Support UDS SPONSOR + ADVERTISE DONATE VOLUNTEER Sponsorships & Advertising Advertise in the Utah Dressage Society Annual Omnibus! Showcase your services, facility, business, events, products, stallion, or horse for sale. The omnibus is also a great place to congratulate or thank your barn, trainer, friend or horse! Omnibus ads are a fundraising effort with all proceeds applied to scholarships, educational events, and awards programs. All ads, including prize lists, must be paid in full prior to printing each year. Advertisers in the omnibus will also be given a listing in online business directory. The deadline for all Omnibus submissions is December 15. Payment via Pay-Pal is acceptable. OPEN FORM Advertise in the Utah Dressage Society Newsletter This is for Non-Members to Advertise in the UDS Newsletter - The UDS Newsletter encourages and supports member services and products through pre-paid commercial advertisements. Please send an e-mail to the Communications Director for information or to place an advertisement. Prepayment is necessary for advertisements submitted for a single edition of a Newsletter, while invoicing and net 30 is available for repeat advertisements. All ads are considered commercial ads unless you are a UDS member. Members are allowed to run an ad in the Newsletter. CONTACT US Advertise on the Utah Dressage Society Website This Advertisement is for Non-members to advertise events, schooling shows and clinics, for $20. Website events and articles can be linked to the main UDS Facebook page. Email communications director for more information. Website Advertisement is free to members and includes calendar events like schooling shows and clinics and articles. Non-members are welcome to advertise events (schooling shows and clinics) only for $20. Website events and articles can be linked to the main UDS Facebook page. CONTACT US Funds from advertising support member services, educational events, scholarships, and awards programs. Email communications@utahdressagesociety.com to place an ad. E-mail Blasts E-mail blasts are available to current UDS members for community "cork board" communications free of charge. Barn and Trainer Listings One way to develop and increase Barn & Trainer business is to place your information on the UDS website at no charge. The listing is a benefit to members. In order to be included in the barn or trainer directory, you must be a UDS member and submit the information you want listed on the website to the Communications Director. Classified Ads If a member would like to list an item for sale, e.g. tack, clothing, horse, house, land, etc. and would like it listed in the Newsletter, they may submit a classified ad. The ad is limited to 50 words or less, and may include one photo. Additional words and/or photos may be purchased at an additional cost. The ad is free as a benefit of current membership (Non-members are charged $15). Business Directory The UDS Business Directory is a collection of the businesses that advertise in the UDS Omnibus and website. It is updated yearly in concert with the publication of a new Omnibus and regularly with the website Donate First name Last name Email Donate in the name of Enter the amount you wish to pay: $ Donate Thank you for your donation! Volunteer VIEW PROJECTS SIGN UP FORM

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Sorry, but this form is now closed. Steffen Peters Symposium & UDS Annual Awards Banquet Registration Steffen Peters Symposium Saturday, February 21 and Sunday, February 22 Skyridge Equestrian 10917 N Orion Dr, Heber City, UT 84032 UDS Annual Awards Banquet & Silent Auction Saturday, February 21 at 6pm Publik Coffee/Event Center 975 S W Temple St, Salt Lake City, UT 84101 On the evening of the 21st join us for an elegant evening celebrating excellence and supporting our cause through our silent auction We are thrilled to feature a presentation with Steffen Peters during dinner. Register for just one or both events here Combo pricing discount ends February 15th. First name* Last name* Email address* Phone number* I am a* Current UDS Member Non Member Join or renew for 2026 here Next

Stephen Peters Symposium It started with a message from one of our members. Sarah Simmons had been in contact with six-time Olympian Steffen Peters, and she reached out to see if we would be interested in hosting him for a clinic. Our answer was immediate: “Heck yes!”  Steffen Peters Shares His Wisdom, Photo Credit: Becca Tolman, Impulsion Images Our Education Director, Katie Lorens, took the ball and carried it from there, finding a venue, booking flights and hotels and lunch catering, renting bleachers and tables and chairs, organizing sponsors, contacting our riders, buying shavings, and so much more, putting in countless hours to make sure we hosted a world-class event. Her hard work paid off in an incredible weekend of learning, for which we owe Katie an enormous debt of gratitude.  Peters’s teaching was marked by his patient, kind approach, and his focus on softness, relaxation, and rewarding the horse when he does well. He guided the horse-and-rider teams through a number of exercises designed to build strength and suppleness, and it was amazing to watch each pair bloom before our eyes. The event was nothing short of inspiring. Auditors Pack the Sidelines Taking Notes, Photo Credit: Becca Tolman, Impulsion Images A number of sponsors came through to help support the event. SkyRidge Equestrian donated their beautiful facility for the weekend, Premier Equestrian and JAAW Equine paid for a fantastic catered lunch– and JAAW Equine went the extra mile and covered the costs of the participating horses’ stabling, Uinta Sport Horses provided snacks, tables, and chairs, and last but not least, Impulsion Images donated photography, including the photos you see here. We hope you will help support the businesses who continue to support our sport. From start to finish, this clinic showed the truth of the old adage that “team work makes the dream work.”  