KH Equestrian

Sky is for sale!

2011-03-12T14:58:00.000-08:00

Sky is a lovely, registered 8-y/o quarter horse - A Western show horse that wanted to be an English horse:) He's 15.3hh, sound, wonderful mover and no vices. Great on trails and extremely versatile - ready for show in HUS, English or Western pleasure this summer.

Spring is here!!!!

2011-03-01T18:36:00.000-08:00

Yoga classes at Equus Now!

2011-01-07T17:14:00.000-08:00

Yoga for Equestrians Fitness Workshops to be held at Equus Now!

Please join trainer and equestrian fitness instructor Kristen Hassen-Auerbach for one of three workshops and yoga practices to be held at Equus Now!

All classes are multi-level Hatha-style yoga classes and are intended for people of all fitness levels in all disciplines of riding. Participants may or may not have previous experience in yoga classes and should wear loose-fitting clothing and bring a yoga or fitness mat.

Wednesday, January 19, 7 – 9pm: “Everyday Yoga for Every Equestrian”
This class offers an introduction to yoga and the particular ways in which yoga can be used by equestrians to increase strength, flexibility, balance and calm. This class is designed specifically for those with little or no previous yoga experience but everyone is welcome. Students will practice ten foundational yoga asanas and will learn how these postures can be practiced as part of a regular riding routine. Prepare to leave this session feeling rejuvenated, energized and ready for more!

Wednesday, February 2, 7 – 9pm: “Yoga, Riding, and Your Body – Practical Postures to Solve Common Riding Problems”
The stresses of modern life mean that most of us are not happy with our bodies. Whether we’re carrying around extra weight or experience regular pain and discomfort in our back, hips or shoulders, most of us have problems with our bodies that get carried directly into our riding. Yoga practice is one of the easiest, least expensive ways to take better care of our bodies and to counteract the stresses of daily life. This practice, intended to those who have at least one previous yoga class, focuses on postures that open the hips and shoulders and create space in the back and neck. This gentle flow series including twists and back bends that will leave you feeling like a kid again.

Wednesday, February 23, 7 – 9pm: “Yoga and Breath – Finding Balance and Grace in the Saddle”
This strength-building flow class incorporates sun salutations, standing postures, and balance postures with an emphasis on complete, consistent breathing. We will open with a breathing exercise and short, seated meditation and will use the breath to move into a strong, flowing sequence of postures. Learn how to build up the muscles used for strenuous riding and how to improve your balance with postures that can be practiced anytime and anywhere. Students will also learn how many of the postures can be modified to be practiced on horseback. While the practice is suitable for beginners, this will be the most strenuous of the workshops and participants should be ready to sweat!

Autumn fun

2010-10-17T17:30:00.000-07:00

We had such a great turn out for the October Yoga on Horseback. Such a fun, healing day. Thanks everybody for coming out we're looking forward to the November 6 session.

October Events

2010-09-28T07:56:00.000-07:00

We had a great turn-out for the Karen Musson seminar and demonstration on September 21. I know some of you were not able to attend because of other commitments and that those who were able to come are eager to learn more from Karen. Karen and I are in the process of planning future clinics and some one on one sessions, so please see me to talk about working with Karen in the future.

Yoga on Horseback is almost here - On Saturday, October 16, we will be doing YoH from 10am - approximately 1pm. This Hatha/Vinyasa flow session will include on-the-mat as well as on-the-horse asanas and will focus on practical strategies to clear the mind and create a positive connection between you and your horse. Students may haul-in or use one of our horses. Space is very limited so please let me know as soon as possible if you wish to sign up for this unique, integrated equestrian experience. The cost is $45/rider.

You can read about the very first time I taught Yoga on Horseback in the Columbus Dispatch at:

http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/local_news/stories/2007/07/10/yogahorse.ART_ART_07-10-07_B1_LD78AUI.html

On Saturday, October 16, following adult Yoga on Horseback, we will have a Yoga KIDS! Session from 2 - 4pm for kids of all ages. This play-based approach to yoga is tons of fun for this kids as well as the horses. The cost is $35/child

Horse-Lovers Weekend (September 25 and 26) was awesome! We were blessed with perfect weather and spunky horses and the kids enjoyed crafts, trail riding, obstacle courses on horseback, and LOTS of s'mores around the fire! We welcomed several new students to the barn and had a blast overall.

Diana and I will be hosting another Horse-Lover's Weekend on Saturday and Sunday October 23 and 24 and this one will be even better than the last. We will be decorating pumpkins, drinking apple cider and eating roasted chestnuts, and celebrating autumn with the horses and some surprise guest farm animals. We will have a costume contest on Saturday afternoon and lots of riding and horse time throughout the weekend. The cost is $110 for Saturday and Sunday and $80 for Saturday only. The hours are 10am - 6pm on Saturday and 10am - 4pm on Sunday. This camp is appropriate for kids ages 7 - 15 and for riders of all levels.

Don't forget to check out KH Equestrian on Facebook at:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Columbus-OH/KH-Equestrian/107836665934405?ref=ts

Happy Autumn!

Kristen

Goodbye Summer!

2010-09-04T15:58:00.001-07:00

Well, we ended summer on a high note, with the Hunter's Dream OHJA show on August 28 and 29. We had a blast and all of the girls rode beautifully and showed such kindness towards each other and responsibility with their horses.

School is back and we're still figuring out the autumn lesson schedule. Lots of people want to ride on weekends, so if riding during the week days is good for you, let me know.

We will be holding a horse-lover's weekend camp at AVHF on Saturday and Sunday September 24 - 25. Activities will include lots of riding and equestrian activities, new horsey crafts, autumn wildflower bouquet-making, fishing, and even a campfire with s'mores and other treats. Please let me know asap if you plan to attend. We have two spots open for this great weekend. And don't worry parents - homework time is built in to the schedule!

We will also be attending one show in September and one in October. Details coming soon. I will be out of town September 6 - September 16 but lease rides can be arranged with the barn. Please let me know if you're interested in leasing.

More camp pictures

2010-08-07T18:45:00.000-07:00

More pictures from this year's camp - we had such a blast and I'm definitely going to do two weeks next summer. I forgot to mention in the last post that Dianne Barnhart DVM came to visit us and taught all of the girls how to wrap and poultice legs.

Summer Camp 2010!!!

