March 2017 YourDressage

YOURDRESSAGE

March 2017

Becoming a mother made Ashley Burnett a more determined dressage rider

A United States Dressage Federation Publication

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.

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March 2017 Z YOURDRESSAGE

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WHAT TO SEE INSIDE DEPARTMENTS MY TIME TO RIDE: From the Boardroom to Centerline Lisa Schmidt, former USDF Region 1 Director tells us her experience at the US Dressage Finals presented by Adequan®.

YOUNG & INSPIRED: Dancing into Dressage Katherine McFarland finds that dance classes makes her more aware of her own body and the body of her horse, making her a better rider.

SADDLE SORES: Moving Forward Again Jody Simonton spent a week with Greata Wrigley, thanks to the Gifted Scholarship Fund.

HEARD AROUND THE ARENA: Wintertime in Florida One of the largest competitions is the Adequan® Global Dressage Festival in Florida. We take a look at what was on social media.

USDF FLASHBACK: E.G. Charles “Chuck” Grant Dubbed the “dean of American dressage riders,” we look at this legend who was inducted into the Roemer Foundation/USDF Hall of Fame.

GMO SPOTLIGHT: Alamo Dressage Association (ADA) Take a look at this group member organization.

COVER STORY Mother, Wife, and Dressage Rider Adult Amateur Ashley Burnett, takes on the balancing act of motherhood by deciding to make the 2016 US Dressage Finals presented by Adequan® a family affair. Photo by Karen Geser.

March 2017 Z YOURDRESSAGE

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MY TIME TO RIDE

From the Boardroom to Centerline

By Lisa Schmidt

I

wear many different hats in dressage: rider, trainer, coach, judge, and, for the past six years, USDF Region 1 Director and member of the USDF Executive Board. On the board I was involved in the decisions about the US Dressage Finals from the initial idea to the inception in 2013.

But my love for this sport started as a rider/competitor and that is where my true passion lies. Just after I received my USDF Gold Medal and earned my USEF “S” judging license, I trained students and their horses, and helped them excel in the show ring. I had retired my Grand Prix horse and was without a horse to compete.

Then, one day, a client brought me a just-backed threeyear-old Quarterback/His Highness gelding to train, named Qrown Prince (aka QP). Lunging

Lisa and Qrown Prince SusanJStickle.com photo

was the first step in QP’s education that December. I am positive that he was telling me, “Circles are stupid” and many times pulled and dragged me, on my knees, around the arena. Much of my work that winter consisted of ground work in his stall, teaching him to circle around me with the lead line. By the summer of his fourth year, I was able to occasionally lunge my client on him, and started adding more challenges to the training of this opinionated youngster. I had been told that Quarterback could be talented but difficult. QP was clearly a late bloomer, so showing him was not a goal that year.

I was lucky to have feedback from Lendon Gray, who was teaching clinics at our facility through the summer and fall. I was told not to baby him, which gave me a good chuckle. I knew he was a horse I had to negotiate with, especially concerning the contact. He would sometimes resent the bit and threaten to go up, but between myself and my tactful March 2017 Z YOURDRESSAGE

MY TIME TO RIDE

Triumphant moment at Regional Championships. SusanJStickle.com photo

assistant, Allison Semanchik, we made huge progress. That next winter, QP’s balance and connection improved but his right lead canter was always a challenge.

Kim Herslow and Scott Hassler answered my call to aid, and their insights were invaluable to getting into the horse’s brain and body.

What a different horse he was going into his fifth year in 2015!

With all the progress com-

ing together in his training, QP’s owner wondered if he could be shown. I thought we’d give Training Level a try, with the goal of qualifying for the Great American Insurance Group/USDF Regional Championships and the Colonel Bengt Ljungquist Memorial (BLM) Championships. Happily, his scores were in the high 60s to high 70s. First Level was a stretch, at that point, but we at-

tempted it with the same results!

