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Monday, May 16 2016 / Published in Sidelines Spotlight

In the Heart of Texas — A Talented Team Teaches Dancing on Horseback

The Twinwood team, left to right, Nikki, Ida, Lacey Moonfyre Photography, moonfyrephotography.com

The Twinwood team, left to right, Nikki, Ida, Lacey
Moonfyre Photography, moonfyrephotography.com

By Lauren R. Giannini

The Lone Star State is famous for longhorns, “Lonesome Dove,” black gold (oil), the Alamo, cowboys (horseback and football), and the two-step, but more and more Texans are taking up dancing on horseback. Houston and nearby areas boast strong equestrian communities. Just west of Houston, one of the up-and-coming venues for dressage is Twinwood Equestrian Center (TWEC).

In 2014, Lacey Halstead signed on as TWEC’s manager, joining longtime dressage trainer Nikki Taylor-Smith. Earlier this year, after a seven-month search and about 50 applicants, they welcomed Ida Mattisson, who personified the skill set and personality desired. “The best thing about the three of us,” said Lacey, “is that we collaborate on each horse’s program with the same focus: the horse.”

Physical upgrades weren’t the only major changes at Twinwood. “With Lacey as manager and Ida coming on board as a co-trainer, I feel we have become one big, happy family with the same goals in mind,” said Nikki. “We all get along really well, it feels cohesive, runs smoothly, and our boarders seem really happy, which is very important.”
Talented Team

Lacey Halstead with Nikki Taylor-Smith’s horse, Elewaard Moonfyre Photography, moonfyrephotography.com

Lacey Halstead with Nikki Taylor-Smith’s horse, Elewaard
Moonfyre Photography, moonfyrephotography.com

Nikki and Ida learned dressage from some of Europe’s best and are experienced international competitors. With their focus on correct basics and the patient, progressive development of horse and rider, they’re well equipped to take students from start to Grand Prix, if that’s the goal. They also offer solid training for the dressage phase of eventing, represented by a small group of enthusiasts at Twinwood.

Swedish-born and raised, Ida (pronounced Ee-dah) finished school and moved to Bavaria, Germany, for seven years to work for Master trainer Dirk Meylemans. “He taught me everything,” she said. “Real work ethics, attitude and dedication in combination with the opportunity to work with 15 horses a day on all levels. I learned to train young horses, Grand Prix horses and everything in between, under supervision from Dirk himself six days a week. I also got the opportunity to ride clients’ horses in international competitions in Europe.”

When Ida returned to Sweden, she met Pether Markne, Swedish Olympic rider and top trainer in dressage and show jumping. “He’s so inspiring and really helped, pushing me to the next level, both in my own riding and in the way he teaches,” she said. “I learned a lot, and many new ways of problem-solving.”

In 2011, Pether and his clients proved instrumental in Ida relocating to the United States. She trained mostly in upstate New York and Wellington until recruited by Lacey this year.

“My training is very focused on the real basics for both horse and rider — no one gets to take shortcuts,” said Ida. “As the rider, you have to understand your own body so you can use it correctly to find ways to loosen the horse with minimal strength, to work up the levels in the snaffle and to create true strength and balance in the horse that comes from the hind end to the front.”
British by Birth

Ida Mattisson with student Jessica Fan and Woohoo Moonfyre Photography, moonfyrephotography.com

Ida Mattisson with student Jessica Fan and Woohoo
Moonfyre Photography, moonfyrephotography.com

Nikki, born and raised in England, specialized in eventing and dressage. During 14 years in Aberdeen, Scotland, where she was Scottish National Champion in eventing and North East Champion in dressage, she contributed to the growth of dressage by bringing in top-notch clinicians and arranging symposiums. In 2007, she moved to the U.S., settling in Texas. She will become a citizen this year.