2010-08-07T17:21:00.000-07:00

Everyone agreed that this was the best summer camp we've ever had. Lots of riding, but also a tour of an alpaca farm, visits from parrots, visits to a cow farm, spaghetti pizza, banana boats and crafts of all sorts. Exhausting, but hands down the best week of the summer.

Summer!

2010-07-14T16:12:00.000-07:00

Hi Everybody, some quick updates on the events going on with KH Equestrian. The business name has officially been changed to KH Equestrian, since my primary focus is now on lessons and teaching, rather than on training young horses. You can still type in either www.khequestrian.com or khhorsetraining.com to reach my website.

I have moved my riding program to a fantastic new barn in Johnstown, Ohio called Arrowhead Valley Equestrian Center. I will be teaching and training solely from this facility from now on. It offers huge indoor and outdoor arenas, wood board fencing, many acres of pasture, 12x12 stalls, each with large windows, and every stall has its own ceiling fan! We are all really excited about this latest adventure!

We have many upcoming events, including a jumping school at Trinity Farm this Saturday, the New Vocations Charity Show July 30 - August 1, and a small camp for existing clients to be held August 2 - August 6.

KH Equestrian has its own facebook page, which you can find at
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Columbus-OH/KH-Equestrian/107836665934405

Better late than never!

2010-05-04T15:44:00.001-07:00

I know I have been neglecting this blog for the past few months, but training horses, lessons, and my own horse have kept me pretty busy!

So here is a note to fill you in on exciting things that are happening in the business and let you know about what's coming up for the summer.

Also, I am proud to be the featured trainer in the Equus Now May newsletter.
Please check it out at:

http://campaign.constantcontact.com/render?v=001FD0CiKT5DjoO6ehP4KSnXf9Xovg-f71ZOhE-gYbrj5xLuMF6K1DUdyxeBuzydN9Up9yCvIb_cCoJw7i77pae3MND_5BgUTfdFMw_Xng8Tvbg9pjs3b_7ghKAIdGAmqgE3zH9watgwpTZikMFDn01tA%3D%3D

We have lots of shows and fun activities planned for the summer. In addition to attending most of the Delaware Showtime Series shows, we will be participating in combined events at Trinity Farm in Pataskala, Ohio. Our first show is May 22 and we will be bringing six riders and horses. We always love visitors and cheerleaders so check out show information at www.TrinityEquineServices.com.

I am also getting lots of requests for Yoga on Horseback and in July, I will be introducing a new program for adult women riders which focuses on strength, relaxation, balance, and flexibility and will increase overall fitness.

Finally, as most of you already know, I am getting married to Marc Auerbach on June 26 at the Optimist Lodge at the Hoover YMCA park. So I will not be available for lessons that weekend:). No honeymoon until September though - too many exciting horse shows happening right after the wedding!

I hope you are all doing well and I look forward to catching up with each of you in the near future. Feel free to give me a call or drop me an email any time.

Information for horse owners/equestrians

2010-01-23T16:21:00.001-08:00

I am going to regularly post information to my blog

www.ridinginstructor.blogspot.com

Please check for new information and updates on horse care and riding instruction

FTF Holiday Party Pictures

2009-12-25T11:02:00.000-08:00

Winter is finally here....

2009-12-06T15:22:00.000-08:00

And everyone seems to be settling in to our new indoor routine with few complaints.

I have a few things to share as we enter the cold weather months.

1. You need to plan to spend a minimum of 1/2 hour after your ride making sure your horse is cool to the touch and completely dry. Horses that aren't clipped (none of ours are) have much more hair in the winter and when they sweat, that hair gets wet. If they stand around with all of that moisture on their bodies, pretty soon the sweat will get cold and the horse will get chilled. This is why we have the cooling blanket, or 'cooler.' You will hear Meghan and I tell you to put a cooler on your horse whenever he is sweaty or hot from exercising. The cooler can be made from felt, wool, or micro-fleece and is lighter than a regular blanket. It is used to cover up the horse after a workout and it absorbs moisture while preventing the horse from becoming chilled. Coolers are only to be used when you can be with the horse and are not to be left on the horse for more then one hour. In other words, you should not leave the cooler on your horse when you leave the barn.

When you are finished with a lesson, you should cover the horse with a cooler first. Then you should walk the horse until she is dry (15 - 30 minutes minimum). Then you should take the cooler off and brush the horse's body. Finally, you should put the horse's blanket back on and return him to his stall or turn-out. This is very important. Horses can become very ill if they are not properly cooled off.

2. Lessons will continue throughout the winter months. If it is above 20 degrees, you will have your regular lesson. If it is between 15 and 20 degrees, we will hold lessons but times may be shortened depending on wind chill and how cold it feels. If the high temperature for the day is below 15 degrees, we reserve the right to cancel lessons for the safety of the horse and rider. Please call me or Meghan if you are unsure if there will be lessons that day.

3. Please wear layers to your riding lessons. I wear 5 to 6 layers on top and 2 to 3 on bottom. Also make sure you wear waterproof footwear and warm, dry socks. The tack room is heated and we recommend frequent tack room breaks when it is very cold. Warm hats and gloves are important as well - tack stores sell winter riding gloves and other apparel, which can make winter more pleasant. You can also purchase disposable hand and foot warmers that are amazing in cold weather.

4. Even though it is cold outside you should still bring drinks to your riding lessons. Staying hydrated actually helps your body stay warm. In addition to water, a thermos of tea, coffee, or hot chocolate makes winter riding much more bearable!

Latest Events

2009-11-15T16:12:00.000-08:00

Hi Everybody - We're staying very busy at FTF. A few reminders about upcoming events.

This Saturday (November 21) I will be teaching yoga on horseback at FTF. There is only one spot left, so please let me know if you are interested in participating. It's been a long time since I have taught this, and I am really looking forward to it! If there is enough interest, I will be adding a second session that day. You do not have to have your own horse and you do not have to be an active client of FTF to participate.

Bob Winn is coming to teach his own natural horsemanship techniques on Saturday, December 5. He will be taking riders in one-hour increments and there are only a couple of spots left, so sign up soon! You do not have to own a horse to participate in this clinic.

I will be taking videos over the next couple of weeks of horses to apply for spots with the top clinicians at Equine Affair 2010. If you are interested in having me ride your horse at Equine Affair, please let me know so I can make videos to submit in December.

Finally, we have officially started the 'Ride without Stirrups Challenge' at FTF. Please see Meghan or Kristen for more details on this fun and challenging way to improve your strength and balance.

FTF Autumn Fun Show was FUN!!!!

