July 2018 YourDressage

YourDressage

July 2018

A United States Dressage Federation Publication

The USDF Regional Adult Amateur Equitation Program gave Kristina Huff the opportunity to improve her riding

Welcome to Your Wonderful World of Dressage YourDressage is compiled by the United States Dressage Federation, written by participants from throughout the dressage community. The articles in this publication are submitted by people like you to share and be shared by all. Experience their stories as they navigate through the wonderful world of dressage and become friends with your dressage community.

It’s YourDressage, be part of it! If you would like to submit your story see the last page of this publication.

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What to See Inside Departments saddle sores: Heart of Steele Cara Blanchard Kolbourne lost her heart horse Jordan, but with the help of another horse she calls Steele she started a new story.

YOUNG & INSPIRED: D4K: I Salute Yout!

Tessa Holloran is only thirteen years old but has spent more than half her life involved with Dressage4Kids. She tells us of her many experiences with this wonderful youth program. my time to ride: In Pursuit of the Perfect Seat Mary Robinson wanted to improve her riding. She found the perfect way to help accomplish it with the USDF Regional Adult Amateur Equitation Program.

Heard ARound the Arena: Show Season is in Full Swing Between qualifying for regional championships and other shows we take a look at what the dressage community is sharing on social media.

GMO SPOTLIGHT: Equestrians Institute (EI) Take a look at this group member organization.

USDF flashback: Major Robert Borg After a very storied history in the world of dressage, Major Robert Borg, continued to contribute even after losing the use of his legs by teaching and training.

Cover story Equitation Goals

Kristina Huff made qualifying to compete in the her USDF Adult Amateur Equitation Regional Final Class one of her top show season goals July 2018 Z YOURDRESSAGE

saddle sores

Heart of Steele

By Cara Blanchard Kilbourne

W

hen I was a little girl, I fell in love with the Arabian horse and the beautiful art and sport of dressage. My first show horse, a Half-Arabian named Aire Jordan+//, and I learned dressage together and “climbed the ladder” all the way to Grand Prix. Together, we earned several national and regional titles, as well as my USDF Bronze and Silver Medals, and 3/4 of my Gold.

This passion, dedication, and determination paved the way for my career as a dressage trainer and instructor. The year I turned twenty brought along the birth of Cara Blanchard Training, Inc., and it was then that I vowed never to fall in love with a client’s horse.

Less than two years later, in January 2007, I got the phone call to train a 4½-year-old Arabian stallion, SoHos Southwind++/ Cara and Steele Photo by Harry Furey

(“Steele”). It was love at first sight and I fell hard… so hard that, the following year, I bred my mare to him. He was like a fairy tale - the Arabian I’d dreamed of my entire life, and one of the most gorgeous horses I’d ever seen. Over the five years that he was a client horse, I did my best to keep him at arm’s distance. Having a son of his was a blessing enough.

My birthday marks the anniversary of the phone call that changed my life forever. The familiar voice on the other end asked, “Do you have any interest in Steele?” I hesitantly said, “Yes, I’ve always had an interest in Steele. What do you mean?”

“Well, he loves you, and you love him. We all know that, so we want him to be yours.”

And so he was, unintentionally, a birthday gift.

One hundred days later was the worst day of my life. My heart horse, Jordan, left this earth and a giant hole in my heart. Losing the horse that you grew up with, the one that was the foundaJuly 2018 Z YOURDRESSAGE

saddle sores

tion of everything that has made you who you are, is like losing a spouse- you never get over it.

You experience, slowly, all of the stages of grief. Overwhelming sadness is the hardest struggle of them all.

Steele saved me. He was my motivation to get through the worst days, to get through every day. He was my reason to get out of bed every morning and ride.

There are always goals to be accomplished, including the fraction left of my Gold Medal that Jordan left behind for us to earn.

That is the fire pushing Steele and I to work hard together - to be stronger, wiser, and the best team we can be to achieve our many goals. Steele has shown me that he loves me just as Jordan did.

