NEDA Tip of the Hat - September 2023

N E D A ’ S A W A R D W I N N I N G m A G A z I N E 

ATip of the Hat 

September 2023

Update on the 

2023 Absorbine ® /NEDA 

Symposium with 

Kyra Kyrklund 

EDucAtION NEWS 

OctObER 14 & 15, 2023 

mOuNt HOlyOkE cOllEGE EquEStRIAN cENtER 

SOutH HADlEy, mA 

BY BETH BEUKEMA, SYMPOSIUM ORGANIZER 

This October 14 &15, 2023 event at picturesque Mount Holyoke 

Equestrian Center in South Hadley, MA will be the educational 

highlight of the season. 

Tickets available online at 

https://neda.org/general/custom.asp?page=2023SymposiumAuditor 

All tickets include: 

✓ 

✓ 

Gourmet box lunch 

of choice: Regular, 

Vegetarian or 

Gluten free 

✓ 

Veterinary and nutrition 

lectures from Atlantic 

Equine Services and 

HYGAIN Feeds 

Shopping and informational booths from our sponsors 

and vendors: Absorbine/ W. F. Young, Misty View Equestrian, 

Naughton/ Markel Insurance, County Saddlery, Atlantic Equine 

Services, HYGAIN, Maine Horse and Rider, Legacy Counsellors, 

L. M. Boots, Frederique Studios, Trafalgar Square 

Books, Adequan, Dressage 4 Kids, Bridle Path Tack, and 

The Vineyard Equestrian. 

Patron Tickets also include access to the Meet and Great with 

Kyra and the riders Friday afternoon at 4:00, on-site parking, 

front row seating, and a commemorative gift. Thank you for 

your extra support. 

Demonstration riders will be announced this month. Stay tuned 

to social media for their introduction. The rider / horse time schedule 

will not be known until the day of the symposium as each horse rider 

combination will be viewed by Kyra on Friday to go over the plan 

for the demonstration. 

Continued → 

Add a commemorative 

t-shirt to your order online 

for $25.00 

Photo: Urheilugaala/Jami Inanoff 

More about Kyra: 

Kyra Kyrklund is the first equestrian to be 

inducted in the Hall of Fame of Finnish sports. 

Her most famous horse was Matador, who took her to 

silver at the 1990 World Equestrian Games and a victory 

in the 1991 World Cup Finals. She also placed fifth at the 

1988 Olympic Games in Seoul. Kyrklund rode on many 

Finnish teams in her riding career which spanned from 

1980 to 2008. In total, she competed at six Olympic Games 

and numerous World Equestrian Games and European 

Championships. 

Kyra is a master teacher, and her clear 

approach is accessible to the audience and 

demo riders alike. 

Kyra will be selecting topics to highlight her training 

techniques and ask each horse rider combination to 

showcase her methods. 

Some potential topics to be covered include: 

n Riders balance and influence. 

n Use of independent aids. 

n The horse’s response to the rider. 

n Outline and self-carriage. 

n The basics in the more advanced movements. 

n Speed and length of step. 

n What is collection and how to achieve it. 

n Identifying problems and how to solve them. 

September 2023 NEDA.ORG TIP OF THE HAT 3

A Tip of the Hat 

Contents: 

n Education News 

3 Update 2023 Absorbine/NEDA 

Symposium with Kyra Kyrklund 

3 More about Kyra 

5 Symposium Saturday & Sunday 

Lecture Details: Hygain Feeds 

& Atlantic Equine Services 

7 Symposium Attendee Information 

8 Details about 2023 Absorbine/NEDA 

Symposium with Kyra Kyrklund 

9 Symposium T-shirt Pre-Order Info 

9 NEDA Educational Scholarship Details 

11 NEDA Know-How: Beth Baumert –- 

Finding Balance: The Land of 

All Possibilities 

15 Congratulations NEDA 

Scholarship Recipients 

n Competition News 

17 Spring Show Photo Recap 

18 NEDA Show Series Info 

19 NEDA Pony Series Info 

20 Lesson Link Info 

21 Northeast Region Calendar of Events 

22 Little Blue Book Details 

n Membership News 

23 Youth News: Liliana Green 

24 Stallion Paddock 

26 Advertising Rates 

A Tip of the Hat is a publication of The New England 

Dressage Association, Inc., a non-profit, tax exempt 

corporation. 

MEMBERSHIP QUESTIONS 

memberentry@neda.org 

A TIP OF THE HAT ADVERTISING 

Classified ads must be submitted to the Advertising 

Editor via email in plain text (.txt) or word (.doc). 

