Curly Standard Place - owned and operated by Shelly White

Curly Dressage

*Sandman's Magic "halt salute!"

Dressage - by definition - means "training" and it is continued training, work and discipline that allows a horse/rider team to attain the higher levels of Dressage and the harmony and partnership that is Dressage.

Here at the Curly Standard Place, the main focus for our horses is Dressage. In reality, any horse can do Dressage and in fact any horse will benefit from the suppling, bending, lifting that it teaches. It is a challenging and rewarding sport and it is one that requires a lot of work and training on the part of both the rider and the horse. We hope to progress and improve as time goes on...we do love the sport and all that it means for a horse/rider team.

Here on this page are some photos of us and our horses as we travel the road towards harmony with our horses. It is a journey and one that we enjoy thoroughly!

There are many levels of Dressage from "entry" level tests which only require the rider to walk and trot their horse. The next level is called "Training" and the horse is required to canter in these tests. Next are numbered levels One through Four with each level having four different tests of increasing difficulty. After that are the higher levels and also "freestyle", these tests are ridden to music - beautiful! If you are interested in Dressage and learning more about it, here are a few links of interest to peruse.

Dressage Canada.

Curly Sporthorse International.

Sum R Canadian

This is Sum R Canadian- she is not a Curly, but she is the dam to two of our Curly horses that will be very suitable for dressage. In this picture she is ridden by our neighbour and local coach/trainer Katia Heines.

Sum R Canadian's offspring are:

*Sirton Magic, aka *Tony, a 2006 tall gelding - will mature to approximately 15.2 - 16.0 hh.
and
*Sum R Son, aka *Sonny, he is a full brother to *Tony and he will be just as big as *Tony, perhaps a little taller as he is already bigger as a foal.

Anastasia and *Cuervo "halt salute!"

Here is a picture of Anastasia and her horse *Cuervo a few years ago doing the required "halt salute" that is done at the beginning and end of the Dressage test. This is to show your respect and appreciation for the Dressage Judge who will be doing your test evaluation.

Anastasia and *Cuervo "free walk"

Here is another required element of a Dressage test - the horse is required to walk freely forward demonstrating a forward, reaching "free walk".

Anastasia and *Cuervo "canter"

Anastasia and *Cuervo on a Dressage training day doing a Training Level test - required canter.

*Cuervo

This is a picture of *Cuervo - again at a Dressage "training day". With very few exceptions, horses doing Dressage are supposed to be braided or clipped - this is done for a reason - it allows the Judge to see the neck shape, muscling and way of going without the mane in the way.

On the other hand, Curlies are supposed to be shown without clipping or trimming their manes, so we usually compromise - when we are at a training day we leave them au natural and when we are at a proper show we either clip and braid or we roach the manes off - all of which is acceptable.

This picture was taken on a training day - it is a very beautiful photo of *Cuervo, obedient and soft on the bit, so I am including it here.

Shelly and *Sandman "canter"

2007 Dressage show in Vernon. This was a First Level Test, test one.

Anastasia and *Sandman's Magic "warm-up"

Anastasia is now 18 years old and that means she is old enough to be showing our stallion *Sandman's Magic in the Dressage ring. I am incredibly proud of my daughter - both for her skill as an equestrian, her desire to show, her confidence to show a stallion and above all her ability to overcome her extreme allergies to regular horses. Of course she is not allergic to our Curlies, but these events are all held at regular horse venues and it is a huge strain on her physically to accomplish as much as she does.

Anastasia and *Sandman's Magic showing "training level"

Anastasia and *Sandman showing Training Level at Kelowna April, 2008.

Shelly and *Spar's Barefoot Contessa

Here is our own daughter of *Spartacus, he is a well known Curly Dressage Stallion and the sire of many talented Dressage horses, here is *Spar's Barefoot Contessa. Here she is doing an entry level test, her first year of showing Dressage, Kelowna, April 2008.

We are so lucky to have this horse!

*Tessa is very nicely suited for Dressage - she is well conformed, she is athletic and forward moving and she is a willing participant in the training process.

*Spar Larka

Here is a picture of *Spar Larka, she is not one of our horses, but she is half sister to *Spar's Barefoot Contessa, pictured above (same sire *Spartacus). This is an excellent example of a horse doing higher level dressage - she has competed to 3rd level.

*Spar Larka is offered for sale to a competition home - for details please contact her owner Sandy Hendrickson.

We also have a few Sporthorse prospects that will be well suited for Dressage, they are:

*Sheila Sister Act.

*My New Flame.

*Sirton Magic. SOLD!

*Sharlotte's Webster. SOLD!

*Sum R Son.

*Sandman's True Colours. SOLD!

*Sand Runner.

*Captain Cruiser.

*Crystal Bloom.

*Sundancer.