UDS Board Members with Steffen Peters at the End of a Packed Weekend: Carrie Matteson, Mindy Simmons, Jasmine Beckstead, Steffen Peters, Katie Lorens, Dana Prior, John Maznicki, Siân Griffiths. Photo Credit: Becca Tolman, Impulsion Images L Program Bridging between the end of February and the beginning of March, we hosted the second weekend of the L Program with Dolly Hannon, who continued our education on judging criteria for gaits, movements and figures . Classroom sessions at the Heber Best Western were followed by live demonstration rides at Sage Creek Equestrian, who graciously hosted us at their beautiful facility. HUGE thanks to our demo riders for showing us how it’s done! The third and final weekend is right around the corner and will focus on collective marks, equitation, rider biomechanics and basics. The lecture portions will be at Southern Belle  with riding demos to follow at Rock ‘N’ Horse .  If you would like to sign up to audit on April 25-26, you can do so on our website . First Eva Adolphi Clinic Grant Awarded! In February, the UDS board voted to approve our first ever clinic grant to Ashley Adams, supporting her efforts to bring clinician Stacy Williams to southern Utah. The clinic was full, with nine riders schooling at a variety of levels from Training to Prix St. George across three days and an arena-side filled with auditors. Williams made sure to adjust times so Adams could add everyone who wanted to participate.   Clinic participant Kamryn with Stacy Williams, Photo credit: Ashley Adams Participant Bonnie East wrote in to express her gratitude, adding “I gained a wealth of knowledge (feel like my head is going to explode) and saw some significant changes in the way my horses are going. Stacy is obviously very knowledgeable, but it is her positive and encouraging way of presenting information that made this educational experience so valuable to me. I have been given homework with a toolkit and some very clear goals to strive for.” We are beyond excited to help Ashley and to open more educational opportunities to our friends and members in southern Utah. This grant is designed to give financial support to clinic organizers hoping to bring in top tier clinicians to all corners of our state, and we are thrilled to see it at work. Stepping Up to Second with Gary Lawrence Nina Halvorson  Over the fall and winter I have had the fantastic opportunity to utilize my Fall Scholarship Grant received from the Utah Dressage Society to further my own personal development in dressage, as well as gaining information I can disseminate to my students across different disciplines!  If you don't know me, I'm Nina Halvorson. I moved to Utah in the summer of 2024 from western Washington, where I was an active member of my local GMO and actively rode Western Dressage, Reining, and other western performance disciplines. Since coming to Utah, I found very little opportunity to ride Western Dressage and because of this I decided it must mean it's time for me to dip my toes into traditional dressage. Scared but eager, I entered Short Tour shows and bought a whole new wardrobe. Navigating into recognized shows, my horse and I competed well in First Level and gained confidence. But I knew that to continue to go up the levels I would need guidance from someone more knowledgeable in the sport.  After applying for and receiving the Fall Scholarship from UDS, I started lessons with Gary Lawrence at Millbrook Farms, focusing on second level movement and development. After attending the USDF Shows at their beautiful facility over the summer, the community I felt there secured the knowledge that I wanted to further my education with them! After my first lesson, I knew that the pairing of instructor and student was going to be a good one. I was greeted on my Palomino Quarter Horse with acceptance, respect, and genuine interest to help us grow and succeed. Both Gary and Jan have been warm and welcoming for me and my horse, coming from a strong background competitively in NRHA reining competitions.  Throughout the seasons now attending monthly lessons (when able!), I have learned so much about my position (second level fitness is a real hurdle!), my horse's strengths and positioning, as well as in depth knowledge gained about dressage basics, figures, and scoring. The extensive notes I have taken after each lesson is evidence of the wealth of information I have gained! And equally rewarding is being able to return to my next lesson and show my instructor the growth we've made after going home and working hard at what we learned.  I am so excited for the upcoming show season with UDS and USDF. Especially going into our first season at second level which is well known to be a big jump and often looked at with anxiety, disdain, or concern. I am going into this season with confidence. Confidence in myself and my horse, and moreover, confidence that I have an instructor and community that believe we are capable and are also eager to see us succeed. What a valuable thing to gain from a GMO grant! That's the kind of feeling that is gained only through people and community that is greater than money - though I'm grateful for the financial help!! Thank you to the Utah Dressage Society, Millbrook Farms including Gary and Jan Lawrence, and the Utah Dressage Community, for the grant, opportunity, and acceptance!  