We qualified for the Great American/USDF Region 1 Championships in Lexington, VA, and the BLM Championships in NJ. When we competed at the BLM Championships in October, QP had not been in the show ring for two months. Not a smart decision on my part, as his tension prevented a supple performance at Training and First Level. The following week, at the regional championships, I just tried to keep him relaxed. We were the first ride in a huge Training Level Championship class, but throughout the day we held onto first place, with a 74%, and won the Training Level Open Championship. I was truly humbled to be in the company of so many other top riders and their horses.

It was surreal.

Of course, the next big decision was whether or not to attend the US Dressage Finals presented

by Adequan®. QP’s owner was not sure, due to the expense, but I just thought what a huge honor March 2017 Z YOURDRESSAGE

MY TIME TO RIDE

it would be to become the first USDF Executive Board member to compete in the Finals! After much persuasion and preparation, we headed down to Kentucky that November.

I had never been to the Kentucky Horse Park before, and was impressed by its expansive layout.

QP settled in well and came in second in his warm up class, with one little mistake. The next day, he felt happy, relaxed, and I didn’t think it could have gone better.

We came in seventh in another large class, and my goal was to place in the top half. I was so proud to be in the award ceremony in the Alltech Arena. Here I was, experiencing firsthand the event I had worked hard on as a member of the USDF Executive Board. It was thrilling!

After such a positive experience, my goal early on in 2016 was to qualify for Finals again.

Lisa and Qrown Prince competing at the Finals in 2015.

SusanJStickle.com photo

But, in February of that year, his owner told me that she would have to sell Qrown Prince. How could I lose this talented youngster, with whom I had developed such a rapport? We negotiated, and thanks to my family, I was able to purchase QP and make him my own.

We showed Second Level that spring and summer, again with scores in the upper 60s to low 70s. This talented boy qualified again for the regional championships, and our score was posted at 68%! We received a wild card score for the Finals, placed sixth, and this time I would be announced as both rider and owner of QP. The trip to Kentucky was uneventful, but the day after his arrival QP was too quiet for his perky personality. He looked like he was shivering, and I discovered he had a temperature of 103. A quick call to the local vet and a diagnosis of a virus, maybe shipping fever, put a somber tone on my day. QP had 48 hours to March 2017 Z YOURDRESSAGE

MY TIME TO RIDE

recover before the Finals class, but would that be enough?

By the next day, his temperature was normal and his full appetite returned. I had sent the blood results and diagnosis to my vet at home, who said to continue monitoring him and to use my best judgment. Our Finals ride was scheduled for late that afternoon, which gave me time to see how he felt. QP was anxious to graze on the Kentucky Horse Park grass, and was even slightly fresh on the lunge line. To scratch or not to scratch? I decided I was going to give the class a shot. I kept the warm up short, to conserve his energy, which ended up being a miscalculation on my part. The fever had made his shoulders stiff, and the old problem with the right lead canter resurfaced. QP was tense, and I needed more time to work through it.

I was starting to doubt my decision to compete, but I was the next ride on deck. Some friends showed up and bolstered my confidence, and in we went.

The atmosphere made QP and I perk up. I smiled through the test, but the suppleness was just not attainable. I was proud of him though, and he did his best for me.

I know I made the right decision to go down that centerline.

My youngster showed me he has a heart of gold and, even though he was not 100%, he danced his heart out for me. Had I not been given the opportunity to show at that wonderful competition, I may not have found the confirmed integrity of my horse and his undeniable willingness to please. Even though we didn’t place, it was an honor to ride in the US Dressage Finals two years in a row.

Lisa and Qrown Prince placing seventh at the Finals in 2015.

SusanJStickle.com photo

March 2017 Z YOURDRESSAGE

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YOUNG & INSPIRED

Dancing into Dressage

By Katherine McFarland

I

Katherine on Port’s Cover Girl at Wills Park in Alpharetta, GA

am not a flexible person - quite the opposite, in fact. I am not graceful and, sometimes, I forget where my body parts are. I run into things; I trip, fall, smack my face against door frames. My hips lock when mounting, and my legs seize and go numb. Long story short, sometimes I don’t feel like an athlete. Sometimes I don’t even feel like I fit in my own body.

