Recently reported by dressagedaily.com, Equine Canada and Dressage Canada have decided to require dressage helmets in all levels of competition for 2012.

Ottawa, ON — Equine Canada and Dressage Canada are taking an industry-wide leadership role by requiring all dressage riders to wear helmets in competition. Commencing in 2012, a national rule change will require all riders to wear helmets for all levels of Equine Canada sanctioned dressage competition.

The rule for January 1, 2012 is: SAFETY HEADGEAR
All riders, regardless of age or level or competition, must wear ASTM/SEI or BSI/BS EN approved protective headgear at all times when mounted at any EC-sanctioned Dressage competition at the event location. “I am very proud of our Dressage Committee for taking this step,” said Equine Canada president Michael Gallagher. “I believe we are the first national federation in the world to introduce this rule across all levels, and I can guarantee we will not be the last.”

This change for 2012 is a modification to the rule that was put in place in May 2011 where all riders competing in Fourth Level and below, FEI Young Horse Tests, Material and equitation classes at Bronze, Silver and Gold shows had to wear helmets. This rule also included non-competing riders as well.

“Helmet use is an important step and component in the safety for all our members,” said John Harris, chair of Equine Canada Board’s Task Force on Safety. “In 2012 Equine Canada will launch a safety audit across the entire organization to examine and identify best practices for safety. The well-being of our members needs to always be the primary concern of the organization.”

“I am thrilled that Canada is promoting the use of helmets,” said Canadian Olympian Ashley Holzer, who routinely wears helmets during competition. “Helmets prevent head injuries, and I feel a rule that promotes the safety of its riders is a great rule.”

“Riders4Helmets is delighted that Equine Canada is demonstrating that riders safety comes before tradition by implementing helmet rule changes in dressage shows at all level,” said Lyndsey White, co-founder www.riders4helmets.com. “Courtney King-Dye’s accident showed that safety has nothing to do with level of skill. Any rider can suffer a traumatic brain injury—even an Olympian. Equine Canada should be congratulated on taking this monumental step.”

Most of the feedback received by the Dressage Canada Rules Committee on the subject of helmet safety was in favour of riders wearing approved helmets in competition. This rule change came after an open, democratic process, in which all Canadian dressage riders had a chance to express their views to the proposal.

The requirement of helmets in dressage competition after the tragic King Dye accident has been growing in many notable countries recently. With this decision Canada will become the first nation in the world to require dressage helmets in all levels of competition.

One of the most popular seminars at the USEA Annual Meeting and Convention is always the Training Solutions For Top Event Riders and this year was no different with the extensive panel speaking to a packed room. The session is informal with audience members asking questions and the members of the panel taking turns answering.

Panel: Karen O’Connor, Boyd Martin, Phillip Dutton, Leslie Law, Clayton Fredericks, Buck Davidson, Lynn Symansky, Hannah Sue Burnett, Shannon Lilley.

Q: What creative items do you guys use that may be successful training wise?

KO: Huge success with a leather bit for dressage. Really soft in their month.

BM: Avoid using strong bits, rare to compete through prelim with anything but a snaffle

PD: Standing martingale – can’t compete in them but it is good training habit wise.

LL: Can’t get away from the correct training. Stay away from draw reins – you need to be a very good rider to ride in draw reins and if you are a very good rider why are you using side reins? I try to stay away from gadgets?

CF: The lunging bungy – elasticated bungy (neck stretcher in America). Much better than side reins because it allows the rider to stretch equally to the contact and then gives back. I have had a lot of success with removing the nose bands and have your horse submit to you more naturally. Still underestimated how important it is to look at the inside of your horse’s mouth when you choose your bits.

BD: Never jump at home without a snaffle. Take stuff away e.g the stirrups from the saddle, take away the reins in an enclosed situation.

SL: I also use leather bits – really helps the horse’s yield to the contact. I try to take the gadgets away because there is not substitute for good training.

HB: I love breastplates – it terrifies me when I see horses jumping without a breastplate.

LS: I do a lot of work riders with riders on the lunge – take the stirrups and reins away.

Q: Any ideas on how to get a horse not to grind their teeth?

KO: I have had luck with putting a tiny bit of dirt in the horse’s mouth right before you go into the ring.

