many equitation classes prior to her Regional Final and was working
20 September/October 2021 | USDF CONNECTION
toward obtaining her Elementary, Accomplished, and Elite pins. Alison’s takeaways: The program needs to be publicized better, or differently. Riders need to be educated as to what the classes entail and how DSE can help to develop their riding skills. A perception remains that DSE classes at local recognized shows are only for junior riders— and adults do not want to compete against juniors. Who rides in local DSE classes versus Adult Amateur Equitation Regional Final classes? Most adults who compete in DSE classes choose to do so because they feel that their horses are suited to the group-class format and that working as a group is a valuable skill. Alison’s takeaway: There is likely a large group of adult riders who either do not feel comfortable competing in a group setting, or ride horses that they believe will not do well in a group environment. Such riders are unlikely to try the DSE classes. Adult Amateur Equitation Regional Finals classes are clearly different from local DSE classes— larger, much longer, and inclusive of individual tests, which most participants have never had to do. Large classes can be long and seem disorganized or stressful for horses and riders, especially in adverse weather conditions. The riders Alison interviewed were open to the idea of sorting big classes and having only the top group of riders perform individual tests. Alison’s takeaways: Length of
PICS OF YOU PHOTOGRAPHY
A
lison Head, of Aiken, South Carolina, has been a tireless promoter of dressage-seat equitation (DSE) competition. During her tenure on the USDF Executive Board and the US Equestrian Dressage Sport Committee, she helped
By David Schmutz
time spent in Regional Final classes remains a big concern, as is the prospect of riding in bad weather conditions. Because local classes are small and nothing like the Regional Finals, some competitors felt unprepared for the Finals experience. How comfortable did you feel with the individual work-off tests at the Regional Finals? Some of the participants had qualified for their Regional Championships at Training Level and had never competed above that level. A difficult individual test at the Adult Amateur Equitation Regional Finals was therefore daunting to some competitors. Alison’s takeaway: The challenge is to keep the lower-level riders comfortable while offering all the competitors an effective, simple, easy-to-remember test. How would you rate the quality of the judging and the organization of DSE classes, both local and at the Regional Finals? Most respondents felt that classes were well judged and safely organized, especially at the Regional Finals. But at local levels, some riders said, some judges seemed unclear as to proper scoring methodology: Judges assessed competitors’ position and aids well and consistently, but numerical scores could vary widely for the same rider. “At the local recognized shows, I feel most judges don’t really know the rules of the classes. The scoring is incredibly subjective,” said 2020 Region 1 Adult Amateur Equitation Final champion Amanda Braun. In addition, “I do not feel that judges are consistent with scoring from show to show. The criteria are very clear in the written rules; however, I don’t feel that judges are well versed in the rules. Some are; some aren’t.” Alison’s takeaway: Judges at local competitions need a better grasp of the DSE rules. This issue stems from lack of exposure to DSE USDF CONNECTION | September/October 2021
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The Judge’s Box classes: There are simply not that many available to judge, especially larger classes. Classroom sessions are helpful, but they can’t replace the experience gained from actually judging a large DSE class. What other suggestions can you offer to DSE class and Regional Final organizers? One competitor proposed holding Regional Finals classes indoors if possible, noting that “it’s pretty
miserable to do a long class outside in the rain.” Another rider suggested making the tests suitable for the lowest-level competitors (i.e., Training Level). Another recommended dividing Finals classes by level of horse’s training, such as into Training/First and Second-Fourth Level divisions. One rider wished for a better explanation of how DSE scores compare and relate to standard dressage-test scores.
WHERE DO YOU AND YOUR HORSE RANK?
Yo u c o u l d r e c e i v e a n a w a r d !
Don’t Miss These Important Year-End Award Deadlines! September 30, 2021 • Submission deadline for: birthdates for vintage cup; adult amateur and junior/young rider awards • Declaration deadline for vintage cup and verifying adult amateur status • Membership deadline for USDF Breeder of the Year eligibility October 15, 2021 • All corrections must be reported to USDF by 5:00 p.m. ET October 29, 2021 • Photo submission deadline (first place recipients only) for inclusion in the yearbook issue of USDF Connection
Learn more about the year-end award requirements in the USDF Member Guide. Check your scores at USDFScores.com Visit usdf.org/awards/preliminary to find out where you and your horse are ranked.
22 September/October 2021 | USDF CONNECTION
Use more creativity in local classes to introduce the idea of individual tests, one rider suggested. Allow enough time for the classes so that judging is not rushed, suggested another. A competitor suggested finding a way to encourage riders to participate in DSE classes as practice for the Regional Finals. Finally, one person would like to see an actual national-final class created, “to give more meaning” to the Regional Finals. Braun, the 2020 Region 1 Final champion, is not a fan of the system of riders’ qualifying for the Adult Amateur Equitation Regional Finals by qualifying for Regional Championships. She believes that USDF actually promotes that option too well, at the expense of the local classes. As a result, she said, local classes are being dropped from prize lists for lack of interest.
A Work in Progress DSE classes for adult amateurs are beginning to attain a degree of popularity. DSE classes in general and adult-amateur classes in particular need to be promoted both regionally and nationally. More judge training is needed for consistency, as is a process for giving riders even more feedback. Even so, Braun encourages other adult amateurs to give DSE a try. “Don’t just do it at the Regionals,” she says. “Compete the whole season; earn scores; practice. You will be a better rider, and you basically get a mini-clinic for the price of the class.”
David Schmutz is a California-based US Equestrian “S” dressage judge and an FEI 4* para-equestrian dressage judge. He is a USDF gold, silver, and bronze medalist and an FEI-level dressage trainer and clinician.
Salute Aloha Spirit USDF Member of Distinction Martha McDaniel helped to put Hawaii on the dressage map
O
n May 20, 2021, the Hawaii equestrian community and the USDF lost a faithful volunteer and enthusiastic supporter with the passing of Martha Derby McDaniel, 83, of Kāneohe on the island of Oahu. Named a USDF Member of Distinction in 2018, and honored with the Aloha State
horses followed by a successive trio of Trakehners. She earned her USDF bronze (1998) and silver (2014) medals, her bronze (2011) and silver (2014) freestyle bars, several USDF Master’s Challenge Awards spanning Training through FEI levels, and numerous ASDS year-end awards. She trained two of her horses
and to bringing quality educational opportunities to Hawaiian equestrians. She organized many ASDS clinics and other learning opportunities for both adult and youth riders. Her volunteerism brought her a number of additional ASDS honors, including the Val Forwood Memorial Trophy, presented to an ASDS volunteer who has contributed significantly throughout the year; and the Junior/Young Rider Council Contributor of the Year, for a person who has contributed a great deal of time and effort to that group. Very active in the governance of her USDF group-member organization (GMO), McDaniel served on the ASDS board of directors for many years, culminating in her being designated an ASDS director emerita. “I witnessed firsthand her dedication to our club and efforts to bring the Pony Club community to dressage,” says current ASDS president Lisa Webster. “She was in charge of membership cards and would go out of her way to help people become members so that they
THE GODMOTHER: Dressage and equestrian sport in Hawaii wouldn’t have become what they are without the late Martha McDaniel
Dressage Society’s (ASDS) inaugural Lifetime Achievement Award in 2016, McDaniel earned both accolades for her efforts in promoting participation in equestrian sport and in fostering dressage education in Hawaii. A lifelong equestrian, McDaniel rode actively into her late seventies, competing with two Arabian
through Prix St. Georges. McDaniel also competed in hunters, jumpers, eventing, and Western riding. She participated in a number of parades with her horses and enjoyed trail riding with friends.
The Consummate Volunteer McDaniel was passionate about introducing others to equestrian sport
24 September/October 2021 | USDF CONNECTION
NOT JUST DRESSAGE: McDaniel relished practically every equestrian pursuit, including hunter/jumper, Western riding, and even riding in parades
COURTESY OF THE ALOHA STATE DRESSAGE SOCIETY
By Kim MacMillan
A LIFETIME OF CONTRIBUTIONS: McDaniel received the USDF Member of Distinction award in 2018. Aloha State Dressage Society president Lisa Webster (holding trophy) accepted on McDaniel’s behalf.
could participate in our shows. One of our perpetual awards is named after Martha’s horse [the Arabian gelding] Ryffaraseyn, whom she competed in every imaginable discipline. Winners of the award must also compete in several disciplines.”
For at least 18 years in a row, McDaniel attended the USDF convention as an ASDS delegate, also serving as a presenter for the popular GMO roundtable idea-exchange sessions. Sporting a Hawaiian lei and toting her knitting, she was
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New for 2021! • Marketplace Consignment Shop • International Liberty Horse Assn. Freestyle Invitational • Interscholastic Equestrian Association (IEA) Clinic
CONVENTION FIXTURE: For years McDaniel’s warmth and ready smile graced the USDF convention. She’s pictured at the 2008 event in Denver—wearing her souvenir shirt from Denver 1999!
always easy to spot in meetings and in the rows of delegates at the USDF Board of Governors assembly.
Island Life Born in Honolulu in 1937, McDaniel was the third of four children
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USDF CONNECTION | September/October 2021
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Salute
Giving Youth a Leg Up In the Hawaii equestrian community, McDaniel was known for lending her horses to junior riders and giving up her own spots in clinics to allow kids to ride with top trainers. “She was extremely generous with her time and with her horses and always wanted to lift up the
PROUD MOMENT: Receiving her USDF silver medal from then USDF president George Williams in 2014
junior riders,” says Webster. “She spent time at hunter/jumper and Pony Club events and always tried to convince the kids to try dressage.” A number of the young people McDaniel helped went on to become equestrian professionals. One, Tricia Silva, became not only McDaniel’s trainer, but also a good friend. Silva was “a seven-year-old horse-crazy kid” when she met McDaniel, Silva recalled in a Facebook tribute to her late friend. “She saw me hanging on the arena fence, watching the horses in awe. So she rode over, hopped off her horse, and said ‘OK, your turn.’ I thought I was literally going to explode from excitement…. Martha supported every clinic, symposium, awards banquet, horse show, fund-raiser…didn’t matter if it was dressage, hunter/ jumper, Western, Pony Club—you name it, Martha was there.” Perhaps the best-known recipient of McDaniel’s generosity toward youth is 2016 US Olympic dressage team bronze medalist Allison Brock, who was born and raised in Hawaii. “Martha and I weren’t at the
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same barn and didn’t ride with the same trainer, but I would see her at all the shows,” Brock says. “She had amazing Arabian horses when I was little and moved on to beautiful Trakehners later on. She was often share-boarding or letting a junior or young rider take lessons and show her horses while she was training and competing on them herself…. She was incredibly generous that way with sharing her horses.” One of Brock’s favorite memories of McDaniel concerns the ASDS’s Hans Moeller Musical Memorial Award, a perpetual trophy named for the late Austrian master who championed early dressage-judge education in the US. The porcelain statuette, awarded annually to the ASDS member who earns the single highest freestyle score of the year, depicts a Lipizzaner stallion and rider from the Spanish Riding School of Vienna. In 1991, Brock, then age 11, rode her first dressage freestyle, a First Level routine performed aboard her instructor’s Arabian. “I think we managed a 61% for our test,” recalls
JENNIFER BRYANT
and a descendant of three Hawaiian missionary families, according to her daughter, Diana LeFebvre. Following in the tradition of island families, McDaniel was also given a Hawaiian name—Kahalelaukoa— as a small child. After attending primary schools in Honolulu, she continued her education on the East Coast, attending the elite all-girls’ prep school Miss Porter’s School in Connecticut and then Vassar College in New York. She went on to earn a master’s degree in wildlife management from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. McDaniel spent much of her career back in her home state, where she would remain for the rest of her life. In the 1970s she taught science at La Pietra Hawaii School for Girls, a private school in Honolulu. For 35 years she worked at the City and County of Honolulu Department of Parks and Recreation, where she championed conservation at Ho'omaluhia Botanical Garden in Kāneohe and then at Hana'uma Bay Nature Preserve, where she was a key member of the team that developed the preserve’s award-winning visitor center. LeFebvre fondly recalls her mother’s passion for all animals, with a succession of dogs, cats, and various other small creatures trooping through their lives in addition to the horses. McDaniel was also a devotee of Hawaiian music and an avid vocalist who sang with several choral groups. She was a lifelong supporter of the arts in Hawaii and a dedicated patron of the Hawaii Theatre as well as a member of the Hawaii Museum Association.
Brock, who says that she “didn’t expect to get anything at the awards banquet, but I went with the other kids from the barn.” McDaniel, who loved freestyle and regularly won the Moeller award, “was called up to receive the trophy,” Brock says, “and when she got up to the podium, she announced that she was giving it to me that year instead. It was one of those moments that you never forget. I wasn’t the kid winning everything back then, but I was very determined to learn and keep getting better. It was a real boost to me, and I was so proud to have that beautiful trophy in our house for a year. Martha was a great lady! “Much later on, when I would return home to Oahu to do clinics,” Brock continues, “she would come and watch. Often her current horse
would be in it with another young person or young professional. I am sure she contributed to many, many people getting riding opportunities that they wouldn’t have had access to if not for her. She really helped grow horse sport in Hawaii.”
“dressage in Hawaii would not be where it is today.” We bid her a fond and grateful aloha and farewell.
One to Remember Sadly, McDaniel was not well enough to attend the 2018 Adequan®/USDF Annual Convention in Salt Lake City, where then USDF president George Williams honored her with the USDF Member of Distinction award. But as Williams said in his speech, McDaniel always stood out at the conventions because “her smile and passion for dressage were contagious.” “Without Martha’s dedication and volunteerism,” Williams said,
Kim MacMillan is a freelance photographer and writer based in Indiana.
Online Extra Watch the Aloha State Dressage Society’s tribute video to Martha McDaniel, created in 2016 for the inaugural presentation of its Lifetime Achievement Award.
HOSPITALITY SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITY Show your support to competitors and event staff as a US Dressage Finals Hospitality Sponsor! Hospitality Sponsors will receive valuable onsite exposure to over four hundred of the top competitors from around the country, as they compete at this showcase event. Hospitality Sponsorships are available starting at $1,000. Hospitality Sponsors will receive exposure in the event program and through onsite signage at hospitality events throughout the week. Additionally, Hospitality Sponsors have the opportunity to include a promotional gift item in the competitor gift bags. Items must be received by USDF no later than October 11, 2021 to be included in the competitor gift bags.
For more information about Hospitality or other sponsorship opportunities, contact:
Ross Creech rcreech@usdf.org (859) 971-7038
USDF CONNECTION | September/October 2021
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Sport Horse Strengthen the Sling Want your horse to achieve better collection? Help him strengthen the muscles of his thoracic sling. Second of two parts. By Hilary M. Clayton, BVMS, PhD, Dipl. ACVSMR, FRCVS ward from the inner surface of the shoulder blade to the ribs and the lower cervical vertebrae on each side. Besides raising the withers, serratus ventralis resists forward and downward motion of the trunk when the horse’s forelimb(s) are on the ground. In other words, it helps to prevent the horse from falling onto the forehand.
TERRAIN TRAINING: Walking on a downhill gradient is a “magic bullet” for strengthening the muscles of the horse’s thoracic sling
causes the withers to become more prominent between the scapulae. During locomotion, the sling muscles contribute to an uphill posture and to centering the horse’s chest between its forelimbs. Poorly toned or inactive sling muscles allow the forehand to slump between the scapulae, making the withers less prominent. The main component of the thoracic sling is a muscle called serratus ventralis, which runs down-
Another characteristic of serratus ventralis is that it is encased in a strong elastic sheath that stretches as the limb bears weight, then recoils as the limb pushes off. The elasticity cushions force transmission to the horse’s trunk (and ultimately to the rider’s back) when the limbs hit the ground during such movements as the extended trot, which involve rapid deceleration just after limb contact. In summary, we can think of the
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functions of the serratus muscle as: • Providing attachment of the forelimbs to the trunk • Determining how the forehand is suspended relative to the position of the forelimbs, both from front to back and from side to side • Lifting the forehand to put the horse in an “uphill” balance • Centering the forehand between the forelimbs after the horse has been straightened • Restraining the forehand in the face of decelerating forces that tend to tip the horse onto the forehand. Visualize the sling muscles acting in harmony on the left and right sides to support the forehand in an uphill balance, with the ribcage centered so the rider can sit in the middle of the horse with both seat bones supported equally. As you can see, a strong thoracic sling is necessary for good dressage performance. Fortunately, there are many ways of strengthening a horse’s sling muscles. Some exercises are done unmounted while others are performed under saddle. Read on to learn how.
