Debbie McDonald Live!
This is a loose paraphrase of what Debbie said in response to prompting by Lilo Fore, who steered Debbie towards topics that she felt the dressage public would be curious about.
Debbie’s long term goal is to participate in an Olympic Event. Since she was a child, she could sympathize with those who shared the Olympic dream. Still, she would still be happy with her life if it didn’t happen.
She didn’t think she had a real short-term goal, but then she just had one placed one in her lap. She just found out that she has received a Wild Card spot for the World Cup for 2003. Debbie hadn’t planned on trying for a spot on the World Cup for 2003 because of the strain it would place on Brentina, but this invitation eliminates a few steps and makes it possible (it eliminates a few coast to coast trips). Klaus Balkenhol had a lot to do with the choice, and it came as real surprise to Debbie. He had a meeting with Mary Wittages, and they accepted the invitation. It was then forwarded to the NGB for approval.
Debbie got her start in horses when she found an ad for a pony for $250. She didn’t come from a wealthy family. Her father had health issues, but she got to spend summers in Canada with an Uncle, and the time there around horses was something that she cherished—that was where she caught the horse bug. Anyway, she found the ad for the pony, and convinced her family that if they’d pay the purchase price, it wouldn’t cost them another penny. She found a place to board the pony at the Orange County Fairgrounds with a gaited-horse trainer, and worked for its board.
One day, when she was a “chubby
14 year-old” she came
to the stable and found her trainer in the stall with the pony
using a whip to try to teach it to stand on her hind legs. Crying,
she
led her pony down the barn aisles looking for a new trainer and
boarding arrangement. That was how she met Bob McDonald, and the
rest, as
they say, is history…
Bob was a true mentor for her. She worked hard for him, and he mentored her as a riding instructor. He helped her with investment horses that she bought and sold, and she gave her parents the profits. A wealthy girl in his stable showed these horses, and Debbie went along as groom. Debbie would sell the horses when they were going well. Debbie eventually met the Thomas family when they came to train with Bob, and started to show for them from time to time when daughter Peggy was unable to make the important March of Dimes show. After many years of working with Bob, Debbie ended up marrying him.
All these years with Bob, Debbie had been riding hunters, but years of riding green horses began to take their toll. Debbie had seen her fair share of crashes, and began to have trouble making herself ride to the next fence. Peggy Thomas suggested she try dressage and introduced her to Hilda Gurney, who was Debbie’s first dressage influence. Other significant dressage influences have been Lilo Fore (through clinics), Steffen Peters (as an eye on the ground) and Klaus Balkenhol.
ON WEG: The time leading up to WEG was the most fun. The team was all in one spot, and the dinners and lunches, with the associated laughter, were especially memorable. They had time to share coffee, watch lessons, and soak it all up. They were a team, and it was a team effort. Once the games began, it was a whirlwind of events—and she can hardly remember it because it happened so fast. They arrived 2 days before the Games, and then it was over almost before it began. They arrived so late because of concerns regarding the heat.
Prior to the games, it was a thrill to have the German team watching their schooling sessions. How exciting that they were considered a threat! The opening ceremonies were great fun! Christine Traurig’s kids were there. Bob McDonald carried Christine’s son so that he could see, and he smiled like it was there just for him, and carried the American flag all the way around the arena. Debbie was disappointed that the Germans didn’t march, though. We were there, big and bold, and proud of it—they let the grooms and everyone march.
Klaus let us decide who would go when—with the split
over 2 days. He said, “How do you want to do this?” Sue
and Debbie volunteered to go on the first day, and decided that
Brentina
would be the best under the lights. Debbie couldn’t watch
any of the rides—she was far too nervous, and spent the time
pacing off nervous energy instead.
Debbie says all of the upper level riders are inspiring to watch,
but that she doesn’t necessarily agree with everything that
they do. She finds she has the most respect for Klaus Balkenhol,
because he knows what to do, and when/when not to do it. He also
knows how to help the horse/rider peak at the right time.
Debbie says that Brentina is the most magical horse she has come across in her lifetime. She has never said “No” to Debbie, and always gives 110% in the ring. Debbie says she’s never met another animal like that. When Brentina was younger, she was quite “goosey”, but she has never gotten Debbie off. The same cannot be said for Peggy Thomas, which is probably lucky for Debbie. (They were originally considering Brentina for Peggy, but ruled that out when Brentina immediately threw Peggy to the ground!) Bob was the first one to recognize Brentina’s magnificence, and in fact saw her potential the day they got her. Debbie says that she didn’t really dare hope that until the Pan Am Games, and even then she wasn’t sure what she had until they were confirmed at Grand Prix.
Piaffe was the only difficulty she had with Brentina, due to Debbie’s inexperience. Brentina wanted to do it in her passage rhythm, but Debbie and her coaches wanted it to go differently. Then one day, Debbie was riding another horse with Klaus and he asked about Brentina. She confessed she was having trouble with the passage, and he asked if he could ride her. He got on, and after a few seconds told her they were the problem with the passage and things have been fine ever since.
The only time Debbie was tearful was in talking about juggling family/child/showing/horses. It hasn’t been easy for her, because she’s missed out on some milestones in her son’s life. He’ll be graduating from high school this year, and she feels badly about the hockey games and other events she’s missed. He’s been 100% behind her, though, and is very proud of what she’s accomplished—has, in fact, been quite inspirational to her.
Lilo Fore points out that Debbie has never had a made horse. She has always started with young (3 to 4 year-old) horses, and asks Debbie how she picks them. Debbie says that she buys virtually all of them at Verden. Bob plays a huge role there, and insists that she try many that she’d rather not look at. She thinks many look too big (her “honest” height is 5’0”), but Bob makes her ride them anyway. She looks for attitude. She also asks the horse if they can feel her—if they don’t acknowledge her, she quits right there. She has no preference for mares vs. geldings, but does love mares. She says you have to treat them differently because you can’t muscle them or push them. She looks at conformation, but usually good conformation follows good movement.
She starts all young horses the same way, by teaching “whoa,” slow, easy, “let’s learn to turn,” walk, go easy. After that, you can work on moving off the leg. She never lets herself feel pressured that they have to do anything today. She’s a stickler that they be sensitive to the aids from the beginning and never lets them think that they can drag her around the ring. She takes her time and never feels that she has to impress anybody.
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