Contributors

Dressage


Dressage (a French term meaning "training") is a path and destination of competitive horse training, with competitions held at all levels from amateur to the Olympics. Its fundamental purpose is to develop, through standardized progressive training methods, a horse's natural athletic ability and willingness to perform, thereby maximizing its potential as a riding horse. At the peak of a dressage horse's gymnastic development, it can smoothly respond to a skilled rider's minimal aids by performing the requested movement while remaining relaxed and appearing effortless. Dressage is occasionally referred to as "Horse Ballet." Although the discipline has its roots in classical Greek horsemanship, mainly through the influence of Xenophon, dressage was first recognized as an important equestrian pursuit during the Renaissance in Western Europe. The great European riding masters of that period developed a sequential training system that has changed little since then and classical dressage is still considered the basis of trained modern dressage.

Early European aristocrats displayed their horses' training in equestrian pageants, but in modern dressage competition, successful training at the various levels is demonstrated through the performance of "tests," or prescribed series of movements within a standard arena. Judges evaluate each movement on the basis of an objective standard appropriate to the level of the test and assign each movement a score from zero to ten - zero being "not executed" and ten being "excellent." A score of nine (or "very good") is considered a particularly high mark, while a competitor achieving all sixes (or 60% overall) should be considering moving on to the next level.

Friday, August 27, 2010

PW

We trotted for the first time yesterday!! PW was fantastic! With Raymundo at the controls he led us down the long side 3 times for a very relaxed and obedient trot! PW is really being a good girl, and loves the attention. Steering and stopping aids are still touch and go, but she is learning!
Thank you so much to Alyson Miller.............. who bought me a fantastic helmet from Euro American saddlery over the weekend at Centerline Events CDI. Now I have a proper helmet to wear while breaking in my baby! THANK YOU ALYSON!!

Tuesday, August 24, 2010

Congratulations


FINALLY it has been a long wait, but finally Ariel and Sax made it down the centerline. They looked fantastic and placed 4 th with 66 % in their first class together. We are looking forward to seeing this pair in the ring alot more in the future!
Pictures from the show ring coming soon!

Sunday, August 15, 2010

Website!

I am very excited that our website is getting overhauled and soon will be up and running. Thank you to Frank and Ussupernet for his patience and understanding! The website is really looking great and I cannot wait to get it out there for everyone to see.
We also have some new projects that will be up on our blog, so stay tuned!
Visit us at www.nancylaterdressagehorses.com

PW

So PW is just doing fantastic I am just so happy with her. And...............having time for her is making the whole experience so much more gratifying. Yesterday there was excitement at the farm, a trailer in lesson loading and leaving and her best buddy Graci is back. These things created some distractions during our lesson. But, taking our time and letting her settle into her nerves and she particpated in our lesson and was perfect. She is such a good girl. It was in my mind not to get on her yesterday just because she was feeling so distracted but, we kept to our routine and she settled right in and in the end Raymundo led us around the whole arena with out a problem. She is also getting so nicely muscled and looks beautiful on the lunge.
Yes! Graci is back, my 6 year old oldenburg mare by Glorioso Noir. She is a big girl, and I was thinking of selling her because she is too big for me. But, we will ride her for a couple of days and see how it goes. Yesterday we started to get to know each other and I have to say for how big she is she is light and comfortable to ride. We will see.

Thursday, August 12, 2010

Who am I?

I am your constant companion.

I am your greatest helper or heaviest burden.

I will push you onward or drag you down to failure.

I am completely at your command.

Half the things you do might just as well be turned over to me and I will be able to do them quickly and correctly.

I am easily managed -- you must merely be firm with me. Show me exactly how you want something done and after a few lessons I will do it automatically.

I am the servant of all great people and, alas, of all failures, as well.

Those who are great, I have made great.

Those who are failures, I have made failures.

I am not a machine, though I work with all the precision of a machine plus the intelligence of a person. You may run me for profit or run me for ruin -- it makes no difference to me.

Take me, train me, be firm with me, and I will place the world at your feet. Be easy with me and I will destroy you.

Who am I?
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I am habit. . .a habit is a system that you have mastered through practice.

Wednesday, August 11, 2010

Practical Horseman

Our new article is out in Practical Horseman! It looks great and I think the article gets across our message............give your horse some confidence! He wants to do it for you!
Check it out!
Also, Ruudi, who is pictured in the article and his owner Ingrid Wallin went to their first horse show last weekend. Congratulations!!! First time out and 3 rd level ! 65% Great job!!

Sunday, August 8, 2010

Gladstone

Matt and I made a trip to Gladstone to support our friends that are trying out for our WEG team. What a beautiful day. New Jersey weather was kind to the riders and it was cool and not too humid for the morning Grand Prix. They have done a wonderful job renovating the indoor arena! That is so nice to see, it is no longer dark and depressing but beautiful light finished kickboards and eurofelt footing gives us the feeling that we have people that are interested in promoting our sport and riders!!! Fantastic!!
I was dissappointed not to see more spectators.........we need to rally the troops and be there to congratulate all of the great combinations that have made it this far in these WEG trials.
I will stay away from commenting on all the rides. There were alot of great things and it was wonderful to see the improvement in many of these horses. If you have the opportunity to make the drive to New Jersey DO IT!! They need our support and energy, it is our sport and we need to show people that it means something to us!!!
If you cannot go in person Mary has a link on DressageDaily.com and you can watch it live.

PW

PW is making wonderful progress! Friday I got all the way on and Raymundo led us down the long side! She is still not sure what to make of it all! She loves the attention and is really a good girl. She is alert and smart, does not miss a thing! But, she also loves to be engaged and wants to please. I am looking forward to training her from the saddle. It is so much fun to have time for a her and have a quality young horse that benefits from everyday we spend with her!

Monday, August 2, 2010

Free Dressage Afternoon!

Well we had a great time at our FIRST free dressage afternoon, and thank you everyone for coming! And thank you everyone that brought refreshments that was GREAT! We will definitely have another tuesday lesson afternoon before the season is over.
We want to hear from YOU! What can we do to make it better? How can we find more dressage enthusiests and get them to join in? Why are we doing this? Because we want to grow our sport in our area..............so if you want to become involved in getting the word out that dressage can be fun! Please let us know you are out there............and join us on our next free dressage afternoon, Date to be announced! Email Nancy at nancylaterdressagehorses@gmail.com with your comments!! Thank you for joining in!