Exercises from the Ground Many readers are already familiar with the use of core-training exercises to stabilize the horse’s core muscles. Owing to their role in positioning the horse’s chest, the sling muscles are considered part of the core musculature. I will describe how to perform the following unmounted exercises from the horse’s left side, but they should be done with an equal number of repetitions on the left and right sides. Even
AKDRAGOOPHOTO.COM
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n my last “Sport Horse” column (“The Thoracic Sling,” January/ February), I looked at the structure and function of the muscles— known as the thoracic sling—that suspend the horse’s trunk from the weight-bearing forelimbs. In a standing horse, well-toned sling muscles improve the horse’s posture by raising the forehand, which
THE SLING IN ACTION: When a horse engages its sling muscles, the withers lift
COURTESY OF DR. HILARY CLAYTON
though you may not be aware of it, horses often transfer their weight imperceptibly toward the handler, which affects how the muscles are used to control their balance. Baited stretches. The first level of core-training exercises is baited stretches or “carrot stretches.” These exercises require the horse to stabilize his center of mass so that it remains within the base of support provided by the grounded limbs. The horse follows the bait downward (rounding exercises) or around
to the side (bending exercises). Start by rounding your horse’s neck and back: • Stand on the left side facing your horse’s shoulder. • Holding the bait in your right hand, pass your hand between his forelimbs from behind. • Use the bait to entice him to move his muzzle down and back between his forelimbs. • Encourage him to hold the rounded position for several seconds before releasing the bait.
SLING ANATOMY: Side view of the muscles that attach the horse’s scapula to its chest. Serratus ventralis is the main component of the thoracic sling.
• Vary the height of the bait from knee to fetlock level. • Do three repetitions from each side. As the horse reaches down, the sling muscles stabilize his chest and avoid the tendency to tip forward. Try to keep his chest centered between his forelimbs as he stretches. If he twists his neck, have a helper hold the halter to guide his head and neck and keep them straight. In most horses, the sling muscles are naturally stronger on one side, and by being a stickler for straightness, even in the simplest of exercises, you can work toward improving symmetry. The next exercise is to perform baited stretches with the horse bending to the side through his full range of motion. • Stand on the left side of the neck with the bait in your right hand. • Entice your horse to move his muzzle around to the side. • Holding the treat at the height of the stifle, take his muzzle as far backward as possible. • Hold the position for a few seconds before releasing the bait. • Do three repetitions on each side. • Repeat the exercise, taking the muzzle as far as possible toward the hind fetlock. • Hold the position for a few seconds before releasing the bait. • Do three repetitions on each side. As the horse turns, many of the core muscles are recruited to stabilize the forehand. Initially, most horses find it easier to turn in one direction, so one of our goals is to make them more symmetrical in their ability to shorten the muscles on one side while lengthening the muscles on the opposite side. As you know, the ability to coordinate muscle contractions on the inside and outside of the bend is an important skill in dressage horses! Lifting the withers. From the ground, we can teach our horses to lift their withers in response to a stimulus applied under the chest. [
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Sport Horse
• Stand on your horse’s left side facing his shoulder. • Hold a blunted tool, such as a hoof pick, in your right hand. • Reach forward between his forelimbs with your right hand and apply upward pressure over the sternum. • Maintain steady pressure as you slide your hand back slowly between the forelimbs and across the girth line, taking about five seconds to complete the maneuver. • The desired response is for the horse to raise sequentially through the base of the neck and the withers as the pressure moves back. • Start with light pressure, as some horses are very sensitive. If your
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horse does not respond to light pressure, apply gradually increasing pressure or make a scratching motion with your fingernails or a curry comb. Some horses respond better when pressure is applied in the opposite direction, from back to front. Bear in mind that horses with back issues may find it painful to raise the back, so be sensitive to your horse’s responses. • Do three repetitions on each side. Horses that are resistant to lifting their withers in the beginning usually become more responsive as they understand what’s required. After practicing this movement for a week or two, you should see the withers and back rise up by several inches.
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LIFT AND ROTATE: Compare the back of a horse at rest (1) with one that’s asked to bend its back and rotate its ribcage to the left (2) and to the right (3)
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COURTESY OF DR. HILARY CLAYTON
LIFT THE WITHERS: I’m applying pressure with a blunt tool under the horse’s chest to encourage him to engage his sling muscles and lift his withers
Most horses seem to enjoy the feeling of stretching their backs after they become accustomed to it. Lifting the withers and rotating the ribcage. This exercise combines the lifting of the withers with bending the back just behind the withers and rotating the ribcage (see photos below). It exaggerates the rounding and bending motion we seek under saddle. • Stand on your horse’s left side facing his shoulder. • With your right hand, reach under the girth line toward the opposite side of his ribcage. • Using your fingers or a blunt tool, such as a hoof pick, apply pressure, “pulling” the lower ribcage toward you. • Watch the top of your horse’s back to see his ribcage rise on the left side. • Maintain pressure and hold the position for five to 10 seconds. • Allow your horse’s back to relax completely before repeating. • Do three repetitions on each side, comparing the amount of lifting and rotation on the two sides. Backward weight shift. The value of this exercise lies in the fact that the sling muscles play a role in preventing the chest from pushing forward— or, to put it another way, the sling muscles help to position the trunk over the hind limbs. To introduce your horse to how this feels, use the backward weight-shift exercise.
COURTESY OF DR. HILARY CLAYTON
• Stand facing your horse’s left shoulder. • Place your left hand on the front and middle of his chest with your thumb pointing upward over the highest part of the sternum between the pectoral muscles. • Put your right hand in the hollow at the side of the withers. • Gently push backward with your left hand just enough that your horse shifts his weight backward, but not so much that he takes a step back. • Try to feel the contraction of the sling muscles with your right hand as he pulls his trunk back. • Hold the position for several seconds, then release the pressure with your left hand. Watch as your horse’s trunk moves forward; this is often more obvious than the subtle backward shift. • Start by performing the exercise once on each side, and gradually increase to three repetitions on each side daily. Weight shifts with a forelimb lifted. The sling muscles not only move and stabilize the forehand; they also play a role in resisting loss of balance. In this exercise, a destabilizing force is applied while one forelimb is lifted so that you stimulate the sling muscles on the side of the grounded forelimb to resist being pushed off balance. This exercise is especially recommended for horses that carry their shoulders asymmetrically and that tend to fall in or out over one shoulder when turning. • Lift your horse’s left forelimb and hold it up with your right hand while you stand facing him. • Make sure he is comfortable (limb not too high), and use good ergonomics yourself, keeping your back flat and knees slightly bent. • Place your left hand over the point of his left shoulder. • Gently rock your horse in different directions: toward the opposite forelimb, the diagonal hind limb, or the hind limb on the same side. Use a slow, steady rhythm, taking
WEIGHT SHIFT WITH FORELIMB LIFTED: With one forelimb lifted, the handler gently rocks the horse in different directions. Because he’s destabilized, his sling muscles must work harder to maintain the horse’s balance.
about four seconds for each rocking motion. • You can also sustain the displaced position for five seconds. In these exercises, the sling muscles contract to resist pushing the horse off balance. The slow, rhythmic rocking turns the muscles on and off repeatedly, whereas the five-second hold requires sustained contraction. Stepping up with the forelimbs onto a raised surface. Stepping up onto a raised surface requires the extensor musculature (including the sling muscles) of the limb that takes the first upward step to contract strongly to lift the forehand. It’s the same action the horse uses to step up into a trailer. In designing a platform to step onto, it’s important that the surface is not slippery or unstable and that it can support the horse’s weight. A used tractor tire filled with sand can work well. The height of the step can start in the range of six to 12 inches, increasing until it becomes difficult for the horse to reach the step up. • Lead your horse close to the step and allow him to investigate it. • Encourage him to step up, and reward him when successful. • Maintain the elevated forelimb position for 10 to 30 seconds. • Back him off the raised surface slowly and carefully. • After he becomes comfortable with stepping up, increase the
number of repetitions up to three per forelimb. Just as people have a preferred leg for initiating a step up, so do horses. After your horse learns the basics of the step-up exercise, encourage him to become equally comfortable and confident stepping up with either forelimb on command—for example, by using a tap with a whip to cue the desired forelimb.
Under-Saddle Exercises In dressage, our goal is to strengthen the sling muscles equally on the left and right sides—which is a component of making the horse straight. As we’ve discussed, muscles attach the horse’s forelimbs to its chest. The attachment usually is not symmetrical, meaning that the shoulder is less well stabilized on one side. The rider’s first challenge is to align the horse’s shoulders ahead of his haunches and to maintain this alignment throughout the ride. Unless the horse’s shoulders are correctly aligned, the impulsion generated by the hind limbs cannot go through his body. Furthermore, when one shoulder tends to collapse, the horse cannot raise his forehand to develop self-carriage. Activating and strengthening the sling muscles on both sides is a crucial step in the horse’s training progression. Under-saddle exercises that strengthen the sling muscles are
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Sport Horse based on their role in supporting and stabilizing the forehand when a horse turns, performs a downward transition, or descends a gradient. Jumping also activates the sling muscles, especially during landing. The common denominator in all these exercises is that the sling muscles control the position of the chest between the forelimbs and resist the tendency to fall on the forehand. Turns, circles, spirals, and lateral work. Because turns and circles use the muscles on the left and right sides of the horse’s body asymmetrically, they provide the rider with an opportunity to focus on the functions of the inside and outside limbs. Horses naturally lean to the inside of a turn and have to be taught how to maintain a vertical orientation while bending their bodies through the turn. When the sling muscles and the pectoral muscles are correctly coordinated, they help to support the forehand with the limbs vertical during turning. Both forelimbs must push up through the shoulders in order for the horse to develop uphill balance. Start by working on largediameter circles, decreasing the size as your horse learns how to turn in balance and develops sufficient strength to support a vertical position through the turn. Spiraling in and out is particularly beneficial in this regard because the muscular demands change constantly as the circle gets larger or smaller. Frequent changes of direction improve the coordination between the muscles on the left and right sides and offer an opportunity to compare the feeling on the two reins, which should become more symmetrical over time. If one forelimb persistently falls in or bulges out on the circles, it may be helpful to flick your whip lightly against that shoulder to activate the lazy sling muscles. Lateral work further challenges the horse’s ability to coordinate the supporting action of the sling muscles with the body moving forward and sideways at the same time. Each of the
lateral movements calls for a different pattern of muscular coordination, and it is important to strive to perform them equally well in each direction. Transitions. Transitions within and between gaits are excellent strengthening exercises for the sling muscles, especially downward transitions that are associated with a marked decrease in speed. In a transition from trot to halt or canter to walk, for instance, the hooves press against the ground to slow the forward movement, but the trunk has momentum that continues to push it forward. To avoid falling onto the forehand, the horse must learn to use his core muscles, including the sling muscles. Every transition should recruit the core muscles to maintain correct posture throughout the change in gait and/or speed. When you prepare for a downward transition, visualize the sling muscles restraining your horse’s forehand and lifting his withers. Perform a collecting half-halt before and after the transition, and use your core muscles to keep your own weight back; if the rider tips forward, it makes the horse’s job more difficult. Note that the half-halt should be given when the horse’s body is at its highest point in the stride, which in trot and canter is during the suspension phases. Doing so cues the horse to activate his sling muscles at the correct time to maintain his uphill posture. Rein back. The rein back can be a powerful training tool when performed correctly, in a controlled manner. One of the challenges in performing a correct rein back is to keep the horse’s body balanced over his limbs so that the entire horse moves in one piece. The limbs should be raised and set down without giving the appearance that the horse is leaning backward. Typically, we practice four or five steps of rein back, according to the requirements of the dressage test. A larger number of steps can be used when using rein back as a condition-
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ing tool, but each step must be deliberate and not rushed. It is also useful to alternate rein back with walking or trotting forward, reversing directions without a sustained halt and varying the number of steps of each gait. Gradients. Working on a downhill gradient is a magic bullet for training the sling muscles. When a horse descends a slope, the effect of gravity increases the forelimb loading. Due to the increased load and risk of concussive injury when working on a decline, it is recommended that downhill postural training be performed only at a walk. A prerequisite to using a downhill slope for strengthening the sling muscles is that the horse must be able to negotiate the slope in self-carriage without leaning on the reins. Start by walking down a gradual slope and, over a period of weeks, progress to steeper gradients as your horse becomes comfortable with the exercise. Take slow, short steps in good balance with a light rein contact. In order to achieve a controlled descent, the horse must push up and back with its forelimbs, using the same muscles that are used to increase collection. After you and your horse are able to walk down a hill in a slow, controlled manner, the next step is to introduce some halts. Many horses have a preferred limb to bring up last into the halt and to step off first out of the halt. The sling muscles and other muscles involved in balancing tend to be stronger in the limb that halts first and moves off last. Therefore, work on getting your horse to halt and to move off equally easily on either forelimb. The goal is for him to take well-balanced steps into and out of the halt. The time for which the halt is sustained can be varied. A more advanced version of the downhill exercise is to combine the effects of the slope with the rein back. Use a gradual gradient for this exercise. Establish a balanced halt, then rein back—just a couple
of steps at first, but increasing the number over time. Cue your horse to step back with the left or right diagonal first. Progress to alternating between walk and rein back, with or without a pause between. When the rein back is well established, reduce the number of steps between the forward and backward transitions. The ultimate goal is for the horse to alternate taking a single step backward and forward with either forelimb, which requires balancing on the grounded limbs. Jumping grids. Jumping is not for everyone, but if you enjoy it, grid work can be a useful form of crosstraining that strengthens many muscles, including the sling muscles. For this purpose, I like to work with small fences set at bounce distances so that the horse lands and immediately takes off again. The forelimbs control the landing and reverse the direction of movement from downward to upward, which involves engaging the muscles that play a role in postural control and self-carriage. The fences do not need to be big: 18 to 24 inches is adequate. Start with three fences and, as your horse’s technique improves, increase the number of jumps to increase the endurance of the sling muscles. This type of exercise provides a powerful stimulus to activating and strengthening the sling muscles that can be likened to plyometric training.
Strengthen to Straighten and Balance We’ve looked at a number of exercises that engage and strengthen the muscles of the thoracic sling. It’s certainly not necessary to perform all the exercises every day. Choose the ones that work best for you and your horse. Core training from the ground is recommended for all horses, regardless of the stage of training, so choose a couple of the unmounted exercises to perform before you tack up each day. It’s fine to mix and match these exercises on different days.
Many of the movements that engage the sling muscles during locomotion are part of your normal dressage training routine. By focusing on correct posture and performance, adding a few extra repetitions of these exercises will target the development of straightness and uphill balance. Cross-training using hills and jumping grids are valuable conditioning and strengthening exercises that add variety to the workouts for those who enjoy getting out of the arena.
Meet the Columnist
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r. Hilary Clayton is the professor and Mary Anne McPhail Dressage Chair emerita. She was the original holder of the Mary Anne McPhail Dressage Chair in Equine Sports Medicine at Michigan State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine, East Lansing, from 1997 to 2014. A world-renowned expert on equine biomechanics and conditioning, Dr. Clayton is president of Sport Horse Science, LC, which is dedicated to translating research data into practical advice for riders, trainers, and veterinarians through lectures, articles, and private consultations. A USDF gold, silver, and bronze medalist, she is a longtime USDF Connection contributing editor and a past member of US Equestrian’s Dressage Committee. In 2020 she was inducted into the Roemer Foundation/USDF Hall of Fame.
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Free Rein Color Me Traditional The dressage-competition attire rules will soon allow a wide range of colors. Our columnist is a traditionalist, bus she recognizes that the change is a necessary one. By Jean Kraus es to the dressage-attire rule (DR 120), which will go into effect December 1, 2021. A much wider color palette will be permitted in USEFlicensed/USDF-recognized dressage competition. In coats and jackets, any single color will be permitted, and the fabric may have subtle pinstriping or be a check or tweed. (Many of you may remember or still use those splendid Irish tweed hack-
In breeches and jodhpurs, dark and light colors will be allowed along with the traditional white/ cream/light-gray hues. Bright colors or patterns are not. Riding boots can now be of coordinating color(s). This ostensibly means that a rider could legally compete in a white jacket, black breeches, and white boots. (When I say could, there is the real question
RAINBOW OF OPTIONS: Dressage-competition rider attire is poised to leapfrog from the longtime black-and-white “uniform” (left) to practically any color of coats, breeches, and even boots
There has been a call for change in the sport of dressage, from the Olympics on down. Olympic Games organizers warned that dressage had to do something to liven things up, or else the sport may become a relic of Olympic history and be removed from the Games. Some changes, such as how tests are scored, have already taken place. Is the current move toward more relaxed attire requirements the start of another such change? On the national level in the US, US Equestrian has approved chang-
ing jackets!) Striped or multicolored coats will not be allowed, however, so no on the “circus tent” stripes or looking like a multiflavored popsicle. “Tasteful and discreet” accents, such as a collar of a different hue, modest piping, or crystal decorations, are acceptable. But what is tasteful or discreet, you may ask? During the drafting of the new rules, a great deal of discussion occurred over how exactly to define “tasteful or discreet.” After all, one person’s ordinary is someone else’s outlandish.
