Hi! My name is Adeline Shelton and I have been riding for 7 years. I started in eventing and moved to dressage when I was 11 because my horse and I loved that phase. Since then I have accomplished many goals with many dear horses. I am currently riding at Cadence Ranch in Hutto, Tx and love it there. Two weeks ago, my horse Quinto had an unfortunate pasture accident making it not possible for him to go. Alaina Miller was kind enough to let me take her sweet Thumper with very short notice. Unfortunately, my leg started hurting the day we arrived in Chicago and I found out the morning of the class that I had pulled my groin. I went to a chiropractor the day of the competition which really helped. Thumper has been amazing and has done his best for me in spite of how I was feeling. We competed in the Under 13 Dressage Seat Medal Finals and got 3rd with an 80%!! Thump Thump made me feel like | was on top of the World and made one of my biggest dreams come true. The facility was beautiful, and I could hardly believe that this entire week was real. Everything was perfect and I had some once in a lifetime experiences at Lamplight. I’ve made tons of new friends and met some old ones too. I’m so proud Thumper and I were able to represent Region 9 this week at Festival. Big thanks to my trainer Andrea Adkins, Christine Calao, Alaina Miller and my parents for making all of this possible!
MORE FROM YOUNG. RIDERS!!!!
Alyssa Longoria and SE Bombom of Yeguada Santa Elena competing in "the big ring" today at Festival of Champions.
From mom, Sandra Lindenberg,
“ My heart is full and I am so grateful for this opportunity.
Big thank you to everyone who helped and supported us, both along the way and this week. Love our Region 9 horse family.”
Houston Dressage Society Board Meeting
Meeting Agenda
August 12, 2024
7:00 PM Call to order and intro of guests –
7:02. called to order
7:03 p.m. Review and Approval of minutes from last meeting
Tighten belt in big shows discussion regarding the financial health of HDS
Minutes are in newsletter, not on website Flo getting minutes, posting in Google drive
Noel will have access to Google drive as well
7:05 PM Treasurer’s Report – Terri
Have to hire accountant for HDS
Have to file electronically, but no method given to do this Filed an extension, HDS owes nothing in taxes, have had multiple conversations with a new accountant Taxes will be filed
7:10 PM Recognized Shows – Angel Assistance for Angel for Laborious Day
Smaller show – Labor Day show
Only 2 rings
Entries are being left open Labor Day Show, then championships coming quickly Organizational needs/details starting for Championships Table decorations, awards, etc
7:15 pm**Out of order discussion of responses from survey since comments may impact the other reports. Most complaints were about judging
Cate – rides in HDS shows, no demoralizing comments, but may get lower scores, not anything that is a ‘put down’ comment, CDI judge (this year) who was demoralizing to Cate and multiple people – 13% difference from the 2 judges to the 3 rd judge, said the horse looked like he was in pain and wanted to send the FEI vet to her stall, not supposed to be suggesting they are lame or not fit to work at the level they are performing
Jane - If judge is being unnecessarily harsh, not being a constructive judge – not to chastise but to comment on performance. Maybe connect with the scribes, or even reach out specifically to the riders who have commented about the judge’s comments
Angel – keeps tabs on judges who have been overly critical or make inappropriate comments, or ugly comments
Ashley – maybe over the course of the year, in the sake of welfare and/or SafeSport could you let us know about conduct of judge, TD, volunteer, etc…keeps a record from each show
MORE SUGGESTIONS…
No food on Fridays of show – maybe have food truck, or ask to have concession open with limited menu, or Good Life Coffee opening on Friday Music throughout the venue?? GSEC getting music across show rings and entire facility
Microphone to judge for young horse classes
7:45 PM Special Events – Ashley
See Education below Plan was to have TD do a session
Going over rules behind showing and what to expect, bridles/bits and equipment, and roles of volunteers and specifically what they do, Ashley making a flyer (they must be present to win) of possible prizes for raffle (weekend tack stall, weekend stall, $50 gift card to Amazon or Specs, etc)
Julia do a blast for email to competitors 24 th - Reached out to Arlene to see if she would be willing to host a conversation– at end of rides on Saturday, something starting around 4 –Happy Hour beginning at 3:30, session begins at 4 - using room upstairs at GSEC for this event, or by warm up for main arena (C barn)
Getting cheese plate, fruit plate and wine for attendees - really nice plate made at HEB Ashley order food, pickup local