Display ads and photos may be submitted via email 

to the Advertising Editor. Ads must be high resolution, 

press ready PDFs with all images and fonts embedded 

NEDA 2023 OFFICERS 

President: 

president@neda.org 

Vice President-Activities: 

Kate O’Connor 

508-612-6985 

vpactivities@neda.org 

Vice President-Services: 

Jennifer Dillon 

508-641-3121 

vpservices@neda.org 

Secretary: 

Heather Stone 

617-480-8077 

secretary@neda.org 

Treasurer: 

Cathy Liston 

treasurer@neda.org 

COORDINATORS 

and MANAGERS 

EDUCATION COMMITTEE 

Education Coordinator : 

Karen Roberts 

413-478-5671 

education@neda.org 

Judge Education Manager: 

Karry Brothers 

518-768-1233 

judgeed@neda.org 

Symposium Manager: 

Beth Beukema 

508-320-6549 

fallsym@neda.org 

COMPETITIONS COMMITTEE 

Beth Jenkins 

508-655-6490; 508-733-3672 

shows@neda.org 

Fall Kick-Off Show: 

Paul Cormier 

508-995-5988; 508-847-2931 

fallshow@neda.org 

Schooling Shows Manager: 

Peter Chavonelle, Jr. 

schoolingshows@neda.org 

Sport Horse/Breed Shows: 

Emily Larson 

sporthorse@neda.org 

Spring & Summer Show: 

Paul Cormier 

508-995-5988; 508-847-2931 

springshow@neda.org 

summershow@neda.org 

Virtual Shows: 

Krista Nordgren, Kari Cincotta 

virtualshows@neda.org 

Year-End Awards: 

Viviane Pilicy 

yea@neda.org 

COORDINATORS and MANAGERS 

SPONSORSHIP COMMITTEE 

Sponsorship Coordinator: 

Kari Cincotta 

781-654-7694 

sponsorship@neda.org 

Sponsor Development: 

Open 

sponsordev@neda.org 

Sponsor Facilitator: 

Emily Larson 

203-606-0388 

sponsorfacilitator@neda.org 

MEMBERSHIP COMMITTEE 

Board Recruitment: 

Krista Nordgren 

nominations@neda.org 

Member-at-Large: 

Jennifer Bagley 

860-428-4325 

memberatlarge@neda.org 

Membership Services Coordinator: 

Dawn Mackenzie 

518-657-1773 

membership@neda.org 

Ombudsman: 

Lainey Johnson 

978-568-0523 

ombudsman@neda.org 

Photography: 

Carole MacDonald 

508-366-7886 

photo@neda.org 

Public Relations Coordinator: 

Krista Nordgren 

207-749-6643 

nominations@neda.org 

Social Media: 

Sara Carlisle 

socialmedia@neda.org 

A TIP OF THE HAT 

TIP Advertising: 

Angela Prenosil 

413-627-2699 

tipads@neda.org 

TIP Editor: 

Katie Crawford 

509-654-3039 

TipEditor@neda.org 

TIP Graphic Design: 

June Evers 

845-294-0656 

jevers@warwick.net 

USDF REGION 8 

Regional 8 Director: 

Helen van der Voort 

region8dir@usdf.org 

Regional Youth Coordinator: 

Bobbi Carleton 

bobbicarleton@aol.com 

USDF Reg 8 Championships: 

Debra Reinhardt 

debra@centerlineevents.com 

ADDITIONAL CONTACTS 

& OFF-BOARD ROLES 

Accountant: 

Amy Beckwith 

bookkeeper@neda.org 

Advertising: 

Kari Cincotta 

advertising@neda.org 

Lesson Link: 

Sara Bradley 

lessonlink@neda.org 

Membership Services: 

Tammy Paparella 

978-257-1374 

memberentry@neda.org 

NEDA Stallion Auction, Recruitment: 

Open 

stallionrecruit@neda.org 

NEDA Stallion Auction: 

Amy Riley 

stallionauction@neda.org 

Massachusetts State Rep: 

Tammy Downes & Rita Brown 

MADressage@neda.org 

New Hampshire State Rep: 

Kristin Wagner 

NHDressage@neda.org 

Northeast Region OPL: 

Jennifer Dillon 

opl@neda.org 

Partners in Education Tier 1: 

Angela Prenosil 

413-627-2699 

edpartners1@neda.org 

Rhode Island state Rep: 

Kathryn Banner 

RIDressage@neda.org 

Scholarships: 

Kate O'Connor 

508-612-6985 

scholarships@neda.org 

Summer Show Manager: 

Paul Cormier 

508-995-5988; 508-847-2931 

springshow@neda.org 

Youth Liaison: 

Josie DeChaine 

413-464-4911 

youth@neda.org 

Cover: Jacquelyne Toher and Gucci 

CL and NEDA Summer Show. 

Photo: Meg McGuire 

4 TIP OF THE HAT NEDA.ORG September 2023

Saturday and Sunday Lectures: 

A bonus for attendees! 