Dressage changed this for me. I discovered that I can be tall and graceful. Riding horses gave me four legs instead of two and, frequently this allows me to move more freely. It is still a struggle for me to allow my body to move instead of lock up, and to use my body in unison with the horse beneath me.

So, when I was offered the chance to take a dance class as part of my school curriculum, I decided to go for it. I thought that maybe dance could help me figure out where to put my feet. I

signed up for Dance Technique, a class taught by the wonderful Mrs. Clift, which teaches the basics and fundamentals of modern dance, as well as the more traditional ballet.

Some of the things I discovered while learning to dance seem pretty obvious now, but were almost revolutionary when my eyes were opened to them.

Right off the bat, I realized just how tense I was. Dancers stretch everything because they utilize their entire bodies and must be fluid movers. My muscles, especially my back, are so tight that it was painful to perform certain movements. Simple stretches were nearly impossible.

That was when I realized, I never stretch. As a rider, I don’t stretch my legs before I ride. Isn’t that odd? I don’t stretch and loosen by back and neck. No wonder why I have so many back problems.

And then, I wondered if I even let my horse stretch. He has even more muscles than I do, and is supporting my weight!

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YOUNG & INSPIRED

Safer • Stronger • SmarterCho Choice

The

Katherine in Conyers, GA at the Labor Day Dressage Show with Kaitlyn Brittendal and Emma Klevesahl

Naturally, some of my dance stretches have no bearing on the horse, but once I focused on my larger muscles I felt the tension leave, and my body felt better. I used to sit very tense and solid, but I slowly felt myself sink deep into my seat and relax my legs down.

Most of our particular dance instruction is focused on our body movement. This means that we focus on movements that come from the body. We have to be strong enough to pull ourselves up into a turn, and move our arms and head to complete

the turn. Immediately, we have to be fluid enough in our transitions where the phrase looks effortless and a part of ourselves.

Does this sound familiar? I would never ride an extended canter without my horse being collected and having enough support from behind. Transitions naturally score better when they are smooth and put together.

When humans leap, roll, and move in general, sometimes we are suspended on our shoulders, our legs, our feet, or our arms. We absolutely have

to have enough control through our limbs, backs, and cores to fully support and control our movements. When we fall, it is controlled and relaxed. Applying this to riding, our horses can be suspended on two, even one, leg while performing movements.

Riders have to be relaxed and controlled, to channel the energy and shock through ourselves. The horses have to be strong and supported, both by their riders and their own strength.

Recently, our class had the unique opportunity to learn about Gaga movement language. This language of dance focuses on inner movements and gestures, stemmed from feelings and the awareness of the body in space. This style of dance also forbids mirrors.

No mirrors? I’d certainly like to see where my leg is and how awesome my saddle pad looks on my horse. However, there is a method to the madness. Without mirrors, dancers don’t focus on a standardized image; they don’t make their movements planned

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YOUNG & INSPIRED

and rigid. Rather, they focus on how they feel and how they are moving in relation to the space and bodies around them.

In the show arena, we have no mirrors. We have to focus on ourselves in the ring, blocking out any outside sources. Why not practice like this? We are also not on the ground, and we don’t have

a trainer yelling at us to correct our circle sizes, and we definitely can’t redo a movement hundreds of times. Keeping this in mind, it revolutionizes training. To truly be aware of yourself and your horse together in the ring is a wonderful feeling.

Finally, dance has taught me to express my inner feelings. Each

movement is a part of a larger piece, made to represent and express a feeling or event. To hold back, to not give it your all, makes the phrase look uninteresting and robotic. When your heart is truly in it, the mistakes look like a part of the dance and everything comes together beautifully. We dance because we love it; we ride because we love it. I throw my heart into my riding. I ride with my all, channeling my love and passion into every movement.