7:55 PM Schooling Shows – Dawn Morris
Shortage of shows and riders
Snowdonia – has not sent scores yet from schooling show, Fran on the books for a schooling show (Sept 14) and one at New Horizons
Schooling Show Championships – may be a split of eventing, classical and western – more eventing and western potentially
Not sure if there will be enough for a Schooling Championship show, numbers are still being tallied and reported
Consider contacting Granger Durdin (Magic Moments), Alison MacDonald (MacDonald Dressage), and Michelle Frank (FnS Dressage), maybe Jane Lloyd (Snowdonia SH Complex) for potential additional schooling show hosts
Maybe offer planning help as an incentive, send HP medals to schooling show champions at the schooling shows that are HDS recognized
8:00 PM Publications and Media – Fran and Flo
Fran – proofreading going great with Noel and the newsletter, came out on July 31 Maybe post asking for possible schooling show hosts
Asking for barns, trainers etc to add items to newsletter
8:10 PM Juniors –Cate Schmidt
3 rd and 4 th place for our Jr and Yr at NAYC Full team for Juniors, combined team for YR
8:15 PM Awards – Trish
Creative ideas – bag stuffers?
Emory boards, cards, more ideas!!!
Plastic cups – the color changing cups!!
Glasses vs. other glasses……..GLASS COFFEE CUPS!, maybe mugs or stemmed glassware, tea cups/saucers
Unmounted awards – Character of a Champion
Year End Awards ideas!
Judges bags
Electronic whistles
Bells
Cash awards
8:25 PM Education - Sarah
Plans for function at the Laborious Day Show – see above with Ashley
8:35 PM Historian – Noell
Working on gathering minutes
Very back in storage shed on left – boxes of previous newsletters/minutes, etc in storage unit – on Mason Rd, send address to Noell
Able to help with set up, bag stuffing, etc for recognized shows
Gillian is helping set up on Friday for Labor Day show
8:40 PM Advertising/Sponsorships –
Lyndon has claimed barn C with his sponsorship money
Ashley wants across the aisle from Lyndon Patricia Hughes – wants to contribute financially to HDS, partial sponsorship for trainers lounge a few years ago, wants to assist HDS again, but needs to become HDS member – needs follow-up for financial support
8:45 PM Membership – Diane 254 total members
175 AA
48 open
31 youth
8:50 PM Volunteer Coordinator – Jody
Desperate need for volunteers – all places except scribes
Scribes are pretty covered, but need other positions
Need warm up, equipment for Saturday Gillian will be helping with runner for ring 1
8:55 PM Old/Unfinished Business
Updating by-laws – continuing updates
Report from regional meeting – HDS will be contributing towards convention Common issue across GMOs is the lack of volunteers and diminishing membership and interest
Local GMO expected to pay for event during convention, but it doesn’t need to be an expensive soiree
Microphone to judge for young horse classes
7:45 PM Special Events – Ashley
See Education below
Plan was to have TD do a session
Going over rules behind showing and what to expect, bridles/bits and equipment, and roles of volunteers and specifically what they do, Ashley making a flyer (they must be present to win) of possible prizes for raffle (weekend tack stall, weekend stall, $50 gift card to Amazon or Specs, etc)
Julia do a blast for email to competitors
Reached out to Arlene to see if she would be willing to host a conversation– at end of rides on Saturday, something starting around 4 –Happy Hour beginning at 3:30, session begins at 4 - using room upstairs at
GSEC for this event, or by warm up for main arena (C barn)
Getting cheese plate, fruit plate and wine for attendees - really nice plate made at HEB
Ashley order food, pickup local
7:55 PM Schooling Shows – Dawn Morris
Shortage of shows and riders
Snowdonia – has not sent scores yet from schooling show, Fran on the books for a schooling show, one at New Horizons
Schooling Show Championships – may be a split of eventing, classical and western – more eventing and western potentially
Not sure if there will be enough for a Schooling Championship show, numbers are still being tallied and reported
Consider contacting Granger Durdin (Magic Moments), Alison MacDonald (MacDonald Dressage), and Michelle Frank (FnS Dressage), maybe Jane Lloyd (Snowdonia SH Complex) for potential additional schooling show hosts
Maybe offer planning help as an incentive, send HP medals to schooling show champions at the schooling shows that are HDS recognized
8:00 PM Publications and Media – Fran and Flo
Fran – proofreading going great with Noel and the newsletter, came out on July 31
Maybe post asking for possible schooling show hosts
Asking for barns, trainers etc to add items to newsletter
8:10 PM Juniors –Cate Schmidt
3 rd and 4 th place for our Jr and Yr at NAYC Full team for Juniors, combined team for YR
8:15 PM Awards – Trish
Creative ideas – bag stuffers?
