Santa Ynez Equestrian Celebrities

Monty Roberts
Originally uploaded by Keith Jack

Santa Ynez Valley has many equestrian celebrities. One of those is self-proclaimed "horse whisperer" Monty Roberts. Although Monty's horsemeanship techniques seemed revolutionary to some outside the world of Western riding, they were similar to those espoused years earlier by Tom Dorrance who wrote "True Unity: Willing Communication between Horse and Human" and Ray Hunt who wrote "Think Harmony with Horses."

Monty and his wife Pat, a talented sculptor, own Flag is Up Farm, a large equestrian facility, in Buellton. The farm accepts horses and humans for training! Tours of the farm may be available on the weekend.

Of course, the Santa Ynez Valley has four-legged equestrian celebrities. Three Kentucky Derby winners were trained here: Flying Ebony, Grindstone and Charismatic. 2007 world champion Cutting Horse, Doc’s Tee Boots resides here in the Valley. I could add to the list but you'd really have to be into horses to appreciate it.

Santa Ynez Equestrian Celebrities - Dressage

USEF Intermediaire Freestyle -- Charlotte Bredahl Baker and Eskada (Dutch WB)
Originally uploaded by Rock and Racehorses

Santa Ynez is the Valley of the Horse. Yesterday I discussed Western riding competitions and some of the Valley's most successful competitors.

Today I want to write about dressage, my favorite equestrian sport. Dressage traces its origins to Xeres, a Greek general who required exacting precision of his mounted soldiers.

Dressage is somewhat difficult to describe. I've borrowed this explanation from the Ottawa Area Dressage Group:

In dressage training, the natural movements a horse can make on his own, free in the pasture, are repeated as exercises. These range from simple patterns and circles at the walk, trot and canter to movements in extreme collection, such as the piaffe or trotting in place (which is actually part of the showing-off of the stallion).

The idea is to gradually enable the horse to carry more of his own and his rider's weight over his hindquarters than over his forehand. This mobilizing and strengthening of the hindquarters (which provide the motive power as if the horse had rear wheel drive) results in lightening of the forehand and a horse that is much easier to steer and to stop. It is a matter of physics; the horse's immense strength becomes more available to him as he uses himself more efficiently. Because of the obedience required in the exercises, this strength is also instantly available to the rider. In competition, horses perform tests, to assess the horse's correct progress towards the goals of suppleness, balance and obedience.

Charlotte Bredahl Baker is a local dressage rider and trainer. In 1992, she won a bronze medal at the Olympics. She has a large equestrian training facility in Buellton. Her husand is an avid polo player.

Because so many riders in the Valley enjoy dressage, there are several trainers. I should note that dressage is the foundation for other equine disciplines. It is one of the three events included in Eventing, a sport in which the same rider and horse demonstrate their skill at dressage, stadium jumping and cross country. Also, those who specialize in hunter or jumper competitions may study dressage to improve their performance over level ground, also known as "flatwork."

Jennifer Wooten, another Valley resident, and her horse Good Witch were short-listed for the US Olympic Eventing Team in 2008.