Hello everyone from Verden, Germany where I'll be for the next few days to watch the Young Horse World Championships and lots of other beautiful horses competing in everything from leadline to GP.  Carlan and I arrived at the Niedersachsenhof just this afternoon. It's a great little hotel just 3 blocks from the show grounds.  All the teams stay here and we've been coming back for four years now ourselves.
Today I watched the three year old Hanoverian mare class.  They were presented in hand and to my surprise, Scott Hassler, USA was one of the judges.  The champion mare was by Weltmeyer out of a Londonderry mare by Brentano II,  The judge panel commented on how nice it was to see such a good Weltmeyer mare  They are much desired for the breeding program,
Afterwards we watched the warm up for the five and six year olds.
Fashionista that I am, I noticed several trends.  Most importantly . . .EVERY RIDER WORE A HELMET!I
They came in all colors (one was cream colored with a brown vent) and many with bling,  I saw several pairs of brown boots with buckles at the top and others in patent leather with bling on the cuff.
Last year most horses wore ear nets but today I only saw two.
Most of the riders are young and they warmed up sometimes 20 horses at a time to Lady Gaga blasting over the speakers.  We drank wine and enjoyed watching,
More tomorrow!

Impulsion

We often hear terms like:  "forward"or "in front of the leg".  It is important to discuss the meaning and difference however. 
Impulsion is thrust and includes the idea of "desire to go"  along with a relaxation of the back.  Obviously a race horse has a desire to go forward but doesn't have the added quality of relaxation of the back that is necessary for a dressage horse.
A horse is "in front of the leg" if he is obedient to the driving aids.  We usually include the seat in this comment.
The bottom line is that we want our horses to respond very quickly to any driving aid but to do so with confidence.  This creates energy without tension . . .our ultimate goal.

Follow your dream

I just read a post by Ann Pustil who interviewed people who are dying,  She asked them for their thoughts and by and large most of them regretted not following their dream.
For most of us dressage types, our dream has to do with riding and achieving a certain level.  Are you there yet?
Maybe it is time to take it up a notch.  Ask yourself, "what am I waiting for?"
Go out there and ride today and try something new!
Take advantage of education which is abundandt in our area.  It is spring and time to move forward,

Judgementalism

According to meditation teacher Sally Kempton, "whether you're judging others or yourself, it's impossible to aim negative judgments in any direction without experiencing the sharp edges of judgment within yourself."

I think this quote speaks for itself.  We've all been there.

Cut yourself in half and sit better

When working on your position, think "waist down, waist up".  Below your waist everything goes down:  seat bones, legs, heels, your entire center of gravity.
Above your waist, everything lifts: chest, diaphragm, chin, and most importantly, eyes.

Work you way through the warm up

Warming up for a class at a show can be intimidating and distracting.  Knowing the "arena rules" can help you navigate through the traffic so you can focus on your horse and riding.
First, pass left hand to left hand as if your are driving.  If you are working on a circle and another horse/rider comes along the rail, pull your circle in and allow the other rider to pass on the outside.
If you are traveling in the same direction, the slower rider should be on the inside track.
And please, for the sake of other riders, do not stop on the track to adjust tack or talk with your trainer.
If you need passage (ie. diagonal) always say "please".
Courtesy and consideration are important.  The golden rule always applies!

Championships

As we are about to leave for the championships, I am reflecting on years past.
Many of you don't know how SWDC began and also how lucky we are to have our regional championships right here in Houston EVERY YEAR!
I attended my first Regional Championship in St Louis, MO.  That was in the 80's and we only had four regions in the US.  It was a long  haul and meant taking  off several work  days and spending a lot of money!
So, SWDC was formed so that we could compete in a champs and stay closer to home with friendlier rules.
Then USDF divided the country into more regions, 9 now, so that no one would have to travel far.  Houston just happens to have the largest venue, Great Southwest EC so we usually get the bid.  However, our region covers five staes and many of the competitors have to make quite a trip to be here.
When you meet someone this weekend from out of town, appreciate their efforts. 
And know that this show is a culmination of efforts from years past.
But mostly, have fun and enjoy the efforts of those past volunteers who brought the show and sport to this moment in time.