I have been a wannabe rider as long as I can remember and my dream since I can recall was to HAVE horses. I used to draw horses, make horses out of snow when I was four, shape them out of clothes pegs and dream horses. This dream finally was partially realized when my two daughters were interested in taking riding lessons. I drove them to their lessons, participated in cheering them on, helped purchase two horses and in general supported them. Since I was also busy with their two younger brothers and their sports, I still had to stand in the shadows of the field of horses. My dream of participation started to finally come to fruition with my oldest daughter’s waning interest in her horse. She was ready to graduate from high school; her after school job kept her away from home; and the high school rowing team became her higher priorities. I “took” over my younger daughter’s horse and my younger daughter continued with the younger horse that she and her sister had purchased. I still had the task of driving and supporting my younger daughter when she went to lessons and competitions but at least I had a “body” to take out for an occasional trail ride (the boys still required my time quite a bit).

Finally about three and a half years ago, I was able to start taking actual dressage lessons and start it right with one of the best instructors on Vancouver Island. I continued with lessons about once a month to twice a month and with virtually no lessons during the bad weather in the winter. Slowly I was starting to get my balance and confidence on our great matriarch mare. She has helped teach me during this journey. In turn I have been able to start bringing her to proper form too as the lessons that were provided with a couple of the previous instructors that my daughters had, caused this poor mare to go around with her head up and back hollow. My greatest accomplishment was to finally attend one of my first dressage shows last August and compete in walk/trot. I came out with a fairly low score but individual marks were not less than 5’s. In October, I have now “graduated” to lessons with a fantastic local dressage trainer weekly. This consistency has progressed from walk/trot to training level tests 1 & 2 and in a couple of the recent local schooling shows thus far I am consistently getting 5’s and 6’s and sometimes one or two 7’s in the tests. This summer I expect to be competing training level tests 1 & 2 and by the end of the summer hope to compete training level tests 3 & 4. During the weekly lessons I am practicing up to first level since my goal is to attend the next BC Senior Games that I can compete in. I am currently 51 and in four years I will qualify for the games. My current senior mare will have me trained up so that I can continue the training of my three year old paint filly who I expect will be ready to compete in those games with me.

A great saddle will certainly help me with my program as it will help put me into the proper position. I have a back issue with my L4/L5 vertebra which has resulted in me walking hunched over for several years until my front thigh muscles have pulled me forward. Having a proper saddle and being very conscious with my position to have the proper ear/shoulder/thigh/ankle alignment can only help achieve my goals. Yoga has taught me balance so that I am using both sides of my body evenly. Having a Laser Dressage 100 saddle that sits on the horse and keeps them comfortable with increased mobility will also allow for less restriction of movement thus resulting in total success for the properly balanced rider and mount. As this is an adjustable saddle, I will be able to use it on our five year old paint mare who will help me become more adaptable to different horses. As the three year old gets older by the end of the year I will be able to use this saddle on her too. I am still very green but I expect that I will start to learn more with each of the competitions that I attend.

I have been a member of both of our local horse clubs: the Sooke Saddle Club (SSC) and the Metchosin Equestrian Society (MES). I am secretary for the SSC and volunteer in the various events that we provide. Personally I organize the SSC Dressage Show and Tell every year. This will be the third year. What this event is, is a “schooling show” where the participant rides a test and is scored by the judge. The judge then provides a critique and discusses the test with the rider. After the critique they will provide a “mini” lesson and go over the major issues discovered during the test ride (about ten minutes). After this lesson, the rider will ride the same test again to see if they have improved their score by the suggestions of the judge/coach. I have also become a member of the two clubs that provide the dressage shows (LIEC and CADORA Saanich). They require volunteer time when you have registered for their shows. I also provide a venue for our ladies’ Wednesday horse dvd/video nights. We watch horse dvds/videos every week. They could very well be part of the Happy Horse dvds by Jane Savoie, Walter Zettl boxed set, Sylvia Loch, Reiner Klimke, some military riding tapes from the 1930’s, documentaries, jumper videos, Parelli videos, olympic and other competion, and a variety of many others. I participate in various online forums and subscribe to various physical horse themed magazines. Our group of women discusses it all.

Basically I will continue to promote riding horses properly and humanely and starting with the basics as I have personally seen the benefits.
(We have about 10 rounds of Himalayan Salt in the tackroom waiting to be eaten. My horses love them.)