Dance has also pushed me to see things differently. We perform improvisational exercises where we move and imagine ourselves in different situations. We dance blind, with our eyes shut for entire routines. We analyze how people move and create movements from nothing. It’s a fantastic experience because we also become very aware of every surface on our bodies. It’s the awareness, feel, and perception of the space around us.

Overall, dance has made me far more aware of myself while

riding. Sadly, my grace seems limited to the horse and dance room. However, I now feel lighter and more efficient in the saddle.

At the pace of a snail, my muscles seem to be relaxing.

Dance has made me so much more aware of my own body and the body of my horses. The dance room has mirrored the dressage arena and vice versa. I now have a better understanding of space, the importance of strength throughout the body, and the importance of inner expression.

I don’t see a future for myself as a dancer, but I do see a future of dressage, with dance influencing my body and understanding. I am excited to continue my dance instruction and even more excited to apply it to my riding. eTRAK Extra

Read “Dressage Pro, Triathlon Amateur” about Lauren Sprieser who trains for and participates in triathlons.

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SADDLE SORES

Moving Forward Again Editor’s Note: Last year, STRIDE member Jody Simonton won the Gifted Scholarship Fund from The Dressage Foundation for a week’s training with the instructor of her choice. This Fund was seeded with donations received in special remembrance of Carol Lavell’s great dressage horse, Gifted. Applications are due on or before September 15th of each year, and grant announcements are made by December 31st.

This Scholarship enables Adult Amateurs to set aside quality time, in concentrated training away from the daily pressures of job and family, with a horse the recipient owns or formally leases (as documented by USDF or USEF paperwork). Up to nine $1,000 grants are available each year (one in each USDF region) plus two additional $1,000 wild card grants (which can be awarded in any region.) Jody chose Greta Wrigley in Gainesville, FL, a well known instructor and USDF Gold Medalist.

By Jody Simonton

I

had several goals for my week with Greta Wrigley, some very basic and some more involved.

Due to time constraints with my job, dealing with a family member’s medical issues, having to retire my equine partner that I had gotten three-fourths of my USDF Silver Medal with, and financial constraints, I had not been able to work with an instructor for five years. Due to this lack of consistency, I knew I had picked up some bad habits in my riding.

To complicate matters, after I sent in my application for the Gifted Scholarship Fund, I dislocated and broke my shoulder. This put me behind in my goals, as I was unable to ride for two months.

After two months’ recovery, I spent a third month working with quiet horses to make sure my shoulder had the range of motion and strength to handle riding. When I was deemed fit enough to ride, I had to restart my partner for this journey, An-

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SADDLE SORES

diamo (Andy). Andy is a rescue thoroughbred that I had picked up a few years before.

My original goal was to begin working consistently with a trainer who could help me fix the bad habits I had fallen into, as well as improve my position and effectiveness in the saddle. I knew my angles for lateral work were off and needed correction. Second, since I hadn’t had my upper level partner for several years, I knew my timing for lead changes and more advanced maneuvers was off. Third, I needed advice on saddle fit for my horse. And finally, after my fall, I needed to rebuild strength and endurance in order to help Andy reach his potential.

I had successfully trained and shown Andy through First Level, and started him in more advanced collection and lateral work. In the beginning, it seemed to go well. Unfortunately, over time, he seemed to stiffen in his back and to the left. I was afraid that I was compensating with my left shoulder, which I had injured in the fall, and with my left hip,

which I had had issues with for years. I was also concerned that the saddle I had been using might be pinching him, making him compensate to avoid discomfort.

What I didn’t realize was that, in pushing collection, canter-walk, and walk-canter transitions, I had lost forward, canter-trot transitions, and gotten him “bottled up” and tight in his back. Andy had lost the “swing” and push from behind. So, we returned to the basics; moving more forward, canter-trot/trotcanter transitions, long and low, and asking him to move off my left leg.

