Alyssa Sullivan and CF Sambucca winners in First Level!

I am pleased to congratulate Krowchuk Dressage student Alyssa Sullivan on her latest wins in the show ring! Alyssa has been working hard over the last six months with the goal of moving up to First Level. Well, the hard work has paid off as Alyssa rode her mare CF Sambucca to 1st place in both of her First Level tests on Saturday! I am very pleased with the progress that Alyssa has made in such a short time, she is one of the most dedicated riders that I have ever taught. Alyssa has been riding with me for almost 4 years now and has developed a wonderful seat, as evidenced by the Judge’s comment on how lovely her seat is. The move up to First Level is not such an easy jump, but you made it look much easier Alyssa!!!! Keep working hard and Second Level will be doable this year!

Congratulate Alyssa and Sammi by leaving a Comment below!

We are pleased to announce the sale of our beautiful Straight Egyptian Black Arabian Stallion, TH Midnight Rider, to Safari Stud and Burhan Bakeer of Salmiya in Kuwait. Burhan has been collecting some very nice mares including the multiple national award winning Straight Egyptian Dark Bay Arabian mare. PR Desert Rose+/. PR Desert Rose+/ is a US National Champion Mare in Halter, a Canadian National award winner and a Regional winner under saddle! Rose will be Burhan’s first mare that TH Midnight Rider will be bred to and we are excited with the prospects of this cross! Burhan also has some other exquisite crosses for TH Midnight Rider that we will be looking forward to see in the future!

Many congratulations to Burhan Bakeer and Safari Stud on the acquisition of TH Midnight Rider! I wish you the best of luck my friend, and the best of foals!

Two SE yearlings by TH Midnight Rider have returned to the source!

Congratulations to breeder Lawrence Arabians on the sale of chestnut yearling filly Crimson Jewel LA and black yearling colt Midnight Miraj LA. Both of these beautiful Straight Egyptian youngsters left her farm yesterday for their new home in Cairo Egypt. Congratulations also to Hesham El mohandess of Cairo, Egypt on acquiring TH Midnight Rider get.

Full Story and pictures to follow!

He is a Sweepstakes Nominated Sire with a proven show record. He is black. His sire was a competitive Dressage mount in open breed shows. He is a proven sire himself, with flashy moving and correct foals on the ground. He is passing on his good looks, great personality, and rare pedigree. He is TH Midnight Rider…
… and he won’t last long at this price!

Visit his pages for more information:
TH Midnight Rider

Leslie operates Willowbrook Equestrian Center in Villa Rica Georgia, along with sons Christopher and Drew and her brother Terry.

Product Description
“The Classical principals of Dressage are so simple, yet they’ve been clouded by intellectual terms, and their great truths are often lost, leaving many riders confused and frustrated. My Five Simple Steps are based on discoveries by ancient Masters, and they work 100% of the time. I have witnessed dramatic, positive results instantly, in hundreds of riders, including myself, when these Steps are ridden correctly. The Five Simple Steps are easy to remember and understand… they simply work!

Ride simply because you love to ride and forget the mistakes along the way. Ride for yourself and forget who is watching. Enjoy riding in the moment for today. Knowing that you are riding your personal best is secure, solid success. Enjoy your ride!” Leslie

Reviews:

BY FAR, THE BEST TRAINING VIDEO I HAVE EVER SEEN!!!
By Margaret L. (Alpharetta, GA 30022), November 12, 2007
This is an amazing video that has fundamentally changed my riding ability and experience. The five simple steps are just that… simple, yet very effective. By following this information, I am a changed and better rider.

Also, as a former teacher and throughout my career, I have been exposed to many different training videos covering a wide range of subjects. The biggest challenge for any instruction video is the conveyance of the lesson in a manner that engages the student and maintains their attention throughout the lesson.

THIS IS, BY FAR, THE BEST TRAINING VIDEO I HAVE EVER SEEN!!!

It achieves all the goals any good teacher strives to reach:

• It is instructive.
• The information is superb.
• It is entertaining.
• It engages the viewer.
• It never loses you.
• It makes learning fun.

I have watched it over and over… I’m still enjoying it while I continue to study the material. My riding has completely evolved to a new level… and I enjoy riding more than ever!