Nina Halvorson Showing Whizkey at Millbrook Farms, Photo Credit: Becca Tolman, Impulsion Images Preparing Flying Changes with Justin Giles and Brooke Voldbaek Alex Chase Over the past couple of months I have had several learning opportunities that I feel have helped better prepare me and my pony, Ella, to show third level this summer to earn our scores.  We had three clinic rides with Justin, in which we worked on several things. In the first session we practiced making my seat lighter and modifying my seat to modify Ella. We polished our trot to canter transitions as well as our walk to trot transitions since Ella tends to pop her head up in those. Ella tends to get very strong, so we worked on finding the sweet spot between her lazy side and strong side.  In our second ride we worked a lot on bed and not letting Ella fall towards the inside, which compromises my balance. Justin pointed out that I need to sit more in the center of the saddle when I ride, and we figured out that is why Ella and I were struggling with our lateral movements. We did a lot of leg yields and shoulder-in to haunches-in transitions.  In our third lesson Justin taught me the “punching method”, which is essentially pushing your arms back and forth to the pace of her strides in the walk, trot, and canter. The purpose of this exercise was to get Ella to relax by separating the different parts of my upper body. We worked more on getting Ella off my leg in the leg yields and not seeing coming down the quarter line as a trigger to get stronger. We worked on getting Ella to stay between my aids and not drop everything and run through my hands.  I also had the chance to do a clinic with Brooke Voldbaek. In this lesson we worked a lot on our flying lead changes, since that is something that I am teaching Ella currently. We practiced getting Ella more responsive between my legs. We worked on keeping my seat light, but also in tempo with her. Brooke taught me a technique that we are still implementing in our training currently. It was basically a two loop serpentine with asking for the flying lead change across X (centerline). If Ella got too strong, I wouldn’t ask her for the change but simply ask her to halt before she reached the wall. Something else we worked on was separating my upper body from my lower body and using my seat to adjust her speed, which is something that we have been working at very hard these past few months.  Overall, I am really grateful for these experiences and the knowledge that I have gained. I will continue to work and implement the techniques and exercises that I have learned, in the hopes of earning my bronze medal this summer!

~ Updated 01/28/2026~ Review period ends January 25th, 2026. Congratulations on a fantastic show season. We hope to see you at the upcoming awards banquet (featuring Q&A with Steffen Petters!) Discounted tickets when registration for both the banquet and Steffen Peters Symposium. UDS Short Tour YE Award Requirements UDS Year End Award Requirements Perpetual Trophy Requirements The UDS perpetual trophies are awarded based on scores earned only at UDS recognized shows that are physically in Utah and awarded at the UDS Annual Banquet. It is awarded to the highest percentage of that level regardless of the division. Equine Achievement Awards Equine Achievement Awards are awarded to an individual horse. The horse’s owner will receive, as an award, an engraved plaque for the first UDS Achievement Award the horse earns. An engraved notation will be added to the plaque for each subsequent UDS Equine Achievement Award the horse earns. A single horse may be awarded only one (1) UDS Equine Achievement Award at each level; however, a horse may be awarded a UDS Equine Achievement Award at every level. (Scores do not need to be earned with the same rider) There is no time limit for earning qualifying scores. However, because the UDS Equine Achievement Award program began in 2001, only qualifying scores earned during 2001 and later, shall count toward the award. To apply for the equine achievement award, BOTH the horse’s owner and the horse’s rider must be members of UDS at the time the score is earned. The rider must be a UDS member, having a USDF GMO membership number. The owner must be a UDS member, having a USDF GMO membership number. The horse must have a USDF Horse identification (HID) or Lifetime Horse Registration number (LHR). To earn a UDS Equine Achievement Award, the horse must earn five (5) scores at a given level, and each score must be a minimum of: 65% at Training Level 64% at First Level 63% at Second Level 62% at Third Level 61% at Fourth Level 60% at the FEI Levels and Para Scores must come from USDF/USEF recognized shows. Scores from the following classes do not qualify for the Equine Achievement Award: Freestyle, Opportunity, Pas de Deux, & Quadrille. Short Tour scores do not count towards Equine Achievement Awards. 