Absorbine ® /NEDA Symposium with Kyra Kyrklund 

October 14 & 15, 2023 

SATURDAY 

Hygain Feeds 

Dr Mottet will present before the main event 

and at the lunch break. Dr Mottet will also be 

available at the vendor tent to answer your 

unique nutritional questions. Your entry gives 

you access to this informational event. 

n MORNING LECTURE 

Selecting the Right Fuel for the 

Dressage Horse 

Hygain's range has options suitable for just 

about every horse in the barn — from horses 

needing a maintenance or low intensity work 

formulation, to top athletes with higher 

energy needs, and to those on an all-forage 

diet. Dr. Mottet will talk through the Hygain 

line up to help navigate which products might 

be best for your horse. 

n LUNCH LECTURE 

Supplements and Sporthorses 

Hygain has some differentiated supplements 

that are designed with the sporthorse in 

mind. Dr. Mottet will speak about some of our 

most popular supplements and touch on why 

we include some of these in our Hygain 

Feeds line. 

l About the presenter: 

Dr. Rachel Mottet, MS, PhD, is an Equine 

Nutritionist and owner of Legacy Equine Nutrition. 

She earned her B.S. in Equine 

Science from the University of Wisconsin 

River Falls, her M.S. in Animal Science from 

North Dakota State University and her PhD 

in Nutrition and Animal Science from the University 

of Minnesota. Her PhD work focused 

on the prebiotic effects of a yeast fermentate 

in addition to work with prebiotic fiber, inulin, 

and its effects on gastrointestinal tolerance 

and satiety. 

Professionally, Rachel has worked with 

horses' owners all over the world in roles as 

an invited lecturer, college professor, and 

consulting equine specialist for numerous 

equine nutrition companies. 

Dr. Mottet currently owns and operates her 

equine nutrition consulting business and 

teaches equine nutrition courses to veterinarians 

and equine professionals. She is 

active in the competitive equestrian world of 

hunter/jumper and owns two horses and two 

KYRA KYRKLUND- cont’d 

dogs. She lives on a farm in Williston Florida 

and spends free time watching competitions 

at the local World Equestrian Center. 

HYGAIN Feeds, a leading equine feed and 

supplement company is devoted to bringing 

their customers closer to their dream. They 

blend years of experience, innovation, up-todate 

research and enthusiasm to nurture the 

best qualities in their client’s horses. As an 

equine only feed mill and manufacturing facility 

Hygain is dedicated to equines and their 

special requirements, resulting in outstanding 

nutritional solutions that really make 

a difference to your horse’s health, performance 

and well-being. Continued → 

Photo: Sonja Holma 

Join us 

for Kyra 

in October! 



SUNDAY 

Atlantic Equine 

Services 

n MORNING LECTURE 

managing the Senior Sport 

Horse – the Orthopedic Aspect: 

topics to include joint therapy, systemic therapies 

and rehabilitation following injury with 

Dr. Christine Machin – Cormier 

Photo: Susan Sexton 

Weatogue Stables, LLC 

Bobbi Carleton 

Manager & Head Trainer 

n USEF ‘r’ Judge 

n USDF Gold Medalist 

Amenties 

include: 

n Comfortable, 

matted stalls -many 

with Dutch doors! 

n Heated wash stalls 

n Dust-free & heated 

indoor arena 

n All new dust-free 

outdoor arena 

n Pasture turnout 

n Premium horse care 

n Lessons 

-Dressage 

-Hunt Seat 

n Horse Training/ 

Conditioning 

n Coaching at Shows 

33 Weatogue Rd. 

Salisbury, CT 

860-824-7808 

860-307-8531 (cell) 

About the presenter: 

Dr. Christine Cormier was born in Ontario, 

Canada, and grew up in Michigan where 

she began riding at the age of three years 

old, enjoying both dressage and three-day 

eventing. She completed her undergraduate 

degree in Animal Science at 

Michigan State University and attended 

Ross University for her veterinary degree. 

Following graduation, she completed an internship 

in Kentucky where she gained extensive 

training in all aspects of equine 

practice. She is certified by the Chi University 

in equine acupuncture. Dr. Christine 

joined Atlantic Equine Services in 2016 as 

a sports medicine fellow and continues with 

the practice as an associate veterinarian. 

n LUNCH LECTURE 

the metabolic Aspects of managing 

the Senior Sport Horse: 

including updates on the diagnosis and management 

of PPID (Pituitary Pars Intermedia 

Dysfunction), EMS (Equine Metabolic Syndrome), 

and ID (Insulin Dysregulation). With 

Dr. Jacqueline Bartol 

l About the presenter: 

Dr. Jacqueline Bartol received her DVM 

from Cornell University, did an internship at 

the Rochester Equine Clinic, and completed 

her residency training at Cornell after which 

she became board certified in Large Animal 

Internal Medicine. She practiced the specialty 

of Internal Medicine in referral hospitals 

in NH before joining Atlantic Equine 

Services. At AES she is on the road diagnosing 

and treating equine patients for 

medical conditions including gastric ulcers 

and other GI diseases, respiratory conditions 

including equine asthma, endocrine and 

metabolic diseases, dermatology problems, 

and neurologic disorders. When not practicing 

veterinary medicine she practices yoga 

and rides and enjoys all outdoor activities in 

the White Mountains with her husband and 

dog, especially in the winter! 