Emory boards, cards, more ideas!!!
Plastic cups – the color changing cups!!
Glasses vs. other glasses……..GLASS COFFEE CUPS!, maybe mugs or stemmed glassware, tea cups/saucers
Unmounted awards – Character of a Champion???
Year End Awards ideas!
Judge’s bags
Electronic whistles
Bells Cash awards
8:25 PM Education – Sarah
Plans for function at the Laborious Day Show – see above with Ashley
8:35 PM Historian – Noell
Working on gathering minutes
Very back in storage shed on left – boxes of previous newsletters/minutes, etc in storage unit – on Mason Rd, send address to Noell
Able to help with set up, bag stuffing, etc for recognized shows
Gillian is helping set up on Friday for Labor Day show
8:40 PM Advertising/Sponsorships –
Lyndon has claimed barn C with his sponsorship money Ashley wants across the aisle from Lyndon Patricia Hughes – wants to contribute financially to HDS, partial sponsorship for trainers lounge a few years ago, wants to assist HDS again, but needs to become HDS member – needs followup for financial support
8:45 PM Membership – Diane
254 total members
175 AA
48 open 31 youth
8:50 PM Volunteer Coordinator – Jody
Desperate need for volunteers – all places except scribes Scribes are covered, but need other positions
Need warm up, equipment for Saturday Gillian will be helping with runner for ring 1
8:55 PM Old/Unfinished Business
Updating by-laws – continuing updates
Report from regional meeting – HDS will be contributing towards convention Common issue across GMOs is the lack of volunteers and diminishing membership and interest
Local GMO expected to pay for event during convention, but it doesn’t need to be an expensive soiree
9:00 PM Adjourn
Jessica – motions to adjourn 9:00…. Seconded, adjourn
2024. HDS Board Members
Reprinted
Aug 19, 2015, issue
EmbraceTheSuck
WORDS BY
• Blogger Lauren Sprieser:
I judged a few schooling shows at the Quantico Marine Base stables when I first arrived in Virginia. While there I chatted with a few of the faithful Marine husbands, at the show to support their wives. I forget how we got on the subject, but one told me that there’s a saying that goes around Marine basic training: “Embrace the suck.” It’s boot camp, preparing you for life as an elite warrior—it’s going to suck. And the sooner you accept that it’s going to suck, the easier things get.
It resonated with me, not just because the idea of that many push-ups makes me blanch, but because the training of young horses up the levels is a little bit the same way. The end result is a glorious thing to behold. But in the training part, there are days that it really, really sucks.
I don’t just mean the annoying teenage phases, the ones where they decide that the application of your right leg is animal cruelty; the ones where they decide they are not going into that corner of the arena/the trailer/the wash stall; the ones where, even though you have been through it a thousand times, the half-halt still doesn’t work on the thousand-and-first.
These phases suck too. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had The Talk with young horses, my own or clients’. The Talk goes something like this: I am putting my leg on, and you are going forward. If you go forward, yes, you will have to work hard, but that is the only way my leg is coming off. You are welcome to tell me you don’t like it, but I will not take my leg off. You are welcome to kick, buck, slow down, pin your ears, swish your tail, gnash your teeth, lean into my leg (my favorite), lean into the wall or stop, but I will not take my leg off. The sooner you grasp this, the quicker your ride will end, and you will get a cookie. And no matter how big a dirtbag you are, it is going to be this way until the day you retire, so the sooner you accept this, the sooner you will get a nice amateur lady who will give you cookies and supplements and acupuncture.
