Here is the schedule for our Dressage Clinic with Gwyneth McPherson this weekend: Saturday 11:00 Sue/Kip 11:45 Emma/Rhody 12:30 Crystal/Sterling 1:15 Lunch 2:00 Lindsey/Ubiquitous 2:45 Laura/Cameron 3:30 Christine/Buzz Sunday 9:00 Angie/Sterling/Karen/Jack 9:45 Kelly/Puck 10:30 Christine/Kip 11:15 Paige/Tiny 11:45 Lunch 12:45 Christine/Buzz, Karen/Tai 1:30 Laura/Cameron 2:15 Kate/Devon Judy/Dan 3:00 Christine/Rhody 3:45 Gail/Rynomite

Summit Dressage Clinc Series Continues! September 9 & 10 Over the last several months we have had seen so much progress from all the riders who have been participating in our clinic series with Gwyneth McPherson. I am very pleased that we are able to offer such a huge opportunity right here in Rhode Island. Rider slots open either private or semi-private Contact us for prices and times available Auditors welcome. $20 including lunch and a discussion on dressage theory. Discounts offered to NEDA members. Contact Laura Walsh at 401- 617- 4755 or Christine LaFontaine Dunn 401- 473- 5383 to register. More about GWYNETH MCPHERSON: Lead trainer and head rider Gwyneth McPherson on Pineland Farms' Eskandar, 2014 USDF National First Level Champion. Gwyneth works daily with USDF Hall of Fame trainer Michael Poulin, one of three Olympians she has trained with long-term during her career. The first was Lendon Gray with whom she spent ten years as a young rider and, later assistant trainer, culminating in multiple National Championships and an individual gold and a team gold medal in international competition. She moved on to become a student of Carol Lavell, achieving multiple high score national awards and competing on two more international championship squads for the USET, earning a team bronze and team silver medal. She joined the training staff at Pineland Farms in New Gloucester, Maine in 2003 where she is Director, Lead Trainer and Head Instructor alongside coach Michael Poulin. She has ridden multiple horses into the USDF Top Ten rankings along with a number of Regional and National Championships. Her personal training has provided a wellspring of practical and technical knowledge which she brings to her instruction of students of all levels. Gwyneth is an articulate and skilled teacher who not only explains "what," but also "why," making her valuable to auditors as well as riders.

Today, as in the past, the ideas expressed in Principles of Riding are based on the principles of classical riding. ‘Classical riding’ can be defined as: “a vital and modern training system which builds on the basic principles of the ‘Old Masters’, supplemented by new insights which serve the welfare of the horse and are purposeful for its training.” Classical riding has developed over the centuries, with the contribution of many significant historical riding masters. What did not become established was discarded. Established knowledge was recognized, passed on and developed further. That is, regardless of the different uses of the horse, how the following essential and eternally valid criteria of classical riding according to the Principles of Riding of the German Equestrian Federation (FN) have evolved. Classical riding: • Is orientated towards the nature of the horse – that is, the horse’s needs and each horse’s natural, individual abilities. • Considers: – the physical precondition of the horse – and the natural behaviour of the horse. • When done correctly is species-appropriate and supports the horse’s welfare. • Is aimed towards a balanced ‘gymnasticising’ and strengthening of the horse. • Is focused on the training of each individual horse, and is thus diverse and versatile. • Develops and maintains a horse that performs willingly and confidently. • Demands from the rider an elastic, balanced seat, a sensitive, fine use of the aids, as well as an understanding of the nature of the horse and its correlation to training, and thus leads to inner and outer balance of horse and rider. The overall structure and content of the Principles of Riding is focused on this fundamental understanding. The training scale (sometimes also referred to, in Germany and elsewhere, as the scale(s) of training) contains the following six elements: Rhythm — regularity of all steps or strides. Suppleness — supple contraction and relaxation of the muscles through inner relaxation. Contact — constant, soft connection between the rider’s hand and the horse’s mouth. Impulsion — transmission of the energetic impulse from the hindquarters over the swinging back into the overall forward movement of the horse. Straightness — even gymnasticising of both sides of the horse’s body to compensate for the horse’s natural crookedness. Collection — light-footed balance covering less ground with energetic hind legs that are brought under the body in self-carriage. This structure is defined as the centrepiece of classical riding because it gives a guideline not only for the long-term training program of the horse, but also for every individual schooling session, regardless of the intended use of the horse. The six steps simultaneously influence each other. They lead to the horse developing an ever-improving throughness (throughness describing the condition of the horse when it fulfils all of the elements of the Training Scale at its respective level of training and responds willingly to the interplay of the rider’s aids), as well as an increasingly assured balance when combined with the education and submission of the horse. A correctly shaped horse (one with basic physical attributes that are enhanced and developed to the optimum by the application of classical principles) emerges as a result of training. Each rider should not only know these classic principles, but also consider self-critically, how they can be put into practice. Those who deal with horses must recognize the horse’s basic needs, respect them and assume responsibility for them. This should henceforth lead to efforts towards horse maintenance and management that respect the nature of the horse, to competent, sensitive care, as well as to riding with plenty of ‘feel’. As with people, strengths and weaknesses form part of the individual characteristics of every horse. Supporting the horse’s strengths as well as recognizing its weaknesses and then minimizing them is the practical aim that requires the rider to have knowledge, skill, experience, understanding and patience. The horse is gymnasticised through the training scale as a holistic method. This way, horse and rider will find a mutual balance, which enables them to communicate with each other, very delicately. Ideally, the movements of the horse and rider merge into one. The observer – whether non-professional or expert – will only perceive a harmonious overall picture. Education and training according to classical riding creates a willing, cooperative horse, regardless of intended use, as long as these methods are employed correctly. Thus, riding will lead to pleasure, while at the same time ensuring the horse’s health. A balanced, independent seat is the basis for this training. Riding different, well trained schoolmasters is an essential part of the rider’s learning process as they need to adjust to riding any horse with different physical conformation, movements, and their own individual character traits. This gives the rider a greater understanding of the horse, both physically and mentally, and helps develop riding skills and, more importantly, ‘feel’. The horse is always the ‘mirror’ of the rider’s influence. Reasons for any difficulties, setbacks or lack of success must always be searched for initially within riders themselves and not with the horse. If the rider is heading in the right direction, this will be evident to them through the behavior and the good feeling the horse radiates when under saddle. This willingness for self-criticism, combined with the ability to put the above fundamentals into practice, are what leads to riding correctly according to the principles of classical riding. Read more at http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/features/the-principles-of-riding-book-627462#TVzumQhyXKIkpdPD.99

Here is the schedule for this weekend's clinic with Gwyneth McPherson. It will be a great weekend of learning and fun. We still have openings for anyone who would like to audit. Just let us know. Time Saturday 9:30 Sandra/Anteras 10:15 Laura/Cameron 11:00 Sarah/Misha 11:45 Lindsey/Ubiquitous 12:30 Lunch 1:15 Chrisitine/Rhody 2:00 Emily/ Spirit Time Sunday 9:30 Sandra/Anteras 10:15 Laura/Cameron 11:00 Emma/Rhody 11:45 Joanne/Ru, Alex/Dylan 12:30 Lunch 1:15 Angie/Misha, Cyrstal/Sterling 2:00 Christine/Farrah

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Can't wait for our next clinic!!!!