Expressions Dressage

03/10/2022

2022 Lesson and Clinic availability with USDF Silver and Bronze Medalist!

For the first time in years, I am available for half or full-day clinics, one Sunday per Month, May through September 2022. I also have one or two lesson spots available in the Jackson or Parma, Michigan area.

I specialize in developing proper seat and position and the horse’s education based on the training scale.

I work with both competitive and non-competitive dressage riders as well as eventers and jumpers. I also work with English pleasure riders, western riders, and anyone else wishing to use basic principles of equitation and dressage to improve their horse’s way of going.

I travel to your farm and give lessons on your horse - preference is given to those with an indoor arena.

My contact information is in the flier. PM for more details, as I may not see your comments.

11/18/2021

Ok, real talk: motivation

The days are getting shorter and darker. It’s cold, maybe windy. You get off work and the last thing you want to do is work with your horse. It’s really easy to let work with them slip away til the weather gets better in the spring, but we know that fitness deteriorates quickly if not kept up on; and that training doesn’t lie in wait for you for the next sunny day. It needs maintenance.

How do you stay motivated during these dark, dreary, no fun days?

Some tips, from somebody who makes their living being outside in the heat, cold, dark, wet, frigid, blazing, windy, and whatever else nature has to offer:

1- just commit to ten minutes. If you really don’t want to, tell yourself you’ll do ten minutes of easy, quality work. More often than not, you’ll get into the work and spend more time, but if not, you still put in a good ten minutes.

2- get good gear! As the adage goes, there is no bad weather, only bad gear. You’ll be much happier working if you’re warm and dry.

3- make your expectations reasonable, fair, and easily achieved. If you’re tired at the end of the work day and you just want to have a carefree ride where you don’t have to pay attention, on a fresh horse on a cold day- let me just stop you right there and say this is a
Setup for failure. Take a nice hand walk. Do pole work. Do something you know you and your horse can succeed at.

4- frequent, simple work is much better than irregular fancy stuff. It’s much better to do short, good sessions regularly than try to achieve the world on the weekend to make up for the week.

5- when you get home from work, go to the barn before going inside if you can help it. If you’re like me, once you go inside and sit down and get warm, it’s all over. If you can muster the energy to go straight to the barn before sitting on your couch, you’re much more likely to get that ride in.

6- download a good podcast or some good music. These help keep me motivated to stay moving when the weather sucks.

7- brush up on the basics. Winter is a good time to check up on how your horse leads, halters, picks their feet up, stands tied, trailer loads and all those other small but important details. The good thing is they don’t require a lot of time, and they make a world of difference.

8- tea, coffee, or a little extra something special in your thermos 😉 who cares, I won’t tell

Happy winter riding, folks! You can do this

09/19/2020

01/15/2020

Have you ever gotten unsolicited advice from a fellow horse person? Have you ever sat in the audience at a clinic or at a horse show and all you could hear was “arm chair quarter-backing” from your…

01/06/2020

A group of Welsh mares with limited past human interactions exhibited signs of stress and relaxation in response to respective "angry" and "joyful" human facial expressions and sounds.

12/18/2019

If you’ve ever carted wheelbarrow loads of soiled bedding to the manure bin, you’ve probably wondered, at one time or another, if your horses really need all t

12/13/2019

Many riders don't enjoy the process of training or learning to ride dressage. Many problems come from riders demanding performance instead of appreciating effort. Learn how to enjoy learning and doing dressage by believing that it shouldn't work!

12/04/2019

This can also apply to horse training!

When I am asked what is the biggest problem in dog training today, it is the same problem I saw fourteen years ago, thirty years ago, it is the misunderstanding of time. It takes time to learn how…

03/19/2018

Spring Expressions Dressage Update!

I'm a little late with the update, but I'm so excited to announce that Silverado was the Recognized Show, Fourth Level Open, Year-End Grand Champion with the Midwest Dressage Association for 2017! ...

01/05/2018

12/27/2017

Here’s some fantastic homework to keep everyone warm for the next week! 😉

You survived No Stirrup November, the holidays are upon you, and you look to the New Year with excitement! You’re filling your 2018 calendar with horse trials and events, trying out brand new tack and