Courtney Dale

2011 Recipient of a grant from the Renee Isler Dressage Support Fund

I wish to thank The Dressage Foundation and Renee Isler:

	Courtney and Fortune at a clinic with Lendon Gray - Spring 2011

My horse filled summer with Lendon Gray reads like a fairytale story as I met and volunteered alongside many amazing people and their horses.  As if being exposed to Lendon 24/7 wasn't exciting enough, during my stay to New York, Lendon introduced me to accomplished riders such as Courtney King Dye, Mica Mabragana, Henk VanBergman, Robert Dover, and many other great people.  All seemed to be such gifted riders and possessed such love and passion for their equestrian sport that it was infectious just to be in their presence of their empowering attitudes, yet gentle spirits.  Easily one could visualize that dressage is the basis for all riding, and blends the skilled subtle movements of the rider with the athleticism of the horse, and why dressage has been called the ballet of equestrians.

It was an honor to be able to work so closely with Lendon, because everything Lendon said or did was a lesson in itself.  Traveling with Lendon to the stables was a welcomed extension to my educational experience because it added yet another dimension to my understanding of her work ethic.  Lendon asked the riders to share with me what level each of their horses were working on and the horse's strengths and weaknesses so I could better understand the dynamics of their training.

• Poor rider position has always been a pet peeve of mine.  I loved that Lendon addressed this issue with each horse I rode.  She worked with me on my body position even when I was not aware of it.  Her teachings were immeasurable!

• Lendon allowed me to ride many different horses.  I really haven't had much experience on how to begin with a new horse.  She says you must go through the basics first - "Do you have a stop?", "Do you have steering?"  And, finally, "Does the horse yield off the leg?"  If you have these fundamentals, she says then you start figuring out what the horse can and cannot do.  Her teachings were so fundamental, so basic and so fair.  However, I never thought about all of this until I was up there working with her and it all came together for me.  It was awesome to reinvent my riding!

• Meeting Mica, Lendon's long time student, was great.  I had an opportunity to ride with her and a couple of horses she was working with.  She was so knowledgeable and had a very kind and fair approach to the horses, just like Lendon.  I loved being in her presence because I felt we shared a compassion for riding and training and just enjoying the synergy of the horses; also the sense of dedication that I never shared with anyone else.  She amazed and inspired me with what she had accomplished and we thought and spoke of nothing else but horses.  Little else interested us.  It was like horse heaven on earth. 

• Another first for me was that I was able to ride my first stallion under Lendon's instruction.  His breed was PRE, which was also a first.  I had never ridden a movement like that.  Lendon really tested my knowledge of how to work with different horses, which I enjoyed.  I could no longer use the techniques I use every day on my own horse.  I had to manipulate and change everything I did.  It made me always think one step ahead of what I was presently doing.

• Lendon enabled me to rethink my dedication towards riding and think about my future plans, not only as a rider, but how I should handle myself as a person.

The sum total of this experience made me rethink the way I ride.  It's best to have a plan each and every time I get on to ride.  Not to make the same mistake over and over again - always "RIDE SMART!" and to get on and ride and execute the best ride you can the first time.  You need to focus less on what you receive, but what you can give.  Interestingly, it's when you give, particularly when it's a sacrifice to do so, that it returns tenfold.  Finally, to always have short term goals, as well as long term goals.

The fringe benefit from all this wonderful training is that I have traveled to some incredible stables, met some brilliant people, and made lifelong friends along the way!  My goal is to share any and all the information I have learned and encourage everyone to get involved and support our sport.  I am learning to "Pay it forward."  Thank you for allowing me the opportunity to have a remarkable learning experience with a very accomplished individual such as Lendon Gray!  It was an amazing and unforgettable horse-filled summer and a gift of a lifetime!  I am a changed rider.

In closing, I would like to give a very special thank you to Renee Isler for introducing me to and insisting that I ride with "Lendon Gray, my very talented friend."  Indeed.  Thank you also to Melissa Filipi and Jenny Johnson, who made this possible through their tireless hours at The Dressage Foundation.  You really do make a difference!

With heartfelt thanks,



Courtney Dale and Fortune

P.S.  I was able to earn my Bronze this year!

Photos from Courtney's time in New York:

Courtney having a lesson on PRE Stallion, Bolero

Courtney and Bolero

With Patience, daughter of Idocus

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