Dressage News Notes - Brought to You by Mary Phelps, a Markel Equine Insurance Specialist

The REEM Acra FEI World Cup™ Final is a wrap and while 2013 WC Champion Helen Langehanenberg put up a good fight it was all Charlotte Dujardin and Valegro in the spotlight becoming Olympic, European and now World Cup Champions! The Rolex Three Day Event presented by Land Rover is coming up this weekend with a packed field trying to not only win the Rolex but compete in the selection trial for 2014 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games in Normandy. Switching shores, Monty Roberts has long been an advisor to the Queen of England for both horse and hound and now he is helping British Soldiers suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome and they are a grateful group. The Spanish Riding School is kicking off a European Tour and when they make it on the UK soil they will be hosting three UK Olympic Champions! When switching your horses diet, it is important to do things gradually. This is also applicable to hay, check out why and how long to switch over to the new supply no matter what the quality.With Spring finally (we hope) upon us the show season is in full swing across the country! Let's begin in the south with the Budget Friendly Dressage in Raeford, NC, The Good Horseman/Massey Ferguson Dressage at the Horse Park in Conyers, GA, the Ocala Spring Dressage II in Ocala, FL and the ESP Summer Dressage 2 in Wellington, FL. The north has the Fidler Run Dressage Spring in Woodbine, NJ and the Mystic Valley Hunt Club, Inc. Dressage in Gales Ferry, CT and the Lake Erie Dressage Prix de Ville in Mentor, OH. Heading west we have the SNC Spring Dressage Show in Reno, NV, the Amigos de Dressage in Sunland Park, NM, the Houston Dressage Society, Inc. Spring Classic I and II in Houston, TX, the Great Plains Chapter of Oklahoma Dressage Society Spring Show in Stillwater, OK and the Dressage at the Peak Warm Up and Dressage for the Cure at the Peak both in Parker, CO. California rounds out the weekend with the Del Mar National Dressage in Del Mar, CA and the Yarra Yarra Dressage May in Pleasanton, CA.

The REEM Acra FEI World Cup™ Final is a wrap and it was without a doubt the Charlotte Dujardin and Valegro show! The reigning Olympic and European Champion brought their A Game and added the World Cup title to their long list of life acheivments even breaking her own Grand Prix world record! Helen Langehanenberg and Damon Hill, the 2013 World Cup Champion, put in solid performances but a few mistakes kept them in second. Read more extensive coverage of the REEM Acra FEI World Cup™ Final at DressageDaily.com!

Without a doubt, no matter what your chosen discipline, the Rolex Three Day Event presented by Land Rover in Lexington, KY is one of the most anticipated shows in the country. This year, 60 horse and rider combinations from 7 nations win go for the win in the CCI4* (the only one in the U.S.)! The competition is also the Rolex/USEF National CCI4* Championship and will also be a slection trial for the Land Rover U.S. Event Team for the 2014 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games! Read More...

Monty Roberts is a pioneer in Natural Horsemanship, the inspiration for the Hollywood movie The Horse Whisperer and a long time advisor to the Queen of England for both horses and corgis. Now Monty is taking on a new challenge of helping British Soldiers tackle post-traumatic stress syndrom. He recently held a UK ‘clinic’ last week for 30 veterans at Tedworth House, the Wiltshire base of charity Help For Heroes. Feedback was touching from the Soldiers and it is so nice to see how horses can touch someones lives and help them. Read More...

Coming this fall in the UK the Spanish Riding School of Vienna will be kicking off it's UK tour and joining them for the Wembley leg will be Olympian Carl Hester, Paralympians Lee Pearson and Natasha Baker. The super talented Brits will be an opening act for the historic Lipizzaner stallions for three nights in front of 10,000+ horse enthusiast. The school has launched a new website and will offer behind the scenes insight into the 430 year old school. Check it out!

I think it is safe to say that most horse owners know that when changing your horse's grain to a new one it should be a very gradual change over. Ssome , however, may not know that it is equally important to also take your time when changing over to a new hay. Since the energy and nutrient content of hay can vary greatly according wo where it is grow, it is important to allow the gut track to adjust to avoid digestive upset. Read More Here!

Mary Phelps (mary@horsesdaily.com) is a Markel Equine Insurance Specialist and CSR Tracey Scharf (tracey@horsesdaily.com) provide the personal attention needed to help make the lives of their clients smooth and easy when it comes to the process of insuring your Farm, business and equine mortality needs. While Mary travels to the shows and barns, you can count on Tracey in the office to be available to answer questions and manage the details with ease. 1-800-572-3286.