“You are really smart. You are very talented. You are a good rider.”

All those things make you feel good right? I used to think so. I used to compliment all the other horses in the barn, thinking I would be helping their self-esteem by reminding them how great they are. But, new studies indicate that this may not be the case.

An article by Po Bronson, posted in New York Magazine, states that certain types of praise can have a negative effect on the behavior of people. (For the entire article, go here: http://nymag.com/news/features/27840/.)

A study was done that indicated that if a child is constantly told they are “smart” or “talented” or “the best,” it can create a situation in their minds that makes them “risk adversant.” They become so sensitive to any task that isn’t immediately easy, that they stop trying. They won’t take risks that might prove to their parent(s) or teacher(s) that they don’t have the natural talent or brains with which they’ve been labeled. In equestrian terms, it takes away their “try.”

So, what should you do instead? Acknowledgement is important and you still want to acknowledge success and effort. However, you can change the way you “praise” by simply stating (with a positive tone in your voice) what action was actually completed, without the qualitative words like “good,” “best,” “smart,” or “talented.”

What’s the difference? Instead of saying something like, “You’re really good at lead changes,” you simply state with a happy voice, “You did three lead changes!” It may sound like the same thing, but it’s NOT! To say “good lead changes” makes the statement qualitative and about YOU, the observer, and what the observer has just observed… indicating that the action has now been judged as “good.” But to say, “you did three lead changes,” acknowledges a FACT about what the person (or horse) factually DID. It’s only about the person who just completed the task. There is no judgement, no opinion, just the facts about what was done. And such a statement will automatically cause the subject to look back at his or herself, and say inside with pride, “Yes! I did three lead changes!” It feels so good to acknowledge the self without first seeing it through the observer’s point of view, that the behavior will most likely be repeated!

This subtle difference is very powerful. And, it’s a bit confusing at first. Practice acknowledging your students, children (if you have them), and friends (both two and four legged), and see if you can just state the FACTS in a happy, appreciative voice. Then, watch how they react. You may be able to see their attention switching to their inner-self with a smile and a straightening of their posture. It’s very interesting to observe.

It is important that you acknowledge yourself this way, too. Rather than saying, “I rode well today,” say, “I rode my horse today, and we ran through First Level, test two, four times.” Or, “I went to the barn and brushed my horse today.” State what you DID, without a qualifying or judgment word. Notice how acknowledging the FACTS about what you did, changes how you feel inside!

I completed eleven one tempis in a row today! I practiced pirouettes for ten minutes today. I slept in the sun for two hours this afternoon. I dictated this message to you today. Acknowledging these facts gives me a great sense of accomplishment!

What have YOU done today? Just the facts, ma’am. Just the FACTS….

Love, Moshi

From Indy:

I’ve decided I want to be on Dancing with the Stars. I’ve never seen a dog on the show, and I think it’s time. Don’t you think so? Jane likes to dance, and sometimes we dance around the house together. My foxtrot is better than hers, but her waltz is better than mine. We practice so we both can be better dancers. I wonder if they will reply to my request to be in the show. After all, I’m a STAR of sorts! I mean, I get fan mail and everything!

Is there something that you’ve always wanted to do, but have never really put any effort into making it happen? Why is that? Is it fear of failure? Is it fear of success? How would your world be different if you really did do that thing you’ve always dreamed of?

There is a saying going around, that no one lies on their death bed wishing they had spent more time in the office. So where would YOU have wished you’d spent more time, if you knew your days were numbered? Well, guess what: your days ARE numbered! Hopefully your number is still very high, but maybe today is the day to start taking action on that dream of yours!

Just for today, I’m going to imagine that I was chosen to be a contestant on Dancing with the Stars. I’m going to practice my waltz and show off my foxtrot. Whether or not they pick me, I know I’ve done what I can to give forward momentum to my dream.

So today, to acknowledge myself, I’ll say; I practiced my waltz for fifteen minutes today. I practiced my foxtrot for ten minutes today. Today I sent in my application for Dancing with the Stars.

Ahhh… that feels good inside to know I’ve done something productive toward achieving my dream.

Do you like to dance? Come on over and I’ll teach you the foxtrot! Of course, I call it the dogtrot.

