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Friday, November 04 2016 / Published in General

Discussing Dressage with Shannon Peters

Photo by Lahorstman Photography

Photo by Lahorstman Photography

Shannon Peters is a U.S. Dressage Federation bronze, silver and gold medalist, and three-time National Championship competitor. She loves bringing young horses up through the levels, and competes regularly both in Southern California CDIs and other top shows. Shannon is married to Olympic dressage rider Steffen Peters, and together they operate Arroyo Del Mar in San Diego, California. Do you have a question you want Shannon to answer? Send questions to editor@sidelinesnews.com.

What are your daily and periodical routines for tack cleaning?

All of our tack is cleaned daily. Not always with glycerin, as it can strip the color from leather over time, but no tack goes back dirty — ever! Bits are cleaned thoroughly, and bridles and reins are wrapped and hung neatly. All tack is conditioned once per week. Any old glycerin is removed gently with a toothbrush in the hard-to-reach areas, to be sure there’s not buildup of any dirt, grime or sweat.

Can all horses be trained in dressage, or do some just genuinely not like it?

Of course! Not all horses have the willingness for, let’s say, above second level, but every horse benefits physically and mentally from proper dressage training. I’ve had several horses over the years that have switched disciplines, to either hunter-jumper or 3-day eventing, as it was what made the horse the happiest, but I always felt great providing those horses great basics and allowing them to carry on in a discipline where they thrived. I have several horses currently that jump once per week, and doing that has not only helped them physically, but mentally to stay sharp and eager to continue climbing the levels.

What do you look for in fitting a saddle to a horse and rider?

This is a pet peeve of mine! I see few saddles that are fitted properly to horse or rider! It has to be both to really work in a successful way to build a horse’s top line correctly, and put the rider in the best possible position to be successful. I want to see that the horse is comfortable, and that the saddle sits level and balanced on the horse’s back without a whole lot of extra padding to keep it that way. I’m not saying that at times you may not need to make small adjustments in saddle fit, let’s say until a qualified saddle fitter is coming out, or maybe waiting for a new saddle. But it shouldn’t really be standard practice. As for the rider, I want to see that they sit in the center of the saddle, in the most balanced point. I see far too many riders ending up in the cantle of their saddle, which puts them behind the motion of the horse, as well as increasing the pressure in an uneven way on the horse’s back. I want to see good natural seat and leg alignment that doesn’t look forced and that the rider’s leg drapes naturally on the sides of the horse. I also look for a balanced upper body position that looks natural, and that can only happen from a balanced seat.

Have you ever disagreed with a judge’s score? What did you do?

Sure, I think every rider has at some point. We often have a different feeling in the saddle, or see the test from a different vantage point than the judge has. I video all of my tests for that exact reason, so I can go back and see, with my own eyes, what the judge may have seen that day. The test can feel very different than it looked, and sometimes it gives the rider a better perspective on what the judge saw that day. Judges are also human, and occasionally, things are missed. We are all human, and need to keep that perspective.

Do you have any tips for a beginning rider on developing “feel”?

Feel is something that’s harder to develop. Teaching a rider to “feel” has many moving parts. Most beginning riders need to get over the initial fear factor to start developing feel. If a rider’s legs are clamping, arms are holding or seat is braced, there’s no part of that position that can “feel” anything. Most riders need to try and stop “thinking” so much and start feeling what’s going on underneath them. So starting out with a good, patient instructor who can teach the rider proper position, correct use of the basic aids (go, stop, turn), will go a long way in developing basic “feel.”

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Tagged under: dressage, shannon peters

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Get your entries in for the TerraNova Dressage II Get your entries in for the TerraNova Dressage II CDI W & USEF National Level 5 dressage competition, hosted October 19-22, 2023 at TerraNova Equestrian Center in beautiful Myakka City, Florida. Conveniently located near Lakewood Ranch and Sarasota, TerraNova Equestrian Center is Florida’s premier equestrian destination.

Discover TerraNova’s peaceful showgrounds and luxury facilities for a world-class competition experience. TerraNova Dressage II is managed by Thomas Baur and Monica Fitzgerald and has quickly become a favorite venue amongst dressage competitors. 
National Judges:
Cindi Wylie
Anne Cizadlo

CDI Judges:
William Warren (4* / USA)
Elke Ebert (5* / GER)
Agniezka Majewska (4* / POL)
Debbie Rodrigurz (3* / USA)
Christof Umbach (5* / LUX)

View full prize list: https://www.terranovaequestrian.com/terranova-dressage-ii-cdi4 Enter CDI: https://equestrian-hub.com/public/show/165165 Enter USEF: https://equestrian-hub.com/public/show/184795 Closing date: October 12th – enter now!

