Accolades from Red Deer, Alberta.

Last week I conducted another clinic in Red Deer Alberta.
For the past 2 years I have been travelling out there about every 2 months.
Thanks to Jenni Imeson for organizing the days that I am out there.
I received 2 really nice messages since I came back on Sunday night.
It's so nice to hear that I am appreciated, and always look forward to flying out west and teaching a really receptive group of riders:
The photo is of Mary and Murphy

From Tracey R:

I just wanted to say a quick thank you for your amazing eye, and sense of humor.
I am so enjoying the things you have taught us both! I love the light bulb moments, they feel so good ( I am so impressed I had more than one too..)
I have so much fun during your clinics, and appreciate how much I can take from it and work on, all on my own !
Just knowing we are doing it properly makes me proud of myself and my horse. You are very good for us.
You take care, and I cant wait till the next one..
Tracy

From Mary: I relaxed those hips on Murphy the whole ride and what a ride I had. Thanks so much for sharing your experience with us, I 've given Rizz a few days off, will ride tomorrow, can't wait to roll those hips and try that canter again.
(Rizz is a VERY promising 3 year old-perhaps one of the nicest dressage talents I have seen in years!)

Rain on the Exhibition, But Still Had a Blast!

Pictures: Top- Allie doing her thing.
Group photo: Allie, Me, Lise, Janet, Mav and Jen
Allie staring at the RCMP musical ride
Allie, Mav and Jen mesmorized by the RCMP horses.

























So, what else is new? It rained AGAIN!
Allie and Mav were invited to the Niagara Exhibition to be the "warm-up" rides for the RCMP! How cool is that?
So I thought, HMMM, Okay, it's going to rain, but what the heck! How many times does one get this opportunity?
So, I donned on my top hat rain cover AGAIN for the second weekend in a row (I bought the damn thing 3 years ago, and have not used it until now).
Lise and Jen helped get the two of them ready to go in the ring, and Jen did a bit of a warm-up on Mav for me. We were ready to do our rides.
So, the rain does not stop. I am literally half-passing around puddles, and finding some decent diagonal lines to do some tempi-changes. Neither Allie or Mav cared less. They were in their element. Allie did'nt mind the crowd, or the screaming teenagers on the midway behind us. The only thing that made her wake up and pay attention was the 32 RCMP in formation that rode past her and the end of our rides. The poor mare could'nt get her eyes off of them!
Mav was the usual ham that he is; hearing his "Save a Horse, Ride a Cowboy" freestyle music again. I did some one handed Pirouettes, and Extended trot to wow the crowd. He was great doing his 2 tempis umpteen times to the "Irish Washer Woman Music".
Speaking of that music, I'm talking to Janet Henderson during the RCMP ride, and all of a sudden realized, hey! they are using the same Irish Washer Woman Song in their medley of tunes. Too freaky or what? So, out of all the music to put together, we used the same song! I joked with the RCMP riders later about it........did they steal my music, or did I steal theirs? Too funny!
So, after we had finished packing up the guys and putting them on the trailer, we headed off for a bite to eat; Lise and I shared a Bloomin' Onion and some Butterfly Fries. Jen stuck to eating 2 Candy Apples, and a Corn Dog. Les had a Hot Dog and Fries. Nutritious I'd say.
So, 1 show to go until the end of the season on the 28th. Please, NO MORE RAIN!

Arwen and Allie Meet for the First Time

Allie meets her 1/2 sister Rivendells Arwen at the Niagara Dressage Show yesterday!

Niagara Dressage Show AKA The Niagara Falls on Me Show

Pictures:The Rain during the beginning of my first test, before it got real bad. Extended Trot in the puddles with Allie during the second ride in the drizzle, Megan and Kalua, had their best tests of the season. Bottom : Rivendells Arwen and Brianne (this is Allies 1/2 sister in her first show ever!)


Well, when you start out the show season getting rained on, I guess you end up with doing the last show getting rained on too!
I started down the centre line with my rain cover and beige breeches on because of the iminent rain, but did not believe what happened in my test. It went something like this:
A Enter at Collected Trot
X Halt Salute Proceed at Collected Trot
C Track left into a light shower
R-V Shoulder-in to moderate rain
V-L Half Circle left 10M in heavier rain
L-R Half Pass Left into a monsoon!
Proceed past judge laughing, Judge finding the only dry spot under the canopy too keep watching and not float away.
MXK Change rein at Medium Trot in Torrential Downpour.
Continue through the rest of the test in Torrential Downpour.
A Turn Down centre line (at this point I am still doing this test by memory, because Janet Henderson who read for me is yelling her best, and I still can't hear her!).
X Halt Salute, leave arena in a light rain shower.
I got a big cheer from the crowd huddled in the arena from the weather, congratulating me on my guts and determination!
So, that test is definitely one for the books!