Yes, going through all that sucks. But even once you’re on the other side of the teenage nonsense, there are still going to be stages of Ugly Mess that are completely and totally normal. Even on the most emotionally uncomplicated, physically capable and talented horses I’ve ever ridden, the introduction of the flying change turns them inside out. They get itchy and trigger-happy. They can’t counter-canter, they can’t turn, you can’t touch them.
The introduction of piaffe makes walking, trotting, half halting and gesticulating with your whip impossible for weeks, sometimes months, after. Learning the ones sends the twos, threes, fours and sometimes even trotting into the garbage. These phases make everything a disaster until, one day, it’s not.
The same is true for riders. Learning to sit the trot really, truly, sit the trot, not just ENDURING the sitting trot but RIDING it will make you sore. You’ll grip with your lower leg and your horse will surge off; then you’ll grip with your thigh and your horse will stop; and then you’ll try not to grip at all and you’ll bounce all over the place.
When you prepare to go down the centerline for your first-ever dressage test, or your first FEI test, or for your first Grand Prix test, your frontal lobe will beat a hasty retreat and be taken over by your reptilian brain, which was not paying attention during any of your lessons, and you will make mistakes you’ve never ever made in your whole life.
It will, in short, suck. And it’ll all be OK. Because there’s a time in the life of everything that works when it doesn’t work. What I wish I’d known as I began my journey of making Grand Prix horses was that the right reaction to those moments of great suckitude is to take a deep breath and ride on, not to change the path or the plan.
While yes, insanity is defined as doing the same thing over and over expecting a different result, the truth is that much of training both horses and riders is pressing on, soldiering through the quagmire until the student is physically and emotionally ready to do it right, and that virtually no mastery comes in one, or two, or even a handful of rides.
The process takes as long as it takes, with lots of yuck in the middle. And that is exactly the way it’s supposed to be. Embrace it.
Lauren Sprieser is a USDF gold, silver and bronze medalist with distinction making horses and riders to FEI from her farm in Marshall, Virginia. She’s currently developing The Elvis Syndicate’s C. Cadeau, Clearwater Farm Partners’ Tjornelys Solution, as well as her own string of young horses, with hopes of one day representing the United States in team competition. Follow her on Facebook and Instagram, and read her book on horse syndication, “Strength In Numbers.”
SprieserSporthorse.com
Lauren Sprieser on Facebook
HDS Laborious Day Show
Another hot August Labor, (non Labor) Day Show is now history. Aug 24-25, a somewhat smaller show than previous years, was nevertheless appreciated by those brave warm weather competitors!!
Carola Ammer Stay Cool
Leah Leah Stephens Herodes
(Inset) John Mason Splendido
Laney Sebree Captain Z
Jeslyn Hipwell She’s Nothing Fancy
Marcella Pinel Dark Shadows Avalon
HDS Laborious Day Dressage
Champion 69 286 2023 USEF SECOND LEVEL, TEST1 Amateur 109 DARK SHADOWS D AVALON MARCELLAPINELL
Thanks to the coordination of Sarah Denham and Jody Lynn DeStefanis, HDS was able offer second educational event of the year. (The first being the lecture with Sabine Shut-Kery).
Using the opportunity at the Laborious Day Dressage Show, Sarah and Jody organized a lecture/ question and answer session with technical delegate Arlene Gaitlen. Arlene offered insight and explanation of various dressage rules along with new rule changes. Particularly helpful was the emphasis on equipment and bits. Discussion included various rule differences in National (USEF) shows, and International (FEI) shows. One rule that changed is wearing spurs for FEI tests. The FEI changed its spur rule, but USEF hadn’t followed. That all rectifies Sept 1, 2024, when it becomes optional to wear spurs in FEI tests at the National shows. Another big difference is with clipping whiskers. The FEI made it illegal, but USEF does NOT deem clipping whiskers, etc. illegal! So, any horse in an FEI level test, at a USEF show MAY CLIP THEIR HORSES FACE!
