Diane van den Berg Dressage/Training at Shevlin Stables

08/05/2024

I'm ISO a New Team Member as we sadly lose a long time member to college ... looking for a knowledgeable, experienced person to feed, turnout/bring-in, blanketing and other barn chores.. pm or call me at 541-408-2424 for details.

06/18/2024

We are excited to have Bernie Traurig back again with us here at Elevate Sport Horses June 28th, 29th, 30th!

This is an incredible opportunity to work with a Master! We learned so much from Bernie in January and are excited about our ongoing relationship with one of the truly “greats” in our industry who understands Hunters, Jumpers, Equitation, Three Day Eventing and Dressage.

As a Horseman, Bernie is renowned for not only his riding talents but for his teaching and coaching gifts. As a competitor, Bernie has represented the United States Equestrian Team both at home and abroad on many occasions and reached the top of the sport in all three of the International Equestrian Olympic disciplines: Show Jumping, Dressage and Eventing. In 2009, he was inducted into the National Show Hunter Hall of Fame. In 2010, the California Professional Horsemen's Association honored him with their Lifetime Achievement Award. He is recognized as a legend in the sport. As a teacher and trainer, he is one of the most sought after clinicians in the country today.

Bernie is also the founder of EquestrianCoach

We have a few spots available for this amazing opportunity! Groups are limited to 5 riders. Message me or call 541-408-2424 for details.

10/27/2023

Have you ever wanted to start horseback riding lessons?
Elevate Sport Horses is now enrolling new students for the fall quarter which won’t stay open for long as our spots are filling fast!
At Elevate Sport Horses, we help children and adults of all ages learn the fundamentals of horseback riding and horse care under the careful guidance of our expert instructors and well-schooled lesson horses. We provide everything: the horse, the equipment, the instruction and the fun!
Horseback riding is great exercise and a sport that lasts a lifetime, and the barn is also a great place to make friends and have a supportive community.
If you have a dream with horses - we have a plan. Click below to send us a message and schedule your first introductory lesson for only $75.
Conveniently located on Bend’s west side - just 10 minutes from downtown. Offering lessons for ages 3 and up.

Come join the fun!

10/04/2023

Come join the fun!

08/16/2023

Have you ever wanted to start horseback riding lessons?

Elevate Sport Horses is now enrolling new students for the fall quarter which won’t stay open for long as our spots are filling fast!

At Elevate Sport Horses, we help children and adults of all ages learn the fundamentals of horseback riding and horse care under the careful guidance of our expert instructors and well-schooled lesson horses. We provide everything: the horse, the equipment, the instruction and the fun!

Horseback riding is great exercise and a sport that lasts a lifetime, and the barn is also a great place to make friends and have a supportive community.

If you have a dream with horses - we have a plan. Click below to send us a message and schedule your first introductory lesson for only $75.

Conveniently located on Bend’s west side - just 10 minutes from downtown. Offering lessons for ages 3 and up.

08/15/2023

Come join our Team! ISO Weekend Stall/Paddock Cleaner. Currently 12 stalls and 19 paddocks to be done daily. Also cleaning waterers and upkeep of barn area. Pay is per stall/paddock. For more info please message or call me at 541-408-2424

Located close in, on the west side of Bend at Shevlin Stables.

08/12/2023

🙌🙌🙌🤣

07/24/2023

To correctly channel and manage your horse’s energy flow from his active hind leg to the front without resistance …

Imagine you’re going to ride him through a narrow tunnel and need to form both sides of his body to fit through safely. Think of sending his energy through the corridor with your legs, weight, sitting bones and hands on either side. This will allow you to put his body in whatever shape you want—long and low, shorter and rounder, flexed and bent, etc.—Karen Adams

Karen Adams is a USEF “R” dressage judge, instructor and coach. She was the head instructor at Linda Zang’s Idlewilde Farm and competed through the Prix St. Georges level. Her horse Aleutian was the 1980 USEF Zone III Fourth Level Horse of the Year.

🎨: Sandy Rabinowitz

07/05/2023

"...be sure our inside rein is not tight and blocking energy; release it as soon as we feel tension on the inside rein...." TIW

07/04/2023

Sharing again

06/13/2023

A visual for today. Illustrated by the amazing Susan DiFelice.

The connection the rider has through their arms, hands and reins, needs to flow to the horse’s mouth and through the horse’s body in what we call the “circle of the aids” or a “recycling” of energy.

When the rider has flat or “piano” hands, they have effectively turned off the flow of connection. To keep that energy flowing in a harmonious way through your forearms and into your seat and back (which is where you can most influence the horse) you must keep your fists softly closed with the thumb on top.

Think of a water pipe, with an on off valve. The valve is ON or OPEN when your fist is upright and elbows by your side. The valve is shut off or CLOSED when you ride with flat hands.

We want the horse’s energy to flow through us, so we must keep all the “pipes” open!!