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of, ‘OMG, would anyone actually want to do that?’ But that may be my traditionalist mindset speaking.) It is understood that it may take some time to refine everyone’s understanding of the “broader, yet not all restrictions are off ’ parameters of the new rules. Further guidelines that will help to clarify these changes and their limits are in the works. Many in the sport anticipate that these changes will precipitate the development of two attire “camps” within the dressage community. Tra-
JENNIFER BRYANT; COURTESY OF BIG DEE’S TACK & VET SUPPLY
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n many people’s opinion, the narrow parameters of the traditional black-and-white dressage competition attire are stultifying for our sport. Spectators see the same tests repeated horse after horse, with all the riders looking alike. The monochromatic color palette, which has been carried over from the twentieth century, is not what will continue to work today.
JENNIFER BRYANT
ditionalists will continue to wear the black-and-white uniform or something similar, while Contemporaries will embrace the increased latitude. Which camp do you anticipate yourself following? I, for one, have always considered the traditional dressage rider attire elegant in its consistent simplicity. But I recognize that there are many who feel that this sameness is mundane, boring, and in desperate need of something to liven up the look. Over the years, my technical-delegate (TD) peers and I have observed competitors’ growing desire to push the limits of acceptable colors and bling. I see this as riders wanting to add their own distinct style to their presentation. Now with the dressrule changes coming into effect, competitors will be able to demonstrate their individuality as never before. USDF president Lisa Gorretta, who is also a dressage TD and cochair of the USEF Dressage Sport Committee, explains that “the rewriting of DR 120 is a small part of the overall efforts to reorganize and update the dressage rules. There is such a broad range of competitors in our sport, from young competitors to adult amateurs and professionals. The changes in DR 120 will allow all these diverse competitors to express their interest and desire to be trendy, as well as to accommodate the rider who wishes to maintain the traditional attire.” What will competitors do with their newfound ability to be more expressive? We will have to wait and see how the opening of this door sorts itself out in the competition ring. Before you Contemporaries dive in and put together your new ensemble, be aware that, in the past, elimination for dress-code violations inside the competition ring (DR 124) was at the discretion of the judge at C—but when the dress-rule changes go into effect, enforcement will be mandatory. Judges tend not to want to be the fashion police, but
it will be a requirement now. As a result, pushing the new parameters too far may not be the best approach to take. For us Traditionalists, before we view these changes as dressage going off the deep end and the beginning of the end of our sport as we know it, let’s look back a few years to the introduction of freestyles in competition. There may be a parallel here. In 1980, when freestyles became part of the competition roster, many dressage aficionados foretold that this would spell the sport’s eventual doom. Freestyles were too radical and too innovative, they said, and the riding of tests to music would make dressage too much like the
Meet the Columnist
circus. But the ruin they feared did not happen. Not only did freestyle prove popular with both riders and spectators, but in 1996 it was added to the Olympic dressage program. What was once considered a radical change actually succeeded in growing the sport. Will variety in dress also contribute to just such growth? Change can be good as the impetus for progress, but change is also difficult for many people. There will be an adjustment period. Dressage officials will have a transition period to work through as competitors exercise their choices in attire colors. As we welcome this change to our sport, many of us are also experiencing some trepidation concerning how this will all evolve. I think that we will have very interesting times ahead!
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mong her many credentials, Jean Kraus is an “R” US Equestrian dressage technical delegate and an FEI Level 3 dressage chief steward. She has officiated at numerous top competitions including the 2010 and 2018 FEI World Equestrian Games and three FEI World Cup Dressage Finals. She chairs the USDF Technical Delegates Committee and the US Equestrian Dressage Competitions Working Group, and she is a member of the USDF Licensed Officials Education Task Force and the US Equestrian Dressage Rules Working Group. She is a longtime professor of equestrian studies at William Woods University, Fulton, Missouri.
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NOVEMBER 11–14, 2021 • KENTUCKY HORSE PARK
featuring up to $120,000 in prize money NEW FOR 2021: JUNIOR/YOUNG RIDER CLASSES AVAILABLE
$50,000 in US Dressage Finals Travel Grant Funds Available To help alleviate some of the financial burden for those traveling the greatest distances to the US Dressage Finals, USDF is making up to $50,000 in travel grant funds available to eligible competitors.
FOLLOW THE ACTION ON Due to the COVID-19 pandemic all information is subject to change. Visit usdressagefinals.com for more information.
FOUR IMPORTANT STEPS AND DEADLINES 1. Declare – Complete a Declaration of Intent for each level and division for which the horse/ rider combination may qualify. usdressagefinals.com/declare. Horse/rider combinations must Declare by midnight on the day prior to the first day of their Regional Championship competition (including any open class days before the start of the championship classes).
2. Qualify at one of the Great American/USDF Regional Championships. 3. Nominate – Nomination is required for participation in US Dressage Finals classes, whether qualifying through placing in a Regional Championship class or by Wild Card Eligibility. usdressagefinals.com/nominate The Nomination (preliminary entry) deadline is midnight, 96 hours after the last championship day of your Regional Championship. The Nomination fee paid will be applied to the total amount due at Closing Date. Nominated entries that do not receive an invitation will receive a full refund of nomination fees paid minus the $10 processing fee per nominated class. Priority for all stabling requests (including stabling in heated Alltech Barn and for double stalls) will be based on the date of receipt of the completed entry and allotted per region.
4. Enter – Entry Opening Date is is September 16, 2021. Entry Closing Date is
October 25, 2021 midnight Eastern Time. The nomination and entry processes can be completed concurrently.
For additional qualifying, declaration, nomination, and entry information visit
usdressagefinals.com
Clinic Conversations on Training Her trademark consistency, encouraging attitude, and attention to detail are on full display when Olympian Allison Brock teaches. We play railbird for a morning of lessons. Story and Photographs by Beth Baumert
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ong before Allison “Ali” Brock was an Olympian, she began her equestrian journey as a Pony Clubber in her home state of Hawaii, where she was introduced to dressage at the age of nine. But she remained a well-rounded rider: She jumped, rode Western, exercised polo ponies, and did a lot of trail riding. The depth of her passion for horses meant that she needed to move to the mainland in order to grow, so at 17 she made the move and began her equestrian career as a working student.
imparted discipline. You don’t skip steps with Sue, and the best-trained horses I’ve ever sat on were trained by her.” When Blinks moved to California in 2004, Brock took over her position working for Fritz Kundrun, and in that capacity she got the opportunity to study with some top European trainers. She spent a year in Sweden with Olympian Jan Brink and more than a year in England with Finnish Olympian Kyra Kyrklund and Kyrklund’s future husband, the British international
team alternate Michael Barisone, who “gave me confidence. He took my technical knowledge and helped me feel like I belonged in the ring.” And belong she did. In Rio, aboard Kundrun’s Hanoverian stallion, Rosevelt (Rotspon x Lauries Crusador XX), Brock helped capture the bronze medal for Team USA, finishing fifteenth individually. “It was an incredible time in my life,” says Brock. “I’m so grateful to Fritz and Claudine Kundrun and the rest of my ‘village’ of supporters. No horse and rider can go through the process of qualification, selection, and competition at a Games by themselves, and there is tremendous sacrifice by the people who help a combination get to and through a major event.” “Also,” she adds, “people don’t realize how long it takes to reach the pinnacle of this sport. I didn’t ride my first Grand Prix until I was 30. Then it was another four years before I was doing Grand Prix on an international level. It was nine years before I started earning my keep at an international level!”
I HEART HORSE: Fritz Kundrun, owner of Allison Brock’s 2016 Olympic mount, Rosevelt, has high hopes for his eight-year-old stallion, Igby, ridden by Kya Endreson
In January 2001, while in Wellington, Florida, Brock met 2000 US Olympic dressage team bronze medalist Sue Blinks, who at the time was working for Fritz and Claudine Kundrun. Brock ended up riding with Blinks for three years. “For me,” says Brock, “Sue
trainer Richard White. Brock credits the pair with forming her as a Grand Prix rider, saying that “I still rely heavily on them for technical and biomechanical training.” In the years leading up to the 2016 Olympics in Rio, Brock rode with 2008 US Olympic dressage
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spent a wonderful morning this past spring watching Ali Brock teach in Florida and found myself very, very enriched. Brock’s message wasn’t anything new—with the greats, it never is, because the principles are always the same. In Brock’s case, it was the degree of execution that intrigued me. It was the consistency and the quiet, kind persistence. It was the encouraging attitude. What’s more, Ali Brock is so clever! She is way smarter than her horses. (That sounds rather obvious, but not all trainers act much smarter
TRAINER’S TRAINER: Brock
than their horses.) It was her goal to make life interesting and challenging for her horses and for the riders, too. Let me tell you all about it.
ALLISON BROCK PHOTO © ELENA LUSENTI
Systematic Basics The lessons begin with Kya Endreson riding Fritz Kundrun’s eightyear-old bay stallion, Igby. Igby is by Desperados out of a Sir Sinclair mare—and more important, he is Kundrun’s pride and joy. Kundrun is watching with me, and he’s loving every moment, his eyes twinkling with appreciation. (Kundrun has made an enormous contribution to the sport of dressage, having helped with the development of not only Blinks and Brock, but also with their Olympic mounts, Flim Flam and Rosevelt.) Igby is very well educated, but Brock and her student confirm and reconfirm the basics. “Clear, consequent riding,” says Brock. By “consequent,” she means that she wants Endreson to be as specific as possible with her aids so Igby has the maximum chance to respond specifically. The “consequence” of Endreson’s aids should be very predictable. Next Brock tells Endreson to check that Igby is in front of the leg. They do transitions forward and back. Igby gets a bit “on the muscle,” and Brock suggests that Endreson ask him for a bit of lateral work. “Let’s make sure haunches-in is easy,” she says. It certainly looks easy to me.
THROUGHNESS: Katherine MacDonald rides the 10-year-old PRE gelding Centurion FG, owned by Claudine Kundrun
Brock reminds the rider that the horse’s activity must go perfectly through his back. “Throughness,” she says. Igby looks happy and fabulously expressive as well as “through” and in front of the rider’s leg. Brock comments to me: “If they don’t have these basics, they can’t go on to more difficult work.” It’s that simple. Beth Baumert: Talk to me a bit about the basics. Ali Brock: I’m very systematic about checking the basics. For example, my riders check to be sure that the horse is yielding before they even get on. Do you mean leg-yield as in turn on the forehand, or do you mean flexion in the poll—or both? Depending on the level of education of the horse, I like to make sure a young horse will yield his hindquarters on the ground in both directions (turns on the forehand). I also expect him to back up in hand easily. If both exercises are done correctly, the horse will flex, yield, and be soft in his poll, jaw, and neck. If I have to use any strength or pressure beyond picking up the reins and indicating with my body language to yield and move sideways, or to yield and move backwards, the horse doesn’t understand or isn’t sensitized enough to my baseline standard. With older, more educated horses, I usually don’t have to spend much time
because they know the exercises and will usually give me a couple outstanding steps to indicate that they are mentally and physically with me. Confirming the basics is just dotting all the i’s and crossing all the t’s. It’s a human inclination to spend less time checking on the basics as the training progresses to the higher levels. When I was riding with Sue, she was unwilling to compromise about these basics.
The 9-to-1 Principle Next up in the ring is Katherine MacDonald, who is warming up Claudine Kundrun’s 10-year-old PRE gelding, Centurion FG. They’re competing at Prix St. Georges and working on movements in the Grand Prix. “I want living art,” Brock tells the rider. “I want him to use himself.” She comments that in the past the horse could get too high and use his lower neck, or he could get too low and not connect correctly. “Trotcanter-trot transitions are the way to know if the horse is ‘through’ and the back is involved,” she says, “and he couldn’t do them when he came to us. If you can’t do that, it haunts you all the way to Grand Prix, so I always train it.” MacDonald and Centurion FG demonstrate the transitions with fluid precision. Brock comments that it should look as if the gait changes but nothing else, with
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Clinic your leg on to half-halt and recycle.” It’s not the first time today that I’ve heard the persistent admonition about riding “9 to 1,” so I need to ask.
EXPRESSIVE: Attention to alignment and correct reactions to the aids in shoulder-in aboard Igby
the horse relaxed but immediately answering the rider. “When you have it right,” says Brock, “it’s a great feeling, and you can ride the horse’s body and not his mouth.” At this point in Centurion FG’s development, he is connected nicely and working through his back. The rider’s and trainer’s next goal is to build the gaits with true impulsion and swing—as Brock puts it, “to put the ‘second trot’ into the horse.” Can you define the second trot? It’s somewhere between the collected and the medium trots. The increased impulsion enables you to play with the balance. We carefully push the limits. If you never let horses explore what they can do with their bodies, you never know what they are capable of. Next, Brock wants MacDonald to be obsessive about riding the corners—that the horse’s outside shoulder stays up. Brock has made it easy: From the second trot, MacDonald can shorten the stride before the corner for an easier corner executed with better balance. “It’s like dancing,” Brock says. “They keep the same tempo but shorten the stride slightly, and it doesn’t disturb the balance.” Next, they practice transitions between medium trot and piaffe, staying perfectly straight in shoulder-fore positioning. “Nine-to-one!” says Brock. “Put
What’s up with “nine-to-one”? Nine pounds in the leg to one pound in the hand. That says to the horse, “You don’t get to haul me around.” When a horse gets too strong in the hand, many riders lighten the leg and “fiddle” them off the contact. Or they tend to get very strong in the hand and not use enough seat or lower leg. If my horse is too strong and not accepting the half-halt, it means he is not accepting the forward aid—and usually also the lateral aid. I need a better commitment from my horse. The rider’s leg should say, “Lift your back, Buddy! Go up to the bridle, change your balance underneath me, and recycle.” So instead of overusing the hand, I will increase the forward and sideways pressure of my leg until I feel the horse yield under me and quicken his feet. I try not to increase the pressure in my hand. I might have a fixed hand as an outside rein—one that doesn’t give or pull. It has the same pressure regardless of what the horse does, and I increase my leg aid with the intention of having nine pounds of leg to one pound of hand—knowing that the horse will yield and I will be able to release both aids. I personally don’t like to ride with a strong contact or a lot of leg pressure. I think of my aids as being on a dimmer switch. I can start with just an indication of what I want and increase the pressure incrementally until the horse goes either forward, sideways, backward, or yields onto the bit; and then I can release the pressure back to a very soft contact or, in some cases, a full release of the aids. Bottom line: I always try to make increasing the leg aid the priority. I want to ride the horse’s body, hind legs, withers, shoulders, and neck up to the mouth, as opposed to bringing the mouth and neck back to the body.
Poking the Bear Now I’m watching Adrienne Pagalilauan ride Viva Westfalia, a nine-
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year-old chestnut Prix St. Georgeslevel gelding by Vitalis. Their warmup includes tempi changes that appear to put the horse in front of the leg. Brock comments: “You know your horse is well trained when he does a movement like that correctly the first time you ask.” That’s what you need at a horse show, I think, and so I ask her: How do you typically prepare for a show? I’m adamant that people ride through the test at home. Avoidance makes no sense because showing is about repeatable performances. Riders have so many excuses. “My horse knows the pattern,” they say. To which I reply, “Well, ride it on the aids then.” You have to be able to “poke the bear” and know what’s going to happen. Test it at home first, not at the show. Have a specific plan every day when you’re preparing for a test. Do a movement and take a break. If you start and it’s a mess, start again. It takes time to get to that place where the horse does it right the first time, but you can’t avoid the difficulties because you think you might make a mistake. According to Brock, Viva Westfalia initially had contact issues. “It was difficult for him, and that kind of a situation tests the rider mentally. When you feel you’re never going to achieve a training goal, you need to go at it with optimism and not accept that it’s hard. If you think your horse will never get it, then he won’t. “That was the gift that Rosevelt gave me,” she continues. “The one-tempis were very difficult for him, and Kyra [Kyrklund] helped me work through it. You need the technical ingredients plus belief. You have to believe it will happen and look for a way.” In “Viva’s” case, work on the long lines helped him face the bridle and realize that he could neither run through the bit nor spit it out. “With
the long lines,” Brock explains, “he learned to fill up the bridle and take the rider forward.” Now Kya Endreson is back in the ring, this time with Johnny Be Good, an elegant seven-year-old, one-quarter Friesian/three-quarters Dutch gelding who is inclined to be too forward. “He must be able to turn!” says Brock. “Tell him to rebalance himself before each turn.” She suggests doing turns on the forehand to prevent the horse from running through the rein contact. “The rein is the last resort,” Brock reminds Endreson. “Ask yourself, Can I halt from my seat?” With the focus on going forward from the leg, I wonder how Brock feels about use of the whip. What’s your philosophy about the whip? I like horses to be respectful but not afraid of the whip. I don’t like to ride with one. If I need it, fine, but the goal is that your horse should be on the aids enough from the leg that you don’t need it to go forward. I prefer that it’s a tool to help say, “Lower your croup and step under yourself,” versus “I need this for you to keep in front of my leg.” I worry when riders carry a whip all the time and the horse and rider become unconscious about it. As a result, the rider needs increasingly stronger aids and gets less for them. Tessa Holloran comes from Lendon Gray’s Dressage4Kids program, and today she rides Ike, a gray eight-year-old who has come from the jumper world. Brock remarks that jumpers and event horses are often behind the leg. “They go fast,” she says, “but they’re not necessarily on the aids.” The solution, of course, involves “9 to 1,” and Brock peppers Holloran with advice. “Close your lower leg until he becomes round.” “Use your leg before you go to the hand.” “Half-halt; give; hands down. Leg, leg, leg. Put your lower leg on.”