For those that missed out on Arlene’s lecture, you can refer to “rule changes” in the USEF Rule Book.
HDS is very appreciative to Arlene for sharing her expertise with competitors. This event was well attended and look for more Club educational opportunities!!!
I feel we dressage riders sign up to develop our horses to their fullest potential — but how can we be sure we’re developing our horses in the right direction? We can’t use only competition results or progression through the levels as markers of correct development, because some horses may excel at lower levels yet never reach Grand Prix, while others may not stand out initially but become exceptional at higher levels. Dressage is about the long-term development of individual horses, and every horse can achieve remarkable progress if we change our definition of success.
BEYOND THE RIBBONS
When I think of success in developing the best version of a horse, I envision a happy and healthy animal. This is evident in their mannerisms, eyes, ears, coat, muscle development, and overall demeanor. Does the horse enjoy being with me? Are they willing and eager to work?
I also consider my influence on the horse — am I training them in a way that fosters willingness, and rewarding them appropriately? Training should be
understandable and enjoyable for the horse (even though they might naturally prefer standing under a tree).
Our goal should be to train them in a way that makes them feel good physically, balancing and gymnastically developing their bodies. Training sometimes may take longer than we anticipate. We should listen and adjust our expectations if the horse needs more time. Remember, we’re doing this for the horse’s benefit, not for our friends, ego, or kudos. Our focus should be on developing the horse to be the best it can be in the sport.
THE LONG GAME
The demands on dressage horses aren’t high-powered or fast-paced. It’s a slower developing sport compared to, say, racehorses, which need to develop blistering speed quickly and whose careers are often over by the age of five. Or cutting horses, where the intense stopping and turning take such a toll that their careers are often short-lived. In contrast, dressage horses are just getting started by age nine. It takes that long for them to learn the full spectrum of what they need to know to be a Grand Prix horse. Then, it takes another two years to become more established and comfortable with the Grand Prix movements. By the time they are around 11 or 12, they have several more years of competition ahead, potentially until they are 18 or so.
Therefore, we need to train them with a long-term perspective, ensuring they remain happy and healthy throughout their careers. Dressage work helps keep them at their best, releasing endorphins, enhancing suppleness, and building strength. I believe that dressage, done well, is great for horses.
Brett with DP Weltmieser, the horse with whom he represented Australia at the 2018 World Equestrian Games. Image by Stephen Mowbray.
GREEN FLAGS
Let’s think about the indicators that we’re doing a good job for our horse’s development. I think the way the body is developing is a good indicator of positive development, particularly coat and muscle development. After all, dressage is not only about riding but the whole management of the horse. Everything you do, from good feeding to farrier care, saddle fit and grooming is reflected in your horse’s appearance and behavior.
Consider the outcomes of your training and how that impacts the horse’s development. When riding, you should feel that you need to do less as your training progresses. The goal is to have your horse understand your aids better, requiring smaller cues over time.
If you find yourself needing to use more aids than before, this indicates a problem. It means your horse isn’t responding well enough and is becoming less sensitive to your cues, convincing you to do more while it does less.
As you progress through the levels and the exercises become more challenging, ask yourself if you are working harder or if you are effectively addressing problems through fundamental training. Ideally, you should feel that you and your horse are developing and improving, with a sense that continued work will lead to success in the coming months.
USING COMPETITION RESULTS AS GREEN FLAGS
A strong competition result, or several over time, can definitely be a green flag, but I wouldn’t use them as the sole indicator that we’re on the right track.
Understanding why you receive certain marks from judges and why some judges might not favor your style or horse is crucial. If you take the time to understand and agree with their feedback, you can address those areas, work on them, and potentially see an improvement in your scores. This can indicate that you’re on the right path.
Additionally, if you find a certain level easier than before and feel very competent, it might be time to move to the next level. Even if your scores haven’t increased significantly, feeling more confident and competent can be a sign that you’re ready to advance and are on the right track.
