Dressage trainer in California [Archive]

busybee

Apr. 23, 2009, 11:30 AM

Sorry, I'm not riding. I just want someone fantastic to send my horse to. Anywhere is fine but they should be really well known. I prefer someone not too tall because my horse is only 16.1hd.

NCE

Apr. 23, 2009, 11:37 AM

rachel Saavedra. Hands down the most gifted, classical, soft yet effective dressage trainer I've ever known. Truly she's a horse genius. Her own grand prix horse robello is absolute proof that her program works. And she's a friendly, funny person too. Can't recommend her highly enough.

yaya

Apr. 23, 2009, 11:55 AM

Gee, I wonder if Steffen Peters' prices have gone up since Vegas? ;)

FriesianX

Apr. 23, 2009, 12:00 PM

Rachel is FABULOUS, a great clinician too!

CA is a huge state - do you want to narrow it down? You have the choice of many Olympic riders, many international judges, competitors, and trainers, several USDF faculty members, many USDF HOY winners, etc. Is money no object? Is your horse already going FEI? Any special traits of horse, any special requirements? If you pick up the CDS Roster, I think you'll be suprised at all the "whose who" of dressage in CA.

FancyFree

Apr. 23, 2009, 12:08 PM

Yes FriesianX is right. More information. I'm in San Diego. There are quite a few fantastic trainers in my area.

Dressage Art

Apr. 23, 2009, 12:18 PM

Anywhere is fine but they should be really well known.
Ditto Steffen Peters. He just won the 2009 World Cup, so he is "really well known".

chipkalee

Apr. 23, 2009, 12:55 PM

So where is Rachel Saavedra located?

Lambie Boat

Apr. 23, 2009, 01:02 PM

do you have the google? :)

jenm

Apr. 23, 2009, 01:26 PM

So where is Rachel Saavedra located?

She's at Leap of Faith Farms in Walnut Creek:

http://leapoffaithfarms.com/page/1ht85/Training/Dressage.html

chipkalee

Apr. 23, 2009, 01:33 PM

thank you :)

FriesianX

Apr. 23, 2009, 04:31 PM

Ditto Steffen Peters. He just won the 2009 World Cup, so he is "really well known".

:lol::lol::lol: I guess so :lol:

Here are a few other "well known" folks... Guenter Seidel. Charlotte Bredahl. Lilo Fore. Hilda Gurney. Sandy Howard. Kathleen Raine. See the problem with asking about CA? We don't even know where to start, there are so many TOP quality trainers.

Honestly, pick up a copy of the CDS Roster and start flipping through it :yes:

Ambrey

Apr. 23, 2009, 04:47 PM

Or just go to the site :)

http://www.california-dressage.org/html/trainer_listing.htm

Sebastian

Apr. 23, 2009, 05:03 PM

Yeah, Hilda Gurney is in Moorpark -- and I'm a huge fan of one of her assistants, Lehua.

Seb :)

horsechica58

Apr. 23, 2009, 05:58 PM

goodpony

Apr. 23, 2009, 06:35 PM

I second Micheal Etherly. Exceptionally Talented Trainer.

FriesianX

Apr. 23, 2009, 09:45 PM

Michael Etherly- I am a HUGE fan. Cannot say enough good things about him with regards to training, riding, clinicing, etc. He is a great person and an incredible rider. :D

http://www.michaeletherly.com/

And I'll also mention Sandy Savage..I have done some clinics with her and she is also a beautiful rider :) She has brought her gelding Wocelli up the levels and they are an amazing pair :yes:

http://www.sandysavage.com/

Both wonderful trainers too! Again, give us some hints on budget, level of training, etc. And perhaps the part of CA you'd like to be near - SoCal, Central Valley, Central Coast, San Diego, Bay Area, etc.

houserabbitz

Apr. 23, 2009, 10:06 PM

Rachel Saaverdra is really wonderful. Last I spoke with her she was taking young horses (this was last year), but only if she could show and campaign the horse as well, which is great if you want your horse to get show miles. I also like Heather Robertson (also at Leap of Faith), and Michael Etherly, as many others mentioned.

SBrentnall

Apr. 24, 2009, 02:28 AM

I ride with David Blake, and he's wonderful. He's mentored by Steffen Peters, and he specializes in young horses. He represented the US at Verden in 2007, and also won the US 6-yr old champs in 2006. You can check out his website at www.davidblakedressage.com

In S. Cal, we also have Steffen Peters, Guenther Siedel, Elizabeth Ball, Jan Ebeling, Marisa Festerling, Marie Meyers, and many more.

