I wanna know how you got to where you are. How old were you when you started competitive dressage? What were the challenges? What would you tell an adult ammy with dreams of showing in the higher levels (2nd level and higher)? What are you working on now?
I wanna know how you got to where you are.
Wow⌠it would fill a book. Started at a hack barn taking lessons (h/j). Was lucky that my family moved out of the city and I got a horse(20y.o.) and showed h/j (badly). Got another horse, went to college, Tried eventing, sold second horse to pay my way to England for some time at a riding school. Taught up-down((beginners) and evented. Got married and got a real job and a green horse.
How old were you when you started competitive dressage?
Said green horse was really not competitive but by this time was a decent event horse and child proof. Bought a purpose bred horse, unbroken. Got him sort of going, then had a kid and sold the horse. This brings me to my mid 20s.
What were the challenges?
Never having the right horse at the right time with the right instructor. AND never having enough time or money.
What would you tell an adult ammy with dreams of showing in the higher levels (2nd level and higher)?
Be sure you are well employed, this is not a cheap sportâŚespecially if you want to compete. Remember to enjoy the journey as even with luck you might not get as far as you think.
What are you working on now?
So now that my kids are grown and I am retired. I got back into riding after a 30+ year break. Back to the question about challenges, I have the time now and almost enough money but age has a way of making one less nimble, less brave and making a nap sound good. After a year of lessons and partial leases I bought a relatively green horse who is very sensible (See comment about âless braveâ) but not super flashy. The pandemic shut down any outsiders at the stable so no lessons, just riding. I was supposed to feel grateful that at least I could ride. But I saw progress slipping away ( never enough challenges). So I moved my horse to a full training barn.
Oh yeah, what are we working on⌠this month it was getting the horse straight, light and balanced. We got our scores for 1st and 2nd towards my Bronze but truly we are now working on making us solid at Second Level. The hope is to get our changes before we run out of show season so we can go Third. But if the pandemic persists that might not happen.
Challenges. Yep. All the star need to align. Time, money, talent/skill, sound horse, instructor, world health! Which makes me stand in awe of all the people who succeed. Most of us will never get to the Olympics, and this year NO ONE will get there. So enjoy the journey and remember a poor horse eats as much as a good horse(per Karl Mikolka).
2 Likes
I wanna know how you got to where you are.
For me, it wasnât too complicated. Rode at a small school barn, which eventually shut down. Found a breeding barn that also was a lesson barn and stayed there 15 years. Eventually went off to school, bounced around a bunch horse-wise, and 4 years later landed a great dressage coach.
How old were you when you started competitive dressage?
Probably 12? I never had much interest in jumping, but I did it because everyone else did. Eventually one winter my small school barn coach started trying to teach me the basics. I found it challenging, but by then I was hooked!
What were the challenges?
Money and time always seem to be mine. I never had money for a half-lease or much more than one or two lessons a week for most of my life. My commute to work is quite long, so when I get home Iâm often exhausted and sometimes I have to really talk myself into going to the barn.
What are you working on now?
Iâm lucky enough now to have my own horse - a 5 year old mare, whoâs quite opinionated. She spent the COVID shut down in full training and looks amazing without me there, holding her back 
Now I have to get myself in shape to start back riding her. I struggle with my back - I herniated a disc in my lower back a month ago, which is the 3rd time in 3 years. My mare is now working on 2nd/3rd, so I have to get back to being able to ride at that level. And I have to learn to ride changes, which I can somewhat, but not well enough to support a green horse through it.
What would you tell an adult ammy with dreams of showing in the higher levels (2nd level and higher)?
Itâs definitely achievable! Find a good coach and a schoolmaster, if you can, to learn how to ride the movements properly. Once you know the feel of doing them correctly, it is much easier to ride them on other horses. Working on your core and sitting trot is important. Also - have fun!
1 Like
@Piaffe11 I think thatâs such a smart way to use your quarantine time by investing in your horseâs training.