I am turning 16 this June and I started riding when I was just 7 years old. I had a lot of self confidence and trust issues when I was younger, after I started riding my life turned for the better. I learned to trust my horse and through that bond I learned to trust others and to trust myself. When I was 13 my grandma blessed me with the gift of a 9 year old quarter horse gelding named Conan. He soon became my teacher, best friend and more. He not only taught me the lessons of riding but the lessons of life as well. He was a western trained horse when I got him, and I like many of the girls at the barn wanted to be a hunter. So we worked hard at getting him to jump. After 2 years of hard falls and a lot of tears we realized that wasn’t what either of us was meant to do. So I took my western quarter horse and asked my instructor (who rode dressage) if she would give us some dressage lessons. She smiled at me as if to say “I knew this is what you should be doing all along”. And so our dressage lessons began, and I fell in love.
After a while of lessons and hard work and training for my horse my coach asked me if I wanted to go to a dressage show, I thought why not what’s stopping us. After telling some girls at the barn about my future endeavours in showing dressage I was both surprised and saddened by the remarks. “She’s doing dressage with that Quarter Horse what is she thinking she’s going to embarrass herself, he’s fat, 15’3 and a QUARTER HORSE, they have no chance against those warm bloods”. I called my coach and told her I didn’t want to go as I was too nervous, the day before the show I went to the barn and greeted Conan as usual with a carrot. As I was about to walk out the stall he nickered to me and I turned back, I looked him in the eyes and realized what I had just done. I had done what kids had done to me all of my life, not gone through with things because I was to heavy or to ugly or not like all the other girls, listening to what other people thought about me and limiting myself because of it, I was limiting what my amazing horse could do because of his breed. I have now been showing this quarter horse right now just training level but we have had amazing rides at every show and even ribbons including Champions!! He has surprised not only me but everyone at that barn, he has come leaps and bounds from being on the forehand to moving from behind from circular turns to square turns and from not knowing what a leg yield was to doing them across the ring!
My goal is to one day ride in the Olympics, I know it probably won’t be with my quarter horse because of his age and ability to learn certain moves, but right now I am content advancing with him and kicking all of the warm bloods butts  The way I am currently giving back to the equestrian community in a small way and would like to make my message even bigger to the community is as follows.
I want youth and even adults everywhere to know that they have no limits when it comes to following their dreams, that no matter what background you are or size you are you can do anything. No one should limit you or your horse and you shouldn’t either. Riding is a gift and horses are truly angels without wings. My horse has taught me more than anyone in the world and he continues to every day.
A new saddle would help us both so that we can perform at the best of our abilities. Not only should I be able to ride in comfort but more importantly my horse should always be comfortable excpecially in the show ring. My nana also rides horses and loves Conan with all her heart, she is getting older and I don’t want her to have to worry about buying saddles etc, i want her to be able to ride as well in a comfortable saddle.

Thank You for this opportunity and if anything it was nice to share my story,

Ashley Duarte-Devlin

Since I am focused solely on the art of training the horse and not in competition per se, my goals are somewhat different. My horse, Reglisse, is in training for the haute ecole and eventually will demonstrate both inhand and under rider, the airs above the ground. Also, the mission of The Cavalier is to bring back the artistry of the high school from all around the world by interviewing and learning from all the Masters of the Classical Method.

The Cavalier will be able to feature the Laser Saddle to an International Readership in my training and riding demonstrations with my Iberian horse Reglisse, as he, too, becomes an International star and an ambassador for the beauty of Classical Riding Method.

Riding, Training and Competing Goals: My goal as a rider is to become a top FEI level Grand Prix competitor. My goal as a trainer is to start and train young dressage horses with kindness and care, successfully developing and preparing them for the rigors of FEI-level competition. I have experience with starting and training quite a few horses to training and first level. I currently train with FEI-level trainers and am learning everything I can to improve my skills. I am looking for sponsors to help me move forward with my competition goals.

Why a Great Saddle Will Help My Riding Program: I ride a minimum of three, and sometimes as many as ten horses each day. I ride in a treeless dressage saddle, which is fine with so many horses to train, especially since they’re all going at lower levels. However, now that I am working on increased collection and more demanding movements with my second level horse, I find that I need more support and stability than my trusty old treeless saddle can give me. The laser dressage saddle looks like the perfect combination of contact and support that will enable us to progress up the levels. I am confident that my competition horse and I will dramatically improve our performance with a saddle like the Laser Dressage saddle in your sponsorship program. My mare is something of a princess, so I have a feeling that switching to your premium horse salt would make her feel very special too!

