Hannah Russler, 16, enjoys the clinic and learning new skills.
Brook Hill Farm hosted a Dressage Clinic on Sunday May 1 for the teenage girls enrolled in the United Neigh program. The farm, located in Forest, VA is well known for the rehabilitation of lame and problem horses. Integral to the care of the horses are the students of the “United Neigh” Program. While nurturing the horses back to health, the participating teenage girls find a safe haven to develop confidence and leadership skills at Brook Hill Farm.
Dressage is a form of English style riding that requires and rider to seemingly “dance” as a team through a series of movements. The three gates of walk, trot and canter are performed in special positions with the rider balanced and the horse framed up to score points. The students progress through levels of Dressage with increasing complexity of movements.
Kamilah Reid, a volunteer mentor, concentrates on her next move.
The Dressage Clinic gave each girl in the United Neigh program a chance to try the beginning Dressage skill set. Laura Stacey, a student who aspires to advance in Dressage, performed at the VA State Fair last year. She was excited to participate in the program. “I had a great time with all the new tips I learned. Upper level Dressage is so pretty, someday I want to do those beautiful moves!” says Laura.
Laura Diepietro instructs Sharra Houston on a finer point in Dressage.
Laura Diepietro donated her services as instructor for the clinic. Ms. Diepietro has been a Dressage instructor for many years and originally learned from Viennese Dressage Masters who were keepers of the famous Lipizzan Stallions. Early in her teaching career she began to incorporate the Dressage techniques into her classes and saw her students improve other skills as well. “I’ve been holding the Dressage Clinic at Brook Hill Farm for 5 years. I enjoy watching the students’ progress in horsemanship. Seeing them bloom into focused young women over the years has also been fun,” states Ms. Diepietro.
Several of the horses being rehabilitated at Brook Hill Farm are very experienced in Dressage as high level performers before an injury or illness forced their retirement. Xavier, an Andalusian, competed at the Prix St George level, which is the beginning international level of Dressage. Max, a Thoroughbred, has performed at the second and third level dressage before an injury brought him to Brook Hill Farm.
Hannah Thomas, 12, prepares tack for the class.
43 young women from Lynchburg and the surrounding counties have graduated from the United Neigh program since its inception in 2001. These young women, under the supervision of volunteers have rescued and rehabilitated 361 horses. Currently 18 teen members are caring for 30 horses. A sampling of the many success stories are listed on the website www.BrookHillFarm.org
- From a release
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