BM: Gum bits

Q: What’s the progression for a young horse on what you do and what you ask for on each day?

PD: I like to establish that when you are on the horse they are listening to you all the time. Your horse always needs to be going forward all the time from your aid. As you get more education you add roundness, softness, etc. Sending a young horse to an experienced person is much better than sending then to an inexperienced person.

BD: For me it is bit like a kid who is never told no until it is too late. They need to go forward, straight all the time but I have a goal each day and once I achieve that goal I finish for the ride.

CF: The horse no matter the level needs to be in front of your leg and submissive to the contact. When you kick them to go they go and as you progress it becomes more fine-tuned. Gradually as you reinforce those ideas you can eventually be dancing with the horse. Cross-country ultimately comes down to is the horse in front of the leg? If the rider asks it to go forward to jump it goes.

LL: If you identify the training scales you are never going to go wrong. It is important to listen to your horse – a 4-year-old might only have 15 minutes in them.

KO: If we asked eachother on how to hack a horse out – they would be marching, overtracking, working at the walk. The go walk hack with a purpose.

Q: Any tips on how to deal with a horse who is very nervous in warm-up?

SL: I find if you can do as much desensitization at home as possible it helps. If you can ride with lots of horses in the ring at home and get them tons of distraction. There is nothing that replaces going off of the property as much as possible – they grow up so much more.

HB: Break it down, start with one-on-one, start slowly, then do two horses then three horses. Be really patient until they are comfortable. Taking them into a big warm-up and just having them deal with it

Q: What do you think is important in a young horse: conformation vs heart vs talent?

BM: It needs to have the ability to gallop for 11 minutes and jump about 35 big jumps. Pretty good jumping ability. Pretty good in the dressage as well. I don’t nit-pick too much conformationally. I go for more rangy horses with 60-70% TB.

PD: I would rather get a horse with a really good horse that is easy to train. There is nothing more frustrating than having a very talented that is hard to train.

LL: I am looking for 60% TB so you have got that gallop and the stamina at the top level. Good technique and scope over a fence. Good walk, good canter. If they have everything else I will forgive a poor trot. Temperament is huge. As well as heart. Difficult to see in 40 minutes though.

CF: The biggest mistake that lower level riders make is going for a 4-star winner rather than isolating the level you want to compete. You are much better with a good attitude who wants to help you out. When I am looking for a 4-star horse I am looking for what these guys are, but quite often they surprise you with what they can to. Breed them with good attitudes.

KO: Make sure that you and the horse are a good match with personality. Bucket horse. You bring one bucket of feed out to 5 horses. Identify the attitudes of the horses and find the one that matches your personality.

Q: The differences in the qualities in the ones that you buy in this country vs. abroad?

BM: If you go to Europe (Ireland/England/France/Holland) there are thousands of horses breeding sport horses and in America we don’t have those people. They are all trying to breed horses for the Olympics within a few hours of themselves. We just don’t have that band of breeders chasing the perfect event horse.

SL: I agree with Boyd, if you go abroad you have the opportunity to ride a lot of horses in a day and just being able to get the numbers is pretty huge and that in of itself makes it worth it.

CF: We call that tire-kicking, Shannon!

Q: If you could pick one horse of any of the other riders on the panel which would you pick and why?

HB: Neville Bardos b/c my horse is pretty similar and I think I would enjoy that type of xc machine

LL: I would have to go with Inmidair – it is a very fantastic jumper, and I think she has done a fantastic job producing that horse. It could definitely medal.

CF: I’ll ride anything! If anyone wants to give me one I’ll take it.

Q: I have a horse that is very polite and obedient but he is very short-gaited and doesn’t want to reach all the way to the bridle?

BD: To me to get a horse to take the contact – I do a lot of transitions, forward and back, you have to get them to go forward first.

CF: I like the horses really light in the contact and providing that they aren’t getting behind the contact and as long as they are obedient.

Q: How have your horse’s fitness plans evolved from the long format to the short format for the upper level competition.

LL: A fit horse is a fit horse, I haven’t really changed that much. Coming from the UK there is an awful lot of steeplechasing back there and the different distances get same the fit the same where. I start with long slow cantering and then when I have a base on the horse I sprint them on a hill. William Fox-Pitt told me about doing one 12 minute canter to get the conditioned to going that length of time even if it isn’t at competition speed. I work to the conditions I am cantering on – not very scientific.

