Tag Archives: equestrian disciplines

Contributors/Press, Disciplines, Dressage, Jane Savoie, Training/Clinics

The What, Why, and “How To” of Shoulder-In, by Jane Savoie

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Shoulder-in is the father of the advanced lateral dressage movements. It does many wonderful things for your horse. Here are just some of them:

Shoulder-in is a suppling exercise because it stretches and loosens the muscles and ligaments of the inside shoulder and forearm. During shoulder-in, your horse passes his inside foreleg in front of his outside foreleg. This motion increases his ability to move his forearm gymnastically in other movements.

It’s also a straightening exercise because you should always straighten your horse by bringing his forehand in front of his hindquarters. Never try to straighten him by leg yielding his hindquarters out behind his shoulders.

Shoulder-in is also a collecting exercise. It increases your horse’s self-carriage because he lowers his inside hip with each step. As a result, his center of gravity shifts back toward his hind legs. His hindquarters carry more weight and his front end elevates. Read more> http://www.horsesinthesouth.com/article/article_detail.aspx?id=10240

Associations/Breeds, Breeds, Community/Charity, Contributors/Press, Disciplines, Dressage, Racing Sources

AQHA Welcomes Dressage

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honey_bright_dreamDressage becomes an official AQHA class.

Dressage is now an official AQHA class — one in which you can earn AQHA points, qualify for AQHA Incentive Fund earnings and compete for year-end awards. Beginning at Training Level Test 4, AQHA dressage classes will be held within existing classes at competitions recognized by the United States Dressage Federation or licensed by the United States Equestrian Federation.

The same USDF-USEF judges will preside over the AQHA classes; the only additional requirement is that the judges must be AQHA members. Exhibitors must also be current members of AQHA, and the horse must be a registered American Quarter Horse. A competition license fee of $85, good for the lifetime of the horse, is also required. The shows must be approved by AQHA at least 60 days in advance.

Horses competing in dressage are given scores, expressed in percentages. The Quarter Horse show industry has always been a point-driven system, so AQHA has created a conversion table to change dressage scores into AQHA points. View the conversion table (click on “frequently asked questions”). Read more> http://www.horsesinthesouth.com/article/article_detail.aspx?id=10096

Competitions, Disciplines, Events, Hunter/Equitation, Show Jumping

Jacksonville A to Z and Gulfport Updates

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We had another great week in Jacksonville.  This week we were minus our leader, Tony Weight, the President of NFHJA, because he had shoulder surgery, but somehow we made it through.  We all wish Tony a speedy recovery. It’s hard to believe that four weeks have gone by this fast.

The Jacksonville Winter Series is quickly drawing to a close.  Four exciting weeks have flown by, but there is still another week of fun!  The Jacksonville Finale boasts yet another $25,000 Grand Prix on Saturday, Feb. 6th at 7:00 p.m.  The $10,000 Bruning Foundation Equitation Classic presented by Jerry Parks Insurance Group will be held Friday, Feb. 5th at 7:00 p.m.  Come out and cheer on your favorite horse and rider in both of these exciting events! Plans are already underway for 2011.

On Friday night the show hosted the USHJA National Hunter Classic. Megan Young won the call aboard Levaro, owned by Rachel Herman. Read more> http://www.horsesinthesouth.com/article/article_detail.aspx?id=10078

Community/Charity, Competitions, Contributors/Press, Disciplines, Events, Hunter/Equitation, Show Jumping

A Platinum Win for Aaron Vale in the $25,000 Jacksonville A-Z Grand Prix

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Aaron Vale & Platinum ©Flashpoint Photography
Aaron Vale & Platinum ©Flashpoint Photography

Green Cove Springs, FL — January 30, 2010 — Tonight’s $25,000 Jacksonville A-Z Grand Prix sponsored by North Florida Hunter Jumper Association closed out Week IV of competition with one of the most successful riders in show jumping, Aaron Vale, adding another win to his illustrious career.

