Carousel Coaching, Nancy Lavoie: June 2011

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.

Sunday, June 19, 2011

Ahhhhhhh New England!

Well we waited a little longer this summer to make our move North, but it seems as though we picked the perfect time. The weather here is fantastic, and Florida..........heating up! The New Stable is wonderful. The horses are in heaven, a bit fresh from the cool weather, but happy to be fresh.
Ariel and Evita are already back to work practicing their test for Westbrook, moving up to the Inter 1!
Ann Friedlander's new horse Royal, a very cute Oldenburg gelding by Royal Diamond is settling in well and enjoying his new family, congratulations Ann!
We have a new addition for the summer, Nancy Sharpless's 5 year old gelding Cicero will also be out of the North Carolina heat and enjoying the New England summer.
Come visit us at The Ashby Stock Farm, it is a beautiful place to train beautiful horses! Thank you so much to Jeannie and Charlie for making it possible for us to be there.

Friday, June 17, 2011

Back in New England

Phew we made it! 12 horses are now happily settled in at The Ashby Stock Farm and loving the scenery and fresh weather!
After quickly unpacking on went on my way to teach at Wells Valley Farm and Sunny Field Farm..............so much fun, super horses and eager students, it is great to be back up North!
Many thanks to Ralph from Meadowbrook Transport for arranging a super driver and truck for our trip. And once again, thank you to Robert and NSE stables for a very relaxing layover in Fayetteville North Carolina.
We are busy making plans for our symposium with Mr. Schumacher which is going to be a great weekend. We are looking for sponsors and advertisers so please contact me if you want to help bring this wonderful symposium to New England.
Come visit us at the Ashby Stock Farm in Ashby MA. We are open for business, training, lessons, trailers in welcome!

Monday, June 6, 2011

New Summer Home Official

So it is officially arranged, the new summer home of Carousel Dressage Horses, aka nancy later dressage horses, will be the wonderful Ashby Stock Farm, Ashby, MA. We will be arriving there wednesday June 15 th and be ready for business! From Florida we will bring 9 horses. Over the summer we plan to show at The Westbrook Hunt Club Qualifier at the end of June, King Oak Dressage Days and GMHA in July and Saugerties in August. We are super excited about our move. Florida has been fantastic and May was a wonderful month for training and catching our breath after the winter, but Massachusetts cool weather is starting to look pretty good just about now!

Friday, June 3, 2011

Big Day for PW

What a special day for us! I have been waiting 3 years for this! PW went on her first outing today and what a success it was. Rikke did a great job riding her. Thank you! PW was perfect, just like at home! She is becoming very fancy as she gets stronger. I am so proud.

PW is growing up!

How cute is she? PW may have had some time off this winter, but she is catching up fast!
Watch her video here http://youtu.be/03I1of34ZjE this is yesterday, our first day riding with no lunging!

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