We’ve made it into July and it’s HOT! (Wasn’t it also hot in June?)
CBLM Championships are next month. Can you believe it? Entries are already coming in and we are busy planning lot of fun for the show. Still need to qualify? Check out our calendar, there are still plenty of opportunities in Region 1.
Not ready to compete this time? Come be a part of the show by volunteering, you can sign up by emailing volunteers@esdcta.org.
After CBLM’s there’s still a lot to look forward to: Regions 1 & 8 Championships, Devon, ESDCTA Championships and USDF Finals! We are coming up to a busy time of year where we celebrate all of the hard work and dedication you have put into this sport.
Do your best to stay cool and hydrated and keep your horses comfortable. Fall will be here before we know it.
grants@esdcta.org horselover8968@gmail com newsletter@esdcta.org nominations@esdcta.org nominations@esdcta.org
Ashley Mucha results@esdcta.org
CROSS COUNTRY...
News Across Our Region
COMMUNITY NEWS
If you’re reading this, you are probably a member of ESDCTA, but I’m sure you know of someone who rides dressage or events who is not a member. You know all about the wonderful things offered like educational programs, clinics with big name trainers, horse shows, year-end awards, and not least, that sense of being part of a community of likeminded people. The more members ESDCTA has, the better the programs we can offer. Our membership numbers are also important considerations when state and local governments decide on legislature that affects us (like open space), and we advocate for our sports (We helped get better footing at the HPNJ). Please reach out to your equestrian buddies and tell them about all of the benefits of membership and have them sign up. The more the merrier!
WHAT’S YOUR TALENT??
Let us know what you would like to help us with in 2025. All skills and interests wanted. Have an idea? We want to hear about it. Remember, this club is what YOU make it. Contact president@esdcta.org if you are interested.
NEWSLETTER COMMITTEE
Have a great article that you would like to share?
Please send article to: Meredith Rogers: newsletter@esdcta.org All submissions are due by the 15th of the month. Due to space considerations, the editor reserves the right to edit submitted articles. If necessary, articles will be edited and returned for your review. AND YOU GET VOLUNTEER HOUR FOR EACH STORY!
Milestone
Please Contact this newsletter if you know any ESDCTA members who have achieved any Milestones. Success at a show, regional/national/international award, new horse, or anything else you want to celebrate.
e-mail: newsletter@esdcta.org
MEMBERSHIP QUESTIONS
For membership questions including updating physical or e-mail addresses please contact: Heidi Lemack membership@esdcta.org
Deadline: 15th of prior month Email: newsletter@esdcta.org
Please have electronic ads in Adobe PDF or .jpg format You will receive an invoice for ad via email.
Email: treasurer@esdcta.org
Amateur Dilemma
By Meredith Rogers
I’m not big into reality TV but I do like watching Top Chef. If you don’t know what it is, it’s on Bravo and starts with a large group of chefs who are presented with various challenges (eg, make a dish that is all yellow). Each week, there’s a winner and a loser, with the loser going home. Pretty standard, but what I like is that even though these people are competing against each other, they don’t sabotage each other, are respectful of each other, and sometimes even help each other. The reason is that they each want to win on the merits of their own work. Sounds a lot like us. We’re all trying for that blue ribbon, but at the end of the day, we are really competing against ourselves, to get the best score we can based on our own skills.
The contestants work their butts off and sometimes it pays off and sometimes they create a disaster, but they always give it their all. Sounds familiar there too. We try to never short-change our steeds, trying to ride the best we can, which can be hard sometimes, but we do what needs to be done. When one of the chefs is sent home, they are usually devastated because they’ve pinned their hopes and dreams and future on winning. It’s a little more consequential for them than the $2 ribbon we receive but when the outcome is less than desired, I feel like I let a lot of people down, especially myself and my horse, not unlike those chefs I’m sure.
For this year’s season finale, they paired each of the last remaining chefs with an Olympian or Paralympian. The point was that these chefs were at the top of their game just like those athletes. One chef-athlete pair discussed how they deal with the pressure of competition. The athlete said that the pressure was a privilege. It’s the same with horses. They are expensive, they are big and can be dangerous, training is hard, and sometimes there are heartbreaks. But, I look forward to every bit of it, even the pressure.
