Rivergirl Dressage

03/06/2025

….another totally share-worthy post! This is why the most sensitive, complex horses educate the listening rider like no other. So very grateful for my many outstanding and brilliantly sensitive teachers. 🙏🥰❣️🥰🙏

03/05/2025

This is lovely… so beautifully captures the gift our horses bring. Peace, quiet, stillness—an escape from this busy world where we tune in and find deepest selves.
This is how and where I first found God as a child. Ever grateful to my horses and dogs for showing me His great peace.🙏❤️🙏

"Stop the flow of your words,
Open the window of your heart and
Let the spirit speak."

~ Rumi

Art by Daniel Bilmes

02/28/2025

With Hassler Dressage LLC – I just got recognized as one of their top fans! 🎉

Who ISN’T a TOP FAN of their own daughter??? I most certainly am, but am equally inspired and impressed by the continued example they bring for the LOVE of the horse, the quality of mindset, and the “kindness toward others first” that helps make this world a better place!! 🥰🙏💯

02/28/2025

https://www.facebook.com/share/1A1tbbaagz/?mibextid=wwXIfr

To THRIVE in Body, Mind, and Spirit is to also choose your influences. Relationships are only as healthy as the impact they have on daily behavior, choices, and mindset. Choose wisely. This is our chance to live as we design.
-BodyMindSpirit

02/19/2025

Yes, this momma is proud!!!🥰🙏💯

https://www.facebook.com/share/r/1DxSjJTdCN/?mibextid=wwXIfr

02/16/2025

For all who have known me since my earliest adult years in the breeding and sport industry, you may very well know how closely I worked with Don Kapper and the wonderfully rich friendship we shared for 30+ years. His passing this week rocked me to my core. I can only imagine how devastating his passing is for Dee and their beautiful family. I extend to them, as well as to everyone who knew and loved Don, my most heartfelt sympathies and condolences. He was much like a second father to me and a friend I could count on through every high and every low.

I first met Don by attending a nutrition seminar at New Bolton Center in 1992 and we soon crafted a rich and meaningful partnership. Don spoke at countless seminars for us at both Hilltop Farm and at Riveredge. He crafted and guided me, and countless numbers of our clients, through every sort of nutritional management challenge, from maintaining top performing stallions, mares and geldings, to securing the safe and healthy development of foals and young growing horses. He was kind, gentle, thorough, and progressive in every suggestion of how to optimize our care of these magnificent horses, always educating and building a firm foundation of understanding. Together we grew and developed remarkable results and I continue to pass so much of Don’s knowledge on to my clients.

I smile when I think of Don’s incredible grace when unknowingly, I invited his top competitor to speak at the same forum I had organized. Don knew he had nothing to fear… and I spent the next year apologizing for my lack of due diligence!

The tears flow when I think of Don and Dee joining us at Dressage at Devon’s breed show… watching the offspring they raised shine for us all. I think of our shared tears when he relayed the passing of his foundation broodmare Rivita (Riverman), who forever connected us as family. Oh, how Don loved his horses! He and Dee built a highly successful breeding program and he continued to share news of each offspring’s successes through out the years. Our “children” made us proud, together!

My heart glows when I think of the warmth in his voice as he would share stories of his beloved wife Dee, their children, and grandchildren. His fatherly advice to me that always rang a note of optimism and faith. We threw Don a surprise retirement party at Riveredge, when that day came, and I regret to this day not arranging for Dee to be there too!

I am grateful beyond words for you, Don, and for you, dearest Dee. I am deeply grateful for the Love, friendship, and faith we shared. I am certain Don is in Heaven, snuggling with his girl Rivita and all his other loved ones who left this earth before him. I will miss his warm “Well hello, Susanne!” on the other side of the phone…. But hope he will be among those greeting me with open arms when my day comes. Rest in peace, dear friend. You are and will be so very missed. ✝️🙏❤️

https://www.tolandherzig.com/obituaries/donald-kapper?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR0IuyV3uIaq43CPIi1NoOqboh4ZJLD9kqAMxFg1OIUjUPY06QWJ5OW3PaY_aem_GMvYCjXBDHhV50FonYgssQ

View Donald R. Kapper's obituary, send flowers, find service dates, and sign the guestbook.