After a week of observation, course designer Allen Rheinheimer put all he learned about today’s starting field into a lengthy and technical 13 obstacle/6 effort test with a time allowance of 96 tight seconds. “It was a little bit on the snug side for sure,” chuckled Vale about the tick tock of the clock. A vast majority of the faults in round one occurred from battling the clock, with 3 horses retiring and 6 having time issues.  It wasn’t until the 6th in the field of 21, birthday girl Claire Lee, that the audience saw a clear round. Lee and partner High Roller posted a clean run of 91.786, which held as the only perfect ride until 3 rounds later when Vale and Platinum assured a jump off with a clean 94.083 seconds. Only one other horse and rider combo, Tony Font and Gardenio (owned by YZ Partners LLC) with a clean 93.776, would accompany them to the final round. Vale said, “This was surprising. When I walked the course I thought, wow – we had 9 clear last week, we’re going to have more clear this week. We only got 3 so sometimes you just can’t tell. Allen did a great job.” Read more> http://www.horsesinthesouth.com/article/article_detail.aspx?id=10050

Art/Photography, Community/Charity, Contributors/Press, Disciplines, Driving, JRPR, Products/Services

Combined Driver Chester Weber Featured in World-Renowned Equestrian Photographer Gabriele Boiselle Calendar

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Weber enjoying a quiet moment with his dog Steffi and equine partner Jamaica. (Photo courtesy of Archiv Boiselle/ Gabriele Boiselle)
Weber enjoying a quiet moment with his dog Steffi and equine partner Jamaica. (Photo courtesy of Archiv Boiselle/ Gabriele Boiselle)

Ocala, FL (January 22, 2010) – World-renowned equestrian photographer Gabriele Boiselle has captured the bond between Combined Driver Chester Weber and his animals, and the tender moment is being preserved in one of Boiselle’s 2010 calendars. The photo captures Chester Weber holding his wife’s Miniature Schnauzer, Steffi, standing with his equine partner Jamaica. The expressive photo appears in Boiselle’s 2010 Combined Driving (or Fahren, German for ‘four-in-hand’) calendar.

Boiselle has spent almost three decades traveling and photographing horses around the globe, sharing her images with her fans through calendars, books, DVDs, an online photo archive and live photoseminars. Her company, Edition Boiselle, is based in Speyer, Germany, near Frankfurt.

For 2010, Boiselle has created 24 different wall calendars, including the calendar featuring Weber and other combined drivers. “For many years I have personally been so fascinated by carriage driving and in particular by the four-in-hands that I actually traveled to the USA to take photographs at the special Live Oak competition,” Boiselle said, adding that each of the breathtaking pictures tells an individual story. Read more> http://www.horsesinthesouth.com/article/article_detail.aspx?id=9969

Contributors/Press, Disciplines, Dressage, USEF

Dressage Superstar Ravel Named 2009 USEF Farnam/Platform Horse of the Year

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Ravel and Steffen Peters winning the 2009 FEI World Cup Dressage Final.
Ravel and Steffen Peters winning the 2009 FEI World Cup Dressage Final.

January 15 2010 Louisville, KY – Annually, five of the USEF’s 130,000 registered horses achieve so much in a year that they are named USEF Horses of Honor and enter the running for the title of Farnam/Platform Horse of the Year.

In 2009 all five of these horses were nothing short of remarkable.

But one forever changed the face of his sport, and with that, Ravel was voted the 2009 USEF Farnam/Platform Horse of the Year.

It began in April at the FEI World Cup Dressage Final when, with the weight of a nation on his 11-year-old shoulders, Ravel trotted back into Las Vegas’ Thomas & Mack Arena after winning the Grand Prix to perform his Freestyle.

He delivered. Read more> http://www.horsesinthesouth.com/article/article_detail.aspx?id=9865

Competitions, Disciplines, Events, Hunter/Equitation

Peter Pletcher and HH London Dominate the Western Hay & Suncoast Bedding First Year Green Hunters at the 2010 FTI Winter Equestrian Festival

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Peter Pletcher and HH London Dominate the Western Hay & Suncoast Bedding First Year Green Working Hunter Championship at the FTI Winter Equestrian Festival.
Peter Pletcher and HH London Dominate the Western Hay & Suncoast Bedding First Year Green Working Hunter Championship at the FTI Winter Equestrian Festival.

Wellington, FL – January 14, 2010 – Today the first championships of the 2010 FTI Wellington Equestrian Festival were awarded in the professional hunter divisions. The Green Working hunters, sponsored by Western Hay & Suncoast Bedding, took center stage in the Rost Arena this afternoon.

The season’s inaugural First Year Green Hunter Championship was awarded to Peter Pletcher of Magnolia, TX, with Double H Farm’s HH London. Pletcher describes HH London, a 7-year-old Dutch bred gelding by London Times and Voltaire, as “fantastic.”

