WFAA Wednesday Child September 26, 2018
Dressage TodayThe Chronicle of the Horse (June 2-16 2018)
Dressage Headlines (January 2018)
Teen with Autism Kaylin Bowman Thrives in Dressage
(Click to Open Article)
Dressage Today (June 2017)
Dressage Today (April 2017)
Rocking M Training (The Horse Gazette, February 2017)
Rocking M Stables Mentors Youth Riders (Dressage Headlines November 9, 2016
(Click to Open Article)
Region Nine 2016 Championships (The Chronicle of the Horse, November 07, 2016)
Terri Sue Wensinger Isabael Gergory
A German Infuence On Youth Success (Dressage Today, November, 2015)
The NEXT Generation
Pursuit of happiness (Advocate June, 2014)
To shake off a stressful day, try these neighborhood sanctuaries. Neighborhood residents board horses at Lake Highlands' Rocking M Stables
In 1955 Tommy Ernest Mayes, a devoted rider, purchased 10 acres on Dallas' peripheries. He dreamed of a laid-back ranch where he could relax on his front-porch rocking chair overlooking his pasture and horses. Over the years, our neighborhood sprung up around the Rocking M farm (7807 Fair Oaks). In '78 the City of Dallas bought most of the land in order to build the Walnut Hill bridge. Remaining is an acre and a half of peaceful, rural terrain - stables housing some 60 horses - in the middle of a growing metropolis. Mayes' grandson Michael, who now owns the place, says his grandfather instilled in him a reverence for nature and horses. Mayes labored over the years to tum Rocking M into a first-rate equestrian facility offering boarding and training for horses, and lessons and camps for humans.
For those fortunate enough to board their own horse at Rocking M, riding along the White Rock Creek trail toward White Rock Lake offers quintessential soul quieting. ''A lot of our boarders are from Lake Highlands," notes Mayes. "I live across the street;' a woman who is happily hosing down her animal chimes in as we pass.
Of course, boarders come from all around the city and the affluent Park Cities- after all, one must have a disposable income to break into the sport of horseback riding or dressage, the equestrian sport in which Rocking M specializes. A stable at Rocking M runs $6oo-$8oo a month. Mayes and his staff feed and water the horses, but, ideally, clients regularly ride and exercise their own animals.
For slightly less committed families, the summer is an especially good time to emoll in lessons and camps, according to Yvonne Kusserow, Mayes' wife and a horse-riding master (literally, she has a master's degree in horse riding from a German university). The sessions teach horsemanship, which means learning everything about the horse - what they eat, names of equine body parts, required gear, rules of safety and so forth. They progress to advanced classes and training in dressage and Olympic-level sport.
Even for neighbors not directly involved with the ranch, is it difficult to deny the aesthetic benefits its presence lends to our area. On a summer evening, for example, a cyclist might find herself keeping pace alongside the paint horse named George Henry and the Lake Highlands woman who rides him almost daily.
A jogger might find herself trotting alongside Kusserow and her majestic steed Royal Falcon. Those trails, notes Kusserow, are where the horses find solace. "I like being in the [ring], practicing, but the horses, they need this for their peace of mind."
The Chronicle of the Horse (Monday, November 04, 2013)
Allison Hopkins: age 15, Dallas, sophomore in high school, trains with Yvonne Kusserow.
GORM: ch. g., 7 years, Frederiksborg (Emperor—Etik Fuglebjerg), owned by Jody Garza and bred in the United States by Hans Christensen.
Championships won: Junior/young rider first level, 66.04 percent, and junior/young rider training level, 71.40 percent.
The Lone Ranger star “Silver” stayed at Rocking M during promotion tour thru the US (The Dallas Morning News Inc., July 1, 2013)
Article on FD Luxe (The Dallas Morning News Inc.,May 24, 2013)
Read the full article on FD Luxe.
Article on FD Luxe
Article as PDF
The Chronicle of the Horse (Monday, November 19 & 26, 2012)
Yvonne Kusserow and Royal Falcon (Ra—Variola XX) captured the open second level championship with a score of 70.71 percent over Calimero and Kai Handt (67.08%). They also won the Southwest Dressage championship at the same level (70.65%).
“Royal Falcon is a character, and like most horses, he is very kind and gentle,” said Kusserow, 30. “He is one of the most inquisitive horses I have come to know. He has a lot of energy, and on some days it can be a struggle to keep him focused, but that’s also what...
(click picture to read more "Nov 19 2012 Chronicle of the Horse.pdf")
WFAA.com's Wednesday's Child: Shawna
Shawna, 14, has grown up riding and is hopeful her new family will love animals just as much as she does.
Despite not having a permanent home, Shawna considers herself pretty lucky. She is spent most of her life around horses and they've helped get through some pretty tough times.
"It's calming. It's something that I've always grown up with. It’s a piece of my past that I've always held on to," says the teen.
Before her riding lesson at the Rocky M. Riding Stables in Dallas, Shawna groomed and prepared her horse, understanding the importance of team work.
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(click picture to read more "bit.ly/T4DWA4")
