Denver Equestrians

You are invited to attend the first ever Pony Club and Academy Horse show on Saturday, March 13th at 12:00 noon!

We will have plenty of fun events, excited riders and classes!

Please contact Corinne if you would like to attend as a spectator!

We are pulling together a clinic with Physical Therapist Kim Cavanagh. Kim is a licensed physical therapist with 20 years experience in sports related orthopedic injuries and rehabilitation. She employs various forms of

exercise, biomechanics and posture awareness instruction and bodywork techniques. She is also an avid equestrian, and has developed a clear understanding of the physical demands involved in being a successful

rider.

If you are interested in this opportunity, please contact us for further information!

Our January Seminar was an asounding success! If you are interested in a tour of our facility, a grooming and tack lesson along with an evaluation and placement in one of our programs, this Seminar is for you!

A $105 value, we are offering this package at $20 if you attend before March 31. Registration and pre-payment required. Please contact us via email to make a reservation.

Thank you to our staff and volunteers that have made this such a fun program. We are so excited to welcome all of our new clients who have joined the Riding Club after January's Introductory Seminar!

• HOLLY MASON CLINIC •

International Specialistin the Biomechanics

MARCH 6th and 7th (Lecture/Presentation Friday, March 5th)

Holly’s book is available along with more information about Holly at:www.dressagebydesign.com

On her site, read reviews of the book fromressage Today & Practical Horseman

We are delighted to host Holly Mason for a clinicon March 6th and 7th, 2010. Holly is

a renowned horsewoman and clinician adept at communicating with riders and their horses in truly effective ways.She has trained in Europe and across the U.S.with many masters on her quest for increased biomechanical understanding that helps promote harmony between horses and humans.Holly’s style is comfortable, lighthearted and fun, yet packed with compelling information that leadsto stronger bonds with our generous equine friends. Join us for her clinic in Colorado.

Rider Cost: $110 per Private Lesson (private one hour) Stabling Available $20 (includes shavings) per night! Auditing Fees:$40 Sat. & Sun. or $25 One Day REGISTRATION MUST BE COMPLETED BY FEBRUARY 1, 2010

Holly Mason to lear nto improve to make a difference in your riding ! international specialistin the biomechanicsof horse & rider It’s never too late Clinic Location:• BRIDLEWOOD STABLES •9229 Hwy. 73 • Evergreen, CO+ Lovely indoor arena with super footing+ Nice People+ LOW overnight cost to stable ($20) and includes shavings/cleaning+ Beautiful Location+ Restaurants/Fast Food Close to Barn+ 3 Bed and Breakfast within 10 minutes of barn

MAKE A WEEKEND OUT OF IT!

Although I have never had the pleasure to sit in one, I came across this saddle in Dressage Today and am totally infatuated with it -  THE AMULET by ThinLine!

Introducing the Amulet Dressage Saddle by Laser Saddlery with ThinLine

The Amulet Dressage saddle combines the innovation of fit andfunction of the Laser Dressage saddles with the performance and shockabsorption of ThinLine--in the saddle!

These unique saddles have a varitey of ThinLine materialincorporated in the seat, panels, and knee pad area, offeringunparalleled comfort and shock absorption for the horse and rider in asaddle.  Used in conjunction with a ThinLine saddle pad, thecombination offers a one-two punch in performance technology.

The Amulet is made on a traditional wooden "spring Tree" with theunique "Swallow Tail" points. The points of the tree have beenshortened and swallow tailed back to follow the horse's scapula to helppromote shoulder freedom. The front billet is attached behind the pointof the tree and the back billet is on the floating "V" billet system.The saddles are made in England with the finest English leatheravailable. The panels are wool flocked and with a wide gullet.

The Amulet saddle is equipped with the Varilock tm adjustablemechanism. The saddle can adjust from 25cm to a full 35cm. Each of thefive settings lock into place and can easily be changed with the turnof a key.

In stock sizes range from 16.5" to 18.5" in half inch increments. Legflap lengths range from 16" to 17" measured from the bottom of thestirrup bar to the bottom of the leg flap. Custom flaps are availableby either adding up to 2" or shortening up to 2" of the standard flaplength and 19" seat sizes are available.

For custom option orders or for more information, please contact Laser Equestrian Products (877) 827-4040.

View top Dressage riders in these saddles HERE.

