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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.

Monday, March 28, 2011

Congratulations!

Great Show at White Fences over the weekend! Ariel did great in her Prix St Georges with Evita winning with 65% Beautiful extensions and half passes, very good work! Glorious was a star and won the young horse division with his first ever outing and recieved a 7.96 . Thank you Rikke for doing such a beautiful job! Roxanne was wonderful and recieved a 67% in her 2 nd level test and high point for 2 nd level. Roxanne was an absolute dream to show. Her wonderful willing attitude and fantastic confidence are traits not often found all in the same horse, and she is beautiful! What a pleasure to have the opportunity to train her! Noah..............well Noah did not want to play this weekend! So he was not getting his usually deserved high marks for participation! Noah was 4 th with 62 % in his 4 th level, and he did leave us a bit of room for improvement! Next time we will be on top again!
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Monday, March 14, 2011

March in Florida

So last weekend was fantastic!! Watching the horses in the Masters was so wonderful, congratulations to everyone! Steffen and Ravel look better then ever. So nice to see the harmony and trust they have built together.
Everyone that had a hand in putting the show together deserves a big hand and THANK YOU! The arena looked fabulous , they created an atmosphere that is necessary for top shows such in a place that was not built for such a show. GREAT JOB!
The Challenge of the Americas was also a blast! If you have not come to the breast cancer benefit be sure to put it on your schedule for next year. The rides were great, food was great and with the whole dressage community showing up the company was super.
At Heartwood we are all doing well. We have a new working student on board Heather has joined us and we are enjoying her positive energy and helping hand. The horses are all improving in leaps and bounds. Noah and Roxanne are entered at the White Fences show again at the end of the month. Glorious is doing super and we hope to get him into the 4 year old qualifyer at Equestrian Estates at the end of March. And PW is starting back to work........finally. She is happy for the attention and looks lovely on the lunge line, so we hope to get back on her this week.
Florida weather is picture perfect! Time to come visit!!!
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Monday, March 7, 2011

Carousel Classroom

Here is the first edition of Carousel Classroom!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sh-oq6bZv5w


Thank you for viewing!
Please give us your feedback!!
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Tuesday, March 1, 2011

White Fences Horse Show
















What a fantastic weekend!! It started Thursday with Mr Schumacher teaching a fantastic clinic at our farm. The horses went GREAT!! He is such an inspiration. Then Friday schooling with Noah and Roxanne at the horse show. Ariel being at school put a hitch in my get along...........however, we worked it out and both horses were wonderful. Polite, well balanced and so much fun! The show management at White Fences were wonderful! Saturday classes went super. Ariel back on duty to braid beautifully and help with the eyes on the ground did an expert job, and Roxanne was 2 nd with more then 71 % and Noah second with more then 69% in his fourth level. I was very proud of the guys!!!





Sunday we had Evita entered but sadly she was not perfect on her feet, so she got to stay home, but, Suzanne did us proud with Cooper in the Grand Prix and 69% !!!! Great job and beautiful test.





Monday I spent the day at Bill Warren and Bill McMullin watching more of Mr Schumacher teaching and today................he was with us at the farm teaching again all day. No one could ever ask fo more! Florida is the best place to be in February and March!!










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