Photo by Tamera with the Camera
Day One Journal:
Today was an incredibly educational and inspiring day. We began at Betsy Juliano’s Havensafe Farm, where we met Scott Hassler and watched him teach Jen Baumert on Opus. One of my biggest takeaways from his lesson was how deeply he respects the horse and always refers to the horse’s nature and biomechanics, especially the mechanics of the back in the trot and canter. A moment that truly inspired me was when he said, “Your warm-up is research,” and emphasized asking the same question every ride: Where is the horse at today? That idea changed how I think about preparation and will help me in the future to listen to my horse better.
We then watched Beth Baumert work with her daughter, Jen, on Catalyst. Something insightful that Beth said was that if a movement feels like a 6 or 7, it’s good enough, but if it’s a 5, redo it. That gave me a clearer standard for quality in my riding.
Barn aisle chat with Canadian Olympian Jacquie Brooks
Later, we met with Jacqueline Brooks for a Q&A and spoke with Betsy Juliano about sponsorships. Betsy helped me understand that sponsors care not only about results, but also about your philosophy, communication, and how you present yourself daily.
In the evening, we attended the Dressage Infusion Masterclass at Adequan Global Dressage Festival with Olympians Cathrine Laudrup-Dufour, Kyra Kyrklund, and Jan Brink. Watching Cathrine ride a horse she had never really sat on was incredible and showed what true feel and adaptability look like. I was fascinated by exercises such as using a polo wrap under the belly to engage the horse’s core and help the rider sit deeper into the saddle, as well as riding a rising trot in a 2-up, 1 down rhythm to slow the horse with weight. One thing that seemed very simple but surprised me was when patting the horse with the outside hand instead of the inside when being told my whole life I should be doing it the other way around.
Seeing riders of all ages and levels today reinforced what’s possible in dressage and strengthened my goal to ride with intention, feel, and respect for the horse.
Day Two:
Day 2 of The Dressage Foundation’s Dream Program was another full and inspiring day immersed in learning, conversation, and observation with some truly incredible people in the sport.
We began the morning at Roseview South Farm, owned by Judy Sloan, where we watched David Marcus give Molly Maloney a lesson. Although many of the concepts were familiar, hearing them explained in new ways made them resonate differently. One phrase that stuck with me was, “The outside rein is your friend in the canter work.” David also shared an interesting perspective on teaching flying changes, introducing them earlier on a young horse rather than waiting until counter canter and other advanced canter exercises are deeply established. Another valuable reminder was that sometimes going to a rising trot is necessary to help the horse’s back relax and truly swing; sitting isn’t always the answer.
Afterward, we watched Molly give Judy Sloan a lesson on her nine-year-old Grand Prix Lusitano. I loved Molly’s emphasis on “recycling the energy from behind into the front end” and, even more, her reminder not to lose your Training Level horse within your Grand Prix horse. Her words reinforced the importance of patience with both the horse and me, and trusting the process rather than rushing results.
Watching Molly ride one of her own Grand Prix horses was fascinating. Her investment, focus, and passion for her horses were so clear and inspiring.
With Lee and Sarah Tubman
Later, we headed to the Adequan Global Dressage Festival to watch the CDI3* and CDI5*, where we met and spoke with several talented professionals, including Ali Brock, Sarah Tubman, and Lee Tubman. Sarah’s advice to “stick to a system and not jump to the next best thing” really struck me. It made me reflect on my own journey and realize that I still have so much growth left where I am now. Their reminder that our greatest difficulties often come right before our biggest breakthroughs was incredibly motivating.
Overall, today reinforced my belief that growth comes from patience, consistency, and being brave enough to try and not being afraid to advocate for yourself along the way.
Day Three: Coming soon!
Day Four: Coming soon!
Day Five: Coming soon!
