Report on Mette's Clinic at Ten Broeck Farm

The Mette Rosencrantz Dressage Clinic held on October 16-17 and hosted by Ten Broeck Farm in Pepperell, MA was a huge success. This was Mette’s first visit to New England, coming across the country from her facility in Topanga, CA. Her expertise and teaching skills were evident in her keen ability to put each horse and rider at ease, all done with clarity and a wonderful sense of humor. Mette arrived early Saturday morning, eager to begin her instruction. Her high standards and attention to detail with every rider were just as sharp during the last session on Sunday afternoon as they were during the very first session on Saturday morning.

Rider Linda Cross said, “My rides with Mette were eye opening. She had me doing a lot of exercises to keep Bertini better on my aides and quicker off my leg, and told me to expect more from him, that he can do the work. His canter was more up and overall in better self carriage. I had a great 2 days riding with her; she was correct and to the point and I would love to ride with her again.”

Mette’s skill at engaging the clinic’s auditors was appreciated by everyone who attended. Auditor Evie Winter said, “It is not often that one gets the opportunity to watch and to learn from someone as experienced and as knowledgeable about horses, dressage, and riders as Mette Rosencrantz. She embodied all of the things that a great teacher does: she was able to adjust each lesson to the rider, the horse, and to each of their abilities. In a very short period of time she was able to hone in on an area that needed to be addressed and worked on. Mette did this with compassion, humor and knowledge, as any great teacher would. She built on the basics and reinforced the lesson with repetition and thus the goal for the lesson was met. I would love the opportunity to ride with Mette should she return to New England.”

Martha Goodwine also audited the clinic. She clearly was impressed: “I had the opportunity to attend one of the two-day clinics. After seeing her instruct on Day 1, I wish that I could have postponed my wedding anniversary celebration to attend Day 2! She was that fabulous! Beginning at 8 a.m. and ending sometime after 5 p.m., Mette was tireless! Her instruction was filled with helpful analogies, timely praise, and humor. As a result, I better understood concepts that I had previously struggled with. She ended each lesson in front of the auditors, as well as a summary critique and ‘homework’ for the rider. She continually asked for questions and feedback from everyone in the audience. I can only hope that we’re able to get her back on the East Coast again soon so that I can benefit from her meticulous and enthusiastic instruction on my new horse!”

http://www.tenbroeckfarm.net/, where you can also keep abreast of timely activities and events by signing up for the Ten Broeck Farm electronic newsletter.

Special thanks to sponsors Poulin Grain and Pelham Saddlery, whose contributions helped fund this clinic. Additional thanks to Noreen Duffy-Granbery of Duffy Productions for permission to use her beautiful photos of the clinic.

Going Home!

So my trip with Diani from Europe to China is coming to an end. It has been a great trip and I have seen so much, met so many people and I can now add a new chapter to my life. The countryside is so different from the big city.

Workers are sweeping the streets, watering the lawn and the trees by a hose. There are workers everywhere, dressed in their big straw hats, loose pants and shoes that look like slippers. I saw mothers on their mopeds with all of their children. There are often 3 kids: the youngest stands in front and the other two are behind her. The small trucks are so loaded with stuff, that you think they will fall over any minute. The houses are dark with laundry hanging on the balconies and chickens are running in the yard. I have not seen a dog or a cat. People are friendly, but don't say a word in English--not a word. At the hotel they greet you at the elevator, greet you leaving the hotel, greet you everywhere with a deep bow.

In the big city, it's so different. It's Very modern and the young generation looks just like they do any place in the world. It's still a mix between the old and the young, but you can see a huge difference. I even got my first coffee since I came here at Starbucks.

At the Asian Games, Diani's teammate, Cassandra, came in second and her brother was third. Even if they had hoped for gold, they were happy with their placings. So the show ended up great for the Malaysian team. We are all going out to dinner tonight to celebrate and also to have the last meal together for this trip. Diani will come to my room and send off some pictures, so you can see them, too. Some other friends will email me pictures later on, so I hope to eventually post some more.

So thanks for staying in touch! A big thanks to Diani who carried so much on her shoulders, organizing everything and doing everything in her power to make this adventure fun and exiting. And also thanks to her for riding so well and being such a wonderful person with a heart of gold!

And of course thanks to Anna who stayed home and took care of everything. Anna also carried a heavy load on her shoulders and without her this could never had been done. So to my little girls, there is hope in the world!!!!