News from Outside the Ring
Olympic Fever!
Only 3 years away and things are starting to come together. The FEI has approved Alec Lochore as the cross-country course designer for the Los Angeles Olympics. This role isn’t totally new for the Brit, who was the Eventing Manager for the 2012 London Olympics for which helped oversee test events and cross-country planning, tasks he also helped with for the Tokyo Olympics in 2021. He’s a Level 4 FEI course designer with a lot of experience under his belt. Work on the actually course at Santa Anita racetrack is planned to start this summer. Can’t wait!
Second Chances
In February of this year, a horse named Sly had fallen through the ice and into a pond. At 22 years of age, Sly was enjoying his retirement on an idyllic farm in Saratoga Springs, NY, with his owner, a vet tech at an equine hospital. Luckily she saw the horse struggling to keep his head above water on that frigid day, and was able to call for help in time. Along with the owner, Saratoga Police and Fire Departments were able to pull the 15hh, 1300 lb animal out of the water and across the ice to safety. Sly made a full recovery, and this month is starting a new career as an ambassador for the Saratoga Police Department. Although he’s older and smaller that most who have his job, he’s great around people. He will now engage with the public and help out on patrol throughout the summer.
Calling all Standardbred Riders/Drivers
Our very own Horse Park of New Jersey, Allentown, NJ, is hosting the National Standardbred Horse Show, September 19-21. This is the 31st year of the show, which highlights the versatility of the Standardbred horse. Classes will encompass Western and English events (including dressage), as well as driving. Standardbred racing is a significant contributor to New Jersey’s economy and many retired racehorses compete as part of our ESDCTA community. For more information, please check out: U.S. Trotting News
Did you know that horses can fish? Okay, they don’t actually do the fishing but they’re a big help to the fishermen of Oostduinkerke, Belgium, who use Belgian draft or Brabant horses to catch shrimp. This practice has been going on for more than 500 years and is recognized by UNESCO as an Intangible Cultural Heritage tradition. The methods employed, including the care of the horses and the craftmanship used to make the equipment, has been passed down from generation to generation. The use of horses for shrimp fishing used to be practiced along the whole North Sea coasts of Belgium, the Netherlands, France, and Southern England, but is now restricted to this one small seaside town. Mules and smaller horses used to be the equines of choice but over time they were replaced with draft horses.
The town of Oostduinkerke is ideal for this type of fishing because it has gentle slopes, no obstacles that could injure the horses, and is the natural habitat of the Crangon Crangon, or grey North Sea shrimp. Between April and October, during the two hours before low tide and the two hours after, the horses are tacked up with a wooden saddle with wicker baskets on each side of the saddle. Then the fishermen, who are wearing the traditional outfit of bright yellow oil gear, rubber boots, and a rain hat, mount up and head out into the water that reaches up to the horse’s chest. A 30-foot net that is held open by two wooden boards is pulled behind the horse to catch the shrimp, which jump into the nets after being disturbed by a chain that is dragged along the sandy bottom where they live. About every half-hour, the horses are ridden back to shore to sort through the catch and take a break. Usually around 7 kg (15 lbs) of shrimp are caught, but on a good day, it can be upwards of 25 kg (55 lbs). They are then served either cold as tomate-crevette (hollowed-out beefsteak tomatoes, filled with shrimp and mayonnaise), as a deep-fried battered croquette, or boiled and served whole as a snack.
From Our Friends at Lehigh Valley Dressage Association
2023 On the Levels” - Adding to Your Dressage Knowledge Bank
Mastering the Figures: Unlocking Higher Dressage Scores, with Cara Klothe
Mastering the Figures: Unlocking Higher
Dressage
Scores, with Cara Klothe
By Ellen Broadhurst
Hosted by LVDA and Delaware Valley University
By Ellen Broadhurst
Hosted by LVDA and Delaware Valley University
By Ellen Broadhurst
Cara Klothe, Grand Prix Dressage Trainer, USDF Gold Medalist, current L* and "r" candidate, spent an afternoon with local GMOs providing a perspective from the judge's booth for riding for better test scores. This article explores how riders can optimize their figures and accuracy for higher marks.
