Potomac Valley Dressage Association

The Potomac Valley Dressage Association (PVDA) is the second oldest dressage club in the United States. Founded in 1964 in Gaithersburg, MD, PVDA promotes the art and sport of dressage by providing leadership, education, scholarships and competitions.

Much of the credit for PVDA's leading position belongs to Frederick (Stretch) Harting. Harting established the Potomac Horse Center in Gaithersburg in the early 1960s. He employed Great Britain's Betty Howett, a Fellow of the British Horse Society and a highly acclaimed student of Nuno Oliveira of Portugal. She installed the BHS system of stable and horse management, teaching and riding. Harting called the instruction course "Horsemasters" and had it trademarked. Collette Stevens joined the Horse Center soon after as instructor and stable manager.

The names of former students of the Potomac Horse Center read like an American equestrian "Who's who." Just to mention a few: USET members Kay Meredith and Elizabeth Lewis, and internationally recognized combined training instructor and Judge Sally O'Connor.

Others are Brian Ross, Grant Schneidman, Gina LaCroix, Margaret Gafford, Linda Oliver, Wendy Carlson and Gretchen Verbonic. They all campaigned horses to national awards.

Linda Zang was a graduate of one of the first Horsemaster's courses as well. Following her graduation, she went on to extended course work at Stromsholm in Sweden, culminating in her participation in the 1979 Pan American Games and the 1980 Olympics.

PVDA was organized at meetings in the upstairs lounge of the Potomac Horse Center in the spring of 1964. The original board included Erna and Clarence Edmonds (Col. Ed), Sally O'Connor, Gen. Jonathan Burton, Linda Zang and the late Col. Donald Thackeray.

In 1970 the Potomac Horse Center employed Col. Bengt Ljungquist from Sweden, a former Olympian in both fencing and dressage. After a short time at the Potomac Horse Center, Ljungquist became a permanent trainer at Linda Zang's Idlewilde Farm in Davidsonville, MD. As Zang is fond of saying: "These were the days when top riders would come from around the country to work with Col. Ljungquist."

Later Ljungquist coached the United States Equestrian Team and because of his prominence, PVDA's influence rose as well. Idlewilde became the hub for East Coast riders long-listed with the USET, including Robert Dover, Kay Meredith, Janalee Salestrom Redmond, Jayne Ayers, Elizabeth Madlener and Zang herself.

In memory of his great contribution to the sport, PVDA member Sam Barish established the Col. Bengt Ljungquist Memorial Championship (BLM) in 1982. PVDA hosted the first BLM Championship together with its 18th Annual Competition, October 15-16, 1983 at the Prince George's Equestrian Center, Upper Marlboro, MD.

PVDA's membership encompasses dressage enthusiasts in Maryland, Virginia, the District of Columbia, West Virginia, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Delaware and New Jersey.

A brief history of facts as reported in our 35th Anniversary by Stephanie Banks for the PVDA newsletter:

•"In l964 a group of people, bound together by a common interest in furthering the art of dressage, met to discuss means of accomplishing this goal. As a result the Potomac Valley Dressage Association was born." Excerpted from the January l972 newsletter. PVDA's first president was William S. Gould.
•Green and white were chosen as PVDA's official colors in l972. In l979 the organization adopted its current logo. It is an image of Dr. Reiner Klimke and his mount, Mehmed. The reproduction was brought back to the United States from Germany by then member, Pat Doenig.
•It was inevitable that as dressage grew in popularity and as PVDA expanded its influence, certain demands on the association's endeavors would lead to increases in membership, dues and the number of shows. PVDA grew from only 37 members in l965, to 122 in l968, l55 in l972, 344 in l975 up to 1200 today. In l967, PVDA claimed 40 members from eight states, including the District of Columbia. Dues rose from $5.00 for a single member in l965, to $10.00 in l970, $12.00 in l975, $15.00 in l979 to $30.00 in l998. Schooling show fees were only $6.00 in l975 per class; today we pay just $15.00. The first schooling show was hosted in l972 with 25 people riding training level through third level tests. In l977, there were 8 schooling shows. By l998, PVDA had a full calendar of 32 shows.
•The following is an interesting essay reprinted from the September l969 newsletter on the fundamental meaning of dressage. It was authored by Zoltan Sztehlo from "Dressage Letters".
?"Dressage" is a word I don't like, but, as we are stuck with it, there is not much sense in arguing its merits, etc. The trouble, as I see it, is not so much with the name of this equestrian training, but with all the hullabaloo we make of it intentionally or unintentionally. Let's get down to the bare-bottom facts.