Love, Indy

Jane Savoie
1174 Hill St ext.
Berlin, VT 05602

Alison Finger and Tuvalu schooling. Photo by Carrie Wirth

Wellington, FL – February 3, 2012 – Talented amateur rider Alison Finger became a client of Olympic Silver Medalist, Peter Leone, and the Lionshare Farm team in 1994. They met in Dublin where Finger was horse shopping and Leone was competing at the Dublin Horse Show. A busy senior strategy professional at Bristol Myers, Finger carefully balances family, riding, showing and business.

“Peter’s coaching style is, in a word, insightful.  He has such great expertise in how to develop a horse and develop a rider, but then brings so much insight into the partnership and how they need to work together. Each horse that I’ve had with Peter I know is developed to his or her full potential. Additionally, Peter is fantastic at working with the limitations I bring into the mix – when my work schedule doesn’t allow me time to ride, etc. He always makes any time I do have productive and fun.  I’ve ridden with him for quite a while now, and each year I learn more and more,” shared Finger.

In 2005, Finger bought Tuvalu (Blue) after Peter Leone successfully campaigned him in the Belgium in the Five-Year-Old Championships. Shortly after the purchase, duty called.  Bristol Myers promoted Finger to a Global Strategy position. It was a fantastic opportunity for the young professional. The catch: the job was half way around the world in Australia.

While in Australia she found trainer, Michelle Strap. Finger and her equine partner, Blue, went back to basics and flatwork. “I really got to know Blue by going back to square one. It was very good for both of us,” she shared.

As fate would have it, Finger was transferred back to the Greenwich, Connecticut area and returned to Lionshare Farm. “When Blue got off the trailer and saw Lionshare Farm, he was so happy. To both of us, it’s home.”

Finger and Blue recently earned a second place ribbon in the $1,500 Martha Jolicoeur Adult Amateur 36-49 Jumpers. Look for Alison Finger and Tuvalu in the Adult Amateur Jumpers and the entire Lionshare Farm team at the 2012 Winter Equestrian Festival.

Peter Leone is an Olympic equestrian, trainer, producer of hunter/jumper instructional DVDs and author. He owns and operates Lionshare Farm in Greenwich, CT. His clients successfully compete in the pony, equitation, hunter and jumper divisions. He is one of three brothers, internationally known as Team Leone, for their success in the show ring. Leone was a member of the 1996 Silver Medal United States Olympic Show Jumping Team and winner of numerous national and international Grand-Prix show jumping competitions.

For more information about Peter Leone and Lionshare Farm go to: http://www.lionsharefarm.com/index.html.

To purchase Peter Leone’s Ride the Body: Select Insights of Peter Leone DVD go to: http://www.lionsharefarm.com/store/page2.html.

To be notified when the book Peter Leone’s Jumping Clinic: Success Strategies for Equestrian Athletes by Peter Leone and Kimberly S. Jaussi, PhD will be available, contact:  cw@phelpsmediagroup.com.

Media Contact: Mason Phelps
Phelps Media Group, Inc. International
phone 561.753.3389  fax 561.753.3386
pmginfo@phelpsmediagroup.com

I was thinking about how slippery it is out on the wet grass, and sure enough, I slipped. I was thinking about how angry that gelding at the end of my stall row makes me, and sure enough I became angry. I was thinking about how I sometimes get a headache when a storm comes, and sure enough, I got a headache.

I keep saying that what you think about expands. Over and over and in many different ways I share my belief that we attract whatever we concentrate on. And yet, I still find myself putting my own attention on things I don’t want. Why do I do that when I KNOW that’s going to create the very things I do not want? Oops, I just gave my attention to getting what I don’t want by seeing that I get what I don’t want by thinking about what I don’t want! ARG! It’s crazy making!

If I say to you, don’t think about a pink and blue zebra striped horse, what happens in your mind? Do you see a green spotted cow? Now you do, simply because I mentioned it. You’re now probably thinking about a zebra AND a cow. You can’t NOT see something you’re thinking about! The brain simply can’t see a “not.”

So how do you trick the mind into visualizing what you want, and not what’s physically in front of you?

There is a fun and powerful trick that was taught to me by my friend, Jonathan Manske. (JonathanManske.com) He calls it the “fact witch.” It goes like this.

State out-loud two or three simple things that you know and firmly believe are absolutely TRUE, and then state something you’d like to be different in your life as if it actually was true as well.