2025 Short Tour YE Results LEVEL RIDER HORSE DIVISION AVERAGE RANKING INTRODUCTORY Brooklyn Frade Pearl Jr/Yr 58.81% CHAMPION TRAINING LEVEL Ila Smith Fit for Duty Jr/YR 65.39% CHAMPION Isabella Querciali Chicken Nugget Jr/YR 61.60% RESERVE Aspen Palmer Swayze Daisy Jr/YR 61.38% 3RD Jasmine Beckstead Maybe Just Maybe AA 57.84% CHAMPION Sara Kirby Roxette O 66.35% CHAMPION FIRST LEVEL Marie Pickett Her Highness AA 59.96% CHAMPION SECOND LEVEL Alex Chase Black Tie Affair Jr/YR 62.41% CHAMPION Brittani Frade Saint AA 61.07% CHAMPION 2025 Year End Results LEVEL RIDER HORSE DIVISION AVERAGE RANKING TRAINING LEVEL Isabella Querciali Chicken Nugget Jr/YR 66.96% CHAMPION Amelia Lords My Oh Maya Jr/YR 65.49% RESERVE Alyna Taylor Maverick Jr/YR 65.08% 3RD Alice Macleod KF Corcoran Jr/YR 63.72% 4TH Niel Kuhner Kary the Crown AA 73.87% CHAMPION Lindi Kopecko Ostentatious AA 70.48% RESERVE Leslie Edison Belialuna RTH AA 70.23% 3RD Lea Leathers Realta AA 68.69% 4TH Marianna Sochanska Fabelhaft Newton AA 66.12% 5TH Eliza Lyons Indy AA 65.51% 6TH Birgit Pulli Balu AA 64.79% 7TH Holly Lewis Drago Do This AA 62.95% 8TH Sydni Cook Pfanfare YF Open 74.53% CHAMPION Sydni Cook Secret Sauce WF Open 71.32% RESERVE Bethany Wilhelmsen Gustavo Open 67.24% 3RD FIRST LEVEL Rhyan Andersen HPB Wradiant Jr/YR 67.97% CHAMPION Alice Macleod Mulligan Jr/YR 67.96% RESERVE Amelia Lords My Oh Maya Jr/YR 64.39% 3RD Katherine Lavender Bravour van Buterheideveld AA 65.39% CHAMPION Jim Hicks Kwendra Open 69.21% CHAMPION Samantha McKay Gamine DDH Open 66.63% RESERVE Bethany Wilhelmsen Gustavo Open 63.47% 3RD SECOND LEVEL Ashley Adams Lopaka AA 68.16% CHAMPION Sian Griffiths Larimer Square AA 63.66% RESERVE Samantha McKay Gamine DDH Open 65.23% CHAMPION THIRD LEVEL Adrian Ward No Doubt AA 63.81% CHAMPION FOURTH LEVEL Cindy Yager JF Blackjackman AA 62.77% CHAMPION Kathryn Blair BA Kamarade AA 60.62% RESERVE Sara Kirby Sakari Open 66.20% CHAMPION Lori Barrett Fendi S Open 65.96% RESERVE Rebecca Harmon Hawk Open 62.94% 3RD PRIX ST GEORGE Sydni Cook Rosa Red Open 67.38% CHAMPION Sarah Simmons Gamarro Font Open 62.75% RESERVE Dana Denison River Shadow Open 60.54% 3RD Ammie Lords Dimora SCF Open 59.26% 4TH INTERMEDIATE I Lori Barrett Emeres Open 65.69% CHAMPION Rachel Ebbens Imposant Van SRF Open 64.90% RESERVE Ammie Lords Dimora SCF Open 64.02% 3RD Bethany Wilhelmsen Great Responsibility Open 62.01% 4TH Stacy Palen Eridani Open 53.24% 5TH GRAND PRIX Lori Barrett Lagerfeld K 62.62% CHAMPION FREESTYLE; 1ST-2ND Amelia McCandless Swiss Exploit Jr/YR 68.10% CHAMPION Brittani Frade Saint AA 68.35% CHAMPION FREESTYLE: 3RD-4TH Sydni Cook Rosa Red Open 72.10% CHAMPION 2025 Perpetual Trophies LEVEL HORSE RIDER OWNER SCORE TRAINING - Charles Bering Perpetual Belialuna RTH Sydni Cook Robin Compagno 78.79% FIRST LEVEL - UDS Perpetual Odin Samantha Mohlman Samantha Mohlman 78.15% SECOND LEVEL - Oquirrh Dressage Perpetual Lopaka Ashley Adams Ashley Adams 70.29% THIRD LEVEL - Anakako Melody Memorial Perpetual Dreamer Jaimie Ringger Debra McGee 70.14% FOURTH LEVEL - Laura Williams Tolman Memorial Perpetual Sakari Sara Kirby Bille Davidson 68.82% PRIX ST GEORGE - Deer Meadow Perpetual Rosa Red Sydni Cook Leslie Edison 68.53% INTERMEDIATE - Johanna Adolphi Perpetual Rosaria Sydni Cook Leslie Edison 65.74% GRAND PRIX - Millbrook Farms Perpetual Lagerfeld K Lori Barrett Lori Barrett 65.98% MUSICAL FREESTYLE - Nick Van Pelt Memorial Perpetual Rosa Red Sydni Cook Leslie Edison 76.93% PONY TOC - Sean Porter Buell Perpetual Maverick Alyna Taylor Katherine Lavender 66.80% 55+ - Sage Creek Master’s Perpetual Kary the Crown Niel Kuhner Niel Kuhner 76.90% PARA - Sage Creek Para Dressage Perpetual No qualified riders 2025 Equine Achievement Awards HORSE LEVEL OWNER Belialuna RTH Training Level Robin Compagno Bravour van Buterheideveld Training Katherine Lavender Dimora SCF Intermediate Ammie Lords Doeke W 3rd Dana Dension Fortius 2nd, 3rd, 4th Whitney Loftus Kary the Crown Training Niel Kuhner Larimer Square Training, 1st, 2nd Sian Griffiths Lopaka Training, 1st, 2nd Ashley Adams Ostentatious Training Level Lindi Kopecko Austin Rosa Red Prix St George Leslie Edison Wap Moonspot Training, 1st Lindi Kopecko Austin Please email competitions@utahdressagesociety.com with discrepancies or questions. Join us at the annual awards banquet and silent auction to accept your prizes! Steffen Peters will also be joining us for a presentation including a Q&A session before we let Steffen go to rest up for the second day of the clinic. Discounted ticket prices are available with registration for both the symposium and the banquet, so be sure to look for this package deal UDS Awards Banquet February 21, 2026 6:00-9:00 PM PUBLIK Coffee/Event Center 975 S W Temple St, Salt Lake City, UT 84101

New Year, New Events: Steffen Peters Clinic, 2025 Awards Banquet, and the Continuation of the L Program It’s the start of a new year, the Utah Dressage Society board has been hard at work preparing educational opportunities for our community, and, boy, do we have some exciting events on the horizon! We’ll kick things off with Steffen Peters, who will be teaching a clinic on the weekend of February 21-22. Though participant spots are full, auditor registration has just opened. We would like to extend a HUGE thank you to Skyridge Equestrian Center for hosting this clinic at their beautiful facility. On the evening of the 21st, Peters will also give a talk at our annual awards banquet. Be sure to strap your learning hats on and be ready to sponge up insights galore! Because these events are happening the same weekend, we are offering a special combo pack that allows you to purchase either an auditing spot at the clinic, a banquet ticket, or  a bundle