Welcome to the Dressage Today podcast sponsored by Sentinel Horse Nutrition. Hosts Aviva Nebesky and Stephanie J. Ruff talk about how lucky they are to have had the opportunity to talk to so many of the riders on the dressage Olympic short list, and then Aviva answers the question about how the counter-canter in First Level Test 3 should be ridden and how it is scored.
Together they interview up-and-coming international rider Endel Ots. A native of Wisconsin, Ots grew up on a farm and began riding at age 8. While he started in jumping, he soon made his way to dressage. At age 23, he got an opportunity to train with Hubertus Schmidt in Germany, where he gained invaluable experience. After that, he worked with Lars Peterson and found his new home in Wellington, Florida, where he is based today.
He was an alternate for the 2011 Pan American Games team and selected for the 2019 Pan American Games team with the horse Lucky Strike but had to withdraw when his horse unfortunately suffered superficial cuts in a trailer injury. After Lucky Strike recovered, the pair went on to win the Intermediaire I Championship at the U.S. Dressage Festival of Champions at Lamplight. Then in December 2023, he got the ride of a lifetime with Heidi Humphries’ Zen Elite’s Bohemian. After just a few months together, the pair were named to the short list to compete for a spot on the U.S. Olympic dressage team. On June 25, Ots was named the traveling reserve for Paris.
Listen in!
About This Episode’s Sponsor, Sentinel Horse Nutrition
No one knows your horse’s thoughts, emotions and moods as well as you. Just as in touch as you are with their personality, Sentinel’s expert nutritionists are in tune with their dietary needs. With feeds in the form of extruded nuggets to provide exceptional nutrition, and formulas made for every life stage and activity level, Sentinel’s wide choice of carefully crafted feeds makes it easy to find the perfect fit to better your horse’s health. Learn more at feedsentinel.com/PH.
