DDC Equitation Clinic
By Lauren Fisher, photo credit Mane Vision Photography
The Dallas Dressage Club kicked off an exciting first-of-its-kind USDF Dressage Seat Equitation Clinic with renowned judge Kathy Rowse (S) on March 29th and 30th. This clinic offered a valuable continuing education opportunity for judges, L graduates, participants, trainers, and auditors, as Kathy shared her expert insights on how to effectively judge these popular classes.
The weekend began on Saturday morning with a dynamic lecture where Kathy explained how to identify equitation strengths and weaknesses, and how these impact rider effectiveness. After the lecture, participants enjoyed semi-private lessons with Kathy, whose keen eye quickly identified each rider’s abilities and areas for improvement. Her tailored feedback helped riders fine-tune their equitation for better performance, making it a truly hands-on learning experience before being scored in the mock classes later in the day.
After lunch, Kathy delivered an engaging second lecture, focusing on how equitation classes are formatted, scored, and how judges can safely manage large groups of riders in the arena. Participants then took part in mock classes, judged in real-time. Riders performed in groups to establish a general impression, followed by an individual pattern that showcased the effectiveness of their aids. Throughout their performances, both riders and auditors received real-time feedback on the riders’ position and its impact on their scoring. At the end of each class, participants were given individual scores and placings.
Saturday late afternoon brought a special treat: a visit from strength and performance coaches from OakFit, who introduced a new warm-up approach for the two-legged athletes: focusing on strengthening riders’ body awareness and reaction time. The dismounted exercises from these talented personal trainers had participants sweating and laughing, adding a fun twist to the weekend!
Sunday was all about putting newfound knowledge into practice. Kathy took participants through coveted private lessons, incorporating Saturday’s corrections as they worked on test requirements for the upcoming show season. Riders saw immediate improvement in their collective scores, particularly in rider’s position and the effectiveness of their aids. The clinic wrapped up with another mock equitation class, this time featuring a new group of participants eager to showcase their progress and receive valuable feedback.
Overall, the weekend was a smashing success, with rave reviews for Kathy’s expertise, warm personality, and wealth of knowledge. A massive thank you to Rocking M Stables for their incredible generosity in donating their beautiful facility for this event. Their support truly made this clinic possible, and we couldn’t be more grateful for their gracious hospitality. We also couldn’t have asked for a better group of selected participants, whose enthusiasm and professionalism made every session enjoyable and productive.
We’re already looking forward to the next one!