Thank you so much for making learning to ride properly as much fun as riding itself!

Your horse will thank you!!!
By K. Mackay (Villa Rica, GA USA), January 15, 2008

I have watched Leslie O’neal Olsen’s DVD “Ride” countless times and obtain more proficiency of my riding from it every time. I replay both Leslie’s and Southern’s (the beautiful, full of character, talking horse!) comments in my head while riding and my Andalusian/Lippizanner horse becomes lighter to my aids and in his footfalls to the ground, and much more uphill in his shoulders as he pushes himself forward off his hind quarters happily into the bit.
I personally know Leslie and take lessons from her. I see rider after rider come in for her lessons and see vast improvements in all riders, and their horses, at each lesson. By correcting the riders position, the horse always greatly improves in movement, balance and attitude towards it’s work.
Leslie O’neal Olsen’s “Ride-Five Simple Steps” DVD does make it simple to replay in your mind as you are riding to put yourself into a correct classical position and maintain it while riding. You will feel more secure, solid and successfull in your riding. Both you and your horse will thank her!!!

See larger image Ride - Five Simple Steps For Secure, Solid Success! (DVD) Director: Timothy Dwelle Starring: Leslie O'Neal Olsen, Southern Rating: G (General Audience) List Price: $29.96 USD New From: $29.96 In Stock Release date April 2, 2007.

A dressage rider herself, Ms. Dulak is also a popular clinician, helping dressage riders find harmony and partnership with their horses through her work.

Product Description:
Here’s the eagerly awaited companion DVD to the bestselling book Pilates for the Dressage Rider. As did the book, this DVD helps dressage riders develop the core strength, good posture and muscle flexibility integral to success in the saddle using Pilates exercises.

Janice Dulak has compiled a program specially designed for the dressage rider. With this DVD, viewers will slowly and methodically learn each exercise, then apply them in a real time workout.

Both basic and advanced exercises are included, as well as exercises in the saddle. A final section on rider exploration gives the viewer the tools to futher advance in her dressage goals.

Reviews:

Great DVD!, January 21, 2009
By Stephs Yiayia “cooper” (Freeland, MD United States)
If you ride and think you may need to start some kind of an exercise program to improve your riding, this is the DVD for you. It covers most Pilates floor exercises and even some on the horse. If you are committed to being a fit rider, this DVD can help get you there. Your horse will appreciate it!
The DVD is nicely done. It’s clear, concise and easy on the eye. It takes you from basic moves to advanced ones. You choose which section to focus on.
I highly recommend this DVD. You won’t be disappointed.

A MUST for all riders, March 16, 2009
By S. Grimm (Vermont, USA)
This is an extraordinary book and DVD! I have been riding with back pain for years and searching for a solution; have studied many different methods, exercises, therapies and products in my riding career with limited success, until finding this teaching. What an incredible difference this material has made to me and my horse! We are finally riding in harmony and painfree thanks to these exercises! The information in this book and DVD will certainly help any rider in any discipline become the best rider they can be for their horse!

See larger image Pilates for the Dressage Rider (DVD) Director: Janice Dulak Starring: Janice Dulak List Price: $39.95 USD New From: $35.99 In Stock Release date October 31, 2008.

About the Author:
Francois Robichon de la Gueriniere was born in France in about 1688 and died in 1751. Little is known about him until 1715, when having been granted the title of Ecuyer he opened a riding academy in Paris opposite the Palais du Luxembourg. Here he taught both equitation and everything else related to horses.

Reviews:

The origin of all modern dressage riding, February 6, 2003
By Johan Hambraeus (Åsele Sweden)
Since late 70th I’ve been searching for this book. Every master in classical riding refers to de la Gueriniere as the one most important book on dressage ever written. When translating a book from 18th century french into modern english you have to choose your strategy. Should you use modern english terminology that might not mirror the meaning the original author had or should you “translate” the terminology into a somewhat frenglish but leaving to the original author to explain the meaning of the term? For me, with swedish as original language and french and english as second languages, the approach Tracy Boucher took is very good. It means that more of the original meaning in the text is preserved.