of the two, which saves on the total cost. You can register for both events here . But–in the words of the infomercials–wait, there’s more! Just as your minds are bursting at the seams with new learning, we will be jumping into the next weekend of the L Program on Feb 28-March 1. Sage Creek will be hosting this session with master instructor Dolly Hannon at the helm. Participant spots are sold out, but we have openings for silent auditors and demo riders. For more information, please visit our website  or contact our Director of Education, Katie Lorens at education@utahdressagesociety.com Before I close this section, I want to add that our board members had an incredibly difficult time sorting through the Steffen Peters clinic applications to decide on our participants. We held a marathon meeting, and though I think we can all admit it was a little emotional knowing that we could not accept all the riders we wanted to, we ended that meeting with a deep felt gratitude for our community and all the amazing horse and rider teams who made our decision such an agonizing one. We wished we had double the number of spots to offer because we had twice the number of deserving riders. Thank you to everyone who applied, and to our amazing community as a whole. We may not be the largest GMO, but we are rich in talent and drive.  Eva Adolphi Clinic Grant Launches The board has long been looking for ways to increase high-end clinic offerings, and with a generous gift from our founder Eva Adolphi, we are thrilled to announce a plan to allow members to host clinics with UDS financial support. Here’s how the grant will work:  A UDS member wanting to host a clinic will complete a clinic grant proposal using our web form. The UDS board will review the proposal, and will award up to three $1,500 grants per year on a rolling basis. These grants are intended to offset the total cost of the clinic, including the travel and lodging costs of the clinician, thereby keeping costs down for its participants. In return for the grant, we ask that UDS members be given priority for participation spots and that at least half of the spots be reserved for UDS members. Needless to say, if the clinic is cancelled for any reason, all funds must be returned to the UDS. This grant is intended to help bring exceptional clinicians to Utah, such as USDF-certified instructors, FEI judges, USDF judges, L Program faculty, and instructors of similar caliber. Our goal is to help support those who seek to bring the best clinicians to our state, and we will reserve funds for those clinicians who fit that description. That is to say, we do not anticipate approving all applications. We also would like to see these grants be equitably distributed between barns and training programs, so if you have been awarded a grant in the last 18 months, we ask you to wait before re-applying. We hope to see these grants continue to deepen the dressage knowledge across our state, serving the membership and, most importantly, the wonderful horses who are our partners. We are deeply indebted to Eva Adolphi for making this grant program possible. If you are interested in giving to the UDS to help us expand opportunities such as these, please contact our treasurer Dana Prior, who will be more than happy to discuss your gift ideas and how you would like to see your contribution put to work. If you are interested in learning more about this exciting new program or in applying for a clinic grant, you can find more information on the clinic grant application . Preliminary Results for Year-End Awards Are Ready for Review Congratulations to all our members on getting out and competing this year! Many of you have qualified for UDS year-end awards, and we would love your help in verifying our numbers. The preliminary results are now available here . If you see any errors in the score tabulation, please let us know by January 25th so we can double-check our numbers. Omnibus Cover Art Contest We are proud that our yearly Omnibus has showcased so much incredible member art and photography. We want to continue that tradition again this year. If you have a piece you would like to send to us for consideration, please email it to Jasmine at competitions@utahdressagesociety.com by January 25th.  Member Articles The following articles were contributed by our members. If you would like to write about your experiences--and earn volunteer hours as you do--please email me at communications@utahdressagesociety.com Lessons from the L Program and Dressage Clinic with Stacy Williams By Debbie Baxter Participating in the United States Dressage Federation’s L Program and attending a clinic with L graduate trainer Stacy Williams provided me with invaluable insights into both the art and science of dressage. These experiences deepened my understanding of what judges look for in competition, refined my riding skills, and broadened my perspective on training by exposing me to new horses and teaching styles. At the L Program, one of the most important lessons I learned was how to truly see bend and straightness in a horse. While these concepts may sound simple, the program emphasized that they are foundational to correct training and judging. A horse that is straight moves with balance and alignment, while proper bend demonstrates suppleness and engagement. Judges are trained to recognize whether these qualities are present and understanding the “why” behind their evaluation helped me appreciate how each movement contributes to