Dressage Today Podcast

In this episode of the Dressage Today Podcast, sponsored by Farnam, KPP and Tribute Equine Nutrition, Aviva and Stephany talk to USEF ‘S’ judge Sue Kolstad to ask about her unique perspectives as a judge, her priorities when judging, how to handle mistakes and for any secrets she could provide to help our listeners the next time they show. We cover everything from corners to riding that pesky centerline!A professional in the dressage world since 1977, Sue is a USDF bronze, silver and gold medalist and has nearly 50 years of experience training horses to the Grand Prix level, managing farms and coaching students to championships, medals and Young Riders’ honors.After exploring many disciplines including hunters, jumpers, eventing, endurance, driving and Western, Sue found dressage to be her greatest inspiration and now spends most of her time judging and teaching clinics while still actively showing and selling horses for the sport.During her formative years, Max Gahwyler, M.D., an internationally recognized judge with a passion for dressage theory and an early pioneer of dressage in the U.S., was one of Sue’s most influential mentors. After completing her Century Club ride, she appreciated that Gahwyler helped initiate the program with The Dressage Foundation in 1996. Sue, who also happens to be a dressage historian and talented artist, featured Gahlwyler’s horse and Century Club partner, Prinz Eugen, in a drawing.Today's podcast provides a fascinating look at how to better ride your dressage tests from a judge’s point of view. We hope you enjoy the episode, and as always if you like what you hear, please like and share our podcasts on social media!One final note: We had to hold our Ask the L segment this month because our interview with Sue ran long due all the useful information she provided us with. Check back next month for our latest Ask the L.About This Episode’s Sponsors: Tribute, Farnam, and KPP InsulinWise®TributeAt Tribute Equine Nutrition, caring for horses has always come first. As a family-owned company safely making feed right here in the USA, they’re celebrating America’s 250th anniversary by supporting programs that make a difference through horses. Every bag of Tribute sold helps support PATH International’s Equine Services for Heroes programs helping veterans through equine-assisted services. They’ve also introduced limited-edition Patriotic Horse Treats for summer. Ready to try Tribute? Start with a free personalized feeding plan and your first bag free at TributeEquineNutrition.com. FarnamThis episode is brought to you by Farnam, celebrating 80 years of trusted equine care, and Endure Gold Killer Fly & Mosquito Control, a new fly spray for horses. When your horse needs to stay focused, it helps to take flies out of the equation. Endure Gold uses brand-new, EPA-approved ingredients never before seen in equine care to annihilate flies, ticks, and mosquitoes. This advanced formula delivers fast knockdown and up to 14 days of fly protection you can trust. Discover fly protection with Endure Gold from Farnam.KPP InsulinWise®Is your horse showing signs of metabolic dysregulation? Weight gain, unhealthy insulin levels that can lead to unsoundness, issues with the structural integrity of the laminae within the hoof. InsulinWise® has been research-proven to support a decrease in insulin dysregulation. A synergistic blend of polyphenols and amino acids, InsulinWise helps maintain normal metabolic function and healthy insulin levels, support a healthy body weight and normal fat distribution, and sustain normal structural integrity of the laminae in the hoof. To see if InsulinWise—available through veterinarians—is right for your horse, speak with your vet, visit KPPusa.com, or call 859-873-2974.Connect with the Hosts: Email Aviva Nebesky ([email protected]) | Email Stephany Fish Crossman ([email protected])Connect with the Show: Website (DressageToday.com) | Socials (@DressageToday) Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | PinterestGuest: Sue KolstadOur Sponsors this month: Tribute, Farnam, and KPP InsulinWise®

In this episode of the Dressage Today Podcast, we welcome Michele Wellman, dressage trainer, contributor to Dressage Today and owner of By Chance Farm in Fredrick County, Maryland. Since founding the farm in 2002, Michele has been working for more than two decades to expand boarding, riding and showing opportunities for local dressage riders. Last month, however, an F2 tornado struck the farm and caused major devastation to their barn structures. While much of her beloved farm was destroyed, no horses or people were lost or injured during the powerful storm that swept through Libertyown, Maryland.Michele tells us about her vision for By Chance Farm, the devastating tornado that turned her world upside down and the incredible response she’s received from horse people across the country in the