~Mette

Diani's last show day at the Asian Games

Diani competed in her last event today. She rode great, but had some mistakes in her changes (yesterday she scored 8 on them), so that cost her a lot. But, that is how it goes sometimes and there is nothing to do about it now.

She did a really great job and I'm happy that I could be part of it!!! There are just two riders from each team who can ride the last test, which is the freestyle. Her two teammates (siblings!) who had mistakes yesterday, rode well today and came in second and third, so they will be the two from Malaysia competing in the final phase. I cross my fingers that they will have a super good ride the last day. Tuesday is the day off for the dressage horses and the freestyle is on Wednesday. So tomorrow we will ride early and then head out from this remote area to do some sightseeing. I look forward to that.

I will fly back home on Wednesday or Thursday. I am looking forward to going home and I really miss my horses!!! I feel that I have been gone for so long. When I finally come home, I will have made a full circle around the world. WOW!!

So I will send you one more letter from China before I'm off.

Until then........

Mette

Opening Ceremony at the Asian Games!

Two hundred buses left the Athlete's Village on Friday. It was very impressive. They had closed the road that took us to the Sports Arena, so there were only the buses on the road. The side of the road was filled with people who wanted to see the athletes on their way. When we got closer to the stadium, buildings were lit, there were flowers all over, trees with sparkling lights and trees with lights that looked like they had drops coming down in red, green and more. The river had floats made out of flowers with tons of sparkling lights. I could go on forever because it was so pretty. Forty-nine different countries participated with about a 1,000 athletes. So many people did everything to make it work. Many university kids from all over China volunteered, so instead of a fence there were people and more people. I have never seen anything so impressive as this ceremony. Just the way the fireworks were organized was amazing! And those, of course, went on and on, more and more!!! The director of the ceremonies must be a genius!! The theme was water, so the stage had a layer of water and surrounding the stage there, was a moat. There is no way I can explain the show that lasted for about two hours, but it was fantastic!
For a reason that I don't know, I was interviewed several times and, sure enough, I was on Chinese TV the day after. Pretty cool!

On Saturday we had the jog and all horses passed, so that was great. Today Sunday the Show started. The team took a bronze medal, very close to silver and Diani was in the top 12, so she will go forward for tomorrow. She will then ride Prix St. Georges. She was the only one on her team who had a clean, straightforward test, so I was very proud of her. She did a great job! Cross your fingers for tomorrow!

So all is well in China. Just a couple more days and then I'll be on my way home. Thanks' to Super Anna who is working hard at Mill Creek and taking care of everything so well at home. So keep it up girls-I'm so thankful I have you!

Just to let you know, that Facebook, Twitter, blogs and my own website are blocked in China and I cannot listen to any of my voicemail on my phone. Just so you know! I will catch up when I get home.

~Mette

What a Trip!

In the space of a week, I was in America, Europe, the Middle East and China! No wonder I don't know if I should get up or go to bed!

Last Sunday, I first worked with Diani and her horsein Aachen. In the evening we started the trip to China. I did get a couple of hours in Dubai, so we took a taxi and saw the city (the photo to the right is the Burj Al Khalifa building, the tallest building in the world). Very exiting and different! Fun!!! By the time we arrived at our hotel in Guangzhou it was 1:30 am on Tuesday. It was a long day.........

We are outside the city--actually out in the middle of nowhere! It's very pretty, but only hard working people who don't speak English. It took me days before I could get help with my computer, because so few people speak English. Of course I had to ask for Diani's help. She is the only one in our group who speaks Chinese, so she has to translate for all of us! Thank God for her! Without all of her perfect preparation, I'm just sailing through. She has done a fantastic job!!! If things are not done properly, you are sunk. No exceptions for anyone.It's too much to tell you all how it is. The security is enormous; there are checkpoints everywhere. Lots of security workers, police and guards: everything is checked when you go in,and out. If you look up the hill, you find them! If you look out the hotel window, you see them walk the fence line. No trespassing here, that's for sure!! There are people from parts of old Russia, India, the Middle East and countries that I've barely heard of. It's fun!

The horses arrived late Tuesday night after a long flight. One team horse is still not 100%, but we all hope he will come around. Diani's horse Stravinsky is looking great and the training is going as planned. We do the veterinary jog on Saturday and start to compete on Sunday. The opening ceremony is on Saturday evening and they tell us that it will be a big thing. This is so importent to China and very political. I'm looking forward to be part of it!

So for now, that's it. It's 6 am, the fog is lifting from the river and I have to go to work.