How I Give Back To the Equine/Equestrian World: Right now, I give back to the equine world by training very young horses from birth until they are going under saddle in a way that makes them well-equipped for a life among humans. I believe that a happy, willing horse who has never suffered mistreatment and is thoroughly prepared to do the things that a show horse is required to do, has the best chance of enjoying a good life in partnership with humans. I also rescue horses retiring from the racetrack, teach them a new career, and place them in good “forever” homes when they’re ready. As mentioned above, I take on the training of problem horses that need a “turnaround” in order to be successful companions for their owners. One of my next projects will be to adopt and train a BLM mustang. I believe that the American Mustang has much to offer as a riding horse and a companion for humans. I hope to increase the awareness and acceptance of Mustangs among horse people on the East Coast, where very few people adopt them. Over the longer term, I hope to develop more leadership skills while I gain more experience as a trainer and competitor, so that I may be a mentor (and someday a sponsor) to other young people who are coming along in the horse world.

I am fairly active on facebook and twitter, but I don’t currently have a blog about my training and competition activities. I would be delighted to blog about my activities on your website. I have much to learn about the art of self-promotion, so you will find me an eager student, and I will be thankful to have an online presence! I would also be happy to display your logo on my show gear, which travels with me all around the mid-Atlantic region, and include a mention of your sponsorship in my display advertising (I don’t have a website, either — yet). Thank you very much for considering me for the saddle sponsorship.

Domenique “Nicki” Carson
Flying Chesterfield Farm

My goal for this years is to compete is some dressages tests in the area. However, without a properly fitted saddle it has been increasing difficult. After I finish with D and she is going solid I would like to turn this into a project where I can rehome several horses that in the beginning had no usable skills and turn them into productive members of the equine world. I cannot solve all of the unwanted horse problem but if I can help 2 or 3 in a year, that would be a start.

Right now I ride in a Thorogood Synthetic dressage saddle. And to tell you the truth it’s not the most attractive saddles their is. I really don’t feel that comfortable in it and I don’t trust it because it’s synthetic, the other day one of my billets fell off!!! My horse is getting saddle sores and I try to do everything I can, but I can’t really afford a lot. I have basically almost had to sell my horse twice because I couldn’t afford him. Now I have to get a new saddle.I hate riding in my saddle because it ruins my position. My problem is that since I have gotten my saddles which was 2 years ago, I have started to have problems with my legs my back neck… well everything from the waist up. I have gone to a specialist dealing with riders and said that the support of the saddle is causing problem for the waist up. Because of my saddle I have had to take up to 3 months off. Which was really hard for me to do. I know that it is just my saddle because I always rides my friends horse and I have almost perfect position in her saddle and I have no pain after I ride. Why I deserve this saddle… because I think I have earned it. I have been riding for 7 years in used, falling apart saddles. I am sick of all my friends getting these perfect saddles, and I think it’s my turn to get the perfect saddle. I know that a new saddle will improve my posture and hopefully I won’t be riding in my dangerous saddle anymore. And that my horse will be happy, and not get injured when I ride him. I know that my coach would be happy for me to get a new saddle.

I have volunteered to set up, tear down at horse shows during the summer. I have helped fix a dressage barn that was falling apart, including building 22 new stalls, in which all of them are filled now. I haven’t really done a lot for the equestrian world, but I getting into volunteering a lot. I help find horse homes. The 6 year old barrel racer that I am training was involved in a very bad accident. He had his two tendons on is front legs completely ripped off the bone. His owner wanted to put him down. My vet took him and fixed him then was looking for a new home for him, then I decide to take him, he didn’t trust people at all. It took me awhile to gain his trust but I got it. He is as sound as a rock and doing great at dressage. We have are hard times but we get threw them. When I am in his pasture he stand behind me, he follows me like he knows I am going to protect him and that he knows no one is going to hurt him. I just love giving my time to horses with problems like my barrel racer turned dressage horse, Fritz. My other horse Quincey was abused and I bought him because of that. I wanted to help him. He was up for sale for 3 years because he attacked people but I got through to him and know he is the best dressage horse i have ever owned. But I just want to help those equines who have been troubled like I did with Fritz and Quincey.