I think everybody would like to sit on a comfortable horse, one that is willing to do whatever is asked of it without putting up much opposition to the rider's demands. Only a flagellant, or such, would find pleasure sitting on a nag that first does not want to move, then, when it does, refuses to stop, or one that will not turn around unless in a field of considerable dimensions, or one with runs towards an obstacle like a maniac, or performs the wildest pirouettes instead of going toward some cavaletti.

We all can explain quite clearly that the purpose of dressage is to develop the above-described comfortable, etc. horse. If, however, the means to achieve this goal are even mentioned, we turn on our perfect smoke screen and make such a hullabaloo that most people get goose pimples when they even hear the word "dressage" mentioned.

Most people ride their horses well, or at least reasonably well, until they enter at "A" or find an instructor standing in the middle of a training area. At this moment, the cheerful expression disappears from their faces, along with the relaxed seat, and it is exchanged by a complexion depicting the seven miseries of ancient mythology; the rider's body becomes still as a washboard, the feet climb further and further back; those with determination produce a hollow back and try to imitate a Royal Horse Guardsman on duty; the timid ones appear to have severe stomach cramps, etc. etc. and all this because of the hullabaloo surronding the word "dressage".

Riding is a sport invented by humans for humans, and here is where it starts. Dressage is only the name of all the exercises which develop the necessary muscles and confidence in the horse to make riding enjoyable. If you make your horse move forward, or stop, you have performed dressage movements. If you can make your horse do this without fuss, and calmly, you have performed good dressage movements. If it jumps into orbit when asked to move forwad, or pulls your arms out when you wish to halt, you have performed poor dressage movements. That's all.

If only those who are God's gift to the equestrian world could ride, it certainly would be difficult to field any competition, racecard, hunt field or trail group with entries. It is understandable that only a few hit the top echelon just as in any other sport, but, if you never try it, you never find out if you belong there or not.

We are told that the horse has to be made straight by developing its muscles, etc. To develop muscles, and dissolve the stiffness present in any living thing, we have to bend the horse to the right, to the left, and forward and back. So far, I think everybody understands this. But, call the sideways movement a half-pas (sic), where the full pass does not exist on sport levels (only the Spanish School and Samur practice it) and listen when your poor walk is called by experts an "incorrectable pas" you surely will be bewildered for a while anyway. The rider who has no trouble at all moving his mount sideways to avoid a broken bottle or opening a gate becomes paralyzed when told that the outside hind hoof of his horse has to step into the prints of the inside fore, etc.

Another problem is the "never-ready" horse. How can you expect my green horse to bend, he is only 8 years old. Well, you have to get it straight; to get it straight you have to bend it, whether green or not. (He looks pretty brown to the uninitiated, anyway). If an athlete does not do anything else but eat, sleep and take occassional walks around the block, it is very unlikely that he will become anything worth mentioning.

To my mind, this observation applies to horses in the following way: As soon as the horse is more or less accustomed to my weight, I attempt, quietly and tactfully, to do a little work that will start the building or necessary muscles for furture work. If he gives me $.10 worth of attention and cooperation, I will ask for $.20 worth, and so on. If he refuses to give me the $.20 worth, I do not take it by force, but keep on asking.

Everybody can ask, nicely and politely, something from a horse in several ways. If one approach does not seem to work, it is then up to your skill and imagination to ask the same request in a million and one diffferent ways until the horse becomes willing to give the rider the amount asked for. The demand with the "or else" attached to it can be served on a horse only by mentally and physically well-balanced and experienced riders, and even, in this case, with questionable results.

