About Lauren Sprieser

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So far Lauren Sprieser has created 344 blog entries.

The Burden Of Willing Characters

By |2019-04-22T16:46:11-04:00April 22nd, 2019|COTH Posts|

My experience with young horses has been almost exclusively with two kinds. The first are ones with very good characters who weren’t international quality. As they’ve been owned and ridden by amateurs, that’s been by design. They were bought so that their owners could ride them as they developed up the levels, so the trade-off—less power, better rideability—was absolutely what they needed.

The second kind has been wildly talented, pig-headed doofuses, ranging from the pleasant enough, but tight and bananas, to angry, hostile little turkeys who spent most of their young energy telling me to stuff it. The Midges, Fenders and Pucks of the world go through their younger years being unrideable jerks, and eventually, through diligence, basic work and a boatload of patience, they emerge on the other side of their adolescence ready to take pressure and learn the big work. They’re armed with a ton of coping skills at that point and are a hell of a lot of fun to ride.

I knew that there were creatures out there who were both talented and uncomplicated, but I’d never met one. Until I met Swagger. And I’m coming to appreciate the dirtbag teenagers. Having one with crazy gaits and an eagerness to please at 5 years old is freaking me out because I’m really feeling the weight of the responsibility to not push too hard, too fast.

Read the rest at The Chronicle of the Horse! And if you love reading my thoughts on young horses and the development of the equine athlete, join the Red White and Blue (Ribbon) Club! You’ll get exclusive content, and the behind-the-scenes peek, at the bringing up of an American-bred filly in my program!

Ride Times for April Michael Barisone Clinic

By |2019-04-20T05:19:52-04:00April 20th, 2019|News & Events|

Ride times for our April 24-25 clinic with US Olympian Michael Barisone are below. Sign up to audit at Event Clinics.com!

WEDNESDAY
12 Lauren Sprieser & Guernsey Elvis, 8 yr KWPN Gelding by Querly Elvis, PSG
12:45 Jodie Harney & Sullivan, 7 yr Oldenburg Gelding by Surprice, First Level
1:30 Lauren Sprieser & Gretzky RV, 8 yr KWPN Gelding by Johnson, Third Level
2:15 Marlene McGrath & Prince of Hearts, 5 yr Appaloosa Cross Gelding, First Level
3 Barbara Burk & De L’Amour, 13 yr Oldenburg Mare by Diamonit, First Level
3:45 Julia McElligott & Finley Nord, 9 yr Danish Gelding by Furst Rousseau, PSG
4:30 Jontelle Forbus & Chesapeake, 16 yr Oldenburg Gelding by Curacao, Grand Prix
5:15 Chris Broadbent & Fiero, 12 yr Oldenburg Gelding by Fidertanz, Second Level
6 Liza Broadbent & Victorious, 17 yr KWPN Gelding by Patijn, Grand Prix
6:45 Nancy Sulek & Range Rover LGF, 12 yr Oldenburg Gelding by Ruffian, PSG
 
THURSDAY
7:30 Liza Broadbent & Victorious, 17 yr KWPN Gelding by Patijn, Grand Prix
8:15 Chris Broadbent & Fiero, 12 yr Oldenburg Gelding by Fidertanz, Second Level
9 Lauren Sprieser & Guernsey Elvis, 8 yr KWPN Gelding by Querly Elvis, PSG
9:45 Jontelle Forbus & Chesapeake, 16 yr Oldenburg Gelding by Curacao, Grand Prix
10:30 Judy Sprieser & Con Air V, 15 yr Danish Gelding by Consul, PSG
11:15 Jodie Harney & Sullivan, 7 yr Oldenburg Gelding by Surprice, First Level
12 Lunch
12:30 Nancy Sulek & Range Rover LGF, 12 yr Oldenburg Gelding by Ruffian, PSG
1:15 Lauren Sprieser & Gretzky RV, 8 yr KWPN Gelding by Johnson, Third Level
2 Lauren Sprieser & Ellington, 5 yr Westfalen Gelding by Everdale, First Level
2:45 Barbara Burk & De L’Amour, 12 yr Oldenburg Mare by Diamonit, First Level

Changes, Flying And Otherwise

By |2019-04-14T19:37:55-04:00April 10th, 2019|COTH Posts|

And just like that, I’m home from Florida. The last month was a blur, with a flotilla of clients showing, and all at big levels. Liza and Hannah earned their Intermediaire scores for their gold medals, and they are right on the brink of Grand Prix. Julia, who six months ago went to her first recognized dressage show ever, did her first FEI tests, earning a very presentable mark in her first Young Riders qualifier. And my awesome mom did her first Prix St. Georges tests too!

Elvis has been fantastic and worked really hard. I never quite had the test I wanted, but I managed to bungle it a little differently every time, which has to count for something. Through my floundering around, including my first time going off course in a decade, Elvis himself remained totally steadfast, a confident and energetic dance partner who is easy to show both in and out of the tack, because he’s exactly the same as he is at home. I’ve never had a horse so uncomplicated that was also as talented as he is; my previous mega-talents have all been rank at this age, so Elvis is a refreshing break in that trend!