2009-11-07T14:01:00.000-08:00

We had a lovely, warm, sunny day for the FTF fun show. Congratulations to all of our riders, who impressed me beyond belief!!!! I am a proud instructor today!

Happy things in October

2009-10-19T19:23:00.001-07:00

1. May made it on the Equus Website. Thanks Jen and Rose! http://www.equusnow.com/prodview.asp?idProduct=3077

2. FTF was Smartpak barn of the month and now might be in the catalogue!

3. We are having a schooling/fun show at FTF on November 6. There are classes for everyone, adults and kids alike.....Showbill coming very soon!

Pictures from the Delaware Show

2009-10-04T17:25:00.000-07:00

We had a fantastic weekend at Delaware - all of our girls rode brilliantly, brought home lots of ribbons, and were happy and enthusiastic both days. Congratulations to Madde, Marisa, Morgan, and Margaret....you guys all did great. More pictures coming.

Finally updates

2009-09-26T08:35:00.000-07:00

Well, I'm finally updating my blog after taking a hiatus because
a. I've been a trail riding maniac - Elizabeth, Denise and I are the three musketeers!
b. Teaching lots and lots of lessons, and running the business with Meghan and Noah.
c. I put everything on facebook so I neglect the blogs

A few pieces of news and updates:

1. Fairy Tale Farm has been named barn of the month by SmartPak - How exciting and we got a super gift package from one of our favorite companies!
2. Our students have been having a lot of success at the Delaware shows - we have at least six horses and riders showing this coming weekend (October 2 - 4) at the last Delaware show of the season!
3. FTF is attending The New Albany Classic tomorrow - Meghan will be taking a bunch of our students while I stay behind to take care of the horses and teach regular lessons
4. We will be continuing to train and compete this winter in Springfield and Cleveland, Ohio and are looking forward to continued success of FTF students and horses.
5. Changes are coming soon to the FTF and KH websites - we have welcomed new school horses and several new boarders during this busy summer.

***Pictures below are just silly fun ones from our trail rides in the gorgeous areas surrounding the barn. More show pics coming! Students and horses competing at the last Delaware show include: Morgan and Penny, Margaret and Harley, Emily and Lilly, Marissa and Fancy, and Madde K.

Ribbons!!!

2009-07-26T18:46:00.000-07:00

Not all, but most of our ribbons. Go team!

New Vocations Show...

2009-07-26T15:56:00.000-07:00

Well, the New Vocations show couldn't have gone any better and I could not be more proud of our kids and our barn.

Kelsey, Emily C, Morgan, and Valerie all rode beautifully and we came home with too many ribbons to count! A few pictures are attached below and more coming soon. This show concludes two incredibly busy weeks and we are ready for a few days of peace at the barn.

Good job everybody! Thanks Meghan for all the fun times!

Updates and video

2009-07-21T07:16:00.000-07:00

Here is the link the the dressage thing we did at Bryerfest....

http://www.facebook.com/ext/share.php?sid=125088444251&h=bdD6R&u=3vc-P&ref=mf

We will be taking six or more horses to the New Vocations Charity Show this weekend - we will be showing Saturday afternoon and most of the day on Sunday, so please come and support Fairy Tale Farm and all of our riders!

After that, I will be showing Lena at the Ohio State Fair on August 8 and then heading to Boston for a week.

Breyerfest 2009 Part Two

2009-07-18T13:57:00.001-07:00

Breyerfest 2009

2009-07-18T13:52:00.001-07:00

FTF Summer Camp 2009

2009-07-15T15:30:00.001-07:00

Please join us for the FTF Summer Camp Horse Show this Friday starting at 12pm. We have had a fantastic week so far and can't wait for all of our friends to come watch the show!

Fortunate Son News Story

2009-07-08T19:10:00.001-07:00

http://abclocal.go.com/wtvg/story?section=news/local&id=6905210

A couple of pics from our open house at FTF....

2009-07-06T08:43:00.000-07:00

Our Open House at FTF was such a huge success!!!!! Thanks to everyone who helped out at the open house and especially to the photographer:)

Fairy Tale Farm Open House

2009-06-27T19:32:00.000-07:00

Please plan to attend the first annual Fairy Tale Farm Open House on Sunday, July 5, from 2pm - 6pm. Bring your friends and family for crafts, games, pony rides and lots of fun! No RSVP necessary and this is a great way for all of our farm friends old and new to get a chance to meet!

Fortunate Son Poster

2009-06-27T19:31:00.000-07:00

Big Red....Coming to FTF

2009-06-26T07:58:00.000-07:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dLzBeFCtMS0

Our good friend, the huge Belgian Big Red, will be coming to spend a week at FTF in July. We can't wait!

Fortunate Son...

2009-06-23T17:46:00.000-07:00

Remember the rescue horse, Fortunate Son? See below of Valerie riding him today...

Melody and Big Red....and a great pic of May and her Aunties

2009-06-22T13:06:00.000-07:00

If I can't ride Val....

2009-06-22T13:02:00.000-07:00

I am so excited to be working with Lena. She is a joy to ride and is doing fantastic. Thank you so much Barb, for giving me the opportunity to ride your beautiful girl!

Val got to go outside today!!!! He is healing well and should be back to work in a week or so:)

Thanks Melody for coming over this weekend with her GIGANTIC boy, Big Red. I am going to post some pictures of him.

Some weekend!

Harley Slideshow...

2009-06-15T17:46:00.000-07:00

Pictures from Harley's arrival.....totally worth watching and the reason I do what I do.

http://julianallen.myshowit.com/harley

CONGRATULATIONS!!!

2009-06-13T17:03:00.001-07:00

Congrats to the McClinchie/Kaye family on their purchase of Harley...pictures coming soon!

A Waiting List!?!!!

2009-06-09T15:15:00.000-07:00

Included in this pic in no particular order: Kristen, Meghan, Valerie, Alex, Margaret, Maddie and Abby....

Wow, I think we might have just filled the barn. Only open a little over two months and we have one stall left. I am so proud and excited and grateful to Meghan and Noah for being the best partners I could ever wish for. I almost can't believe how far the barn has come since April and I am so excited to see what's ahead.

We figured out that Lila can jump 3'9" with ease and we can't wait to get her to the next Delaware show.

Fortunate Son has been given a new barn name. Sue came up with the name Thumper because he thumps his foot when he gets nervous. So Thumper it is.