As the week progressed, we added shoulder-in and half pass, still working on forward. We concentrated on using the outside aids, quieting my hands and proper angles in lateral work.

Towards the end of the week, we worked on exercises to prepare for the canter pirouettes. Andy and I had started out well with some of this work at home, but had gotten to where I was overturning, losing bend, and getting “levade-y”. Andy was trying to

come around too fast, almost like a spin, losing the canter. Greta had me ride down the long side forward, transition into a super collected canter, then ride forward. It improved the bend, stopped the “stalling out” at the end, and would help him gain the strength he would need to eventually perform the canter pirouette.

Greta had Linda Roberts, who specializes in equitation, come to help correct my position.

Linda worked on relaxing my shoulders, lengthening my leg, relaxing my thighs, and lowering and softening my hands. All of this improved my seat, allowing me to apply aids more effectively and have an overall more elegant appearance.

As well as working with my own horse, Greta put me on three of her advanced horses over the course of the week. I learned how to deliver the proper cues, and discovered what the upper level maneuvers, such as piaffe, passage, and pirouettes, should feel like from horses that knew what they were doing. The opportunity

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SADDLE SORES

to ride such well schooled and talented horses gave me a glimpse of what I could achieve in the future, if I continued to work hard under the proper tutelage. Not to mention, the strength and endurance I began to build in riding three horses a day was incredible.

Greta allowed me to try several saddles, for fit, from her well stocked arsenal of saddles.

Between checking fit, observing Andy’s attitude about each saddle, and working on my position, I began to understand what I needed to look for in order to make my horse more comfortable and, in turn, more cooperative.

At the end of the week, armed with that knowledge and a paper template of my horse’s back, I was able to find a used saddle that fit my horse and enhanced my position.

I was so happy that the week was so productive. Not only was I able to get advice for better equipment, but I became more aware of bad habits, improved my strength and endurance, and enhanced the suppleness of my equine partner. Now, Andy is

more forward, better connected back to front, supple vertically and laterally, and seems more content in his work. I was reminded that no matter which level you ride, don’t ever forget the basics.

I am so appreciative for the opportunity that the Gifted Scholarship has afforded me.

Between life events and financial constraints, I feel my riding and training has always centered me and been a wonderful part of my life, even when it had been derailed. The week I spent with Greta Wrigley Training helped me get back on track and start moving forward again.

eTRAK Extra

Listen to Dr. Jenny Susser on overcoming fear in riding.

The 2017 USDF Online Stallion Guide is now LIVE! This annual online stallion guide is released by the United States Dressage Federation for the dressage community.

The guide is available both through the USDF website and the USDF app.

Featured article this year is, “The Hottest Bloodlines in Rio” which looks at what sport-horse pedigrees were represented in the 2016 Olympics.

We continue our look at breeding statistics from USDF’s major championships, adding Great American/USDF Regional Championshps.

Once again we have the “Index of Progeny for Advertised Stallions,” which includes progeny that have ranked 1-100 in Adequan®/USDF Year-End Awards. It also includes horses that have placed in US Dressage Finals, Great American/USDF Regional 2017 USDF Championships, and Great Online Stallion Guide American/USDF Breeders Championships from 2009-2016.

This guide contains interactive links to give you all the information you need to make a favorable breeding decision. Whether interested in breeding, or looking for a breeder with offspring already on the ground, this is a great way to learn more about dressage breeders throughout North America.

The Hottest Bloodlines in Rio

Trending Stallions in the Sport Horse Arena: USDFBC Statistics

Pursit of Excellence: Regional Championship Statistics

Finals by the Numbers: US Dressage Finals Statistics

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M OTHER , W IFE ,

AND

D RESSAGE R IDER

by Ashley N. Burnett

Karen Geser photo

March 2017 Z YOURDRESSAGE

M

y core! Where did it GO? What HAPPENED?! Why are my stirrups suddenly too long, and why can’t I put my heels down?! My hands! Why are they so unsteady?! Why am I hunched over; what happened to my seat?

