By Jessica Schley
Contributing Writer
A series of riding clinics in the Santa Ynez Valley has been raising funds to send aspiring young adults to a national instructor and trainer certification program.
The clinic series is being held at Refugio Road Ranch owned by Sarah Graham. The clinician is Gerhard Politz, an internationally renowned rider and instructor based at the Flintridge Riding Club in Southern California.
Graham invited Politz to come up at regular intervals after moving to Santa Ynez from the Los Angeles area.
“I love the valley and all it has to offer, but I really missed riding with Gerhard,” said Graham at the third clinic in the series, held in late July. “With the clinic series we put together, not only do I get to ride regularly with Gerhard, but I get to share that opportunity with other riders in the area.”
A nonprofit called The Dressage Foundation is the recipient of the proceeds from the clinics. TDF raises money and distributes grants to young adults who aspire to become instructors and trainers themselves.
“Young adults are often inhibited from attending educational programs due to the cost, so I wanted to help address that,” said Politz. “The programs promote the use of the classical dressage training pyramid, and working horses according to that training scale: calm, forward, and straight.”
Eventing riders as well as dressage riders have attended the clinic series to work on their foundational riding principles and to hone their skills.
Trainer Michelle Emmermann rode three horses in the clinic. “It’s a great opportunity to get your horses off the farm, to school, and above all to ride with one of the best coaches in the country,” she said. “Everyone needs a tune-up now and then, and I love riding with Gerhard because he’s so good-natured and patient with every horse, no matter their needs.”
Holger Max Hoetzel, a competitive eventing rider and breeder of Trakehner horses, attended the clinic not as a rider but as an auditor. “You learn so much, even just sitting and watching, and listening to Gerhard teach,” he said. “It’s great to have access to this caliber of coaching, right here in Santa Ynez.”
Also attending the clinic were Kate Sulzbach of In The Irons Farm in Goleta, Nicole Chastain of Nicole Chastain Training Stables in Buellton, and multiple other professional and amateur riders.
The next clinic in the series will be held Nov. 10-11. To sign up, visit www.sbcds.org. To learn more about the instructor grant program, visit www.dressagefoundation.org.