CONNECTED: Tessa Holloran tests former jumper Ike’s ability to respond correctly to her leg by reaching for the bit
“Ask yourself: When I put my leg on, does he become round? Or am I too tight on top?” “Ask yourself, Can I use my inside leg and ask him to yield to my outside rein?” “Keep your body supple. Keep soft fists, as if you had baby birds in them.” During a break, Brock returns to the mental part of training horses—the part about belief. “These are important moments,” she says. “Don’t change your tactics. Take time, be consistent, and be patient. The gold standard is when you can put your hands forward and he stays the same. You’ll get there.” Holloran asks the horse to stretch and is quite successful, so I say… Talk to me about stretching. It depends on the horse whether I spend a lot of time on it. If he’s already so supple and elastic that it feels like he has no bones, I don’t need to ask him to stretch. It depends on the body type and the temperament. Horses come and go, with the same four riders. Pagalilauan rides a bay mare named DeeClare, who is by Sir Sinclair out of a Dutch Harness Horse. She works on her own, doing leg-yields and turns on the forehand. Endreson rides a Swedish horse named Cheraton. She is
doing Spanish walk with “Cherry,” developing more supple shoulders. In teaching Spanish walk, Brock has helped the riders by finding an interesting way to improve the horse’s weakness—a way that both horse and rider find fun. “Some horses just don’t get it unless they’re supergifted,” Brock says. “I try to explain what we want in a way that is fun for them.” While I’m being impressed, Pagalilauan and “Dee” clock off 15 expressive one-tempis on the diagonal. It was the end of a fun and very inspiring morning.
Beth Baumert is a USDF-certified
instructor through Fourth Level and a USDF L program graduate with distinction. She is the author of When Two Spines Align: Dressage Dynamics and of How Two Minds Meet: The Mental Dynamics of Dressage. She currently serves as president and CEO of The Dressage Foundation. For many years she owned and operated Cloverlea Dressage in Connecticut and served as the technical editor of Dressage Today magazine.
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Rider Happy Scappies Correcting your upper-body postural issues can make a world of difference in your riding By Joy Hicklin
role in helping the horse to move freely and in balance. Your upper body works to keep your center of gravity over your seat and over your horse’s moving base of support. In a more sophisticated rider, it also influences his own positioning and alignment, and allows for the rein aids to fine-tune his balance. You may already know about the importance of toning your core muscles—the muscles of your trunk—but you may not be as familiar with your other postural muscles. In this article, I’ll introduce you to four important but often overlooked upper-body muscles used in dressage: the muscles of the scapulae (shoulder blades), and I’ll show you how to have “happy scappies.”
Rounded vs. Rigid
ROLE MODEL: We can’t all ride like Adrienne Lyle (pictured at the 2018 World Equestrian Games aboard Salvino), but work on our postural muscles might get us closer to her elegant, effective position
For many riders, of course, this ideal is frustratingly difficult to achieve. We battle against our postural weaknesses and imbalances, our “chicken wing” elbows or a maddeningly persistent tendency to slouch or brace. Correct upper-body posture not only looks elegant; it also plays a key
Gravity weighs on us—literally. We tend to respond to gravity’s pull either by rounding (slumping the upper back, rounding the shoulders, and carrying the head forward) or by squeezing (bracing in a rigid military style). Rounded posture, which happens when the postural muscles are too relaxed, often takes the form of what’s called FHRS (forward head, rounded shoulder). Squeezed posture is the result of overzealous tightening. Our sport’s military history is a contributor, having sent the wrong message to generations of equestrians through its promotion of riding with an immobile, forward-curved thoracic spine and stiff shoulders. Both rounding and rigidity can compromise a rider’s timing, shock absorption, and breathing, and they can also complicate the relationship of the shoulder blades to the ribcage
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and neck. Negative (undesirable) tension is the enemy of good posture. Instability anywhere results in negative tension somewhere. Weakness in the postural muscles will result in negative tension as other muscles attempt to substitute. Gripping, pinching, grabbing, squeezing, clenching, or collapsing all indicate that you can benefit from becoming more stable. Even psychological concerns, such as fears or worries or pressures, can cause physical tension. Positive tension in the postural muscles can overcome unwanted tension. The challenge is to learn how to make your thoracic spine (your upper back) “grow tall” without creating negative tension. When you learn to recruit the dynamic stabilizing muscles that surround your thoracic spine and shoulder blades, you can lengthen your spine and lift your ribcage.
Good Posture Rule #1: Hug, Don’t Shrug
In dressage, your scapular muscles work mainly isometrically (i.e., to secure rather than to move) to set the shoulder blades. The muscles wrap the scapulae down and around the ribcage and oppose gravity’s forward-downward pull. The primary muscles involved in this wrapping action are the middle trapezius (MT), which adducts (brings the scapula closer to the spine) to balance the tendency to round; the lower trapezius (LT), which lowers and posteriorly tilts (tilts it toward the ribcage), thereby fighting the forwarddownward tendency; and the serratus anterior (SA), which “glues” the shoulder blade to the ribcage and upwardly rotates to balance the downwardrotation tendency.
JENNIFER BRYANT
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e often describe a skilled dressage rider as having excellent posture. What are the characteristics of that classical, pleasing appearance? To name a few: an upright, elongated spine; open, level shoulders; shoulder blades that quietly wrap around the anchored ribcage and rest away from the ears; “at ease” arms that remain by the ribcage; and elastic elbows. Rider and horse appear joined together, with a unified center of gravity.
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WHAT’S YOUR TENDENCY? Rounded posture (slumped upper back, rounded shoulders, and a forward head carriage) is easy to do with hours spent sitting at a computer or driving a car (1). A military-like bearing (2) may appear more correct than slouching, but its rigidity has its own set of postural problems. Somewhere in the middle is the happy “neutral spine” medium (3), with the pelvis in a neutral position and the head and neck carried in a natural, level balance over the spine.
Wrapping the shoulder blades down and around the ribcage is different from stiffly squeezing them toward each other—which is often what happens when a rider is instructed to “keep your shoulders back” or to “pinch your shoulder blades together.” Forcing the shoulders back also has the unwanted side effect of creating tightness that elevates the shoulders. It does not accomplish the connection to the horse or within the rider’s body that “hugging without shrugging” can achieve.
ILLUSTRATIONS BY CAROLINE DILLARD
Identify Your Postural Problems When you ride, do you tend toward laxity or rigidity? Which is your postural preference? Some more points to ponder: Do you frequently notice unnecessary tension, gripping, pinching, clenching, collapsing, hiking, or pain as you ride? How often do you struggle with rhythm, steering, or overall connection? Does your instructor comment repeatedly on your position? Is your horse usually behind the leg or on the forehand? Are you afraid of what would happen if you let go of the reins? Does your horse tend to derail through his shoulders, tense his neck, brace against the bit, or go behind the vertical? All of these are indications that your upper body may benefit from unmounted study and exercises.
Start with a few selfassessments: Imprint check. Here’s an easy way to detect where in your body you might hold tension. Lie on your back on a mat in complete ease. Besides the natural slight gaps behind your low back and neck, what parts of you resist resting on the mat? What holding patterns might you have that affect your ability to relax these areas? What muscles might be tight or stretched? How SCAPULAR CONTRASTS: Depiction of shoulder-blade might these affect your position in correct posture and with the shoulders hiked up, rounded, and stiffly squeezed together riding? What imprint would to maintain a straight line from elbow your shoulder blades to bit and to carry the reins above the make if the ground were soft clay? withers, which will encourage you to Do you notice any negative tension? ride “front to back,” from leg to hand. Do you sense this same negative tension when you’re riding? Allow the Movement Principles ground to support you as you let your tension go. Rigidity anywhere means hyperRein pull. What is your first reacmobility (too much movement) tion when your horse pulls on the above or below. For example, a stiff rein? Do you automatically pull back thoracic spine (upper and midwith your arm muscles and grip with back) will likely result in excessive your hands, or do you respond by sitmovement in the neck or low back. ting deeper and more upright, using Another example is stiff elbows that your legs to ask him for more from result in unsteady hands. behind? If you react by pulling back, Likewise, instability anywhere then you can benefit from gaining equals negative tension somewhere. greater central control. When the dynamic stabilizing muscles Stirrup-length check. If you conare not engaged, other muscles try to sistently lean forward with your upper substitute. Instability also means that body, check the length of your stirrup one side of the joint is compressed leathers. Too-long stirrups contribute while the other side is separated. to a “fork seat”: upper body inclined Muscles on the compressed side forward and legs behind the girth. shorten, while those on the separated Conversely, if you tend to lean beside stretch. hind the vertical or round your upper Poor posture can eventually lead body, your stirrups may be too short, to pain, which in turn can cause the contributing to a “chair seat”: upper tissues to become inflamed. When body too far back and legs forward. a condition has progressed from Rein-length check. If your reins mechanical to inflammatory, correctare too long, you may hike your ing the position alone will not relieve shoulders or hold your elbows out to the pain. The inflammation needs to the sides to take up the slack. Overly be addressed, as well. Well-prescribed long reins can also contribute to exercise is the best medicine. Restorpulling and to riding “front to back.” ing alignment can alleviate many types Shorten the reins enough to allow you of pain, such as pinched nerves and USDF CONNECTION | September/October 2021
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KEY POSTURAL MUSCLES: The trapezius muscles fight the shoulders’ tendency to round, while the latissimus helps to stabilize the upper arms beside the ribcage (1). Serratus anterior (2) “glues” the shoulder blade to the ribcage and upwardly rotates to balance the downwardrotation tendency.
negative muscle tension, both of which are common in neck and low-back pain. Only postural muscles, which actively protect the joints, provide for optimal position and movement.
FHRS Posture in Detail Our daily activities—such as working at a desk or driving—usually involve dealing with something that’s in front of us. As a result, the muscles of the shoulders and the front of the chest become overdeveloped while the opposing muscles of the upper back and shoulder blades are stretched and underused. Compounded by the effects of gravity, this forward pull without
Physical and Exercise Red Flags
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f you experience unusual or ongoing pain when riding or exercising, consult your physician. Any concern about an increasing intensity of pain, pain not relieved by assuming a better position, persistent pain not related to movement, sudden or gradual weakness, or altered sensation (such as tingling, numbness, or altered surface temperature of the affected area) needs medical investigation. And, of course, get your doctor’s OK before beginning any exercise program.
rearward opposition depresses the chest. When the ribcage rounds forward, the shoulder blades slide outward and upward, thereby causing the shoulders to round. For women, substantial breast size can exacerbate the rounding because the weight of the breasts requires more strength from the core, upper back, and shoulder-girdle muscles to keep the torso upright. As the thoracic spine rounds (a condition known as kyphosis), the affected person usually also develops a forward head carriage, which is the body’s way of balancing the backward-shifting ribcage and maintaining the necessary vertical carriage of the head for proper vision. Unfortunately, forward head carriage exaggerates the forward cervical curve, and the neck flexor muscles on the front of the spine become stretched and weaker while the neck extensor muscles shorten and develop negative tension. FHRS posture can reduce one’s height by as much as three inches. A forward head position in some cases also contributes to headaches or to TMJ (temporomandibular joint) pain.
Exercises for Happier Scappies Between roundness and rigidity lies the happy medium: a more healthful position and function for better
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connection in all aspects of your life, including while in the saddle. The exercises I’m about to give you will focus on the key muscles that make the biggest difference in securing and settling the shoulder blades: the serratus anterior, the middle trapezius, the lower trapezius, and the latissimus (“lats”). Rectangle Range of Motion. From a seated or standing position with your arms by your sides, bend your elbows and cross one forearm over the other. Keeping your forearms crossed, lift your arms to shoulder level. Your chest, arms, and forearms will form a rectangle. Move your rectangle slightly downward and upward, and explore what happens in your spine. Does one direction feel easier or more natural than the other? Switch forearms and continue exploring. Find the position that is most comfortable for you—ideally the one that’s closest to neutral. Notice whether your shoulder blades tend to elevate, and remind them that they can rest down and around. T. From hook-lying position (see sidebar), slide your arms along the mat outward to shoulder level with your palms and thumbs up, making a T shape. Gently press your shoulder blades into the mat and hold for five seconds while exhaling. Optional progressions: Try the T exercise while seated with elbows bent (easier) or arms straight (more challenging), both with thumbs up. Increase the difficulty by using a resistance band or cable. Work against gravity by doing the exercise while lying prone over a gymnastic ball or over one or two pillows positioned vertically from shoulders to pelvis: With elbows bent or straight and palms facing down, lift your arms and hold for two seconds before lowering slowly. Add upper-back raises while holding an imaginary apple between your chin and sternum to maintain a neutral neck. E. Begin in hook-lying position with arms out to the sides at shoulder level. Bend your elbows so
ILLUSTRATIONS BY CAROLINE DILLARD
Rider
T EXERCISE: Photo shows exercise performed standing with resistance from a band
PUSHUP PLUS: Mobilize your thoracic spine by finishing a pushup by moving your ribcage as far away from the wall (or mat) as possible
GENIE BUNTON PHOTOGRAPHY
E EXERCISE: Photo shows a more challenging progression: while lying over an exercise ball. For an even greater challenge, hold a halfpound to three-pound weight in each hand.
that the backs of your forearms and hands rest on the mat. Your head and neck become the middle of an E, and your forearms comprise its ends. Gently press into the floor with the backs of your arms, and feel your shoulder blades gliding down. Optional progressions: Do the exercise against a wall or seated on a chair or ball with the resistance of a band or cable from in front and slightly above shoulder level. Try it prone with one or two pillows between your shoulders and hips to support your spine or lying over a gymnastic ball, knees and feet resting on the mat. To increase the difficulty, gradually add half a pound to three pounds of resistance. Keep your spine neutral and comfortable at all times. V. From hook-lying position, raise your straight arms until they form a V shape, thumbs pointing toward the floor. Stop the motion if you feel your back arching. It may help to scoop your navel toward your spine and exhale as you lift your arms. Progress to tucking your thumbs and touching your fists to the floor, and eventually to touching the backs of your hands to the floor. Optional progressions: Do the V exercise against a wall or seated on a chair or ball with the resistance of a band or cable from in front and below; then try it prone over pillows
V EXERCISE: Basic version, from hook-lying position on a mat. Be sure your shoulder blades don’t hike toward your ears.
or an exercise ball. Increase the difficulty by adding half a pound to three pounds of resistance. Ensure that your entire spine stays neutral
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and comfortable. If you allow your shoulder blades to hike toward your ears, this exercise can do more harm than good. Pushup Plus. Place your hands or fists with thumbs up against a wall, elbows straight and arms raised to shoulder level. Perform the action of a pushup and add a “plus” at the end by
Before You Begin: Tips for Exercise Success
o exercise in this article should cause pain. If you suffer pain during or immediately after an exercise, mark it off your list and discover others that do not aggravate any body part. For strengthening exercises, hold the muscle contraction for two to five seconds and then release slowly. Begin with three to five repetitions, and gradually work up to as many as 10 of your favorites. Form matters most. Quality, not quantity, is what counts. The core comes first. When the core fatigues, nothing else about the exercise will be successful. To engage your core muscles for optimal spinal alignment, “scoop” your navel to your spine, expand the space between your ribcage and pelvis, and keep an imaginary apple between your chin and sternum to ensure a lengthened neck. Avoid arching your low back or neck and stiffening your middle or upper back. Keep your shoulder blades away from your ears by thinking of sliding them down toward your back pockets. Hook-lying means lying on your back with your hips and knees bent so that your back lies comfortably flat against the mat. If the back of your head does not comfortably touch the mat, place a small towel roll or pillow behind your neck so that your neck can lengthen and your head can rest on the pillow with your chin slightly tucked. Wall stance or squat means standing about a foot away from a wall with feet shoulder-width apart. Bend your hips and knees and rest your back flat against the wall with your toes aligned in front of or under your kneecaps. If the back of your head does not comfortably touch the wall, use a small towel roll or pillow behind your neck as described above. Athletic position is similar to wall stance but without the wall. Your hips and knees are softly flexed, similar to your position in the saddle. Gymnastic balls are the right size when your hips and knees are at 90 degrees when you are seated on the ball with your feet flat on the floor.