But don't worry about the demand, just keep on asking and you will find that dressage is, and can become, fun for you and for your "poor little baby," the horse.
•Several well-known trainers, clinicians and riders have instructed and enlightened PVDA audiences in the past. Bert de Nemethy, coach of the USET in the early sixties, gave a clinic in l966 at the Potomac Horse Center. In l972, the Potomac Horse Center hosted a clinic with Nuno Oliveira. Jack LeGoff, coach of the U.S. Three Day Event team, Bruce Davidson and Mike Plumb all instructed riders and auditors at the Potomac Horse Center in l979.
•Several PVDA recognized shows over the years have attracted the following riders: In l974, Robert Dover rode Jonathan Livingston Seagull to a first place finish in l974; Kay Meredith placed first on her mount also in l974. Jessica Ransehousen received the Mercedes-Benz FEI trophy on Lair Lad at the May l977 show; Lilo Fore performed impressively on Dionysius and Gallant the same year. Also appearing were Lendon Gray on Crown Juel, Linda Zang on Fellow Traveler and Ann Gribbons on Batosta.
•Received from Mrs. Renate Ruzich, a l970 board member, and translated from Horsey Sayings by Wykin de Wohrde: A Guide to Horse Buying. " A good horse should have three attributes from man, three from woman, three from a fox, three from a hare, and three from a donkey. Man - courage, pride, boldness. Woman - a good chest, beautiful hair, easy to guide. Fox - a slim body, a good trot, short ears. Hare - a large eye, a dry head, speed. Donkey - a strong jaw, flat leg, a good hoof."
•In July l979, Bengt Ljungquist died while vacationing in Sweden. Here is a reprint from a letter to the editor he submitted to the Chronicle of the Horse in March l971.
?"AT WHAT DRESSAGE LEVEL SHOULD YOUR HORSE COMPETE?"

Dear Sir: A major reason for poor performances at dressage shows is that riders apparently do not study the general requirements of dressage and the specific requirements of the tests, or perhaps they just disregard them. Consequently too many horses are competing at too high a level.

We must remenber that the basis for the judges' estimate of almost all movements should not be the precision of the movement (formal correctness), but partly the degree of freedom, evenness, regularity, cadene and impulsion that characterizes the paces and partly the degree of lightness, suppleness, balance and harmony that characterizes the cooperation between horse and rider in executing the movements.

In other words, the quality of the paces and the degree of lightness, suppleness and ease with which the horse responds to the various aids of the rider should be the basis for the estimation and marking of every single movement.

The precision, however, should influence the marking, either upwards, or downwards, in order to adjust a basic mark that the judge has in mind.

The rider should therefore ask himself before participating in a dressage show: Has my horse three acceptable paces? Is his impulsion, obedience, lightness and suppleness sufficient for the test in question? What are the specific requirements?

In a training or preliminary test the horse should move willingly forward in a relaxed manner, stretching into the bit. If he does not he is not ready to show. From the first level and upwards the horse must accept the bit and the demands of impulsion, obedience, lightness, suppleness, collection, and flexibility are gradually increased.

On every level new movements, i.e. new requirements are introduced. In second level the rider has to produce lateral work and a half turn on the haunches; in third level the collected trot, collected canter are required ans so on upwards.

Can I ride collected trot and collected canter? If not, the horse is not ready for third level. Thus, if the required paces cannot be performed, every single movement is affected. If the horse cannot perform a flying change he is not mature enough for fourth level.

I am convinced we will see more nice horses and performances if riders think of the general requirements and, before going to a show, study the specific requirements of the test they intend to ride.


•In l967, dressage competitions in the area offered tests starting at first level. They were typically dressage and combined training events.
•In l969, the term freestyle meant designing your own dressage test using movements from the USAEq first and second level tests.
•By l970, the USAEq produced two tests at each of the four levels - first through fourth - and two tests below first level, which were called preliminary tests.
•Then in l971, the preliminary tests were called training level. Up until l975, there had existed a fifth level test, which became, in that year, the new Intermediaire I and Intermediaire II tests.