Atlantic Equine Services offers comprehensive 

expertise for the management of the 

sport horse. Services include lameness diagnosis, 

performance assessment, internal 

medicine, diagnostic imaging, advanced 

treatment options, and innovative rehabilitation. 

Our founder, Dr. Omar Maher, is a 

world-respected expert in lameness and 

sports medicine and has practiced equine 

veterinary medicine in four continents. He is 

board certified in Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation 

(ACVSMR) as well as Equine 

Surgery (ACVS). Our 5 veterinarian practice 

provides exceptional care throughout the 

Northeast, New England, and Florida. 


Attendee Information: 

Absorbine ® /NEDA Symposium with Kyra Kyrklund 

October 14 & 15, 2023 

Ten important points, to make 

your weekend go smoothly: 

n Registration opens at 7:15 a.m. both 

Saturday and Sunday. Simply provide 

your name at the registration desk to 

receive your auditor packet. No paper 

tickets are needed. 

n GPS Use 47 Park Street, South Hadley, 

MA on your GPS to get you to the 

vicinity of the venue on the Mt. Holyoke 

campus. 

n Do NOT park on Park Street. You will 

be ticketed by the South Hadley Police 

Department. 

n Parking is off-site and will open at 

7:00 a.m. both days. Carpooling, if 

possible, is greatly appreciated. 

A. The Mossier Elementary School / 

Michael Smith Middle School parking 

lots are located at 101 /100 Mosier 

Street, South Hadley, MA. Shuttles 

will run from the school parking 

lot to the Equestrian Center 

throughout the day. These lots are 

less than 1 mile from the venue. 

B. The Ham/MacGregor lot is located 

on Park Street and is located within 

walking distance of the Equestrian 

Center (less than 1/8 mile); the walk 

is estimated at 5-minutes. There is 

NO SHUTTLE from this lot to the 

venue. This lot will fill early in the day. 

C. Patron ticket holders will have onsite 

parking with your name listed for 

entry. 

n Seating is in folding chairs. Please be 

in your seat by 9:15 a.m. You will be 

asked to remain in your seat during all 

sessions to eliminate distractions for 

the horses, riders, and fellow auditors. 


n NO PHOTOGRAPHY, VIDEOTAPING, 

OR AUDIO RECORDING is allowed in 

the venue. (Except by credentialed 

press) This is per NEDA’s policy and 

there will be NO EXCEPTIONS. All 

electronic devices, iPads, computers 

and cell phones must remain turned 

off and stowed out of sight. You will be 

asked to leave the venue for failure to 

follow this mandatory policy. You may 

not take notes on electronic devices. 

n Our Vendor Village opens at 7:15 a.m. 

both days and will also be open during 

the lunch break and after the last ride. 

Please support the sponsors and 

vendors by visiting and shopping. 

n Lectures presented by Hygain (Sat) 

and Atlantic Equine Services (Sun) will 

be held in the small indoor at 8:15 a.m. 

and again during the lunch break. 

n Venue is not heated so dress accordingly. 

October can be quite chilly. 

n Preordered T shirts will be availble for 

pick up in the vendor village. 

Looking forward to seeing you at the Absorbine/ NEDA Symposium with Kyra Kyrklund! 


Absorbine ® /NEDA SYMPOSIUM 

with 

Kyra Kyrklund 

October 

14-15, 2023 

Training Topics 

with six-time 

Olympian 

Kyra Kyrklund 

Mount Holyoke College 

Equestrian Center 

South Hadley, MA 

AUDITOR TICKETS 

ON SALE: 

June 10 

NEDA Members 

July 10 

Non-Members 

Please visit 

www.NEDA.org 

Photos: Sonja Holma


MUST BE 

PRE-ORDERED 

2023 Absorbine ® /NEDA 

Symposium with 

Kyra Kyrklund 

Commemorative T-shirts $25.00 

Add to your registration 

order before Sept 10 

Must be picked up at the venue 

on Oct 14 or 15 

NEDA EDUCATIONAL 

SCHOLARSHIPS 

NEDA members please take note - 

Scholarships are currently available 

for qualified applicants... 

that could be you! 

The next deadline for scholarship 

applications is Nov. 1st! 

To receive an application or an 

informational brochure about the 

Scholarship Program. Go to: 

http://www.neda.org/?page=SCHMAIN 

Amy Bresky 

Scholarship Chairman 

3403 Youngs Rd., Southern Pines, NC 28387 

Phone: (978) 270-3880 

E-mail: scholarships@neda.org 

Don’t Miss the Deadline! 


Become 

a NEDA 

Volunteer 

Check out www.NEDA.org 

and click on Support NEDA 

Advertise! 