In dressage, it’s often not about riding “harder” it’s about riding smarter. Small adjustments in accuracy and understanding of arena geometry can create significant shifts in your final score. Even half-point gains across several movements can result in a 4%–5% increase overall. That’s the difference between a solid score and a winning ride.
Understanding the Scoring Formula
At its core, each movement in dressage is scored based on:
Basics + Criteria (with a +/- modifier) = Final Score
“Basics” refer to the foundational elements rhythm, relaxation, contact, impulsion, straightness, and collection. “Criteria” are the specific requirements for the movement. But that modifier where accuracy, geometry, and clarity come in is where many points are quietly won or lost.
Geometry is not optional; it’s a modifier that directly influences your score. Repeated small inaccuracies (an overly large circle, missing X on a loop, sloppy corners) can quietly erode your score over the course of a test.
Geometry: The Invisible Score-Changer
Let’s talk math.
A 20-meter circle must be a true circle 20 meters at every point. That means riding from letter to letter with precision. For instance, a correct 20-meter circle should not reach letters like I or L in a standard dressage arena. And yet, many riders ride 20 -by-24-meter ovals without realizing it, especially at A and C. These become more like 20-by-18-meter eggs no longer circles at all.
Even Training Level tests require you to know your arena. Circles, loops, and straight lines need to reflect the measured space. If you’re off by even a few meters every time, that lack of accuracy adds up.
Training Level: Details That Matter
● 20-Meter Circles at trot and canter must be consistent and placed correctly. Horses naturally make “Lima bean” shapes drifting out or falling in. You must counter this with thoughtful riding.
● Single Trot Loop: This movement is rarely executed accurately. Riders often get to X too early or too late, skewing the shape. From C, judges have a clear view if you don’t make it to X, they know.
The change in flexion should occur just after the quarter line, held through X, and changed back after crossing the next quarter line. In Training Level Test 3, the pattern states to “begin a loop slightly after M.” “Slightly” means no more than one horse length any more and you risk an offcourse error.
● Free Walk: A common misunderstanding is how low the horse should stretch. The goal is freedom not a specific head position. Maintain clarity in your diagonal line. Don’t let the horse wander or miss the track. Medium walk that follows is a modifier, so set it up properly.
First Level: Step Up the Precision
● 15-Meter Canter Circles: These should be exactly 2.5 meters from the track on each side. Many riders ride them too large up to 17.5 meters and throw away easy points.
● Leg Yields (Test 2): It’s a long, shallow yield. Often riders either don’t show enough crossing or overdo it and arrive at the rail too soon. Start as your horse’s tail passes L, and aim to have their nose at M. That subtle timing can hide small inaccuracies from the judge’s view.
● Trot Lengthenings: F1 and F2 use shorter diagonals not the full width of the ring. Transitions must be clear at the letter. Don’t lose points here it’s an easy place to gain marks if you show correct transitions and proper frame.
● Counter Canter Loops: These are often rushed. Riders get nervous, horses get quick. Focus on maintaining the flexion toward the lead throughout. Arrive at X early, then gently guide the shoulders back. This movement is easier when broken down into parts.
● Change of Lead Through Trot: Judges want a visible two-beat trot at X. Take your time there’s no defined number of steps required. What they don’t want is a single unclear step that’s hard to score.
● Diagonal Trot to Canter (HXF to F): Transition must be on the diagonal at F, not in the corner. Cantering in the corner simplifies the movement and lowers the difficulty level which judges notice.
Second Level: Sophistication in the Details
● 10-Meter Circles: Accuracy is essential. Know what 10 meters looks like in the arena. Don’t guess.
● Shoulder-In: Common errors include overbending the neck or riding the movement too straight (essentially turning it into a leg yield). The correct angle is 30 degrees with appropriate bend around the inside leg. Avoid crossing hind legs, which makes it a leg yield down the rail.
● Haunches-In: This should be a 4-track movement at a 35-degree angle. Avoid the trap of over-angling, which throws the shoulders outward and destabilizes the horse. Hind legs must stay engaged and under control.
● Medium Gaits: Transitions into and out of medium trot and canter are often scored with a coefficient. Know where the letters are and show clear, deliberate transitions at the appropriate spot.