For example, if you’ve having money issues right now, you could say, “I am a brunette (blonde, redhead, whatever applies to you…), and I live in ______ (your town), and I am a MONEY MAGNET. You may not currently be experiencing yourself as someone who attracts money, but your mind will already be in the state of believing when you make the third statement, which will make it much easier for your mind to accept what you want to believe as TRUTH. And if your mind successfully holds the belief that you are a money magnet, you will attract money just like a magnet!

I am a solid black horse, I am owned by Jane Savoie,
and I am a carrot magnet!
I am a solid black horse, I am owned by Jane Savoie,
and I am a carrot magnet!
I am a solid black horse, I am owned by Jane Savoie,
and I am a carrot magnet!

Hey! Here comes Jane down the aisle with a bag of carrots! It works!

Love, Moshi

From Indy:

I am a yellow dog, I live with Jane and Rhett, and I am a chicken magnet… Hey! I said I am a CHICKEN MAGNET!” Hummmm. No chicken yet, but, here comes my friend Toto. He’s such a nervous little dog. He thinks everyone’s out to get him. He’s a real chi… wait a minute! I didn’t mean THAT kind of chicken!

I’ve put on a few pounds over the holidays. When Jane wasn’t looking, some friend of hers shared some cookies with me. I swiped a few candy canes off the barn’s Christmas tree and stole half a bag of horse treats someone had left on the floor. Now I’m feeling a bit heavy and uncomfortable. When I complained to Moshi, he suggested I try Jonathan’s “fact witch” process to see if I could get my attention on what I DO want to feel like, instead of what I’m feeling now.

So, here goes.

My name is Indy, I am a Golden Retriever,
and I am healthy and fit.
My name is Indy, I am a Golden Retriever,
and I am healthy and fit.
My name is Indy, I am a Golden Retriever,
and I am healthy and fit.

Hummm… Yes, I can see myself in my mind as healthy and fit. To me that means I am svelte and really fast. I can visualize that in my mind. I’ll repeat this process several times a day and let you know how I feel next week!

My name is Indy, I am a Golden Retriever, and I am fit and healthy. Yep… that feels “TRUE!”

What would YOU like to have show up in your life? Make it “TRUE” in your mind, and then see what happens!

Love, Indy

Jane Savoie
1174 Hill St ext.
Berlin, VT 05602

A friend of mine in Australia wrote to me this week, expressing her excitement about learning dressage after a career on the race track. She had been a bit discouraged at her progress because she was used to being successful on the track mostly by her strong will and a strong hand. Neither is very conducive to an artful picture of riding. Once she realized that she could break dressage down into small, understandable pieces that fit together like an elegant puzzle, her sense of self-worth soared. She didn’t have to force her way into success… she could gently finesse her way to success!

The level of worthiness we feel makes a huge difference in how we live our lives. It’s true that we can never rise above nor outperform our own self-image. So if you want to improve your life, the first order of business is to improve your view of yourself.

This is easy to say, but is much harder to do. Are you open to a suggestion? Find a couple of friends you trust and feel safe with, and ask them to write down all the things about you that they LIKE. No negatives here… just the things they LIKE about you. Then do the same about yourself. Write down all the things about you that YOU like. Read these lists three times a day for 21 days. Then watch what shows up in your life!

I like my long flowing mane and tail, my shiny black coat, and my ability to do terrific pirouettes. Jane said she is most proud of my one tempis and my strong work ethic. I’m going to concentrate on these things for the next 21 days and see what happens!

In the meantime, I’m going to help the young mare who just moved into the barn with her confidence. She’s a diamond in the rough, and I want to be there with the polish! How about you? Is there someone you could help today?

Love, Moshi

From Indy:

Yesterday I went swimming with my friend Chance, when I got a mouthful of water and nearly choked! It scared me for a minute. It hurt, and I couldn’t breathe. Chance was worried too. He stayed right beside me and made sure I got out of the water okay. It was really nice of him.

Chance is one of those fellows who is always there for me. He’s a really good friend. He’s never talked bad about me, judged me when I’m having a bad day, or intentionally hurt my feelings. He’s one of those dogs that everyone feels safe with.

When I got out of the water, I thought to myself how lucky I am to have such a great friend. I realized I’d never told him that. But I really do appreciate Chance and how good he treats me. After I stopped coughing, I nuzzled him with my nose and told him that he’s a great friend. It made him smile.

