PVS Training & Equine Services

Results from the Townsville Dressage Autumn Competition for PVS Training:

Shannon Willcox & Wahlon J Outback - 1st Walk/Trot 1 63.5%, 1st Junior Prelim 1A 65.5%, 1st Walk Trot Test 2 72.35% & 1st Green Rider Prelim 1B 63.6%.

JD Kesha (Jodie Duffy's 4yr old mare) & Pamela Prelim 1A 62% =7th and Prelim 1B 65% 2nd

Morgen Schneider & Drifter's Carnivale - 4th Official Prelim 1A & 4th Official Prelim 1B. A much improved pair with more polished tests. Some homework to work on over the next 3 weeks to improve their %

Riverside Paddy Williams - 1st Official Medium 4A 67.014%, 1st Official Medium 4B 70.486%, 2nd Advance 5A 65.188%

Lassie Creek - 1st Official Advance 5A 67.125%, 1st Official Advance 5B 64.268%, 1st PSG 63.553%

Jaide Thorogood and Warrawee Reegardez Moi had some great rides with a 1st in the Junior Prelim and a 4th in the Junior Novice. On the Saturday they were in Innisfail for a PC competition, which they have now achieved all their qualifying scores for PCAQ State Dressage in July.

Congratulations horses and riders

A big thank you to our wonderful team at PVS Training - Nicole and Morgen for your great efficient efforts grooming and assisting, Riverside PC - Janette and Allan Williams for their wonderful horses, Pryde's EasiFeeds for their wonderful sponsorship and feed and all my students and their families plus my Mum and Rod - THANK YOU.

Congratulations to some of the students of PVS Training. Karissa Miles and her new mare went to their first ODE in Yeppoon on the weekend and were coming 3rd after the dressage. A bit of a slow cross country and a rail down in the showjumping saw them finish the weekend overall 6th place.

Kianna Coyne and her lovely mare Aussie were out in action on the weekend as well and were coming 1st after the dressage an managed to maintain that winning postion throughout the cross country and showjumping phase to take out Overall Champion of her age group.

Congratulations riders!!

The renovations to the stable area have been finalised and we now have a useable 3 horse undercover wash bays and cross-ties.

The horses are loving getting ready for riding there. The cool breeze that blows through from the arena is lovely and they get to watch their mates being trainined out in the arena.

Paddy thinking the new cross ties and wash bay area is just great!!!

PVS OPEN DAY - POSTPONED: It is with much regret that we are having to postpone the Open Day that was scheduled for this Saturday, 24th March. Due to the large amount of rain that we and other areas received, it is more sensible to hold it on an alternative day.

Once we have a date confirmed we will be sure to give you plenty of notice. Hope to see you on the new date.

Stay safe until then - Happy Riding

Pamela has been asked by Angela Sausman of Horse North to showcase their new innovative "HN Sun Specs" and has greatfully accepted!

The Sun Specs have been developed specifically for the horse rider. They fit comfortably under your riding helmet and follow the contours of your face well. No more slips when you are in the saddle!!

The package comes with 5 pairs of sun protective interchangable lenses, headband, glazeable insert, cord and mircrofibre cleaning cloth and is all neatly displayed and protected in a durable HN case.

Pamela and Horse North will be showcasing these innovative Sun Specs at the PVS Training & Equine Services Open Day on the 24th March 2012. There will be a pair up for Raffle on the day. You need to be there on the day to win!!

At a very affordable price of $59.95 inc. GST these are definatley worth having in your tack room.

Information on HN Sun Specs here.

Our resident broodmare, Miss Corvette who has produced for us two wonderful young horses in the past is again in foal to Riverside Stations imported stallion "Kaptain"

Corvette has been positive preg tested and is due to foal around Christmas (23rd Dec 2012). We await with anticipation the safe and healthy arrival of this exciting foal.

Miss Corvette (Cooperit x Aachen)

Kaptain (Clintino x Sandro)

                  
              Karlos PVS (Kaptain)                                                      Hugo PVS (Hector)

Here at PVS Training we are always looking to improve our facilities. Our latest upgrades are underway and hopefully will be completed by the Open Day on the 24th of March.

Thus far we have added the automatic horse waterers to the stable area, replacing the wooded rails with galvanised rails and painted the existing posts for the stables.

This week we saw the commencement of the new 3 bay undercover tie-up and wash bay area start.

Lastly we finished our adjustments to the paddocks (day strips) out the back and are awaiting for the grass to grow through in the lane way.

We will have some more pictures up shortly of the work that has been finsihed and the works that are underway.

Thank you to Scott and Luke from "Scott Lydom Construction", Rod Barrett and my mum and 'Woody" for all their hard work thus far.

On Saturday the 24th March 2012 PVS Training is holding their first "Open Day".

This day will be aimed at showcase all that we can offer at PVS Training. We will have events including:

* Pony Rides
* Nutrition Talks and Feeding Expert
* Kids Corner (Facepainting, horseshoe decorating and colouring in competition)
* Horse Breeds and Information
* Win a Lesson on a Trained Dressage Horse Raffle
* Demonstrations from PVS Students
* Dressage to Music ridden by Pamela Schuler with Lassie Creek
* Sausage Sizzle

Feel free to come along and enjoy the day. Bring a Chair, bring your family, friends - the more the merrier.