RED FLAGS
Behavioral issues are probably the first thing to address, and that starts with looking at the role the rider plays in the behavior. Horses respond to pressure and release. If we ride with constant pressure and the horse experiences relief only when they resist, they will explore that further. Horses prefer to be left alone, even when ridden. While it’s impossible to leave them alone entirely during dressage, our aim should be to use the minimum necessary aids. By using minimal aids and giving the horse relief when they respond correctly, we stay out of their way more, guiding them with subtle cues. The best riders create energy and responses with small aids and leave the horses alone in between. If you find yourself constantly holding the reins and kicking to keep the horse going, neither you nor the horse is enjoying the experience. That’s just constant pressure.
Developing this skill set for a rider is challenging but essential. It’s easier to hold on tightly with legs and hands than to go through all the components needed to make the horse feel great. The skill of riding involves developing your understanding and being open to improvement, giving your horse a more natural way of going that they will want to repeat.
I’ve seen riders get “results” with a more forceful style, but there can be a dead end. Horses are amazing and will give everything, even if they’re not enjoying it. However, by lightening the aids and improving your skills, you can uncover a horse that is more willing and fully developed.
This process often feels worse before it feels better, and riders may feel inadequate at first. It’s easier to hold on and push, but true progress requires taking a step back to move forward. This leads to a horse that is the best version of itself, willing and capable of advancing further in the sport.
LOOKING IN THE MIRROR
Horses are not our servants; they’re living creatures with their own thoughts and the ability to choose whether they want to do something or not. Most of the time, because they are wonderfully compliant animals, they will find a way to do what we ask, even if it’s uncomfortable for them. However, if we truly want to bring out the best in our horses and have them eager to work for many years, we need to consider how we can be better athletes ourselves.
By focusing on mutual development, horse and rider can achieve their full potential, making the journey rewarding and successful. Image by Jasper Glavanics. We must be smart in identifying strengths and weaknesses in both the horses and ourselves. This self-assessment is crucial because a horse’s weaknesses often reflect our own. To improve, we need to work on these areas, becoming stronger and more capable.
The sport itself helps create the best version of the horse, but only if we apply our knowledge and skills as riders and horse people. By focusing on mutual development, both the horse and rider can achieve their full potential, making the journey rewarding and successful.
UNLOCKING POTENTIAL
My goal is to develop each horse so that they have a certain look that reflects all the positive attributes I’ve mentioned here.
I aim to enhance each horse’s natural beauty, including their eyes, ears, neck development, body structure, and movement. There are so many nuances in how proper development impacts how a horse moves, from their fluidity and quickness off the ground to the time they spend in the air. The beauty of this approach is that each horse unlocks their potential as they go. There’s no need to compare yourself to others with “nicer” horses. That energy is better spent shaping your own training and management system in pursuit of a customized program that supports your horse in being a happy and healthy athlete for many years to come. That is success!
What if Show Nerves Could Make You Ride Better?
By MaryKay Hasseman, KPA CTP. Dressage Instructor www.lovingpresencewithhorses.com
Do you ever get a case of the nerves at almost every show, and even sometimes at clinics? If this sounds like you, you might be what I call the Disheartened Rider. You care deeply about how people see you and your horse, and that can often cause a lot of anxiety. The key to calming those nerves lies in considering your nerves a positive, not a negative.
If you get nervous at shows, you probably experience things like:
• Making more frequent trips to the restroom than you do at home.
• Feeling queasy with butterflies in your stomach.
• Scouting out the location of the restroom as soon as you arrive.
• Feeling like your heart is in your mouth.
• To manage these nerves, you might find yourself:
• Giving yourself a pep talk.
• Doing some deep breathing here and there.
• Taking Imodium and/or anti-anxiety medication.
The key to calming nervous anxiety at a show lies in transforming those nerves into a strength, not a weakness. Once you know how, nerves can be your signal to connect more deeply with your horse, which almost always eases anxiety. And boosts performance. The secret isn’t just in your head it’s in your heart and your bond with your horse. That’s where true confidence lies—not in perfection, but in presence. Let your horse be your anchor, and see your connection become the foundation for a performance that truly shines.
