July 7th, 2010
I got the latest issue of Dressage Letters yesterday and I have to say being eligible for any scholarship or grant is quite unfair. You either have to be over/under a certain age AND shown above a certain level. The only I would remotely qualify for says you have to show above Third Level – I am not at Third Level!! The only one that is at my level I am too old to apply for!
There is also a clinic this month but you have to have solid show experience at the level you want to apply for. They need to realize that showing isn’t the world and the most dressage riders are Adult Amateurs who don’t show and just take lessons to improve their riding!
Another comical thing is that one of the people who were awarded one of the grants – is so not Third Level! Her methods are so old and out dated its not even funny! She teaches her students to sea-saw to put the horse on the bit!
Modern dressage is so dependent around competition – riding isn’t all about competition people!
I have come to the conclusion (at least for me) that lessons and showing are highly overrated!
June 2nd, 2009
Well, talked to Kathy via Facebook and she’s trying to figure out when she can come up to give us a lesson (hopefully monthly), this makes it a lot easier on us and especially the horses. I’m just so excited!!! Penny and I have a lot of work to do before she comes up!
Warning below is a big VENT!
My opinion regarding the German Equestrian Team Olympic Scandal is I feel no pity for them, they should have know that eventually they would get caught than they had such a bad attitude about the FEI’s decision. Here are so quotes from the DressageDaily article and my response.
German dressage rider Isabell Werth stated, "my horses belong to Madeleine Winter-Schulze. What I give or not give to my horses only concerns me, the owner and my stable crew."
Well, when it becomes a factor in rather or not your team is evolved in a Olympic doping scandal and you are an international Olympic level athlete it becomes everyone business. Since it makes the playing field unlevel and cheating is wrong. Plus, you should know what is prohibited and what isn’t by the time you are at this level.
The whole debate reached a boiling point last week when leading German show jumping rider Ludger Beerbaum stated in a German newspaper that "in the past everything that could not be detected was allowed." He further disagreed with the log which should be kept by German team riders. "You run the risk that a buyer of a million dollar horse wants to see all the information in the log."
Well, if you don’t give your horse any prohibited substances than what is the problem? My point, exactly. If you follow the rules than you can show the buyer the log without any problem. Plus, I hope someone would only buy a horse that hasn’t been treated with a illegal substance(s).
May 12th, 2009
To have a horse that tries EXTREMELY hard to do everything I ask. Yesterday we did our first full run through of First Level Test 2 and she even picked up the left lead when asked! My mom also said she did her leg-yields better than she ever has (she does them great for her, but not for me); the canter lengthenings are another story however to the right she likes to put her haunches-in along one long side (but not the other), so we REALLY need to work on straightness! Trot lengthenings are ever approving…so are our turns (need to be more square) and circles (really need to work on the stretchy-chewy circle).
I really think we will reach our goal of First Level next year!
And I am still POed about my uncle’s comments.
May 11th, 2009
I’m just so proud of Penny. Today I rode her without the the input of my mother. I think it was successful, we did our first attempt at First Level Test 2 and at canter leg-yields (for the first time in a while). She was very good, not any spicier than usual. She picked up the left lead twice, after the second time I leave canter alone for the day and move on to something else.
I really think we’re going to make our goals for next year!
May 4th, 2009
The last three days have been exceptional! I finally figured out how to get Penny to pick up the left lead, one word SEATBONES. I have make sure I’m on my left seatbone and viola instant left lead. It was something so simple this whole time and here I was racking my brain for the solution! Yes, I have finally learned to listen to my mom.
Now, that we have overcome our biggest hurdle thus far, there is no way but onward!
