22 SIDELINES OCTOBER 2013
FOR HORSE PEOPLE • ABOUT HORSE PEOPLE
By Jenny Johnson and Mary Grace Davidson
Mary Grace Davidson has been a staple in California’s dres-
sage scene for many years. At 84-years-old, you could say she’s
“been there, done that” in the dressage world, as she has been a
trainer, competitor, judge, breeder and inspiration to all those who
know her.
Acknowledging that more and more seniors continue to ride in
spite of aging, Mary Grace shared some advice on things she has
learned throughout the years. Her wisdom is useful to riders of
any age, discipline and level.
Mary Grace offers this counsel:
My biggest piece of advice is to have reasonable goals, but
keep a schedule and keep riding.
Until I was in my mid-70s, my goal was to train and compete.
I rode nearly every day and entered an occasional show. On my
75th birthday, I earned a 62+ percent at Prix St. Georges on my
dear Marquis, the horse I lost in a terrible accident just before my
Century Ride in 2011. With this ride, my goal changed – forget
competition, since I probably would never do better than this.
So Marquis and I settled in with a slightly reduced schedule. I
would ride him one day and lunge him the next. Small problems
developed, including my fingers weakened and the reins would
slip, so the solution was to order wider, braided reins for a better
grip. Another issue that appeared was I would run out of breath,
so the solution was to take walk breaks more often. I also discov-
ered that my saddle was too heavy to lift onto my 16.3 hand horse.
The solution was to stand on a box. And finally, my body had lost
e
Never Too Old
its suppleness so sitting the trot was no longer comfortable – the
solution was to post the trot and canter a lot.
So it went for another six years.
After Marquis was no longer with me, I started riding his half-
sister, Design, previously shown at Third Level by my daughter-
in-law, Robin. Being smaller and more energetic, Design was an
ideal answer to my next piece of advice: Ride a suitable horse,
preferably older (not old though, say 12 to 15 years), who is not
too big and has good training and some natural energy.
We older riders should not ride a horse that needs to be pushed
around. Match yourself to a horse that has sensitivity, training and
a desire to work. If need be, spend a little money to purchase qual-
ity, or enter into a lease arrangement. Just because you are older
is no reason not to value your time and interest. Riding well on a
good horse leads to happiness and health.
My last thought is this: Just keep riding!
About the writers: Mary Grace Davidson’s dressage career
started in the late 1960s when she and her husband, Clyde,
purchased Lucky Acres in Walnut, California. She is a successful
competitor and trainer, as well as a USEF “S” Judge, with over 30
years of judging experience. Jenny Johnson is the Administrative
Director at The Dressage Foundation in Lincoln, Nebraska. In
addition to that full-time job, she also has the full-time job of being
a wife, a mom to three children, and “mom” to her 20-year-old
Quarter Horse who she’s owned for 19 years
.
Just Keep Riding!
Mary Grace
and Marquis
The Dressage Foundation’s Century Club is a program designed to honor senior dressage riders and their senior horses. To
become a member the ages of the horse and rider must add up to at least 100 years and they must ride any level dressage test before
a judge or dressage professional. For more information on the Dressage Foundation, please visit
.
Mary Grace took her
Century Club ride aboard
Rush. Her husband,
Clyde, and judge Melissa
Creswick took part in the
celebration after her ride.
Mary Grace became an official member of the Century Club on
March 13, 2011 at Yarra Yarra Ranch in Pleasanton, Califor-
nia. About her ride, she said
:
“More grooms than I could count,
friends and family jamming the ring, little flashes from many
cameras, several bouquets of flowers and a horse that was over-
whelmed with excitement. All this and I still remembered to sit up
straight, keep my shoulders back and remember the test. It was
truly a day to remember.”
Photos courtesy of Mary Grace Davidson