CF: The horses need to have a greater intensity of fitness now at the higher levels. It is about the amount of jumps you are doing in a minute – the galloping between the jumps is even faster so you need to have them fitter. More sprinting now then we may have done in the past.

BD: Once a horse is fit you need to know when the horse is fit. I do a lot of trotting and a lot less galloping and the longer slow gallops similar to Leslie. The training has stayed the same, but the riding has gotten better.

Q: How much down time do you give your horses?

LS: I think it depends on the horse – after a big 3-day I like to give them about a month. Then start back walking and into full work.

Q: What is your favorite exercise to teach a horse to be more brave jumping?

BD: I think it is important for a horse to know that it just can’t stop. With a young horse on xc I always approach jumps that they would be able to bunny hop over –they need to get the understanding they land it is okay.

CF: It is really important as a rider that you are fit and learn to balance so you use your legs and hands independently so that you don’t interfere with the horse and make them stop.

Q: How often do you jump your upper level horses at bigger heights?

HB: I think it depends on the horse, I have one who hardly ever jumps the height and another who is just moving up the level so needs to jump more.

Q: For the average rider who needs to have some brakes that is not responding to the snaffle on xc are their other suggestions you have?

BD: The first thing that comes into your mind is that it needs to come down to training – no quick gadget to solve the problem. Plenty of transitions, expand the levels between speeds, if your horse doesn’t slow down it means you haven’t trained it properly.

LL: When you are producing horses it is extremely important to train it on the cross-country. Teach them to be settled, go in a rhythm, and not fall. If you have got a strong horse in the upper levels the time becomes quite difficult to make. It is better to have something in your horse’s mouth that he respects than mauling on him all day long in a snaffle. It really does become a trial and error situation in a competition situation.

SL: Why is the horse running? If you thought you bought an appropriate horse why is it strong now? If you don’t have an independent hand or leg they might be running away from you. The lighter feel you have the better.

CF: Having just come from Australia where I must have talked over a hundred riders in the last few weeks, this is a problem that I addressed often. Nine out of 10 we saw it with the correction of the rider’s position. I spend time looking in the horse’s mouth and finding something that is suitable for the construction of the mouth.

BM: Put a fence into the hay shed.

Q: I train at a farm and I have inherited a few problem horses and they aren’t young but they are very inconsistent and spooky. How do you train them?

BD: Take the horse back a few steps, start in a confined and area and work up from there as I go. You have to understand when it just isn’t right you have to cut your ties and realize that there is another horse out there.

Q: What are some strategies for teaching a warmblood to gallop?

LL: I gallop them with another horse just like with the racing, hunting, teach them to compete a little bit.

Q: When do you step in with an amateur and tell them to throw in the towel with the wrong horse?

BM: I think you can improve a horse but not change them. If you are an amateur rider you are better off cutting a mis-behaving loose. Upgrade! It’s like a relationship if your partner beats you or something you are better off getting rid of the guy – there are other blokes in the country.

LS: If the personality isn’t right – it isn’t a failure to sell them on.

Q: What are somethings you can do health-wise that can help an amateur’s horse?

SL: Good horsemanship. Be in a program where you learn good horsemanship and appreciate it. If you aren’t in a program try and educate yourself and go out and be proactive.

CF: It isn’t just about training actually; in our yard we have very close relationships with the vet, farrier, chiropractor, physio, acupuncturists. It isn’t because we are superstitious we see marked results with everything we do.

Q: What are some of your favorite exercises to keep your horses sharp in the indoor in the winter?

LL: I have never stayed in an indoor school for five months!

BD: I do a lot of things in the indoors especially in the clinic that changes the horse’s thinking like turning right off the long side rather than always going left. Jumps into walls – things that make you put your leg on your horse and get them in front of your left.

CF: Leave your horse with your wife and go to sunnier climates.

Q: What can you do to get the most out of the riders to keep up with these horses?

LL: Obviously we ride a lot of horses in the day we are quite riding fit, but prior to Athens Olympics I got a bit more serious. Ran on a machine, went to a heat chamber. I find for riding the most important thing is aerobic fitness.