What are you looking for in a trainer? Do you want your horse started and taken to a certain level so you can continue? Do you want training for sale? Do you want him competed? If you can giv more info, people can probably help you narrow down your choices.

FleetwoodStarr

Apr. 25, 2009, 10:29 PM

There is also Elizabeth Hendrix.

faluut42

Apr. 26, 2009, 02:00 AM

I 3rd Michael Etherly!

winsmorefarm

Apr. 26, 2009, 02:11 AM

Liz Hendrix is very, very good with horses and she also works with Stephan Peters. I don't believe Lilo is riding horses any more, but I believe that she gives lessons. There is also Gerhardt Politz in S. Cal. too - but I'm not sure what he is currently up to.

honeylips

Apr. 26, 2009, 01:05 PM

Liz Hendrix is excellent and I can't recommend her enough. She campaigned my mare Donna Novella the last 2 years and took her well up the High Performance FEI rankings.
She is now training and showing a world class young horse I have (he is coming 4 in June). She really knows how to take a horse from green to FEI with NO HOLES in the training. She is a master at connection issues as well.

At Liz's barn we get Steffen Peters every other month, George Williams (every 3-4 months and he is here this weekend!!) and she also trains regularly with Sue Blinks (whom she has worked with for over 10 years). Liz was also with Lendon Gray for many years as well and with Conrad Schumacher in Germany. So we have no shortage of world class opportunities at Liz's barn.

Lambie Boat

Apr. 26, 2009, 02:41 PM

Leslie Webb!

Carol O

Apr. 26, 2009, 07:47 PM

Charles Pinneo

JLR1

Apr. 27, 2009, 08:13 PM

Can I just say how jealous I am of you lucky people living in the Dressage Mecca!!!

FleetwoodStarr

Apr. 28, 2009, 02:39 AM

If it makes you feel any better JLR1- by the time you factor in how huge california is, having a lot of great trainers in the state becomes irrevelent for anything but bragging rights and sending a horse off (provided one has the money of course).

To original post- you could also see if Jennifer Roth is taking horses in for training.

f4leggin

Apr. 28, 2009, 08:33 AM

I am a big fan of Karen Ball - but then again she rides my GP horse. She is in south Orange County. She has a long list of horses she has started or trained from lower levels who are sucessful.

This is her riding Luciano at the WC as a test ride - she has brought him up the levels in CA - I sent her to him when he was 4.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7-c1i0_r68g

Jill

chipkalee

Apr. 28, 2009, 02:10 PM

That's one of the worst piaffes I've ever seen. Shameful to see that was at the world cup.:no:

Release First

Apr. 28, 2009, 02:29 PM

That's one of the worst piaffes I've ever seen. Shameful to see that was at the world cup.:no:

WOW, that was unnecessary and off topic.

chipkalee

Apr. 28, 2009, 03:04 PM

WOW, that was unnecessary and off topic.

No. The YouTube video was posted here and I commented on it. This is a dressage forum.

f4leggin

Apr. 28, 2009, 11:36 PM

The ride was a test ride to allow the judges, technicians etc get ready for the real riders.

I'm so sorry you made that comment...

Jill

Sabine

Apr. 29, 2009, 01:25 AM

That's one of the worst piaffes I've ever seen. Shameful to see that was at the world cup.:no:

WOW- very harsh and rude and disrespectful...show us your great Piaffe then- and make sure you pull it out in front of a large crowd. Very rude- unnecessary and hurtful to Kari- she's a very good trainer and worked incredibly hard for her horses and clients...California won the YR trophy- because of her work and teaching (of course she has very talented young students ...).

no bueno- lets keep that nastyness away from here...the world and the economy and other threats are bad enough...let's be more tactful and recognize the incredible hard work that goes into all of this...while we all stand at the sidelines, watching and getting fat!

Pommederue

Apr. 29, 2009, 02:16 AM

WOW- very harsh and rude and disrespectful...show us your great Piaffe then- and make sure you pull it out in front of a large crowd. Very rude- unnecessary and hurtful to Kari- she's a very good trainer and worked incredibly hard for her horses and clients...California won the YR trophy- because of her work and teaching (of course she has very talented young students ...).

no bueno- lets keep that nastyness away from here...the world and the economy and other threats are bad enough...let's be more tactful and recognize the incredible hard work that goes into all of this...while we all stand at the sidelines, watching and getting fat!

ditto!