He’s happy to work and loves the one-on-one time that we spend together. We have a palpable bond. Steele has taught me how to live again, to set goals again, be proud of every small victory, and cherish every nicker, every ride, every rainy day in the barn, July 2018 Z YOURDRESSAGE

saddle sores

listening to my “kids” munch on hay. It’s the simple things, and I’m forever grateful. He’s taught me that if you’re lucky enough to have a heart horse, and feel the adoration of such a giant soul, you’re lucky enough. But should you have more than one equine soul mate in a lifetime, you’re truly beyond blessed.

Among his many accomplishments, in 2017 Steele was USEF Horse of the Year Arabian National [and Region 12] Champion FEI Dressage Combined Levels.

My fairy tale gift horse mended my broken heart, garnered a huge National Championship and made his Grand Prix debut in June 2018 – earning the last score for my Gold Medal! And that is just the beginning of our story.

Photo by Harry Furey

July 2018 Z YOURDRESSAGE

YOUNG & INSPIRED

D4K: I Salute You!

By Tessa Holloran

M

y name is Tessa Holloran and, although I am only thirteen years old, I have spent more than half my life involved with Dressage4Kids (D4K). If you don’t know, D4K was started by two-time Olympian Lendon Gray with a mission “to encourage riders under 21 to become true horsemen; to offer scholarships; to develop good sportsmanship; to support programs for adults who in turn educate youth; and to have fun.”

D4K is helping to develop riders. I think, in many ways, it is responsible for the future of dressage, just as it is responsible for me. Here is a little bit of how I’ve spent my years as part of D4K programs, and my personal tribute to this fantastic organization.

It all started with the Weekend Educational Program (WEP)…

When I was about six years old, I went to my first D4K

Tessa with her sister Ella getting ready for YDF with Miss K

Weekend Educational event, in Connecticut. This is an indoor weekend of classroom teaching, and roundtable discussions for trainers and parents. This was my introduction to Dressage4Kids.

Susan Sieber runs this every year and made sure I was set up in the “little kids program”. Every year, I went to all the keynote speakers and my sister and I picked out the classes we wanted to do, while my mom went off on her own. The huge horse skeleton was always fun to look at. As I got older, I started to see just how special the keynote speakers were! It was about way more than dressage- it was about care, grooming, trailering, floating teeth, fixing tricky hooves, and lots of inspiration. ​ Then we headed to Lendon’s Youth Dressage Festival (YDF)…

It was actually at WEP that we learned about the Festival, during one of the sessions. This is the flagship event of Dressage4Kids that started in 1999. The festival July 2018 Z YOURDRESSAGE

YOUNG & INSPIRED

is a giant show (one year, there was more than 300 riders!), with three-phases of competition: a written test, an individual dressage test, and a group equitation ride. In 2013, when I was nine, we went for our first time at HITS, in Saugerties, NY. It was the furthest we had traveled to a show, the furthest my mom had ever driven the trailer, and the first time we did overnight stabling. Miss K and I placed third, and got a bronze medal for our division, and they always have an awards ceremony which is fun to be part of. When we went back the next year, I stepped out of the arena and finished last in my division. It was a tough lesson that I will never forget. I still remember Lendon making a joke at the dinner about those who thought it was a jumping competition. In 2015, I had moved up to my mare, Beau, and we were the Overall Champion of the show, it was one of the most memorable times of my life. As At the 2017 Youth Dressage Festival

the winner, I was invited to that fall’s Central Park Horseshow, where I attended a meet and greet with Charlotte Dujardin, and had a front row seat to her masters class. Last year, Beau and I were Champion for the FEI Childrens Division and earned bronze in my Second Level Division. While it can seem overwhelming at first, everyone is so nice. This will be our sixth trip, and now we try to help the newer people figure everything out and feel less nervous.

Next up was TEAM- Training, Education and Mentoring…

I’m also a TEAM member, and clinic regularly with Lendon throughout the northeast. I’ve gone to Rhode Island, Maine, and New Hampshire, but Lendon travels nationwide to offer these clinics. They are now adding more guest instructors, in order to offer more dates. The TEAM schedule has lectures, lessons, quizzes, and sometimes fitness.

