# Okay...more horse stuff :)



## HoosierShadow (Apr 20, 2010)

I am trying to sort things on my laptop, and just uploaded some pics I took on
Oct 1st from the World Equestrian Games -- Dressage Freestyle.

With Freestyle, the rider has to select their own music, and movements - BUT -they have to do all of the required movements and score is given by music selection, and ease and gracefulness of each movement. Basically you want to look like a statue in the saddle while your horse goes with every command swiftly - without any hesitation.

This was my first time ever photographing an event under the lights. It was one of the highlights of the World Games for me - the arena was sold out, and these were the best Dressage horses in the world.

Fuego XII and Juan Manuel Munoz Diaz from Spain were probably by far the fan favorite of the night. They finished 5th, but again I think if the audience were to vote they would have placed first or second. The crowd booed when they didn't finish better, but still to be in 5th place in the World Games? wow 

I will NEVER grow tired of watching this horse...


















Flying Lead Change 


















The crowds applause after the riders salute caught Fuego by surprise!


















If anyone is interested, here's a video on youtube, I think it's in German <hehe>, but it's the best video I can find. 
This horse was just so exciting...




1:56 into the video if you look directly across from the letter 'H' you'll see the yellow Ariat sign and a black box behind it <speaker that is covered>, that's where I was standing 

It may get a little slow between 3 minutes and 5:35, but definitely check out from the 5:39 mark, sooo awesome and no the audience normally does not applause during a performance!

The best Dressage horse in the world's name is Moorland's Totilas. I believe he has scored the highest score ever recorded by a Dressage horse.
He's a stunning black stallion. His performance wasn't as 'exciting' IMO as Fuego, but it was still amazing to see this horse moving with perfection and ease. He is from the Netherlands














































Isabel Werth and Warum Nicht FRH from Germany


















Imke Schellekens-Bartels and Hunter Douglas Sunrise from the Netherlands



























Marcela Krinke Susmeli and Corinth from SUI
I am a sucker for these flashy bays...



























And of course..... TEAM USA 
Steffen Peters and Ravel finished....3RD! Unfortunately I wasn't able to get a lot of great pics because the extended trot and my other favorite photographic moves were in the wrong place for me to photograph.





































Ravel and his groom. Everyone else was at the awards ceremony and only me and another photographer I was working with got this pic 









Here's my attempt at being artsy...hehe... this was done over with a midnight sephia glow...one of my very favorite actions in photoshop 
Peter Gmoser and Cointreau









Hope I didn't bore you all! I wanted to share these so they don't get pushed aside! Besides my kids are still up <snow day tomorrow>, so they are ruling the tv! hehe!


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## lissablack (Nov 30, 2009)

I totally love seeing your photos. I know nothing about horses, but I really love the pictures you take and post. Thank you so much for sharing them. They are such gorgeous animals, and your photos show them off so well.

Jan


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## KW Farms (Jun 21, 2008)

Absolutely gorgeous. You take some amazing photos. I love the photo of Ravel and his groom...the extended trot photos are probably my favorites though. I'm not much of a dressage person, but it is truly amazing watching some of these horses perform. Very cool! Thanks for sharing!


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## TinyHoovesRanch (Jan 16, 2010)

SOOOOO SOOOOO SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO pretty


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

Beautiful............ :thumb:


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## mommaB (Oct 1, 2009)

Soooooo awesome!! Thanks for sharing! That's the stuff I used to DREAM about as a little girl!  Now I'm just a western bumpkin! That's ok with me though!


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## Hush Hills Fainters (Oct 27, 2010)

You are sooooo lucky to be able to see all these beautiful horses....OHHHH MY!!! I was lucky enough one time to be able to go to a Lipizzan Stallion show. Keep the photos coming....they make me smile.


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## Epona142 (May 26, 2008)

So nice to see so many pictures with the horse on the vertical and NOT behind it, or cranked in rollkur. Or riders leaning way back with a deathgrip on the reins.

I'm so jealous of you! Thank you so much for sharing. Beautiful


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## Tyler (Apr 26, 2009)

Very cool! Thanks for sharing!


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## Trace (Dec 29, 2008)

Epona142 said:


> So nice to see so many pictures with the horse on the vertical and NOT behind it, or cranked in rollkur. Or riders leaning way back with a deathgrip on the reins.
> 
> I'm so jealous of you! Thank you so much for sharing. Beautiful


Amen to that!!!!

These are fantastic piccies - I LOVE LOVE LOVE the arty one. Bravo.


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## GotmygoatMTJ (Apr 25, 2009)

I love love love Dressage!!! Beautiful pictures! I have been looking at all the ones you've posted for a while!
gosh I love dressage!!


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## HoosierShadow (Apr 20, 2010)

Thanks everyone for the kind comments! I am glad you enjoyed the pics  I can't believe it's taken me this long to start sorting them again! 
I honestly didn't think I'd like Dressage all that well because the only time I had seen it before the World Games was Eventing Dressage at the Rolex Three Day Event this past April, it's okay, but after seeing 'Dressage' it makes Eventing Dressage look like cement sitting...LOL. But WOW Dressage is pretty amazing! Those horses are so beautiful, and graceful how can you not admire them? 