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Rider
PUSH WITH BAND: With shoulder blades wrapped down and around, push your hands away from your shoulders
moving your ribcage as far away from the wall as is comfortable. Hold the position for two to five seconds and return to start. Repeat the “plus” movement five times, with or without the pushup. Keep your shoulder blades weighted toward your pelvis; don’t allow them to rise toward your ears. Optional progressions: To increase the difficulty, do the exercise beginning on your hands and knees, hands directly under your shoulders and knees under your hips. Once this is easy, try the move with your knees farther from your hips, then in full plank position. Keep your shoulders as far from your hands as possible to protect the vulnerable space between your shoulder ball-and-socket joint. Press your ribcage into your shoulder blades, raising it as far from the floor as is comfortable.
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MEDICINE-BALL TOSS: The feeling of this exercise is similar to how you should use your body when riding a half-halt
TOWEL-ROLL PRESS: Gently squeeze a small towel roll (or a pillow, as shown) between your upper arm and the side of your ribcage
Hug a Bear. Begin lying on your back, seated, or standing, holding a resistance band behind your shoulder blades. Raise your arms out to the sides to shoulder height and wrap your shoulder blades down and around your torso while you pretend to hug a bear in slow motion. You will feel your balance shift rearward and your weight shift toward your heels. It is this feeling, rather than leaning backward, that you want when you ask more of your horse’s hindquarters. Push with Band. Seated on a chair or ball or while wall-standing, place a resistance band behind your waist under your elbows, and hold each end in the same-side hand with thumbs up. With your shoulder blades wrapped around and down, arms by your sides, elbows flexed, and thumbs up, push forward, using the backs of your
Ergonomics Around the Barn
witch the pitch: If you clean stalls regularly, switch leading legs and lifting arms frequently to balance your body and to help protect against shoulder and elbow tendinitis. Step up: Tacking up a tall horse? Stand on a sturdy stepstool so that you are not forced to lift the saddle above shoulder level. Hinge for hoof care: Hinge from your hips and maintain a wide stance HOOF-CARE ERGONOMICS: Hinge from the hips and maintain a wide stance. when you pick your horse’s feet. Don’t bend at the waist! Don’t bend at the waist.
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FIGHT THE COLLAPSE: Bend the elbow of the arm on your hollow side (the side to which you collapse) and reach behind your head to touch the opposite shoulder blade
shoulder blades and arms. Keep your pelvis upright and your spine spacious, not rigid. Exhale and scoop your navel to your spine as you push your hands away from your shoulders. Medicine-Ball Toss. Begin with a non-weighted plastic ball (or with no ball at all, just the motion), and progress to a lightweight medicine ball. Stand in athletic position with softly flexed hips and knees and a long, straight spine and wide back. Hold the ball overhead with thumbs up (facing backward) while keeping your elbows close to your head and your scapulae down. Toss the ball forward. The exercise can become an image to use for wrapping your scapulae down and around your ribcage when riding, especially during half-halts. Towel-Roll Press. Place a small rolled-up towel under your arm, between your upper arm and the side of your ribcage, and squeeze gently. Wrap your shoulder blade around and down as you press your arm inward. This exercise counteracts the tendency to shrug the shoulder blades and point the elbows outward. Repeat the exercise using a slightly wider towel roll. Determine which one works better for you, and use that muscle memory when you’re in the saddle. Your elbows will feel “weighted” when your stabilizing muscles glide your shoulder blades downward. That sensation comes not from activity in the muscles around the elbows, but rather from the muscles around the
GENIE BUNTON PHOTOGRAPHY; COURTESY OF JOY HICKLIN
HUG A BEAR: Holding a resistance band behind your shoulder blades, pretend to hug a bear in slow motion
Ergonomics for Work, Travel, and Home
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ocational activities tend to have more influence on overall posture than recreational, simply due to the time involved in prolonged postures. Chair: Adjust the height so that you sit with both feet flat on the floor with knees bent 90 degrees. The seat should be deep enough to support your thighs but not so deep that you have trouble bending your knees. The chair back should recline slightly. Too much tilt will cause a faulty upperback and head position. Arm rests can take stress off shoulders, upperback, and neck muscles. For variety, consider a saddle-sitting chair or sitting on an exercise ball. Desk: The top of your work surface should be at elbow level. Position your chair close enough that you do not need to lean forward. Computer: The screen should be at eye level, ideally midline. The keyboard height should allow for neutral wrist positioning for typing and mouse work, with your elbow flexed between 90 and 110 degrees. Set a reminder and stand up and move every 20 to 30 minutes. Phone: Avoid bending your neck to one side and elevating your
shoulder blades. Dynamic shoulderblade stability enables elastic elbows and steady hands while riding.
COURTESY OF JOY HICKLIN
Tips for Positive Posture Fixing postural issues goes well beyond basic strengthening. Habits need to be replaced before they can be erased. Develop postural cues that work for you. Some to try: Use athletic tape as a cue. Taping a weakened area (such as between the shoulder blades, with the tape in an X shape) can remind you to use those muscles or to hold a desired position. Simply imagining an X can prove beneficial, as well. Use tactile cues, such as touching your sternum and lifting up and away. If you’re a well-endowed female rider, make sure your sports bras fit
CARRY SAFELY: Protect your spine by carrying objects close to your navel, near your center of gravity
shoulder blades when you talk. Consider using mobile-phone props or headphones. Better yet, use the speakerphone feature. Driving: Vehicle seats that are too low or reclined too far can cause back and neck strain. If your seat back reclines too much, try putting a wedge-shaped pillow behind your back, placing the widest part on top so that it fills in the space that the car seat does not. On long drives, try to stop and get out every 30 minutes. Even a simple walk around the vehicle can make a big difference. Lifting: Hinge from your hips— think of bending from your front pockets—to keep your spine in a neutral position. Carry objects close to your navel, near your center of gravity. Instead of twisting through your trunk (spinal rotation) to place
correctly, with comfortable straps and support for high-impact activity. If you tend to “collapse” (curve) your upper body to one side, raise the hand on your hollow side (the concave side of the “C” curve) above your head with your thumb facing backward, or bend that elbow and reach behind your head to touch the opposite shoulder blade.
Get Connected Good posture and good riding position are not just about aesthetics; they are about connection. Dynamic stability—the ability of muscles to center each joint—is the basis of connection. Only when you are connected within your own body can you truly connect with your horse in balance and harmony. The more
an object, turn by moving your feet in the direction of the turn. Exhale as you lift and lower to activate your core and other spinal-stabilizing muscles. If you lift a lot, take frequent breaks. Repetitive lifting fatigues the stabilizing muscles, which puts the spine at risk. Sleep: You spend about 30% of your life on your mattress. Be sure it’s comfortable. If you’re a side-sleeper, try placing one pillow vertically between your knees and ankles and a second wider, fluffy pillow between your elbows to support your upper shoulder. Aim to spend equal amounts of time resting on each side. If you’re a stomach-sleeper, one or two pillows vertically between your shoulders and hips so that your lower back and neck will have more space. Back-sleeper might like a pillow under your knees to support your spine. For your head, choose a pillow that allows your neck to rest in a neutral position. Muscles tend to fight foam due to its constant resistance and may appreciate a down-blend or down pillow instead.
stable your upper body, the more tactful your aids, and the easier and more pleasant it will be for your horse to dance with you. “Happy scappies” make horses smile!
Based in Rock Hill, South Carolina, Joy Hicklin, DPT, MHA, DMin, specializes in human and equine movement and delights in prescribing dressage-specific exercises designed to enrich every ride. For over 50 years, horses have been among her favorite professors. She invites USDF members to participate in a survey related to her upcoming course on enhancing rider biomechanics: surveylegend.com/s/3hc6
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Grand Prix Travel on a Training Level Budget Savvy young dressage enthusiasts share strategies for touring Europe on the cheap BY COLLEEN SCOTT
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© CHIO AACHEN/MICHAEL STRAUCH
MECCA: To many equestrian enthusiasts, the World Equestrian Festival CHIO Aachen in Germany is the world’s greatest horse show
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W
hile in college, FEI North American Youth Championships (NAYC) veteran Nicole DelGiorno wanted to spend time riding in Madrid, Spain. Same with the young dressage pro Laura Ashley Killian, who yearned to expand her education by soaking up the equestrian excellence at the CHIO Aachen World Equestrian Festival in Germany and other famed European events and sites. There was just one obstacle: How to afford it? Killian, 29, embraces the cliché that “where there is a will, there is a way.” She advises: “If you want to do something, just go. Don’t let circumstances become excuses.” Ingenuity, research, and travel smarts enabled Killian to “just go”
to Europe in 2019. She checked the Aachen show off her bucket list and also attended the FEI WBFSH Dressage World Breeding Championships for Young Horses and the KWPN Stallion Show in the Netherlands, with a side trip to Vienna to visit the Spanish Riding School. And DelGiorno found a way to earn college credit for her immersive six-month Spanish experience. Here’s how they did it.
Look for the Free Money Start by researching the many grants and awards available through The Dressage Foundation (TDF), some of which can be used for international travel, suggests DelGiorno, 29, a TDF board member who is a USDF gold medalist and a 2014 alum of the USDF/USEF Young Rider Graduate Program. The plum grant for travel-minded young
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adults is a spot in TDF’s Young Rider International Dream Program, which is a small-group tour of top European dressage shows and stables accompanied by well-known US dressage pros. Usually held annually, the program was put on hold in 2020 and 2021 because of COVID-19 restrictions. Check TDF’s website (dressagefoundation.org) for the status of the 2022 program and to explore other grant opportunities that include the potential for overseas travel. Her 2019 experience with the Young Rider International Dream Program was a once-in-a lifetime adventure, says Sophia Chavonelle, 21, who is now a working student for 2020 US dressage Olympian Sabine Schut-Kery in Napa, California. “There is a huge difference between watching riders on videos versus
COURTESY OF THE DRESSAGE FOUNDATION
GERMAN ADVENTURE: Sophia Chavonelle (center, with red suitcase) and fellow Young Rider International Dream Program participants arrive in Aachen in 2019. Their escorts were US dressage pros Bill McMullin (left) and Reese Koffler-Stanfield (right).
COURTESY OF THE DRESSAGE FOUNDATION
MEETING AN IDOL: During the 2012 Young Rider International Dream Program trip, Nicole DelGiorno (right) and her group got to spend time with German Olympic gold medalist Klaus Balkenhol
watching them in person,” says Chavonelle, a native of Maine who was honored as the 2016 USDF Youth Volunteer of the Year. “It really brought everything to an entirely different level that I had never seen before.” After her own Young Rider International Dream Program trip in 2012, DelGiorno acquired a taste for international travel. Then a student at the University of Richmond in Virginia, “I convinced my advisor that working at Yeguada Susaeta, a famous PRE breeding farm in Madrid, could be part of the requirements for my degree in international business and marketing.” DelGiorno spent six months at Yeguada Susaeta, learning about starting young horses and working with breeding stallions, all while earning college credit. The New Jersey native now works in Boyds, Maryland, as a digital marketing specialist and teaches and trains on the side.
Travel Planning, Part 1: Getting There “I will always be a planner. I get the most out of my time [abroad] if I research ahead,” says Killian, a USDF bronze, silver, and gold medalist
who operates Laura Ashley Dressage in Loxahatchee, Florida. Killian starts by researching flights. She’s learned to check not only multiple airlines, but also itineraries to and from various cities, having found that airfares can vary widely. In her case, she has discovered that flights from either Fort Lauderdale or Miami to Düsseldorf, Germany, or Brussels, Belgium, tend to be the most reasonable. “I pretty much know what I should be paying for the flight, which is about $400” for a nonrefundable coach-class ticket, Killian says. (Editor’s note: Many airfares have increased post-pandemic as people have resumed traveling. As this issue went to press, you’d pay double or more that rate to fly coach round-trip from Miami to Düsseldorf on off-peak travel days.) For additional possible savings, be flexible with travel dates when booking, Killian advises. Fares vary depending on the day of the week, so she compares fares on two or three days on the front and back ends of her travel time frame. Diehard bargain hunters can create a spreadsheet of desired travel
days and options for departure and arrival airports, suggests Terri Jobe, owner of the Missouri-based full-service travel agency Blue Water Travel. Track multiple airline and travel websites and online booking agencies well in advance of any potential trips, she adds. If all that sounds like too much work, then consider subscribing to a fare-finder service such as Scott’s Cheap Flights (ScottsCheapFlights. com). Membership is $49 annually, but the service has been known to find fares to Europe in the $400 range. According to a TravelAndLeisure.com article featuring Scott’s Cheap Flights owner Scott Keyes, airlines sometimes publish “mistake fares,” and his service pounces on the error and notifies subscribers.
Travel Planning, Part 2: Staying There You’re going to Europe—hooray! Now, where will you stay once you arrive? Our savvy travelers recommend hostels as the best way to do Europe on the cheap. Typically offering dormitory-style sleeping arrangements for four to 12 people and sometimes also meals and
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activities, hostels are favorites of budget travelers seeking inexpensive accommodations. DelGiorno admits to having been pleasantly surprised by the quality of
DIY or Hire a Travel Pro?
D
on’t have time to research all the arrangements yourself? Not sure you’re a fan of the hostel scene? Travel agents are always an option, even in these days of do-it-yourself online research and booking. While they can’t necessarily help with access to the top-notch equestrian events around the world, they can help plan and book the basics of your trip, and they can also give you peace of mind. “If you miss a flight or have lost a bag, having a travel agent as a resource to call is a real benefit,” says Terri Jobe, owner of Blue Water Travel in Missouri. “We also have relationships with people who operate hotels and tours, so we have resources to call when things go wrong. Sometimes individual travelers don’t have those connections.”
the hostels she encountered. “What I’ve found, especially in Germany and Spain, is that the hostels are great. They’re really, really nice and usually in great parts of town,” she says. Killian’s favorite source for hostel recommendations, The Broke Backpacker (TheBrokeBackpacker. com), advises researching hostel options. Although hostel guests tend to be young adults (and some self-described youth hostels cater to students), some facilities have more of a quiet, laid-back vibe while others are known for their party atmosphere. Hostels may offer mixed and single-sex accommodations options; and “digital nomads,” as The Broke Backpacker calls them, will want to seek hostels offering free wi-fi. To find the right hostel for you, read blogs and reviews, and talk to people who have stayed in the area you plan to visit. You can snag a bunk in a hostel for as little as $10 a night in eastern Europe to around $40 a night in western Europe, with private rooms costing more, according to The Savvy Backpacker (TheSavvyBackpacker. com). Just like when you were in
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SPANISH RIDING SCHOOL SELFIE: Laura Ashley Killian in the balcony during an exhibition of Lipizzaner mares and foals
college, you’ll probably share a bathroom and common areas as well as a bedroom—but, as Killian points out, you’ll meet lots of new people and you may make friends for life.
Travel Planning, Part 3: Getting Around Both DelGiorno and Killian say that public transportation is the way to go. “I couldn’t believe how easy it was to get from a major metropolitan area like New York City to one of the best PRE training centers in the world,” DelGiorno says. After she got off the plane in Spain, it took only “a train, a bus, and a little short walk, and I was at this amazing farm.” “Public transportation can get you anywhere in Europe,” says Killian. “Google Maps will get you to the right train without having to decipher maps.” She also relies heavily on her own two feet and highly recommends walking as much as possible, saying, “I experience things more deeply on my feet than being behind a window of a vehicle.” Killian admits that “walking to the [Aachen] horse show from my hostel
SORBIS/SHUTTERSTOCK; COURTESY OF LAURA ASHLEY KILLIAN
NOT JUST A DORMITORY: Some modern hostels offer sleek interiors and a hip urban vibe, like this common area in a hostel in Venice, Italy
A Few Dressage “Bucket List” Suggestions by the train station was a haul, but it really helped me get my bearings. You also notice more little details at three miles per hour than driving by.” Killian builds lots of time for general sightseeing into her itineraries, and she advises taking full advantage of the attractions within reach. While in Aachen, she visited the Aachen Cathedral, the Centre Charlemagne museum, the Carolus Thermen thermal pools, and the local farmer’s market. Later she enjoyed boating down the Rhine River, hiking the Loreley mountains, touring castles, and attending a wine-tasting festival.