1 Like
I started riding at 6, by 9 I had articulated to adults around me that I wanted to do dressage, but mid-80s in the southwestern US, I was told, âyou couldnât afford a dressage horseâ by well meaning but misguided individuals. My riding school i started at had us on the longe, doing cavaletti in some of my lessons, and generally teaching to excellent classical basics. I got my first horse at 8 when the girl selling her sweet talked my dad telling him what a wonderful rider I was, and I had no business with that horse! Luckily I survived by learning to control her while letting go and learning to ride better.
I ended up in the breed show and hunter / eq worlds for a while, but got to take some dressage lessons in college as well. I couldnât afford horses like I wanted and to take care of my mother as she aged, so I started saving while not riding. About 11 years after college I finally got back into horses like I wanted. I decided I just wanted to do dressage, as I had wanted my whole life. I no longer cared about winning at shows, so even if I couldnât afford anything nice enough to compete I wanted to do it. In 2008 I was given a crippled rescue horse, and she got me back into horses.
In 2010 I bought my first dressage horse, a former eventer TB with very nice gaits and some emotional issues. After getting him I learned the only way he was controllable in the dressage phase was because he galloped in a x-country saddle for an hour to let out his excess energy first. I also found multiple physical issues which he had kept hidden but permanently affected his overall mental ability to handle life. In December 2012 he dumped me in a clinic after bucking a couple hundred feet with me - I was told they could hear the sound of his bucking across the facility. He was nice enough to deposit me in a mud puddle, and the clinician recommended my now trainer to me because she knew he could ride through that sort of thing and also teach me to do so. January-September 2013 I took 6-8 lessons a week with five or more rides on my own in addition to those, as my trainer helped me rebuild my seat. Because my TB was obvious on days he would buck hard, my trainer ensured I didnât try to ride through major bucking during that time. In the meantime, my Trakehner mare got started under saddle and I had a blast with her. At 9 months in, my TB finally had a nutty day when my trainer felt I was ready to ride through it. It was amazing to feel how I had developed skills so when he started bucking I sat deep, pushed him forward, brought his head up and turned him to make it so he had to stop bucking.
We ended up deciding the gelding was too likely to get someone else injured with his misbehavior at shows, so I would make the youngster my show horse and just ride the gelding at home. We intentionally never schooled changes with him because of the bucking stuff, but otherwise he was easily doing the I-1 work, at a higher quality level than my trainerâs horse he was showing that level at the time. Heâs now semi-retired because his hooves werenât holding up to full work, so he mostly does very basic dressage work a few times a week.
My trakehner was about ready to show 3rd level and schooling higher when she started getting intermittent lameness. She is the toughest horse I have ever known, and my trainer and I both realized it was something major because she simply wasnât going to limp if it werenât. It took 6 vets to get one to take us seriously enough to help down the trail of diagnostics to find the problem - turned out she had an old injury from a hoof caught in a stall, and 7 months post diagnosis tomorrow she starts trotting under saddle. Iâm pretty excited about that!
In the meantime, it was 2018 when my gelding started showing signs he needed to be stepped down, adowI ended up buying a horse I had known her whole life. She was 4 and had one foal, so was very very green and out of shape at the time. But I knew she was a fantastic horse, and am super excited about her. Before the lockdown, I was schooling second level stuff poorly - not good transitions in and out of lateral work, not steady angles, but starting to get more consistency where there were some really good moments and it was showing in her development. Now I suspect when I ride her she will be fully second level since my trainer has been riding her, but I will be a bag of fluff on her since Iâve been shut in at home. 🤣ðŸËâ
Iâm not sure Iâd really say Iâve ever been involved in competitive dressage, in that I donât show enough to have horse show polish. I still like to use shows as measuring sticks and because I always learn something about my partnerships with my horses, but winning everything is never my goal, and I donât compete enough for it to be a reasonable one even on the fancy youngster.