02/12/2025

Wisdom from one of the great masters. I hope my students hear this in my own words and teaching. If not as clearly, I hope sharing this will help!!

02/11/2025

Yes, Yes, Yes! Whether it is through officiall groups like we created back in the day through the ten years of our Young Dressage Horse Trainers Symposia (YDHTS) or this kind of unofficial group, standing FOR ONE ANOTHER, NOT AGAINST one another is always a win!

Love reading Good news!

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/18CU4Ab8bM/?mibextid=wwXIf

Some of America's top dressage riders and trainers form unofficial group in Wellington, Florida to maintain standards of harmony and excellence developed by Debbie McDonald is spending more time with family in the West

01/30/2025

Hello 🔵 It’s official. Signed at 3:18PM. It was even on TV. Mine really turned blue. Don't forget that tomorrow starts the new Facebook rule (aka... new name, META) where they can use your photos. Don't forget the deadline is today!!!
I do not authorize META, Facebook or any entity associated with Facebook to use my photos, information, messages or posts, past or future.
With this statement, I notify Facebook that
it is strictly prohibited to disclose, copy, distribute or take any other action against me based on this profile and/or its contents. Violation of privacy may be punishable by law.
Here's how to do If you are thinking of getting off FB because of the volume of sales ads and trash stuff. So hold your finger anywhere in this post and click ′copy’. Go to your page where it says ‘What's on your mind?’ Tap your finger anywhere in the blank field. Click paste. This upgrades the system.
Hello new and old friends!
IT ACTUALLY WORKED!!!! 👍👊🙏
Hold your finger anywhere in this message and “copy” will appear. Click “copy”. Then go to your page, create a new post and place your finger anywhere in the empty field. “Paste” will appear and click Paste.
This will bypass the system….
He who does nothing consents

According to the show 60 Minutes:
Just in case you missed it: a lawyer advised us to post this. The violation of privacy can be punished by law NOTE: Facebook Meta is now a public entity. Every member must post a note like this. If you do not publish a statement at least once, it will be technically understood that you are allowing the use of your photos, as well as the information contained in your profile status updates.
I HEREBY DECLARE THAT I DO NOT GIVE MY PERMISSION TO USE ANY OF MY PERSONAL DATA.

01/10/2025

I have perhaps waited too long to write this post. In part, trying to deal with the weighty reality of this loss while no longer being there to say a final good-bye to my beautiful friend Rousseau who was laid to rest October 11, 2024.

It was an incredible privilege and honor to manage Rousseau (first as Rousseau Hilltop, then as Harmony's Rousseau) throughout his breeding career and early retirement. More so, it was magical to experience the passion that a truly great stallion inspires in the world. Rousseau was indeed one of the Greats and to play a role in his life was a gift beyond measure. But it was the gift of his heart, the gift of his trust, that will stay with me forever.

Harmony's Rousseau was a spectacularly successful stallion from his early competitive years through his lasting legacy in the breeding world. His Silver Medal finish at the World Breeding Championships for Young Horses was at the forefront of his global influence. However, it was his consistency as a producer that truly made his influence notable for over a decade. He made history twice by having three sons in a row named Champion of the KWPN Stallion licensing: Wamberto, Zagreb (later named Blue Hors Zack), and Ampère. Both Wamberto and Ampère won their stallion performance testings with record high scores. Hanoverian licensed sons Fiorano and Fürst Rousseau also convincingly won their stallion performance tests. In 2007, Rousseau led the KWPN stallion index with 181 and had the highest number of sons presented for the licensing that year. His offspring have gone on to highly successful competitive careers, with some competing in the Pan American and Olympic Games. His breeding influence is present in the Netherlands, Germany, France, Sweden, the US, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand and his offspring are known the world over.

But to me, when I think of Rousseau, I first think of how as a 3-year old stallion, when first meeting him in his stall, he gently nuzzled our 6-year old daughter as she petted his shoulder under his blanket. I think of his loving nicker at my every approach to his stall. I think of his beautiful eye that softly closed when his favorite spot was rubbed. I think of the thrill I felt every time I presented him to breeders and the thrill in their hearts having met the great Rousseau in person. I think of the gift it was to be his rider for many years and the gift it was to see him soak up life in his retirement.

RIP my beloved friend, Rousseau. You filled my life with precious dreams come true. Until we meet again, I will continue to dream of you, as I aways do.