Also, we welcomed Lena and Barn to the barn this week as well as Mickie Mouse, our new Haflinger gelding who will be used in the lesson program.

Today...

2009-06-06T16:30:00.000-07:00

...was so much fun!!!! We had Bob there all day doing a clinic with all of us and we got a lot of work done with the training horses. Below are pictures of Junior (Black Fresian cross) working beautifully under saddle at walk/trot/canter after just thirty days of training, and several of Spender, the rescue horse whose pictures I put up a couple of days ago. He had a bath and got his first lessons today. And one of me with my mole friend thrown in for fun. Tomorrow is another crazy day so more pics!

yay! dressage video

2009-06-04T19:40:00.000-07:00

probably not that interesting to watch but

A. I rode a decent dressage test
B. Val did awesome
C. I finally got up my first horse video!

Thanks Sue for filming!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ExmJOc9XBHw

Upcoming Shows

2009-06-04T18:15:00.000-07:00

Hey Guys:

June 20 is another combined test at Redtail Ridge. I would like to see the following people show there:

Krystal and Lites
Emily and Lilly
Meghan S.
Emily J. and X-Ray
Valerie and Prince
Erika
Sue?

Let me know if you are interested in going - we have to send in forms asap.

The following weekend is another Delaware show and we hope to have a big turn-out for that one as well.

Thanks!

Fortunate Son

2009-06-04T16:54:00.000-07:00

Fairy Tale Farm has partnered with the Toledo Humane Society. I will be training Fortunate Son, aka "Spender" for the next thirty days. We are hoping to help Spender get started under saddle so that he can be placed into his forever home....below is a biography for Spender. The above pictures are of his condition when he was found. He looks much better now and is all ready for training! Please stop by and visit him at the barn.

Hi! I'm Fortunate Son, I am a 2 year old Quarter Horse/Appaloosa gelding. My story is a sad one but thanks to the Toledo Area Humane Society, it will have a happy ending. I was left to die in the hot sun this past summer. I had a severe leg injury and became very sick because of it. My former owners did not know how to feed a horse properly and because of that, I was grossly underweight, practically a skeleton. The nice cruelty officers and some of the humane society staff came to my rescue just in the knick of time. I had to be lifted into a horse trailer by several men because I was too weak to stand or walk. I was then rushed to a large animal vet, where they attended to me immediately. They did not know if I would make it through the night. Well, I did! Much to everyone's amazement! After spending a couple months in the hospital, I went to my foster home and I have been there ever since. Now it is time for me to go to my forever home.
I have been gelded and am up to date on vaccines. I have been vet-checked and Coggins tested negative.
I am sound and will be able to be ridden. Because of my rocky start to life I have not been trained yet. Thanks to my foster mom, I am halter broke but will need further training.
I am a very special boy and deserve an amazing home.

Show Day

2009-05-30T17:05:00.000-07:00

Well, slightly traumatic day. First of all, congratulations to Erika for an awesome ride on X-Ray. She made him look like a schoolmaster! Even though the judges called him Lilly. oops.

So, Val and I were second in dressage with a score of 69.5% going into stadium when he decided to slice his leg open on a secretly hidden piece of metal under the trailer. Awesome. Lots of stitches and a few weeks of rest and he will be back to normal, so I feel really lucky, but it kinda put a damper on the day. Thanks so very much to everyone - you were all so incredibly kind and generous and it made his bloody ankle not quite as terrible. Ugh.

But we had the best dressage test ever and my horse is alive and just a bit altered, so I am grateful.

Pics coming soon, of course

Linden is Sold

2009-05-28T17:18:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to Trey Green, our good friend and the best farrier in the world, on the purchase of our big dapple-grey gelding, Linden. He will be going to his new home on Sunday.

Lila show pictures

2009-05-27T06:51:00.001-07:00

Lila show pictures

2009-05-26T18:38:00.000-07:00

one of the pictures of Lila from the Delaware show. The others are linked off of the Delaware Horse Show website

www.delawarehorseshows.com

My girls!

2009-05-23T18:00:00.000-07:00

Two pictures of Krystal and Lites from today and a pictures of one of my very favorite students, Alexis, and the new horse she is leasing....

Linden

2009-05-23T14:59:00.000-07:00

I have been lucky enough to have Susan here working with me for the past few days and she has been riding Linden - we are so excited about his progress!!! More pics soon.

Awesome Job, Girls!

2009-05-23T14:50:00.000-07:00

So while the first Delaware show didn't go exactly as expected, we still had a fantastic time and did very very well. Congratulations to Colleen who took home two sixth place ribbons in jumpers on Lila. Not only was this Lila's first show, but the classes were very competitive, so we were all so proud of Colleen and the pony. Also great job to Krystal and Lites who got first and third in their jumper classes with twenty riders in each class. Lites Out ruled the day.

Some silly pictures below, but the real show pictures will be posted in a couple of days. Go Fairy Tale Farm!

By the Way....

2009-05-20T10:37:00.000-07:00

Gus is sold! Congratulations to his new owner, Jenny. He leaves the first week of June, so be sure to stop by and say goodbye.

Camp Information

2009-05-20T10:17:00.001-07:00

I know some of you have been waiting a long time....So here is the information for camp. Please contact me or Meghan to sign up for any of the three camps we are offering!

Calling All Horselovers!

Horselover's Camp

Join in the fun for a week of horse camp this summer. Be responsible for the care of your very own horse and spend plenty of time in the saddle learning basic riding skills, jumping, and mounted games. Campers arrive in the morning to feed, groom, and clean up after their horse and to ride in lessons and on guided trail rides. Campers will have the authentic horse owner's experience and will get to ride bareback, both in and out of arenas, and will get to try several styles of riding during the week. Camp will conclude on Friday afternoon with a cookout and fun show at the barn where family and friends and come and see everything the campers have learned throughout the week. We will do crafts and equestrian-related fun activities every day! Every camper will go home with a Fairy Tale Farm t-shirt and lots of other surprises!

Dates: July 13 - 17
Ages: 5 - 12
Experience: All experience levels
Time: 9am - 4pm (extended hours available at additional cost)
Cost: $310/week
Bring: sack lunch, afternoon snack, water and other non-carbonated beverages, sunscreen, insect repellent.
Clothing: long pants, paddock boots or tall boots, t-shirts or polo shirts (no tank tops), hats/visors.