The initial months of getting back in the saddle after the cesarean birth of my precious son Wyatt were HARD. I had decided to stop riding my four-year-old horse, Aquino, during the term of my pregnancy because I thought the risk of riding such a young, highly sensitive horse far outweighed the benefit. In June of 2015, I handed over the reins to my incredible coach, Erika-West Danque, for training. I had my precious son on March 31, and resumed riding, per the doctor’s orders, mid-May after an incredibly long, agonizing 10 months and terribly hard pregnancy.

Saying I was out of shape would be a severely modest statement. I could ride nothing straight.

Transitions were a joke. I had Denise Waszak photo

gained a whopping 45 pounds in nine months, and although I lost 30 of that in the first two weeks of having my son, the extra fifteen pounds did not help anything. It was over a month before I could make it through an entire 45-minute lesson without running out of steam. Aquino was trying so hard, putting his body in all sorts of weird shapes and directions, while trying to please my terribly crooked seat. But Erika’s patience and good humor got me through those three to four months, and after a good equine chiro and saddle flocking adjustment, Erika suggested I send my entry into a September regional qualifying show, one of the last of the season.

She then proceeded to tell me that she thought we should try to qualify for the Great American/ USDF Regional Championships at First Level. I thought she must be losing her mind; we had only ever done Training Level, and that was when we were in shape and harmonious, not crooked and popping lead changes every other stride!

But as I’ve always done, I March 2017 Z YOURDRESSAGE

trusted my long-time coach Erika, and I signed up for our First Level debut together. Turns out, we had an outstanding show and fully qualified ourselves for the championships at First Level. We even earned Show First Level Reserve High Point. My sweet son Wyatt was almost five months old by this time and, although I thought a weekend away at a horse show would be good for me, I was a complete hormonal mess and missed him more than words could possibly do justice. I cried more that weekend than I think I have in my entire life.

A horse show five months postpartum is not easy. It was far more difficult than I imagined. My body was still recovering, and I was 100% mentally and physically beat. And I still needed to care for my highly energetic, teething fivemonth-old, who barely slept when I got home. It was hard to make sense of why I was putting myself and my family through this during these exhausting times, but my Ashley and Aquino Denise Waszak photo

husband kept encouraging me.

He has heard me talk about going to the regional championships for years, and knows it has been a dream of mine since we met.

Without his love, support, and commitment, I probably would not have proceeded to head to my very first regional championship three weeks later.

Boy, am I glad I went. Aquino was superb; we ended up SWDC Reserve Champion and 4th place in our Great American/USDF Region 9 Championship for First Level, with a score placing high enough to earn an invitation to the prestigious US Dressage Finals presented by AdequanÂŽ at the Kentucky Horse Park. I was in disbelief and awe.

What an outstanding opportunity and complete honor, only made possible by the belief and support of my coach and family.

I decided that I had to bring Wyatt along with me to Kentucky if I was going to go to Finals. I just wasn’t ready to be in a different state from him quite yet.

Thankfully, my selfless mom was thrilled when I asked if she March 2017 Z YOURDRESSAGE

wanted to make the road trip with Wyatt and I, to help out.

Even more, my ever supportive and loving husband took more than a week of vacation to make the sixteen-hour journey with us.

We made the road trip over two days, and although the trip took nearly twice as long with a baby, I think we would all agree that it could have gone much worse.

The atmosphere at the US Dressage Finals was incredible to experience. Everybody was so honored to be there, and there was so much excitement and thrill in the air. The Kentucky Horse Park was gorgeous, the footing was perfect, the arenas were beautiful, and the climate controlled stalls were simply luxurious. It was first class all the way around. I couldn’t believe Aquino and I were there, surrounded by such talented horses and riders from all over the country. But what made the trip extra special was having my mom, husSusanJStickle.com photo

March 2017 Z YOURDRESSAGE

band, and son there to experience it all with me. I felt (and still feel) so thankful and so blessed. We ended up 10th place in our First Level AA championship class, which was just the cherry on top of an absolutely perfect trip.

