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Wednesday, June 28 2017 / Published in General

Christine Traurig on Riding & Dressage

A sought-after trainer and clinician, American Olympic dressage rider Christine Traurig was born and raised on her parents’ breeding farm near Verden, Germany. She rode and trained for the Hanoverian Elite Sales in Verden before moving to the United States in 1982, where she assisted Bernie Traurig in operating an import and sales business of dressage horses and jumpers. Christine and Bernie were instrumental in establishing the Saudi Arabian Equestrian Team and Federation. With her equine partner Etienne, Christine was a member of the 2000 Sydney Olympic bronze medal team. She now operates Christine Traurig Dressage Stables, Inc. in Rancho Santa Fe, California. She conducts clinics and symposiums all over the U.S. and in 2015, was appointed to the position of USEF National Coach for Young Dressage Horses. Do you have a question you want Christine to answer? Send questions to editor@sidelinesnews.com.

What are your favorite stretching exercises for the horse?
There are two I do more frequently with my horses: One is the very well known “carrot stretch” where, by holding a carrot, you ask the horse to bend and stretch its neck around back to its rib cage. The other is the front leg stretch, where you lift the front leg, gently extend it out forward and then lower it to the ground. Then repeat the same with the other front leg.

Do you take your horses on trail rides?

I think trail rides are a wonderful asset to the training schedule. It’s such a nice change in environment and routine. The horses become more confident as well as trusting, and they relax because there’s no performance pressure. I’m a firm believer in variety: Dressage horses need to train, exercise and work outside of the dressage arena. Let’s face it. After a while, that 20-by-60 arena gets pretty boring.

How would you personally describe throughness?

Throughness is the acceptance of the harmonious blend of the fundamental aids. Driving, yielding, bending, and guarding leg aids in relation to the contact (rein aids). Direction-giving, flexing, guarding (setting boundaries to overbend, controlling the outside shoulder). Throughness means when one component is dominant, it does not eliminate the submission and acceptance of the other. Relaxation and suppleness are unconditional prerequisites to achieve throughness.

What is your view on use of the whip?

The whip is a useful and, at times, essential tool in the training of a horse at all stages. The whip is an instrument, not a weapon. It should never be a substitute for the leg aids of the rider. A good rider is able to use the whip anytime to “fine tune” the reaction of the horse to the rider’s aids without ever becoming dependent on it.

How important is it for beginning dressage riders to practice entry on the center line?

It depends on how soon a rider  is ready to start competing. The bottom line, though, is the entry down centerline with the halt-salute and then proceeding at the trot is the first impression the judges get of a rider and the horse: straightness, attentiveness, eagerness to perform. And there’s never a second chance for a first impression!

Do you have any tips for learning to ride a good, even circle?

A good circle starts with the rider being able connect the dots, meaning the circle points. This again means that you can navigate your horse from circle point to circle point. Turning: direction-giving rein aids supported by driving leg aids. Then add the bending aids to it, all the while sticking to the concept that a circle is the “turning and riding ahead from circle point to circle point” process while maintaining continuous bend where the horse is in alignment with the line of the circle from poll to tail.

How do you choose the best freestyle music for your horse?

When choosing music for your horse’s freestyle, it’s important that your personal taste in music is in harmony with your horse’s type and movement. The music should not overpower the horse but rather, enhance the horse’s performance and bring out the personality of the horse and the rider.

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Tagged under: christine traurig, dressage, q&a

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Breeding season is underway at Iron Spring Farm! W Breeding season is underway at Iron Spring Farm! We're proud to offer exceptional modern Sporthorse stallions, with wonderful temperaments and quality gaits to North American breeders.
 
Among our stallions are Cum Laude and Kaiman. Cum Laude (Apache x Weltmeyer) is a winning FEI horse and sire of quality dressage horses, breed show champions, and offspring scoring 9.0s on gaits.
 
Kaiman (Dark Pleasure x Gribaldi) earned high scores at his stallion testing and in the young horse classes. He's also the sire of a Licensed Oldenburg stallion. Kaiman's first North American foal crop is arriving now and they are gorgeous!
 