2010 USEF Championships and NAJYRC Region 5 QUALIFIERS

January 23-24, 2010 - Tucson Dressage Winter Heat; Tucson, AZ

March 20-21, 2010 - Tucson Dressage March Madness; Tucson, AZ

March 20-21, 2010 - RMDS Winter Wake-Up; CO

April 10-11, 2010 - ADA Spring Celebration; Scottsdale, AZ

April 24-25, 2010 - Dressage for the Cure at the Peak; Colo Springs, CO

May 8-9, 2010 - Grand Valley Dressage Spring Show II; Grand Junction, CO

May 15-16, 2010 - Rocky Mountain Dressage Iⅈ Longmont, CO

May 29-30, 2010 - Horse Unltd Dress Challenge; Albuquerque, NM

May 29-30, 2010 - Promontory Dressage; Park City, UT

June 25-26, 2010 - Sage Creek Iⅈ Heber, UT

June 26-27, 2010 - Autumn Hill Dressage Festival I, II; Longmont, CO

(You must ride in 2 of these ~and receive a 2 qualifying scores~ to qualify for the Regional Championships)

QUALIFYING SCORES:

                                                   Open    AA     JR

Training Level (Test 4) 68% 63% 63%

First Level (Test 4) 66% 62% 62%

Second Level (Test 4) 64% 61% 61%

Third Level (Test 3) 62% 60% 60%

Fourth Level (Test 3) 62% 60% 60%

Prix St. Georges 60% 60% 60%

Intermediate I 60% 60% 60%

Intermediate II 60% 60% 60%

Grand Prix 60% 60% 60%

FREESTYLE Open AA

First Level 65%

Second Level 65%

Third Level 65%

Fourth Level 63% -- --

Intermediate I 63% -- --

Grand Prix 63% -- --

*To qualify for a Regional Championship, horse/rider combinations must earn a total of two qualifying scores (each score must be the average of all judges officiating in a designated Great American/USDF

qualifying class), at two different USEF/USDF-recognized Dressage Competitions, from two different

judges, or combination of judges. In addition, the same judge may not have officiated in classes from

which qualifying scores are earned, unless the following conditions are met: A panel of judges will be

considered as a different judging entity if 50 percent or more of that panel is changed (e.g. a panel of two

judges must have one new person, a panel of three judges must have two new people and a panel of five

judges must have three new people).

Welcome to cool-weather riding!

While some days are just perfect to be in the saddle, there are others that are so cold!

Thankfully, we havethat wonderful indoor arena! 

For the months of November, December andJanuary, we are offering a special price for drop-in group lessons onSaturdays, when the weather is above 45degrees.

If you ride with us consistently, you are welcome to join in on our Saturday group lesson. All that is required is that you send an email and make payment before Friday at noon of each week. This lesson is available in addition to your 4 week packages only, and then you may drop in as often as you would like during the month.

Pricing for this opportunity is $50 for the hour.

The same rules apply, you may show up early to groom and tack your horse and stay afterwards to clean up, wait for your horse to be dry & put him away. Horse availability is on a first-reserved basis. If you typically ride on Saturdays, you are welcome to ride an additional hour at this amazing price!

Why God Gives Us Horses - and Takes Them Away Again

God gives us horses and compels some of us to love them.

Yet why does the horse, an animal with such a big heart, live such a short life?

Perhaps it's because if our horses lived any longer, we wouldn't be able to bear

losing them. Or, perhaps it's because God wants to jump.

Perhaps God looks down on the fine horses we raise and decides when it's His

turn to ride. He gives us a few good years to care for and learn from them, but

when the time is right, it's up to us to see them off gracefully.

OK, perhaps not gracefully. Blowing into a Kleenex is rarely graceful.

But we can be grateful.

To have a horse in your life is a gift. In the matter of a few short years, a horse

can teach a girl courage, if she chooses to grab mane and hang on for dear life.

Even the smallest of ponies is mightier than the tallest of girls.

To conquer the fear of falling off, having one's toes crushed,

or being publicly humiliated at a horse show

is an admirable feat for any child.

For that, we can be grateful.

Horses teach us responsibility.

Unlike a bicycle – or a computer - a horse needs regular care

and most of it requires that you get dirty and smelly and up off the couch.

Choosing to leave your cozy kitchen

to break the crust of ice off the water buckets is to choose responsibility.

When our horses dip their noses and drink

heartily, we know we've made the right choice.

If you weren't raised with horses, you can't know that they have unique

personalities. You'd expect this from dogs, but horses? Indeed, there are clever

horses, grumpy horses, and even horses with a sense of humor.

Those prone to humor will test you by finding new ways

to escape from the barn when you least expect it.

Horses can be timid or brave, lazy or athletic, obstinate or willing.

You will hit it off with some horses and others will elude you altogether.

There are as many "types" of horses as there are people -

which makes the whole partnership thing all the more interesting.

If you've never ridden a horse, you assume it's a simple thing

you can learn in a weekend.

You can, in fact, learn the basics on a Sunday-

but to truly ride well takes a lifetime.