CF: Before Hong Kong we did a lot of running up the hill. Rider is a core strength so anything you do on an exercise ball helps.

Article source useventing.com

You’ve carefully laid out a systematic, progressive schooling program for your horse. Yet every time you add new work, you run into a certain amount of resistance. Don’t panic. Understand that when you raise the bar, it’s inevitable that you’re going to encounter resistance. It’s a normal part of training. Don’t be afraid of it. Just work through it in baby steps. Have a checklist in your mind to help you decide if you should back off a little bit, or whether you should push through the resistance.

1. Physical issues. You need to know that your horse is not in pain anywhere. Are his hocks are okay? Is his back is okay? Are his teeth okay? Do his saddle and bridle fit him correctly?

2. Check yourself. Make sure you’re giving the aids correctly. You want to be sure that you aren’t giving contradictory signals.

For example, let’s say you’re riding to the right (Your right leg is on the inside). You turn down the quarter in order to leg yield over to the left.

Your right leg is behind the girth asking the horse to move over. However, you have a very bad habit of pushing too hard with your right leg so your upper body leans to the right. Since your horse wants you to stay centered above him, he finds it hard to go sideways to the left because your leg is saying, “go to the left”, but your body weight is saying, “I won’t let you go to the left.”

Then you end up thinking, “Oh, my horse can’t go sideways. He’s not ready. He´s resisting.” But the reality is that you’re giving conflicting signals.

3. The third thing that I do if my horse is really showing me, or telling me with his body language that he can’t do something is that I find a way to take the difficulty out of the exercise. That is, I do the “essence” of the exercise, but I make it more simple.

Here are some ideas so you can be your own problem solver and figure out how to take the difficulty out of exercises but still get your point across. If you take this approach, the resistance becomes manageable or even nonexistent. Then little by little, you can increase the demands again.

For example, let’s say you start to leg yield from the quarter line over to the long side, The first few steps are fine, but then your horse starts resisting. Maybe he slows down or tosses his head. Take the difficulty out of the leg yield by starting only 1-meter off the rail instead of from the quarter line.

Or let’s say you’re struggling when you start your advanced lateral work such as shoulder-in, haunches-in, and half pass.

There are several things you can do. You can reduce the angle. Rather than asking for shoulder-in, do shoulder-fore (half the angle of a shoulder in). Or rather than asking for a 3-track haunches-in, ask for half that angle. With your half pass, rather than going from the corner letter to X, reduce the angle by going from the K or F all the way up to G.

Regarding shoulder-in and haunches-in, do fewer steps. That is, do three or four quality steps, and then straighten your horse. Let him take a breath. Then do three or four steps again. Or do the movements at a slower gait such as the walk.

Just be very clever on taking the difficulty out of the exercise. Introduce new work in baby steps so that your horse always thinks he’s a champion no matter what you’re asking him to do.

Source JaneSavoie.com, Author Jane Savoie

DressageTrainingOnline.com is presenting a free 7 part video series featuring Jody Hartstone of New Zealand.

Part 1 - Understanding how your horse thinks is vital. It doesn’t matter what level you ride at, your horse’s breed or discipline you specialize in, knowing their capacity for learning, memory and response will greatly enhance your abilities as a trainer and rider.

Part 2 – Jody discusses the Flight Response in the horse. Obviously important often misunderstood by humans. It doesn’t matter what level you ride at, your horse’s breed or discipline you specialize in, knowing more about your horse’s flight response is vital in making you a better horseman.

Part 3 – will explore Habituation. Understanding how horses become comfortable with things is important in not only ensuring you have a safe horse but that you employ habituation as a standard method incorporated into your daily training.

www.DressageTrainingOnline.com

Jody was shortlisted for the Athens Olympics on Landioso and the 2010 WEG qualified rider for Dressage representing New Zealand. Jody teaches and lectures worldwide emphasizing her training based on scientific principles of behavioural theory. “The rider’s aids are all trained systematically and one at a time,” Hartstone explained. “One should be careful not to apply two cues at once and ensure that the pressure-release aids (reins or legs) are trained effectively before one moves on to subtle aids like the seat. Basically reins are there to slow down, legs to go, reins to turn and leg for yield. Most important is to train the legs of the horse before training its frame. It is very different from what we see in many training yards where horses are sent to. With them rein pressure and reins are no longer effective to slow down the horse’s leg. Paramount is self carriage. The horses are taught from breaking in to hold their own rhythm, direction and outline.”

