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Margaret Freeman

Margaret Freeman, of Tryon NC, is a USEF senior dressage judge and an FEI-level competitor with her Friesian-cross mare. She’s a freelance writer/editor for horse magazines and covered the equestrian events at seven Olympics for the Associate Press. She is the Executive Board secretary of the USDF and is active with youth dressage activities, including Dressage4Kids Inc. and Lendon Gray’s Youth Dressage Festival (NY). She’s an experienced show organizer and was on the founding committees of CDCTA (VA) and Dressage at Devon (PA).

dressage today virtual showmanship tips

Check out this advice from USEF 'S' judge Margaret Freeman.

margaret freeman escribing dressage blog

Blogger and USEF dressage judge Margaret Freeman speaks from personal experience to discuss the perks and drawbacks of electronic scribing and scoring.

margaret freeman first level r and p

If you want to set yourself apart at First Level and earn points that others don’t, check out these two movements where mistakes are commonly made.

Margaret Freeman and Mount St John Freestlye IMG_1395

Blogger and USEF dressage judge Margaret Freeman shares her unique perspective of WEG as a Tryon-area local. In this blog, she meets the mare Mount St John Freestyle!

Blogger and USEF dressage judge Margaret Freeman shares her unique perspective of WEG as a Tryon-area local.

Blogger and USEF dressage judge Margaret Freeman shares her unique perspective of WEG as a Tryon-area local.

jessica von bredow werndl weg tryon half pass

FEI World Equestrian Games™ Tryon 2018

Blogger and USEF dressage judge Margaret Freeman shares her unique perspective of WEG as a Tryon-area local.

margaret freeman blog 3

Blogger and USEF dressage judge Margaret Freeman shares her unique perspective of WEG as a Tryon-area local.

margaret freeman france 3

FEI World Equestrian Games™ Tryon 2018

Blogger and USEF judge Margaret Freeman shares tales from her trip to France before her time at the World Equestrian Games.

Safe 6 IMG_1268

Blogger and judge Margaret Freeman explains why higher scores are often worth the risk.

arabian triangle

Blogger and judge Margaret Freeman shares her observations from judging at a recent Arabian show.

margaret freeman blog brentina

Blogger and judge Margaret Freeman fondly remembers Debbie McDonald's freestyle performance aboard Brentina at the 2005 World Cup Dressage Final.

margaret freeman freewalk at X

Blogger and judge Margaret Freeman shares a tip to help you nail the broken-line free walk.

evening hack

Margaret Freeman

Blogger and dressage judge Margaret Freeman discusses the perks of riding with friends.

It can be a good showmanship strategy to do a canter-to-trot transition near to the corner at Training Level.

Margaret Freeman

Margaret Freeman explains the art of presenting your horse in the best light to the judge.

margaret freeman dressage letters

Margaret Freeman

It’s easy to remember the position of the dressage letters when they’re right in front of you, but not so easy when they aren’t.

Riders in lower-level tests often drift off the centerline, away from the direction of the turn at C, as shown by the green line above if the turn is toward the left.

Margaret Freeman

Learn to ride a 10-meter loop, not a 13-meter over-ripe banana

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Margaret Freeman

Deciphering judge comments

87 Lengthenings

Margaret Freeman

Margaret Freeman shares a tip on lengthenings in First Level tests and discusses the importance of staying straight.

Margaret Freeman in Corolla, North Carolina

Margaret Freeman

Discovering the wild ponies of Corolla, North Carolina

leadline

Margaret Freeman

My blood runs cold when I hear the phrase “leadline dressage.”

The judge is always searching for an effective way to convey information through her scribe to the rider.

Margaret Freeman

The judge is always searching for an effective way to convey information through her scribe to the rider.

After the judge rings her bell, you have 45 seconds to enter at A.

Margaret Freeman

After the judge rings her bell, you have 45 seconds to enter the arena. Margaret Freeman weighs in on this overlooked competition rule.

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Margaret Freeman

In the end, it's the rider's responsibility to know the schedule

Choosing to not wear your show coat in beastly weather may be the healthier choice and also could optimize your performance.

Margaret Freeman

If show management says "coats are waived," go for it.

Margaret Freeman

The far end of the arena may be the most neglected part of a dressage test.

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Margaret Freeman

Cleaning up is everyone's responsibility

FEI Test Error

Margaret Freeman

FEI changes to dressage scores eliminate deliberate errors

At the end of every test, you halt facing the judge at C and salute. Sometimes it’s at G, as seen here, but more usually it’s at X.

Margaret Freeman

At the end of every test, you halt facing the judge at C and salute. Sometimes it’s at G, as seen here, but more usually it’s at X.

Dealing with dressage test anxiety

Margaret Freeman

I was gratified recently to hear a former U.S. team rider tell of an experience early in her career. She was just riding in a field, practicing some movements, with all going well. Ok, she decided, I’ll run through the test. Suddenly her horse seemed to change, from loose and relaxed to stiff and tense.

Dressage judge Margaret Freeman talks about dressage boots being worn on broadway

Judge Margaret Freeman applauds the use of true dress boots on Broadway

This youth rider is executing a balanced corner before her next movement at C.

Margaret Freeman

The length of stirrup leathers should allow the heel to drop lower than the toe. However, sometimes the thigh roll can make raising leathers to the correct length uncomfortable.

Margaret Freeman

Running four races and 48 miles over four days earns Molly Lane a lot of hardware.

Margaret Freeman

Rooney supervises my mud knot attempts in the wash stall.

Margaret Freeman

The rein-back is a test of “willing cooperation.”

Margaret Freeman

Credit: Erin Gilmore A scene like this from the 2016 Olympics isn't due to repeat in Tokyo in 2020 since the FEI has mandated three-rider teams.

Margaret Freeman

69-USDF-Convention-Bill-Moroney

Margaret Freeman

If you drift out too far on the two loops for a 20-meter circle, then you’ll return to the track too soon and turn the circle into an oval.

Margaret Freeman

Some of the people who make the show run (from left): Holly Veloso, volunteer chairman; Alison Douglas, assistant secretary; Dianne Boyd, show manager

Margaret Freeman

Credit: Courtesy, Tryon Resort Tryon International Equestrian Center has been carved from the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains in rural North Carolina.

Margaret Freeman

Susanne and I are all smiles as we start the second day of the clinic.

Margaret Freeman

Since the leg yield to the right in First Level Test 3 starts at K, the rider has to counter bend to the left during the corner before K so she can half halt on the right rein.

Margaret Freeman

Lengthenings and extensions may be a little easier when the ring has a slight uphill slope.

Margaret Freeman

The horse should increase the bending in his hind-leg joints before starting a turn on the haunches.

Margaret Freeman

When there is more than one judge, you still salute only the judge at C.

Margaret Freeman

This was pretty much my only view of horses for two days, a brief glance of the warm-up lap between tests.

Margaret Freeman

Chloe Rizzi-Smith, left, age 7, and Emilia Richard, age 6, lead the parade of teams at the Youth Dressage Festival. Both girls competed at Training Level, and Chloe is the daughter of a former YDF champion.

Margaret Freeman

This experienced rider easily does a rein-back by the open gate at A.

Margaret Freeman

This rider is correctly headed for M rather than R

Margaret Freeman