Read the rest at The Chronicle of the Horse!

We’re In The Home Stretch! March 2019 e-Newsletter

By |2019-04-01T06:26:37-04:00April 1st, 2019|News & Events|

Florida 2019 is coming to a close, and it’s been one amazing winter season, with big goals met, big progress made, and lots of great memories and ribbons logged! And we’re even more excited to come home and get the summer season started off right with some new faces around the farm. Read all about it on our e-newsletter, and sign up to have it delivered directly to your inbox!

Looking for new team members!

By |2019-03-10T16:54:39-04:00March 10th, 2019|News & Events|

We’re looking for an ambitious and energetic team player to join us April 1. Our working student interns groom, tack, clean, learn, ride, show and get PAID and HOUSED to do it all! Working student interns grow into our assistant trainers, or leave us for more advanced positions both within and outside of the horse industry. And while here, our interns are treated kindly and fairly, and get as many opportunities to show client horses and learn from our in-house instructors AND outside trainers as I can find.

We’d love a full-time, long-term employee, but I’m also willing to consider a short-term or even part-time arrangement for someone able to start April 1. Email a resume to kelly@spriesersporthorse.com to learn more about being a member of our fantastic team!

Elvis Has Entered A Horse Show

By |2019-04-01T06:24:23-04:00March 7th, 2019|COTH Posts|

I entered Elvis in our first show together. He’s been training terrific, feeling really good in his body, and, as always, fantastic in his brain.

Of course, three days before the show it occurred to me that I’d never attempted a canter-halt transition. I’d done maybe two extended trots in my entire time with Elvis, zero extended canters and zero rein-backs.

So I was super well prepared.

Fortunately, Elvis is super at extended canter, very obedient in the rein-back, and good enough in the canter-halt transition, so off to the show we went. My goal on the first day was to put together an obedient and organized test—and other than the moment where I forgot that the half-pass zig-zag started at the centerline until I was nearly at the quarterline, which made for some creative steering, I did. But he won the Developing Prix St. Georges on a 69 percent, with the comment that for higher scores, I needed more expression and finesse.

Read the rest at The Chronicle of the Horse!

The Florida Game

By |2019-03-11T06:10:15-04:00February 20th, 2019|COTH Posts|

I love coming to the Wellington area every winter, but there are some things about living here, and living in Florida in general, that are … unique. We’ve made a little game of some of the wackier things we’ve seen. First one to 1,000 points wins!

One point for each sighting of the following creatures: alligator, river otter, iguana. Five bonus points if they’re crossing a road. Ten points if they’re making sweet, sweet Florida critter love. (Best place for iguana sightings: Southern Boulevard.)

One point for every Olympian seen shopping at Publix. Ten for every Olympian seen dining at Agliolio, Kontiki or Oli’s. Twenty for every one seen dining at JoJo’s, Brooklyn Bagel or La Fogata. And 50 for every one seen at Boonies.

If you see an Olympian at any restaurant, 10 points if you get to sit in their chair when they leave.

Read the rest at The Chronicle of the Horse!

When The Queen Met The King

By |2019-02-14T20:19:55-05:00February 11th, 2019|COTH Posts|

As someone who both rides in and teaches clinics, I know there are two kinds: the kind where it’s riding lessons, sessions between a coach and a student to benefit the rider; and the kind where it’s theater, a riding lesson for the rider as well as a demonstration for a crowd.

And I’ve got no problem with either. But I’ve participated in a few symposia over the years, and sometimes it’s helpful, and sometimes it’s a session where you ride around doing your job, and the crowd goes ooh, and the clinician talks, and that’s it. So if I’m going to do a public clinic, it’s going to be on a horse who would, if all else failed, make me look smart.

Elvis makes me look smart. And when it was announced that Isabell Werth, the best rider in the world, the most accomplished rider in the history of the world, the QUEEN of dressage, was coming to the Adequan Global Dressage Festival (Florida), I thought to myself, “Golly, wouldn’t it be neat to debut this horse to the public in front of Isabell Freaking Werth?” And with hubris in my heart, I applied, got selected, threw my back out, panicked for a few days about what to wear (10 days of not being able to move enough to reach for my painkillers perhaps was not the best thing for my waistline), got back to work, and off we went.

Read the rest at The Chronicle of the Horse!

Horse People, The Most Impatient Patients

By |2019-02-09T17:06:51-05:00February 5th, 2019|COTH Posts|

To make a long story as short as possible, I’ve been experiencing some pain in my low back, at an increasing interval and increasing severity, since April. I’m pretty sure I know the root cause, and I’m finally getting that taken care of, but I didn’t do it in time, because over the weekend the pain became as bad as it’s been, forcing me to face the problem and actually deal with it.

My journey into dealing with it begins with the average horse person’s approach to any health problem. Is it keeping me out of the saddle? No? Then it’s fine. Yes, but there’s a workaround, like not wearing a boot on your left leg because your toe got stepped on so badly that it’s turning colors so unusual you’re thinking of calling Pantone? Then it’s one-boot-wonder time. But when it actually is keeping you out of the saddle, it’s time to consult a physician.

Read the rest at The Chronicle of the Horse!

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