With hard work, belief, and support, I now believe any dream is possible. Adult Amateurs have it hard; we are all identified by so much more than riding. We are technicians, lawyers, engineers, teachers, doctors, accountants, students, mothers/fathers, wives/ husbands, grandmothers/grandfathers… it’s easy to say there is no time to be a dressage rider, too. But personally speaking, even though “mother” was added to my identity, I wasn’t ready to drop “dressage rider” quite yet. eTRAK Extra

Listen to Rachel Saavedra on How to Get the Most out of Your Riding Lessons

March 2017 Z YOURDRESSAGE

HEARD AROUND THE ARENA

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

Wintertime in Florida at the AdequanÂŽ Global Dressage Festival

March 2017 Z YOURDRESSAGE

USDF FLASHBACK

E.G. Charles “Chuck” Grant Chuck Grant 1914-1990 Trainer of seventeen competitive Grand Prix horses, instructor and noted author, he introduced Dressage to the Midwest and inspired students for generations.

He was inducted into The Roemer Foundation/USDF Hall of Fame in 1997.

Growing up on a farm in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, E.G. Charles “Chuck” Grant spent many hours riding the farm horses bareback. After high school, at the age of nineteen, he signed up to pursue a college degree in maritime engineering.

That summer, in 1934, Grant discovered the 122nd Field Artillery and soon changed his course to join the National Guard unit, where he could ride horses every Podcast Alert

PODCAST

Listen to our podcast #25 for more on Chuck Grant at usdf.podbean.com..

day. A fellow serviceman gave him James Fillis’s nineteenthcentury training classic, Breaking and Riding, and Grant became interested in training horses, reading every book on the subject he could find.

U.S. Army Colonels Isaac Leonard Kitts and Hiram Tuttle were two of Grant’s equestrian role models. He would watch closely all that they did and duplicate it as best he could, as he wasn’t allowed to approach senior officers to ask them questions.

After World War II , Grant went to work for a riding academy in Chicago, eventually purchasing his own equestrian training facility, Plush Horse Stables, also in Chicago, IL . He befriended two of his boarders: Paul Stjernholm, a Dane who’d been a Major in the U.S. Cavalry; and Arthur Konyot, head of the famed European circus family. Both men helped further Grant’s equestrian education.

Chuck Grant’s portrait that hangs in the Roemer Foundation/USDF Hall of Fame

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Chuck Grant in the middle of the first USDF “annual meeting” in November 1973

Grant’s first wife, Emmy Temple, a rider from Ohio, soon joined the three men in their discussions forming an informal dressage group. In 1947, Emmy taught the first civilian dressage lessons in the Midwest at Plush Stables. Later that same year, Grant judged the

first dressage show in the Midwest, in Morton Grove, IL. For ten years, from 1969 to 1979, Grant led an exhibition troupe, the Horse Capades, which included some of his advanced students. Performing classical and high-school dres-

sage, the Horse Capades also included a comedy routine or two. Due to time and money constraints, the group gave its final performance in 1979.

In 1978, with second wife Carole Grant Olford, Grant established Shine a Bit Farm in Brigh-

ton, MI. He insisted that dressage was for every horse, bringing seventeen horses to Grand Prix, including Shining Gold, Bit o Shine, Shine a Bit, Miss Prince, Prussian Dudley, and Tarnished Gold. Grant trained Appaloosas, Arabians, Saddlebreds, and ThorMarch 2017 Z YOURDRESSAGE

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oughbreds and taught hundreds of students, including such wellknown dressage riders as Dominique Barbier, Violet Hopkins, Mary Anne McPhail, and Nancy Polozker.