storm’s aftermath. It’s a tale of love and loss, as well as one of a community rallying around one of their own. We know you’ll enjoy hearing her extraordinary story.In this podcast, Stephany and Aviva also share their thoughts on two of the newest rule changes taking place in the dressage world—no longer allowing the double bridle in Third Level and the penalty change for using your voice in the show ring. And in a new Ask the L, Aviva shares her thoughts on proper and improper use of the whip in competition.We hope you enjoy this episode, and as always if you like what you hear, please like and share our podcasts on social media!As always, we are grateful for our sponsors! This month, we are sponsored by KPP Summer Games Electrolyte and by Farnam Endure Gold Fly Spray. Check out the links below to see these terrific products!Summer Games® Electrolyte - Electrolytes, Vitamins and Minerals - KPPMeet Endure GoldAbout This Episode’s Sponsors: KPP and FarnamKPP When your horse loses significant amounts of electrolytes and fluids as he sweats, problems such as dehydration, muscle cramping, fatigue, tying up, and colic may occur. Even in mild forms, these conditions can have a negative impact on your horse’s ability to perform and recover after exercise.Research shows that electrolytes help regulate nerve and muscle function and maintain a healthy fluid balance. Summer Games® Electrolyte is formulated to replenish electrolytes and trace minerals that are lost when your horse sweats, regardless of the season. It also stimulates the thirst response, so he continues to drink and stay properly hydrated. For more information, visit KPPusa.com or call 859-873-2974. FarnamThis episode is brought to you by Farnam, celebrating 80 years of trusted equine care, and Endure Gold Killer Fly & Mosquito Control, a new fly spray for horses. When your horse needs to stay focused, it helps to take flies out of the equation. Endure Gold uses brand-new, EPA-approved ingredients never before seen in equine care to annihilate flies, ticks, and mosquitoes. This advanced formula delivers fast knockdown and up to 14 days of fly protection you can trust. Discover fly protection with Endure Gold from Farnam. Connect with the Hosts: Email Aviva Nebesky ([email protected]) | Email Stephany Fish Crossman ([email protected])Connect with the Show: Website (DressageToday.com) | Socials (@DressageToday) Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | PinterestGuest: Michele Wellman of By Chance Farm in Fredrick County, Maryland | Facebook | GoFundMeOur Sponsors this month: KPP and Farnam

In this month’s episode, Aviva and Stephany interview Jennifer Mutchler, owner and operator of Half Pass Farm in Catlett, Virginia. Jennifer is our second Unsung Hero (formerly Hometown Hero, we like “unsung” better!) and was nominated by Sandy Mueller. She has earned her USDF Bronze, Silver and Gold Medal, taking several different horses (and breeds) to the Grand Prix level. She trains, teaches and breeds a few warmbloods each year from their Virginia location, and is well known in the area for matching the right people with the right horses! We really enjoyed chatting with Jennifer, especially because she and Aviva have another connection between them – take a listen to hear what it is!In our Ask the L section Aviva clarifies a question from a listener about a previous L Question. Aviva and Stephany catch up on their various recent exploits, and they play “where in the world is Stephany?” as she records from a layover in an airport!As always, if you like what we do, please share it with your friends, on social media, hit the “LIKE” button and subscribe!We are so grateful for our numerous sponsors – we must be doing something right!Take a listen now!About This Episode’s Sponsors: Tribute, KPP, and FarnamTributeGreat partnerships are built on trust — and that’s foundational at Tribute Equine Nutrition. As a family-owned company safely making their feeds right here in the USA, they’re celebrating America’s 250th anniversary by giving back through horses. Every bag of Tribute sold helps support PATH International’s Equine Services for Heroes programs serving veterans through the healing power of horses. Plus, their limited-edition Patriotic Horse Treats are here for summer. New to Tribute? Get a free personalized feeding plan and your first bag free at TributeEquineNutrition.com.KPP Is your horse suffering from digestive tract issues, such as diarrhea, colic or hindgut imbalances? Does he need a high-grain diet? Is he under stress? Neigh-Lox® ADVANCED can help. Neigh-Lox ADVANCED is a scientifically formulated blend of ingredients that works synergistically to maintain a healthy stomach, small intestine, and hindgut. It contains long-acting gastric buffers and coating agents to maintain a normal stomach pH. It provides an effective probiotic to support complete digestion of starch and sugars in