Who in your life is a great friend? Are there people who make you smile, help you feel safe, or otherwise make your life better? Perhaps today is a good day to let them know how much you appreciate them. It will make you both feel good.

Love, Indy

Jane Savoie
1174 Hill St ext.
Berlin, VT 05602

The United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) is pleased to announce the dates and locations of two Markel/USEF Young Horse Dressage Training Sessions for 2012. The open training sessions will be a unique opportunity for up and coming talent to have one-on-one sessions with USEF Young Horse Coach, Scott Hassler. The two-day event will include a 45-minute lesson each day with Scott Hassler as well as an evening lecture and discussion for the riders led by Scott. He explains, “I’m really excited about the decision to schedule the open Young Horse Training sessions. They will provide an opportunity for people to better understand the Markel/USEF Young Horse program as well as the correct development required for young horses to advance in the training scale towards the FEI levels.”

The first Young Horse Training Session will be held February 18-19 at Shannondale Farm in Milton, Georgia. Applications for this training session are due January 31st. Another Training Session will be held April 14-15 at Twinwood Equestrian Center in Simontown, Texas. Applications for this training session are due March 30th.

Applications, fees and further information about these training sessions can be obtained by contacting USEF Director of Dressage National Programs, Hallye Griffin (hgriffin@usef.org). Dates and locations for Central and New England area training sessions will be announced at a later time.

In addition to the training sessions, there will be Young Horse Dressage Observation Sessions at two events in 2012. These sessions are simply “observations” that will take place at the competition and will allow USEF Young Horse Coach, Scott Hassler to observe and scout for talented Young Horses. There will not be a fee for the Observation Sessions. The first Observation Session will take place at the Palm Beach Dressage Derby on March 3-4th in West Palm Beach, Florida. Another Observation Session will take place March 27-28th at the Festival of the Horse in San Juan Capistraño, California.  If you are interested in taking part in the Young Horse Observation Sessions, please contact Hallye Griffin (hgriffin@usef.org).

Please remember that Applications of Intent for the 2012 Markel/USEF Young Horse Dressage Championships and the 2012 Developing Horse Dressage Championships (presented by the Dutta Corp and PSI) are due April 30th and can be found under Dressage Championship Applications when you log into your USEF account: https://www.usef.org/_AUAIFrames/Login/Default.aspx.

Lexington, KY – The United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) has nominated Capt. Mark Phillips and Missy Ransehousen for top coaching honors with the United States Olympic Committee (USOC).  With this nomination, they have been named USEF Coach and Para-Equestrian Coach of the Year.

Capt. Phillips has had a long tenure of medal winning service to the USEF. Beginning in 1993, he has brought medals home from every championship he has coached, except for one. In 2011 his team made history.  They won Pan American Team Gold with all five athletes finishing on their dressage scores. This is the first time in history this ever happened. The U.S. Team also won Individual Silver and Bronze. Even more impressively, this was a relatively inexperienced team, only one rider had represented their country previously.  He has worked tirelessly on the developing rider program the results of which are now being utilized. He serves on four USEF Committees and is a top international course designer and technical delegate. His impact on the sport, both in 2011 and throughout his career has been profound and garnered him the Nomination of USEF Coach of the Year.

Missy Ransehousen has had a banner year with the U.S. Para-Equestrian Dressage Team, coaching two winning teams at the United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) Para-Equestrian CPEDI 3* in Saugerties, NY and at the Saddlewood Festival of Dressage CPEDI 3* in Werribee, AUS.  Ransehousen also coached Rebecca Hart to a Reserve Championship Individual honors at the USEF Para-Equestrian CPEDI3* and then on to a double win at the Saddlewood CPEDI3*. The Australian success was even more impressive because it was achieved entirely on borrowed horses.  Ransehousen has coached four-time National Para-Equestrian Champion and Paralympian Rebecca Hart to all of her championship titles. Ransehousen’s commitment to the sport is tireless, her efforts since 2000 have grown the sport considerably and she works as an advocate and fundraiser for the program as much as she works helping her riders succeed.

“Captain Phillips and Missy Ransehousen are extraordinary coaches,” said James Wolf, USEF Executive Director, Sport Programs. “Both of these individual have dedicated their lives to the training of horses and riders.  Their dedication, determination, integrity and work ethic make them both strong candidates for USOC Coach of the Year Honors.”

