Last week I posted a virtual show entry video from an amazingly brave woman who continues to allow me to use her material for examples in this blog. Her courage and generosity inspire me and I hope that her open heart and willingness to be visible inspire you too. I hope that some of you readers are able to identify with her as a peer, a rider struggling to understand riding and training her stock horse and that you professionals at least respect her courage. Reaction to the video has been...

Western horses jog. English horses trot. Dressage horses trot. Everyone knows that. What does that mean for the western dressage horse? The western jog was a gait that could be ridden for long distances over the range or on the trail that horses could sustain without exhaustion and which could be sat comfortably. The trot is a gait that covers more ground at a reasonable tempo. To deal with the dynamics of the gait and to unload the horses back, some riders learned to post. Western riders bred...

Carlos Munoz and Klouseau (SusanJStickle.com) Wellington, FL - Carlos Munoz (ESP) and Klouseau had a perfect end to their weekend with a first place finish in the FEI Intermediare Freestyle, presented by Peacock Ridge. Munoz and Klouseau, a twelve-year-old Trakehner gelding owned by Karen Blank, were the last pair to go in the class and scored an impressive 73.550% to leapfrog to the top of the rankings. Evi Strasser (CAN) and Rigaudon Tyme finished second with a score of 70.800%, Shelly...

I have been promising to update readers on current trends in the Western Dressage world. One way of keeping track of what WD is doing, where it is going and who is doing it is to track events. NAWD, CD and WDAA all maintain calendars of clinics and shows around the country. By analyzing those calendars we have a simple method of tracking what is happening. The information is limited by the fact that show and clinic organizers must report their event to the organization for inclusion on these...

Today’s post comes from Sin City, Las Vegas Nevada. Since I am here in the region of Southwest Western Dressage, I decided to write the blog as an interview with someone from the Las Vegas equestrian community who was doing Western Dressage. So I opened up the phone book to call a local barn. Every barn number but one was disconnected or no longer in service. The one that was working was a casino! So I called a feed store, thinking that at the feed store would be someone who knew someone...

COMPETITOR NAME, CATEGORY, STARTING HOUR 33 EPSTEIN, ELLEN, FL INTER SINGLE HORSE 08:00 32 MAZAR, DAN, FL INTER SINGLE HORSE 08:10 34 GUTOSKI, FRED , CAN INTER SINGLE HORSE 08:20 36 RHINEHART, GENE ,IA INTER SINGLE HORSE 08:30 35 LEVY, JOHN, CA INTER SINGLE HORSE 08:40 31 QUIST, MARCIE NC INTER SINGLE HORSE 08:50 37 WEIRBACK, SUE NJ INTER SINGLE HORSE 09:00 29 KOOPMAN, ANNA VA INTER SINGLE HORSE 09:10 47 DRAGSTRA, WEIBE NC INTER PAIR HORSE 09:20 48 DANCER, SCOTT CA INTER PAIR HORSE 09:30 46...

The equine genetics research group at the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine is collaborating with Ray Geor, BVSc, MVSc, PhD, Dipl. ACVIM, professor and chair of the department of large animal clinical sciences at Michigan State University, and Nicholas Frank, DVM, PhD, Dipl. ACVIM, associate professor of large animal clinical sciences at the University of Tennessee, to investigate the occurrence and genetics of equine metabolic syndrome (EMS). Bob Coleman, PhD, PAS,...

Lexington, Ky. – US Equestrian is pleased to announce Rebecca Share (Potomac, Md.) as the winner of the 2021 USEF Youth Sportsman’s Award in recognition of her contributions and achievements this year. The USEF Youth Sportsman’s Award identifies outstanding youth members actively involved in their respective discipline or breed organizations and acknowledges their potential as future leaders in the equine industry. The American Vaulting Association (AVA) nominated Share, who...

Lexington, Ky. – US Equestrian has announced the athletes selected to represent the NetJets U.S. Jumping Team at the FEI Jumping Nations Cup™ of Poland CSIO5* held in Sopot, Poland from June 16-20, 2021. The Nations Cup competition is scheduled for Sunday, June 20, beginning at 11:00 a.m. GMT+2. The following athletes are listed in alphabetical order and will represent the NetJets U.S. Jumping Team at the FEI Jumping Nations Cup of Poland CSIO5* led by Chef d’Equipe Robert...

Lexington, Ky. – US Equestrian is pleased to announce the four athletes selected to represent the NetJets U.S. Jumping Team for the Nations Cup of Rome CSIO5* held at the Piazza di Siena in Rome, Italy from May 26-30, 2021. The two-round team competition is scheduled to take place on Friday, May 28, at 2:30 p.m. GMT+2. The following athletes are listed in alphabetical order and will represent the NetJets U.S. Jumping Team at the Nations Cup of Rome CSIO5* led by Chef d’Equipe Robert...