ASAW Summerfun

West Allis, WI
July 2006

Photo 8

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For me, the most pleasant note of this year’s show was meeting Curt Haugen, owner of La Fluer Van Ess Stables. The photo above shows his daughter Natalie (center) in their tack room with her friend “CD.”
Since the show, Curt has sent me a few E-mails recounting Natalie’s accomplishments this season. Among them she won 4th and 7th place ribbons at the Saddlebred World Championships in Louisville KY. He writes, with justifiable pride: “Pretty darn good for an eleven-year old competing in the 17 year old and under classes.”
I took advantage of Curt’s good nature to try to learn a little bit about his horse show world. In the photo at right he and Natalie are demonstrating the tricky pinky control used with a double bit.

To me, all the horses and riders looked great. Curt tried to acquaint me with some of the finer points of judging. “In posting at the trot,” he informed me, “the rule is: rise and fall with the leg on the wall.”
I think this means that if the wall is to the left, then when the horse’s left leg rises, the right rear leg should rise. I don’t know what “posting at the trot” means.
At right, Curt with some young friends.

The previous page shows one of the La Fleur riders, Margaret, and some fancy-work on her horses mane.