Dressage Desperados

Year end BBQ and 2nd birthday-party of the DRESSAGE DESPERADOS

on December 5th 2009 (by Lara)

The weather outside was cold, but the atmosphere was cozy inside Debbie Lindley's home during the Dressage Desperados end of the year gathering and awards presentation.

We were happy to announce the high point of the year awards for each level, Intro to First. The high point for each level goes to an AA-rider who has attended at least three shows. The high point was calculated by averaging a rider's three scores for the level in which they competed.

The high point award for Intro level went to DAVID ZOVOD, Training level high point went to BETSY TISMEER, and First Level high point went to SIMONE VAN DER SALM. Each individual received a white saddle blanket with the DD logo.

The rider who won high point of the april show (all devisions where eligible) was DEBBIE CARSON, she won a trophy and a DD-saddle blanket as well.

The D-Award goes to the most improved horse and rider pair and is decided through a DD member vote. This year's D Award went to SHARON ZOVOD riding SUNDOWN CHAMPION.

Thank you for all who attended the DD year end gathering. Cheers to a healthy holiday season to all, and may 2010 bring many happy rides.

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Super-glued Heart

By: Kim Kolstad

submitted August 2009

I lost the love of my life at age eighteen. Most people believe that, at that age, you can't understand true love; but when you know someone is perfect for you, it doesn't seem to matter what anyone else thinks. You live for that person, you die for that person. They are the purpose of your life. That being clarified, the love of my life was my horse, Jasper.

I spent most of my life in the tropical paradise of Maui, Hawaii. Two weeks after my sweet sixteen, my family decided to move to the mainland. I had to say goodbye to everything I knew, my friends, my school, my life. I went from sticking out like a sore thumb-since I am a tall, white girl- to just blending in with the crowd. It was a major culture shock! I felt like someone had taken my life, tipped it upside down, and shaken it until everything familiar fell out. A deep, dark wave of depression threatened to drown me. My one last stronghold was horses.

In a desperate attempt to save me from myself, my mother got me involved with a local horse rescue. That is where I met him. He was a tall, chestnut Thoroughbred with an eye injury. He was also skin and bones, full of worms and had a dull, lifeless coat. But there was a playful spark in his good eye that begged you to give him a chance. We did. We adopted him and took him home within the week.

In the months that followed, Jasper gained weight, got rid of the worms, received hours of grooming and baths and a whole heart full of love. For every ounce of affection that I gave, he returned it threefold. When he was finally strong enough to be ridden, we would fly! Within the year, he was sailing effortlessly through classes at local shows. If I became unbalanced in a jumping class, he would dip his shoulder and scoop me back up. The smile on my face was nothing compared to the smile in my soul. The dark waters of depression had swirled down the drain.

The summer after I turned eighteen, I took a trip home to Maui to celebrate graduating high school with my friends. While I was there, Jasper had a bad bout of colic, which he was prone to as a complication from being starved. Colic in humans is uncomfortable, in horses, it is life threatening. He was taken to the vet immediately, who diagnosed surgery as the only option. By the time the preparations were made for the operation, it was too late. Over the phone, from two thousand miles away, I said goodbye to the love of my life.

In the weeks afterward, I became like a robot. I didn't feel or taste or do anything. The foundation on which I had rebuilt my happiness had been washed away and I was left with only heart crushing memories. I swore off horses, riding and life just beyond existing. My heart was destroyed, ripped into shreds and beyond repair.

A few months after my destruction, the director of the rescue that I adopted Jasper from called me with a special request. She'd gotten in a four year old stallion that needed to be started and worked with. Although he hadn't been abused, he'd been locked in a small pen for his entire life and his only interaction with humans was to receive water and food. I wanted nothing to do with horses, but I felt a certain obligation to her. She conveniently forgot to mention that he was an Appaloosa, my least favorite breed.

When she arrived and unloaded him, all I could see were spots; big, hideous spots. His name was Prince; he was mostly black except for a blanket of white spread over his rump which was dotted with distinctive black spots. Along with the spots, his brown eyes were surrounded with a ring of sclera, which is typical of the breed. Most horses do not have visible sclera, only big, beautiful, liquid brown perfection can be seen. Appaloosas look like they are surprised or scared all the time. He was everything I despised in a horse, which was probably the only reason I agreed to work with him. There was no fear of attachment here.

