June/July 2013 use the term “dressage” so the word “flat”
gradually changed in the U.S. and today
became a standardized vocabulary word.
you see mostly warmblood horses with
I spent many hour “ flatting” hunters and
solid dressage training sweeping the hunt-
jumpers early in my career. I took a job
er and jumper championships across the
in a sale barn with the intent to learn the
country. As I said earlier in this article, I
hunter world, and to my surprise, all the
feel I had a small part of the “wall” crum-
horses I regularly schooled were the ones
bling. I doubt there will ever be a complete
that sold. The hunter trainer noticed the
unity between the two arenas, but they
pattern and a year after I had moved on,
are blending together today due to the
contacted me to thank me for showing him
understanding of balance and apprecia-
the value of flat work, which he incorpo-
tion in the eye of the beholder for a well
rated into his training regime.
trained, obedient, and adjustable horse
Although hunters are allowed to com-
that follows the arc of the line of travel
pete on the forehand, I discovered that
and can be ridden with ease and grace.
by combining the methods of dressage
Today, dressage methods have infiltrated
to strengthen the loins through collec-
the hunter and jumper arenas and even
tion, the horse could perform with more
though the long held attitudes between
strength and agility when returning to the
the two forces remains intact due to hu-
forehand. It was in the 90’s that I started
man nature, the horse tells the truth as the
importing warmbloods from Europe and
performances are being awarded by the
I soon discovered there was a market for
best trained horses with suppleness and
a horse which had a dressage foundation
agility, a testimony to the training.
that could also jump. All horses in Europe
To sum it up; Dressage for hunters and
are started in jumping before specializing,
jumpers when stated in simple terms is
and since there are no hunters in Europe,
“training” relative to the need.
I brought over many talented dressage
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horses which were easily converted to the hunter rings. As the hunter world discovered this untapped market, the style of hunter has
About Sue Sue Kolstad is an S rated Dressage Judge, a recipient of all three USDF medals, Bronze, Silver and Gold. She has been active in Dressage for over 30 years. Her resume includes a teaching degree in education, Riding Instructor Certification from UW River Falls Wi., Vi Hopkins Symposium for Riding Instructors, participation in all educational potions of the USDF Instructor Certification program. Sue has trained and competed many horses through FEI levels including three at Grand Prix. Her background includes training extensively with a European Master for several years as well as continuing to train and clinic as often as possible with top clinicians and respected professionals both in the US and abroad. She is an avid reader and student of the history of dressage. Her love for the horse has led her in many directions and she has enjoyed horses
in multiple disciplines into which she has incorporated her background of dressage. Sue has evented through prelim, competed in combined driving, hunters, jumpers, endurance races, as well as showing sport horses, including stallion presentations. She has imported many horses from Europe which have gone on to produce champions in the US. Many of her students have won medals and championships through all the levels up to GP. Sue is devoted to education and the classical development of the sport of Dressage, which consumes her life. Not many people can say, “I love what I do and I do what I love!”
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