We are celebrating the honorable Holsteiner as our March Breed of the Month on YourDressage!
Did you know that dressage riders who choose a Holsteiner as their dressage mount are eligible for special awards through the Adequan®/USDF All-Breeds Awards program, as the Holsteiner Verband-North American Breeding District is a participating organization?
Here, a Young Rider from Region 2 tells the story of how she fell in love with a Holsteiner eventing prospect. In their event training, the pair discovered a newfound love for fancy flatwork, kicking off their competitive dressage careers and earning them a spot at the 2023 Great American Insurance Group/USDF Region 2 Dressage Championships.
By Kelsie Goodare
In September of 2022, I met Carl (Carli 13) in North Carolina while looking for my next eventing partner. I had traveled down from Michigan, wholeheartedly believing that I would buy the first horse we were going to see, a young English Thoroughbred who had competed up to Training level in eventing. The day we got there, we went straight to the first horse’s barn and rode him. I got on, took him around a few jumps, and flatted him a bit. He was a wonderful horse, and the people who had brought him up did a fantastic job with him, but I didn’t feel like he was the horse for me. So, slightly defeated, we headed to another barn where my friend was a working student at the time. She said that there was a horse named Carl, and the rider she was working for was thinking about selling him. We decided it would be worth it just to go and sit on him to see another type of horse. When we got to the barn, Carl was standing in the crossties, watching everyone with curious eyes. The woman showing him to us got on before me and rode him around, then I got on him. We walked around, and I instantly felt comfortable. The rest of Carl’s test ride was like a dream; I instantly felt like he was the perfect horse for me. He gave me the most confidence I have ever had on a horse, even on just the first ride. A month later, he was on his way up to Michigan to his new home with us.
Carl and I spent the winter getting to know each other and working towards our first season together. By the time spring came along, we were fairly used to each other and ready to get out and start our season. This season, my dressage trainer said it would be fun to attend some USDF-recognized shows and try to qualify for the 2023 Great American Insurance Group/USDF Regional Dressage Championships. I had only attended local dressage shows, so the idea of going to a proper USDF show was exciting. We had only done two events early in the season in order to qualify for the American Eventing Championships (AECs) in August, so we had not gotten out much yet. Still, I had scored my best dressage scores in an eventing test – a 30.1 (69.9%) and 26.4 (73.6%) – and I couldn’t have been happier. Eventually, we made our way to our first USDF-recognized show. Carl and I signed up for First Level Test Three, which I had only run through two times in my entire life. We scored a 71%, which I was not expecting at all, and I was over the moon. After attending two more USDF shows, Carl and I had earned three qualifying scores for Regionals. I was so excited.
While we attended some dressage shows, we also went to different USEA events in order to qualify for AECs at the Beginner Novice level. I had only done a handful of Beginner Novices before, but Carl made it feel easy. Before I knew it, we were packed up and headed to the Kentucky Horse Park for the 2023 AECs. It was my first time ever going, and I have never been so nervous for a show. Not only were the courses harder, but the divisions were also three times bigger than what they were at the events I had been to. I was not expecting any amazing results; my main focus was just to have fun and see how Carl would handle such a big show atmosphere.
Carl was an absolute saint the entire weekend, which allowed me to focus more on myself and make sure that I didn’t screw up. In dressage, we earned the best score of the weekend with a 23.0 (77%), which was an absolute dream come true. Then, to top off the weekend, Carl carried me to first place in the Beginner Novice Junior/Young Rider division. He taught me so much that weekend, mostly how to have fun and enjoy what you are doing without stressing about the small things that could go wrong. After AECs, we were on our way to the Great American Insurance Group/USDF Region 2 Dressage Championships at Lamplight Equestrian Center.
Going to a huge USDF dressage show was like visiting a whole different planet, especially after going to one of the biggest eventing shows just weeks prior. But Carl took it in stride like he had been doing it his whole life. The second day we were there, we rode a practice test and scored a 69% in the First Level Test Three, which I was thrilled about. Carl had felt so good that day and went through the test with ease. Then, on the third day, we had our Championship test for First Level. I felt incredibly nervous and was ready to just get it over with. In the warm-up, Carl felt a bit on his toes and was spooking at everything. That is the one thing about him; he will spot a leaf moving a mile away and think it is going to chase after him. I had decided that the test was going to be horrible. We walked into the arena and started to go around the ring, waiting for the judge to ring the bell. I passed by the judge’s booth twice so that Carl could see the judge sitting in it. Then the bell rang, and I was inside the ring. The entire time, I felt like I kept making constant mistakes and was riding like a sack of potatoes. Carl, however, did not seem bothered by it. He was the most focused he had ever been during that test, and it helped me cool my nerves. We finally finished the test, and I was so happy it was over; I thought we would have gotten maybe a 67%, considering the lack of riding there was on my part. But when the scores came in, we had gotten a 71% and were leading our division. I was overjoyed and could not believe we actually did it. The entire weekend was like a dream, and I was so grateful to be there.
When we bought Carl, I thought that I would solely be doing eventing because that is what I wanted to do. But, he showed me that flat work is not only the most crucial part of riding, but can also be so much fun. Carl has opened a door to the dressage world for me and has made me so excited to learn new things about dressage. He is the most forgiving and honest horse I have ever known, and I owe any and all of my successes to him. He has made me the rider I am today, and I continue to learn from him every time I am with him: how to ride a better line to a jump, how to properly gain collection, how to be a better rider, owner, and teammate. Carl has also made me fall in love with the Holsteiner breed. They are such an amazing breed and are so versatile; anyone looking for their next partner should absolutely look for a Holsteiner, regardless of what discipline you do.