“I feel the same way about Houston — passionate about raising the standard of riding and teaching to compare favorably with the East and West coasts,” Nikki said. “It starts by encouraging top-level, world-class trainers to come to Twinwood so that we, as trainers, can continue our development and education and filter that down to all our students.”

Nikki did her dressage training with Stephen Clarke, British five-star Olympic judge. “He always made everything so clear and had the ability to explain something in 10 different ways so that everyone could understand the end result,” she said. “He adhered to the European ‘Scales of Training’ in his teaching, which I strongly believe in.”

Nikki’s training her 7-year-old who shows great potential for going to Grand Prix. “I would love to ride Grand Prix again, and I still enjoy competing,” she said. “But my ambitions lie with my daughter, Carly Taylor-Smith, helping her to get on the U.S. team and perhaps one day go to the Olympics. I honestly get more pleasure from watching my daughter and my clients be successful.”

Carly grew up in the saddle, dividing her time between eventing and dressage. Twice Scottish Junior Dressage Champion at two levels on two different horses, she also rode on the international teams for both Scotland and Great Britain. Upon moving to the U.S., she worked for Olympian Jan Ebeling for three years, then set out on her own in 2013.

Based in California, Carly travels to Twinwood to teach clinics whenever her busy training and competition schedule allows. She has campaigned Nikki’s young horse, Rosalut NHF, with great success. “Carly’s a very gifted rider who can get any horse to go in a soft, forward and round frame,” said Nikki. “The horses always seem so happy to work for her.”

Ida Mattisson with her homebred Swedish horse, Bombastic Moonfyre Photography, moonfyrephotography.com

Ida Mattisson with her homebred Swedish horse, Bombastic
Moonfyre Photography, moonfyrephotography.com

Horsekeeper-Plus

A longtime dressage enthusiast, Lacey trained with Petra Wilder of Spellbound Farm in Ocala, Florida, who taught her, among other things, how to train an off-the-track Thoroughbred to move like a Warmblood. Lacey’s goals include getting her OTTB Valrhona through rehab for a suspensory injury and back into training next year and, with luck, to ride “at least one rockin’ freestyle” to The Commodores’ Brick House.

“Part of the reason I came to Twinwood Equestrian Center was because of the vision the owners had to make this a premier dressage facility,” said Lacey. “Nikki and Ida are totally on board with the plan. It’s wonderful to work with two smart, talented, dedicated ladies, who live and breathe dressage.”
Visit twinwoodequestriancenter.com

Twinwood Equestrian Center Moonfyre Photography, moonfyrephotography.com

Twinwood Equestrian Center
Moonfyre Photography, moonfyrephotography.com

Double D Trailers Info

Tagged under: dressage, ida mattison, lacey halstead, nikki taylor-smith, texas, twec, twinwood

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Annette Longenecker wasn’t just born into horses Annette Longenecker wasn’t just born into horses—in a way, she was born into her career. She grew up in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, where her parents ran a farm. Her mother taught, and her father had a jump business and then created one of the first horse show software programs: Ryegate Show Services, Inc.

Riding all her life, Annette spent many years as a groom and loved it, but knew it wasn’t what she wanted to do as a career. After she finished college, Annette’s father recruited her to help process entries at Ryegate. Since her father, Lloyd Longenecker, founded it in 1981, Ryegate has provided show management and office staff for some of the largest shows in the country. Now, Annette has taken over from her father and directed the company as it focuses on managing memberships and rankings for organizations such as the North American League, WIHS Championships and Equitation, Rolex/USEF Computer Ranking and National Medal Series (THIS NCM and Ariat NAM). Ryegate also provides scoring software for use with video walls, and production teams for hunter and jumper shows.

“Besides running Ryegate Show Services and its various organizations, I can be found in the show office, running a scoreboard or judging jumpers at most shows,” Annette said. “I love getting to wear a few different hats at the show.”

