6/ AUGUST 2010 THE RIDER


Natural Horsemanship & Body Control Foundation Reining Training a.k.a Western Dressage


a.k.a. Body Control Foundation Training. Before I talk more about western dressage train- ing, I want to mention my understanding on this. It’s quite simply my specialty: body control foundation training. You can learn more about it by checking out the Western Dressage category on my website www.reinersuehorsemanship.com for a list of arti- cles.


By Susan Dahl.


They’re calling it Western Dressage now. July’s issue of the Horse&Rider magazine had an arti- cle by Al Dunning with Lynn Palm titled ‘Western Dressage’ (pg.64). Al explains “… refers to all the ways we influence a horse to move the way we want them to. In other words, it’s just good horsemanship. I’ve always thought of how I ride my horses as cowboy dressage.” Jack Brainard, master of the flying lead change, has been promot- ing what he calls Cowboy Dressage. Check out his website www.jack- brainard.com under the tab Cowboy Dressage for an interesting story.


It’s what I’ve been talking about and writing about on my website for years! I studied Bob Avila (www.bobavila.net). He calls it Body Control. Bob has a great set of DVDs titled body control. Clinton Anderson & Stacey Westfall have articles and DVDs using the term Body Control as well.


A Rose By Any Other Name Smells Just As Sweet Western Dressage


So if Body-Control-Foundation-Reining-Train- ing doesn’t roll off the tongue as nicely then we can say Body Control or Western Dressage. I predict that the term ‘Western Dressage’ will become a common household/horsehold name very soon! I’m so excited to see this being promoted by some of the big names in the industry. If you are interested in learning Western Dressage ie. body control, please contact me. I’d be so glad to talk to you about it! To quote the Horse&Rider magazine: “It’ll make your good horse better (Guaranteed!).


‘Putting my spin on Western Dressage!’ Reinersue


©Copyright KISS Reiners


It’s so important to me that I named my training centre after body control/western dressage namely Foundation Reining Training Centre (Body Control Foundation Reining Training Centre would’ve been too much J). The title of this column also reflects this passion of mine. And you can guess what I named my book…


Have You Heard of Body Control?


From my website: ‘Body control is a more elab- orate & detailed version of this foundation training where the horse is taught to move all their body parts via cues. The training goes into a lot more detail, with


a lot more exercises to get a horse really trained in the basics. Western dressage is the newest name given for this body control foundation training.’ According to Bob Avila, the sidepass is the most important exercise in body control. (photo demonstrating sidepassing at Markdale Greenhawk Horse Night, June 2010).


According to Bob Avila: “No matter what your training goal, inside or outside the show ring, body control isn’t a big thing. It’s everything. When you can isolate and control all the individual parts of your horse’s body, you have a horse that’s really, really broke.”


About the Author: Susan Dahl is a certified profes- sional horse trainer, NCCP coaching theory certified, writer, competitor, clinician and owner/operator of Foundation Reining Training Centre, where she spe- cializes in natural horsemanship & body control foundation reining training ie. Western Dressage for horse & rider. She has trained & won numerous ORHA, NRHA, & Reining Canada Top 10 awards. For more information on her very innovative & fun approach to training, clinics, lessons, or coaching, please visit her website www.reinersuehorseman- ship.com.


Fundamentals, Friends and Fun Highlight the 2010 American Quarter Horse Youth World Cup


The American Quarter Horse Journal, July 14, 2010 - Imagine being the grandmother of two horse-loving teenagers - one in the United States and the other in the United Kingdom - and hav- ing the opportunity to watch both of them show at the same event. This was Donna Cocks’ story at the 2010 American Quarter Horse Youth World Show in July in Oklahoma City. The Youth World Cup, which started in 1986, is an educational and leadership-based event for youth members from around the world that is held every other year. The culmination of the event is a showcasing of skills learned in an atmosphere of friendly competition. It gives youth a unique opportunity to learn in a hands-on setting with other international youth horse enthusiasts. At this year’s Youth World Cup, there were teams representing 16 different coun- tries.


At the Youth World Cup, Donna saw grand- daughter Jessie Leach, who lives in Bucking- hamshire, United Kingdom, win a silver medal in showmanship, and grandson Reed Kyle of Whitesboro, Texas, win the gold and silver and high-point award in cutting and a bronze in rein- ing.


