The Sandhills Horse Country abounded with educational opportunities last week, and these are just the clinics I heard about. The Moore County Pony Club hosted a dressage clinic with Rebecca Vick at The Meadows, on Montrose Road. The U.S. Eventing Association offered an Instructor Certification Program at Windfall Farm in Vass. Shawna Harting of Aiken, S.C. conducted a clinic at Kincorra Farm, Vass. Lynn Kimball Davis of Boston taught dressage at Jack and Nina Hatcher’s ring on Youngs Road. And John Zopatti of Wellington, Fla., coached at Tanglewood Farm on North May Street.

Since my horse Broadway is still in rehab for a tendon injury, I enjoyed clinic-hopping for a couple of days. It was prime entertainment; riders I hadn’t seen in months bravely ventured out in public to be tortured by imported trainers.

The show season is so long now, December is the only month to go back to basics or bump up a level. Train one month, compete eleven.

Okay, since we’re cramming dressage this month, here is a pop quiz to test your knowledge of this classical equestrian endeavor:

Quiz

1. THE WORD “DRESSAGE” IS WHICH LANGUAGE, AND MEANS WHAT? (A) French: Training the horse. (B) German: Win at any cost. ( C) Dutch: Cause controversy and upset the Germans. (D) Vulcan: Kick hard and prosper.

2. ORIGINS OF CLASSICAL DRESSAGE: (A) Train horses for battle. (B) Frustrate amateur riders. ( C) Make Klaus Fraessdorf rich.

3. THE DRESSAGE SADDLE FITS PROPERLY IF THE RIDER CAN: (A) Fit a hand’s width between the rider’s buttocks and the cantle. (B) Reach the stirrups. ( C) Use it as a birthing chair.

4. THE GERMAN TERM “SCHWUNG” MEANS: (A) Expression and cadence of the horse’s gaits. (B) Stiff frame, as related to a “Schwinn” bicycle. (C) Getting hit in the head by a clumsy Warmblood, as in “He schwung me when I was trying to paste worm him.”

5. AT THE 2004 OLYMPICS, THE U.S. DRESSAGE TEAM WON: (A) Bronze medal. (B) Polite applause. ( C) Four PetSmart coupons.

6. EARMARKS OF A GOOD DRESSAGE INSTRUCTOR: (A) Goal oriented, good communication skills, sets high standards for self and others. (B) Wears underwear. Wears it inside riding breeches. (C ) Never loses temper at horses, riders, or parole officers.

7. IF A DRESSAGE INSTRUCTOR IS RUNNING LATE, HE SHOULD: (A) Call ahead on his cell phone. (B) Cut your lesson to 10 minutes and get back on schedule. ( C) Speed recklessly into the farm wearing an aluminum foil helmet plugged into the power adaptor, claiming alien abduction.