Horsetrainer's Camp

For the more serious beginner or advanced equestrian, we are offering horsetrainer's camp. This week long experience is designed to help dedicated horselovers learn to ride and train their horses using techniques from classical and natural horsemanship. Campers will each be assigned a 'project horse' for the week, and they will work to train their horse in a variety of ways. This camp will include at least one clinic and a field trip to one of the large, prestigious veterinary clinics in the area. In addition to training and riding, students will learn all aspects of horse health and management. The week will conclude with a cookout and presentation of the skills our campers and horses have learned throughout the week.

Dates: July 27 - 31
Ages: 9 - 16
Experience: Some experience necessary
Time: 9am - 4pm
Cost: $310/week
Bring: sack lunch, afternoon snack, water and other non-carbonated beverages, sunscreen, insect repellent.
Clothing: long pants, paddock or tall boots, t-shirts or polo shirts (no tank tops), hats/visors.

Horselovers Mini-Camp

A great way to end the summer! Horselovers mini-camp will be just like the Horselovers day camp, just shorter!
Come spend all day at the barn horsin' around with the trainers at Fairy Tale Farm. We will ride twice a day, do crafts, and learn all about grooming and basic equine first aid. Mini-Camp will conclude with an end-of-summer pot-luck and fun show.

Dates: August 5 - 7, 2009
Ages: All ages
Experience: All experience levels
Time: 9am - 4pm
Cost: $160

Pics from today

2009-05-17T18:36:00.000-07:00

A couple pics from the last two days...em riding my little pony flick, my new big grey horse (for sale of course!), and the lovely trails at FTF!

New Delaware Group

2009-05-10T10:51:00.000-07:00

Crystal - Lites Out (Hunters 2'6")
Colleen - Lila (Jumpers 2'6"/2'9")
Valerie - Prince (Jumpers 2'3" - 2'6")
Megan/Susan - X-Ray (hunters)
Susan/Kristen - Valentino (3'6" jumpers/hunters)
Emily - Lilly Rose (crossrails/18")

Still need a rider for Flick, my little pony, if anyone is interested in riding him!

If you want to go to Redtail the weekend after Delaware, please let me know ASAP. Your horse needs and UTD coggins for Redtail. Our alternative plan is to hold a barn show and open house on that Saturday (May 30). What does everybody want to do?

Barn updates

2009-05-06T16:37:00.000-07:00

Hi everybody...

We will be holding horse camp July 15 - 19 from 9am - 4pm. Please contact me as soon as possible in order to sign up
for camp! All students will be assigned their own horse for the week to care for and ride and the week will conclude with a family show and picnic. More information coming soon.

We sold our two-horse horse trailer and are in the market for a three-horse trailer if anyone has any leads on trailers for sale.

Welcome back to Kim and Melody, who will both be taking lessons at Fairy Tale Farm in the next couple of weeks - it's so great to get to work with old friends again!

We have a new sale horse coming to FTF within the next couple of days. He is a big, grey quarter horse gelding so please stop in to check him out - he probably won't be around very long before he sells!

New footing was put in the indoor arena today, so we are officially dust-free.

Have a great weekend!

pictures work again!!!!

2009-05-03T17:17:00.000-07:00

After a long delay, pictures should be working on the blogs again. Here are a couple of Val and his new pony Flick, and of me, Caroline, and Emily.

Another great weekend!

2009-05-03T16:49:00.001-07:00

Pony Club at Redtail Ridge on Saturday was so much fun - I want to live there! Thanks to everybody who came.

The barn is incredibly busy as we take on more boarders and get ready for the shows! Huge thanks to Caroline and Sarah from Pony Club for coming out and riding everyone in the barn today while Meghan and I handled the fun stuff like teaching and organizing. All of the horses did fantastic with the girls and I was especially excited about Flick, the new Welsh Pony, who jumped like a little champ!

May 9th and 10 is the last weekend I will be around during the month of May, so I will have to reschedule any weekend lessons. I will be going to a hunter pace with Sarah and Caroline and then Delaware and then back to Redtail for the combined test.

We still have Lila for sale, only to a proper 'jumper' home, as well as Gus and Flick and we will be getting in one more sale horse later this week.

Yay warm weather!

New Ponies

2009-04-28T07:19:00.001-07:00

Hi everyone,

Lots of stuff going on at the barn!

We have several new horses, including a seven-year-old registered half-Arabian named Gus who was purchased by Meghan Swad on Saturday. He is going to be used as a lesson horse until we find his forever home! Pictures coming soon and he can be seen at equine.com or on my facebook page. He has lovely movement, a perfect temperament, and we couldn't be happier with him!

Erika Farfan and I also purchased an 11.2h Welsh pony gelding named Flick. He is a project pony, but I need a rider - I am definitely too big for this one! He is going great at w/t/c and is starting over small jumps. Flick will be in training and ridden by my more advanced riders until he is sold.

The barn is quickly filling up with boarders and training horses and my lesson schedule is getting crowded, so please schedule a week in advance if possible. We have a number of shows in the coming weeks, so please plan to stop by and visit even if you are not showing. We do need grooms and assistants for all shows.

I promise to put up pictures in the next couple of days - just having storage issues with google!

Happy Spring!

Events

2009-04-21T07:20:00.000-07:00

Hi everybody, just a quick update of events. Please see my calendar which is linked from this page for more information.

May 22 - 24 we will be attending the first Delaware show on Saturday and Sunday. The following weekend we are showing at Redtail Ridge in the combined test. Please let me know ASAP if you want to attend either of these events as a competitor or groom/helper.

So far, we will be taking the following horses and riders:

Emily - Lilly
Susan - Valentino/Secret
Meghan - X-Ray
Valerie - Prince
Alex - Prince
Kristen - Valentino
Megan - ?
Crystal - Lites Out

We still need riders for Secret and Lila, so let me know if you want to participate. We need to get stalls for every horse.

Pony Club

2009-03-29T09:29:00.000-07:00

I will be teaching the Pony Club mounted meetings at Redtail Ridge on April 4 and May 2 from approximately 10am to 3pm. Any of my students who are interested in joining pony club or just want to learn more about it should try to stop by and meet everyone in the club. Please let me know if you would like to come and I can give you directions and specific times.

Also, We move the horses to Fairy Tale Farms on April 4th and I will begin teaching lessons on April 7th. Please call or drop me an email to schedule a lesson or to come check out the new facility!

New Barn

2009-03-28T17:52:00.000-07:00

Please check out the website for the new barn at www.fairytalehorsefarm.com

We are so excited for our April 1 move-in date!!!

