Rebecca Dennis Balanced Horsemanship

13/11/2023

Western Dressage is currently showing at AQHA World. Watch the Livestream at https://www.aqha.com/aqha-world-championship-show-live-stream-performance-arena
Traditional dressage is tomorrow

10/11/2023

In honor of Veteran's Day tomorrow. This is not local to us, but is a great cause!

Using some “horsepower” in the fight against veteran su***de. We are a gold star, veteran, and equestrian team who is hosting a charity horse show in the backyard of Fort Bragg NC. All proceeds will be donated to Stop Soldier Su***de. Learn More More than 125,000 veterans have died from su***de ...

07/11/2023

Focusing on dressage principles of straightness, balance and correct posture will help you succeed in any discipline

31/10/2023

Where you have horses, you will have hay, and where there is hay, there are spiders.

Why do we consider cobwebs to be so spooky? Arachniphobia notwithstanding, I'd guess it's because they're primarily a sign of abandonment. The lesser used a space is, the more the spiders move in and the less those webs are disturbed.

Spiders are good, right? They help control the insect population, and no one wants flies in the barn.

With all this in mind, you may be tempted to let those cobwebs last a little longer in lieu of decorating for Halloween. However, it's better to remove them frequently. Cobwebs collect dust, and more than being unsightly, this can become a fire hazard! While some dust is unavoidable in our barns, it isn't healthy for horses or humans and can also cause or exacerbate heaves (COPD). Anything you can do to mitigate and remove dust in your stable will be beneficial to all, including removing those webs.

Chronic heaves or barn fires... now THAT'S scary!

Have a spooky and safe Halloween!

28/10/2023

Today was FUN! I love sharing western dressage with others. Can't think of a better way to spend a Saturday than with these lovely ladies. We all agreed we can't wait to do it again! If this weekend didn't work out for you, keep your eyes open for future dates. If you can't come to me, ask about putting something together at a location near you!

26/10/2023

26/10/2023

Preparing goodie packets for our workshop riders. Even auditors who pre-register yet today will get to take these home. And, why, yes! One of those is laminated to help you learn your test by drawing it!
Register at
https://form.jotform.com/232884637402157

25/10/2023

A... Down centerline
Doesn't this look inviting? Come work with us this Saturday at the Western Dressage Workshop! https://www.rdbalancedhorsemanship.com/events/western-dressage-workshop

22/10/2023

Did everyone enjoy the weather this weekend? Are you worried this may be the last of it? Great news, we have a spacious indoor arena at Claddagh Farm - This Old Horse to use for the Western Dressage Workshop next Saturday! More great news, part of proceeds benefit This Old Horse, Inc.! Even more great news, you haven't missed the deadline to sign up! But don't wait, riding slots are limited. Go to https://form.jotform.com/232884637402157 to enter online

17/10/2023

12/10/2023

Learn about Western Dressage and support This Old Horse, Inc. at the same time! Stalling available just for the day, or stay the weekend and schedule additional private lessons!

03/10/2023

This is worth repeating. This year we were surrounded by a supportive group of ladies (and one young man) who have been working with Palm Equestrian Academy, but my wonderful and supportive husband joined us again for the week of his own choice.

My husband is not a horse guy. He doesn't come to the horse shows, because nearly 20 years ago after sitting through huge yearling longe line futurity classes with me three weekends in a row, I told him he never needed to again. And yet, when I found out I was going to be entirely on my own at WDAA World this year, he agreed to use some PTO to come down and help out.

It's amazing how important the little things can be. Yes, I can get my own chaps zipped, but having someone to do it means they don't twist and bind at the knee. And Sunny appreciates that extra bit of fly spray right before we go in the ring, since he can barely tolerate just the thought of even one fly around him. And then there are the photos and video. Necessary? Probably not, but people enjoy seeing them, and having a video to watch as I read my score sheet really helps with preparing for the next day.

Aaron always jumps in to help whenever he is needed and never does anything halfway, and it was no different at the show. So by the end of the week, chaps went on quickly and smoothly; boots were wiped clean, fly spray offered and a brush run over Sunny, all without asking. And the pictures... almost none of the pictures or videos I was able to post would even exist without him.