Everytime you read a good teachbook you are struck by the fact that the things you thought were very complicated and illogical gets logical when you start to understand it. That is what struck me when reading this school of horsemanship. Now there might be some progression in the world during the last 275 years but progression comes from need, and the need to master riding have diminished during this period in history. Therefore I belive the teaching on training, aids, etc can hardly be given from a better teacher than de la Gueriniere. It is expensive to buy, but look at it as an investment. It is worth it!

HORSEMANSHIP–written when the horse was king of the road, May 14, 2002
This beautiful book is of historical importance and should be of interest to all serious horsemen and women with a modicum of intellectual curiosity as to how things were when the horse was of ultimate practical value to transportation, farm, war, and industry. The directives to selecting and maintaining a valuable, healthy working animal is interspersed with appreciation of the beauty of these wonderful beasts when trained to their potential. The practical knowledge of health and training issues is expressed in the formal language of the time and is impressive in its depth and detail. However, even from almost 300 years ago, the loss of “classical” training of young horses, of the special men with special patience and skill to do the training of colts, to give them confidence, courage and vigor, before the time of riding, was lamented. This book is a real treasure.

See larger image School of Horsemanship (Hardcover) By (author) Francois Robichon de la Gueriniere List Price: $88.95 USD New From: $62.27 In Stock Used from: $84.50 In Stock

About the Author:
William Cavendish (1593-1676), Duke of Newcastle, was one of the most accomplished horsemen of his era.

Language Notes:
Text: English, French (translation)

Reviews:

The way to good riding is timeless, November 5, 2001
Once you get over the different style of font and familiarize yourself with the vocabulary this book privides for some exciting reading. This man must have been a genius. He provides detail description of how to loosen up your young horse in the shoulders and further work and exercises in a precise way which still pertains to the basics how we ride today. Its sometimes good to go back to the original sources.

Fortunate Cavendish put it in writing, July 8, 2001
By Paul Schwartzberg (Berlin, Germany)
Together with books by Gueriniere, Mueseler, and Podhasky (see these) this too is a very important book concerning classical dressage. The text gives the impression of being written with considerable thought…this contrasts somewhat with some modern dressage texts. This text together with Guerniere’s is recommendable.

See larger image A General System of Horsemanship: A Facsimile Reproduction of the Edition of 1743 (Trafalgar Square Classics) (Hardcover) By (author) William Cavendish, William Steinkraus List Price: $34.95 USD New From: $20.84 In Stock Used from: $17.45 In Stock

These numbered notes are faithfully reproduced just as he wrote them, forming a unique record of classical horsemanship.

Reviews:

A wonderful companion volume for a rider’s library!, June 30, 2007
By Dr. Nancy L. Nicholson (Oxford, OHIO USA)
This book is beautifully produced and edited, with a fascinating collection of photographs. We owe much to Harris’ nephew Robert Sherman for understanding and for preserving valuable knowledge. As one of the other reviewers points out, it is an outstanding volume for one’s own library or as a gift. But let me indicate exactly why this is the case.

1a) This volume is an important technical work in its own right. Its drawings are in the order from Harris’ notebooks and not a rider’s “curriculum,” so the savvy reader might make a custom index for items of specific interest. The Spanish School notes are wide-ranging, from exercises basic to riding a green horse to setting up a flying change (don’t try this one without a truly supple horse that can execute a flawless passade – not passage! – in canter – see Sections 23, 32 & 53). One updated answer you can take into the technical portion of the book is the reason for the importance of tempo (strides per minute), as this was one issue that Mr. Harris did not fully resolve in 1948-51. An examination of frames of equine gaits plus data from dressage gaits shows that dressage horses use only a fraction of the gaits and tempos available to horses, and these are in the slower range of strides per minute. Milton Hildebrand’s article on this is in the journal Science (1965), forming one important pillar of understanding the relation of tempo to dressage gaits. The rhythm (order and timing of leg motions within walk, trot, canter) in those slower tempos is what enables the transitions between the dressage gaits. Dressage transitions, which are the most frequently ridden movement in dressage, must be fluent, level, prompt. Hasty or quick tempos exclude them from the needed step order in a stride, precisely because the legs in the start gait must be shifted to the new pattern in the end gait: and this requires nearly two seconds – much more demanding of ground contact time (aerobic demands on big muscles!) than just scooting from one gait to the next. So dressage transitions are completely dependent on tempo. Curiously, very little has been published on dressage transitions BioMechanical Riding and Dressage: A Rider’s Atlas, and this volume has that problem. However, its discussion of passage/piaffe transitions is very clear on the aids for that High School movement.
1b) Harris’ notes are focused on correct position of the rider, the position that unifies rider and horse, enabling clear communication between partners. Look carefully at Harris’ diagrams for the aids, because they form an unambiguous set of motions for safe, balanced riding.