● Reinback: Judges count the front steps. Maintain diagonal pairs and count 3–4 front steps. Avoid backward or lateral resistance.
● Counter Canter Serpentine: Many riders misplace this. Instead of riding from 2 meters inside L to 2 meters inside I, they ride directly from L to I, increasing the loop to 4 meters and lowering the difficulty. Get this right and judges love it. It shows awareness of geometry and earns bonus points.
The Walk and Halts: Underappreciated Opportunities
Turn on the haunches and halts are “non-brilliance movements,” often overlooked but offer high scoring potential for all horses not just flashy movers. Judge Janet Foy outlines a scale:
1. 7–10: Correct size, rhythm, energy, contact
2. 6: Slight deviation or one faulty step
3. 5: Minor stickiness, but rhythm maintained
4. 4: Loss of rhythm or multiple flaws
5. 3 or below: Major resistance, backing, or incorrect movement
Don’t underestimate the impact of a well-executed halt or walk movement. Every test has at least two halts make them count.
Groundwork: Measure It, Don’t Guess It
During the clinic, Klothe had riders guess a distance, then measure it, with expected results: it’s easy to be off. For all riders, walking the arena with a measuring tape will be eye opening. Knowing your distances is key to making your tests more accurate.
● First Level Corners: Should resemble a quarter of a 10-meter circle
● Second Level Corners: 8–10-meter bend
● Use corners to help rebalance your horse not just as a space to turn.
Riding Demos & Common Pitfalls
● Stretchy Circles: Great scoring opportunity but not if the geometry is off.
● 15-Meter Circles: Often too big easy fix, easy points.
● Free Walk: Don’t over- or under-extend the diagonal. Stop at the letter.
● Loops: Get to X. Change flexion at the quarter lines. Not before, not after.
● Canter Circles: Connect the outside aids accuracy improves gait quality.
● Halts: Be crisp. Ride fewer walk steps. Control every stride.
● Serpentines: Judges notice and reward correct loops. Don’t cheat the math.
The Bottom Line
In dressage, accuracy is not about perfection it’s about control, awareness, and mastery of the figures. If you understand the rules, ride your lines smartly, and honor the geometry of the test, the judges will notice, and they’ll reward you for it.
So go ahead bring joy to your judge. Ride your corners, hit your marks, and make every meter count.
Pressure, Growth, Opportunities, and More
By Paige Zimmerman
It’s been an exciting couple of months! Since my last article in May, Ducati and I have been working hard to step up our game. To begin, we ripped the Band-aid off and rode our first Prix St. Georges at a recognized show! Our first outing in early May was wobbly, but an improvement from the Fix-A-Test and the schooling show nonetheless. It was a great starting point, one that was good enough to earn a score towards my USDF Silver Medal!!
That first PSG at a recognized show felt like such a major hurdle. But after crossing it, the work we’d been doing at home suddenly started to feel easier. Something that my mental coach has discussed with me, especially lately, is how competing can increase the strength and depth of your relationship with your horse. Showing is a real test of partnership– it brings mental and physical challenges, whether it’s riding the test itself, handling unexpected circumstances, or staying focused and emotionally balanced. When things go well, or when you and horse work through these mini-challenges with success, the relationship can grow. When you and your horse face those moments together and come out stronger, your relationship grows. That’s exactly how I feel with Ducati now. Conquering our first recognized PSG gave him a big confidence boost, and it gave me even more confidence in him. In training at home, Olivia and I can add on some pressure, such as asking him to maintain a higher degree of collection, or trying more tempis. Instead of getting anxious or shutting down, he mindfully considers our questions and works out the answers. It’s really cool to feel!
After that first outing, as we continued to chip away at the work at home, we also rode in another clinic with Silke Rembacz over Memorial Day Weekend. That ride was incredibly helpful, as it helped me better understand the role of my seat, legs, and core in recycling the power that he creates from the hind legs. This has been such a hard concept for me to grasp, since whenever Ducati gets “hot” and I struggle to keep his neck long and his body supple enough for him to use the power for good. I tend to get
a bit stuck at this point and am not always sure of the timing of the aids to keep the power flowing through his body as opposed to him just running off with me. I understand it conceptually, but it’s been hard to really get myself to do it when in the saddle.