the overall harmony of the test. Beyond bend and straightness, the program introduced me to several other areas of judging. First, I learned about biomechanics, which refers to how the horse’s body moves and functions. Judges study biomechanics to evaluate whether a horse is using its body correctly. This knowledge helps riders train with more awareness of how each aid influences the horse’s movement. Second, the program emphasized rider position. Judges are taught to observe whether the rider maintains a balanced, effective seat and quiet hands, since rider position directly impacts the horse’s ability to perform. Finally, I gained insight into the importance of clarity of aids. Judges look for harmony between horse and rider, where the rider’s cues are subtle yet effective, and the horse responds willingly without tension. These three elements—biomechanics, rider position, and clarity of aids—added depth to my understanding of what makes a dressage performance successful. The clinic with Stacy Williams complemented the L Program by allowing me to apply these principles in practice. One of the most eye-opening aspects was riding a horse other than my own. This experience revealed how much I rely on familiarity with my own horse and challenged me to adapt quickly to a new partner.  Stacy helped me refine my seat, particularly in the sitting trot. By encouraging me to pull my shoulders back and sit deeper into the saddle, she showed me how to achieve greater stability and harmony with the horse’s movement. Additionally, Stacy introduced me to different theories on the shoulder-in, a fundamental lateral movement in dressage. Exploring these perspectives broadened my understanding of the exercise. Together, the L Program and Stacy Williams’ clinic provided a holistic learning experience. The program gave me the theoretical framework to understand what judges value, while the clinic offered practical tools to improve my riding.  L Program “A Session”: The Basics  By Annie Sweet I had the honor of being awarded one of the  Spring 2025 UDS scholarships, and I plan to use it to offset the costs of participating in the L program. Thank you to Katie Lorens for making this educational opportunity possible for me and all of Utah!  Our instructor for the A session was the wonderful Joan Darnell, whose expertise and positivity made the whole experience top notch. I was struck throughout the weekend by Joan’s emphasis on being honest in your assessment and scoring, but also kind and empathetic in your comments, and giving riders the benefit of the doubt always. “After all, we want these riders to come back!” she said. Being a guardian of the sport means upholding the standard while also encouraging people to keep trying to be better for their horses. I loved this philosophy and really appreciated Joan for bringing it up over and over throughout the weekend.    Session A focused on the basics, or biomechanics and the pyramid of training as it relates to the judging process. In preparation for this session, participants  were given instructions and links to all the course material, which included a huge amount of information on the basics, judging methodology, the judge’s checklist, the general and dressage sections of the USEF rulebook, glossary of judging terms, video modules about biomechanics, and articles about the elements of the pyramid of training as well as biomechanics. In all, it made for hundreds of pages of reading and many, many hours of study in the months leading up to this session.  Joan started off day 1 by commending our group for being the first in her experience with a 100% homework quiz completion rate! That means that every participant took the quiz a few days before the start of session A and submitted their results. The quiz tested our knowledge of the rules, and it was HARD! Even after reading the rulebook and studying for weeks, I was grateful that it was an open-book quiz.  To start off, there were a lot of questions from participants about handling eliminations and errors, so we had a clarifying discussion  about the rules around that. Then we discussed all the judge’s responsibilities and application of the rules in depth, as well as judging methodology (how a judge arrives at a score), and formulating comments.  After lunch, we went through the first three elements of the pyramid of training: rhythm, suppleness, and contact. Joan showed us short video clips of horses performing test movements of varying quality. She asked us to comment on the quality based on the first three elements of the training scale. Does the horse have good rhythm? Why or why not? What about suppleness, elasticity and bend? Contact and frame? What is the balance like? Is it appropriate to the level? Is the rider effecting these qualities in the horse? What score would you give the gaits based on these elements? What comments would you give about the basics? It was a lot to think about, and I don’t think I’m alone in leaving that day feeling like my brain had melted! I felt like I had a long way to go in developing my eye and being able to make a quick, accurate assessment in just a few seconds of watching a test movement.  