Blu Hors Matine Pulled From Competition!

Danish rider Andreas Helgstrand has pulled his lovely mare Blu Hors Matine from the Dressage World Cup in Las Vegas. She failed the vet inspection on Wednesday. Helgstrand claims that she sustained a minor injury during shipping.

What a loss for the spectators! She is an elegant mare.

The video above is their beautiful Kur from the 2006 WEG.

Dressage Queen For A Day: Royal

Horse: Royals Advantage, (aka Royal, Roy)
Owner: Donna Michelson
Breed: AQHA (gelding)
Color: Sorrel or bright chestnut
Age: Just turned 13 this month
Competing: Training
Schooling: First level
Can be visited at: Papillion Equestrian Center in Papillion
Favorite Treat: red peppermints, carrots and apples
When not displaying their mastery of training level the pair enjoys jaunting along with their buddy, "Duke", a black bay Saddlebred gelding, 15Yrs old (owned by my hubby Mike) on the nearby trails



Submitted by Donna Michelson. This picture was taken at a recent Heidi Basler clinic. Be sure to say hello to Donna and Royal at the upcoming Shaggy Horse Show, where they will be competing at training level.

Want to nominate a Dressage Queen For A Day? We'd LOVE your submissions!! Please send your photo with description and Statistics to: margounlisted@hotmail.com

Poor Vinnie!

Who doesn't need a little bit of a laugh on Monday? Here's a fish out of water dressage video for all of you to enjoy. My own fish out of water, dressage story is coming!

For those Attending the World Cup in Las Vegas

The Swedish Warmblood Association of America is hosting a wonderful clinic opportunity in conjunction with the World Cup in Las Vegas!

What: A discussion of dressage with the top riders and trainers of Sweden

Where: Saturday, April 21st, 2007 @10:00 am, Las Vegas, Nevada

Who: Jan Brink - rider and trainer of the #1 Dressage stallion Briar

Elisabet Lundholm - Chef d'Equipe of The Swedish dressage team, gaits judge for the Stallion Selection committee, and well known breeder/trainer.

Maria Gretzer - Chef d'Equipe of the Swedish Jumping Team, jumping Judge on the Stallion Selection Committee, and talented jumper rider.

This clinic is open to the all!

For pre-registration and details please visit www.swedish-warmblood.org

Dressage Dress Rehearsal Day

Dressage Riders:
Axel Steiner advises riders: "recreate the show-day atmosphere to school show-day jitters away".

This is a friendly reminder to send in your entries for the Introduction to the 2007 Dressage Tests Clinic and Lecture. Saturday, April 28th - Grand Island, Nebraska. It is necessary for me to receive your entries so that I can schedule rides on by Sunday, April 21st. I also need to get an idea of the number of people attending the lecture. If you are sending your entry this week, please drop me an email so that I know to expect it.

This is a great opportunity to get all of your questions about the 2007 Dressage Tests answered before the Shaggy Show! We'll have a very good time. Volunteers are needed for scribing throughout the day. Let me know if you are attending the lecture and would be interested in taking care of your NDA volunteer hours early in the year.

Thank you! Looking forward to seeing you there!

Rafter J Dressage
Jamee L. Amundson-Folmer, MS
Email: piaffenpassage@aol.com

Good Luck, Eyes Up

Good luck to all of the competitors in the Lincoln Equestrian Center Hunter/Jumper show this weekend!

Special well wishes to our own Miss Margo and Dobby...their first entry in a H/J Show!

Good luck and have fun!

Spring Sale

Happy Horse Tack and Saddle Shop - Fort Collins is having their Spring Sale April 13-15th.

• 10-40% off storewide


• Up to 75% off closeouts


• 15% off prepaid orders and free shipping


• Each purchase enters you for a chance to win one of three $200 beaded browbands

You can shop online at www.happyhorsetack.com or by phone 970-484-4199

This is a great opportunity to pick up your last minute show needs or refresh winter products for next year!

Some Words on Volunteers

Volunteers are an essential part of most of the functions put on by NDA and other local horse associations (Pony Club, NHJSSC). It is soooo important for all of us who take advantage of the benefits of our community give back. Your time at a horse show, manning a gate, or tabulating scores is far more valuable than monetary donations.

I volunteer for almost everything. In doing such I have not only enjoyed myself and the company of fellow horse folks immensely, but I've also learned a lot and met some great new people. Volunteering is worth your time, and honestly, you wouldn't want to be at a show, or clinic that wasn't manned by the small army of volunteers that make all of this stuff possible.

Here are some other perks of giving your time:

* If you scribe you gain valuable insight into the mind of a judge

* As a gate keeper you have a wonderful view of the tests being ridden

* Being a gate keeper can help in memorization of test, if you work a ring that is a host to your level.

* Working in the office gives you a chance to meet new horse buddies, or horse husbands/dads

* If you score at the Classic you can enjoy air conditioning in the office while the competitors fry outside.

* Running tests from the ring to the office burns calories

* Most times, they'll feed you lunch

* It is fun to see the faces of competitors when you post scores

Really and truly, make the effort this year to volunteer. Generally speaking all you have to do is email the show seceretary, or talk to someone connected with the show and they will work something out with you. Show managers will work with you to find the best place to use your particular talents!

There are plenty of horse shows of all kinds all kinds that need help. Don't wait for the annual outcry from NDA, make the effort and find the time. Your efforts are appreicated!

A Wonderful Offer!

A Free bag? And all I have to do is buy $100.00 worth of Ariat clothing!!! Wow, that's a pretty good deal!

Hit the Polls!

All Wrapped Up

If you were to drop by my apartment on an average Sunday evening you'd find me parked on my sofa between a mess of tangled white leg wraps and a stack of scraggly looking hand towels, colored black or grey. In my dining area you'd see white all- purpose pads air-drying over my chairs, having been bleached within an inch of their lives.

I'm fanatic about my horse laundry. I have tons of it because I only use my wraps once, and my saddle pads twice before they are washed. Yes, it's a lot of work to roll the polos, and a lot of bleach to keep saddle pads white. (Right now, I have to wash my pads twice to get all the spring hair and dirt off of them) I am dedicated to the cause of clean white "socks and underwear" for my Dobby. He's always worn white, and for the most part he probably always will.

Yesterday the horse undergarment white-out ended with the arrival of baby blue polo wraps. This is a big deal. In the 4 years I've owned my horse he's only ever been ridden in white. There are so many options now, saddle pads with beautiful ribbon trims, polo wraps in lovely colors, bling for bridles, spurs and now half-chaps. It's been hard to resist. I broke down over baby blue and I may again by ordering a pair of camel colored wraps.

I've been all white so long I don't think I'll ever be able to go full color. I love the way white looks. In my own mind, by riding in all whites all the time I honor the elegant legacy of my chosen sport. Now I'm trying to have a little fun with it, and some lovely muted colors.

What's Poppin'

Unless you're counting Jamee's wedding, there are no major horse related events goin' down in the area this weekend. Alas, we're left to find our own fun and education at home. I know I'll be busy! How about you?

Most of my weekend will be spent in the Grand Island area celebrating the happy occasion of Jamee's wedding. Of course, that doesn't mean Dobby's is off for the weekend. He's just going to get squished onto the to-do list before and after I leave for GI on Saturday morning.

For those of you who know us, I'm pleased to report that "Tha Dob" is working really well. We're both getting back into fighting condition this spring. He's doing really well, especially in his lateral work. I'm really excited about returning to the show ring with him this summer.

Sadly, we're struggling with his hooves right now, and it doesn't look like they'll be in shape enough to make it to the Shaggy in May. As soon as it arrives, I'll be profiling a topical hoof care product. And believe me, if this stuff works on Dobby, it will help anyone with bad feet.

Happy Easter everyone! I hope all of you readers enjoy a nice weekend with family and friends.

It's Funny Because It's True!

You Don't See That Every Day!

A woman in Alabama has been arrested for DUI, on a horse. I suppose that makes it an RUI.

An entertaining, and also rather sad tale of a woman using her apparently neglected animal to ram a police cruiser after getting high. Uh boy!

An Attitude Adjustment

Since the adult clinic I’ve found myself thinking a lot about my attitude. Jane Savoie’s first lecture was all about the power of positive thinking and the “laws of attraction.” I walked in as she was describing a person she calls the “stinky thinker.” A stinky thinker is basically a person who points out the negative in every thing and bitches endlessly without even attempting to find a solution.