I would recommend that amateurs figure out contingencies and how to afford things if plans get spoiled, but then try to find a trainer whose students progress up the levels. Also, to trust your gut. Most of the dressage trainers I know about locally either have had or have riders on the verge of FEI, so they all help their riders improve and train their horses up the levels. I started with an eventing trainer, and my gut told me none of the dressage trainers I knew were a fit. When I learned more, I understood that they were not what I needed at the time. I have recommended people I thought were good matches to them at times, though, even if they werenât what I needed at the time I found my trainer. Iâve known a lot of people who start looking for answers from the outside when they arenât getting any answers they need where they are. Friends have had anxiety issues when they werenât getting the skills they needed to be safe. Friends were frustrated at lack of progress when basics were missing. I have never had a friend get frustrated because their trainer was making them too good at basics - but have had many friends frustrated when they were supposedly sticking to basics but not getting better at those either.
My biggest challenges have been physical issues. I had a stupid fall which resulted in a bad SI sprain and nerve damage to my left side. I could not use my left leg much at all and couldnât feel my left seatbone for about two years. I could only feel my calves on the left, so I learned to feel straightness in my calves and by how my torso was wanting to lean and where my hands wanted to go. Now that I can feel the left seat bone again, I just am more sensitive overall. I also have asthma, and generally canât tell when itâs affecting me so Iâm not getting enough oxygen, and I have repeatedly made myself sick (bronchitis) from stressing my lungs too much when I donât realize I canât breathe. My trainer can see when I am going to have problems breathing by how I hold my shoulders, and he makes me take walk breaks more frequently than I would request them. Because of that, he has helped me build stamina and fitness in a way I couldnât manage on my own.
1 Like
onwednesdaysweweartights
I wanna know how you got to where you are.
I bought a horse completely conformationally wrong, bought sight unseen for $100.00
I grew up on his back galloping around the State Forest after school and at Pony Club. It was an eventing pony club. I came last in everything. Then 5th in everything which equaled white ribbons
We started riding to the ponyclub once a week for a riding lesson. She would get on Pepper and do the Spanish walk. We started coming 3rd in everything. Things had changed and now 3rd was white ribbons.
She broke her leg and another instructor was there when we arrived. NOBODY went back to the other instructor. She taught me communication with a horse. I realised that Pepper was doing the Spanish Walk out of anger. He never did the Spanish Walk again.
Now we came 1st in everything. I was competing every weekend in everything from Dressage to One Day Events. We won our One Day Event by 66 points. We virtually could have had 2 refusals and knock down every show jump and still would have won, and I became a Pony Club Instructor.
I left School and became a trail ride guide studying ro be an EFA Level I Instructor, in a dressage saddle. One day I let the Arab mare go for the gallop up a long winding sandy track and the manager yelled out STOP. I hauled her to a stop and he galloped straight past me. He just wanted to be first.
I lent forward and said catch him girl. She did. She galloped her heart out. She drew level with him, she overtook him and I did not feel a thing, not one bit of adrenaline. Nothing. Nada.
I passed my Level I and went to work interstate at a Dressage place studying for my Level II under a level III.
I found out I could not ride. I was told my hands were dead, my legs were dead and I was not using my seat.
I worked hard. I was being paid to have lessons on other peopleâs horses. I bought a warm blood mare who was out of work but had received over 50 % in a medium dressage test and was trained up to 1/2 steps.
I learned more in 6 months on her, than I did training and winning on my own horses.
I lost the use iof my right arm, was lectured by doctors that I would never ride again and I should be at home producing babies.
Yeah right.
I brought Vinnie home and she and Pepper were paddock mates for another 11 years.
I married.
A chiropractor fixed my arm.
I have had a few horses since then learning from every one.
We have 3 now. I bought myself a horse. He hasnât done anything yet but my instructor said he will be able to take me up the levels and I now have an arena at home and I ride my dream horse every day.