Starting at 4pm

Stable Location: 86 Reibels Road, Bowen, Nth QLD

Flyer Available Here

On Wednesday we left home to travel the 15hrs south to Caboolture for lessons with International Coach/Trainer and 5* Judge Isobel Wessel.

Day One - Lassie Creek was a little exhausted from the trip when we arrived on Thursday. She was a little tight and it was coming through at the start of the lesson. We warmed up with canter and with changing the tempo in the canter and sprialling in and out she was starting to loosen up.

After she was more supple we continued onto the flying changes. I had to admit I hadn't been working on the changes at home as I had been really focusing on keeping her more relaxed, keeping her supple in her lateral work  and really just working on basics (a little bit due to the heat). So I wasn't too suprised when the changes started to get a bit tight and also being that she had just stepped on the float 6hrs earlier.
They got better and we identified a mistake I was making with my left leg when I was changing from right lead to left lead. I was bringing my left leg which was back and on; to off then forward and back on. This was giving us a disunited change (which we don't normally do). Once we fixed my leg - much better changes.

I was really impressed with how she worked us in the canter pirouettes. I felt like I had so much control of the whole horse and like Lassie wan't spinning around. She was more wrapped around my inside leg and then I just had to start bringing the shoulders around.

Day Two - Lassie was much more relaxed and was more recharged and energetic. We lost the tension that we had from the day before.
We warmed up the same as day one with the canter though today I was riding with my brain in gear and was out to learn.

Isobel read my mind, so to speak (which really impressed me) as the day before I was a little concered that we had put too much pressure on her and was loosing the refinement of the half halt.
So on day two Isobel focused on keeping her out to the bridle and into the contact with more forward hands while performing the higher level movements. The contact did get better but still needs to be checked each ride and throughout.

We kept this in mind as we moved into the pirouettes. I was very pleased with Lassie's understanding and ability today, we were getting the half pirouettes down to 4/5 strides. (For the PSG we can only have 3/4 strides).

Onto the changes - some singles then 4 times and 5 x 4 times. We moved onto the 3 times we got 4 done but the last one was getting a bit tight and so we missed it. Lassie was getting a bit tired so we finished on a clean single change.

Lastly I wanted to show Isobel how I have been producing the collected trot. Isobel said that we were on the right track and that this seems to be working well for Lassie's developement but suggested that I also try some leg yielding strides within the tempo changes.

I was very pleased with Isobel and a coach towards Lassie and I. She complimented me on my riding and position and being independent to Lassie as to not to interfer with her.
I would HIGHLY recommend her.

Thank You Isobel for your time.

1hr 45min as uposed to 15hrs to travel to Brisbane.......... That's the difference between flying down sole or driving down with a horse in tow.

I was headed to Brisbane (well to northern NSW) to attend the Dressage QLD High Performance Sqaud Camp for 2012. I checked into Mantra at Salt Beach - Kingscliffe NSW. I felt like I was on holidays

The camp is in it's 6th year and has grown each year in strength. Through this training camp QLD not only displays a united front but is a Squad, Team and State to be reakoned with.
The idea of the training camp is to have all the riders join together to access some high level knowledge from experts in the areas of; (for 2012) Sports Psychology, Musculoskeletal and Animal Phsiotherapy, Animal Science and gain some further knowledge of our sports through talks with our state and national selectors.

In between our mini talks with the Sports Psychologist, Jonah Oliver and the Selectors we participated in some 'team building' and 'character identifying' exercises.
The Profiling exercise was great, it really had us take a look at ourselves and our fellow athletes and realise that the outer exterior that is sometimes on display at competitions is not always who we are. It helped to identify that just because someone is a little reserved and shy does not mean they do not necessary wish to participart in a conversation for instance and likewise if someone is a little more dominating or focused doesn't mean they are not approachable. I am pretty sure we all learn't some valuable traits about our fellow athletes.
PS - I'm an Eagle/Dove by nature (Eagle mostly - trying to add a bit more dove to my lifestyle)

  
Left Photo: Kailea Goyen, Kristen McAuslan & Anita Barton (my group) & Right Photo: Jacqui Huppert, Jenny Rykoff, Leasa Stephens & Tori Welch.

Rebel Morrow was a brilliant Guest Speaker. She gave a talk on "The Olympic Dream and Journey - Before, During and After" Well done on staying so composed as she took us through her journey.

We were treated to lovely breakfasts, scrumptous lunches and mouthwatering dinner and desserts during our stay. This must of been what gave us so many of our ideas when it came to the brainstorming for the Festival of Dressage.

2012 Festival of Dressage is going to be one MUST SEE event for this year. If you didn't think they could make it any bigger or better (plus it will also be more user friendly this year) then you were mistaken. The ideas that were thrown around were truely brilliant. Mark the 21st of July in your calendar!!!!

I know that I left with some fantastic knowledge, new friends, lots of laughs and a solid plan on my pathway from here.

National Selectors: Maria Schwennesen & Joanne Fowler