Day 2: We started off in the classroom again, now going into depth about the final 3 pieces of the training pyramid: straightness, impulsion and collection. We watched more clips of examples of the gaits. We saw what a “10” free walk looks like, a “9” trot lengthening, an “8” medium canter, and so on, all the way down the scale to gaits and movements that had major problems. These examples were incredibly valuable to see and learn from. Joan also showed us a series of longer clips of horses performing partial or entire tests, and asked us to comment on what we saw, and what score we would give based on all the elements of the training pyramid.  After lunch, we went outside and got to watch horses and riders perform Training, First and Second level test movements live, and again Joan called on the group to comment on what we were seeing as it related to the basics. This was a lot of fun, and Joan was a master at directing the riders in way that maximized the learning for everyone. Her kind, upbeat approach was inspiring to me not only as a future judge, but as a current coach and rider as well! Overall I feel like session A was a huge success, I learned so much and I think everyone else did too!  Thanks to the UDS board members for your hard work in putting on such a big event, Ammie Lords for hosting us at Southern Belle, and the demo riders for the educational value they brought. I’m so looking forward to the B Session in Feb/March. Now time to start studying again!  Confessions of a Mare Whisperer By Lori Barrett    I can’t lie, I have always loved my ladies, as I call both the mares in my training program & my own robust mare herd. I mean, a good gelding is just that, but a good mare? She becomes a great partner in the effort of dressage. A good mare will fight for you in the show ring (and depending on how you approach her, maybe fight with you, for the incautious!) As a dressage trainer, much of my career has been spent riding geldings, but the longer I am in this sport, the more value I find in my mares. I know a lot of people actively avoid them or have rules about some being ok & others being Gorgons, but here's my take on how to get a mare on your side. (And possibly make your gelding more of a volunteer in the work!)   Geldings, you can bully. Stallions sometimes demand to be bullied. Mares: I don’t even really have to finish this thought, do I? Anyone who’s ridden a mare knows that they don’t perform at their best when forced into situations. The consequence of working with a lot of mares is that it makes me a smarter trainer. If I take away “making” a horse do something & instead think of how I can get a horse to want to do something, the training puzzle becomes more interesting to me & can make a far more harmonious feel in the ride, mare, gelding or stallion.   Before we look at training systems, like with any horse, we have to eliminate the possibility of something causing undue discomfort. Seems pretty obvious, but it needs to be said. Saddle fit is important, or course. Is the bit properly fitted & right side up? Curb chain not too-tight? One thing I’ve become recently aware of is that mares apparently go through more magnesium in the spring when they start to cycle. Nothing a little electrolyte added into their diets won’t cure, but if your mare seems skin-sensitive to simple brushing, it can make her more comfortable.   Once you’ve gone through the basics on tack & nutrition, it gets a little more complex. (Come on, I didn’t say it would be easy! These are mares, after all.) I’ll speak in generalities, then try to give some concrete examples as we go along.   First off, as a trainer, it’s important that the horses know that I’m on their side. That’s a strange assessment maybe, but they’re creatures with a strong flight response, so knowing that I am with them in protecting them from ringside monsters or errant beams of sunlight on the sand means they can cease an extended degree of vigilance & allow training to commence. A horse who’s constantly watchful & feeling they must protect themselves cannot take on information. He or she may be able to be goaded through the required work, but it doesn’t culminate in the fabled one-with-our-horse feeling or partnership (albeit guided by the riders, of course,) that dressage purports to pursue. I don’t punish for spooking, I create an incompatible behaviour, e.g. shoulder in instead of looking at the scary door or sunbeam on the floor. I don’t address the spooking, I simply make another task that redirects their attention, which then allows me to reward the horse, with any luck.   I’ve found is that if I refocus the horses like this, it creates the possibility for a positive feedback loop. Meaning, instead of a horse shying, me punishing & the horse subsequently directing the dialogue by virtue of misbehaviour, I create a situation where through directing the horse to a task, I get to tell them they’re a genius for listening to me & trusting the situation. Taking this tactic means I have created an opportunity to build trust & help them understand they are safe with me, which, of course is the first objective.   At first glance, the outcome may not look any different than a system that is more geared toward force, if both are executed subtly. I have a German-instilled seat & leg, a hand that aspires to be forward-acting. I wear a spur. I carry a whip, at times. What’s the difference then? I see my role as trainer to make the behavior I desire the easiest physical response for the horse to perform. Simple, right? Requires a consistent, educated seat, leg & hand that work together to guide the horse toward the decision I am looking for. After that, I am watching for the slightest move toward the desired outcome & I praise it. I do this sequence over & over again. I praise verbally, sometimes; I praise by releasing an aid; I praise with a walk break, or maybe even a quick sugar cube, depending on the degree of accomplishment. In short, I notice when they’re trying.   