2) Biographical material is relevant not only to the personal and intellectual development of Riding Master Charles Harris, but offers historical windows into the general social order of the Continent and of England in the 20th century. The transfer of true knowledge (in the scientific sense of verifiable, repeatable and data-dependent) is at the mercy of personality conflicts and of institutional inflexibility. Thus Francois Robichon de la Gueriniere’s observation more than two centuries ago about the lack of truly fine riders. This multifaceted problem persists in our era and a portion of it is nicely chronicled in this book.

3) Charles Harris’ recollections are outstanding and straightforward, especially refreshing in an era of twaddle, pop-psych advice about riding and general departure from biomechanically correct classical equitation (by this I mean equitation in general, not only dressage). A couple of brief examples should whet your appetite for the whole repast of this volume. On what to eat before a longe session (Section 54): “Diet is important for earnest riders . . . avoid eating anything fatty or greasy until after you finish the lesson.” Toast/bread and jam illustrated. And from the biographical section pages (38-9) comes the reason for the Classical Seat (survival through balance). “. . . that holiday in Switzerland. They had a festival . . . a kind of pre-hunting festival where they all go crackers on horses between two points fifteen or twenty miles apart. [?Hubertusjagd] I get on the horse and the Swiss officers (on theirs) and off we start. Now the first thing I see is a bloody drop of about eight foot in front of me, a little stream. I thought ‘Bloody ____, what’s this? We’ve gone off on a bloody split _____ gallop. . . . I can do this. . . . I’m on a horse. I’m in control. I’m not doing anything.’ Some of the riders are tumbling off, some are hanging round their horses’ necks. Some horses are falling . . . I just sit there like the Duke of Rhubarb.” Harris attributes his survival of this potentially lethal four hour adventure correctly to his year on the longe at the Spanish School learning to balance without stirrups or reins. Get the book, as there are even niftier accounts on its pages! And there is enough information in his notes so, if you are a kinesthetically aware person, you just might be able to ride like the Duke (or Duchess) of Rhubarb.

4) It is a companion volume to these other outstanding works:
Because Charles Harris roomed with Spanish School Director Aloys Podhajsky in exchange for giving lessons in English, Podhajsky’s plus his will provide additional pleasant years of reading. The Spanish School is, in its turn, is historically inspired by the masterwork by Francois Robichon De La Gueriniere translated by Tracy Boucher (you can also find this in the original French). Finally, centuries of safe riding are aptly founded on Dom Duarte’s 15th century masterpiece the or “How to ride well in any saddle” (the answer: a calm, alert mental state needed for any rider to be safe). This jewel of horsemanship has been issued in English under the title by Antonio Franco Preto and Steven Muhlberger. These books will give you a hint of a unique art passed forward through centuries in the companionship and touch between two species.

OK, you may be spending serious money on these volumes (all available on Amazon), but they are classics in the formal sense of durable knowledge. Eat your toast and jam and ride with joy.

For The Serious Classical Dressage Trainer, December 8, 2006
By Patricia M. Ross “Foxwin Morgans” (Elmira, NY USA)
This book is not an easy read, especially the biography chapters, but contains a wealth of information when used as intended, as a daily workbook. Open to any page in the “workbook” chapters, and you will find something of value.

A Book Every Rider Should have!!!, October 26, 2005
By Cecilia Gutierrez
It is an excellent reference book, the drawings show the movements very well, all riders should have it and use it. It is a delight to read!
I have already bought six of them and given them away as presents, to colleagues, students and friends.
You will not be dissapointed, I am sure of that!

About the Author:
Charles Harris was a student of the Spanish Riding School.

See larger image Workbooks from the Spanish School 1948-1951 (Hardcover) By (author) Charles Harris List Price: $110.00 USD New From: $64.14 In Stock Used from: $84.97 In Stock