the foregut, helping maintain a healthy hindgut. And it supplies broad-spectrum prebiotics to sustain a healthy balance of beneficial microbes and well-balanced microbiome. For more information, visit KPPusa.com or call 859-873-2974. FarnamThis episode is brought to you by Farnam, celebrating 80 years of trusted equine care, and Endure Gold Killer Fly & Mosquito Control, a new fly spray for horses. When your horse needs to stay focused, it helps to take flies out of the equation. Endure Gold uses brand-new, EPA-approved ingredients never before seen in equine care to annihilate flies, ticks, and mosquitoes. This advanced formula delivers fast knockdown and up to 14 days of fly protection you can trust. Discover fly protection with Endure Gold from Farnam. Connect with the Hosts: Email Aviva Nebesky ([email protected]) | Email Stephany Fish Crossman ([email protected])Connect with the Show: Website (DressageToday.com) | Socials (@DressageToday) Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | PinterestGuest: Jennifer Mutchler, owner and operator of Half Pass Farm in Catlett, VirginiaOur Sponsors this month: Tribute, KPP, and Farnam

In this episode of the Dressage Today Podcast, sponsored by Tribute, we talk to Grand Prix dressage rider Lauren Chumley about her superstar partner Leeloo Dallas and the Dressage Foundation Anne Barlow-Ramsay grant she and the mare received in 2024, her experience training a variety of breeds for dressage and her passion for teaching up-and-coming dressage professionals to prioritize developing young horses for the sport.As always, if you love our podcasts, make sure to subscribe, like and share them with your friends!About Lauren ChumleyLauren Chumley, who’s often referred to by her peers as the “coolest dressage trainer,” wasn’t born into a horse family, but even from a young age the telltale signs that she indeed had the recessive horse gene were there. From the moment she could read, she started pouring over every horse book she could get her hands on and amassed an unusually large collection of Breyer horses for a 12-year-old that she still has to this day.Lauren pleaded for riding lessons, but her parents who came from humble means thought the “hobby” was too expensive. It was her grandmother, however, who would eventually turn her riding dreams into a reality. One fortuitous summer, Lauren went to stay with her grandparents at the Quantico Marine Corps Base in Virginia, where her grandfather was stationed. When her grandmother decided she wanted to learn how to ride, Lauren jumped at the chance to take riding lessons with her on the base.The now decorated Grand Prix dressage rider laughs that her parents likely never forgave her grandmother for fostering her budding passion. Following her introduction to riding at Quantico, Lauren started taking lessons at a local barn in Hamilton, Ohio, where she quickly found her calling in dressage.At 14, she started training with dressage trainer Rebecca Stromatt and went on to also worked for Sorum Fjord Farm in Lebanon, Ohio, one of the largest Norwegian Fjord breeding farms in the country, where she gained a wealth of knowledge and experience working with different breeds. After attending clinics with Grand Prix dressage rider Silke Rembacz for three consecutive years, Lauren was invited to join Silke’s team as an assistant trainer.In 2011, she branched out to start her own training and sales business at Hilltop Farm based out of New Jersey and Florida. Today, she is a USDF bronze, silver and gold medalist with distinction and has made her mark in both dressage and eventing, proving her diverse talent as a rider. Lauren, who regularly works with Michael Bragdell, has competed multiple self-trained horses through Grand Prix and has earned many USDF year-end and all-breeds awards at the national levels.In 2024, she received one of two Dressage Foundation Anne Barlow-Ramsay grants for U.S.-bred horses with her then 8-year-old home-bred Dutch Warmblood mare Leeloo Dallas, who she is currently competing with at the Grand Prix level. She and one of her other current Grand Prix mounts, Santa Barbara DASH also have an amazing partnership and won the 3* Intermediate I Freestyle at the 2022 Dressage at Devon during a downpour.Lauren is a regular competitor at the USEF Festival of Champions, Dressage at Devon, USDF Regional Championships and the US Dressage Finals. She has high hopes for her pipeline of North American-bred young horses and hopes to start them in the FEI young horse classes in the future.About This Episode’s Sponsor: TributeWhat if your horse’s nutrition only changed when it truly mattered? That’s the philosophy behind Tribute Equine Nutrition. As a fixed-formula brand, they don’t make changes unless new research shows they can make their feeds meaningfully better—supporting things like digestibility, nutrient absorption, and overall performance. That’s why