Welcome Spring!

2009-03-23T06:12:00.000-07:00

Hi everybody,

I thought I would post a few exciting pieces of news since it has been awhile.

We made it through the winter okay, but everyone is happy and relieved that spring is finally here. I am preparing to relocate the horses from Marysville to Westerville, to a new facility called Fairy Tale Farms...I will be training and teaching from this barn and am so excited to be working with the very knowledgeable and talented folks who have decided to open FTFs. More information on this facility will be coming soon - we are working on getting our website up and running and the barn officially opens on April 1st, with lessons and training starting around April 15. The Chapmans, McVeetys, and several other families will be joining us at FTFs

Also, I am planning to take a group of students to Equine Affair at the Ohio State Fairgrounds on Saturday, April 14. Please drop me an email if you are interested in going with us.

We are going to start our show season during the first week of May - please see my calendar linked off the weblog for information on shows we will be attending. We can usually transport 3-5 horses to each show. We are going to do hunter/jumper shows, hunter paces, and combined events this year.

One training spot is open for May, so please get in touch with me asap if you are interested in training for your horse.

Home!

2008-12-04T08:50:00.000-08:00

Hi everyone,

I am home from Florida and so excited. I will miss the weather though!

Changes are coming to the website so please keep checking in. I will be returning phone calls and emails over the next week and will be officially back at work next week. Happy holidays and I can't wait to see all of you!

Kristen

We're going to Florida!

2008-09-13T14:31:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone. As most of you know, Susan and I spent the week riding at Ledesma Equestrian Center in Orlando, Florida. I went with Susan so she could interview with the owner (Julio Ledesma) for a rider/trainer position at his barn. Well, we both had the opportunity to ride and teach for Julio and he asked both of us to return to work with him for the winter show season. Ocala, Wellington, Palm Beach - Susan and I will be in the Hollywood of the equestrian world and we are so honored and excited to have this opportunity to work and compete with many of the top horse people in the country. Susan and I will also both be teaching lessons and we are already crazy about the people and horses we have met so far.

I will be contacting all of my clients individually if I haven't already, but feel free to call or e-mail me if you have any questions. I can't wait!

Florida

2008-09-07T14:21:00.000-07:00

Hey everybody, I will be training in Florida for the next few days. I leave Tuesday and come back on Friday afternoon. Wish me luck!

Awesome rides tonight on X-ray and Spyder!

2008-08-29T20:21:00.000-07:00

Welcome home Susan!

2008-08-29T09:01:00.000-07:00

8 months riding in Ireland has definitely paid-off for Susan. She has been a huge help with Spyder and I got some cool pictures of her riding him yesterday.

Many of you know that Marc and I are moving into Columbus and I am really excited. I will be more centrally located and will be able to travel further south and east. I will still be spending two full days in the Marysville/Dublin/Powell areas, but I will also be spending a lot more time in New Albany, Pataskala, Alexandria, Grove City and other locations around Central Ohio.

Updates on my website

2008-08-19T11:04:00.000-07:00

Those of you who have known me for over a year will remember a horse that I started under saddle named Prince. I trained him for his first owner, Alicia Anthony, and she took him home last August. Prince was a special case - he had fears about loading into trailers because of a previous traumatic incident, and was a little too unpredictable under saddle for Alicia to be comfortable. About six weeks ago, she ended up trading Prince to a woman named Carolyn for a more safe, well-broke mount. Carolyn is amazing. She is a level two Parelli student and has made so much progress in her ground training with Prince (now re-named Rhami). Carolyn brought Prince up to spend the weekend with me because she wanted some instruction and support for her first couple of rides on her new horse. We had a wonderful time and Carolyn showed me what a committed, intelligent, and sensitive person can accomplish using the Parelli methods. Prince was so relaxed and compliant and I am happy to say that he acted like he has been ridden all of his life. Thanks Carolyn, for a great weekend, and a learning experience for both of us!

This is one of my students, Alana, and her morgan pony, Dexi. She recently moved to Ohio from Wisconsin from her family and this is her new mount. These two make a great pair and they had their first real jumping lesson today. I am excited to introduce Alana and her family to everyone - they will make a fun addition to our group.

Did I already post this picture of Megan? Worth another post. She and Secret are quite a team and are doing so much better! They are finally ready to start completing jumper courses and will be very competitive in the show ring next spring.

Poor Emily broke her arm. But not by falling off a horse. Even worse, a tire swing attached to a tree branch. The rope broke and now our girl is going to be in a cast for a few weeks. Send Emily good energy, so she heals quickly!

Congratulations to Scarlett and the Chapman family on their purchase of Forest, a western pleasure quarter horse gelding. Pictures coming soon!

If you haven't found hay yet, make sure you get your supply secured, because prices will be going up in no time! A lot of people have been asking me what grain they should be feeding. This is a complex question and every horse has different nutritional needs, but my favorites are Purina Horseman's Edge and Purina Strategy. Both are higher quality than standard sweet feed and will keep your horses in top condition. It costs a little more than straight sweet feed, but is worth the money because you can feed less with better results.

Summer is almost over!

2008-08-15T14:49:00.000-07:00

I am going to miss all of my students when they go back to school. We have had a lot of fun this summer. Just a couple of pictures of last week's lessons. Megan and Secret are progressing really well now. The time Megan has spent grooming and spoiling Secret is definately paying off! Emily and Joe got to try riding Western Pleasure this week on two of Angie's horses. Joe even had his first canter!

I am going to be spending the weekend working with Prince and his new owner Carolyn, helping her to get Prince working well under saddle after his long vacation and then I have lessons every day this week. Please let me know what kind of schedule you would like for fall. I am going to try to have a more regular (same day every week) schedule once school gets going again. More pictures of work in progress coming soon.

Remember to keep on fly-spraying and that bot-fly season is quickly approaching.

Enjoy the sun!

Horse Show

2008-08-09T14:09:00.000-07:00

Angie and I had a great day at the Marysville show. We took Forest and Pee Wee and Spyder, none of whom have ever been to a show. We mostly just rode around and visited with people and enjoyed the gorgeous weather. I was happy to reconnect with old friends and meet a few new ones as well! All of the horses behaved themselves nicely, and I am especially proud of Spyder for being sweet and quiet all day.

I don't necessarily like to show at Marysville, but it is a good place to bring young horses for their first couple of times out.