Grant is the author of the books American Dressage, American Dressage II, and Haute Ecole and also penned numerous magazine articles. Being largely self-taught, he developed his philosophy of training based on his observations, his common sense, and his reading. He believed that one cannot teach a horse something he does not already know; instead, the key is to learn how to communicate and to ask correctly. Many who have read Grant’s books or who were fortunate enough to have studied or conversed with this modernday master recall the key point of his teachings: “Ask frequently; expect little or nothing; reward generously.”

w w w. u s d f.o r g

Advice, Guidance, & Insight TAILORED TO THE DRESSAGE COMMUNITY

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GMO SPOTLIGHT

Tell us about your GMO. #GMOSpotlight

Alamo Dressage Association (ADA) 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: 1972 Locality: USDF Region 9, Texas Website: www.AlamoDressage.org How many members does your GMO have annually, on average?

125 members Tell us about your GMO. Alamo Dressage Association (ADA) is a USDF Charter GMO. ADA founding members began the first GMO in Texas in the 1970s, and, in 1981, the GMO became Alamo Dressage Association. ADA is an active group with usually 125 members, 40 of which are junior members. We have hosted recognized dressage competitions since the 1970s at the San Antonio Rose Palace, which is currently owned by country singer George Strait. We currently host four recognized dressage competitions and two, two-day schooling competitions each year.

In addition, we host symposiums geared toward our adult and junior members, and most recently hosted an Emerging Dressage Athlete’s Program with Lendon Gray and symposium with Betsy Steiner. In 2017, we will be hosting a junior clinic with Jeremy Steinberg and a symposium with Janet Foy. ADA annually hosts a “Ride for the Cure” in conjunction with our fall shows. This event benefits Susan G. Komen for the Cure and breast cancer awareness research and education. Riders form teams and select a test to ride for a score. Their scores are averaged, and they are awarded an extra percentage point for every $100 they raise. The

team with the highest percentage score wins. We award pink neck ribbons, and Dover Saddlery and other tack vendors donate prizes to our teams. Our event has raised $60,000 over the last six years.

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

We offer separate clinics/symposiums for juniors and adults. We have also hosted USDF L Education Programs.

What type of educational events does your GMO offer?

We offer clinics and symposiums with various trainers, as well as scribe clinics.

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

We host an annual awards banquet, as well as a “Mystery Barn” tour, where we rent out a limousine service, serve wine and cheese, and tour local barns.

eTRAK Extra

Read “GMO Membership: What’s in it for You” for more about Group Member Organizations.

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Visit www.usdf.org for a list of GMOs in your area.

GMO

Support dressage and connect with your local dressage community by joining a USDF Group Member Organization today!

We Want Your Story YourDressage is a chance to share your story with the dressage community. We are looking for personal stories about you, your horse, or horse-related experience. Your story should be 600-1000 words and should be sent as a Word document. We will need photos to go with the story, with a preference for candid shots that are clear and well composed. Please submit photos as JPEG formatted files.

Also, if you have any video(s) that we can use, related to your story, make sure to include their hyperlinks.

Please send your submission or any questions via e-mail at epubs@usdf.org

Learn More About Dressage Have questions about dressage and the United States Dressage Federation, use the following links to learn more.

About Dressage

Education

usdf.org/about/about-dressage

education@usdf.org

About USDF usdf.org/about/about-usdf

usdf.podbean.com

Online Learning/eTRAK Calendar

usdf.org/e-trak

usdf.org/calendar

Youth

Membership

usdf.org/education/youth.asp youth@usdf.org

usdf.org/join membership@usdf.org

Store

Group Member Organizations

usdf.org/store merchandise@usdf.org

Find a GMO in your region

Horse Registration

Note: USDF strongly recommends all riders wear protective headgear Search for a GMO by zip code when mounted. For complete rules regarding helmets refer to the gmo@usdf.org USEF Rule Book. Click here.

Disclaimer: The United States Dressage Federation does not guarantee that all submitted stories will be published. Any opinions expressed in the pages of this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of the United States Dressage Federation

USDF Podcasts

usdf.org/faqs/horse-registration.asp horseregistration@usdf.org

For more information, check out the USDF Member Guide available on the USDF website and app.

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