Happy Thanksgiving!

I am thankful to God for all my teammates, coaches, supporters, friends and family!

Jessica Ransehousen

Jessica Ransehousen needs no introduction. Anyone with any interest in dressage knows she is an American icon for the dressage world. She is Missy's mom (our team coach). When Missy was away, she would give me lessons each day. When Missy was teaching me, she was also often present, giving her advise as well. They both complement each other in their styles of teaching. Missy sees the very fine details. Jessica sees the whole picture. Together, it is awesome. It was and is an honor and a privilege to learn from two such greats in the sport. Thank you, Jessica! I plan on many such more lessons with both of you.

Copy and paste the following link in your browser to find their website and read more about Jessica Ransehousen.

http://bluehillfarmpa.com/Pages/Jessica.html

Missy Ransehousen

Missy Ransehousen is our national team Para coach and I had the honor of training with her on a daily basis from the end of July until the 2010 WEG. Below is an account of some of her history - taken from the Blue Hill Farm website. You can find that website at: http://www.bluehillfarmpa.com/index.html


"Missy established herself as an outstanding rider early in her career. As a Young Rider, she brought home the Gold Medal from the 1988 Young Rider Championships, where she was also awarded the Good Sportsmanship Award. She received the Markham Trophy, USET's Highest Placed Young Rider at Fair Hill CDI*** in 1989 and continued to focus on her riding career in 1995 as a member of the Three Day Event Team for the Pan American Games in Buenos Aires, Argentina. There the Team won the Silver Medal.

Since then Missy has continued to build upon her own career and has developed a strong training program with a barn full of dedicated clients & students.

BG at Rolex 08 Her current competitive partners are Carlingford's Taldi and Critical Decision, otherwise known as BG(Big Guy), who has successfully competed in France, England & brought home a 3rd place prize from Rolex in 2008. B.G can also be seen in the dressage ring competing at 3rd & 4th level and in February 2009 he was high score 3rd Level at the Palm Beach Dressage Derby! In 2010 he returned again to achieve High Score at 3rd Level and won his 4th Level II class as well! He is a multi-talented horse who is the 2009 Silver Stirrup National Award Champion for Advanced Level 3 Day & 3rd Level Dressage.

In addition to being a successful competitor, Missy excels in the training and coaching fields. Student after student can attest to her commitment to give back to the sport she loves. Just ask any member of the United States Paralympics Team! Missy has been the team’s devoted coach for the last three Olympics, even setting aside her own Beijing Olympic Team bid to honor her commitment to the Paralympics squad.

Missy was selected as the coach for the 2000 Paralympics Team in Sydney and continues to serve as their dedicated coach. She coached the US Para Team to first place at the Pacific Rim Championships in 2006, served as Olympic coach for Athens in 2001, as well as the 2004 and 2008 Olympic Games."

Thank you, Missy, for your many hours of patient instructions. I hope to do better and better under your careful tutelage.

Jean Thornton

I met Jean Thornton in my search for a horse after Radical died. My search led me to Conversano II Aloha II, a 21 year old GP Lipizzan stallion. Jean has graciously given me two lessons on "Lou" when I was in the Daytona, FL area. I am hoping to go back and look at Lou soon to see if we might be potential partners - IF I can find some sponsorship. Jean is a very good coach with a very good eye. I was honored she took time out of her schedule to teach me. You can read more about her at: www.palominowarmbloods.com

Thank you, Jean, for taking the time to teach me on your awesome Lou. I do hope to be back one day soon.

Dawn Jensen

I met Dawn in Columbia while Radical was being used at Claudia Garner's as a vaulting horse/working student judge (inside joke). I found her lessons to be spot on, even though I was practically drooling from my injury, and have been taking lessons from her ever since, albeit it quite intermittently.

Dawn is a USDF Silver and Bronze Medalist, she is a Balimo Graduate Instructor and is now Director of Curriculum for Balimo, she is a FN Trainer B trained in Germany, and is a German Silver and Bronze Medalist.

I continue to take lessons from Dawn when I can make it to her area, (which is not very often at all, unfortunately). I consider her a friend and a great instructor with alot of knowledge and a wonderful eye.

You can find her at: www.thecomepletesporthorse.com

Thank you, Dawn, for your continued friendship and help along the way - even if I still drool occasionally.

Claudia Garner

In 2001, I was injured after falling off a horse. Long story short, the diagnosis ended up being brainstem/cerebellar injury with C1C2 cord atrophy. Not long after my injury, I sent my horse up to Columbia,SC to board with Claudia Garner. She owned a dressage barn, is licensed in her native Germany as a trainer and instructor (Bereiter FN) and as a judge for horse shows in all disciplines. At that time, she was having working students come and work for her, so I knew my horse would have some work to do while I did the work of relearning - well - everything. You can read more about her at: www.equinesoundness.com

In 2003, two years after my injury, I decided it was time to get back up on my horse. I got myself into his stall, hauled myself up onto his hay manger, and wriggled and struggled to get my body onto him. He was an angel and stood perfectly still without halter or lead rope. When I finally told someone I had gotten back on Radical, of course, everyone was horrified that I had done it alone. With no halter and bridle. In the stall. Claudia, who had been using Radical as a vaulting horse, decided to start putting me back on Radical while she lounged him with the vaulting surcincle on him. I would drive everyone crazy by forgetting to hold on as he trotted and cantered. I'm sure, with my lack of balance, looking back now, that I caused many a heart attack. But Claudia was patient(well, most of the time ;) ), and I did start getting my seat back.

I don't have any pictures of me and Radical at Claudia's - or of Claudia herself. But above is a picture of Dawn Jensen riding Radical as a 3 1/2 year old in Claudia's indoor arena (Dawn was a trainer there for a period of time - more about her in another post).

A huge thank you to Claudia for your many, patient hours of getting me back in the saddle and starting to get the feel of a horse again!