Who wants to go to Redtail Ridge on the 16th? It is a great place to show and school and I am hoping we can get a small group together and find rides for everybody. Let me know if you are interested!

We also need to look at our schedules and think about the next trip down to Hocking Hills, which I am hoping will happen in early or mid-September.

No pictures from today because I was so busy, but more coming soon!

Updates on my website

2008-08-04T08:18:00.000-07:00

Mostly new pictures, but some changes to content as well - check 'em out!

Kristen

Yet another discipline!

2008-07-26T18:50:00.000-07:00

Western Pleasure! I got started riding western pleasure again working with a client and a horse she is trying to sell and I just love it. The suspension, the big, secure saddle, the jog, the lope - it is a whole new world! Even better than gaited horses, I think. Maybe you'll see me at the congress with Spyder the 'Appendix Quarter Horse' next year.

Fancy for Sale!

2008-07-26T18:33:00.001-07:00

The Chapman family has sadly outgrown their wonderful pony Fancy. I am assisting in the sale and I know Fancy will make a fantastic leadline, walk/trot/canter pony for the right young person. Please see her ad at:

http://www.dreamhorse.com/show_horse.php?form_horse_id=1267023

and

http://horsetopia.horse-for-sale.org/classifieds/ad323110?mm=8703

Yay! Spyder is doing so much better!

2008-07-24T17:58:00.000-07:00

Another good ride tonight - with yet another bit. The same rubber coated snaffle but 1/2 inch larger. Still kind of fussy with the bit, but I used the running martingale near the end of the ride and that seemed to provide him with some extra security. Working out the kinks so we can be ready the '09 show season!

Who would have known?

2008-07-23T18:21:00.000-07:00

So Spyder has been rather terrible for the past couple of weeks - tossing his head, throwing fits, evading the bit. You may remember that he had tooth surgery in February to remove an absessed tooth, so I thought that he could be having pain issues from the bit.

So I went to Jack's (Dublin Tack Shop) today and got two bits: a happy mouth bit and a black rubber coated snaffle. I put the rubber coated snaffle on his bridle tacked him up as usual. The difference was incredible. Not only did he not throw his head or buck or act idiotic, he carried himself in a perfect frame the entire ride with no fussing at all. He was originally trained by an FEI dressage rider and when I went to see him, one of the attractions for me was how he just seemed to carry himself without hanging on the bit or getting heavy. Tonight, I got that horse back. Poor Spyder - I am going to investigate his mouth further with the help of Dr. J to see if he still has pain or just experiences discomfort with the metal in his mouth.

I am so happy and I most importantly, hopeful. Look out, eventing world, here we come!

Was it the most perfect day for riding, or what?

Hitting the trails again...

2008-07-22T11:40:00.000-07:00

Going tomorrow to Alum Creek to see if it is really as bad as everyone says.

A wonderful family came to meet Mary Jane today and they fell in love with her, so hopefully she will be going to her new home in Toledo, Ohio in the next week or so. Yay for Mary Jane!

Spyder is back on track thanks to Dr. Johnson and the vets at Woodland Run. We have had several successful rides this week, so hopefully it will continue.

Question for everybody. Do you practice backing with your horse, either on the ground or under saddle? If so, how did you teach your horse to back. I have been using Bob's method for teaching backing under saddle. He walks the horse into a corner and then sits back and sets his hands so there is light contact on the reins. With his leg significantly in front of the girth, he kisses until the horse moves back one step, and then releases all pressure. Eventually, he asks for two steps and then three and so on and then moves to the center of the arena and teaches the same lesson without the corner blocking the horse's forward movement. It works like magic! Many trainers say that a good back-up is necessary to achieve a good halt, and I tend to agree. Opinions?

What a gorgeous day to be riding!

Natural Horsemanship Equipment

2008-07-20T11:17:00.000-07:00

I have been doing dozens of training consultations over the past couple of months and I always bring along my natural horsemanship equipment. I use bring the same equipment everywhere I go:

1. A rope halter with two nose knots
2. a 12-foot lead with a swivel snap
3. a 22-foot rope long line
4. a stick which is similar to a lunge whip, but it is made of fiberglass or plastic and does not have the bend of a standard lunge whip. It is shorter and is meant to be used as a directive teaching tool, not like a lunge whip. These are sold under many names including handy stick and carrot stick, but they are the same thing.

These products can be found at the following online locations:

http://www.downunderhorsemanship.com/

http://www.blockerranch.com/index.php

http://www.horsefriendly.com/

http://www.parelli.com

I have purchased all of my equipment through downunderhorsemanship (Clinton Anderson's website) and through the horsefriendly site (best prices) and have been very happy with the service and quality of the items I bought.

Do not buy rope halters at TSC. They are not the same thing and they are big and bulky and do not work as well as those ordered online. To my knowledge, there is no store in the Central Ohio area that sells the products I use.

Whether or not you 'like' natural horsemanship as a training philosophy, these tools have been invaluable to me and I use them with virtually every horse I encounter.

2008-07-13T15:38:00.001-07:00

Hocking Hills adventure

2008-07-13T15:30:00.000-07:00

I seriously think that the Hocking Hills trip was one of the coolest things I have ever done. It was somewhat terrifying and dangerous, beautiful, exciting, and I have so much respect for our horses. They carried us up and down HUGE hills, through woods and caves and impossibly deep and slippery mud. The rookies on the trip kicked some butt and made it the entire seven hour ride on Saturday!

I should explain these pictures a little better, but you will find two pictures of campfire cooking. One of a meal I cooked and one of a meal one of the cowboys cooked. Can you guess which is mine? I would be happy riding through the hills and mountains for the rest of my life. Mary Jane fell in a hole at one point and then kind of fell down, but so did most of the other horses. It was crazy and took a lot of courage!

Hocking Hills pics

2008-07-13T15:27:00.000-07:00

Hocking Hills Trip

2008-07-13T15:23:00.000-07:00

X-Ray jumping

2008-07-07T15:13:00.000-07:00

Okay, so the first picture of X-Ray jumping is pretty neat...

And the second one is such a good example of the horse taking the jump long and the rider getting left behind that I had to include it.

News

2008-06-13T19:02:00.001-07:00

Several new training horses will be arriving at Bob's this week as we send a couple of others home. Even after 30 days, I have developed a bond with each one, and I am always both happy to send them back to the home that loves them and saddened to loose them from my everyday life.