Working with a living being is far more complex than

turning a key in the ignition and putting the car in "drive."

In addition to listening to your instructor,

your horse will have a few things to say to you as well.

On a good day, he'll be happy to go along with the program and

tolerate your mistakes; on a bad day, you'll swear he's trying to kill you.

Perhaps he's naughty or perhaps he's fed up

with how slowly you're learning his language.

Regardless, the horse will have an opinion. He may choose to challenge you

(which can ultimately make you a better rider)

or he may carefully carry you over fences...if it suits him.

It all depends on the partnership – and partnership is what it's all about.

If you face your fears, swallow your pride, and are willing to work at it, you'll learn

lessons in courage, commitment, and compassion,

in addition to basic survival skills.

You'll discover just how hard you're willing to work toward a goal, how little

you know, and how much you have to learn.

And, while some people think the horse "does all the work", you'll be challenged

physically as well as mentally. Your horse may humble you completely. Or, you

may find that sitting on his back is the closest you'll get to heaven.

You can choose to intimidate your horse, but do you really want to?

The results may come more quickly,

but will your work ever be as graceful as that gained through trust?

The best partners choose to listen, as well as to tell.

When it works, we experience a sweet sense of accomplishment

brought about by smarts, hard work, and mutual understanding.

These are the days when you know with absolute certainty

that your horse is enjoying his work.

If we make it to adulthood with horses still in our lives, most of us have to

squeeze riding into our over saturated schedules; balancing our need for things

equine with those of our households and employers.

There is never enough time to ride, or to ride as well as we'd like.

Hours in the barn are stolen pleasures.

If it is in your blood to love horses, you share your life with them.

Our horses know our secrets; we braid our tears into their manes

and whisper our hopes into their ears.

A barn is a sanctuary in an unsettled world, a sheltered place where

life's true priorities are clear.

A warm place to sleep, someone who loves us, and the luxury of regular meals...

Some of us need these reminders.

When you step back, its about love, life, and learning.

On any given day, a friend is celebrating the birth of a foal, a blue ribbon, or

recovery from an illness. That same day, there is also loss: a broken limb, a case

of colic, or a decision to sustain a life or end it gently.

As horse people, we share the accelerated life cycle of horses:

the hurried rush of life, love, loss, and death that caring for these animals brings us.

When our partners pass, it is more than a moment of sorrow.

We mark our loss with words of gratitude for the ways our lives have been blessed.

Our memories are of joy, awe, and wonder. Absolute union.

We honor our horses for their brave hearts, courage, and willingness to give.

To those outside our circle, it must seem strange.

To see us in our muddy boots, who would guess such poetry lives in our hearts?

We celebrate our companions with praise worthy of heroes.

Indeed, horses have the hearts of warriors and

often carry us into and out of fields of battle.

Listen to stories of that once-in-a-lifetime horse;

of journeys made and challenges met.

The best of horses rise to the challenges we set before them, asking little in return.

Those who know them understand how fully a horse can hold a human heart.

Together, we share the pain of sudden loss

and the lingering taste of long-term illness.

We shoulder the burden of deciding

when or whether to end the life of a true companion.

In the end, we're not certain if God entrusts us to our horses or our horses to us.

Does it matter? We're grateful God loaned us the horse in the first place.

And so we pray:

''Dear God,

After You've enjoyed a bit of jumping,

please give our fine horses the best of care.

And, if it's not too much, might we have at least one more good gallop

when we meet again?"

Contributed by a Dressage Mentor member

How do I get my horse connected and taking contact on the outside rein? A tip from Jane Savoie

1. DO NOT make the mistake of picking up the reins and "hand riding" (holding the outside rein and flexing the inside rein). You must first create the ENERGY FROM BEHIND.

2. CREATE energy first, and then contain the energy with a closed outside hand while keeping the neck straight by flexing the inside rein. Train yourself to use your legs BEFORE you use your hands.

3. Walk on a loose rein for 5-10 minutes to let your horse?s muscles warm-up and to

adjust to your weight on his back.

4. Next, go on a 20m circle and pick up a contact with his mouth, but DON'T try to put

him on the bit in the walk. Go into the rising trot and continue on the circle.

5.Then, create energy from behind by closing both of your legs and asking him to go

more forward toward a "lengthening" for 7 or 8 strides. Then slow down again. Do this

several times until he associates closing your legs with going more forward.

6. Once he goes willingly forward from your legs, START your "lengthening". After

you feel him surge forward for 1 or 2 strides, you can use the reins. (i.e. close your

outside hand in a fist and give and take on the inside rein).

7. When he surges forward THROUGH your closed outside rein, you'll have a good

connection with the outside rein and your horse will be on the bit correctly from back to

front.