BIZ CARD AS 

LOW AS $55 

FOR MEMBERS! 

Email: tipads@neda.org 

Help us keep The Tip of the Hat 

financially viable in print 

by advertising in it! 

Little Blue Book ALERT! 

Renew your membership by Nov. 30, 2023 

to reserve your complimentary 2024 

Northeast Omnibus Prize list! 



NEDA kNOW-HOW 

SESSION REcAP: FEb 23 

Finding Balance: 

The Land of All Possibilities 

BY SUZY FRASER 

E 

very rider knows how uncomfortable 

it is to ride an unbalanced 

horse but not necessarily how to 

fix that imbalance. Beth Baumert 

was on hand for NEDA’s February 

23rd Know-How session to offer insight into 

balance problems and very specific tools for 

improving balance. Every rider’s goal is to 

achieve that ideal balance—that moment 

when you feel like you could do anything 

you want with your horse. It may last for 

only a second, but you know it and want to 

be able to replicate it at will and for longer 

periods of time. 

Physical Balance 

When Beth was more than halfway 

through writing her first book, When Two 

Spines Align: Dressage Dynamics, she 

started questioning her own understanding 

of the word “balance.” Not only does 

balance refer to horse and rider, but it also 

represents a physical and mental state. 

Basic balance is the one that keeps us upright, 

whether stationary or moving, also 

known as proprioception. 

Then there is the horse’s balance to 

consider: both lateral and longitudinal 

balance. Lateral refers to the horse’s 

posture from side to side. He can be 

standing/moving in an upright posture or 

falling to the inside or the outside. Longitudinal 

balance refers to the horse’s balance 

from head to tail. He can be on his 

forehand, in horizontal balance, or in uphill 

balance. Green horses start out with approximately 

60 percent of their weight on 

the forehand and the other 40 percent on 

their hindquarters. As the horse’s training 

progresses, he will learn to carry his weight 

equally in front and behind; this is horizontal 

balance (50/50). As the horse becomes 

more educated and confirmed in the collected 

work, his longitudinal balance improves 

further, and he takes more weight on 

the hindquarters. 

“A bAlANcED SEAt IS 

WHERE It All bEGINS” 

Mental Balance 

Mental balance of horse and rider is every 

bit as important as physical balance. It’s the 

ability of the rider to be able to concentrate 

regardless of internal or external distractions 

and to also keep the horse focused. This is 

where the importance of the horse’s balance 

comes into play—an unbalanced horse 

cannot focus when he’s struggling to find his 

own balance under the weight of a rider. 

At this point in time, numerous riders are 

nailing down the physical aspects of riding. 

What we are witnessing in competition is 

that the riders with the excellent riding skills 

combined with incredible focus are the ones 

standing on the podium. 

Rider Position 

Beth chose to address rider position in 

her first book, thinking that it’s not possible 

to train a horse to balance if the rider is not 

balanced himself. But, as she said, a strong 

argument can be made for the other side— 

a rider cannot learn to balance well unless 

the horse is well balanced. Beth opines that 

Beth Baumert 

a horse can’t balance without the rider’s 

help when being ridden. She also stressed 

that it takes years to perfect one’s balance 

in the saddle. Although some riders may be 

naturally more gifted than others, you can 

be sure that all riders with good seats have 

devoted years to perfecting their position so 

that they can balance themselves in the 

saddle and affect the horse’s balance in a 

positive manner. 

“A balanced seat is where it all begins,” 

says Beth. The pubic bone and the two seat 

bones are the floor of the seat and stay in 

contact with the saddle. The seat is flexible 

and follows the horse’s movement. The 

rider’s legs follow the side-to-side movement 

of the horse’s ribcage, and the rider’s hands 

follow the forward and back motion of the 

neck. We must be vertically aligned with the 

horse. In other words, if the horse suddenly 

disappeared from underneath us, we would 

land on the ground with bent knees but in 

perfect balance with no fear of falling 

forward, backward, or to either side. 

Beth cautioned against holding on 

(gripping with the legs) because it will 

prevent us from being able to impact the 

horse’s balance and follow his movement. 

More than once, Beth reminded us that we 

have to work for years on becoming well bal- 

Continued → 

September 2023 NEDA.ORG TIP OF THE HAT 11 

EDucAtION NEWS

NKH - SERIES- cont’d 

bEtH REcOmmENDS WAlkING PARAllEl 

tO A mIRROR AND ASkING yOuRSElF, 

“ARE tHE FRONt lEGS PullING 

OR ARE tHE HIND lEGS PuSHING?” 

anced in the saddle. Questions to ask ourselves include: Are 

we holding on (gripping) too much? Are we in a balanced, 

standing position? Can we feel the three points of our seat? Are 

we following the movement of the horse with our seat, legs, and 

hands? The better our balance is, the easier it is for us to impact 

our horse’s balance, making it easier for him to balance under 

us and more comfortable for all involved. 