I actually rode Sim again for the first time yesterday, as I gave him to hubby. He was a dream to ride.
and the 3rd horse, Dodge. Well everyone should have a Dodge. He rides to the experience of the rider.
How old were you when you started competitive dressage?
I was about 18yo to when I was competing every weekend. I have learned a h##l of a lot since then without competing.
What were the challenges?
It was so easy when you were a kid wasnât it? Now as adults we have to ride around going to work and the weather and how much light there is in a day.
What would you tell an adult ammy with dreams of showing in the higher levels (2nd level and higher)?
The instructor you go to is everything. Make sure it is an instructor who speaks horse, can teach you communication with a horse and has the welfare of the horse as paramount AND DOES NOT USE GADGETS.
What are you working on now?
I am bringing my boy back into work. I havenâthad a lesson for a long time now and my instructor said he would come out here to give us a lesson. So I am motivated again.
2 Likes
I was brought up on my familyâs dairy farm (parents were in the military and I was dropped off at my grandparents at 3 months of age). In addition to holsteins my family raised morgans. My grandfather would show in draft pulls and English pleasure/park classes and the like. Needless to say I have always owned/ridden horses from a very young age. However, I wanted to be like all my friends who had horses/ponies so I wanted to be in pony club and do foxhunting etc. I would have been considered a complete outcast (to my family) on the equine agenda but I had an uncle who raised thoroughbreds and kept a few on the track. As a result I was âallowedâ my transgressions to veer off in another direction and on mounts other than Morgans. I used to see dressage as a necessary evil in order to be allowed to participate in rally games and over fences. In my early teens I hooked up with the hunter/jumper crowd; but, as luck would have it I purchased a couple of thoroughbred long yearlings destined for the baby greens only to find out the one who had my heart couldnât jump her way out of a paper bag. I didnât want to sell her so I looked to dressage. I didnât start showing in dressage shows (schooling shows only) until I was in my late 20s. The greatest challenges I faced were my indoctrinated riding position (time spent exercising horses at the track and my ingrained two point position were habits that didnât die easily) and finding decent instruction.
I was in my early 30s by the time I was able to show in my first recognized dressage show. I had a couple of registered holsteiners and sport horse types along with an Arabian. At that time my children were in diapers and as I had throughout my entire adulthood post grad school, a full-time job was also included in the juggling act. I had also decided in my late 20s that ponies/pony breeds competing in dressage was my dream so that is when my welsh cob breeding program started to take shape. I was in my mid 30s when I first competed at second level on a warmblood who had imo the worst personality/disposition and I was NOT having any fun. I was moving to Arizona; so I sold off all my over 15 hand critters, and took the welsh cobs and arabians with me. Even though I was in the mecca of Arab shows, there was always âthatâ stigma of doing âAyrabâ dressage versus on a real dressage horse. My welsh cobs who werenât breeding were finally of age to start to go to shows. They were met with curiosity and some followers developed but they were not considered ârealâ dressage mounts. Breed bias was not the norm but a reality that I dealt with over that time both with instructors and judges. I earned my bronze on my Arabian who I brought up the levels shortly after I turned 40. I earned my silver by the time I was 48 on a welsh cob I had backed/started and brought up the levels. I am now 56 and still have a couple of welsh cobs. One is my home bred 6 year old gelding. He is solid second level and we just started the flying changes. My goal is to earn my gold medal on him, powers-that-be willing.
My advice to an AA just coming on the scene -(1) find good instruction and spend your money THERE (2) ride what you love and love what you ride youâll actually accomplish more by sticking to that mantra as long as the beast is healthy with 3 pure gaits (3) patience, patience, patience especially if you are juggling family, career and horses and (4) Finally NEVER ask more of the horse than what you ask of yourself - Iâve logged miles of lunge lessons, I stay fit, I studied biomechanics of the horse in school and continue to in order to better understand how I can use my riding to help not hinder. Enjoy, I know mine has been a hell of a journey that I wouldnât trade for anything - with lots of accomplishments and fun memories right along with but has far outweighed the setbacks. Again, ride what you love and love what your ride - itâs worth it.