You also have to braid and wrap July 2018 Z YOURDRESSAGE

YOUNG & INSPIRED

until you pass! At every clinic, you revisit your long- and shortterm goals, and spend hours auditing the other lessons.

And then there was the Winter Intensive Training (WIT) Program…

I attended the WIT Program in 2017 and 2018. Everyone calls us “WITees” because it’s easier.

This is an unbelievable program, sponsored by Kim van Kampen, at Hampton Green Farm, in Wellington, FL. It requires a lot of hard work and gives attendees amazing opportunities to meet the very top names in dressage, audit fantastic trainers, and even watch international Olympians at the Global Dressage Festival. It involves fitness, self-care for your horse, lessons five days a week, lectures, field trips, written tests, and volunteering. I made a lot of wonderful friends during WIT, and we spent about twelve hours a day together. We get to know each 2018 WIT lesson with Tigger and Lendon Gray

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YOUNG & INSPIRED

other really well! Lendon has everyone interview someone during the program and, thanks to D4K, I got to meet with Laura Graves and Alison Brock! The experience is unlike anything out there. ​ My first Courtney KingDye Horsemanship Clinic…

I had a great experience at the 2017 Courtney King-Dye clinic, held at Hassler Dressage, in Maryland. There were so many familiar faces, and I couldn’t have asked for a better group of girls to spend my week with. I chose to clinic with Alison Brock and Scott Hassler, and they were amazing. That week consisted of some of the best lessons I have ever had, and I still use the exercises in my rides today.

In addition to lessons, we audited the other rides, attended lectures, and had field trips. We also bunk together, with the other riders, and have a big sleepover, which was really fun. ​ Tessa with Alison Brock at Courtney King-Dye Clinic

And there are Scholarships…

D4K also offers scholarships, and I have been fortunate to receive two awards to further my training. The first award was used toward a week of Junior Dressage Camp with Nancy Later. The second award was used toward the Courtney King-Dye Horsemanship Clinic. D4K is very generous and does not make it super complicated to apply. ​ The D4K Way… One of the reasons D4K is so successful is because people give back. Lendon teaches everyone how important it is to use what you know, and what you have been given, to help others. So many people, who have gone through the program long before me, are always returning to help the next generation. And others give because they believe in the program. In that spirit, over the years, my family and I have organized fundraisers toward the scholarship fund. I hope the total will soon get close to $3,000.

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YOUNG & INSPIRED

I plan to stay involved with D4K until I age out, and then I hope to have time to go back and volunteer.

We’ve teamed up with Noble Outfitters to help you Start the show season in style.

Thank you…

I feel very grateful to be part of Dressage4Kids. If some of my story sounds like a fairytale, it’s because sometimes it feels like it! I have now met, audited, and learned from (even ridden with a few) fourteen Olympians from the US team and other countries, Lendon coached me when I showed at Global and Nationals, and I spent two winters at Hampton Green Farm. I never dreamed I would have so many special experiences, but it was all possible because of D4K, and the dedication of Lendon Gray, so many volunteers, and very generous sponsors.

Thank you D4K, Lendon, and all the volunteers who make it all work, event after event, year after year. Congratulations on your 20th Anniversary D4K, I salute you!

Tessa and Beau

Shop the USDF online store for exclusive USDF/ Noble Outfitters gear.

usdf.org/store July 2018 Z YOURDRESSAGE

my time to ride

In Pursuit of the Perfect Seat

By Mary Robinson

I

started showing at First Level at the end of 2017, so I jumped at the opportunity to try a Dressage Seat Equitation class this year.

I’m the epitome of what being an adult amateur means, and didn’t even know what dressage was a decade ago, when I started taking lessons. Riding with my various body parts in the correct position takes concentration on my part, pretty much all of the time.

No sooner do I get one body part wrangled into place, then another ends up askew. I know that any seat or body position flaws I have will impact my ability to perform well at the higher levels, even if my mare and I can compensate for them at Training and First Level. I’m truly interested in having any problem areas identified and had already asked my trainer, Erika-West Danque Nece, to be picky about my position during my lessons. It is a really good thing that I don’t owe her a nickel for every time she has to remind

me where my knees should be, otherwise she would be rich enough to retire from giving lessons!