If you're looking for top international bloodlines please check out our 2023 stallion collection, now available fresh, frozen, and by the dose.

Among our stallions are Cum Laude and Kaiman. Cum Laude (Apache x Weltmeyer) is a winning FEI horse and sire of quality dressage horses, breed show champions, and offspring scoring 9.0s on gaits.

Breeding season is underway at Iron Spring Farm! We're proud to offer exceptional modern Sporthorse stallions, with wonderful temperaments and quality gaits to North American breeders.

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❗️George Williams column❗️ The FEI World ❗️George Williams column❗️
The FEI World Cup Final in Omaha is coming up quickly. That means that it’s starting to heat 
up as the end of the qualifying period for both the Western European League (WEL) and the 
North American League (NAL) nears. I started to write this column before the Amsterdam CDI- W, and I was using the FEI Ranking List from January 15 as a reference. As I sit down to finish 
my column, I’m now looking at the results from Amsterdam. While the list of the top contenders 
for the WEL hasn’t changed, they’re definitely moving around on the ranking list. The WEL has 
three more legs, as they’re referred to: Neumünster February 16–19, Goteborg February 23–26, 
and ’s-Hertogenbosch March 9–12, and they could change things dramatically.
Looking at the top 12 athletes from the WEL as they were ranked on January 15, there are five 
from Germany, three from the Netherlands and one each from Great Britain, Denmark

➡️Read Georges's full column by clicking the link in our bio, and never miss an article by subscribing to Sidelines Magazine 🦄 

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Lisa Goldman-Smolen and Ivaro N strike gold in Gre Lisa Goldman-Smolen and Ivaro N strike gold in Great American $300,000 Grand Prix at HITS Ocala!! 🏆🥇

Crowds filled the stands at the HITS Ocala Grand Prix Ring on Sunday afternoon to watch the world’s top athletes compete in the Great American $300,000 Grand Prix. The day concluded with a thrilling five-horse jump-off featuring athletes 
representing four countries. In the end, it was Lisa Goldman-Smolen (USA) and Ivaro N who produced the only double clear effort of the day, claiming one of the biggest wins of her career. Scott Keach (AUS) and Noble De La Chapelle earned the second-place prize with the fastest 4-fault jump-off, while Aaron Vale (USA) and Obi Wan placed third as the day’s pathfinders.

“I'm still on cloud nine, I still can't believe it – I’ve used up all my luck for the year,” smiled Goldman-Smolen after her win. “I've been knocking on the door a long time in these bigger classes. I am so proud of my horse – he gave every ounce of effort.”

Sunday’s Great American $300,000 Grand Prix marked the conclusion of the 2023 HITS Ocala circuit. HITS CCO Joe Norick concluded, “We are so excited about the new HITS, with 2023 as the launch. New footing, many new arenas here, and a lot of our facilities across America are getting a lot of love and new footing. Our partnerships with Worldly Martin and others across America including our footing leader Bart Poles overseeing our operations – it really makes a big difference for us. Today is about Ocala and these three riders sitting next to me who supported us this entire winter. We want to be a proud destination for our exhibitors and our friends. We know we have to provide them a beautiful showplace to work from that's horseman friendly, and that's our go goal. 

Congratulations to all of the riders, horses, owners, and groom who participated in this prestigious class!!! 🎉
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It's #STUDSunday and today's featured stallion is. It's #STUDSunday and today's featured stallion is...

 ✨PF'S DIAMO BLUE✨
Diarado-Diamant de Semilly- Chacco Blue
17.0hh, Oldenburg International Hunter Derby/ Jumper Stallion
An outstanding Pedigree- Chacco Blue and Diamant de Semilly
WBFSH/ Rolex top ranking Jumping Sires 2017 thru 2022
Standing at Ryan Pedigo Sport Horses, in California

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You can find ALL of the stallions featured towards the back of the magazine in the equestrian gallery. Keep a look out EVERY Sunday for a new handsome STUD muffin🧁 and don't forget to subscribe to get your very own edition of Sidelines Magazine, the magazine for horse people, about horse people 🦄

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