Both Phillips and Ransehousen will be considered by the USOC for the National and Paralympic Coach of the Year Award that will be announced in late spring/early summer 2012.

For more information about the Coach of the Year Program, please contact Christy Baxter, Executive Assistant to the Executive Director, Sport Programs at cbaxter@usef.org.

Focus. It’s the most driving force in anyone’s success. Oh sure… occasionally there are successes that just fall into your lap. But that is incredibly rare. Focus is one of those things that creates opportunity. It creates a vibration of success. The energy of the Universe aligns with your vision, and you become unstoppable.

I decided I wanted to beat Indy in a race. He’d already beat me once, so I had some history to overcome. I could have wallowed in my failure, I could have given up and just accepted that he’s the faster fellow, or I could focus on a goal and not stop until I reached it. My desire to win wasn’t about Indy at all, it was about proving that I could change my experience though my own focus and will.

So I started dreaming. That’s right… dreaming. I imagined Indy and me running the circle around my turnout with me in the lead the entire time. I imagined “that winning feeling” of joy I was going to feel when I reached the finish line first. I did the physical work of challenging myself each time I was turned out or ridden, pushing myself a little bit farther than I thought I could go, but always added the mental emotions of joy in success and winning with each workout.

And yes, the next time Indy and I raced, I was the winner! Indy was a good sport about it, but he informed me that he’s going to work on it and beat ME next time. We’ll see!

Love, Moshi

From Indy:

There are a bunch of new dogs at our Florida barn this year. I met a few of them yesterday. I felt a little shy and out of place. They’ve already bonded in a ”pack” and weren’t sure they wanted me to join in. One of them snapped at me, and they all ran off leaving me standing alone. I struggled with hurt feelings and a sense of isolation. It hurt.

A friend of Jane’s recently wrote about an incident that hurt his feelings and that reminded me of how I felt with the new pack of dog friends. This fellow brought some cavaletties to his new equestrian center so he could work on his horse’s rhythm and conditioning. When he was done riding, he left the cavalettis along the side of the arena, thinking other boarders might want to use them. But instead of using them, the established “pack” of boarders became angry and criticized him as too lazy to put his tools away. This hurt him, as his intentions were to be generous and caring of others, not lazy or thoughtless. To have his act of kindness turned against him by the established group stung and made him want to leave the barn.

This kind of event is called a “break in belonging.” It is one of the most painful things a person goes through, and it has a profound psychological effect. Children, especially, will make life-long decisions about themselves and their place in the world based on these “breaks.” The effect these events have on a person’s psyche cannot be overstated.

So what do you do when you have a “break in belonging”? First of all, recognizing what’s going on will help take some of the sting out of the event. Self-examination can increase personal wisdom and improve future choices. Do you need to apologize? Do you need to change your behavior? Would it be helpful to explain your actions to the leader of the group?

Some unhealthy groups form and become stronger because they pick a common “enemy” to give them a sense of belonging. Recognizing the “pack mentality” and knowing it says more about them than it does about you, gives you the opportunity to step back and take a look at what’s really going on. Then you get to decide if this is really a group that fits your core values or if is it a toxic group with whom you would be wise to remain an outsider.

It’s easy for me to tell you not to let the feelings of rejection bother you. I understand what’s happening, and it still bothers me. These “breaks in belonging” happen to everyone, no exceptions. It’s up to each of us to decide whether we should try to “fix” the break, or let it go and move on.

I decided to change my focus, find my good friend Geoffrey, and have a fun day playing with him. Later, the other dogs saw us, and eventually we all played a great game of hide and seek together. I decided to focus on the fun, and ignore the past negative feelings. And I ended up having a terrific day!

What are YOU focused on today? Remember, whatever you focus on, you get more of! Decide to focus on having a GREAT day!

Love, Indy

Jane Savoie
1174 Hill St ext.
Berlin, VT 05602

Dust settled as the leather fringe of well-worn chaps flung in the wind and the young cowboy pulled his horse to a quick stop. Then, clutching his reins in frustration, he looked up at the sky and shook his head. His horse had taken the wrong lead… again. (The horse’s lead describes the leg he leads off of when cantering. For example to canter to the right, the horse must be on the right lead, and the left lead to go left. When on the incorrect lead, the horse has trouble cantering in a balanced way.) “Well hold up just a second,” a steady voice broke the silence, and the young cowboy turned toward a lean man resting easily on his horse, who stood resting a hind leg and dozing off. “Do you know how to prepare him to take the right lead?”

