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

Last Show of 2009

The first weekend in December, I competed in the last show of the year, which was the Dressage Holiday Special at the Los Angeles Equestrian Center in Burbank California. All horses were great and this time it was Donatello (pictured right) who won his two classes. All of my horses are just where I want them right now and I'm trying to keep them happy and healthy, so we'll be ready for the 2010 show season. I am looking forward to 2010 with all the big shows and championships. I plan to ride two smaller shows in January before the first CDI in Indio in February. With so many big shows in 2010, I know I will be busy--but it will be a lot of fun!

Below is a photo of Finally at the Dressage Holiday Special: