september 2004 - Dallas Dressage Club

TRANSITIONS Volume 5, Issue 9[continued from page 3 ]2) Horse experience/history: After suffering through a horse-less childhood and young adulthood, I started learning to ride when I was thirtysomething.I took lessons once a week for a year, graduated to twice a week for a while, then quit my high-stress job and stopped riding for a fewyears. I got started again with Marie Morgan in Houston, where I was a working student by day, and Marie always had a horse for me to ride.3) Show experience: Show experience? What show experience? After a couple of bad show experiences (judge coming out of her spot totell me "the judges have been talking". . ., technical delegates stopping my warm-up multiple times to warn me that they think I might commit HorseAbuse (I hear you guys laughing out there!), learner judges talking loudly and negatively during my tests, horse “too forward”, i.e., “It's all comingback to me. . . I was bred to run! Let’s GO!!”), I decided to back-burner the shows until I could ride at Third level, minimum. This is supposed to befun, and I wasn't having fun. OK, I’m not ready to show at Third level, but I can do a First-4 test now. Competently. I’m thinking about going to someschooling shows next year. That would be 2005. Maybe.4) Horses: I purchased my first horse, W.P. Jazz (now at EQUEST) in 1997. My second horse was a 15 year-old Thoroughbredschoolmaster, who was full of “go” and happy personality. He had a bad colic in January, and couldn't be saved. Favella is a 15 year-old Holsteinerfrom Russia. She is quite self-possessed and not given to any remotely silly behavior, although she sometimes puts on a beautiful power-trot inturnout. She is a trained horse, too, and I have learned a lot from riding her.5) Dressage goals: I suppose we’re talking about Realistic Goals, so I'll leave out the one about riding at the Olympics.• My daily goal is to ride, and I achieve it 5 or 6 days a week.• My goal for the next 3 months is to be able to ride a kick-ass 1st Level Test 4.• For the next year, it is to be able to ride a competent 2nd Level Test 4.- It's all that project management. I have definitely learned how to set goals. Measurable, quantifiable, goals.6) Other goals: I am opening a dressage specialty store, Beyond The Barn LLC, in Argyle, in September. That's my Primary Focus now, andwill be for the next year or two. Taking care of my mother and making sure she has the best possible quality of life is the next priority. Riding comesin third.7) General statement to the club: My seventh grade math teacher said, "The day you stop learning is the day you begin to die." One of thethings that drew me to dressage was the discipline of it. I don't mean discipline as in "That was right, or that was wrong" or in a punitive way. WithDressage, there is underlying theory and principle; it involves lifelong learning. One is A Student of Dressage.I believe that, no matter what level of rider, or amateur versus professional, certified instructor or judge, we all have more to learn, we all need adeveloped eye watching and correcting, and as often as possible. I personally have learned a lot by auditing clinics, attending symposia, being aworking student, scribing FEI tests in Florida, and even by socializing with (and listening a lot) respected trainers.When I trained in Houston, my trainer was active in and supportive of the Houston Dressage Society. When there was a clinic with a USDFCertified Instructor, or Gerhard Politz, or HDS had a weekend symposium, she did not teach lessons that day/weekend. She put up a "car pool" liston the board, and insisted that her non-adult students attend. She insisted as much as she could that her adult students and boarders attend. Sheattended herself, and brought the young riders.In accepting the role of Education Liaison to Region 9, I naively thought "If I organize it, they will come." I thought the local trainers wouldsupport the education events in the same way. That has not been the case; the trainers will not lose a day or two's income; they don't organize carpools, they don't tell their students that it's really important for them to audit or even ride.There have been 11 replies for the Education Survey that DDC published 7 weeks ago (as of this writing). It is difficult to not draw a negativeconclusion from this.If you're interested, participate!DDC ANNUAL REPORTS – AS REPORTED AT SUMMER MEETING, AUGUST 14 T H , 2004VICE PRESIDENT – JENNIE BOHART• We purchased the four new arenas from Premier Dressage. The three old arenas have been sold. Next year goal is to purchase new arenaletters as the fiberglass ones are falling apart.• Booked Eckhart Meyners for 2005 education symposium, for Easter weekend.SECRETARY – DEBBIE STUCKERNo reportMEMBERSHIP – SUE BROWNLEE• 644 active and inactive members. Need to solicit the inactive members to re-join. 719 horses registered with the club.VOLUNTEER COORDINATOR – KATIE CABALLERO• Starting to recruit for fall shows.• Looking into logo-wear options for Champs as well as T-shirt design for Champs volunteers.-9-