To my Not-A-Horse-Guy Husband, and to all the other ground support out there, whether at the show or holding down the fort at home (because someone has to!) you allow the competitors to shine.

Aaron, I don't know if I could have done it without you, but I'm thankful I didn't have to find out. I'm so happy I got to share this accomplishment with you at my side.

01/10/2023

We finished the week strong with a 73 for 3rd in Level 1 with Arial and a 71 for a reserve Champion in Level 3 with Sunny!

Arial finished 3rd overall in the Open Level 1 Division!
Sunny was Reserve Champion overall on the Open Level 3 Division, and despite only entering two of the four Level 2 tests, was 4th overall for the week in that level as well!
Arial also earned Highest Score for Paint Horse!

Congratulations as well to other very successful Minnesotans, Katie Lins of Red Gate Riding, LLC with Top 10 Intro Open division and Highest Score Appendix AQHA; Lucy Mondale and Missy Ellison with 7th Intro Amateur division and winner Basic Open division, and Liv Hustvedt with QH Cross High Score and winner of the Silver Spur award! Go, Minnesota Western Dressage riders! (All were Winning Ways with Western Dressage Wisconsin participants and I think it shows!)

01/10/2023

That's a wrap! Safe travels to all the WDAA World Championship Show exhibitors as they travel home!

30/09/2023

Yesterday deserves a longer post, but that will wait. The horses did their best, and that was good for 6th and a 66 with Arial in level 1, 10th and 67 with Sunny in level 2, and another Champion for Sunny with a 68 in level 3!

Catch our final rides of the week at 2:22 and 5:17 in ring 2!

29/09/2023

Here's to the girls who have bought only one can of hairspray in the last 20 years, and it lives in the horse trailer

29/09/2023

Arial had another 72 in level 1, and Sunny scored 65 in level 3 yesterday. Both were 4th in their classes!

Today Arial is at 11:05 in ring 2
Sunny at 4:36 in ring 2
Sunny at 5:39 in ring 1

28/09/2023

I was so pleased with both horses yesterday! They both were willing and relaxed. Arial earned a 72 in level 1 test 1 for 3rd place, and Sunny scored 72.8 in level 2 test 1 and 67.5 in level 3 test 1 for Champion and 4th respectively! We have three days of tests to go.
Arial goes at 11:13 in level 1, and Sunny at 4:05 in level 3. Both rides are in ring 2.

27/09/2023

Good morning! Ride times have changed slightly, and may each day, so be sure to check the show secretary link for accurate times. Arial is on ring 2 at 11:37, Sunny in ring 1 at 3:32, and in ring 2 at 5:07 today.

Yesterday was capped off with receiving Sunny's Gold award in WDAA Lifetime Points! We achieved that award in July.

27/09/2023

Don't let ribbons be your measure of success... but you can still be proud of them! By any measure, today was a very successful first day of showing. Our goals were to introduce Arial to the arena before tests begin tomorrow and to focus on calmness and relaxation, and we not only met those goals but earned 8th in Dressage Hack and Champion in Horsemanship!

26/09/2023

Did you know that WDAA has rail and horsemanship classes? Today at WDAA World Championship Show I'll be riding Arial in Western Dressage Hack and Western Dressage Horsemanship, open divisions. They will be live streaming, but we don't have specific ride times. Watch for us in classes 10 and 27.

25/09/2023

WDAA World Championships begin tomorrow! We're all moved in and getting settled. TotalHorseChannel.com will be live streaming the show. You can find ride times by exhibitor at https://www.showsecretary.com/el.asp?Show_ID=1014

Home

06/09/2023

World Show Wednesday! Today is the deadline to get entries in for the WDAA World Championship show in Guthrie, Oklahoma

02/09/2023

Good morning! It may get a little warm later, but it's a beautiful day for the Minnesota Half Arabian Horse Association Dog Days Dressage show! Arial goes at 8:57 and 2:24, and Sunny is at 11:36 and 3:33. All western rides are in ring 2. To all the competitors, good luck and ride well!