“Isn’t that amazing? Two different coun- tries? And they’ve both done so well,” Donna said. “I don’t think there are many other grand- mas out there that can say they have grandkids on two different teams.”


At this year’s event, Team USA won the gold, Team Germany the silver and Team Switzerland the bronze.


The 2010 American Quarter Horse Youth World Cup was a great place for attendees to learn a whole lot more about showing American Quarter Horses. Prior to each of the Youth World Cup classes, some of the industry’s top profes- sionals led the competitors through clinics. Here’s what some of the clinicians had to say: • A cutter should avoid kicking his horse too much, which will get the horse uptight. Instead, the rider should let the horse relax and do its job. - Boyd Rice, cutting clinician


• A reiner shouldn’t let his reins get too long. If you have to bend your wrist to make contact with the horse’s mouth, you need to shorten up. - Shawn Flarida, reining clinician


• The point of western pleasure is for a rider to make her horse look like it’s a pleasure to ride. A rider achieves this by sitting up and back, with a calm expression. All of this creates a look of confidence, which makes the horse look like it’s fun to ride. - Dave Dellin, western pleasure clini- cian


• There are three basics to horsemanship: the rider needs to be sitting square on his horse but also be functioning; the horse needs to be square; and just do the pattern that is drawn on the paper and don’t try to outthink the judge. - AQHA


judge Robin Frid, horsemanship clinician • Take your trail pattern slowly. The quicker a rider tries to get somewhere, the sooner things can go wrong. In the words of trail course design- er Tim Kimura: “Focus on the process, not the result.” How a rider approaches an obstacle is more important than the end result. - Robin Frid • Judges look at the presentation of the horse in hunter under saddle by looking at how the rider rides the horse correctly. Encourage the judge to find you on the rail by keeping a consis- tent walk with forward motion. Judges also look for the rider to maintain light contact on the horse’s mouth. - AQHA Professional Horseman Carla Wennberg, hunter under saddle clinician • A western riding exhibitor should keep for- ward motion and extension in his horse’s stride throughout the pattern. However, do not confuse a horse that is lengthening his stride for the lead change with one that is speeding up. Forward motion in a stride will create a picturesque, reaching lead change. - AQHA Professional Horseman Charlie Cole, western riding clinician • A showmanship exhibitor should match her pace to her horse’s pace, which will give the pat- tern a natural look. If exhibitors know their hors- es’ rhythm, it makes it look like they’ve done their homework. - Patti Campbell, showmanship clinician


• To improve your hunt seat equitation strength and balance, practice posting exercises every time you ride. A possible routine would be to post along the short ends of the arena, ride in a two-point position down one long wall, then along the other long wall, you can sit one stride and stay in the upward position for two strides. – AQHA Professional Horseman Andy Moor- man, hunt seat equitation clinician


Following the clinics, Youth World Cup competitors got down to business and put in some phenomenal rides on horses that were loaned to the Youth World Cup from owners all over the United States. AQHA appreciates the owners who brought their horses to Oklahoma City for the Youth World Cup competitors to ride.


MEDALISTS Cutting


Judge 1, Gold: Koen Daemen, Belgium Judge 1, Silver: Reed Kyle, USA


Judge 1, Bronze: Olivia McInnes, New Zealand Judge 2, Gold: Reed Kyle Judge 2, Silver: Olivia McInnes Judge 2, Bronze: Koen Daemen High-Point: Reed Kyle


Reserve High-Point: Koen Daemen Showmanship


Day 1, Gold: Katy Lynn Krshka, USA Day 1, Silver: Jessie Leach, United Kingdom Day 1, Bronze: Sophia Raschat, Germany Day 2, Gold: Alessandra Ouellet, Italy Day 2, Silver: Liesl De Rocker, Belgium Day 2, Bronze: Veronika Petlanova, Czech Republic


High-Point: Katy Lynn Krshka


Reserve High-Point: Josefine Spangfors, Sweden Horsemanship


Day 1, Gold: Katy Lynn Krshka, USA Day 1, Silver: Rianna Storey, Canada, Day 1, Bronze: Daniela Wagner-Winter, Ger- many