So many people ask me what it looks and feels like when a horse is on the bit. So here are some tips for you.

When a horse is on the bit, here’s what he’ll look like:

• His entire outline from back to front looks round.
• His hind legs step actively underneath his body, his back is up and swinging, his neck is long and low enough to be in line with the “power train” of his hindquarters, his poll is the highest point, and his nose is about 5 degrees in front of the vertical
• From the saddle his neck is widest at the base (just in front of the withers) and becomes progressively narrower as you get closer to his ears.
• From the side, his neck looks longish and relatively low rather than up in the air and short. He’s “pumped” up or “blooming” at the base of his neck.
• There’s no dip just in front of his withers.

When a horse is on the bit, here’s what he’ll feel like:

• He’s one unit rather than a jumble of “disconnected parts”.
• He’s more comfortable to sit on because his back is relaxed.
• In trot and canter, he feels like a beach ball bouncing along.
• His back (behind the saddle) is up and swinging rather than dropped and tense.
• His energy is self-perpetuating. The power comes from behind, over his back, through his neck, and gets recycled back to his hind legs. But if your horse, let’s say, is crooked and pops his shoulder out, the energy is going to go diagonally across his body. Then, you’ll have to use your driving aids again to recreate the energy.

You feel like anything is possible within the next step. For example, he can immediately go from trot to canter. Or he can immediately go from working canter into a canter lengthening. Or he can promptly do a canter depart.

If you’re not sure if “anything is possible” within the next step, ask for one of those transitions. If it’s easy to do, then you know that your horse is on the bit.

Source JaneSavoie.com, Author Jane Savoie

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As reported by yourhorse.co.uk, an international dressage competitor has issued a heartfelt plea for all dressage riders to wear hats in competition, following a terrible fall by one of her compatriots.

US Grand Prix dressage rider Heather Blitz made the call after hearing about fellow US Olympic rider Courtney King-Dye, who was knocked unconscious following a fall while schooling in southern Florida last week.

Courtney is now in hospital in a coma, and doctors are uncertain when she may come out of it.

Heather said: “The terrible accident to our colleague and friend, Courtney King-Dye, is a harsh reality check of what can go wrong in a simple schooling situation at home, on the flat, with no fences or obstacles in our path.

“Falls do not just happen in eventing or jumping – they happen in dressage too. Horses are horses and we cannot control their every movement, no matter how experienced the rider. We can, however, take responsibility for our own safety by wearing a helmet in all circumstances when we are mounted.”

Heather, who is based in Europe and works with Mary Wanless in the UK, has now started a Facebook campaign to alert riders to the need to wear a riding hat.

Dressage riders are traditionally the worst offenders when it comes to not wearing their helmets for training.

By Fallon Walker

I was privileged enough to attend the CDI5* Wellington last weekend. This competition was put on by EXQUIS, Moorland, Equestrian Sport Productions and several other major sponsors which brought in some of the top riders in the world. My mother, her friend and I arrived to the West Palm Beach Airport late Tuesday evening after a long day of canceled flights and fog advisories. I can’t describe how good it felt to leave a 20 degree snowstorm and arrive to the beautiful mid-70′s of West Palm Beach. We all went to bed early that night. We wanted to get to the show grounds as early as possible the next morning, so we didn’t miss a bit of the action! We pulled into the grounds at about 7am and were surprisingly about the only dressage riders there. We were surrounded by a sea of absolutely stunning jumpers schooling before their classes began, each one of them so perfectly turned out. It was very interesting watching a schooling ring full of jumpers versus what I am so used to watching. We walked the rows and rows of vendors until we couldn’t take it anymore and had to grab our purses from the car! There is everything you could possibly need on the grounds from the top saddle makers to custom boot and Italian jacket designers. We were all in shopping heaven!

