Shawna Harding

2011 Recipient of the Carol Lavell Advanced Dressage Prize

Shawna and Come On III compete at Fritzens. Photo by Selene Scarsi

Thanks to Carol Lavell and everyone at The Dressage Foundation. With the help from you and this Prize, I was able to have a very full four month experience training and competing in Europe this spring.

After receiving the great news that I had won the Prize, I started making plans for the big trip to Europe.   I also found out that we had qualified for the World Cup Final in Leipzig, Germany and I had to get things organized quickly.

I chose to go to world renowned trainer Johann Hinnemann to base my horses and to coach me at the competitions. I was welcomed with open arms there and happy to be back in Germany! I arrived on a Saturday evening and we began training on Monday.

The experience at Johann’s was very structured and intense. He really wants you to get it right and to get the most out of your horses. He is very good at correcting all the little details and mostly getting the optimal preparation before a movement and re-balancing and maintaining balance and rhythm while in the movement. The positioning of the shoulders and change of bend in the half passes and zigzag was a highlight. Making the horse wait for the change of bend then positioning him to the new direction then waiting for the change. It is very systematic and turned into a super exercise for balance and control.

Our first competition was in Leipzig at the WCF. It was Come On’s and my first time in a huge indoor stadium atmosphere and I thought he handled it great! It was so much fun to warm up and stable with some of my “Dressage Heroes” like Edward Gal and Isabel Werth.  I felt totally comfortable and confident in this environment and we had good rides in both tests.  The electric atmosphere in the competition ring was a bit much for Come On’s walk, he was bouncing and the little jigging cost a lot of points. But I was so proud of him trying to stay focused in the stadium with huge crowds and all the noise and excitement.

After WCF we went back to Johann’s for training then to “Horses and Dreams” in Hagen. This is an amazing show where everything was put on first class and the weather was great.  I got to see again some of the finest riding and training in dressage. It is interesting how much the German trainers and riders talk to each other and help each other. If a training issue comes up they ask another trainer what they think or would do different.

After Hagen, it was back to Johann’s for more training and preparation for the Munich 5* World Dressage Masters. This was a fantastic competition back in my old stomping ground and not only did I see a lot of old friends but had a good show. The amount of people, horses and attractions at this event is amazing. It is a huge competition and a lot of the dressage horses can’t cope with the atmosphere. There are carriages with anything from draft horses to mini’s pulling them and Arabian Knights running in huge packs next to the dressage warm up. Just getting to the warm up ring could be a challenge. But Come On thought it was great and loved everyone watching him.

Next was Fritzens in Austria. This is a beautiful show way up in the mountains. We could have been better in the GP but made it into the top 15 for the freestyle and had a much better test. Johann was there to coach me and I have learned that Come On is always better in the second test. This is something I am fixing. He needs to be there for all the tests day one and on.  Finally, at this show I got to start Rigo in the small tour and he placed very well both days! He felt super and ready to compete after just being “along for the ride” with Come On.

My whole experience has taught me that you never stop learning. Continuous education is a must and I wouldn’t have been able to do it without the prize and grants. I was honored to make it into every second round with Come On and to ride in such company. Training with Johann was fantastic it is so enlightening to see how his mind works in training the horses. I have learned with Come On that he must be more in front of my leg and not just from my whip but from my leg. So, no whip in the warm up for now till I am sure he is in front of me and staying honest! I learned to ride the transition into the extended trot to the first passage and into the first piaffe which can be weak. I must be confident and make it happen! My ongoing education is knowing how much I need to ask and when to trust that it will be there not from being passive but by riding it.

Overall, I was very pleased with Come On and our performance. With the amount of travel, training and competitions, he stayed positive, fresh and willing. He made it into every round at every competition and we put forth a positive example representing the USA. I received a lot of positive comments, support and feedback from the foreign trainers and competitors while there. I look forward to representing the USA again and being a good role model for what the Carol Lavell Advance Dressage Prize should represent.

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