Let me know if this image resonates with you.

06/11/2023

05/28/2023

Tomorrow, we begin anew..... 🙌

05/22/2023

Ill fitting saddles but also ill fitting blankets.

https://www.facebook.com/SonovetEquineTherapy/photos/a.351146073905/10153749171018906

The wither - why it is the hotline to your horse and how it suffers with ill-fitting saddles

The wither is a vital part of the horse. Connecting back and neck, it keeps the saddle in the right place and determines the height of a horse – one of the most important features however is that the wither is an instant feel-well-button! When horses scratch each others' withers they relax deeply.
Horses like many other plant-eaters need a long neck to maximize reach of food. This long neck needs a universal joint that easily lifts and lowers the big neck. The wither allows to lift the back using the leverage from the neck. That is the only way the neck motion can lift the back which otherwise would be pulled down by the tummy – the way the neck balances this task is to be seen in the nodding motion in walk and canter.

The wither is the connection between the forehand and the middle of the horse. The elevated part is created by the first spinal processes of the thoracic vertebrae which can tower up up to 30cm. A bursa sits on top of the wither and protects the area where bone and tendons/ligaments can rub and damage each other. If this bursa is compressed or irritated again and again (like by an ill-fitting saddle or other gear) it will become inflamed and in severe cases even a fistula can be created.
There are not many muscles in the immediate vicinity of the wither – just those connecting the front to the rump like the Rohomboideus Muscle which moves the shoulder and lifts the neck and the Trapezius Muscle which moves the legs forward as well as the long back muscle which is involved in all forward movements.
These muscle layers are very thin, the trapezius for example is not thicker than a DVD.
The size of the wither is different in every horse, there are high withers, flat withers, wide ones and small ones – in general, tall horses with long necks tend to have more prominent withers than small ponies.
Withers being too low are just as undesirable as withers being too high. Age and health status can also have an impact on the way withers are built. Especially in older horses the withers seem to become more prominent which is caused my muscle mass shrinking and fat deposits declining with age. Often the back itself lowers as well which causes the withers coming more into the centre of view. Very young horses often have prominent withers too which is caused by the neck developing to its full length in the last growing state.
Long neck – huge withers?
Why do giraffes have such a huge wither whilst the one of dogs is rather small? In general all 4-legged animals have withers. The relation of head-weight and neck length determines the size of the wither. Giraffes have a very small head but the longest necks, stags have a short neck but a very heavy head with antlers. Dogs have super small withers, their head is small and their neck is short.
Very bony withers can indicate muscular atropathies (declining muscle mass). This can be caused by an ill-fitting saddle pressing on the withers and the trapezius muscle, hence preventing muscle growth in this area. Bad riding such as fighting the horse with a hard hand can pull both rider and saddle onto the withers and cause the same problems in this area.
Mounting can have a huge impact on the withers as well. The withers keep the saddle in place and prevent it from sliding to the side – mounting without a mounting block brings the rider’s and the horse’s weight to the one side – a 90kg rider pulling himself up on a 475kg small horse puts 479kg on the horse’s near side legs whereas the off side legs just carry 56kg! These are the results of experiments done in Germany. You can imagine how much pressure this puts on the spine pulling and twisting it!
Withers determine proper saddle fitting and position. A high wither needs a high saddle chamber, otherwise the gullet will press on the wither bursa. If the center of gravity of the saddle is too far back it tilts the rider towards the back too.
A rather flat wither is easier to fit in regards to pressure on the bursa but on the other hand brings problems with saddles tending to slip and slide.
Such problems used to be addressed by using a crupper which brings other problems like constant pulling on the tail root and preventing the tail from swinging freely, plus the crupper girth presses on the vulnerable sacroiliac area prompting the horse to tense up the back. The horse becomes tense, the muscles less flexible and the movement restricted.

But the wither isn't just important for riding and the rider, but also for horses amongst themselves - the wither is an important "feel-good-spot", so to speak. When grooming each other, horses go for the wither in particular.

Behavioural studies have found that scratching or massaging of the wither significantly lowers the horse's heart rate. You will also find horses pull a bit of a face - they stretch the neck, half-close the eyes, and push out and wriggle the upper lip. Horses, most probably, particularly enjoy this spot being scratched and massaged by others because it's extremely difficult for them to reach it themselves. Horses are very social animals, and love grooming each other.
Through grooming they fight any itches, and support the coat-change. Grooming also fortifies bonds between horses. In small groups, horses generally all groom each other here and there - in larger groups, there are clear favourites and partnerships. The horse that wishes to engage in grooming will typically approach another horse with a slightly open mouth, ears forward, and a relaxed lower lip.
Riders can also make good use of this "feel-good-spot". Through scratching and massaging it, they can improve their relationship with their horse. Particularly foals love these little favours. Even during riding, a little scratch on the wither can work wonders - it can calm nervous, excited horses, and reward eager, well-working ones.
We also observe the wither playing a role in the relationship between mares and stallions - they will scratch and nibble each others withers as they are getting to know each other. During service, the stallion will actually grab the wither or mane with his teeth. The fight between two stallions is much more violent - a solid bite into the wither is actually quite painful, and stallions will use this to assert dominance during a fight as it can force the opponent to his knees. However, most of the time fights between stallions are more for show - there are strict rules and only rarely are there severe injuries.
Clever riders will treat the wither with great care, but also give it lots of attention - it is, after all, a vital part of the horse in every aspect of daily life, as well as a pathway to the horse's wellbeing.