Best to all!

mette

Happy Birthday Mette!!!!

Home at Mill Creek Equestrian Center everyone is very excited for both Mette and Diani and their trip to China! We cross our fingers and wish them all the best luck!!

 

Today November 8th we want to make a big toast to Mette and wish her a Happy Birthday!! She will be up in the air flying from Germany to China but we are all thinking about her and we will be eating lots of her favorite "Princess cake"!

 

We love you Mette!!

 

Anna, Romeo and Amanda together with Mette's horse Taison

One more day on the China trip!

All is going well. Lots of good riders and horses are doing the last training before we all leave for China. Everybody is busy getting everything ready for the trip. There are so many things that have to be perfect, not only the riding has to go well, but all the paperwork!! There are so many extra things that have to be done in a certain way for going to China or you don't get in or out! Thank God that Diani is on top of it. She is very organized and is not only taking care of herself and her horse, but she also helps the other riders all the time.

The team looks great and I hope it will stay that way. Diani and I have gone through each of the three tests: two regular tests and one freestyle. Today when we were going through the freestyle, it rained so hard that we could not be outside. So poor Diani had to ride in the big indoor arena, together with eventers and show jumping horses. It worked, but no 20/60 Dressage arena all to herself. She looks good, so I hope she can pull it off in the Asian games.

The Aachen showgrounds are super: fantastic footing and beautiful settings. It's just a little cold, gray and wet. It will be a huge change from here to Guangzhou.

If you'd like to learn more about the 16th Asian Games, visit the website at http://www.gz2010.cn/en.

I will keep you all posted from China. It will take some time though before we all are there. I'm looking forward to the opening ceremony. In the last Asian Games four years ago in Qatar, they had a rider on a horse riding up a long staircase to light the flame. After what we saw at the Olympics, I think China will put on a great show, too!!

I hope we all will get there safe and sound!

Soon.....;

Mette

Started my trip to China!

I have now arrived in Aachen Germany, where I have met up with Diani Lee and her horse Stravinsky. There are also all the dressage, eventing and show jumping horses here in quarantine before they all fly to China. The Aachen show grounds are great and the hotel where all riders, trainers, officials and "the rest"are staying is just across the street. There are people here from so many different countries and it is a lot of fun to meet them all.There are four riders from Malaysia on Diani's team and they all look good. Horses and riders are ready for the Games!

We will stay here until Sunday, November 7, then we all will fly to China. The flight will go via Dubai and if there is a long enough layover, I hope I can make a very short taxi ride to see Dubai! The final destination is Guangzhou and I hope we will all eventually get there safe and sound.

This is like a mini Olympics, so there will be all sports--not only equestrian. Very exciting! I will try to keep you all posted from the trip and hopefully get some pictures down the road. Without my super girl, Anna, who is home taking care of everything, I'm not so sure!! She is always the one who takes all the great pictures!!

Best,

Mette

Below, Mette, Diani and friends eat a a Chinese restaurant in honor of their upcoming trip!

Great Last Show of the Year!

I competed with Finally and Taison at the Regional Finals at Los Angeles Equestrian Center the weekend of October 7th-10th. The days before the show were, as it has been lately, very shaky. Rain again.... in October! It never rains in October in Los Angeles, but it sure will when there is a show at LAEC! So I felt that I didn't do the work I normally would have done before a show and left a day later than I had planned, since I had good footing at home, so stayed there as long as I could. I went to the show the same day I was going to compete and just hoped it would work.

My classes were huge and a lot of good horses and riders had qualified for the finals. Both Taison and Finally had not been to a show since the National Finals in Gladstone in August, so I wasn't sure how they would be in the ring. Both of them were so good! They stepped up to the plate and just did a great job. Finally was Champion in Intermediare Freestyle with a score of almost 74%. Taison was Reserve Champion with a score of 73.500%. In another huge class, Finally was in a lead for about 5 hours and the last rider of the class beat us, so he was Reserve Champion with a score of 70%. Both Taison and Finally were placed in each class they entered. Great scores, good rides and lovely horses! (Complete results are available on Mette's website.)

So now the plan is just to work harder, so that I can move them up to Grand Prix. I hope to be able to bring them out in Intermediare II and later on to Grand Prix. It's easier said than done, but I'm looking forward to the journey.

This coming weekend, I'm off to give a clinic on the east coast and a couple of weeks later I'm on my way to China to coach my student Diani who will ride in The Asian Games.

I will tell you more about that later on.

So...enjoy.