In the trot, Silke had me sit up taller, get my seat bones securely under me, and welcome the power. He really wanted to trot big! She explained that my goal shouldn’t be to slow him down, but rather it should be to half-halt the energy up. If I try to slow him down, I end up shortening the neck and making him tight, which doesn’t feel great and is harder to ride. Rather, she had me ask him for leg yields and half-passes, especially being sure to leg-yield off of the inside leg into the outside rein, and then make sure that he stays straight in the neck. Olivia also explains this to me often– that I need to make sure he is yielding to my inside leg, but I need to receive that yielding with my outside aids so that he doesn’t just drift out. Everything stays within the limits of my aids so the power can flow through him like a hose, with no kinks and no holes for the water to fly out! I had to become much more exacting and clear with my aids so that he could understand that he can find comfort and use his power correctly within the parameters of my secure (but soft) aids. This doesn’t require physical strength, but just rather very very focused aids.
Keeping my seat and legs hyper focused on his suppleness disallowed him from running away. A supple horse and a through horse cannot be tight, and therefore cannot be rigid, behind the leg, and rushing. When they are accepting of the leg, you can better ‘talk to’ the hind legs, and everything improves! When Ducati is not truly accepting of my aids I lose control of the power, and he either gets too slow or too rushed, and then his neck and back get tight. But as I learn to channel his power and help him use his body correctly, the work becomes therapeutic for both his mind and body. That, in turn, strengthens our partnership. If he feels good, knows what I’m asking, AND understands how to do it, we’re golden!
After our Silke clinic, we had two more recognized shows in which we rode the PSG, and both were a lot easier than the first time! Our scores remained pretty consistent, getting marginally better with each ride, but 0.1% better with each ride is still an improvement. I am working to figure out how to bring the power that we’ve been getting at home into the show ring, as I ride protectively and conservatively at shows, but I know that that’s always a work in progress. I’m proud to say that we earned our USDF Silver Medal, and I’m still amazed and incredibly proud! It has been quite the journey with Ducati since I first had the opportunity to start riding him over the winter of 2018-2019, and there were definitely a few years where we weren’t sure if we’d be able to get past 3rd level with the flying changes. But thanks to the wonders of time, patience, vet medicine, and an unrelenting support system, we’ve made it over those hurdles!! I don’t have enough words to thank the two women who have truly made this journey possible: Olivia Steidle and Brenda Curnin.
Olivia has supported me unwaveringly since the beginning of my journey training under her, and I’m so grateful to be her student. I owe all of my growth to her teaching and mentorship, especially throughout our flying change struggles! I’ll never be able to thank her enough. Brenda has given me the priceless opportunity to ride Ducati and grow with him all the way from First Level to PSG. This opportunity has changed my life, to say the least! To my family and everyone in my circle, thank you for your constant encouragement and belief in me. Since starting with Olivia Steidle Dressage at 14, I’ve matured and grown into a better horsewoman, and I’m so excited to keep moving forward.
Dressage is a lifelong journey, and I truly want to dedicate my life to it. Reaching this point in my riding feels like just the beginning, and I can’t wait to keep learning! By the time this article is published, I’ll be in Aachen, Germany, spectating at the CHIO Aachen World Equestrian Festival for a week. I’m honored and incredibly grateful to have been selected for The Dressage Foundation’s Dream Program, which takes a small group of young riders to either Wellington or Germany for an intensive, educational experience. This year is the first time that the program is headed to Germany since before COVID. I haven’t left yet as I write this, but I’m beyond excited to soak up as much knowledge as possible watching some of the world’s best riders and horses, networking, and just being immersed in it all! I can already tell that next month’s article is going to be jam-packed. I can’t wait to share what I learn, and I’m sure I’ll come back with lots of new ideas and inspiration!
Some More About Riding Cross-Country
By Earlen Haven
Some More About Riding Cross-Country
By Earlen Haven
Different questions are asked by different cross-country jumps. One of those questions is how to jump on " ground that is anything other than flat like you have in a ring?” It might not seem like a big difference to the horse and rider (or it might!) but if you start your horse out easy and progressively move him up, it usually goes well. Be careful to allow enough time for them to get comfortable, with some repetitions of the same jump or exercise before moving on.