The younger rider shook his head, and looked quizzically at the older horseman. “No.”

“See the preparation is the most important part,” the older cowboy’s soft blue eyes looked intently at the young man, who had turned his horse to face him.

The older cowboy lifted his rein and continued, “See, what you do is you set him up to take the right lead by teaching him first to move his hindquarters just a bit in the direction you want to go.” Moving his horse’s hind legs to the right he glanced over his shoulder at the well-muscled right hindquarter of his horse. “See, in order to take the right lead, he’s gotta shift his weight slightly onto the right hind leg. So you practice moving your horse’s hind quarters from one side to the other.

“Maybe you start off at the walk,” he went on, “and just walk down the fence line, and every few steps move his hindquarters over. And sure, he’ll move ‘em back where he prefers them. You know every horse has a certain preferred way of travel. So you just practice shifting that a little bit, until he starts to almost do it on his own.

“So then maybe you do this at the trot. You trot a few steps, shift his haunches over, and then,” he paused, “you walk.” He scans the faces of the riders all intently focused on him to be sure they got the point. “See, you don’t canter there, because the preparation is more important than the action.” And if your horse is not ready, and you rush him, he’ll take his preferred lead… every time.” He paused again, letting the words sink in.

I hit the pause button and thought about just what the cowboy, Buck Branaman, meant, and just what this meant in human relationships.

It’s true, people are inpatient, and often come to therapy wanting to dive right into the issues… again, no preparation. While they may be quick to pinpoint conflicts and patterns — and even therapists can do this — for some couples, the idea of what resolution looks like, or even how to prepare for it, can be rather elusive.

So, thinking about the importance of resolution, I turned toward the young couple that had come in to resolve their marital conflicts, and asked, “Do you know how to prepare for resolution?”

Two faces turned toward me, puzzled. “Well,” I paused, “how would you lay the ground work for a disagreement turning out okay?”

“Well, I guess we wouldn’t be so mad,” the woman turned toward her husband. He gazed back at her, his face softening. “And maybe we wouldn’t be yelling at each other.”

“So, you’d probably be a lot nicer to each other in order to prepare for resolution of the conflict?” I asked.

Two nods followed.

“Well,” I looked back at them as intently as Buck, the cowboy who had looked at the other riders, “you see, the preparation is the most important part — more important in fact than the actual resolution of the conflict.”

Bernie Traurig judged the CPI on a chilly Saturday in Wellington, FL

Wellington, FL – January 16, 2012 – World-class equestrian, founder and president of EquestrianCoach.com, Bernie Traurig, judged the hunt seat divisions of the College Preparatory Invitational (CPI) along with Scott Hofstetter, Nona Garson and Linda Andrisani. Robert Dover judged the dressage competition, a new addition to the event in its second year. The CPI was held at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center in Wellington, FL with the mounted competition on an uncharacteristically cool Saturday.

The goal of the CPI is to prepare junior high and high school riders for the format of college equestrian competition, encourage academics and horsemanship and to provide riders with the resources to continue equestrian learning during college.

“I really like the format of this show and collegiate competition in general. It gives young people a new opportunity after their junior years,” said Traurig.

Along with the mounted hunt seat and dressage competition, scholarships and awards were presented to participating students for a written horsemanship test, as well as essay and photo contests.  Many interesting and notable speakers also participated throughout the weekend.

On Saturday evening, Traurig held a presentation of EquestrianCoach.com to a large audience of students, parents and coaches. He demonstrated the online educational opportunities of the site for schools, colleges and organizations that provide riding programs or equine degree programs. Free memberships were offered to coaches to try the online educational system as part of their riding programs.

“Our mission is to make quality education accessible and affordable to every equestrian, regardless of their background, their level or their geographic location,” shared Traurig.

“At Virginia Intermont we whole-heartedly use Bernie Traurig’s EquestrianCoach.com as an online learning tool and require it for our hunter seat students. The system has contributed to our consistent national rankings and serves as a great resource for both the coach and student,” said Eddie Federwisch, Director of Equine Studies at Virginia Intermont, Director at Large of the IHSA, Chair of the IHSA Hunter Equitation Committee and United States Equestrian Federation recorded hunter and hunter seat equitation judge.”

