Open Gait Stables
About
Biography
Meg has been riding and competing in dressage since the age of 10. Born with a love for horses, she started riding when she was just a little girl. She tried jumping, barrel racing, western pleasure and even saddle seat. But it was dressage that was the perfect fit.
The foundation and principles of dressage and horsemanship were instilled early on from local instructors, Louis Dreary, Bill Harwood, and Liz Salmon. A classical dressage position was developed and enforced while spending countless hours on the lunge line without stirrups while under the tutelage of Kathleen Lockhart.
The foundation and principles of dressage and horsemanship were instilled early on from local instructors, Louis Dreary, Bill Harwood, and Liz Salmon. A classical dressage position was developed and enforced while spending countless hours on the lunge line without stirrups while under the tutelage of Kathleen Lockhart.
While living in Colorado for 7 years she had the opportunity to attend clinics from top dressage professionals from the United States, Canada, and Europe. She continued to compete in the 4-corners region and earned two NMD&CTA silver medals and numerous championships.
In 1997 she moved back to Texas to train and compete and went on to win the USDF Region 9 J/YR second level championship on her appendix mare, Mark of Excellence. In 2003 Miles and Meg purchased property, designed and built Open Gait Stables, adding a barn, professional arena, and miles of fencing. They ran a successful horse boarding, training and instruction business for over 7 years. The beautiful property with professional facilities proved to be too much work and was sold in 2010. During that time Meg continued to compete with clients’ horses and her own Canadian Thoroughbred, Bunji. In 2006 Bunji and Meg were the DDC second level open champions. She was also training her mare, Impressive Cameo, aka Cleo, to third level with the assistance of trainers Felicitas Von Neumann-Cosel and Gerhard Politz.
In 1997 she moved back to Texas to train and compete and went on to win the USDF Region 9 J/YR second level championship on her appendix mare, Mark of Excellence. In 2003 Miles and Meg purchased property, designed and built Open Gait Stables, adding a barn, professional arena, and miles of fencing. They ran a successful horse boarding, training and instruction business for over 7 years. The beautiful property with professional facilities proved to be too much work and was sold in 2010. During that time Meg continued to compete with clients’ horses and her own Canadian Thoroughbred, Bunji. In 2006 Bunji and Meg were the DDC second level open champions. She was also training her mare, Impressive Cameo, aka Cleo, to third level with the assistance of trainers Felicitas Von Neumann-Cosel and Gerhard Politz.
2013 brought ambitions of competing Cleo at third and fourth level in hopes of earning her bronze medal when Cleo was unfortunately sidelined with a severe suspensory injury. In a fortunate twist of fate, an awesome Oldenburg gelding from Ontario, named Gettysburg, became her new partner. In 2016 she competed in her first CDI2*, earning a respectable 66.625% for 2nd place in the I1 Freestyle and 3rd overall in the small tour.
Meg and Gettysburg, aka Stanley, successfully competed through the FEI small tour, but some unplanned time off and struggles keeping Stanley sound and fit kept them from progressing past Intermediare I. Their competition journey came to an end in 2020, when it became evident that Stanley was not in the required condition to continue.
Meg and Gettysburg, aka Stanley, successfully competed through the FEI small tour, but some unplanned time off and struggles keeping Stanley sound and fit kept them from progressing past Intermediare I. Their competition journey came to an end in 2020, when it became evident that Stanley was not in the required condition to continue.
These days Meg is appreciative and content to simply put in happy, healthy rides on her buddy when time permits. Meg stays busy with her new son, Max, born in January of 2023.
Meg is currently a participant of the USDF L Program, hoping to complete the testing and achieve her judging license in 2024. She is a USDF Bronze and Silver medalist, and maybe some day will earn her Gold.