#showterranova
HELLO OCTOBER!!! Kicking off the month with Intern HELLO OCTOBER!!! Kicking off the month with International-level dressage rider Amelia Newcomb. Who is committed to making dressage accessible to anyone who wants to learn and improve in the sport. With a mantra of “Dressage for All,” Amelia, her husband, Germán Schneider, and the rest of her team at Amelia Newcomb Dressage believe that anyone and everyone can learn to love their ride. 
With over 100,000 YouTube subscribers around the globe, Amelia is able to share her joy and 
enthusiasm for the sport with more equestrians than she ever dreamed of through her online training 
platform. Amelia’s curriculum breaks riding down into a simple, proven system that anyone can follow 
and get results, regardless of age, discipline or location.“My goal is to make good dressage training accessible to everyone who is interested in learning. One way I do that is by producing quality videos to educate and encourage dressage students along their dressage journey,” Amelia said. “The transformations that my students get are insane and my business is changing the entire sport of dressage and the way people learn to ride.”
While Amelia is a talented USDF Gold, Silver and Bronze medalist today, she knows the struggles 
associated with trying to make your way in the sport without abundant educational resources. “I grew up in Colorado, where there weren’t that many dressage resources available. I was so hungry for knowledge, I would go to big shows just to watch the big-named trainers work,” Amelia said. “That’s why, when given the opportunity to share what I’ve learned along the way, I decided to go for it and start my YouTube channel.” 
➡️Catch the full story at the link in our bio!! 
⬇️For more information, visit amelianewcombdressage.com and on Instagram 
amelicanewcombdressage

📸Photos by Lindsey Long, lindseylong.com
#Sidelines #sidelines2023 #sidelinesmagazine #magazine #forhorsepeople #abouthorsepeople
The WPCSA American National Welsh Pony and Cob Sho The WPCSA American National Welsh Pony and Cob Show is happening now! Don’t miss another second by streaming it live! 🐴

📹👀HOW TO VIEW THE LIVE STREAM
The WPCSA will again be streaming footage live from the ring at the American National Show next week. You will need two free passes to get to the feed this year.

1️⃣�The first is a USEF fan membership which you can get through this site:
Join or Renew | US Equestrian (usef.org)

2️⃣ Once you become a fan member, you will need to log in to the USEF Network on ClipMyHorse. A video demonstrating how to do this can be found here:
Existing USEF Fan - Watch the USEF Network - YouTube 

📸Pictured- Grand Champion Section B under UK judge. 
Owner-Barbara Chappell
Handler-Paul Maye /Maye Show Ponies Fairfield, VA
A note from our editor. It's here!! The October is A note from our editor.
It's here!! The October issue of Sidelines Magazine! So happy to have the fabulous Amelia Newcomb  on our cover. Amelia is a dressage rider with over 100,000 students! You read that right! Amelia has a very popular YouTube Channel where riders from around the word can learn and improve on their dressage - and it's not just dressage riders who are benefitting from Amelia Newcombe Dressage on Your Tube but riders of all disciplines - don't miss her story! Thanks to Sidelines photographer Lindsey Long for the beautiful photos. This issue has so many great stories! Catch up with eventer Zachary Brandt Equestrian (make sure to see how much he loves his dogs), and meet show jumper Katherine Anne Brewer and her horse Super Bunny, artist Samantha Dawn, equestrian Megan Smith who teaches Pilates 4 Equestrians; and Ela Ladwig a dressage rider and trainer who's multi talented because she's also a talented artist also. We have an amazing story on hunter-jumper rider Lisa Mooney who has a story you don't want to miss!! We also have a story on Tyler Held who's passion for eventing has taken her on quite the journey, and we catch up with Jimmy Toon in our Unbridled column. This issue also features our Save The Date section where you can check out show dates for this year and next from horse shows around the country! So get out your calendar!! And don't miss our great columnists, hunter-jumper with Rob R.L. Jacobs, eventing with Liz Halliday Eventing and sports psychology with Margie Sugarman. And check out the photos of riders at the 2023 The Hampton Classic Horse Show also! It's another great issue! Make sure to subscribe to Sidelines also - one year for $14.95 and the magazine is delivered right to your house or barn!! 
Enjoy the October issue: https://sidelinesmagazine.com/app/#/reader/50029/1767167

Link in Bio!!!
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