![Photo by Amy McCool (Adrienne Lyle)](/images/articles/568/5362.jpg)
Photo by Amy McCool (Adrienne Lyle)
“I was thrilled with my horses during January’s show. Wizard and Felix came back two days in a row and put in really consistent tests,” Lyle said. “I was first and second in the grand prix classes both days. It was really wonderful.”
Lyle and Wizard earned a score of 80.213% in January’s Grand Prix, followed closely by Lyle and Felix with a score of 78.936%. “We flip-flopped because the day before Felix won the class with a 76.809% and Wizard came in second with a 72.128%,” Lyle said.
In addition to riding Wizard and Felix in Trilogy Dressage Saddles, Lyle also rides her Prix St. Georges mount, Whidbey, and her third level horse, Wenesa, in Trilogy saddles. Lyle kept the big scores going with Whidbey and Wenesa during the Dressage Getaway, earning a 78.947% and 71.842% in the Prix St. Georges classes with Whidbey. She also won two third level classes aboard Wenesa with scores of 78.205% and 69.231%.
During February’s Dressage Getaway CDI, Lyle and Felix won the Grand Prix de Dressage with a score of 69.62% and the Grand Prix Special with a score of 69.37%. Lyle and Wizard also placed fourth in the Grand Prix de Dressage.
Lyle, who works as the assistant trainer to Olympian Debbie McDonald at River Grove Farm, began her career with Debbie as a working student. “For the past four years I have been working with Debbie, training and showing horses for the Thomas family,” Lyle said.
Lyle and McDonald are both Ambassadors for Trilogy Dressage Saddles and Lyle said she enjoys her relationship with Trilogy President Debbie Witty. “Debbie is wonderful, she works on my horse’s saddles every few months to make sure they are fitting correctly. As the horses become stronger, and more fit, their bodies change and Debbie adjusts the saddles accordingly,” Lyle said.
Lyle rides in the Amadeo Trilogy Saddle and said the saddle places her in a position that allows her to use her seat and aids correctly and more effectively. “The Amadeo has a moderately deep seat, which gives me a secure place to sit without making me feel restricted. In addition, the quality and craftsmanship of Trilogy Saddles is exceptional,” she said.
Witty, a qualified saddle fitter from the Society of Master Saddlers of England, has developed an eye for detail along with an understanding of training and the ability to see how the rider, saddle and the horse are all affected by each other. Her Trilogy Dressage Saddles are built in England by some of the most experienced craftsmen in the world. For more information on Trilogy Saddles or their sponsored riders, visit their website at www.trilogysaddles.com.