Converting thoroughbreds to the show ring

[Ogygian]

I was walking my two Cattle Dogs today (PB and Max) and met a nice lady who was walking her two dogs. During our conversation, she referenced the nearby equestrian center several times.

I found out that she rescues horses off the track, buys them from Los Al, and then trains them for 3-4 months, and places them with people who generally use them for either jumping or showing, whatever that is. I have heard of dressage, but I could never describe it.

Anyone else familiar with this world? This lady was very cool, and it's obvious she isn't in this for the $$$. I think it's a great thing.

Any thoughts?

[Beckron]

Show jumping is what Michael Matz won Olympic Medals in.

[Hollywoodmike]

Show jumping is what Michael Matz won Olympic Medals in.

Matz has done so many wonderful things in his career including saving some
young kids from a plane crash. I believe they were brother and sister and traveling without their family. Matz rescued his wife then went back into the burning plane and rescued the kids. They were at the Kentucky Derby that Barbaro won and there was not a dry eye in the house.

[Elise]

My best rodeo (barrel racing) horses were QHs off the track. I think its a wonderful idea to make a horse useful after their "job" is over.

[MaryS]

I was walking my two Cattle Dogs today (PB and Max) and met a nice lady who was walking her two dogs. During our conversation, she referenced the nearby equestrian center several times.

I found out that she rescues horses off the track, buys them from Los Al, and then trains them for 3-4 months, and places them with people who generally use them for either jumping or showing, whatever that is. I have heard of dressage, but I could never describe it.

Anyone else familiar with this world? This lady was very cool, and it's obvious she isn't in this for the $$$. I think it's a great thing.

Any thoughts?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dressage

Dressage (pronounced dress-ahhzh /ˈdrɛsɑʒ/) (a French term, most commonly translated to mean "training") is a path and destination of competitive horse training, with competitions held at all levels from amateur to the Olympics. Its fundamental purpose is to develop, through standardized progressive training methods, a horse's natural athletic ability and willingness to perform, thereby maximizing its potential as a riding horse. At the peak of a dressage horse's gymnastic development, it can smoothly respond to a skilled rider's minimal aids by performing the requested movement while remaining relaxed and appearing effortless. Dressage is occasionally referred to as "Horse Ballet" (cf. nl:Dressuur). Although the discipline has ancient roots, dressage was first recognized as an important equestrian pursuit in the West during the Renaissance. The great European riding masters of that period developed a sequential training system that has changed little since then. Classical dressage is still considered the basis of trained modern dressage.

Early European aristocrats displayed their horses' training in equestrian pageants, but in modern dressage competition, successful training at the various levels is demonstrated through the performance of "tests" of prescribed series of movements within a standard arena. Judges evaluate each movement on the basis of an objective standard appropriate to the level of the test and assign each movement a score from zero to ten - zero being "not executed" and 10 being "excellent". A score of 9 is considered "very good" and is considered a particularly high mark, while a competitor achieving all 6s (or 60% overall) should be considering moving on to the next level.

For the Secretariat's Belmont of Dressage performances, check this out http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zKQgTiqhPbw

It's had over 9 million views

[Beckron]

Hollywood Mike, Matz rescued the kids, he couldn't get back in to find DeDe, but she made it out okay.

[Diver52]

HRTV did a feature on General Challenge in which a farm employee described an attempt to turn him into a jumper. Apparently his only interest in a wood fence was in eating it.

"Seabiscuit," the one at Santa Anita (Fighting Furrari) has competed in hunter-jumper shows I know.

[Hollywoodmike]

I stand corrected Beckron. Thanks

[Tairaterces]

Mary, thank you so much for reposting Blue Hors Matine's spectacular exhibition. She sure does feel the music. I was so impressed I ended up getting the dvd of all of the performances. Still think she should have won the freestyle. One of the other performances is by a horse named Elvis and he dances to a selection of Elvis songs. Great stuff!!!

[Beckron]

Dog Dressage

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HqbVbPvlDoM&feature=fvw

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qi4qvMmWJWs

I can't get mine to sit