3 Likes
I will definitely be reading you blog. Thanks for your reply!
I love this advice. I am currently taking lessons with a great trainer that focuses on Centered Riding, and looking for a horse to lease/buy to get me through at least 1st level. Iâm also working on my fitness and balance, because it needs TONS of work.
I had a green bean Half-Arab that I boarded at a barn I worked at after school. I was not quite 16 at the time (bus dropped me off after school).
Iâd had a string of extremely dangerous trainers who seemed to want to kill me off prior to that.
I was in 4H (western, english, halter, dink around, etc).
The owner of the barn was insane. More concusions than you can count. She had this gem of an eventing horse that no matter what year you asked her his age, sheâd always say 7. lol She paid well though.
A dressage trainer came in to give the barn owner lessons weekly. Eventually dressage trainer started training horses out of the barn. I started taking lessons from her.
Since I basically LIVED at the barn anyways, I started helping the dressage trainer groom and tack horses. In return, I got seat lessons on a lunge line for months and months and months. Haha I loved it.
Eventually I became her working student. I worked under her training/breaking horses etc for about 4 years. However, I never progressed past Third Level (which at the time did NOT require a flying change).
I started showing rated shows on my little Arab about a year after hooking up with this trainer.
I showed all over the tri state area. Showed under Caroll Level and Max Gahwyer. Won everything.
I won Top Ten at Arab Nationals at First Level in 1992/3 (canât remember the exact year).
I could never crack Third level without that flying change, and my instructor (who swore she could teach me), always insisted we were never ready. And eventualy convinced me it was because my horse would not be able to go above third.
So i bought an unbroke Hano/TB gelding and started over. Got him going well, and then it was the same story - heâd never be successful past 2nd.
At that point I quit.
She had concinced me my only way forward was by shelling out massive amountsof money for a horse I couldnât afford.
So I quit completely. Sold all my horses. Left the equestrian world. Sank into a huge depression.
I didnât return until 20 years later.
When I did return, I stupidly went back to that same instructor. I bought a lovely (inexpensive) mutt mare. When I got the mare to a good First Level (ready to step up), the trainer told me the mare would never be successful at Second and to sell her and buy this very expensive Hano mare she was conveniently selling.
I switched trainers. The mare won at 2nd level with upper 60s in classes of over 8 competitors on warmbloods. Wouldâve gone higher but the mare was a terror and destroyed her stifle trying to kill a gelding that looked at her wrong. ðŸËâ
What were the challenges? What would you tell an adult ammy with dreams of showing in the higher levels (2nd level and higher)?
Challenges:
Finding qualified trainers that can actual teach past Training/First level.
Access to quality instructors (too far away, or too expensive to pursue).
Costs of everything. The higher you train, the more it costs (chiro, massages, shoes, travel, nutrition, ulcer meds, etc). Even if you have the skills, have the trainer, and have the horse⌠it may still be out of reach.
Advice:
Find the absolute BEST trainer in your state. Donât piddle around with these low level, wannabe trainers, if youâre serious about moving up. Theyâre a waste of time and money.
Any horse can get you to a decent thirs level IF you have a trainer that is actually any good.
Iâve done it three times on craigslist mutts that cost under 2k. You have to be extremely accurate and really work the fundamentals, but itâs doable.
What are you working on now?
Bringing a 11 year old mutt that was a backyard trail horse his whole life to First Level by end of year. Iâm going to try low level eventing on him as a bucket list objective.
And working on flying changes with my CL mutt pony so I can show her 3rd next year and get my bronze. Sheâs a dynamo at collected work. Really amazing find. Hoping she can break me into 4th for the first time. Knock on wood.
1 Like
