Hoofer Riding club features famed clinician
By Megan Reichert and Emily Connor
Each summer since 1931, Hoofers has helped bring outdoor living to Madison’s urban center. In true Hoofers tradition, self-taught experts have shown others everything they need to know about sailing, kayaking and other summer sports. However, Hoofer Riding Club has invited internationally-known professional equestrian clinician, Melanie Michalak, to teach a musical freestyle dressage clinic this July.
Michalak is a musical freestyle designer, competitor, judge and clinician who will be leading the dressage clinic from July 22-24. Dressage, a form of training that focuses on honing a horse’s riding technique, is a long practiced equestrian training style that Michalak will be using as a teaching method during the clinic.
Michalak’s extensive training career has spanned years and even continents. She has trained and choreographed dressage routines throughout the U.S., Europe, and the Caribbean, during the Pan American Games and in the U.S. Olympic Dressage Trials. In addition, she has earned state and national freestyle and United States Dressage Federation Horse of the Year awards on her own horses at many levels. She contributes regularly to Dressage and CT Magazine and often focuses on music interpretation and its use in dressage performance.
Clinician coordinator Tracy Becker said she is excited about the opportunity for community members to learn more about dressage and music from Michalak. “It is a clinic that will benefit and suit everyone from jumpers to dressage people to people who have never ridden before but enjoy music. It’s a very unique experience for everyone,” said Becker.
Michalak will be working with riders to demonstrate how the rhythm and tempo of music can help both the horse and rider progress. During each lesson, she will select a piece of music that best suits the individual horse and rider and will use that music to improve the pair’s dressage movements.
A dressage routine choreographed by Melanie Michalak.
This will be the second year Michalak has served as a clinician for the Hoofer Riding Club, but she has been involved with other club activities before. Michalak has served as a judge at the Hoofer Riding Club’s Dressage Schooling Shows for many years.
Both beginner and advanced riders are able to attend and learn from the clinic. Prices vary depending on the desired amount of participation in the clinic.
“Every member of the Hoofer Riding Club and the public will be invited to attend and learn. We hope members of the Hoofer Equestrian Team will come out to ride and audit classes!” said Becker.
If you are interested in riding, auditing, or just finding out more information about this clinic you can visit the Hoofer Riding Club website.