The Dressage Seat Equitation Program came along at a good time for me, and I’m truly glad that it’s now open to adult amateurs. It may feel daunting to be in the ring without knowing exactly what you’re going to have to do, whether you are in the class alone (which I’ve seen more often than not) or if you actually have another rider or two in there with you. I tried to imagine that I was in a lesson, rather than showing.

When I went into the ring for my first Adult Amateur Dressage Seat Equitation class, I didn’t feel nervous the way I normally do when trying something for the first time. Instead, I felt relieved – relieved that after doing two other tests that day, I didn’t have to remember a test pattern! Being a bit “Type A,” I typically review the test I’m riding over and over again in my mind, even if I know I’ll have a caller. I had searched July 2018 Z YOURDRESSAGE

my time to ride

the web for what the judge might ask me to do, and thought that I had everything covered. Two factors allowed me to take a deep breath and relax in the moment: I had already shown a couple of times that day, plus I was doing the class to learn what the judges were really thinking when they saw me ride, not to obtain a particular score.

I went into the ring and started following the judge’s instructions. Medium walk in both directions, got it. Rising trot, no problem. Sitting trot across the diagonal? Hmmm, I don’t do much sitting trot yet, but figured my mare, CSF Micaela (Lola), was a bit tired from the day’s showing and would do a nice little working trot, only to be surprised when she picked up a lovely medium trot, with me bouncing along on her back. I found out later that my trainer had been working on this very thing with Lola during her training rides. We had a good laugh over how much Lola had taken her lessons to heart!

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my time to ride

Throughout the ride, Erika’s voice played in my head, “Check where your knees are every couple of strides,” and “Sit up tall in the transition from canter to trot,” which got me through the class. I had a smile on my face the entire time because I was enjoying the experience! I was one of the last, if not the last, to ride that night and my entire team was able to watch and cheer me on. Aside from our little trotting

blip, Lola and I had a good ride and ended up qualifying for the new USDF Adult Amateur Equitation Regional Final Class, with a score of 71%.

The judge was straightforward with her comments, but also kind in the way that she spoke to me. I felt that I had gained some good insight about how I have been presenting myself to the judges, in addition to what I have already been working on to make that

picture better. As I haven’t been involved in show management or scribing, I don’t get the chance to speak directly to the judges.

Participating in the Dressage Seat Equitation class went a long way toward de-mystifying the judge’s thought process for me.

If another adult amateur mentions to me that they are on the fence about doing a Dressage Seat Equitation class, I would tell them how it benefitted me and definitely encourage them to give it a try.

You get to hear comments directly from the judge. The movements called for in the class align nicely with the purposes of both Training and First Level tests. You may even get a bit of a challenge if you are asked to do a movement that you don’t practice often. Now, with that in mind, I’m off to practice my sitting trot!

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eTRAK Extra

Listen to Alison Head explain Dressage Seat Equitation.

@USDF July 2018 Z YOURDRESSAGE

Equitation Goals

by Kristina Huff

Photo by Christine Stephenson

July 2018 Z YOURDRESSAGE

W

hen I first heard about the new USDF Regional Adult Amateur Equitation Program, I instantly knew I would make competing in a final class one of my goals for the 2018 show season. The Dressage Seat Equitation classes only judge the rider, and are designed to promote correct seat, position, and use of the aids in dressage.

When I brought up the idea with my trainer, Christine Stephenson, she thought it was a great opportunity. She had previously described the Dressage Seat Equitation classes to me as a mini clinic, where the judge would have a discussion with you about what you did well and what you should work on in the future. She also said that it was particularly helpful because you could take the tips the judge gave you in the equitation class and apply them to your tests, to help you achieve a better score. I love taking advantage of any opportunity to

learn, and I had honestly been a little jealous of the youth because, up until now, they were the only ones that got to the opportunity to learn straight from the judges at competitions.