Memories Made, Standards Raised For a dressage enthusiast, seeing the best in the world is not only thrilling; it also provides a benchmark of excellence in our sport. [
H
ere are the websites of a few of the most popular European dressage destinations, including international championships being held in Europe in 2022. Check information carefully before you go or purchase tickets, including any coronavirus-related schedule changes or visitor safety protocols. 2022 Ecco FEI World Championships, Herning, Denmark: herning2022.com 2022 FEI World Cup Dressage Final, Leipzig, Germany: inside.fei.org/fei/disc/ dressage/main-events/world-cup-dressage/ final FRENCH CLASSICAL DRESSAGE: FEI WBFSH Dressage World Breeding A Cadre Noir rider and horse thrill an audience during a performance Championships for Young Horses: inside. in Saumur fei.org/fei/disc/dressage/main-events/ world-young-horses French National Riding School and Cadre Noir of Saumur: ifce.fr/en/ cadre-noir Royal Andalusian School of Equestrian Art, Jerez de la Frontera, Spain: realescuela.org/en/main Spanish Riding School of Vienna: srs.at/en World Equestrian Festival CHIO Aachen, Germany: chioaachen.de/en.
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21 Tips for the International Traveler
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rom the practical to the whimsical, these tips will help you make the most of your “dressage bucket list” travels. 1. Print everything. We know, using paper is archaic and you do everything using your smartphone. But if you lose or break your phone or if the battery dies during a big trip abroad, you’ll be sorry you don’t have hard-copy backup. Bring paper copies of tickets, reservations, and important information, and stash them in a safe place. That includes a copy of the ID page of your passport; if it’s lost or stolen while you’re in a foreign country, contact the nearest US embassy or consulate for assistance. 2. Purchase an international phone plan. Every carrier is different, so research which option will work best for your itinerary and your current mobile phone and data plan. Also keep in mind that some applications, such as WhatsApp or Skype, may allow free messaging or even free or inexpensive video calling. 3. Register with the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP). A free service, STEP (step. state.gov) enables US citizens to enroll their trips with the nearest US embassy or consulate. You’ll
TAKE TIME TO EXPLORE: Get to know the local areas and the people. This charming bloomfilled roundabout is in downtown Saumur, home of the French National Riding School and its famed Cadre Noir.
receive information about safety conditions in your destination country, and the embassy or consulate can help locate you in the event of an emergency. 4. Give your credit-card company a heads-up. Most companies flag unusual purchases, especially in foreign countries. Contact your provider before you leave home to avoid foreign charges’ potentially being denied. 5. Check your credit card’s international-transaction terms. Some cards charge a foreigntransaction fee—usually about 3% of the purchase price—to convert your international charges into
US dollars, which can pad the cost of a trip significantly. Find no-fee cards at such websites as NerdWallet.com. 6. Obtain an International Driving Permit. If you plan to rent a vehicle and drive in some foreign countries, you’ll need one of these. Permits can be obtained for a small fee through the American Automobile Association (AAA) or the American Automobile Touring Alliance (AATA). 7. Get a money belt, a neck wallet, or other security accessory. Keeping your passport, cash, and other valuables safe is paramount while traveling. In
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•Take online courses
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•Earn credits and recognition
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•Search the education library
addition, some travel outfitters sell pants and other clothing items containing concealed zipper and/ or hook-and-loop pockets to deter pickpockets. Check the offerings at such websites as RickSteves. com and Travelsmith.com. 8. Avoid carrying all of your cash and credit cards in one place. Well-traveled dressage pro Laura Ashley Killian divvies up her valuables—some on her person, some in a day pack, and some back at the hostel or hotel—so that if one goes missing, she hasn’t lost everything. 9. Bring two types of credit cards. Some ATMs or merchants may not accept Visa or Mastercard. Bring one of each. 10. Plan ahead. Don’t want to miss a tour? Didn’t know your train was scheduled to arrive after the last bus had left for the night? Research, research, research. Killian makes pages of notes before her trips: addresses, arrival and departure times, ticket prices, and other important details. 11. Verify any COVID-19 procedures or restrictions during travel and at destinations, including vaccination, testing, quarantine, and the wearing of masks. If you are fully vaccinated, bring your vaccine card with you and keep
Attending the CHIO Aachen in 2019 “was as impactful as others had described to me,” says Killian. “Watching at the rail as the best in the world warmed up, cheering from the grandstand for Team USA, and riding every stride of the freestyle as if I was the one piaffing on center line—it was all amazing.” At that year’s KWPN Stallion Show, she says, “I won’t forget the chills I felt seeing the three-year-old stallion Le Formidable [Bordeaux x Ferro x De
a photo of it on your smartphone. Find the latest COVID-19 travel recommendations from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention at cdc.gov. 12. Determine in advance whether travel or attraction tickets must be purchased in person. Some websites don’t translate easily. Plan accordingly. 13. Choose good, comfortable walking shoes. Test-wear any shoes for a full 24 hours before throwing them in your bag. 14. Pack light. Don’t check a bag if you can avoid it. Not only is a lost bag an inconvenience; you also may be doing lots of walking, so you don’t want to lug a heavy suitcase around, anyway. Longtime PBS travel host and travel writer Rick Steves (Europe Through the Back Door) recommends paring down to a few interchangeable, versatile pieces that can be layered. Steves’ many books and his website (RickSteves.com) contain packing tips and advice from other travelers, as well as lots of recommendations for the budget-minded. 15. Check your health-insurance policy. Some don’t offer coverage outside the US. 16. Consider travel insurance. These short-term policies help
Niro] trot across his stage, as he was clearly the star of the show.” “When I come home from these types of experiences,” Killian says, “my standards are raised for the quality of my riding, and I strive to emulate those riders I admired. It provides me with a jolt of excitement, imagining myself in those arenas on those types of horses.” With international travel resuming, now may be the time to start planning to make your dream trip a
protect against financial losses in case of trip cancellations and other hiccups. Some carriers offer travel health insurance and even COVID-19-related coverage, such as for quarantines. Read the fine print carefully before you purchase, noting the circumstances and cancellation reasons that are and aren’t covered. And now, a few of Killian’s tips to make the most of a trip, no matter how you arrived and where you are staying. 17. Check out the equestrian retailers. There are some great deals on tack, riding apparel, and equipment to be found in Europe, and the leather quality is superb. 18. Go to the cities. Also, get out of the cities. See all of the variety a country has to offer. 19. See cities by both day and night. Cities are experienced differently in the daytime versus at night. Do both. 20. Learn from locals. Sit and listen to anyone willing to tell you about their country. 21. Talk to people. Exchange numbers or e-mail addresses with locals and fellow travelers. You will soon have friends from all over the world. And when they say, “Come and stay,” they mean it.
reality. As our sources have shown, even a “broke backpacker” can enjoy the best dressage Europe has to offer.
Colleen Scott lives in Kansas City, Missouri. She is fortunate to be the human for Kiss a Girl LOA, a halfArabian, half-Saddlebred mare.
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A Year in the Life of a Working Student What’s it like to work for a top dressage trainer? A working student shares her experiences. BY CALAH PURYEAR
EMMA JACOBS
PRIDE IN THE DETAILS: The writer, a working student for FEI-level dressage trainer Lauren Sprieser, cleans tack at Sprieser Sporthorse, Marshall, Virginia
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t was 85 degrees in gorgeous Wellington, Florida, when I set out on a hack with a fellow working student. Enjoying the peaceful day, we rode through the equestrian community’s neighborhoods and past canals. Wellington sits in the southern part of the state, and every day we saw a variety of wildlife around the farm where Sprieser Sporthorse makes its winter home. On this particular day, we were in for quite a surprise. While making our way back to the barn, a 12-foot-long alligator (probably more like six feet, but who’s counting?) popped out of the water right next to us. To our amazement, the horses barely batted an eye as the gator slid back into the water after giving us a toothy grin. We continued on our way with wide eyes and legs holding on a little tighter to our saddles. That’s just one incident from one day in the life of a dressage working student. Have you wondered what it would be like to be a working student yourself? Read on and I’ll tell you all about it.
COURTESY OF CALAH PURYEAR
A Foot in the Door Growing up in northern Virginia, and surrounded by a rich environment of dressage training, I was nine when I rode in my first dressage saddle on a little Pony of the Americas. I fell in love with the idea of training horses to be more elegant, showing how they could “dance” around a ring. For a couple of years, I worked my way up through the levels, competing at schooling shows every weekend so I could improve my dressage. I was also superinvolved in 4-H, which enabled me to compete in plenty of equine-science and horse-judging competitions while building up my knowledge of horses and stable management. In 2014 I received a 4-H district high-point dressage award and was district champion, and the following year I was the state 4-H high-point recipient with a score of 81.3%. I loved competing in equitation classes, which helped me develop my riding and a better seat, and I became the state 4-H equitation reserve champion. I was also a member of my USDF GMO, the Northern Virginia chapter of the Virginia Dressage Association (VADA/NOVA), and in 2015 I received the VADA/NOVA Junior High Point award. Near the end of my high-school years, my dressage instructor was contacted by Grand Prix dressage trainer Olivia LaGoy-Weltz, who was in need of some extra help for a couple of days at her Mountain Crest Farm in Haymarket, Virginia. I offered to help out, and I worked
TRAINING TIME: The opportunity to ride and learn is a main draw of the working-student life. Puryear (foreground) rides Escritor HGF and fellow working student Emma Jacobs rides Fiero at Sprieser Sporthorse.
part-time on the weekends in exchange for stipends and some incredible lessons from Olivia and her employees. The transition to working at a high-performance dressage facility was challenging, but the knowledge I gained was beyond incredible. We groomed horses and kept a watchful eye on the barn, keeping everything from tack to the wash stall tidy. Unfortunately, I had to say goodbye to Mountain Crest after I graduated from high school and ended up moving with my family to southern Georgia. There I attended the University of North Florida for a short while, working on a bachelor’s degree in biology with a focus on marine life. I stopped going to school when I realized how much I missed working with horses, and I found a position as a full-time assistant barn manager at one of the largest stables on St. Simons Island in Georgia. But when I discovered that dressage was not so popular in that area, I found myself itching to return to Virginia so that I could work and ride again at a dressage barn. Meanwhile, I branched out in the equine industry and worked with lots of different people and horses, and I became certified in equine massage and in kinesiology therapy. With these new skills under my belt, I started to look for something new. I knew that I still had a lot to learn about riding and working in a professional atmosphere, so I recognized that becoming a working student would allow me to gain experience in the industry. FEI-level trainer and competitor Lauren Sprieser, owner of Sprieser Sporthorse in Marshall, Virginia, was hiring at the same time I was looking for a change. After USDF CONNECTION | September/October 2021
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JOB PERK: Working students relish the opportunity to compete. Puryear celebrated Second Level wins aboard Escritor HGF, owned by Rhonda Vanlowe (pictured).
Job Description As a working student at Sprieser Sporthorse, I work about six days a week, usually for a 50-hour work week. It’s not unusual for working students to be up before dawn and to work into the evening. We have many responsibilities throughout the day. Most working students’ duties include bringing in and turning out horses, cleaning waterers, and feeding hay and grain two to three times a day. We groom and tack up horses for the trainers to ride, and we help clients with their personal horses and do anything that our trainers might need assistance
with. The horse care itself takes a chunk of time, as we are keeping a group of highly athletic horses in prime condition, so there are lots of ice boots and baths involved. We also clean and organize the barn. With our days so busy, we try to clean the barn as early as possible and then work on smaller jobs between rides and horse care. For example, we weed, clean drains, clean trailers, and dust regularly to keep the property in tiptop shape. As a working student, you will have tasks not only related to the care of the horses, but also related to the care of the barn itself. Every day we try to get our barn, horses, and clients taken care of in a timely manner so that we have more time for other projects around the farm. Lauren’s farm has its own apartment attachment, so being a working student at Sprieser Sporthorse means that we get free accommodations, which includes all utilities, including internet, with laundry facilities on site. We also receive a weekly stipend, and any working
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student with a horse gets free board and lessons. We get amazing opportunities to ride exceptional dressage horses and to learn every day in lessons and daily activities. And when the show season slows up north, we take the team and horses to Sprieser Sporthorse South in Wellington, where we again receive lessons and live for free on the property. And finally, when given the chance, we working students can show and try to earn scores toward our USDF rider medals.
Success Is in the Details A working student must pay close attention to every horse, as well as to the general activities that occur on the farm. If a horse contracts thrush in a hoof, for example, it is our duty to stay diligent and treat it accordingly, making a plan to prevent any future occurrences. We monitor how much grain and dietary supplements we have and use weekly as well as bedding and other supplies, so we can tell our manager when items need to be replenished.
HEATHER RICHARDS
scouring the internet for what felt like ages, I found her ad on Facebook. I reached out to Lauren, sent my resume, and set up an interview. Talking about my previous experiences and 4-H helped me, and the short time that I’d worked with Olivia sealed the deal. In September 2020, I packed my bags to head back to Virginia to become Lauren’s newest working student.
The job of a working student is not only physically demanding, but also mentally challenging. There is a lot to remember when working in a top barn, and it can be stressful if you forget something, whether it’s a small detail or a big one. I found it important to stick to the list of things to do for the day and to work on staying diligent with my personal responsibilities. This aspect of the job surprised me the most, as I have always had someone watching my work or double-checking on the dayto-day needs of the barn. I wish to offer a tidbit for anyone interested in becoming a working student: Take the time to learn and understand basic equine first aid and care. One of the things that helped me was learning about the medical protocols for any horses that need it and committing them to heart. Doing so not only helps keep our team one step ahead in the daily horse-care duties; it also saves time. We often wrap legs, pull manes, and clip horses, so prior knowledge of these procedures is a great help, as well. Paying attention to the quality of care we perform is very important. Having this mentality helps the day run smoother, too, so we can spend more time attending to clientele or riding more horses.
tenacity must rule the day and the job must be completed. The horses under our stewardship require our care, and that dependence cannot be overlooked after a long or hard day. Although there can be difficult days, there are more than enough good ones. One of the greatest aspects about being a working student is the relationships you make with other people at the barn. Even if a day is long and hard, at least your coworker is right there with you to push through it. And once you get done what you need to for the day, the feeling of satisfaction is extremely rewarding. Whether it’s a shiny row of horses or a freshly dusted barn, the amount of work we put in reflects back when we finish. After working here for a few months, I like to think of the barn as mine as well as everyone else’s, and our pride in having a beautiful barn and property helps to push us to work harder and to pick at a few more details. Also, depending on your barn and whom you work for, there are tons of perks! Every now and then we get to take the horses swimming in the pond on the property, and some days we get free breakfast and plenty of coffee to go around.
Challenges and Rewards
I have been extremely fortunate to have had the opportunity to gain experience in both riding and working in the equine industry. I have found it exceptionally challenging to split my focus on both things while at Sprieser Sporthorse. Growing up, I would go to my weekly riding lesson and then drive home after I took care of my horse. Now, after I ride I have to make sure I can help get done the chores we have planned for the day. We may even have a show and understand that we are expect-
This job comes with amazing perks, but there are many responsibilities, and parts of the job are undeniably difficult. As a working student, you are expected to work all day doing barn work and horse care, but there are also horses to be exercised and ridden. In the summer, when the temperatures rise, on a few occasions it’s been difficult to find the energy to do the extra chores required. However, perseverance and
A Leg Up
ed to come back and finish the work before the day ends, despite working and riding at the show all day. I found that balance and spent time developing a way to make it work. Instead of rushing through the day, I focus on one task at a time and make my way step by step through the day. I expressed interest in becoming a fitter rider, and Lauren gave me lessons on a variety of training horses to build my stamina and fitness. With this support, I found it easier to complete the tasks for the day, and I sometimes find myself looking for more to do around the barn than usual. Without the support and guidance, I would have had a much harder time getting the jobs done and would not have strived to be better in the saddle. To anyone who is considering becoming a working student: Do it. It is not an easy job, and most of the time you’ll find yourself working long hours. But after the time you spend as a working student, you’ll see a difference and feel more prepared for your next steps in either the equine industry or life itself.