Double H farm bought the bay gelding in the middle of the summer, and Pletcher sat on him for the first time in October 2009. Pletcher and the team from Double H Farm knew immediately that this would be a great match. “I tried him and I thought that he was really nice, easy, and straight forward,” Pletcher commented.  This was only the second show for HH London, and his first time competing at the 3’6″ height. Read more> http://www.horsesinthesouth.com/article/article_detail.aspx?id=9815

Community/Charity, Contributors/Press, Disciplines, Dressage, USDF

Ravel Named Adequan/USDF Grand Prix Horse of the Year

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Lexington, KY (December 21, 2009) – The United States Dressage Federation (USDF) would like to congratulate the eleven-year-old, 16.3 hand, Dutch Warmblood gelding, Ravel, owned by Akiko Yamazaki of Woodside, California, and ridden by Steffen Peters of San Diego, California, for being named 2009 Adequan/USDF Grand Prix Horse of the Year.  Ravel’s median score of 75.574 percent made him the top horse in the United States competing at this level and the recipient of USDF’s highest honor.

Ravel was recognized at the 2009 Adequan/USDF Salute Gala and Annual Awards Banquet with a certificate, a commemorative personalized plaque, an embroidered cooler and $400 gift certificate provided by Dressage Extensions, and a gift certificate for Adequan joint therapy.  Also, Ravel is the recipient of the Colonel Thackeray Award and will have his name engraved on a silver trophy to be on permanent display in the Roemer Foundation/USDF Hall of Fame housed at the USDF National Education Center, located at the Kentucky Horse Park.

“We are thrilled to be able to recognize this extraordinary horse for his many accomplishments this competition season, and look forward to his future successes,” stated USDF Executive Director Stephan Hienzsch.

For more information about the Adequan/USDF Horse of the Year awards or to access a list of past and current recipients, visit the USDF Web site at www.usdf.org, or contact the USDF office at usdressage@usdf.org.

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Contributors/Press, Disciplines, Dressage, Events, JRPR, Products/Services, Publications/Media, Training/Clinics

Program Your Position – A Review by Johnny Robb

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ProgramYourPositionMy New Years resolution is to improve my riding.  If you share a similar goal or resolution, I can recommend an incredible tool that I have been using, Program Your Position.  This is an amazingly effective “program”, and I can honestly say it has helped my position immensely.

The program, developed by Ruth Hogan-Poulsen and Jane Savoie, has three components. These include 5 DVDs, 3 audio CDs and an illustrated pocket guide.

No matter how you absorb information most effectively, Program Your Position has you covered. Personally, I like all the audios and illustrated pocket guide the best. But I must add that the DVD segments are like attending a clinic.

For me, Program Your Position is better than a clinic because the series teaches you to use a simple set of buzz words to “program” your position corrections.  I ride around saying the buzzwords and correct my riding position almost effortlessly. The buzzwords are easy to remember and effective and the program also encourages you to add your personal buzzwords too. Read more> http://www.horsesinthesouth.com/article/article_detail.aspx?id=9632

Contributors/Press, Disciplines, Driving, JRPR, USEF

Jamaica, Chester Weber’s Horse of the Year, Wraps Up Amazing Year as USEF Ambassador

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Jamaica, the 2008 USEF Farnam Platform Horse of the Year, spent his year as an ambassador for the United States Equestrian Federation.
Jamaica, the 2008 USEF Farnam Platform Horse of the Year, spent his year as an ambassador for the United States Equestrian Federation.

Ocala, FL (November 16, 2009) – Jamaica, Chester Weber’s combined driving horse, captured the nation’s attention last year when he won the most prestigious horse title in the country and became the 2008 USEF Farnam Platform Horse of the Year. As the Horse of the Year, Jamaica served as an ambassador for the USEF, making public appearances, promoting rescue organizations and horse adoption and taking part in a variety of charities.

Jamaica’s rags to riches story began in Belgium when he was rescued from a slaughterhouse. He then famously became part of Weber’s record-breaking international Four-In-Hand Combined Driving team. Now 18 years old, Jamaica has been a member of all seven of Weber’s National Four-In-Hand Combined Driving National Championship teams.

While Jamaica’s story captivated the nation, his role as USEF ambassador also earned him a fan following. “Jamaica’s story really meant a lot to a lot of people, and whether we were at shows or at home, fans would bring him presents and carrots and place them in front of his stall and ask to pose for photos with him,” Weber said. “His journey has been pretty unbelievable and I am certainly glad to have been part of it.” Read more> http://www.horsesinthesouth.com/article/article_detail.aspx?id=8874