For the first show of our season, I made sure to pick one that offered an Adult Amateur Equitation Class. It ended up being the very last class of the day, which I was secretly grateful for because I can get a little nervous trying something new in front of an audience. It was just me and one other woman in the class, so the judge had us use only half of the ring, while she watched us from C. The judge had us walk, trot (both sitting and rising), and canter both directions; it reminded me a lot of the Equitation on the Flat classes I had done as a junior during my years in Hunter/Jumper land. As we went around, I focused on keeping my leg at the girth and my shoulders back. My muscle memory also July 2018 Z YOURDRESSAGE

remembered our time in Hunter/ Jumper land, so I often gave in to the urge to lean forward for the canter transitions, rather than sitting back and staying out of my horse’s way.

When the judge called us into the middle to talk, I held my breath. She hadn’t made many comments on my position on my previous tests, so I wasn’t sure what she was thinking about me now. The first thing she did was give both of us the comments she had. She told me that I had great following hips in the trot and canter, but I needed to follow better in the walk. She then told the other woman in the class that she had good basics, but she needed to work on being more relaxed when her horse got tense, to help her horse work through the tension. She then placed the class, placing myself in first and the other woman in second.

It was nice to get different comments than ones I usually got on dressage tests, as this class gave the judge the opportunity July 2018 Z YOURDRESSAGE

to focus more on my riding, as the standards for the class dictate that the judges only consider the performance of the horse as it relates to the rider’s seat and aids.

However, I was still nervous because the judge didn’t tell us our scores in the ring. I would have to wait until they were posted to see if I had earned a qualifying score of 70% or higher. I was thrilled to find out I had scored a 73% and would be eligible to compete in the USDF Adult Amateur Equitation Regional Final Class.

On my dressage journey, my equitation has always been something I focused on; not just because I want to be a pretty rider, but because my horse Maxwell is a draft cross. This means that, even though he tries his hardest, he cannot cover up my short comings with flashy gaits.

If I want to get a good score on a movement, I have to be there to support him with a correct seat, position, and use of my aids. He would never be able to collect the canter enough to execute the ser-

pentine from the third test from Second Level, if I was still riding with my hands so low I could hit my knee. Therefore, I am super excited that USDF has given us an opportunity to be recognized for working to be the best possible partners for our horses, through the Regional Adult Amateur Equitation Program. I hope to see you all there!

eTRAK Extra

Learn more about dressage-seat equitation in the September 2011 issue of USDF Connection.

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Heard around the arena

What interesting or fun thing have you heard lately? Send it to us using #aroundthearena

Show season is in full swing and among other things people are qualifying for regional championships.

July 2018 Z YOURDRESSAGE

Heard around the arena

What interesting or fun thing have you heard lately? Send it to us using #aroundthearena

Show season is in full swing and people are posting their show ring pictures

July 2018 Z YOURDRESSAGE

GMO SPOTLIGHT

Tell us about your GMO. #GMOSpotlight

Equestrians Institute (EI) Group Member Organizations (GMOs) are the foundation of USDF and integral in bringing dressage and dressage education to the masses.

Stay connected with your local dressage community and support dressage at the local level by joining a GMO in your area today!

USDF GMO Established: 1974 Locality: Region 6, Washington Website: www.einw.org How many members does your GMO have annually, on average?

275 members Tell us about your GMO. Equestrians Institute (EI) is a nonprofit member organization with four decades of experience managing equestrian events in the Pacific Northwest. EI provides educational and competitive opportunities in Dressage, Eventing, Driving, and Sporthorse Breeding. As a volunteer-run organization, EI encourages camaraderie, support, and skill development.

EI is governed by an elected Board of Directors, and work is coordinated across multiple committees. The Dressage, Eventing, Driving, and Sport Horse Breeding Divisions are independently responsible for managing activities to promote their respective pursuits. Bookkeeping, membership, insurance, information technology, and grants are managed centrally and overseen by the Board. The Board includes representation from each Division.

EI is partnered with national organizations in each discipline.

• Alliance Partner #200 United States Equestrian Federation (USEF).

• Group Member Organization (GMO) #601 United States Dressage Federation (USDF).