Advertise 

in The Tip of the Hat 

and support the most 

universally-used and 

highest-rated NEDA offering! 

Email: tipads@neda.org 

Strength is also a component of balance. Good core 

strength enables the rider to be supple and in control of his 

movement in the saddle. It also enables the rider to distribute 

his weight as needed. Beth went on to describe a supple seat 

as one that is both strong and flexible. She also discussed the 

purpose of the stirrups: we should not put our weight in the 

stirrups; their purpose is to allow our ankles to be flexible and 

move with the horse. 

Balance Includes the Health and Welfare 

of Our Horses 

We are fortunate to be living at a time where so much more 

is known about maintaining our horses in a healthy, safe, and 

comfortable environment. In addition, breeders are breeding for 

physical and mental characteristics that make horses ideal candidates 

for specific disciplines. Modern sport horses have more 

of an uphill tendency right from birth as well as temperaments 

that lend themselves to upper-level work. In addition to knowing 

more about bloodlines, we now have a better understanding of 

what constitutes a proper warmup and physical issues that may 

negatively impact a horse’s performance. 

The Value of the Walk and Stretchy Trot 

Beth commented that Georg Theodorescu used to lament 

that the trouble with horses is that they have four legs. When 

you close your leg to go forward on a green horse, he will naturally 

respond by initiating the gait with his front legs—go on 

the forehand—until he has been taught otherwise. His hind legs 

will be out behind him, with the front legs covering more ground 

than the hind legs. Beth recommends walking parallel to a 

mirror and asking yourself, “Are the front legs pulling or are the 

hind legs pushing?” When teaching a horse to respond promptly 

to the driving aid and to use his hind end instead of his front 

legs, do so from the walk which will make it easier for you and 

the horse. Through half halts, transitions and shoulder-fore, we 

can teach the horse to balance longitudinally and take more 

weight behind. 

It wasn’t until the ’80s that the stretchy trot found its way 

into US dressage tests. As more riders, trainers, and judges 

from the US immersed themselves in the European training 



and competition scene, they realized the 

importance of the stretchy trot. It not only 

encourages the horse to develop through 

his shoulders and topline, but it also brings 

to light any balance problems. It’s a good 

test of the skillset of horse and rider. 

Improving Balance 

with Various Tools 

“Upward transitions test the horse’s 

ability to thrust, while downward transitions 

test the horse’s ability to engage,” says 

Beth. “Half halts test both and serve to rebalance 

the horse.” The half halt slows the 

front legs and activates the hind legs. The 

horse’s hind leg does three things: 1) 

thrusts, 2) reaches under the horse’s body, 

and 3) engages. 

In the walk and canter, the rider’s hands 

follow the movement of the horse’s neck. 

During the “whoa” moment of the half halt, 

the hands stop following to encourage the 

horse to engage and add weight to his hind 

legs to load the spring. The goal with tran- 

Continued → 



sitions is to ride them from behind, not with 

the hands. Quoting Carl Hester, Beth said, 

“One of the hardest things to teach riders is 

to ride the downward transitions in a 

forward way.” A good exercise is to practice 

canter-trot transitions on a 20-meter circle 

without using the hands. 

The shoulder-fore is yet another valuable 

tool used to laterally balance and straighten 

the horse. In the shoulder-fore, the inside 

hind leg steps in between the two front legs 

when viewed from the front. The outside 

hind leg is directly behind the outside front 

leg. Because horses are wedge shaped— 

narrow in front and wider behind—the horse 

should be ridden in shoulder-fore all the 

time to be straight. If you align the outside 

of the horse’s body with the wall and ride directly 

toward a mirror, you will see that the 

horse is slightly haunches in rather than 

straight. Beth is quick to say that the 

shoulder-fore, although simple in concept, 

is not easy. 

Other tools to improve your horse’s 

balance include controlling various aspects 

of your ride with the first being rhythm. Even 

in the Grand Prix, you’ll witness rhythm and 

tempo mistakes. Beth suggests wearing a 

watch with a metronome to help you keep a 

reliable rhythm. The normal trot rhythm is 

between 142-144 bpm (beats per minute), 

96 bpm for canter, and 100 bpm for walk. 

“Keeping a steady rhythm builds relaxation 

and confidence,” says Beth. 

Energy is another aspect of our riding 

that we must regulate. You want some fire 

but not so much that you can’t control it and 

find yourself dealing with negative tension. 

On the other hand, not enough energy results 

in a dull performance. 

Control of lateral flexion determines the 

inside and out-side of the horse’s body. In 

addition to control of the flexion, we want to 

be able to control the neck height, which is 

vital for developing and retaining 

throughness. Beth reminded us that a horse 

must be straight for us to be able to influence 

his neck height. We also need control over 

the length of the horse’s stride and outline. If 

the stride gets too big, the horse loses his 

balance. He may get quick, go on the 

forehand, or both. 