~Mette

Clinic at Ten Broeck Farm

Mette will be giving a clinic at Ten Broeck Farm in Pepperell, Massachussetts on October 16 & 17.

An Auditor's Report of Mette's Equistride International Clinic

This report of the Mette's August 27-29 Clinic in Fenton, Michigan was written by Marci Brown.

What a fantastic weekend it was for dressage enthusiasts at Equistride International. Their second annual weekend symposium is the start of something fantastic. So much expertise, in so many areas, it was a smorgasbord of knowledge, from in-hand work, to a balanced seat, you could even find time for a massage for yourself or your horse! Now that is the royal treatment!

I was fortunate enough to follow most of the riders as they worked with Mette Rosencrantz, from their first ride to their third day. It was so wonderful to watch each and every rider step up and feast on the information presented to them. I truly was a transformation, in three days, in each horse and rider. Day one started with Mette watching the riders for a few minutes. Then, it was right to work. Problems were identified, but as the hours progressed we learned that what we often think of as problems, are merely facts, and each one has a solution! You just have to be willing to tackle the cause, not the symptom. Exercises were given, horses had opinions, what was started was always finished and most definitely, learning was happening, both in horses and humans! On day two, you could see that each rider had taken the first day to heart. They each came out ready to turn the page and get on with the tasks. Great teaching produces such an excitement to learn! As auditors, we learned too. We quickly became cheerleaders, riding every stride and cheering with each success. It was so much fun. Then, on the third day, Mette really emphasized to each rider what they had to continue with at home. Our horses don't know what to do if we don't show them the way. This kind of teaching made us all want to go straight home to the barn, and get to work. So inspiring!

To top off Mette’s great daily teaching, she gave a lecture Saturday evening. She shared with us her philosophy, her history and her training ideals. Her speaking was every bit as entertaining and educational as her teaching. It was a lot of fun.

I think we are very fortunate to have Mette come and work with us. I hope Equistride International keeps this annual event, and I hope Mette will be on the roster of clinicians again soon!

Clinic with Mette in the Detroit Area this weekend

Mette will be giving a clinic in Fenton, Michigan, August 27 - 29 at Equistride International. Visit the website for complete details.

Return from Gladstone

(View the photo gallery of Mette's return flight home from Gladstone on her Facebook page)

I think you all know by now that I got home safely with my horses Taison and Finally. I rode with them in the trailer from Gladstone to the airport. They make a ramp from the trailer to the crate so the horses just went from one stall in the trailer to a nother stall in the shipping crate. Our tack was in a different container and each crate or container has to be weighed.

Only my horses were in "my" crate, so with two horses in a crate for three, they got 1.5 spaces each. It is way too small for big horses like mine to go in a crate with 3 horses!

The crate is lifted up to the body of the airplane, and this time it was a cargo plane, so there were a lot of containers in the plane. There are no stewards, or any service, so there are just a couple of seats for those of us who flew the horses.

Back in L.A., Heather came to pick my horses up for the last leg back home to Mill Creek--and I tell you, we were all happy to be home!

So the Gladstone story is now over for this time and I'm glad that I was part of it! Finally has now shown that he can travel and still eat and drink and that he can take the stress of a big competition, so from now on I'm really looking forward to future shows!

Taison normally just does a great job, but the heat and humidity were hard on a big black horse--he just needed some extra spark from him for a higher placing. But what can you do???

Thanks for all your support!

Keep in touch,

~Mette

Virus on Computer!

If you all wonder where I went, I just have to let you know that I got a virus on Friday evening and my computer was shut down! Bad timing!!

I was pleased with my horses on Friday, but they were better on Saturday in the Intermediare I. In that test, I had a mistake that took the scores down on both horses, so it was hard to climb up after that. I had no mistakes on Friday, on Saturday, I had a better go, but with mistakes. When Sunday, came I rode the best. Both horses climbed up the list, but for the overall, the freestyle didn't count as much as the first day.

For the freestyle, I had two fun rides to music I like and fits the horses. I know that some of you did see it on the computer.  That is so cool!

Thanks for all the nice comments and all your lovely notes, calls and emails. I'm so fortunate to have you all out there to support me. I'm so grateful your are cheering me on. I tell you...it's a tough group!! So you better ride and give all you have!!

Taison is such a hard worker. The heat was hard on this lovely big black horse. By the time he was in the ring ready to show, he had to go on willpower. He is the best when the weather is cool, so Gladstone is not the place to be!! It  was so hot and humid that we had to cool the horses down every ten minutes with water and ice. He just does his job and is always trying to do it without complaint!