After a week or so of basic groundwork, I felt he was ready for his first ride. The usual excitement of the very first ride was completely absent, mostly because his brain also seemed completely absent. Normal reactions to a saddle being placed on a horse's back for the first time would be bucking, kicking out, rearing or at least some reaction to this object clinging to their back like a predator. Prince was too consumed with watching the birds flutter in the trees. When I finally climbed on, he merely stretched his head around as if to say, "what are you doing up there?" Although he was easy to deal with, he was completely brain dead.

For several months, I went through the steps of starting him under saddle, referring to him only as "princess" or "moron". But something strange began to happen, an invisible bond began to form that I was completely blind to. Suddenly, I was giving him extra cookies after a ride and going out just to spend time with him. When the pain of losing Jasper ripped my heart to pieces, I sobbed into Prince's mane while he stood patiently. When I would feel lost and depressed, I would ride Prince to find my purpose again. Throughout this gradual transformation, I stayed in a severe state of denial. There was absolutely no way that I could be attached to this abomination, this Appaloosa. Then something happened that exposed my hidden secret to everyone, including myself.

It started off so simple. I decided that I should try Prince over fences. I dismounted and, since the arena gate was closed, just left him in the middle while I set up the jumps around him. It wasn't until the second or third cross-rail that I realized he was pivoting in place so that he was always watching me. He was completely focused on me; his sclera-encircled eyes were trained on my every move. When I set up the last jump, I called to him, but didn't actually expect him to come over. Before the last syllable escaped my lips, he broke into a trot in my direction and stopped just far enough away that he could reach over and nuzzle me. I caught a familiar gleam in his eyes that just asked for a chance. The realization hit me like a tsunami. I was in love with an Appaloosa; I'd been saved once again.

Needless to say, I now own Irish Prince Valiant. I still miss Jasper; but I feel like he is my guardian angel. I know that Prince came to me with Jasper's help. Now I look at his spots and grin; and when other people tell me he is gorgeous I can genuinely agree. I didn't know that it was possible to have more than one true love, but Prince is proof. There is room in my life for all kinds of love, even for myself. Losing Jasper broke my heart into pieces, but one at a time, Prince super-glued them back together.

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Story for Dressage Desperados

By: Kate StClair

February 24, 2009

I want to share the most fabulous opportunity I had in January to spend a month in Penngrove, CA at the Reis Ranch Universal Horsemanship Clinic with my big gray thoroughbred, Lead Zeppelin. There is nothing like working with your horse 8 hours a day, six days a week! Of 12 people in the clinic, only two of us rode in English tack! We focused on round-penning, ground school and mounted work each day. My horse and I have a new and wonderful partnership. We successfully passed three of the four courses and are now working on the fourth level - all skills without halter or bridle (this will take more than a month!)

I learned SO much! One of the most important lessons for me (a classic type-A personality) was about rewarding my horse with time to soak with me after each new task learned, rather than quickly rushing into the next lesson. As a result, he clearly enjoys our training time together and is really hooked up to me as his leader.

The most exciting day was a drive out to the 3-mile beach at Bodega Bay where I fulfilled one of my lifetime dreams to gallop my horse in the surf! I had never let Big Z out before (frankly, I was a bit afraid that I would never stop him). But there we were, racing down the surf line at full speed with the salty spray in my face and arms stretched out to my side - no hands! WOW! Is he FAST! You MUST put that one on your 'Bucket List'.

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BBQ-Celebration and 1st birthday-party of the DRESSAGE DESPERADOS

on November 15th 2008 at Nanke's Ranch in Chino Valley (by Gina)

Our bbq day and first birthday party was a big success. Thanks to all of the many auditors and volunteers, dd-members and of course the performance people to make that day so much fun.

We saw a lovely Flamenco-Ride in costume with music performed by BETSY and JACK TISMEER and a Frisian liberty show by SIMONE VAN DER SALM and her two beautiful Frisian geldings Meint and Tsjalke. DEBBIE LINDLEY and KIM KOLSTAD taught us about massage techniques on a horse that helps to relax the muscles after or before riding as well as loosens and prepares the horse for the work.

We also awarded the Year End Awards (special ribbon and white saddle blanket with the dd-logo) that went to KATE ST.CLAIR at intro level, BETSY TISMEER at training level and DEBBIE LINDLEY at first level.

SHARON ZOVOD was awarded the d-award for the most improved horse/rider pair in 2008 that embodies the DD-spirit most. Both took home a nice leather halter with leather lead as their prize.

Congratulations to the winners and a big thank you to EQU-ATION EQUINE THERAPY and DEBBIE LINDLEY for sponsoring these wonderful prizes!

Click HERE for a Slide Show of that day...