“Here’s the big one,” said Beth. “Line of 

travel—you cannot perform movements or 

figures well if you are not on a line of travel.” 

By riding correct lines of travel, your horse 

will be balanced, and every step will be the 

same. One of the many exercises that Beth 

uses is to have her students ride a leg yield 

with the intention of landing at a specific letter 

to ensure that they are on a clearly defined 

line of travel. Without this, the quality of the 

figure or movement will be lacking. Beth is 

an advocate of using cones to help her students 

ride good lines of travel. She mentioned 

how years ago, Andres Lindgren set 

up cones all around the arena while Beth 

was riding her I1 horse. She found that the 

cones made the test so much easier to ride, 

and she has been a proponent ever since. 

Referring to another great influence on her 

riding, Beth mentioned David Hunt and his 

saying that the first thing you have to do 

when riding is to decide where you are going 

and then to worry about how you get there. 

It all comes down to balance. If your 

horse and you are well balanced, the performance 

will be effortless and comfortable 

for both of you and pleasing to an audience. 

NEDA members who were able to attend 

this session were able to have their many 

thoughtful questions expertly answered. For 

those who could not attend, I urge you to go 

to NEDA’s website and watch the recording 

of this wonderful presentation. I also highly 

recommend Beth’s excellent book, When 

Two Spines Align: Dressage Dynamics, 

which contains everything presented in this 

Know-How session and more! 

14 TIP OF THE HAT NEDA.ORG September 2023 

Kyra Kyrklund 

Oct. 14-15! 

ww.NEDA.org

Congratulations! 

EDucAtION NEWS 

Kasey Feola 

Stephanie Garland 

Kasey Feola. Photo: Susan Stickler 

Stephanie Garland. Photo: J Klein Photos 

NEDA Scholarship Recipients 

Our applicants for NEDA Scholarships 

always vary in age and paths with a diversity 

of goals that they have dedicated 

themselves to. This spring’s recepients 

were no exception. Each of them has 

also contributed generously with their 

time and skills to volunteer for NEDA. 

Later this year, look for their articles in 

the TIP about their experiences with 

NEDA’s financial support. Let NEDA help 

you with your goals, whatever your level. 

We have many categories and look 

forward to receiving fall applications with 

a deadline of November 1st. All the information 

and application forms can be 

found online at neda.org. 

STEPHANIE GARLAND 

Stephanie Garland is an Adult Amateur 

living in Portland, ME. Her goals with her 

NEDA spring scholarship funds are to take 

additional lessons and clinics this summer 

on her leased horse to reach her goal of 10 

years to get her Bronze medal and qualify 

and attend the Region 8 Championships. 

KASEY FEOLA 

Kasey Feola is an Adult Amateur living in 

Westford, MA. Her goals with her NEDA 

spring scholarship funds are to do intensified 

training with her trainer on her own 

horse, adhering to training fundamentals 

with a focus on further building a strength 

and harmony with her horse at the 

Fourth/Prix St. Georges levels. 

KAREN ROBERTS 

Karen Roberts is a Professional living in 

Southwick, MA. Her goals with her NEDA 

spring scholarship funds are to become 

a “r” dressage judge and be promoted as 

soon as possible to “R” dressage judge 

candidate. She is currently in the “r’ 

program. 


Cheers 

to our intrepid competitors 

at the NEDA Summer Show 

and thank you to our 

volunteers and officials! 

cOmPEtItION NEWS 

Top left: Bethany Shaw and McCloud. 

Middle left: Lisa Wilson and CC On The Rocks. 

Bottom left: Rachel McGregor and Blu. 

Photos: Carole McDonald 

Center: Cassandra Lorusso-Smith and 

Kokette van't Lindehof. Photo: Carole McDonald 

Top right: Ann Guptill and Orchid's Jim. 

Bottom right: Katie Channing and Free Fallin' Mon. 

Photos: Meg McDonald 




September 2023 NEDA.ORG TIP OF THE HAT 19 

cOmPEtItION NEWS

LESSON 

LINK 

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from a Renowned 

Judge/Trainer/Instructor! 

With NEDA’s new Program, 

LESSON LINK, you just pay 

a $60 donation to NEDA 

and get a lesson from the 

Dressage pro of your choice. 

Scan 

here to 

Sign up 

for your 

leSSon 

benefit NEDA and learn 

in one donation! 

Join our 

“Little Blue Book” team! 

Looking for 

a way to become 

more involved 

with NEDA? 

Do you have a 

background or 

an interest in 

publishing? 

NEDA has volunteer openings 

within one of our flagship publications: 

Our “little blue book,” the Omnibus/Prize List. 

Publishing experience, while helpful, is not necessary. 

If you have an interest in managing projects, publishing, 

editing, writing or want to become involved at NEDA in another way, 

please reach out to Krisy Nordgren at nordgrenk@neda.org 



Advertise in The Tip of the Hat and support the most 

universally-used and highest-rated NEDA offering! 