Finally was such a good boy all three days. Friday I rode safe, no mistakes, but that was not enough. I had great rideability and felt very good about my ride. Sad that the judges didn't feel the same!!!!

Saturday, I rode stronger, but my two mistakes took me down in scores. For me that didn't matter, because he was so relaxed and had no problem with anything that could have distracted him. Three months ago he would have thought the ring was very scary, so that is a great move forward. Sunday in my freestyle, he got a good score, worked beautifully and I was very pleased with my placing.

So over all the trip was fun and it was nice to compete in the group of the top riders in the U.S. There are a lot of nice horses and good riders and I'm glad that I am one of them.

Monday, 8/9:

The trailer picked us up in the morning and it actually felt good to be on the way home. I rode with my horses and traveled with them all the way. Taison and Finally were in one crate and they traveled very well. It's a long day and I am always concerned that the flight and all the commotion at the airport will stress the horses. But all went well and I was happy to be back at the barn, and so wer the horses.

For now my horses will have a break from traveling and training and I'm sure they will love to just be home.

I will keep you all posted what's next on my list, but for now I'm thankful to just be home and back to work.

All the best,

 

Mette

Show photos from Gladstone

 

Good luck Mette!!

Back home at Mill Creek, Sara and Shauna with Basquewille wishing Mette and her horses good luck at the finals in Gladstone!

Show time!

Today was first day of showing. The show grounds now look really nice with beautiful settings and everyone is working really hard to make it perfect for these National Finals. The weather in Gladstone has been really hot and humid, but today we luckily got some breeze, even though it was still really hot.

The Prix St Georges was the only class of the day and Taison and I were first to go. The competition consists of the 16 best horses in the country. It's an honor to part of this elite group. Taison had a great test and I was pleased with him. I was back in the show ring with Finally later in the class. This was Finally's first really big show and he was on his best behavior. I felt that I owned the test in the ring and it was really fun to ride him. I am very proud of both my horses and I have two more days of competition to look forward to.

If you want to follow the results online go to http://www.usef.org/.

Thank you all for the good luck wishes !

Mette

Time for the jog

Today was another beautiful day in Gladstone! My horses are feeling really good and I'm so excited to get in to the show ring tomorrow. But before the show really gets started it;s time for the vet jog. For the inspection, you want your horses to look their best. You want them to be shiny and braided and to put their best foot forward. So we spent hours getting them ready and they looked absolutely stunning. Both Finally and Taison passed.

After the jog the order of go is drawn and for us who are lucky enough to have two horses in the same class, they make sure there is enough time for preparation between the horses.

Today my dear friends and family flew in from Sweden, US and Canada to be here and cheer me on. Im so appreciative of all the support from all of you!

I will promise to do my absolute best tomorrow!

Another day at Gladstone

We are counting down the days and we are getting closer to show time! Finally is going really well and I'm very excited to soon enter the show ring. The weather is still great but it's very humid, so both my horse and I are getting very hot. I wish I could ride with the fan that I have in his stall to keep me cool and make the bad, bad flies, big as a Boeing 747, go away.

Everything here starts to look like a beautiful show ground. People are working very hard to make everything perfect for the coming weekend. Its fun to see the difference before and after. On Thursday, we have the jog and I will start to compete on Friday.

Now when Taison is here and by tomorrow my lost tack trunk will arrive, all is complete. I'm so happy to have both my horses in the Finals and Im very proud of them!

On Thursday my siblings from Sweden will be here and I also have some friends from America who are flying in to cheer me on. I'm very moved by all the good luck wishes I have gotten from friends and people that know me. I will take that with me and I know it will make me ride even better.

There have been a lot of twist and turns to make everything work but I'm glad that I can finally focus on why I came.

Mette

Update from Gladstone

Another great day in Gladstone!

Finally is doing really well in his work and he is taking the commotion of setting up the arena, the bleaches and the VIP tent, great. He is really enjoying to be out grassing and so far the weather has been good.

Big news for today: Taison is on his way and will arrive in Gladstone tomorrow afternoon. It's fantastic that Mette has two horses in the National Finals!! Its a BIG country!

Every day more and more horses are arriving to the show grounds. The riders and horses that are based or competing in Europe are also now arriving. So by tomorrow almost all horses will be here, including Taison!

