Stephanie is a USDF Bronze, Silver and Gold Medalist along with the corresponding Freestyle Bars. She also earned her German FN Bronze and Silver Reitabzichens while training and competing in Germany from 1994 to 1997.
Stephanie has developed multiple horses to Grand Prix and enjoys this long and rewarding experience. The process has many components, a very important component being a properly fitted saddle.
“I have been riding is Schleese saddles for about 15 years now, but it was an interesting process that got me in a Schleese saddle.
I got a new client from Wisconsin. She was riding in a Schleese, which I thought was comfortable. The fitters were coming through our area to adjust her saddle. She explained to me that they regularly adjusted the tree as her horse’s back muscles changed. Initially, I was very sceptical about the ‘fit for life’ idea. I am old school and the idea that a saddle tree could be adjusted multiple times… and for different horses seemed like a fairytale to me.
Well, the first thing that happened was I got an education in saddle fitting. The fitter, pretty sure it was Natalie Sauner, explained and showed me that the saddle for my Grand Prix horse, Dreamboy, didn’t fit him! I might not have completely believed her, but she took one of her Schleese saddles, adjusted it to fit Dreamboy, and told me to go for a ride.
I could doubt my friend, I could doubt Natalie, but I couldn’t doubt my partner Dreamboy! As excited as I was to have a new saddle for Dreamboy that fit him, and that would continue to be adjusted to fit him, I was wracked with guilt that I had ridden him so long and brought him so far in a saddle that wasn’t comfortable to him (God bless our horses).
Since then, proper saddle fit, as well as a great vet and farrier care, proper nutrition and abundant turnout, are all part of my success in bringing horses up through the levels.”