Melodye  Sweetin

cell 410-861-7807

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In 2004 Melodye moved from the Middleburg, Virginia area where she had established herself with a large group of students of all ages & stages of training as riders. Currently in the Frederick, Maryland area Melodye spends a majority of her time teaching riding to a group of enthusiastic students with a special emphasis on junior riders. In addition, Melodye continues her work rehabilitating problem horses drawing from her experience with nutrition, gymnastic riding, & utlilization of a wide variety of complementary wellness modalities.


Training Influences

  • Michael Beining
  • Gerhard Politz
  • David Collins
  • Alexa Schulten-Baumer
  • Carol Grant
  •  Jerry Schwartz
  • Magnus Hamilton
  •  Col. Axel Steiner
  • Manfred Lewis
  •  Hokan Thorn
  • Jaap Pott 
  •  Nicole Uphoff
  • Henke Van Bergen
  •  Isabel von Neumann-Cosul










2007

Manage & operate a training/teaching/breeding facility in Frederick, Maryland area.

Continueing education riding with David Collins, author of "Dressage Masters". David is a graduate of the Swedish national riding school system, and has lived, trained, & shown in Europe & the United States through Grand Prix. Most recently spending time writing his book with Klaus Balkenhol, Ernst Hoyas, Dr. Schulten-Baumer, & Georg Theodorescu.

Prepared Junior-Young Rider Team for Team Championships at Morven Park, Leesburg, Virginia. Team won Stable Management Award & finished in the ribbons.

Continue training & showing project horse, "Davidson".

Safely delivered numerous foals, including first foal crop from my former stallion.

2006

Manage & operate a training/teaching/breeding facility in Frederick, Maryland area.

Continueing education with David Collins, and also with Isabel von-Neumann Cosul, co author of "Balance in Motion", a book dedicated to finding your perfect classical riding seat.

Acquired new project horse, "Davidson", after the loss of my beloved angel horse, "Capital Gains".
Begin training & showing "Davidson".

2005

Relocate to Frederick, Marland area.
Freelance dressage training & instruction in Frederick, area.
SCDCTA guest clinician. Consistent clinician in Camden, South Carolina where students were consistently winning at second & third level in recognized competition.

Continue sport horse breeding program.

2004

Manage & operate a training/teaching /breeding facility in Northern Virginia.
Founding member of the "Equine Wellness Consortium" dedicated to advocacy for the equine species 21st century emerging health issues and the perpetuation of the craft of classical horsemanship.

Popular clinician in Camden, South Carolina

Acquired 6 year old Oldenburg, "Capital Gains", for dressage prospect

2003

Manage & operate a training/teaching/breeding facility in Northern Virginia.

Attended USDF National Trainer Symposium.
Served as Educational Committee Chairman for the Mid-Atlantic Hanoverian Society.

Continueing education with Gerhard Politz.

Continue sport horse breeding program.

Said farewell to my beloved teacher & horse, "Rainier"

2002

Manage & operate a training/teaching/breeding facility in Northern Virginia. Trained & presented home bred Oldenburg gelding at Dressage at Devon where he was Materiale Champion with a score of 75.9%

Paticipated in USDF/Vada/Nova clinics with Gerhard Politz.

2001

Freelance dressage instruction and training in Chester County, Pa.

Elected to board of directors of the Large Animal Protection Society.

2000

Trained 5 three year old Dutch Warmbloods  for Iron Spring Farm. Trained & exhibited "ISF Par Favour" by Rampal at Dressage at Devon where he was Champion in the three & four year old colt & gelding Dressage Suitability Class.

Made contacts and trip to Sweden, Denmark, & Holland where dressage horses were selected and imported for clients. Trained & managed these horses upon their arrival in the U.S.

1999

Employed by private farms in Chester County, Pa. where responsibilities included training & management of numerous dressage horses, green through Grand Prix.

1998

Manage & operate a training/teaching/breeding facility in North Carolina. Trained & qualified "Dalliance" for BLM's at third level. My working student won the BLM Firsl Leve Junior Championship in a large competitive class.

1995-1997

Apprenticeship with Hokan Thorn. Responsible for all aspects of care for up to 24 horses in training. Interface with vets, farriers, and owners. Rode up to 10 horses per day, green through Grand Prix.

Instructed clients on their horses & coached at horse shows.

Prepared young horses for performance tests.

1995

Apprenticeship with Manfred Lewis. Responsible for all aspects of care for up to 12 horses in training. Rode numerous young horses.

1995-1996

Director of Dressage Instruction at Victoria Station Farm, a 60 stall sport horse training facility in St. Paul, Minnesota.

1995-1997

Schooled the Grand Prix movements on "Asterix" an imported Hanoverian trained at Warrendorf & exhibited at Aachen, and "Parvenue Two", an imported Wesfalen by "Paradox" that competed in the USET selections for the 1996 Olympics.

1985-1995

Intensive dressage & jumping training. Purchased young horse, trained, exhibited & sold. Began riding horses for others.

Started breeding warmblood horses

Prior to 1985

Professional ballet dancer. Long time student of John Kriza, American Ballet Theatre's former Artistic Director. Mr. Kriza remains primary inspiration & influence as instructor.

Danced in ballets including "Swan Lake", "Giselle", "Sleeping Beauty", & "Nutcracker", and in musical theatre  productions such as "West Side Story"
Performed with dance groups such as The American Ballet Theatre, The Stuttgart Ballet, & The Chicago Lyric Opera. Between 1980-1985 studied & performed with Lirena Branitski who emigrated from the USSR where she had been a soloist with the Kiev Ballet.

Taught many ballet sudents, some that went on to dance in companies such as The Joffrey Ballet, The American Ballet Theatre, The San Francisco Ballet, & The Boston Ballet.

























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