Mette also wants to thank all her wonderful helpers at Mill Creek, Shauna, Sara and Danielle. Without their help and support, this could never have worked. They all have stepped up to the plate and been wonderful, reliable and supportive in all the hard work--plus preparing and sending Taison off. Great job! My kind of girls!

Photos from Gladstone

We've arrived in Gladstone!

After an early start on Friday morning, the trailer came to the barn at 2:30 am. All was packed and ready, thanks to Anna, so we got out with no problem and got to the airport on time, thanks to Heather. My kind of girls! Well done!

At the airport they tell me that it's only my horse in the crate and that the other horse was not o.k. to go, so.......here we are, only Finally and me, in a FedEx plane on our way to Gladstone. All went well and Finn was such a brave boy. Every trip he makes, he gets better and better. I tell you it has been a long road, but it paid off!!

In NJ the weather was not that bad, so the ride from the airport went easy. At Gladstone there are not that many horses yet, so it is nice and quiet. Horses that had to fly in are there, but that is about it.

So far I have just ridden Finn in a soft warm up style--more so he got loosened up. He is out grassing and had a great spa day done by Anna. He looks very content and actually both eats and drinks--that is a good sign!!!

Tomorrow I will start riding him more and Debbie will keep an eye on me in the morning.I know he will be great!!

Taison is also in, but he is still in California. I got the message too late to get him on the flight that Finn was on in a few hours. So I'm working on getting him to Gladstone. If you have a cargo plane to lend me, just give me a call! That would be so great to have both my horses in the Finals and I hope it will work out. They are both so cool and we all miss Taison here--remember that Taison is Finn's best friend and will always make things safe and perfect.

So this is it for now. Enjoy!

~Mette

A Very Special Thanks

As I head off to the Dressage Festival of Champions in Gladstone next week, I’d like to say a special thanks to all of the people who have helped get me there. It takes a lot of help and support and I could never have gotten this far on my own. So, thank you:

Cory Walkey for making her beautiful facility, Mill Creek Equestrian Center, available to me and making sure that everything is running smoothly there and for being there whenever I need her as a friend and a supporter;

Anna Dahlberg, who takes care of my horses both at home and at shows and stays on top of everything;




Dr. Charlie Boles, my veterinarian, and his staff at Specifically Equine, for staying on top of my horses’ well-being and taking care of everything else from vaccinations to horse passports to FEI rules. I am very fortunate to have him and his wonderful staff behind me, plus I'm thankful to have someone I can trust and who is so knowledgeable;

Robbie Cozart, my horseshoer, for taking such great care of my horses’ feet—as the saying goes, “no hoof, no horse;”

Carlos Gomez, the Mill Creek Stable Manager, who drags my dressage arena everyday and ensures that the footing is always perfect, so my horses stay sound and always takes care of anything I need--always;



Donna Gulnac, my web administrator, for keeping my website up to date and making sure you all know what I’ve been up to.




And thanks to everyone else who is behind me in friendship and in spirit helping me to make this work! Your support is very special to me!

~Mette

Finally!

After all the hard work and all the shows and preparation, it did pay off! My horse Finally is going to the Dressage Festival of Champions: the USEF Finals in Gladstone the beginning of August. When I started out the show season, my goal was to make it to the finals, but since Finally didn’t yet have a show record, I didn’t know if that would be possible. The most minor issue of the show season turned out to be actually riding my tests; my biggest challenge was getting Finally used to all the commotion that occurs at horse shows, since this was a new experience for him. When I got one thing down, something else popped up.

The finals in Gladstone are also the selection trials for the World Equestrian Games that are occurring this fall at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, so I know it will be a fun and exciting show. All of the California horses will be flying out to New Jersey and I hope that the travel, heat and big East Coast bugs will not give any one too much grief. I will be on the flight with my horse and the plan is to arrive at Gladstone a week early on July 30. There is still a chance that my horse Taison will qualify for the finals as well—he is number two on the waiting list. Taison is actually feeling and going better now than he did at many of the shows this year, so I really hope I will get to take him to New Jersey, too.

I’m working very hard preparing myself as well as I can and am really looking forward to the show. My brother and sister will fly out from Sweden to watch me compete. My brother, Carl Frederick, and his wife, Birgitta, have never seen me ride! My sister, Elizabeth, and her husband Goran were actually at Gladstone when I competed there with Basquewille in Grand Prix a few years ago.

I hope all of you are having a great summer and wherever you are it’s not too hot!

As always, best wishes!