We headed back towards the main arena to watch the riders who were allowed to school their horses in and around the competition ring the morning before the Grand Prix. The first rider that entered was Canada’s Belinda Trussell on her fabulous 10 year old Oldenburg gelding Anton. This pair was a pleasure to start the morning off with. She is a very soft rider and all of their excersizes looked quite effortless. Canada’s newly named team coach Robert Dover was there supervising all of the Canadian riders schooling sessions. Next into the arena was Elizabeth Austin on her wonderful Dutch stallion Oliver and Michael Barisone soon followed. One after another some of the top riders in the world entered the arena to familiarize their horses with the competition setting. On the sidelines, Anne Gribbons, Lars Petersen, Kyra Kurkland and many others were there to assist the riders they were with. Wolfram Wittig was there assisting Isabell Werth with the incredibly elastic Satchmo and Sjef Janssen was there with Anky and fellow Dutch riders Christa Laarakkers and Aat van Essen. All the competitors seemed to have successful schooling sessions which ranged from a full workout to a simple walk on the buckle around the outside of the competition ring. It was interesting to see all of variations of training and what each rider expected out of each horse. All of the horses looked fit and happy which was wonderful to see. The competition ring was closed at 11am to allow the ring crew to prep for the afternoon Grand Prix test. We watched a few more jumper classes and ate lunch, but headed back to the arena when we were notified that the start time was moved up from 5pm to 2pm. My mother became friends with the ring official who gave us the perfect position to watch everyone school. I was standing right next to the official schooling ring clock and mom and her friend Kelly had perfect seats on the rail. Ulla Salzgeber drew the first ride position (2pm) and entered the schooling ring at about 1:15pm. Her beautiful mare Wakana (Wolkentanz/Weltmeyer) was quite a handful during the entire schooling session. Her half-passes and changes were top class though and she showed some exceptional pirouette work. She was very concerned with the bridge full of spectators that she had to cross under to get in and out of the competition arena and was “assisted” in and out by fellow German rider Anja Plönzke. Ulla masterfully rode a successful GP scoring a 69.362% ranking her 5th overall.

Next to go was Canada’s Belinda Trussell who had a fantastic schooling session, but unfortunately lost some of the expression in their test and scored 65.404% (12th). US rider and youngest competitor in the World Masters was Elizabeth Austin who performed one of her best GP rides to date scoring a 65.702% finishing in 9th place overall. The fourth rider on the roster Anja Plönzke caused quite a stir when she entered the schooling ring on the absolutely breathtaking Le Mont d’Or. She wore a very fashionable blue velvet shadbelly and looked so stunning just about everyone was staring at this pair. Her test was full of expression and quality and scored a 68.170% placing her behind Ulla Salzgeber in 6th overall. US rider Leslie Morse and her Swedish stallion Tip Top 962 finished 13th on a score of 64.851%. Canadian Ashley Holzer and the ever successful Pop Art had a fantastic schooling session and test finishing fourth overall on a great score of 72.468%. The crowd was absolutely booming as she entered and left the competition arena which shows the high popularity of this horse and rider combination. Isabell Werth and Satchmo schooled under the watchful eye of Wolfram Wittig and looked great going into their GP. Unfortunately, there were several small mistakes keeping Isabell’s score to a 72.553% placing them in 3rd less than a tenth of a point above Ashley Holzer. The last to go before the break was Dutch rider Aat van Essen on the athletic Jazz gelding Premier. Sjef Janssen was ring side to help prepare this pair for their US debut. Unfortunately their walk work was plagued with difficulties which was reflected in their score of 64.170% (14th).

During the short break, the competition arena was refinished and more riders began their test preparations. Danish rider Mikala Gundersen and Leonburg were ninth to go and rode a clean test to a score of 65.532% ranking this pair 11th. US rider Pierre st. Jacques on his large Danish gelding Lucky Tiger showed many highlights during their schooling and in the GP placing them 8th on a score 66.213%. The second Dutch rider Christa Laarakkers and Ovation had some very nice moments, but also had some unfortunate mistakes in the accuracy of their test. This talented young pair newly sponsored by one of my favorite tack shops in Holland, Divoza Horseworld, tied with Anja Plönzke on a score of 68.170% for sixth place. US rider Michael Barisone on his relatively new mount Olympus (owned by Dr. Nancy Binter) had several mistakes and fell to the bottom of the pack on a score of 63.489%. Canada’s Diane Creech on her beautiful young De Niro gelding Devon L placed 15th with a score of 64.085%.