My only problem now is I need to invest in a new camera before April. I know what I want, now I just have to get the $$ together. Mine is alright, but is more suitable for a backup camera/around the house camera. I also need a longer lens as a 70-200mm isn't really long enough for these kind of events. But instead, I'll probably only be able to afford an extension for the long lens I do have. Making it about 2x as long. 
I should be credentialed for the Rolex Three Day Event again in April, so I am really looking forward to it! But I also want to be prepared. I barely got by at the World Games! It's such an expensive thing to get into at this level, but once you get here you sure don't want to look back or go neutral, or it'll be hard to get your head above water again. It'll always be a hobby for me, something I love to do and never a job, but in order to go to these events you have to have the right equipment, that can give you the best images you can <afford> to take, as there is always someone else ready to step in your shoes and take your place. 
With that said, I'm self taught, and have learned everything as I go  No way could those pics have turned out at all if I were shooting in anything other than Manual mode. Where I was standing for these pics I had decent light to work with, but it was quite a learning experience, but it also shows me where my camera's weaknesses are compared to the one I want to upgrade to


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## HoosierShadow (Apr 20, 2010)

Here's a link to eventing stadium jumping pics that I have up so far:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected] ... 90/detail/
I have A LOT more to go through when I get a chance to do it. 
Eventing horses are tough....They go through a day of Dressage <discipline just like the horses in the pics above>, then the next day they do the cross country course with those big, dangerous jumps, then the third day they do the stadium jumping.

As for horse racing....
Tonight is the Eclipse Awards. It will be aired live on TVG, and will announce the winners including....
HORSE OF THE YEAR.
Last year Horse of the Year was a big deal especially because it came down to Rachel Alexandra and Zenyatta.
I love both horses, but Rachel was the most deserving, and the voters thought so too.

But this year is even more of a deal. Zenyatta or Blame? They've both done about the same thing....Except Blame did beat Zenyatta.
So who becomes the elusive....Horse of the Year?
I am excited, but nervous too....I know it will cause a lot of steam with my horse racing friends - I stay out of the discussions as much as I can, but it'll blow the top off if Zenyatta doesn't win.

ANyway just wanted to share more pics, and if anyone was remotely curious about the awards tonight.


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## Epona142 (May 26, 2008)

I thought Goldikova was in the running too, or has she been knocked out. I haven't been keeping up


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## HoosierShadow (Apr 20, 2010)

Epona142 said:


> I thought Goldikova was in the running too, or has she been knocked out. I haven't been keeping up


She's still in the running  I just wonder how much vote she would get since she has only raced once in 2010 in the US. IMO I love her, she is AMAZING. I wish we had more races here that would attract her so would run here more often!


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## HoosierShadow (Apr 20, 2010)

Just had to share while I am taking a quick break on the computer....

ZENYATTA 2010 HORSE OF THE YEAR :leap: :clap: :leap:  :dance:


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## Hush Hills Fainters (Oct 27, 2010)

:clap: :leap: :clap: :leap: :stars:


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## HoosierShadow (Apr 20, 2010)

The farm my husband just quit working for has a horse who also won an award!

GIO PONTI :leap:  :stars:

GIO was named top male turf horse of 2010! He was top older male and turf horse in 2009 too! So very happy for the people at the farm!
My hubby's friend is the manager over there, and hired him for as long as he wanted to work there after he was laid off in July <that farm closed>. He just started a new job almost 2 weeks ago. His manager friend at the farm that owns Gio keeps telling him if he wants to come back at all, not to hesitate.

Hubby would have been Gio's groom after he retired!

He also almost worked for the farm where Zenyatta is at - as a foaling person, but the $$ and benefits weren't there - he wouldn't be making any more than where he was at. He loves his new job though


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## Epona142 (May 26, 2008)

:leap: :stars: :clap: :leap: :stars: :clap:


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## HoosierShadow (Apr 20, 2010)

I just had to share this with someone...... Marylou Whitney is the 'Queen' of racing in New York. She's getting up there in age now, but still pushes to do everything for horses and the people who work with them. She won the Eclipse of Merit - lifetime achievement award. And her speach brought me to tears. Sadly, I could not find video of it on youtube  I hope someone might post it at some point so it can be shared.

Here's a transcript:
http://www.paulickreport.com/news/peopl ... ce-speech/

She stands behind responsability. If you breed a horse, you are responsible for it for the rest of it's life, and she is against horse slaught and will fight it until the day she passes. She loves every one of her horses, and never allows anything bad to happen to them.

Sorry to ramble, but a woman that doesn't get a lot of media space...I wanted to share with my friends because she really moved me with her words, and everything she has done....She has been a blessing to the horse racing world.

Governor of New York also delcared her the 'Queen of Saratoga' <one of the big racetracks in NY>.

Whenever I hook my laptop back up to the internet I'll share more horse pics 

I'm probably going to a horse sale in a couple of weeks, but mostly quiet until the end of March. Then things get busy around here with our local track opening, then the 2 year old in training sale. Of course the anticipation of a Kentucky Derby winner training at our track, and other famous/favorites. I love April in Kentucky  
If I don't get credentialed by someone for the Kentucky Derby, I might talk to my friends and see about getting a seat with them this year. If Uncle Mo does get into the starting gate.....I want to be there


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## HoosierShadow (Apr 20, 2010)

Just thought I'd share that if you see the Young Rider March/April 2011 issue, check out page 18.... Not a great big picture, but still fun to have a photo printed in their magazine! I hope to have more stuff printed with them in the future as I would love to venture into equestrian world this spring/summer.


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