*gasp*….I’m kinda like that

I’ll readily admit to being a glass-half-empty gal. I am most negative about myself, especially my riding and my looks. Here are some of my greatest hits:

“Oh I’m such a chub!”
“I would completely humiliate myself if I stepped into the show ring.”
“I’m not a good enough rider.”
“I can’t halt worth a shit.”
“I haven’t gotten Dobby as far as he should be.”

Reading over this now, it sounds so awful! I’ve made a tremendous dark cloud over my head. No wonder I’m lacking in confidence when I promote this negativity in my own mind. Sheesh!

Savoie advised all of us to let negative people, or their negativity, drift by like debris in a river. In her lecture she pointed out that when we’re at a picnic beside a river we don’t reach into the river to pull out garbage drifting by put it in our purse, and take it home. Savoie encourages us to do the same with the people/energy in our lives. We shouldn’t let our downer friends and their endless “drama” drag us downstream.

And furthermore if you, yourself, are that downer perhaps it’s best to change your cruddy attitude, lest you continue to drift down a polluted river into the ocean where you and the rest of your environmentally unsound negative pals kill oceanic wildlife! I’m taking this polluted river metaphor further to demonstrate the cumulative nature of negative thought. If you let it, negative attitudes can contaminate your entire sense of self, and erode away your confidence. It might even stifle you from making positive life changes.

I may not agree wholly with the physics Savoie used to support her assertion that we all vibrate good and bad energy. (The Law of attraction: What vibes/energy you give out with your attitude determine what energy you attract back). I do, however, 100% agree with the notion that a positive attitude will take you farther in life than a negative one. I also agree a negative attitude will only serve in making the achievement of goals much more difficult.

Why should we act as our own enemies? Why would we want to repel possible allies (friends) with a crappy attitude? Who will support the downer? Isn’t this sport difficult enough without creating your own mental obstacles?

I was very pleased by the end of Savoie’s Saturday morning lecture. I am glad that Savoie is traveling the country delivering her message about having a positive attitude. USDF has made a wonderful choice in Savoie as their spokesperson for adult dressage riders.

We can probably all agree it isn’t only the DQs, but society in general, that has become more negative in recent years. It is so easy to be snarky. We all do it. Let’s all try to reduce it, just like we try to reduce the pollution in our rivers. Think of your negativity as a form of pollution contaminating the space we all share.

I realize this post has very little to do with dressage, and perhaps it could find a better home elsewhere. I wanted to post it here for a reason. So often in my life I find that horsewomanship makes me a better person. Dressage enhances my life both in and out of the barn. The adult clinic is another example of this phenomenon.

Hit the Polls

A Team is Made

Steffen Peters, Courtney King and Leslie Morse, along with American living in Germany, Catherine Haddad will represent the US in the World Cup!

World Cup Competitors to be Decided by Sunday's Freestyle

For the U.S. League Finals and Freestyle Championships, scores from the grand prix do not actually count, but rather determine the order of go for Sunday’s freestyle. Michael Barisone explained that riders never feel that is entirely true, as it is important to leave the judges with a good impression. “You have to be credible and solid. Don’t leave the judges with the feeling you are going to struggle.”

Grand Prix Placings:
1. Floriano– Steffen Peters (California) 73.417. 17-year-old Westfalen gelding; owned by Laurelyn Browning
2. Tip Top 962 – Leslie Morse (California) 68.458. 13-year-old Swedish stallion; owned by Leslie Morse
3. Idocus– Courtney King (Connecticut) 68.375. 17-year-old Dutch stallion; owned by Christine McCarthy
4. Neruda– Michael Barisone (New Jersey) 67.792. 12-year-old Dutch gelding; owned by Jane Suwalsky
5. Wild One– Arlene (Tuny) Page (Florida) 67.542. 11-year-old Hanoverian gelding; owned by Arlene Page
6. Jazzman– Donna Richardson (California) 63.833. 16-year-old Dutch gelding; owned by Donna Richardson
7. Parocco– Jeremy Steinberg (Washington) 63.625. 17-year-old Wurtenberg gelding; owned by Jennifer Smith