Why does it matter?   Well, I guess if the only metric is making FEI horses, it actually doesn’t. Or rather, it might not for a lot of horses. For those that it does matter to, however, it matters a lot. It is the difference between a mare that is deemed unrideable & a successful competition horse. It is the difference between a gelding that spooks uncontrollably & one that is amateur-friendly & relaxed. And tell me, if we can make FEI horses with correct training, soft & supple to ride, who trust us in new environments & fight for us in the show ring, why would we not take that route? Seems like a greater percentage of horses could even be FEI mounts with this reasoning.   Horses are creatures of the path of least resistance. Their main goal is to make life easier for themselves, so if we’re smart, we use that tendency to motivate their training. Mares don’t like to be forced, so my job is to figure out how to make what I want them to do the easiest thing for them to do, then let them choose it of their own free will.   In my experience, the main hindrance to getting along with mares is our tendency to attempt to bully them when we’re teaching a new behaviour, or coaching them through something they don’t understand. Mares are generally less phlegmatic than geldings, so when we apply an aid, typically they’d like it to go away, post-haste. That doesn’t mean they’ve offered the correct response, so what can often happen is an escalation: we ask harder or longer for right bend (for example,) leading to irritation on everyone’s part, since we don’t want to work that hard & mares want us to basically quit nagging.   Another approach is to (using right bend again as an example,) apply the aid & if the correct response is not generated, give a small correction. This might be a bump with the leg, a tickle with a whip or a moment of making the aids sterner, a “listen here!” type of moment. Then the aids relax, before going back to the original asking aid. My commitment as a trainer is to be clear, consistent & fair. (More on that later.) It’s pretty rare that a horse chooses not to make its life easier by experimenting with different responses, which then garner different responses from me. If a horse is willing to try different responses, there’s no correction: I simply ask again, in a patient, structured way.   In my experience, the monster in the closet that keeps people from doing well with mares is the attitude that we should be unthinkingly obeyed by the horse & if not, punishment ensues, which leads away from the positive feedback loop & into escalation. I think of this as a conversation on rider ambition & personal drive. I am quite Type A. I want things done, I want them done correctly, & I want it to happen NOW. And I want to feel that collection, experience the lowering of the croup & floaty, elastic feel as the horses dance beneath me. But we’re dealing with animals! Like us, they have good days & bad, days where they come out a little tight on one side or a little kinked in the neck. My point being that they’re bringing their whole lived experience into the arena with them, and yes, they have to get over it & get to work, 100%! But meeting them where they arrive, even for a few minutes of the warmup, seems to let them shimmy out of their tightness as we focus them on the work at hand.   In other words, I may have to take a few minutes away from what I thought I was going to accomplish for the day & reroute, spending more time doing trot-canter transitions, more time in shoulder in/renvers, more walk – canter transitions, than I had planned before getting to the “real” work I envisioned. But those detours are the real work as a trainer; they are when I make choices that hopefully add up to a horse who comes to the arena happier to work & physically more ready for the sometimes-hard tasks at hand. A horse comes in slow to the leg after four months of focused building for show season? Maybe we go for a gallop in the field. While it may not be a day of perfecting half-pass zigzags, I guarantee the work will be there tomorrow & the horse will be fresher, readier to work if we pay attention to what they’re telling us.   Again, I offer the caveat that I’m interpreting this through the lens of a trainer that is determined to come out & have the horses working daily, progressing daily & striving for whatever goals myself & their owners have set for them. So it’s not like all we do is go gallop in the field! But making room for the feel of play or a moment of respite in the schooling work can make a world of difference when you approach the goals from the other side of a small break.   At the end of the day, working well with mares & sensitive horses in general comes down to a degree of listening & attempting to feel our way into working correctly. If we address the horse we are sitting on, rather than the idealized one we schooled two-tempis on in our visualization exercises the previous evening, we have a higher likelihood of success. Additionally, if we set up training exercises geared toward how we can reward the horses, how we can set them up for something they’re doing right, it can create the beginning of a positive feedback loop that allows everyone to have a feeling of success, adding on training elements & increasing difficulty from there.