As the last three riders were set to enter the ring, the excitement in the schooling ring really stepped up a notch. Top Dutch rider Anky van Grunsven and US riders Steffen Peters and Tina Konyot were preparing their horses for the last three spots. Steffen Peters warmed up Ravel in his typical quiet, relaxed manner. There was never a bad moment during the entire schooling session. Ravel is such a wonderful horse, he looks like a total dream to sit on. As they unwrapped him and headed towards the competition arena, we followed them to the ring. I had been going back and forth and watching the rides on the jumbo screen visible from the schooling ring, but I really wanted to see the next two tests in person. Steffens ride was fantastic! The rhythm, relaxation and concentration Ravel showed was exemplary. The crowd went crazy when they showed his final score of 76.851% which took him into a safe lead. After his test, he walked Ravel on a loose rein towards the exit. Just as they walked past, Ravel stopped and itched his nose on his knee like so many horses love to do. As he came up, Steffen realized that somehow he had stepped through his curb rein and it was stuck between his front legs! Before anything could happen, Steffen had dismounted and unbuckled the rein in such a calm and cool fashion. I think we can all learn from his perfect reaction to a possible accident!

Next to go Dutch rider Anky van Grunsven. The crowd seemed to triple when she entered the schooling area. Salinero was a bit nervous in the electric atmosphere spinning several times at spooky objects. Anky stayed right with him and schooled him in a very long, loose frame around the entire schooling ring for the first half of her warm-up. As she brought him up into the competition frame you could see it all come together. Everything they did was world class and looked beyond effortless. Anky is such a soft, elegant rider and it is always a joy to watch her ride. Going in, I knew that she had scored well into the upper 70′s many times with Salinero, but it was going to be close with Steffens lack of mistakes. Salinero was very electric going into the test. His extensions were superb and the freedom in his lateral work was breathtaking. He became slightly tense in the piaffe/passage though and broke rhythm for one step of his final extended trot, keeping her score to a 74.638% putting her in second place overall behind Steffen and Ravel. The last ride was US rider Tina Konyot on the dreamy Danish stallion Calecto V. I did not get to watch her test, but her score ended up tying with fellow US rider Elizabeth Austin for ninth place at 65.702%.

As everyone lined up for the awards ceremony, my mother and I had a chance to talk with Anky for a few minutes while her groom Willeke prepared Salinero for the awards presentation. She is such a joy to talk with as was Isabell Werth, Steffen Peters and Sjef Janssen. On Friday night, there were training demos done by several of the top riders and a schooling session under the flood lights in preparation for Saturday evenings freestyles. Saturday started off with the Grand Prix Special which was won by US rider Leslie Morse and Tip Top 962 with a score of 65.708%. The favorite for the Special was Germany’s Ulla Salzgeber, but unfortunately her young mare could not handle the intense atmosphere and she had to excuse herself just before saluting.

That evening, the freestyles began with Tina Konyot who started off with a respectable score of 70.700% putting her in 7th overall. Dutch rider Christa Laarakkers placed 6th with a 71.150%. Mikala Gundersen was next in 5th place with a score of 72.200% and fourth place went to Canada’s Ashley Holzer and Pop Art who scored a fantastic 76.300%. Isabell Werth commented that she was very proud of Satchmo who gave a great performance in the kur moving into the lead with a 78.950%. Steffen Peters and Ravel performed their crowd favorite freestyle in top form showing super rhythm and fantastic groupings of movements to highlight this horses obedience to his rider. Their score was 81.700% bumping Isabell Werth out of the lead. Last to go was Dutch rider Anky van Grunsven who proved why she has been called “Queen of the Kur” for many years. Salinero gave one of his best performances to their artistic Dance of Devotion kur designed by Wibi Soerjadi receiving a mark of 84.450% which cemented their victory in the CDI5* World Masters. This was Anky’s second victory in the World Masters. Last year she won the kur aboard her fancy Dutch stallion Painted Black.

I am so happy that I was able to go to this competition and witness all of the fantastic riders and their top quality horses in such close proximity. Thanks to my mother, we were all able to go and have a wonderful time in sunny Wellington! Hopefully, we will all be able to do the same next year! Happy riding!

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