Day 2, Gold: Daniela Wagner-Winter Day 2, Silver: Dido Masi, Italy


Day 2, Bronze: Jessie Leach, United Kingdom High-Point: Daniela Wagner-Winter Reserve High-Point: Jessie Leach


Horsemanship Showcase Gold: Danielle Olafson, Canada Silver: Rachel Elliott, Australia Bronze: Daniela Wagner-Winter, Germany


Western Pleasure


In the two-day competition, cutting and rein- ing exhibitors competed under two judges, fol- lowing their respective clinics. Horsemanship exhibitors competed on Days 1 and 2, but were also given an additional chance to compete. Each country nominated their best horsemanship rider to compete in the Horsemanship Showcase, a Youth World Cup event that was held during Battle in the Saddle on July 10. All of the other classes were held on days 1 and 2.


For the complete results, check out the 2010 Youth World Cup results at www.aqha.com/youth/activities/ywc/2010/index. html.


Day 1, Gold: Daniela Wagner-Winter, Germany Day 1, Silver: Josh Robins, New Zealand Day 1, Bronze: Melina Hugelshofer, Switzerland Day 2, Gold: Melina Hugelshofer Day 2, Silver: Sophia Raschat, Germany Day 2, Bronze: Soes Merrild, Denmark High-Point: Melina Hugelshofer Reserve High-Point: Daniela Wagner-Winter


Western Riding


Day 1, Gold: Sophia Raschat, Germany Day 1, Silver: Rachel Elliott, Australia Day 1, Bronze: Chris Dalton, United Kingdom Day 2, Gold: Chris Dalton


Day 2, Silver: Perrine Hirter, Switzerland Day 2, Bronze: Ebba Lange, Sweden High-Point: Chris Dalton Reserve High-Point: Rachel Elliott


Hunter Under Saddle Day 1, Gold: Alison Ceresani, USA


Day 1, Silver: Kimberley Anderson, New Zealand


Day 1, Bronze: Perrine Hirter, Switzerland Day 2, Gold: Dido Masi, Italy Day 2, Silver: Sophia Raschat, Germany Day 2, Bronze: Danielle Olafson, Canada High-Point: Dido Masi


Reserve High-Point: Danielle Olafson Hunt Seat Equitation


Day 1, Gold: Alison Ceresani, USA Day 1, Silver: Katy Lynn Krshka, USA Day 1, Bronze: Sophia Raschat, Germany Day 2, Gold: Katy Lynn Krshka Day 2, Silver: Dido Masi, Italy Day 2, Bronze: Sophia Raschat High-Point: Katy Lynn Krshka Reserve High-Point: Sophia Raschat


Trail


Day 1, Gold: Alison Ceresani, USA Day 1, Silver: Georgia Higgins, New Zealand Day 1, Bronze: Paige Carter-Fleetwood, Canada Day 2, Gold: Sophia Raschat, Germany Day 2, Silver: Soes Merrild, Denmark Day 2, Bronze: Alexandre Bruls, France High-Point: Alison Ceresani


Reining


Judge 1, Gold: Fabienne Kraemer, Germany Judge 1, Silver: Natasha Moeller, Denmark Judge 1, Bronze: Reed Kyle, USA Judge 2, Gold: Fabienne Kraemer Judge 2, Silver: Natasha Moeller Judge 2, Bronze: Michele Masi, Italy High-Point: Fabienne Kraemer


Team Placings High-Point: USA


Reserve High-Point: Germany Third: Switzerland Fourth: Italy


Fifth: New Zealand High-Point Horse Awards


High-Point: Rip City Zip, 1993 brown gelding, owned by Mary Lynn Leedy Trust, Oklahoma City


Reserve High-Point: An Honest Detail, 2002 bay gelding, owned by Kristin Crumpton- Mangos- ing, Cave Creek, Arizona


AQHA news and information is a service of AQHA publications. For more information on The American Quarter Horse Journal or Ameri- ca’s Horse, visit www.aqha.com/magazines.


Reserve High-Point: Florence Lea Blattner, Switzerland


Reserve High-Point: Natasha Miller, Denmark


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