Tribute Equine Nutrition is upgrading every formula in their lineup, building on improvements made to their best-sellers and rolling those advancements out across 2026.To celebrate, Tribute has hidden golden tickets in random bags—worth up to a year’s supply of feed for one horse. Horse owners can also get a free, personalized feeding plan, and new customers receive their first bag shipped free. Visit TributeEquineNutrition.com and click “Get a Feed Plan” to learn more.Connect with the Hosts: Email Aviva Nebesky ([email protected]) | Email Stephany Fish Crossman ([email protected])Connect with the Show: Website (DressageToday.com) | Socials (@DressageToday) Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | PinterestGuest: Lauren ChumleyOur Sponsors this month: Tribute

In this episode of the Dressage Today Podcast, Stephany and Aviva interview dressage rider, upper-level eventer, mom and life-long learner Chelsea Canedy. The avid Mustang and meditation advocate talks about her debut memoir Finding Purpose: A Life Managing the Passion, Compulsion, and Borderline Addiction Called “Horses.”The book documents Chelsea’s time with horses and how they’ve shaped the trajectory of her life and gives readers a behind-the-scenes’ view of what it’s like to compete at the upper levels and the inner work that sustains it. Blending raw personal stories with lessons from her decade-long meditation practice and career studying equine behavior, the lifelong horsewoman reflects on resilience, identity and the joy of choosing a life built on passion.We also talked to Chelsea about how publishing her memoir has impacted the conversation she’s part of in the horse world, her beloved horses and how each is doing and many points of connection all horses lovers can relate to. This was such a fun interview; we know you’ll love listening to Chelsea, too, and will likely also find many points of connection with her!In this episode, Aviva and Stephany also catch up on what’s been happening in their respective horse worlds. Stephany talks about her recent venture up to WEC Ocala to compete with Dante, and Aviva is focused on avoiding the heat as much as possible as the unofficial summer kicks off.In our Ask the L segment, Aviva answers a question from listener Mary about collection and what judges expect to see at Second Level. Listen to get her keen advice!And as always if you enjoy our podcasts, please like and share them on social media!About This Episode's Sponsors: Farnam, Tribute and KPPFarnamThis episode is brought to you by Farnam, celebrating 80 years of trusted equine care, and Endure Gold Killer Fly & Mosquito Control, a new fly spray for horses. When your horse needs to stay focused, it helps to take flies out of the equation. Endure Gold uses brand-new, EPA-approved ingredients never before seen in equine care to annihilate flies, ticks, and mosquitoes. This advanced formula delivers fast knockdown and up to 14 days of fly protection you can trust. Discover fly protection with Endure Gold from Farnam.TributeWhat if your horse’s nutrition only changed when it truly mattered? That’s the philosophy behind Tribute Equine Nutrition. As a fixed-formula brand, they don’t make changes unless new research shows they can make their feeds meaningfully better—supporting things like digestibility, nutrient absorption, and overall performance. That’s why Tribute Equine Nutrition is upgrading every formula in their lineup, building on improvements made to their best-sellers and rolling those advancements out across 2026. To celebrate, Tribute has hidden golden tickets in random bags—worth up to a year’s supply of feed for one horse. Horse owners can also get a free, personalized feeding plan, and new customers receive their first bag shipped free. Visit TributeEquineNutrition.com and click “Get a Feed Plan” to learn more.KPPHas your horse been diagnosed with a neurological or muscular disorder? Is he showing signs of muscle wasting and impaired balance or coordination? Studies show that supplemented water-soluble natural vitamin E can reach a horse’s brain and spinal cord through the blood-brain barrier, where it can benefit horses with neurological issues. If your horse has any of these problems, Elevate® W.S., a natural vitamin liquid, can help. A research-proven, powerful antioxidant, Elevate maintains healthy muscle, nerve, and immune function. It does this by delivering a highly bioavailable source of natural vitamin E that is preferentially absorbed and retained in a horse’s tissues. For more information, visit KPPusa.com or call 859-873-2974. Connect with the Hosts: Email Aviva Nebesky ([email protected]) | Email Stephany Fish Crossman ([email protected])Connect with the Show: Website (DressageToday.com) | Socials (@DressageToday) Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | PinterestGuest: Chelsea Canedy | FacebookOur Sponsors this month: Farnam, Tribute, KPP