I am going to use photos of 3 different jumps from our cross-country course, all presenting different jumping situations "with irregular ground".
The black and white plank is jumpable in both directions and has relatively flat ground in the field on one side and a downward slope on the other side going into a trail through the woods. The height can be adjusted and it can be jumped in both directions, but I always start out with a lower height than the horse is used to when adding something new (such as irregular ground), then raise the jump, usually in 3" increments.
Black and white plank jump
Remember when going uphill that the horse is having to energize a bit more and reach for the fence. Going downhill the horse needs to steady himself yet still be able to reach for the jump. They change their center of gravity a bit forward going uphill and shift their center of gravity a bit back going downhill. They need the use of their necks to do both, so keep your leg gently on them to keep their hindquarters under them and let them stretch their necks for their balance. Give messages with gentle squeezes of your ring finger only on the outside rein to ask them to steady rather than pulling on the reins, which will shorten their neck and limit their ability to balance themselves and clear the jump.
The coop jump again has variable heights available and can be jumped in both directions. It is a bit hard to see, but there is probably a couple of feet or more slope down to the field from the height of the trail, right between the trees and you have a couple of strides from the slope to the coop. Again, do some repetitions before moving on. Feel your horse's confidence level, to be sure he is confident before moving on. Practice in both directions, but remember that each
direction is a new question for him. Don't expect him to be fine when you change direction just because it’s the same jump.
Coop jump
The coop actually has handles on the sides so it could be moved forward, right between the trees, which is a different question completely, since it has a takeoff on level ground and a strong drop downward on the landing into the field. Or if jumping from the field uphill onto the trail, it is a big jump uphill and it makes the jump essentially a much higher height, so adjust the fence lower when jumping in that direction. The rider must also adjust their balance for both situations.
The angled jump with the flowers under it, is yet another question, since the slope is from one side of the jump to the other side of the jump rather than the slope being before or after the jump. The left side of the jump involves the higher height as well as the steeper slope. The right side or center is the easier spot to jump from, because of the lesser height, as well as the softer slope. This type jump can be a more difficult type for the horse.
Angled jump
I still use the principle of letting go of the horse's face 2 strides before the fence and don't pick the reins up until 2 strides after the fence, so the horse can use his neck as his balance beam on all jumps. When a horse feels safe, meaning that he knows he has the ability to get himself out of trouble, he'll try anything for you. When we limit that ability, they back off from being willing to try something new.
Another way to assess the correctness of the jump is to check the hoofprints on the take-off and landing sides of the fence. Remember, they should be about 1 to 1 1/2 times the height of the fence. A 3' jump should have the hoofprints at take-off about 3' to 4 1/2' from the jump and land on the other side about the same distance. If the hoofprints are very close to the jump, you're not letting the horses use their neck as their balance beam to make the bascule over the fence which makes the jump easier for them to clear.
I hope these guidelines help riders and instructors assess the success of the jump, because the success of the jump in the horse's mind, is what develops their confidence. Be careful not to interfere with their balance so they will progress with their confidence. They will jump the moon for you, if you allow them to do it safely.
Our cross-country course in Woodstown, NJ is open to riders and instructors with their students for $40 per horse/rider combination; $55 if you want to use the ring with the stadium/hunter jumps and/or the dressage arena in addition to the cross-country course.
I try to accommodate on short notice if at all possible, if that helps anyone.
It's $65 for 3/4 hour lesson or $85 for a 1/2 hour lesson with Earlen with no course fees.
Best way to reach me is by phone: 856-769-1916.
All are welcome. Hope you'll come practice communicating successfully with your horse. Then both can enjoy the ride!
Classified
2023 Like New Adam 2 horse bumper pull trailer, model Ju-Lite720-AF. Extra Window Package. Brackets for weight distribution bars added and included. Will forward pictures.
Serious inquires only. $15,975. Located on Long Island.
Email: shmfh97@icloud.com.
2.
Hearts Journey Stables Schooling Show I
Applewood Farm Dressage, Combined Test & Clear Round Show
11-Jun-25
Applewood Farm Dressage, Combined Test & Clear Round Show
Applewood
Farm Dressage, Combined Test & Clear Round Show
Applewood Farm Dressage, Combined Test & Clear Round Show