~Mette

Report on the June 2010 Dressage Clinics

Given by Mette in Canada from Marci Brown at Ark Equestrian (the organizer of the Clinics):

It is an exciting time for Dressage in Canada right now. That very enthusiasm could be seen in each rider and auditor that participated in the series of clinics that Mette gave across Ontario in June 2010! From the first rider to the fortieth, Mette greeted each with dynamic encouragement, great analogies and a simple way to approach any "holes" in their work. For those watching the days progress, an easy to follow theme emerged of what to expect from your horses as well as yourselves. Always working to strengthen your horse, always moving towards correctness, straightness, and not avoiding the tough stuff! No one was let off the hook, and no one walked away without a much clearer understanding of how to ride better. While the message was a serious one of hard work and dedication, the way it was delivered, with so much laughter and stories that were understood by all, it was impossible to feel anything but invigorated about the future ! Mette has a great way of teaching the auditors just as much as the riders. It was fantastic learning and fun for everyone.

I know we are all counting down the days until we are fortunate enough to work with Mette in Canada again (unless of course, we can convince her to move here). Until then, we will all keep up the hard work, and be sure to keep watching that drifting shoulder, keep our hands soft and pay attention to geometry! Thanks Mette. We promise to make you proud!

Below are some testimonials from some of the students at the clinics:

Vera Bowman: Day 1 of the clinic in Niagara. A wonderful opportunity to ride with a true master. She was extremely tactful and patient. Great chance to have a clinician of her calibre here! Thank you Mette

Jenn B: It was a wonderful opportunity !!!!! Mette was awesome and SOOOO funny !!! I really enjoyed my lesson !!! Thank you Mette

Ashley Ayres: Great Day ! So nice to be given the chance to ride with Mette.

Julie Cudmore: Awesome clinic Sebastian and I had, and I was thrilled to finially meet Mette and take in all she had to share. She really is very down to earth and very knowledgeable, and what a sense of humor !! I love it ! Sebastian and I will work really hard so she can see the difference by next time.

Life in the Fast Lane!

The last two months have gone by so fast, that I don't really know where they went! One thing is for sure: I have had a great time and have done a lot of fun things.

Taison and Finally have been to one CDI and one High Performance show. They were both good even if we didn't win. I think they are very happy to stay home for awhile and sleep in their "own beds" and get out of the fast lane. They have become very close and Finally is always looking for his older brother. He feels very safe when Taison is around and misses him when he leaves. When they are home Finally acts like he couldn’t care less, but I'm glad Taison takes care of him when he feels alone!

Since Debbie McDonald has been traveling the world, I have gotten very good help from Steffen Peters. I have to trailer my horses down to his place, ride for two days and then go back home and take care of all the other horses and riders. I have brought both Taison and Finally and we have gotten a lot done. Very fun and inspiring! Steffen is great!

I also got the opportunity to ride in the USEF clinic with Kyra Kyrklund. The clinic was three days long and this time it was held at the beautiful Epona Farm, owned by Linda Fowler here in L.A. area. The clinic was super and I got so much out of it. Finally was doing great and Kyra is so fantastic and inspiring. She gave me a lot to work on! I was so happy to be a part of this clinic, even if the timing was not so good: a lot of fun, but in too short of a time! When it rains it pours!

Now my horses are home and are getting some time off. I am off to Canada for a clinic this week and I think I will be teaching at four different barns. I'm looking forward to going and the Canadians are always so eager and fun to work with. I will tell you all about it in my next letter.

So as always...take care and have fun!!!

~Mette

Finally wins CDI at Rancho Murieta!

Everything is going so fast and time is just flying by, that I have a hard following it all! But one thing is for sure: I love my horses!!!!

I have done two CDIs back- to-back. The day between the two, I flew out of state to look at a horse for one of my students and that horse is now at the barn. Life in the fast lane...

The first of the two CDI's was the Festival of the Horse in Burbank, where I competed Taison and Finally. Both are doing the same tests: Prix St. Georges and Intermediare. This was Finally's first CDI and his second time out in Intermediare I. Taison has not shown in many CDIs either, so 2010 is his first year competing at this level, as well. I do like to ride under the CDI judges, because they give you a feeling of where you are in your training and for sure don't give you any extra points if you don't deserve them!!! Eagles eyes!

The Burbank show went well. Finally was great in both divisions: 4th in PSG and 3rd in Int. I. Taison was 4th in Int. I and second in the freestyle. That was my first freestyle on Taison and it all was so much fun. I love the music I have picked and I think my test flows in a fun way. I'm glad I have a good freestyle test and that both the judges and I like it!

