Chuck Swan has agreed to be the official videoer for the Susanne Von Dietze clinic.  If you would like your ride videoed contact him.  www.chuckswan.com

Lilo Fore with Katie and Nirvana

On Sunday I went down to Tempel Farms to audit the IDCTA clinic with Lilo Fore.  A few of my students were riding in the clinic, and they had a great time.  Lilo is a very encouraging instructor, and has a high standard for her students.  The horses and riders worked hard, finishing their rides more forward, engaged and going up to the contact!  Great job, Deanna and Katie!

Congrats to Amanda Johnson Dressage LLC’s 2009 IDCTA Award Winners!

Special Awards

IDCTA Horse Person of the Year: Deanna Hetrich

Dressage Awards

IDCTA Dressage Journey Award

USDF – First through Fourth Level: Amanda Johnson, Pip

FEI – Prix St Georges through Grand Prix: Amanda Johnson, Pip

USDF Freestyle – Open: 2nd Place Amanda Johnson, Anakin 72.361%

Grand Prix - Open: 2nd Place Amanda Johnson, Pip 65.319%

Intermediate II – Open: 1st Place Amanda Johnson, Pip 68.2%

Intermediate I – Adult Amateur: 3rd Place Renee McKinley, Abend 61.875%

Prix St Georges – Adult Amateur: 1st Place Renee McKinly, Abend 62.566%

Third Level – Junior/Young Rider: 3rd Place Nicole Chiapetti, Oxford 64.835%

Second Level – Open: 4th Place Amanda Johnson, Jamaal 70.041%, 5th Place Amanda Johnson, Glissando 67.643%

First Level – Open: 2nd Place Amanda Johnson, Anakin 72.726%, 3rd Place Amanda Johnson, Glissando 72.579%

Training Level – Open: 4th Place Amanda Johnson, Vemilion B 74.000%

Training Level – Adult Amateur: 5th Place Kaye Eileen Wilard, Anakin 70.023%

Green as Grass/Introductory: 1st Place Deanna Hetrich, True Colors 70.800%

Eventing Awards

Novice – Adult Amateur: 1st Place Deanna Hetrich, St. George 29pts

Balance in Movement

Amanda Johnson Dressage is proud to announce a clinic with world renowned seat specialist Susanne Von Dietze at Silverwood Farms April 26-27, 2010.  We are excited to welcome Susanne back to the area!  Susanne is the author of Balance In Movement: The Seat of the Rider and she also has a DVD based on the book.  For information about riding or auditing contact Amanda Johnson at 319-331-3241 or send an email to ajohnsonborchardt@gmail.com

Help spread the word!  A printable flyer is found here:  susanne_von_dietze_2010

Nicole and Oxy

Canter

Medium Trot

Flying Change

We had our second clinic with Conrad Schumacher.  He was pleased that all of the horses had improved since the last clinic.  The day before the clinic we had a huge thunderstorm which made the ring very wet the first day.  Despite the very cold temperatures and windy weather, the horses were mostly well behaved and we had some great rides.  With Pip, we worked on getting the piaffe more active, and lowering his haunches more.  Conrad was pleased with our canter zig zag, 2 tempis and 1 tempis.  My homework for the next clinic is to get the canter pirouttes more honest.  Anakin was much improved since the last clinic.  He was going more forward, straight to the bit.  We started some flying change work and got some very nice changes.  Nicole had great rides with Oxy, and improved a lot the second day.

Anky and Salinero

Isabell and Satchmo

Steffen and Ravel

Watching the Masters with the Fireside crew

February 4-6 was the Dressage Masters at WEF.  It was very exciting to watch the top riders in the world compete.  Steffen had great rides and his horse just keeps getting better and better.  Anky was the only rider to have a “clean” freestyle, but was not my favorite of the night.  Isabell Werth was inspiring to watch and Satchmo is unbelievable in person, what a horse!  We were very excited to recieve a “thumbs up” from the top three riders, yay!

Kyra

JJ Tate riding for Kyra

Kyra Kyrklund Symposium

Gretchen invited me to join her and her friends to watch the Dressage Masters Symposium with Kyra Kyrklund.  She wanted many riders to fix their elbow position.  The elbow must be at a 90 degree angle and to help the rider acheive this they can use a strap attached to the stirrup leathers to help “hold” their elbow in the correct possition.  She also had many riders hold their whip horizantally through both hands.  This help the riders become aware of unsteady hands and helped them balance their hands properly.  She rode many corner exercises with the horses to help control the horses shoulders so the hind end could line up to the front legs.  She said that the knee angle of the rider should point to the horses mouth, and you should use the horses’ down step to influence the movement, and you need to sit on the hind wheel.

January 30-31 we had our first Conrad Schumacher clinic.  The first day was beautiful and we had a few auditors watching our training sessions.  The day started off for me with Pip.  Pip started out a little sticky and we couldn’t seem to find the rhythm in the trot.  Conrad quickly helped us out with our warming up and had us ride more forward and back transitions in the canter in order to help free Pip up.  This is what he needed.  He was much better in the trot work and gave me a great feeling at the end.  The second horse of mine to go was Anakin.  Anakin worked very well and we did some walk cavelletti work to help the walk march more forward and in front of the leg.  He had a few great medium trots and some wonderful canter walk transitions!  Next up to go in my group was Nicole and Oxford.  Conrad had them work on a lot of loosening up work so neither her or the horse would lock against each other.  The second day was a wash out.  There was much rain, and even talk of calling it a day in the morning.  However the rain let up and we were able to work a few horses.  Stewart Underhill was able to work most of his horses and I only worked Oxford.  Conrad was able to give me some great training tips on how to work Oxford so he would become easier to ride for Nicole.  Since the clinic Oxford has gotten much better and it is up to this next Conrad clinic to see if I did my homework successfully!

I went to watch the Grand Prix for the Kur on Friday after working the horses.  As I was waiting for the class to start I saw Silverwood owner Lisa Froehlig on Wolfie warming up for their class the following day.  The Grand Prix had many promising pairs, but many of the horses were affected by the atmosphere and showed much tension.  I hope to see these horses relax as the season progresses.  Ashley Holtzer was a real highlight, the only rider to break 70%.   The next day I returned with Stewart and Kelly to watch the Kur.  Ashley Holter and Pop Art were the clear winners, and had a very exciting freestyle.  I loved the canter on the spot to piaffe!

Lisa and Wolfie