For the past year Calah Puryear has been a working student at Lauren Sprieser’s Sprieser Sporthorse in Marshall, Virginia, and Wellington, Florida. She is getting closer to her goal of earning her USDF bronze medal, and she looks forward to spending the upcoming winter season in Florida, attending college parttime while still working at the barn. She hopes to complete her biology degree and one day to own and show an upper-level dressage horse. Her career goals include working as a trainer or an assistant manager at a dressage facility, and she also hopes to launch an equine-massage business.
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Meet the Candidates
D
Get to know who’s nominated for USDF Executive Board office this year
uring the 2021 Adequan®/USDF National Convention this December, the USDF Board of Governors will elect six USDF Executive Board members: USDF president and treasurer, as well as directors of USDF’s even-numbered regions (2, 4, 6, and 8). USDF president Lisa Gorretta is stepping down at the end of 2021, and the USDF extends its thanks and gratitude for her many years of service in this and other USDF Executive Board positions. Running to replace her as president are current USDF vice president Kevin Reinig of California and former USDF treasurer Steven Schubert of Massachusetts. Incumbent USDF treasurer Lorraine Musselman of North Carolina is running unopposed for another term. USDF’s regional directors represent the members of the organization’s nine regions (see map) on the Executive Board. Incumbents Debby Savage of Ohio (Region 2), Anne Sushko of Iowa (Region 4), and Peter Rothschild of Washington state (Region 6) are running for reelection. Savage and Sushko are running unopposed, while Noah Rattner of Oregon is challenging Rothschild for the Region 6 seat. The Region 8 director’s position is up for grabs with Debra Reinhardt’s announcement that she will not run again. The USDF thanks her for her dedicated service on the Executive Board. Running to replace the Connecticut-based Reinhardt are Regina Cristo and Helen C. van der Voort, both of New York state. Additional nominations for president, treasurer, and regional directors in Regions 2, 4, 6, and 8 will be accepted from the floor of the 2021 Board of Governors General Assembly Like all organizations, USDF needs committed leadership in order to enjoy continued growth and thoughtful direction. The USDF Executive Board functions as a cohesive team and strives to further the organization’s mission and goals. For the 2021 election cycle, the USDF Nominating Committee asked each candidate to submit a brief biography and to answer a series of questions.
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EVENS ARE UP: Up for election are the directors of USDF’s evennumbered regions
Officer Candidates
The president, vice president, secretary, and treasurer are officer positions. The candidates for USDF president and treasurer were asked to respond to the following questions: 1. What special professional or technical skills would you bring to the Executive Board to help implement the strategic plan of the organization (e.g., financial, legal, business, management, technology, human resources)? 2. How has your involvement in local, regional, and national USDF activities promoted and enhanced dressage, both regionally and nationally? 3. What specific goals and objectives do you have for USDF? 4. How will you, as an officer, encourage greater member participation and help to make USDF the “go to” organization for dressage in the United States? The candidates’ responses follow.
President Candidate: Kevin Reinig My wife, Ericka, and I have a dressage training and show program, training horses and riders of all levels, traveling
MCCOOL PHOTOGRAPHY; COURTESY OF STEVEN SCHUBERT
to many shows including the USEF Young Horse Dressage National Championships and the US Dressage Finals. I feel I bring a wealth of knowledge and experience to the board and look forward to continuing my service on the USDF board to progress the sport of dressage. At 15 I started working at a local Hanoverian breeding farm. I worked my way through high school and then college, earning a finance degree. In college I was hired at a community bank. I enjoyed my work at the bank, but I missed the horses, so I went back to the breeding farm, eventually starting a dressage training business. I served for nine years on the Executive Board of the California Dressage Society (CDS), six of those as president. On the CDS board I served on many committees, including chairing the Budget and Finance Committee and the Championship Show Committee. At this time, I am the vice president of USDF, sit on the USDF Regional Championships Committee, and serve on the US Equestrian (USEF) Dressage Sport Committee. It has been challenging navigating the issues surrounding the pandemic, but it has been great working with USDF to keep shows and dressage moving in a positive direction during these times. I look forward to continuing my service on the USDF Executive Board; please consider me for your next president of USDF. Responses to questions: 1. I have a strong background in finance and business management. I have worked in the horse industry for over 30 years. My wife and I have owned and operated our dressage training business for 18 years. 2. My work on the CDS board and as USDF vice president keep me in touch with what is going on in the sport of dressage and the direction the membership would like to see the sport develop. I am constantly looking for ways for the GMOs to support the national programs and work with other GMOs to coordinate their programs that promote dressage. 3. My goal is to improve communication with dressage enthusiasts, using social and traditional media outlets to help them see that the best way they can support and progress the sport of dressage is through membership in both USDF and their local GMOs.
4. I want members to think of their USDF membership as so much more than a way to access education, competition, and awards opportunities. Dressage enthusiasts need to look at USDF membership as a way for them to do their part in shaping the direction and future of the sport of dressage, both here in the United States and internationally. Candidate: Steven Schubert I am excited to be running for president of the USDF, having spent nine productive years on the USDF Executive Board as treasurer working hand in hand with former president George Williams. Having participated in dressage sport as a breeder and owner, as well as supporting my spouse, Grand Prix-level rider, USDF FEI B Levelcertified instructor/trainer, and USEF “R” judge Cindi Rose Wylie, I look forward to bringing back my lifetime of management skills, extensive nonprofit-management experience, understanding of the sport of dressage, and vast knowledge of working with the USDF staff and executive director Stephan Hienzsch to help lead the federation for the next three years in a cohesive and beneficial relationship that supports all members at all levels. I am currently a consultant for the fifth-largest CPA firm in the country, known as CBIZ. I have worked in various executive roles, including CEO and CFO of several $300 million-plus corporations. I am managing partner of Shooting Stars Dressage Horses LLC, a company that purchases, breeds, trains, and sells young, talented dressage horses. My management skills have taught me to listen to all points of a discussion and to bring new ideas to the forefront. These same skills will make me an excellent candidate in working with the USEF and the FEI, licensed officials, GMOs, and amateurs to enhance horse and rider safety and professionalism. My goal is always to better the sport and make it more accessible to all who wish to participate at every level of the game. Responses to questions: 1. My experience on the USDF Executive Board and Management Committee and my multidimensional USDF CONNECTION | September/October 2021
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Treasurer Incumbent: Lorraine Musselman I have been involved with horses in a variety of disciplines most of my life. I have participated in 4-H programs, ridden Western, English hunter seat, and dressage, as well as driving. My
focus on dressage began after moving to North Carolina in 1991. I am a coowner of Cattolica Farm in Zebulon, North Carolina. We are a private barn with a couple of boarders and hold a few small dressage schooling shows with the purpose of allowing people to experience dressage in a relaxed and supportive environment. I currently own three horses and compete in the adultamateur division. While horses and dressage are my hobby, my profession is in the field of accounting. I am currently the CFO for Addiction Professionals of North Carolina, a nonprofit organization working in the field of addiction recovery support and education services. I acquired my CPA license in 1992 and hold a degree in equestrian studies from Findlay College (now University of Findlay), a BS in accounting from Marist College, and an MBA from Northeastern University. I have served as USDF treasurer for the past three years. Before that, I served as treasurer for multiple nonprofit organizations and was vice president of finance for a Metro 1 United Way with a budget of $10 million. I have also served within USDF governance as a Region 1 PM delegate and as treasurer of my local GMO, the North Carolina Dressage and Combined Training Association (NCDCTA). Responses to questions: 1. My education includes a degree
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in equestrian studies from Findlay College (now University of Findlay), a BS in accounting from Marist College, and an MBA from Northeastern University. I am a licensed CPA in North Carolina. I have been the treasurer for multiple nonprofit organizations, including the NCDCTA. I am currently the CFO of a local nonprofit and have held the position of VP of finance for a Metro 1 United Way with a budget of $10 million. I have been in business for myself as a CPA for over 30 years, and I own and operate a small horse farm where we hold NCDCTA-recognized schooling shows. 2. I have held the position of USDF treasurer for the past three years. I was a Region 1 PM delegate for three years and NCDCTA treasurer for six years. I have written an article for USDF Connection and a few for the NCDCTA newsletter. Our farm holds local schooling shows, which help encourage new membership and new interest in dressage by including nontraditional dressage classes, and offering an atmosphere where everyone feels welcome and encouraged. 3. To maintain financial stability and growth, enabling USDF to continue to provide and expand educational and beneficial opportunities and programs for the membership, especially the adult amateur. 4. As financial officer, my goal is to help expand the programs that our members are interested in by encouraging financial stability and growth.
Regional Director Candidates The candidates for regional director were asked to respond to the following questions: 1. What special professional or technical skills (e.g., financial, legal, business, management, technol-
COURTESY OF LORRAINE MUSSELMAN
management-consulting background, including large nonprofit member organizations, will allow me to jump right in without having to ramp up through a learning curve to continue the strides the organization has made over the last decade under George Williams and Lisa Gorretta. 2. I look forward to my continued involvement in many local, regional, and national programs. Being involved with individuals from many levels of the sport, I hear opinions of many members personally. My continued involvement in the sport will aid me in providing channels for feedback to the Executive Board on how to improve communications, programs, and information technology throughout the Federation and its members. 3. My objective is to continue carrying out goals set by the current Executive Board and president, as well as setting and achieving new goals to bring back membership to exceed pre-COVID levels, and revisiting current programs to make sure the USDF is meeting the high level of responsibility to the membership. 4. I will encourage new and existing members to participate in helping to grow the USDF membership, by reaching out to the dressage riders through USDF’s educational programs. As a federation in these evolving times, we must be open to change if needed and explore how changes can benefit current membership as well as attract new members.
ogy, human resources) would you bring to the Executive Board to help implement the strategic plan of the organization? 2. How has your involvement in local, regional, and national USDF activities promoted and enhanced dressage, both regionally and nationally? 3. What specific goals and objectives do you have for USDF and your region if you should be elected regional director? 4. How will you, as a regional director, encourage greater participation by each member within your region?
COURTESY OF DEBBY SAVAGE; COURTESY OF ANNE SUSHKO
Region 2 Director Incumbent: Debby Savage Debby Savage’s extensive and varied equestrian background started in Texas at the age of 10 in Western equitation, reining, and barrel racing as a 4-H member, then riding hunters in high school and eventing after college. Moving from New York City to New Jersey in the late 1980s, she began specializing in dressage, teaching and pursuing the dressage judge’s track. Debby earned her USDF silver and gold medals and then her USEF “S” dressage judge’s license in 2010. Debby also has an extensive business background in medicalpublishing marketing, education, and advertising. Originally from New Jersey in USDF Region 1, she
was the Eastern States Dressage and Combined Training Association’s 2005 Volunteer of the Year and the ESDCTA’s awards chair from 2008 to 2013. In 2014 she relocated to the Cleveland, Ohio, area to join the faculty of Lake Erie College’s School of Equine Studies as dressage instructor and coach for the Intercollegiate Dressage Association team (which consistently wins the USDF/IDA Quiz Challenge and was the regional champion for two years in a row). As a senior dressage judge and competitor, Debby is familiar with both the American and the international dressage scenes, including the major activities of the USEF and USDF programs. Having been the Region 2 director for the past three years, she has gained a better understanding of that role not only in USDF governance, but also as a conduit within the region to help promote more communication and education on the whole. Responses to questions: 1. In addition to over 30 years of USDF/GMO membership and earning my “S” dressage-judge credentials, I possess a strong business background, having handled large sales, marketing, and special projects in the medical-publishing industry, which is essential to working on our Executive Board and with our USDF staff. Our leadership must be involved locally, think regionally, and understand our national issues to ensure the future growth and evolution of the USDF. 2. As a local instructor, I can help students see the big picture as well as their level. A USDF regional director balances the needs of both GMOs and participating members. Judging around the country allows me to learn more about how other areas function.
3. This past year in particular brought many of our GMOs together to share experiences and solutions to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic. The Catherine B. Jacob Schooling Show Year-End Awards contribute to our educational fund, which we are now in a position to utilize. The Educational Challenge shared among several regions definitely helped to keep our members involved and provided the impetus to create the Region 2 Education Committee. Our youth program now has a new fund-raising chairperson, strong turnout for our young-rider clinic, and declarations for the FEI North American Youth Championships Region 2 team. 4. Inspiring participation is achieved by asking for feedback and engaging individuals. This requires an ongoing dialog with GMO leadership and PM delegates, challenging them to be involved in our regional issues and programs throughout the year.
Region 4 Director Incumbent: Anne Sushko It has been my pleasure to serve as the USDF Region 4 director. I would enjoy serving another term. I am currently a USEF ‘r’ dressage technical delegate and also serve as the show secretary for recognized shows in Ohio, Missouri, Iowa, and Nebraska. Prior to my retirement, I was a middle-school educator for 36
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Responses to questions: 1. My 36 years in middle-school education bring organizational, problem-solving, and people skills to the Executive Board. My work as a mentor and instructional coach gave me the skills necessary to work with a variety of people and to identify problems and help in the development of solutions. My work as a technical delegate takes me to a variety of places in the United States, giving me a national perspective on the issues facing our sport. 2. I have served on a number of committees, both prior to and during my time as a regional director. I also serve on the Omaha Equestrian Foundation board and have been involved in the planning of dressage activities for the lead-up events to the FEI World Cup Finals. I also serve as a grant reader for The Dressage Foundation. 3. My primary goal as regional director will continue to be the promotion of education throughout the region. Education is fundamental to growth at any and all levels, and is attainable by all. 4. Encouraging participation by each member is closely tied to my
answer to question 3. Education applies to everyone—competitor, parent, spectator, nonrider, those new to the sport, and those who have matured in the sport. I will continue to support our Regional Education Challenge as an attainable goal for all. My emphasis on the Executive Board will also be on developing and offering educational opportunities for the membership.
I’m an “r” TD and enjoy being involved with shows throughout the West. I’ve been a PM delegate from Region 6 for many years and have been on several USDF committees: Bylaws, Ad Hoc Adult Clinics, Ad Hoc Web Advisory, Ad Hoc Strategic Plan Implementation Subcommittee, and FEI Junior/Young Rider, among others.
Region 6 Director
Responses to questions: 1. As the owner of a business with revenue very similar to the USDF, I know how hard it is to manage the business side of the organization. I understand how important it is to maximize the value of all we do. 2. As a regional director the last two and a half years, I’ve been on the Executive Board and helped create and run two “Regional Summits” that have helped various entities within Region 6 become more coordinated. I became involved with Region 6 and the USDF in 1995, when at the request of the regional director I created and ran the first website for 10 years. I’ve also run very successful USDF/USEF-recognized dressage shows for the last 11 years, both for my local GMO and for Summervale Dressage. 3. As I wrote three years ago, I want to help the USDF and the region better coordinate with other interested entities, and I’ve begun that process by partnering with the PNWHP Group and Dressage Northwest in hosting two Regional Summits. From the 2021 virtual summits, three task forces have been created, which will work on issues identified during the summits. 4. Encouraging “greater participation” is always an issue, yet—perhaps surprisingly—the COVID-19
Incumbent: Peter Rothschild I’m in my first term as regional director and it has been a pleasure for me, and a challenge. The two and a half years have passed very quickly, and I am looking forward to another term. I’m an adult-amateur rider who competed primarily at the lower levels on a number of horses, but finally was able to bring my horse to the upper levels and earn my USDF bronze and silver medals and bronze freestyle bar. I’m an attorney by training and practiced law for 10 years before I went into the family directmarketing business, which I ran for almost 25 years. Since 2007 I’ve been retired, riding my horse, scuba diving, and enjoying life. I’ve been a member of Equestrians’ Institute (EI) and the Oregon Dressage Society and have been an active volunteer at shows, scribing, scoring, ring-stewarding, and more. Since 2010, I’ve been the manager/secretary for the Summervale Dressage Shows in addition to being the secretary for several EI recognized shows.
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COURTESY OF PETER ROTHSCHILD
years. I began my career teaching language arts and finished as the teacher librarian. I also served as a mentor for new teachers and as an instructional coach in methodology, cross-curricular development, and technology integration. I reside in Dubuque, Iowa, with my dog, Max. I currently have two horses: Critter (Sir Ishmael), a half-Arabian; and Obie (Forsite Obsession), a Morgan. My daughter Heather, son-in-law Michael, and granddaughters Elizabeth and Sarah reside in Colorado. All are involved in dressage (Michael definitely has a support role!).
