Dressage News and Results

Milo Update- February, 2023

February 16, 2023

Milo is a KWPN Dutch Harness Horse, bought as a barely broken 3 year-old in 2020.  He has three expressive gaits and a ton of personality and showed successfully in 2022 at Training Level, scoring mainly above 70%.

He is schooling solid- Second Level with hopes to advance to Third in 2023.  He has a fabulous uphill canter and although he does tend to be a little unfocused (“Squirrel!”), he remembers his lessons well and comes out each day with a positive workmanlike attitude.

Video Update

 

Horse Show Portraits

July 22, 2021

It is customary for show officials to take a group portrait – usually while socializing.  Here are some of them – with no tags or names.  We know who you are!

Got a Google Review for Kinsman Farm?

July 21, 2021

Take a minute and…

Provide a Review of Kinsman Farm on Google.

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Then “Write a Review”

 

 

Heidi Enjoys a Busy Year of Judging – October 2022 update

Heidi plans to work at more than two dozen shows around the Country this year, including the CDI4* in Wellington, Florida in late January 2021.  Heidi sat on panels with other FEI judges, including 5*s.

Central Florida is the center of winter dressage activity in the US, drawing competitors from all over the USA, the Americas, Europe, and Asia.

She was back to Wellington again in February to judge the GDF5 show.  In May, Heidi judged at the CDI Spring Classic show in Katy, Texas.

The Katy show was a special pleasure because Heidi was first introduced to her future DIL, Michelle.

Heidi and Michelle at Katy, TX

So far this year, Heidi has been to Florida four times, Texas, Ohio (3x), North Carolina, South Carolina, Indiana, New Jersey, Maine, and Virginia.

Heidi starts the 45-second countdown

 

 

Beste Guess shows Prix St Georges at Morvan Park

Beste Guess – Prix St Georges Test

April 10, 2021 VADA/Nova Spring at Morvan Park, Leesburg, VA

Guess performed his best(e) test yet, receiving a 68.3.  Heidi is happy to see his progress!

         

Heidi Earns FEI 3* Dressage Judge Certificate

December 14, 2018

In November 2018 Heidi traveled to Stuttgart Germany for a grueling four-day test that ended with her now holding the rank of FEI 3* dressage judge.

The “FEI” is the international organization (Fédération Equestre Internationale) that regulates equestrian sports and oversees the examination and certification of its judges.  Over the past two years, Heidi had to complete a long list of stringent requirements: approval by her national federation, references from 25 other licensed judges, several sessions of apprenticing with top-level international judges at international shows.  All of this culminating with a four-day exam in Stuttgart, Germany.

The exam was led by Dr. Dieter Schule (Germany) and Ghislain Fourage (The Netherlands).  Both men are in their 70’s with many years of top-level dressage judging experience.  Heidi was among 14 other candidates from Sweden, Denmark, Germany, Great Britain, Canada, Czechoslovakia, Portugal, India, and the United States.  Each person had to judge in English – the official language of the FEI.

Fab’s Super Horse Show – July 2018

July 17, 2018

At the VADA/Nova Breeding Classic and Summer Dressage Warm-up, at Morven Park, Fabuleste won high point of the horse show with a score over 75% from two different judges at Tr. lvl 2 and 3. She was so well behaved at her second horse show ever, scoring several 8’s for her canter work.

Updates – July 2018

Took some pix of Beste Guess schooling in my ring July 16 a.m.

He has on his Jessica Ideal saddle and his Hastilow pad and ear bonnet.   I love the bonnet – it fits my horses OVERSIZED ears!   Guess keeps getting stronger and is improving with his pirourettes and tempi changes.   He can consistently do his 4’s. 3’s and up to five 2’s.     That is all I have asked for to date.   I love photo 6 and 7 as they really show engagement and reach!   Guess keeps getting better and better and I am delighted with his progress since he is only 8 years old.   I hope to show him PSG in the fall.  Guess has gotten bigger and wider and we just moved into a wide saddle from his previous MW.   Thanks ANNETTE, for helping me keep him fitted with the best saddles.

The other pix are from Fabuleste at her show in June where she won high point Training level and high point for the entire show on Friday.   Even tho she is a full sister she is much bigger (17.1) than Guess (16.1) and being just 5 years old, she is still learning to balance herself.  Currently, she is working on leg yielding, lengthening in the trot and canter and simple changes through the trot.   I have introduced shoulder in and smaller circles and raised trotting poles.   She also continues to get better.  She might prefer a longer frame and flatter stride but she is really starting to listen to half halts and show some balance and self carriage.  It will be fun to see how she improves this summer and fall.

I attended a Judge’s Forum in Lexington Va July 13 amd 14 and I also had a student who competed in the GP and GPFS, so it was a busy weekend.   About 20 judges attended the clinic and we got to watch and discuss all the levels from Training to GP.   Dressage is a great sport and one where you never achieve perfection.   Many riders scored from 3 -7 or 8’s in the same test.   There is always more to work on and it is an amazing and rewarding experience to be both a judge who desires to help riders improve and a rider who desires to improve herself.  I totally get how much effort goes into getting ready for a horse show.

This week I travel to NY to judge.  Then it’s off to Seattle Washington and the following week to Colorado.  I have to work hard to keep my horses fit and in proper training but it seems to be working.

“Jessica” Ideal Saddle – December 2017

December 28, 2017

Annette Gavin, from Hastilow Saddlery,  just reflocked both saddles for Guess and Fab.  I was happy to hear her say how great Guess’s trot looked.  She saw a big improvement from last time.   Also, Fab needed the tree widened in her saddle.  She is growing and changing shape too!

My son, Seth, came up from Texas.  We went on a trail ride and he really liked riding in the saddle on Fab.   YES, I trail ride in a dressage saddle.  it is comfy.  Our trail rides are  pretty leisurely!

Annette left me with some new reins to try.  So far, I really like the leather rein with the rubber backing.

Check out Facebook

June 30, 2017

Follow Heidi on Facebook. We’ll be adding news and updates there as well.