Here’s how to soothe your nerves (and tummy) and transform them into strength:
• Tune into Your Inner “Why”: Reflect on why you love having a horse, the passion that brought you and your horse together and what brought you to this moment. Let your “why” of having a horse calm your nerves.
• Be in the Present Moment: To help you focus on what’s happening right now, rather than worrying about what could go wrong, pause in a quiet place like your vehicle or horse trailer, somewhere where you are unlikely to be disturbed. Set a timer for 1-3 minutes and set aside this quiet time for yourself. Stand or sit and be still, even if your heart is racing or you feel an urge to hurry and do the next thing. Don’t act on your urge to do the next thing. This is the next thing. You don’t have to do anything until the timer goes off. This quiet time allows you to ground and center yourself.
• Connect with Your Horse: Spend some quiet time with your horse before your ride. Be together and do nothing. This connection will ground you both. If there’s a place for your horse to graze, be with them without chatting with a friend or using your cell phone. For a free video of a breathing exercise, you can do on your horse to help calm your nerves, email me marykaydressage@gmail.com and use the title “Calm my nerves.” It’s a simple yet powerful way to find your center and ride with confidence.
Sonesta Farm is a full service dressage training facility. Located in Cypress, Texas, just 26 miles northwest of downtown Houston. Offering large, roomy stalls in insulated barns and daily turnout. Also, hot water wash racks and tack rooms. There is a 20m x 60m outdoor sand arena and 20m covered round pen. Open to clients 7 days a week!
Gina Collier is the dressage trainer and coach at all levels. She is an FEI rider and trainer who has earned her USDF Bronze & Silver medals. Also a Certified Riding Instructor with a Riding Master III from the world-renowned Meredith Manor International Equestrian Center. Gina is well-equipped to help horses and riders at all levels –from total beginners through the top levels of dressage. Her students love her for her positive and encouraging attitude that has them quickly moving up the levels with confidence and flair. The horses love her for her kind hand and understanding ways. Come see what she can do for you and your horse! Lesson horses available.
• Magnolia contact Fran Kehr, Windy Knoll Farm www.windyknolldressage.com or franwkf@gmail.com
Tack/Riding Attire for Sale:
Ladies’ tall custom black LM dressage boots with loose fitted ankles and back zippers. Size: 9.5 US. Outside height: 21" Inside height: 18". Calf: 15" Ankle: 12.25"
Sole length: 11.25" Extremely comfortable, no break-in needed. Patent shafts with Swarovski crystals outside top rims. Worn once, not tall enough for my liking. Paid $1300. Asking $750.
• Dressage Saddles for Sale: Contact Sandy Venneman vennemansandy@gmail.com Marschall Special II medium tree 17.5" seat $650
• Crosby medium tree 17.5" seat
$650 Schleese wide tree 18" seat $1200
Misc. Equipment
• Pixem Robotic Camera: contact Catherine Hall cmh@satx.rr.com Complete system, like new $800
• Apple Computer 12” Retina Macbook. Excellent Condition 512k storage; $350.00 GREAT DEAL!!! Super lightweight. Contact Fran 713-703-9433. franwkf@gmail.com
GOOD NEWS FOR MICHAEL BARISONE
Reprinted From Lara Osborne’s Facebook Page
Updates (59)
Yesterday by Lara Osborne, Organizer
Hi everyone!
I want to give everyone the latest update on Michael. Yesterday, Friday August 30, 2024, was the second part of the Krol hearing that took place July 16, 2024, (see my previous update). Both the prosecution and the defense argued their position, and in the end Judge Taylor agreed to release Michael to Florida! After 5 long years Michael will finally get to come home! He will get to see his dog and horses, as well as many loved ones and friends! We are so happy and looking forward to putting our lives back together. There will be another Krol hearing February 4, 2025, and we will of course be requesting a full, unconditional release and removal from Krol status. In the meantime, we have lots of work to do at the farm, with the tack shop, and the continuing case with SafeSport. Every step gets us closer to ending this nightmare, but we still have more to do.
Here is the link to Nancy Jaffer’s article regarding the hearing yesterday if anyone wants to read it.