COURTESY OF NOAH RATTNER; LINDSAY Y. MCCALL
restrictions have given us some tools that appear to help. The virtual meetings we’ve had this past year allowed people to get involved in meetings and events that they would not have done otherwise. We will be doing more of this, which will enable more people to be involved. Candidate: Noah Rattner Noah has been actively involved in the dressage world for the past 20 years. In the early 2000s, he successfully competed his young horse, Espionage, to win the Oregon Dressage Society (ODS) Futurity and the Training and First Level State Championships, as well as a seventh-place finish in the GAIG/ USDF Region 6 Championships. In 2016, Noah took over DevonWood Equestrian Centre as general manager of his family’s venue in Sherwood, Oregon. As a USEF Level 4 show manager and secretary, Noah is responsible for leading the licensed events that take place at DevonWood and several other shows across the country. He currently serves as a member of the USEF Dressage Sport Committee and its Calendar and Selections Working Groups. Noah is most passionate about growing the sport and helping others to advance in the competition arena or as licensed officials. He actively mentors new showmanagement staff and helps grow
talent wherever possible. In 2019, he was recognized by the ODS with the Teresa Dunlap Award, awarded to the person who has done the most to further dressage in Oregon. Most people would recognize Noah’s voice before anything else, as he travels from coast to coast announcing at many of the nation’s premier competitions, including the US Dressage Festival of Champions, the Adequan® Global Dressage Festival, Dressage at Devon, and most recently the 2020 US Olympic and Paralympic observation events. When he’s not announcing or managing horse shows, Noah is also a PADI Master Scuba Diver Trainer and always finds time to sneak in a dive wherever his travels take him. Responses to questions: 1. I hold a B.S. in business administration with specializations in international business (Singapore Management University) and marketing management (Oregon State University). For 11 years, I worked in the financial-services industry at Bank of America. My combined educational and professional background gives me a business lens and risk framework that I can adapt to any organization. 2. My primary objective is to create sustainable developmental opportunities for dressage athletes and officials to advance. I’m working with both USDF L graduates and USEF “r” and “R” judges to help them fulfill their requirements. Athletes in pursuit of USEF national championships, NAYC, and YH/WBC have also experienced a surge in qualifying opportunities that I have implemented within our region. I continue to partner with USDF and USEF on educational programming to support adult amateurs and junior/
young riders in Region 6. I also work with the US Pony Clubs and the US Hunter Jumper Association to host grass-roots events aimed at growing equestrian sport. 3. I would work to strengthen GMO partnerships within our region. Too much of our programming and event calendars are uncoordinated and inadvertently sabotaging one another. I would focus much of my energy on working with GMO leadership and organizers to implement effective programming calendars that enable each venue to improve participation rates. 4. I plan to partner more with our GMOs to increase their physical presence at events and programs within our region. I would utilize our region’s PM delegates as an extension of myself to engage USDF members and to solicit feedback as to how we can better serve them.
Region 8 Director Candidate: Regina Cristo I have been lucky enough to be around horses most of my life, in my back yard and doing Pony Club and 4-H as a kid. After a 20year hiatus to have and raise my four sons, I got back to riding 15 years ago. It started innocently enough: lessons with a local trainer, leasing and then buying a horse, and trying my hand at eventing. Jumping was fun, but the dressage end of it really got
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Responses to questions: 1. The core values of USDF are welfare of the horse, quality education, and fair play. These are things I have striven for in my equestrian leadership roles and in my personal riding experiences. In promoting and organizing dressage events over the years, I have utilized financial, management, and human-resource skills. The USDF strategic plan promotes education, membership, competition, and more, which I support for all members. 2. I have been an active volunteer in local, regional, national, and international events for years. As a USDF L graduate, I have had the opportunity to officiate at shows all around Region 8, many for GMOs
both large and small. It’s been a great way to get to know Region 8 members. I look forward to continuing to meet our region’s members, adult amateurs, professionals, and juniors alike. 3. Region 8 has so many wonderful qualities and people involved. I would like to get the website updated to keep our members aware of our region’s activities and opportunities. Communication is paramount within our region and federation. Members must feel comfortable reaching out with questions or concerns. 4. There are opportunities for members to participate in our region, but sometimes members don’t know about them, are shy about asking, or have had a bad experience in the past. I would like to help with these scenarios. Every GMO in our region, whether small, medium, or large, needs members and volunteers to operate. USDF offers many benefits to GMOs to help them be successful and fun to be part of. I will encourage members to take advantage of USDF education programs as I have done through clinics, the amazing L program, USDF University, and so much more. As an adult amateur, they have been invaluable to my own dressage journey. Candidate: Helen C. van der Voort I grew up in the suburbs of Chicago. After college in Massachusetts, I moved to the Big City— New
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York. My career started in investment banking, which gave me the opportunity to travel extensively and even to spend a few years living in Hong Kong. I was the recipient of a competitive fellowship from my firm to attend business school and received an MBA. I now work as a consultant, which in addition to allowing me to work from home in the beautiful Hudson Valley gives me time to pursue other interests in various nonprofit organizations. I have served in several roles on the board of The Southlands Foundation in Rhinebeck, New York, and I am currently the treasurer of the New England Dressage Association (NEDA). For the past several years I’ve been the volunteer coordinator for the NEDA Fall Festival and Region 8 Championships, a huge undertaking. I am a very active volunteer at local dressage shows and horse trials. And, of course, I am passionate about horses and riding! I started in hunter/jumpers as a child and like many took a break post-college, but I returned to it with a vengeance 20-plus years ago. I purchased my first horse and discovered dressage and haven’t looked back since. I am the textbook definition of an adult amateur. Responses to questions: 1. I have an MBA with financial and managerial experience in both the corporate and the nonprofit worlds. In my role as a consultant, I have had experience designing and implementing strategic plans. The boards on which I have served have been very hands-on, and consequently I have dealt with many different situations. In my opinion, one of a board member’s most important roles as an elected representative is to serve as the communication between the
COURTESY OF HELEN C. VAN DER VOORT
my attention. I hung up my eventing gear and was all in for dressage. As an adult amateur, I have spent 13 years with five great horses, working my way up the levels, from Training to FEI. I have earned my USDF bronze and silver medals and am working toward my gold! For the last dozen years I have volunteered in many capacities, including for my GMO (president for six years), The Dressage Foundation, as a USDF Freestyle Committee member and PM Delegate, and on the USEF Para Dressage High Performance Committee and as a team selector for international paraequestrian dressage competitions. I have also chaired recognized dressage and schooling shows and clinics. I am a graduate with distinction of the USDF L program. I live in upstate New York with my husband, Tom, and love spending time with my big family, especially my four grandchildren! I would appreciate your support for Region 8 director.
constituents and the organization, ensuring that everyone is moving in the same direction. 2. As volunteer coordinator for the Region 8 Championships for the past several years, I have organized more than 100 people annually to support all of the various requirements that go into such a large and important event. I am an experienced scribe to top judges, and I volunteer at both recognized and schooling shows. Volunteering
gives people the opportunity to be involved in all aspects of dressage, and I strongly encourage it. 3. As an active adult amateur, through more regular communications with my region I would like to make other amateurs aware of all the opportunities USDF offers. I feel that there are a number of educational and awards programs available to amateurs that can be better communicated. This is not to discount professionals or their
programs, but I believe that professionals are more in tune with the available opportunities. 4. I will directly communicate with members in my region through more individualized contact, highlighting educational offerings and clinics and posting awards deadlines. I will also encourage voting!
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USDF OFFICE CONTACT DIRECTORY
Phone: (859) 971-2277, Fax: (859) 971-7722, E-mail: usdressage@usdf.org Accounting...................................................................................... (859) 271-7891......................... accounting@usdf.org
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Address and E-mail Updates...................................................... (859) 971-2277.............................changes@usdf.org
July/August 2021
Adult Education Programs ......................................................... (859) 271-7876.......................... education@usdf.org All-Breeds Awards ........................................................................ (859) 971-7361.............................allbreeds@usdf.org Applications Submitted at Competitions................................. (859) 271-7880........................... affidavits@usdf.org Breeder Championship Series................................................... (859) 271-7894.........................sporthorse@usdf.org
Official Publication of the United States Dressage Federation
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Buyer’s Guide to the Prepurchase Exam (p. 44)
Demographics and Statistics...................................................... (859) 271-7083.................................... stats@usdf.org
Handling GMO Conflict (p. 20) Raise Your Training Standards with Sue Blinks (p. 30)
Donations........................................................................................ (859) 971-7826................................donate@usdf.org GMO Education Initiative............................................................. (859) 271-7876.......................... education@usdf.org
Dr. Hilary Clayton on Donzi MC
Group Membership....................................................................... (859) 971-7048.....................................gmo@usdf.org Hall of Fame and Lifetime Achievement Awards.................. (859) 271-7894......................... halloffame@usdf.org Horse Performance Certificates................................................ (859) 971-7361........... horseperformance@usdf.org Horse Registration......................................................................... (859) 271-7880............horseregistration@usdf.org Human Resources/Career Opportunities................................ (859) 271-7885......................................... hr@usdf.org
L Education and Continuing Education................................... (859) 971-7039............................ lprogram@usdf.org Licensed Official Education........................................................ (859)-271-7877.......................loeducation@usdf.org Mailing Lists.................................................................................... (859) 971-7038.......................... mailinglist@usdf.org Musical Freestyle........................................................................... (859) 971-7039...............musicalfreestyle@usdf.org NAYC Criteria and Procedures.................................................. (859) 971-7360.................................... nayc@usdf.org Nominations – Delegates, Regional Directors...................... (859) 271-7897......................nominations@usdf.org Participating and Business Memberships............................... (859) 271-7871.......................membership@usdf.org Prize List Questions...................................................................... (859) 271-7896...............................prizelist@usdf.org Regional Championships Program........................................... (859) 271-7886........................regchamps@usdf.org Rider Awards.................................................................................. (859) 971-7361........................riderawards@usdf.org Safe Sport........................................................................................ (859)-271-7882...........................safesport@usdf.org Score Corrections......................................................................... (859) 271-7895............. scorecorrections@usdf.org Secretary/Manager Services ..................................................... (859) 271-7895.....................competitions@usdf.org Show Results.................................................................................. (859) 271-7895.................................results@usdf.org Sponsorship Opportunities......................................................... (859) 271-7887......................sponsorship@usdf.org Sport Horse Education and Programs..................................... (859) 271-7894.........................sporthorse@usdf.org Store Merchandise........................................................................ (859) 971-7828.....................merchandise@usdf.org University Accreditation and Credit Check............................ (859) 271-7876...........................university@usdf.org USDFScores.com.......................................................................... (859) 271-7878................................reports@usdf.org USEF/USDF Dressage Seat Medal Program & Semi-Finals....(859)-971-7360....................................... youth@usdf.org Year-End Awards........................................................................... (859) 971-7361.................................awards@usdf.org Young Rider Graduate Program................................................ (859) 971-7360...................................youth@usdf.org Youth Education and Programs................................................. (859) 971-7360...................................youth@usdf.org
For specific staff contacts visit the USDF Web site.
70 September/October 2021 | USDF CONNECTION
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Insurance Certificates for Competitions.................................. (859) 271-7886............................. compins@usdf.org
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Instructor Certification.................................................................. (859) 271-7877..... instructorcertification@usdf.org
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ADVERTISING INDEX Auburn Laboratories, Inc. ...........................................................auburnlabs.com...........................................................................21 Bates Saddles/Saddlery Brands Intl. .....................................batessaddles.com..................................... inside back cover Curost, Nouvelle Research........................................................nouvelleresearch.com.............................................................. 17 Dressage at Devon.......................................................................dressageatdevon.org................................................................19 Equine Affaire..................................................................................equineaffaire.com..................................................................... 25 Equus Magniificus..........................................................................equusmagniificus.com.................................................................1 Great American Insurance Group...........................................greatamericaninsurancegroup.com.....................................5 HCS, USA Saddlery.......................................................................hcsusasaddlery.com/............................................................... 69
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EDUCATION • COMPETITION • ACHIEVEMENT
Kentucky Performance Products.............................................kppusa.com...................................................inside front cover Lemke Saddle Services..............................................................lemkesaddle.com..................................................................... 69 Lindinhof Equine Sports Zentrum............................................lindinhof.com............................................................................... 68 N2 Saddlery.....................................................................................n2saddlery.com......................................................................... 69
United States Dressage Federation Official Page
Omega Alpha..................................................................................omegaalpha.us.......................................................................... 68 Oxy-gen.............................................................................................oxyinfo.com................................................................................. 68 Platinum Performance..................................................................platinumperformance.com...................................back cover Rider Project.....................................................................................theriderproject.org.................................................................... 68
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SmartPak ...........................................................................................smartpak.com.................................................................................7 Sox For Horses...............................................................................soxforhorses.com......................................................................35 TaylorSelect Horse Bedding.....................................................taylorselect.com.............................................................................. The Dressage Foundation.........................................................dressagefoundation.org..........................................................23
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United States Lipizzan Federation..........................................uslipizzan.org.............................................................................. 68 USDF Convention....................................................................................................................................................................................... 14-15 Member Perks Partners....................................................................................................................................................................67
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Scores.....................................................................................................................................................................................................33 Store Merchandise............................................................................................................................................................................ 68 University................................................................................................................................................................................................53
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US Dressage Finals......................................................................................................................................................27, 36-37, 53 Year-End Awards................................................................................................................................................................................ 22
USDF CONNECTION | September/October 2021
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My Dressage My Greatest Dressage Challenge USDF members tell how they overcame obstacles and found success
FROM THE GROUND UP: Willy Arts helped build DG Bar Ranch into a preeminent West Coast dressage facility, and today he’s one of our country’s top sport-horse-breeding experts and a faculty member of the USDF Sport Horse Prospect Development Forum
for its commitment to dressage and as a producer of quality Dutch Warmbloods. The equine operation was—and remains—an adjunct to the DeGroot family’s large dairy business. As such, they had plenty of land—but also a challenge in that Hanford,
situated in the San Joaquin Valley between Bakersfield and Fresno, is far from California’s established coastal dressage centers. “It was hard to get people to come to the Valley, so it was hard to establish a name,” Arts says. Solution: “We started organizing a big dressage show. We had a dressage show here for 18 years. That was a big, big help to get started and to get people to travel to Hanford.” Dressage at DG Bar Ranch “turned into one of the biggest shows on the West Coast.” Arts also needed to make a name for himself. “I traveled around, did a lot of clinics, in Reno, in the Vancouver area, and in Los Angeles.” The show and the clinics “were tools to get recognition of the quality of horses we had available, and to help to get people to come buy horses, people to come for lessons, and just to get the business going.” The timing of the facility’s establishment was fortuitous because it enabled DG Bar to ride the swelling wave of interest in dressage in the US in the 1980s—which sparked the import, sales, and breeding of sport horses to meet the demand. In the beginning “we had a couple of stallions available for breeding,” Arts says. “Thirty-five years ago, warmbloods were becoming more and more popular. The stallions we had were some of the first ones that were imported to the US. They were helpful in getting the breeding portion [of the business] going, and getting the Dutch Warmblood association to acknowledge DG Bar.” Arts soon noticed that sporthorse breeding in the US was a bit different from the European approach.
72 September/October 2021 | USDF CONNECTION
“In Holland, is it common that you breed [both] jumping horses and dressage horses,” he explains. “Over here, I found out that with the interest here and with the distance involved, it’s hard to do both disciplines. And so we focused more toward dressage after we were into the breeding for a few years.” Today, “we maybe import less than we used to,” says Arts. “Importing was better in those days, because of, first of all, the exchange rates. Now we [are] focused on a breeding program and the breeding goals that we have. The sales from the horses out of our own breeding program keep us going, now that importing is a little bit less.” DG Bar is now a full-service facility that offers “breeding, training, sales, teaching, every aspect. We have boarding. And then, for the last eight years or so, we have had the 70-day tests, the performance tests for the Friesian stallions.” Arts’ advice to prospective breeders: “Start with the best quality you can afford and the best quality you can find. Do your research. Have a plan so that you don’t just jump in and then learn as you go. Have a plan, and then educate yourself. Compare. It’s expensive, but it’s the quality that will succeed and quality that will keep it fun. Otherwise, it can turn into a lot of work and create frustration, and you have a hard time selling horses.”
Katherine Walcott is a freelance writer based in Alabama. For many years she contributed the “Behind the Scenes” column to USDF Connection.
COURTESY OF DG BAR RANCH
G
etting a dressage business off the ground remains the greatest challenge sporthorse breeder and trainer Willy Arts has faced in his nearly 40-year career in the sport. In 1984, at the age of 25, Arts emigrated from his native Netherlands to help Tony and Betty DeGroot establish their DG Bar Ranch in Hanford, California. Today Arts is the facility’s co-owner, head trainer, and manager. The DeGroot family stills owns and operates the farm, which is known nationwide
By Katherine Walcott
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