The next show was att Rancho Murieta. Finally won both PSG and Int I and Taison was 4th in PSG and 3rd in Int. I. So that was another great weekend! (For complete results for both shows, visit the Results page.)

My horses at home are also doing well. Both Donatello and Rockefeller are working hard and are ready to go out as soon as I let them. It's hard and very expensive to bring them all out, so sometimes they have to stay home even if I would love to bring them all.

I have about two more weeks before the next big show and there is a lot to do before that. I hope to get some input from Steffen Peters about my riding and my horses. I am also flying out to the east coast to look at a horse for one of my students and then I have to get ready for the big show at Del Mar.

So.... no time for resting, but that has never been the way I like to live my life—so what else is new?!

I will keep you all posted.

Enjoy every day, because this is it!!!!!

~Mette

Happy Easter!!

My Horses are Doing Great

The last weekend of February I went to another CDI show. This time it was in Burbank at the Los Angeles Equestrian Center. Both Finally and Donnatello were going in open classes at this show, but almost all of my classes were judged by a CDI judge. Everything at the show the first day was going great. The weather was super, the flowers were beautiful, the footing was good and the show grounds were well prepared. We were all ready to go! The organizer, Glenda McElroy, was going to use about four rings for this show and many good horses and riders were there. We were all happy and looking forward to the weekend. But along came the rain. I'm not just saying rain. It RAINED and RAINED and, if that was not bad enough, there was also wind and hail. So for sunny California, the rain was great, but not for those of us who wanted to compete and do our best.

So to make a long weekend short: we all ended up in two rings in the indoor arena. That meant that we could only have a maximum of six riders for warm-up in an area of 15 by 40 meters. Not that easy!!! The show started 7 am and was done by about 11pm. Finally won his two classes: Prix St. Georges & Intermediare I. He was a good sport and really tried to do his best. This is not the easiest horse I have ridden and the circumstances for him, with a very different warm-up did not make it easier. I was very pleased with his performance and felt very good about his first time out in Intermediare I. Donnatello as always, won one class and was second in the other (beaten by a point) and, also as usual, came home with the ribbon for reserve champion in the upper levels. He is so cool and loves to go to shows. He is such a fun horse!

Now I will stay home and work until my next show, which is also at LAEC in April. At this show, I will ride Taison and Finally, both in CDI Prix St. Georges and Intermediare I. Taison will also do his first freestyle.So all is well! My horses are great and, as of now, it's warm and green with tons of flowers everywhere. Life is good!

But there is one more thing......please send good thoughts to Courtney King Dye for a fast, healthy and positive recovery. She is in my thoughts and I hope from the bottom of my heart that she soon will be back with us! I think of her all the time; she is part of the family!!!
So don't forget to enjoy the moment! This is it you guys!

~Mette

Mette's February 2010 News Update

There have been a lot of bumps in the road at the beginning of this year and that has set me back in a lot of things I have planned to do. But thanks to my wonderful helpers, I have been able to keep my head above water.

The show season is in full swing here in California and I am on it. Taison and Finally are the two horses that have been out so far and at the next show at Los Angeles Equestrian Center, Donatello will also compete. The first two shows were smaller and just a warm up and preparation for the bigger shows. Both Taison and Finally did a really good job and always placed. I feel that they are going stronger and better in each show. I have just done one CDI so far and that was in Thermal in February. The next CDI is the last weekend in February.

Due to all of the rain that we have had this year it has been hard to be consistent with the training. I was fortunate enough to be able to trailer my horses to an indoor arena and that was great, but very time consuming. For so many of us out here in California we don’t have the luxury of indoor or covered arenas that are necessary to keep up the consistent work. But that is the way it is and right now the weather is great and I hope it will stay like that.

I do get really good help from Debbie McDonald and I appreciate her time and effort to make me and my horses better. I really feel that they are moving forward and I feel very excited about it.

I have gotten a new sponsor, Cavalor, which is a great feed company. My horses love the grain and look great. There are many components for different horses needs. You can read about them on my web site down the road. All of my other sponsors are still supporting me and I hope you will support them by purchasing their products.

I am on the cover of the March 2010 issue of Practical Horseman (link to PDF version) and I wrote an article for the same issue that I hope you all will read and enjoy. I am busy with wonderful horses and clients, supported by many and I am excited about trying to go to the National Finals in Gladstone. I will keep you posted!

Best,
Mette