Classical Dressage Art in Motion

For more than 25 years I have been involved in a very 'hands on' and sometimes ' bods on the ground' part of breeding, starting and marketing high quality horses for the discerning dressage competitor. I am very excited to report that after a brief hiatus due to importation airfreight costs and market softness in the U.S.A. we are back at it at Willowview Hill Farm International. Back at some point in the early '90's, when magazines such as Dressage Today sprouted and replaced the venerable Dressage & CT ( Oh, I miss Ivan and his smarts), we were importing our WVH horses from the Elite Hanoverian auction ( not the leftovers at Winter etc. auctions), horses we had purchased in Germany as weanlings, Donnerhall sons we had bred in the U.K. under contract etc., and presenting them at 'site' parties for discerning buyers. Over the years we made partnerships happen between both new and already Olympic accomplished riders and new mounts. A brand new...

I recently attended an FEI Clinic in Westchester, New York, along with about 35 others, where my coach Greta Kemmer was holding a 'Fix Your Ride' style dressage event that was very well received and lots of fun. Greta lives in Switzerland and grew up as part of a large equestrian family in Germany before she married. At the end of the clinic there was a wrap up party and it was great to hear the lively discussion that came up about the wide divide in sponsorship between Europe and the U.S.A. and how it could be improved on this side of the pond. While there are often much bigger purses to be won in Europe and dressage events are well attended by folks from all walks of life, in the U.S.A. the purses have been improving. The attendance sadly however, not so much. Take the events in the Wellington 'fish bowl this winter season. Robert Dover was remarking that the turn out in the stands was very disappointing and worried that sponsors would disappear as a result. A very real...

It's a chilly -15 F out today and not ideal riding weather. I look with zero envy at our students booting up readying for their morning clinic with Greta and I. Our " Speaking French think Philippe Karl " clinic will soon be officially underway. And I should give a shout out to http://www.TheHorseStudio.com, The International Equestrian Shop, for their ongoing sponsorship. Everyone appreciated the hot breakfast they provided this morning, fried egg on a roll with starbucks coffee and a freshly squeezed orange juice certainly hit the spot. Later they are presenting a catered lunch, a trunk sale and an equine art for charity silent auction and their welcome baskets went down a treat. But I digress. The question of the day is the push and pull of classical dressage.  The nemesis of every rider. Following German teaching, we have all seen the big moving warmbloods hounded by the riders forceful seat and leg aids slamming into unrelenting hands at the Elite auctions in Verde...