Photo: Carole MacDonald 

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& 

Showing 

~ 

Perfect 

Together 

How do you make sure you get it every year? 

Renew your membership by Nov. 30, 2023 

to reserve your complimentary 2024 

Northeast Omnibus Prize list! 



Youth News 

CHATTINg wITH: 

Liliana 

Green 

BY JOSIE DECHAINE 

Left: Lili Green 

at Stockade. 

Photo: Q2. 

Bottom: 

Lili Green riding 

at Lendon Gray's 

Dressage4Kids 

Youth Dressage 

Festival 2022 

Photo: Amy Dragoo 

mEmbERSHIP NEWS 

Who are you and where in Region 8 

are you from? 

I’m Liliana Green from Shelburne Falls, MA. I’m 

13 and for the past five years I’ve trained with 

Shelby Ballantine in Southern Vermont. My 

Connemara pony, Blackwing Holden’s 

Thunder, and I have shared an unusual 

journey! Holden and I became a team when he 

was only 7 and I was 10. He had been trained 

by a professional, Lily Joseph, but he was still 

somewhat green. We became each other’s 

teachers as we grew together. In our barn we 

have a joke that Holden’s nickname is “devil 

pony,” which is true because he’s very mischievous 

and always tests me. It feels like after 

years of hard work we’re now really clicking 

and progressing. He has taught me boundaries, 

discipline and patience! 

Why or how did you choose dressage 

as your discipline? 

I started lessons when I was 4, driving a 

Shetland pony with my brother. I started riding 

a year later at a local hunter/jumper barn. After 

two years of going to the barn with my mom 

and taking weekly lessons on school ponies, I 

started to realize that I loved horses and 

wanted to make riding a part of my life. We 

moved to a different barn with a dressage 

program. At first, I was too young to realize 

what that was, but once I did I knew it was the 

discipline that clicked in my brain. Memorizing 

and riding the movements, not just the pattern 

of the dressage tests, has really been something 

that has come naturally. 

If you were to compete in any other 

discipline, what would it be? 

Vaulting looks interesting! I watched my cousin 

in Ireland compete in a vaulting competition 

when I was 7 and I’ve always wanted to try. I 

also think Holden and I would have fun jumping. 

What is a goal you have? 

I want to continue building on our solid First 

“...HOlDEN’S NIckNAmE IS ‘DEvIl 

PONy,’ WHIcH IS tRuE! HE’S vERy 

mIScHIEvOuS & AlWAyS tEStS 

mE...AFtER yEARS OF HARD 

WORk, WE’RE NOW clIckING 

& PROGRESSING” 

Level work, learn Second Level movements, 

and approach the FEI Children’s test in 2024. 

What is your favorite event on 

the NEDA calendar? 

I love going to the NEDA Symposium! I learn 

so much from watching accomplished dressage 

riders and some of the best trainers in 

the world. At the Symposium, I also love 

Vendor’s Village. 

Who are some people that play 

crucial roles in your journey? 

My trainer, Shelby Ballantine, has played a 

HUGE role in my journey with Holden. I honestly 

don’t know how we would have progressed 

without her - she is such an amazing 

trainer and has helped Holden and I through 

our many ups and downs. She makes the 

journey fun because she’s such a positive role 

model for everyone! Also my mom, because 

she’s a horse person and loves my pony very 

much. We joke that she's the pony grandmother. 

This year Dressage4Kids has become 

really important to me. We’ve competed at the 

Youth Festival twice and we’ve already done 

two clinics in 2023 with Lendon Gray. We are 

now preparing for her Summer Intensive 

Program. Lastly, I admire all of the older girls 

at my barn, because they’ve taught me how to 

have fun and work hard and to not get disappointed 

when things go wrong (like when your 

pony jumps out of the ring, which happened 

when Holden and I were younger). 

What is something you have 

accomplished that you are proud of? 

Definitely pushing through hard moments with 

Holden - there were many. Now, we are finding 

our connection and having conversations, not 

arguments, when I ride. Also I’m happy that we 

are ready for the D4K Summer Intensive and 

we qualified for Regionals. 

Dressage is important to me because . . . 

I love dressage because of the true connection 

you have with your horse. I feel dressage gives 

you the foundation you need for every discipline! 

Dressage is not easy, which makes succeeding 

such a good feeling. I like to know I’m 

helping my pony become his best, most athletic 

self and setting him up for success in 

whatever else we do. 

When I'm not at the barn . . . 

I have a lot of fun with friends at home, getting 

ice cream in town, swimming and skiing in the 

winter. I also like cross country running and 

music. I think diversity is a really important part 

of being an equestrian because it's easy to 

burn out. Of course though, the barn is where 

I love to be the most! 


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STALLION PADDOCK - cont’d 

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NEDA Tip of the Hat - September 2023

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