05/21/2023

IN SUMMARY:
How runaway heels can accentuate saddle-fitting issues.
The horse is resting while standing.

So his body has structures that allow him this rest and it's called "standing station mechanism". It is a system of muscles, tendons, ligaments that extend from the pelvis to the scapula.

When the horse relaxes deeply, its chest cage descends between the scaples. This creates tension in the mechanism that allows the joints to be locked.

Thus, the horse stays awake and can sleep using minimal muscle activity... MORE... the front needs to be aligned to make it run efficiently.

If the heels are runny, the front will be tilted back. Because horse has to bend forward to avoid putting weight on its painful heels and therefore to maintain its balance.

Instead of using a system designed to be fully passive (without muscle activity) this position uses muscles, which over time will contract, because they never rest.

So the horse is going to have more and more trouble carrying his chest cage between his shoulders, because the muscles are contracting, even at a stop.

If there is less and less support from the chest cage between the shoulders, it will slide down and forward, causing the spine to be dug. It's this low chest cage between the shoulders that is the cause of the famous "holes behind the shoulders", which is the cause of a lot of saddle problems...

Dr Jane Clothier

Sometimes saddle fit issues are not about the saddle - they're about the horse. And sometimes the issues are starting at ground level.

The postural effects caused by underrun heels (actually caudal hoof failure) richochet right through the body.

One of the worst things we can do is fit a saddle firmly around those narrow withers like a clothes peg. Any chance of redeveloping muscle as the hooves improve (because of course, the horse is receiving remedial hoof care, isn't it?) and the posture normalises is limited unless the horse can move correctly. That means creating space for redevelopment without compromising saddle stability.

Again, it's simply the essence of the issue from a bodyworker's point of view. I'm making no claims to be scientific here, but it's what I've been seeing in over 15 years of bodywork practice.

Visit and follow my blog for regular body talk articles: https://thehorsesback.com

- Jane

05/15/2023

Clive demonstrates how to trim the rear feet and why it has such an impact on skeletal alignment throughout the horse.Trimming the foot correctly is crucial ...

05/15/2023

Posture matters... focus on that and your horse will go better.

05/14/2023

Yes, this...

Please share with your horsey friends!

05/09/2023

05/08/2023

Opening June 1st.....

05/01/2023

June 1st... ☕🫖 ?

04/23/2023

All is quiet.....for now... 😁June 1st !

04/19/2023

To feel the half halt ...

"Imagine you are a sword fighter engaged in battle, seeking to gain advantage against your opponent. Shifting your weight to your back leg for a split second as you maintain core stability allows you to rebalance yourself so you’re able to step forward with impulsion." —Jane Hannigan

🎨 Illustration by Sandy Rabinowitz

04/17/2023

04/15/2023

You know that old saying ?

"You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream" ~ C.S. Lewis

📣📣📣 So thrilled to announce that as of June 1st, we'll all be residing at Shevlin Stables. A place where I first had a huge dream. A place where I dreamt of, designed and built what is now Shevlin Stables.

Shevlin Stables will be the new home of Diane van den Berg Dressage/Training and Rachael van den Berg's Elevate Sport Horses and Lesson Academy!! 🐎

Located on Bends West Side, just minutes from downtown. The facility was designed for the training of Sport Horses and is dedicated to the comfort and well-being of both horse and rider.

The setting is magical. The facility ... Large airy stalls, individual turnouts, large indoor and outdoor arenas, a beautifully appointed viewing room/clubhouse with full kitchen, miles of private groomed trails, locker room, 2 tack rooms, 2 heated wash racks, 6 grooming stations, vet/farrier area. A favorite thing.... all this is WARM during the winter! 😁

We'll be having an Open House in early summer... stay tuned for the date! Looking forward to welcoming you all!

Very special thank you to Lee Haverland (who has meticulously cared for and loved Shevlin Stables for the past 13 years) for working with us to facilitate all this.

And a very special thanks as well to our family, friends, clients and staff who support us!

Feel free to message me or Rachael with any questions.

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?vanity=dianevandenbergdressage&set=a.3498969976994456

04/14/2023

Long time student and dear friend Karen Laidley with the lovely 4 year old Vermillion. This young horse is so talented with the very best temperament.

04/11/2023

04/11/2023