EquestrianCoach.com is an online education service that provides systematic, online “lessons” presented by Bernie Traurig and a host of world-class trainers and competitors, including Rodrigo Pessoa, Eric Lamaze, Laura Kraut, Ian Millar, Missy Clark, Peter Pletcher, Louise Serio, Julie Winkel and many more. High quality, dynamic content is constantly added, providing the ideal learning portal for novice through advanced riders. It is a comprehensive resource for amateurs to augment their lessons, for trainers and professionals looking for lesson support materials and for riders with no access to qualified training.

Throughout his career Traurig excelled in multiple disciplines including equitation (winning both the AHSA Medal and the ASPCA Maclay), jumpers, hunters, eventing and dressage. Traurig represented the United States Equestrian Team both at home and abroad. Traurig is the winner of over 60 show jumping Grand Prix events. He reached the top of the sport in three of the International Equestrian Olympic disciplines: show jumping, dressage, and eventing. In 2009 he was inducted into the National Show Hunter Hall of Fame. In 2010, the California Professional Horsemen’s Association honored him with their Lifetime Achievement Award.

For more information go to: www.EquestrianCoach.com.

For more information on Bernie Traurig go to: www.BernieTraurig.com.

To book a clinic with Bernie Traurig go to: www.EquestrianCoach.com/Bernie-clinic.

To learn more about the CPI go to: http://www.collegeprepinvitational.com/index.html.

Media Contact: Mason Phelps
Phelps Media Group, Inc. International
phone 561.753.3389  fax 561.753.3386
pmginfo@phelpsmediagroup.com

Peter Leone and Select winning the $100,000 Grand Prix of Devon. Photo by Charles Fox

Wellington, FL – January 13, 2012 – Olympic Silver Medalist Peter Leone will join Kimberly S. Jaussi, Ph.D., at a workshop, “Leadership, Vision and the Equestrian Athlete”, to share his experiences, answer questions and offer advice. The workshop will be held during the College Preparatory Invitational (CPI) in the Special Events Pavilion at the Palm Beach Equestrian Center at 11:00 am on Saturday, January 14, 2012.

After the workshop Leone will autograph his DVD, Ride the Body: Select Insights of Peter Leone, that he produced along with Jaussi. The informative and practical DVD will be awarded to all the first place winners at the CPI. A drawing will be held during the workshop for additional DVD prizes.

Leone and Jaussi also co-authored the upcoming book, Peter Leone’s Show Jumping Clinic: Success Strategies for Equestrian Athletes (Storey Publishing), which will hit the shelves in spring of 2012.

Peter Leone is an Olympic equestrian, trainer, producer of hunter/jumper instructional DVDs and author. He owns and operates Lionshare Farm in Greenwich, CT. His clients successfully compete in the pony, equitation, hunter and jumper divisions. He is one of three brothers, affectionately named Team Leone for their success in the show ring. Leone was a member of the 1996 Silver Medal United States Olympic Show-Jumping Team and winner of numerous national and international Grand-Prix show jumping competitions.

An award winning teacher and public speaker, Jaussi received her doctorate in Organizational Behavior from the University of Southern California in 2001 and her A.B. in economics from Smith College.  A former Pony Clubber and an IHSA alumna of Smith College Riding Team, Jaussi and her family own and operate Lucky Stone Farm in Owego, NY.  In addition to her projects with Peter Leone and her consulting and leadership development work, Jaussi is a tenured professor at Binghamton University (SUNY) in the School of Management and a fellow of the Center for Leadership Studies.  She teaches courses in Leadership, Innovation, and Organizational Behavior in Binghamton’s undergraduate, MBA, and Ph.D. programs.

For more information about Peter Leone and Lionshare Farm, go to: http://www.lionsharefarm.com/index.html.

To learn more about Jaussi’s workshops go to: www.inspiringimpulsion.com.

To purchase the Ride the Body: Select Insights of Peter Leone DVD, go to: http://www.lionsharefarm.com/store/page2.html.

To be notified when the book Peter Leone’s Show Jumping Clinic: Success Strategies for Equestrian Athletes will be available, contact: cw@phelpsmediagroup.com.

For information about the CPI, go to: http://collegeprepinvitational.com/index.html.

Media Contact: Mason Phelps
Phelps Media Group, Inc. International
phone 561.753.3389  fax 561.753.3386
pmginfo@phelpsmediagroup.com