Getting the Facts Straight

Lukas, the Trakehner

In the past little while, I've been hearing a ton of false information about me. Perhaps it's because I don't rattle on and on about my past, perhaps it's because people don't know me, and know what I do at the farm. Let' s face it, I'm in my own bubble here; I don't socialize a ton, go to a gazillion shows, or have a PR person writing about my every move in a press release to a thousand magazines (maybe I should work on this).

According to a certain party who attempts to teach in this area, I am apparently "old school". Hello, Old School? Is there any other? Classical dressage is how many hundred years old. Tried and true classical methods have endured the ravages of the yank and spank school. So, I'm taking "Old School" as a compliment. I guess if that's the only excuse to tell someone not to ride with me, that' s a pretty uneducated reason.

1. Yes I do work with Warmbloods; I have for many years. As a matter of fact I was one of the dressage trainers for the import farm Barcrest in Milton Ontario for several years. I had the fortune of working with such horses as Reipo ( who won the Team Dressage Bronze Medal for Canada in the 1988 Olympics in Seoul). I primarily worked with the Hannoverians, even though they did import some Swiss Warmbloods.
My dressage training and teaching career has lead me to work with just about every Warmblood breed imaginable. Oldenburgs, Holsteiners, Hannoverians, Dutch Warmbloods- Ok, get the picture?

2. Yes my favored warmblood breed is the Trakehner. I love them for their lightness, and responsiveness. Yes Allies' mother is a full blown Trakehner. We started breeding them back in the mid 70's.

3. No, I do not drive truck anymore. I gave that up 11 years ago. I started this to get myself out of the hole after a failed marriage. I did and here I am, fully independant of anyone.

4. Yes I do have Arabians! They are just another breed that are at my farm. I have had the luck of doing very well with these horses, and enjoy their sensitivity and lightness, and do use a few for my schoolmasters. I have trained 5 to the upper levels, and don't know too many people who have acheived this on any other breed let alone an Arabian!

5. I work with any breed of horse! It does'nt matter what breed the horse is, I do not hold any predjudice. A horse is a horse.

I'm Still in BC!

Hey Everyone! The trip to Comox BC was great; the horses arrived at Deanna's new farm unscathed, and feeling quite good. We turned them right out into the new paddock, and Romeo and Fancy proceeded to buck, play and roll!
My truck is a different story. The transmission decided to start acting erractic after the ferry ride. I took it into the dealership, and low and behold, crappy Dodge transmissions strike again. Luckily I I got it in their just in time. It would have not made the trip back to Ontario. So, it's getting re-built. At least the Warranty is picking up the bill. Unfortunately we are still in BC, but should be homeward bound around noon on Saturday.
In the mean time, Deanna and Larry have treated us to a few amazing trips; to Mount Washington and Miracle Beach. The resort was fantastic! Check out http://www.crownisle.com
So, people, please be patient, as we have to make the trek home. Hopefully we will be back late Monday.
Photos will be available next week.

3 Out of 4 Ain't Bad!

Well, Allie was definitely on form for the Region 18 Arabian Championships July 24/25!
We won the 3rd Level Championship with a 69.53%! and received a 63.4 in the Fourth Level Championship from judge Peta Christen.
Perhaps the best 3rd Level test we have done so far. Consistent 7 and 8 marks for most movements in the 3rd Level. Unfortunately we lost the 4th level Championship by 1 measly mark. Beth Noteman riding HSA Haley's Comet took the championship. Comet is the winningest Arabian in history winning over 18 National titles in Dressage! So, there's hope for Allie yet!
We did manage to get the 2nd highest score of the show, again only by .1 of a percent.
Allie showed her top form in the Half-Arabian Sport Horse Under Saddle, winning the Championship. We also took the Championship in the Half-Arabian Sport Horse Show Hack, this being her 4th consecutive title for Region 18.
I'll post pics later ;) E

Milestone Arabian Dressage Show

3 of us attended the Milestone Arabian Dressage Show in Campbellville on Saturday. Initially a huge downpour, the rain kept away during all of the dressage tests.
Allie's highest score in 3rd3 was 66.51% giving her the highest scores awarded for the day! After last weeks' fiasco at Langford, Allie definitely redeemed herself. She even did some nice tempi flying changes in the warm-up; 4th level and Prix St.George is now within our reach; and a definite goal for 2009.
Mav was good with Sophie again; as you can see from the pic above, when it was good, it was REAL GOOD!
Megan and Kahlua did the Walk/Trot tests, and came 1st and 2nd.
Many thanks to the Kirkridge Team for pulling together and helping each other the entire day! Thanks to Megan's friend Samantha for coming out too (pictured below crashed on the trailer ramp!).
Click here for some more pics of the show