• Affiliate Member of the United States Eventing Association (USEA).

• Club Member of the American Driving Society (ADS).

Equestrians Institute was incorporated as a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization in the State of Washington in 1974. Donations to EI are tax-deductible.

Does your GMO offer unique classes or activities that cater to youth, adult amateurs, or professionals? If so, please provide a brief description.

During the calendar year, EI runs 20-25 events. For dressage, EI offers USDF-recognized dressage show competitions and educational opportunities, like schooling shows and scribing clinics. For eventing, EI runs USEA-sanctioned Horse Trials, Hunter-Pace clinics, and cross-country clinics. For driving, EI holds beginning driving clinics, CDE schooling weekends, ADS-recognized Combined Driving Events, TREC events, and Driving Trials.

EI also offers programs of general appeal, including cross-discipline clinics, educational grants, social events, and fundraisers.

Volunteers are honored and celebrated with gifts and prizes, and competition riders vie for trophies, ribbons, and certificates through demonstrated achievement in their sport.

July 2018 Z YOURDRESSAGE

S AV E T H E D AT E !

What type of educational events does your GMO offer?

With its main mission of education, EI offers events and activities in all four divisions.

In support, each Division of EI (Dressage, Eventing, Driving, and Sport Horse Breeding) offers annual educational grants to EI members.

Grant money is used for educational purposes such as clinics, seminars, symposia, and lectures.

Grant money may also be used for travel costs to attend the annual meetings of equestrian organizations such as USDF, USEA, USEF, or ADS. Grant money is not for competitive endeavors.

In the case of equally qualified applicants, preference will be given to applicants under eighteen years old.

What type of “fun” events does your GMO offer?

EI is unique in its blend and balance of disciplines. A poker ride finds not only cross country riders, but drivers, young horses learning about new experiences,

and dressage horses enjoying a wide-world hack. A TREC may be ridden or driven, a meld of orienteering, easy obstacle games, timing and control of paces. Driving Division hosts its "Everything but the Kitchen Sink Weekend," combining open schooling, lessons with renowned trainers, dressage festival, driving derby, and a one-day driving trial.

Additional Comments EI strives to keep members informed with accurate and timely information about equestrian events, activities, and news.

As part of the 'Go Green' initiative launched in 2007, EI has dramatically reduced paper use and mailing costs by using electronic communication whenever feasible. EI maintains an active website, Facebook page (Equestrians Institute), and Twitter account (ei_tweets). Mass e-mail notifications to members ("e-Flashes") are periodically sent when needed. EI maintains a "do-not-e-mail" list with people

who have expressed a desire not to receive e-mail from EI. EI has ongoing column space in the monthly printed publication Flying Changes. Each Division provides written content for the column. A sidebar of contact information and an ongoing event calendar are kept current.

As a USDF GMO, members receive the USDF Connection magazine with articles of interest to dressage riders in particular and all horse-persons in general.

And now, we get to add EI to the national scene via the GMO Spotlight in the digital publication YourDressage!

2018 Adequan®/USDF Annual Convention November 28-December 1 Salt Lake Marriott Downtown at City Creek Salt Lake City, UT

eTRAK Extra

Read an article about the GMO clubs that launched USDF in the November 2013 issue of USDF Connection

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USDF FLASHBACK

Major Robert Borg Reprinted from the July/August 2016 USDF Connection magazine.

Written by Kim Sodt

B

orn in the Philippines in 1913, Robert Borg started life on a plantation. His father, the plantation manager, served in the Spanish cavalry.

When Borg was a young boy, his family moved to the US, settling on a ranch in Oregon. There he played real-life games of “cowboys and Indians,” rounding up wild horses aided by residents of the nearby Warm Springs Indian Reservation. The boy’s interest in horses was kindled, and soon he began breaking and training.

Unable to purchase a ticket to the 1932 Olympic dressage competition in Los Angeles, Borg, now 19, watched team and individual bronze medalist Col. Hiram Tuttle and the other riders warm up their mounts.

Afterward he began searching out books on dressage and teaching his own horse the movements.