When she’s not busy at a show, Annette lives in Annville, Pennsylvania, with her “fur-baby,” Maggie Mae, and enjoys spending time with her many godchildren. Though she doesn’t currently own any horses, Annette rides when she can at Rolling Acres Farm with Patty Foster, Ashley Foster-Worthington and Mary Lisa Leffler.

Read this month unbridled with Annette Longenecker by clicking the link in our bio. Never miss a story by subscribing to Sidelines Magazine! 🦄
📸Photo by Sheryl Sutherby

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A column from Liz Halliday-Sharp herself The spor A column from Liz Halliday-Sharp herself 
The sport of eventing is a demanding and mentally challenging discipline that requires a combination of physical and mental fortitude from both the rider and horse. While having a coach can be incredibly beneficial, self-coaching can also play a crucial role in a rider’s success.

I think that given the opportunity, most riders would like to be coached every day. The reality of life in the horse world, however, is that the majority of us need to absorb as much from the lessons we have on a limited basis and then practice those skills at home to improve.

When I am riding, I try to have a plan for the horses each day and focus on what I’m looking to achieve. It’s important to be aware of the steady improvements rather than trying to solve everything all at once. This is especially important when teaching horses new movements or exercises that they might struggle with, and we need to give them time to learn and understand what we are asking for.

I have a couple of quotes that I use regularly when I’m teaching, and these are mottos that I hold myself to in my daily work as well.

The first is, “If you do what you have always done, you will get what you have always gotten.” This is a quote that was said to me many years ago when I was still motor racing and I keep it in the back of my mind each day. It’s easy to get stuck doing the same thing every day with your horse and bad habits are hard to break, from both riders and horses!

This leads me to my next quote, which is, “If what you are doing isn’t working, try something else.” It really is as simple as that! Many riders I see keep asking a horse to do something the same way over and over with an ongoing negative response and they wonder why things don’t get better. In these circumstances, I recommend that the rider change something, even if it’s wrong.

Read the full article by clicking the link in our bio! Don’t forget to keep your eye out for our April subscription!
📸Photo by Alex Banks Photography
The✨April issue✨ of Sidelines Magazine is here The✨April issue✨ of Sidelines Magazine is here and we are so excited to feature three-day eventer Liz Halliday on the cover! Big thanks to photographer Melissa Fuller for the beautiful photo of Liz and Cooley Nutcracker- Liz Halliday-Sharp - HS Eventing. Liz and her horses have taken the eventing world by storm - and find out how Liz is at the top of the sport as a female eventer! As the horse world gears up for the Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event 2023, it's the perfect time to enjoy our eventing issue!! We also feature eventer and woman entrepreneur Frankie Thieriot Stutes, who is not only an eventer, but also runs Athletux and FRANKIE CAMERON handbags and accessories. And don't miss our eventing story on Robert "Bobby" Costello, who will be leading the US Eventing team to the 2024 Paris Olympics- and US Equestrian has named Bobby the eventing technical advisor/chef d'equipe!! Liz, Frankie and Bobby all have GREAT stories - don't miss any of them and don't forget to get your tickets for the Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day event! We are also excited to introduce you to hunter-jumper rider Casey Lorusso Smith, who is not only a talented rider but also a psychotherapist and incorporates horses into her career. If you are up for adventure, then read the story on dressage rider Priscilla Baldwin who certainly doesn't let any grass grow under her feet! We also head to the west coast to catch up with hunter-jumper trainer Jim Hagman of Elvenstar Farm, we feature beautiful art by equestrian artist Tammy Tappan, and we get to know Miranda Jones and her family. Miranda is not only an attorney who spends a lot of time in the courthouse, but she's a rider and spends lots of time riding, and is joined by her daughters also! We are excited to feature Stephanie Lightner in our Unbridled column, and don't miss our columnists George Williams, Robert R.L. Jacobs and Margie Sugarman! It's a great issue - and you can read it online, but don't forget to go to the website and order a subscription and get every issue delivered to your mailbox!! Enjoy this issue and enjoy the ride: Link in bio!!
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