Western Dressage as Cross-Training for Mounted Law Enforcement - 10/7/2026

Long before dressage became a competitive discipline, systematic equitation was closely tied to
the training of military cavalry horses and riders. Balance, responsiveness, maneuverability and
precise control of the horse had practical applications for a mounted force. Modern mounted law
enforcement has a very different mission, but many of those fundamental requirements remain.

On August 26, the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office Mounted Unit put that connection into
practice by incorporating Western Dressage into its regular mounted training at Jim Brandon
Equestrian Center in West Palm Beach, Florida. The training day was part of the unit’s annual
training curriculum taught by Evan Ackerly of Ackerly Equestrian and April Milner of Tailwind
Trails, both of Palm City, Florida, who invited WDAA/USEF “R” Judge and Coach Patti
Thompson to join the training team for this cross-training effort. Patti s a lifelong horseman with
experience across many disciplines. Among her long list of accolades, Patti holds a USDF
Bronze Medal, is a USDF “L” Judge with Distinction, and a USDF University Gold, Silver and
Bronze Graduate.

If you've ever saddled up for a ride on a forest trail, packed into the backcountry, or simply enjoyed the peace and quiet of America's public lands, there's an important debate unfolding in Washington that deserves your attention.

In recent months, Congress has considered a number of proposals that could significantly change how public lands are managed. Among the most notable is an effort to repeal the federal Roadless Rule, a policy that has protected millions of acres of National Forest land from most road construction and development for more than two decades.

Thank you so much for the WDAA youth scholarship. I was able to use the scholarship money to attend a Kristen Whitaker clinic with my horse, Clover. I learned a lot about using my seat and legs more than my reins. I also had a lot of fun taking a few lessons with a different trainer and trying things a new way.

~ Avery Aswad

Western Dressage Camp 2026 

written by Kiera Farmer

by Beth Briner

This spring, at 58 years old, I found myself standing at my first Western Dressage Association show at Brandreth Farm wearing a felt cowboy hat, wondering if I had completely lost my mind.

My name is Asha Austin, and I have been riding western dressage for about a year with Bentley, my lease horse of two and a half years. I was awarded the WDAA Youth Educational Scholarship in April of 2025. Unfortunately, the Lynn Palm clinic I was planning on attending was canceled, but WDAA was very kind, and let me use the scholarship for another educational event. With the help of my trainer, I was able to use the scholarship for three lessons with veterinarian and FEI level trainer; Tina Steward. During our lessons, Tina helped Bentley and I become more fluid and collected in the canter to prepare for Basic level. Over the course of three months, my canter improved significantly with Tina’s help, and I can tell that Bentley and I have become more fluid as a pair. Thank you so much WDAA for this opportunity!!

Recently, Tailwind Trails hosted a spectacular, two-day Western Dressage Clinic with Clinician and Judge Patti Thompson.  Patti brings a lifetime of Horsemanship to her coaching.  Her credentials include WDAA/USEF "R" Judge, USDF "L" Graduate with Distinction USDF Bronze Medalist, and USDF University Gold, Silver & Bronze Graduate with Distinction. 

The clinic sold out quickly, as Western Dressage is relatively new in our area and riders and auditors were eager to learn more.  In the true spirit of Western Dressage, we had a wide variety of breeds represented in the clinic.  Sprinkled among the Quarter Horses were an American Warmblood, a BLM mustang, an Andalusian, a Thoroughbred and even a Friesian!  The riders' abilities and experiences varied, most had never ridden Western Dressage.  In working with each pair, Patti expertly applied the training fundamentals found in the WDAA Training Wheel.

From Krystal: Hoof Prints and Tire Tracks was written because, growing up, I did not have anyone like me (disabled) to look up to. I was often told what I could not do, what I should not try, or what I would never be able to accomplish. Through faith, perseverance, and a refusal to accept those limits, I learned that God’s plans are not defined by human expectations. I wanted to write the book I once needed, one that shows others, disabled or not, that with faith, determination, and hope, possibilities are far greater than we are often told.

I was born with Arthrogryposis, a condition that affected my mobility from the very beginning. My childhood was filled with surgeries, long recoveries, and learning how to navigate a world that was not built with bodies like mine in mind. Along the way, I wrestled with hard questions about purpose, belonging, and what healing really means.

Lexington, Ky. - US Equestrian would like to remind eligible competitions of updates made to the USEF Lite Grants, which provide funding to USEF Lite licensed competitions. Lite licensing is designed to give competition organizers and athletes a lower cost, more relaxed competition environment which still has the benefits of US Equestrian’s rulebook and oversight. 

USEF Lite Grants provide further savings by offering financial assistance to competitions to hire necessary staffing, with up to $300 available for one- and two-day competitions and up to $500 for shows that are three days or longer. The grant may be used toward the hiring of required Qualified Medical Personnel or hiring a USEF Applicant Steward or Technical Delegate to officiate the competition.  

Lexington, KY: Angela Michaelson of Minnesota has been chosen to receive the 2026 Ellen DiBella Western Dressage Scholarship from The Morgan Horse Foundation, Inc. (MHF). 

Angela was in the saddle at three months of age. Her love for Morgans began after seeing some at local open and 4H shows at the age of 10 – she had to have one! Angela said, “Purchasing my first Morgan started a passion that hasn’t wavered for 44 years.” She enjoyed showing Morgans with her son and daughter for many years. When her daughter left for college, ChandlerCreek TakebyStorm GCH (aka Rain) entered Angela’s life. An unstarted 3-year-old, Rain became Angela’s project and their partnership quickly blossomed. In May 2019, they attended their first Morgan Show, continued working hard, and soon thereafter captured the championship at the Grand National in Western Dressage Suitability. For Angela and Rain, “Western Dressage checked all the boxes.” It improves overall carriage and balance. Showing in Western trail and ranch trail, too, the three disciplines complement each other. 

WASHINGTON, D.C., January 28, 2026 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) today announced that it will postpone the effective date for the Horse Protection Amendments final rule. Previously scheduled to take effect on February 1, 2026, several provisions of the rule have been vacated by the courts, and the non-vacated provisions will now become effective on December 31, 2026. This postponement follows ongoing legal developments and legislative directives aimed at providing regulatory clarity for the horse industry and federal inspectors.

The final rule, originally published in May 2024, was designed to strengthen the Horse Protection Act (HPA) by replacing the industry-led inspection model with USDA-authorized Horse Protection Inspectors (HPIs) and implementing stricter prohibitions on soring—the cruel practice of using chemicals or mechanical devices to induce an exaggerated gait in horses.