Eight years later, Tuttle gave a

Grand Prix-level dressage exhibition in Oregon as part of a tour.

Borg was in the audience and approached the Olympian after the show, inviting him to visit his family’s farm to evaluate his horse and his riding. Tuttle accepted and was reportedly surprised at the pair’s advanced level. The two men became friends, and Tuttle encouraged Borg to pursue his dream of becoming a cavalry equitation instructor.

When World War II broke out, Borg enlisted in the Army.

He holds the distinction of being the last enlisted man ever assigned to the mounted US cavalry. In 1943, he was assigned to Fort Riley in Kansas as a horsemanship instructor. He went on to serve in New Guinea and to command the last active horse troop in the European theater, patrolling the Russian border.

After the war, then-Lieutenant Borg was assigned to train horses and riders for the 1948 Olympics in London. The US team captured our nation’s first-ever Olympic July 2018 Z YOURDRESSAGE

USDF FLASHBACK

silver medal in dressage, and Borg himself placed fourth individually riding his chestnut, Klingsor. The 1948 squad was the last US Army Olympic team, and its silver medal remains the highest-ever placing of a US Olympic dressage team.

Two years later, Borg, now a major, was back at Fort Riley, training dressage and eventing horses and riders for the newly formed United States Equestrian Team. He coached the US competitors at the 1952 Helsinki Olympics and again competed himself, placing sixth individually with his horse Bill Biddle, who was later named to The Chronicle of the Horse’s Equine Hall of Fame. The US three-day eventing team won bronze at that Games.

At the 1955 Pan American Games, Borg rode Bill Biddle to an individual dressage silver medal and coached student Walter Staley to an individual gold medal in eventing. At the 1956 Olympic Games in Stockholm, Borg once Borg with President Truman

July 2018 Z YOURDRESSAGE

USDF FLASHBACK

again coached the US team and rode Bill Biddle in the dressage competition. He remains perhaps the only equestrian in history who has both coached and ridden on the same Olympic team.

Besides Tuttle, Borg cited the German master Otto Loerke—trainer of Kronos, the 1936 Olympic dressage gold medalist—as his other major influence in dressage. As he recounted in the February 1973 Dressage & CT interview “Inside the Black Top Hat,” he met Loerke in 1948 during a pre-Olympic Games training trip. At the famed Westfalen breeding farm Gestüt Vornholz, “I had the good fortune to meet and work with a man whom I considered to be a very good, strong, and capable trainer— probably one of the very best.”

Borg called Loerke “not exactly the most popular man. He was very serious and severe in his training methods; that is, he did Maj. Robert Borg and the US Army Olympic team mount Reno Overdo show off their extended trot in an undated photo

July 2018 Z YOURDRESSAGE

USDF Store train horses. He designed a rotating circular platform from which he could work horses in hand.

Installed in his “round table,” Borg went on to train more than 600 horses at Red Bob Farm. He continued to teach and train until his death in 2005 at the age of 91.

In 1999, Major Borg was one of the inaugural recipients of the American Horse Shows Association’s (now USEF) Pegasus Medal of Honor. He was inducted into the Roemer Foundation/USDF Hall of Fame in 2003.

Determined to continue training horses even after an accident left him without the use of his legs, Borg devised a rotating platform he called his “round table.” He demonstrated in-hand work for a 1973 Dressage & CT article

use of his legs, Borg was told that he would not ride again.

Undeterred, he returned to his Red Bob Farm in Oxford, MI, where he devised a platform with rails that enabled him to swing onto a horse’s back using his upper-body strength.

When riding was no longer possible, Borg once again set out to devise a way to continue to

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not have a lot of patience with the rider. Naturally, Loerke did not have very many pupils. But that wasn’t his objective. His objective was to train horses, and that he did very, very well.” But “he was very kind and nice to me, and he helped me a great deal. We enjoyed our relationship fully.”

After a riding accident in 1959 that left him without the

Editor’s note: This is a slightly adapted version of an article that originally appeared in the December 2006 issue of USDF Connection.

Check out podcast 123 for more on Maj. Robert Borg at usdf. podbean.com.

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