We broke out a little palomino who is doing splendidly and after only 30 days, is ready to be ridden by his family. We have also worked to make our client's Tennessee Walker mare safe in any situation - traffic, trails, water, you name it. He is very happy to take her home, knowing that he is going to be able to ride her off by herself around his beautiful property in Sunbury.

Our friend Ginny is bringing her warmblood gelding tomorrow - the first of two horses she is going to put into training with us and we have three others coming by the end of the week.

The trail ride is officially scheduled for the second weekend in July, from Friday afternoon through Sunday afternoon. I think we have figured out transportation for everyone and I can't wait to show off my campfire cooking skills! It is going to be a big group, so any camping gear you have would be much appreciated (tents, sleeping bags, etc). We are going to have a blast!

I will be out of town from the 21st through the 25th, just but will be working right up to the day I leave and as soon as I get back. Bob will be handling training while I am gone.

Some of you will remember our old friend Alicia, who had her horse Prince in training with me last year. She has decided to sell him and look for something that is super broke that can be ridden by the whole family, but Prince is an awesome horse and I will post some pictures after I go down to visit her this week!

Cheers!

Another horse for sale

2008-06-08T19:00:00.000-07:00

This is an eight-year-old mare that Bob and I took on as a training project. She is for sale but she needs a good barn name! She doesn't have one...any suggestions?

And in case you wonder where we go when we take the training horses out, this is a picture of one of our favorite places to ride. It is ten miles of road - probably one of the last gravel roads in the area and there is no traffic, just little farms and woods.

Horses for Sale

2008-06-07T16:13:00.000-07:00

Bob and I have been hard at work getting some horses for sale - these are just a couple that we have....

The first picture is of Utah. My favorite thing about him is that he has a perfect white heart on his leg. He is one of the prettiest horses I have ever seen.

Next is Spirit - she is the nicest mare. You can ride her anywhere and she has a high-stepping trot that is so much fun to ride.

And then we have Dallas. She is a Paso Fino mare that anyone can ride and is the smoothest gaited horse we have for sale. And look at the hair!

There are more than just these, but taking pictures is time-consuming!

We have several training horses in right now and more coming.

News

2008-05-24T16:14:00.000-07:00

Mary Jane

The minis

The mule having a good roll after a bath

Well, the pony sold quickly as we knew he would. Winston will be travelling to Pickerington to live with his new mom on Thursday. In other news, Bob and I are booked through July with training horses and business couldn't be better. We are working long days and the results of intensive training have been incredible.

Spyder is so calm - like a different horse! We let him loose to graze and he comes as soon as he is called. My new horse, Mary Jane, is doing great and I love having a comfortable trail horse.

I am going to look at the June calendar tonight to come up with a possible schedule of events.

PONY!!! look at all that hair!

2008-05-19T17:17:00.001-07:00

This is the pony that Bob and I are selling. He is so adorable! Winston is a Welsh/Haflinger cross who is nine years old. I love riding him, but it is hard to keep a saddle on his very round back. You can see Winston's ad at:

http://horsetopia.horse-for-sale.org/classifieds/ad304307?mm=339550

A couple of pictures to start.....

2008-05-18T15:44:00.000-07:00

Red Tail Ridge Show

2008-05-18T15:23:00.001-07:00

Congratulations to everyone who showed at Red Tail Ridge today. Morgan, Emily, and Kristi all did fantastic and I am so proud of everyone. I am awaiting pictures. Unfortunately, Secret didn't make it to the show, but Megan and Renie came anyway and were incredibly helpful so thanks to them as well. And of course, my sweet Lindsay who is the best groom in the world made it possible for me to ride today. If it weren't for her help, I never would have even gotten on Jay!

I am so lucky to have such a kind and supportive group of riders and parents and even though today was a little rough at some points, we pulled through and showed really well. 4th to Emily, 4th to Kristen, 5th to Kristi, and 3rd to Morgan. We all need a little more impulsion in our dressage, but hey, who doesn't?

And congratulations to Kristin Hobbie, who rode the MODA show at Delaware this weekend. She went home with two first place ribbons and a third and got a 75% in training level test 1 which is amazing! I got to drop in and coach her a little before that test, and her score reflects her almost perfect ride on her horse Shadeaux.

Lots more ahead, but next we're going trail riding!!!

Pictures coming soon!

So little time...

2008-05-05T15:52:00.001-07:00

I am SO busy this week! I apologize if I have been slow to return calls this past week, but I have been having 12 - 14 hour days and of course have a hard time fitting it all in.

There is a show on the 18th at Redtail Ridge. All forms must be in to them by May 12. If you want to attend or ride in the event, please contact me as soon as possible.

Bob and I have several training horses coming to his barn this month and I am teaching lessons on Wednesdays and Fridays at Blues Creek.

Hope everyone is well and I will post pics of Pretty Lady very soon.

2008-04-28T15:16:00.000-07:00

One of our training horses decided to lay down and eat in the middle of a training session....

Bob and I on Secret and Mondavi

Playing in the water with Spyder

I have seen about 100 goats this spring. I never knew so many horse people owned goats.

NEWS:

First, Spyder is moving over to Bob's for the summer so we can do more intensive training. Don't worry - I will still be at Blues Creek almost every day for training and lessons.

Second, our next horse show is May 18. It is a combined event to be held at Redtail Ridge in Johnstown.

I believe our participants will be: Shawnna, myself, Megan, Kristi, Emily, and Lia. We can use help on the day of the show.

Cursive is moving in with Cindy Butts, a wonderful woman who lives in Radnor, Ohio. Alexis will be taking the pony home to California where she will be showing on the 'A' circuit. We will miss her greatly but wish her tons of luck.

Bob and I will be doing training and lessons from both Blues Creek and a barn in Mechanicsburg called Mustang Valley. We are grateful to Steve and Vickie at BC and to Diane at MV who have been amazingly accomodating to our needs and look forward to our work at both facilities.

I am teaching weekly in Johnstown, Pataskala, Ostrander, Marysville, and Plain City, so please try to schedule lessons in advance.

One more thing - I don't know if I posted this on my personal blog, but I purchased a gaited mare from Bob this week and I can't wait to get started with her. Since she is going to be Spyder's girlfriend, we have decided to call her Mary Jane.

quick update

2008-04-25T18:10:00.001-07:00

I am scheduling at least a week in advance for everything now that things have gotten busy, so please set up lessons ahead of time!

I will be working in other parts of Ohio all weekend, so please call me if you need anything!

Foxtail Farm Show Pictures

2008-04-19T11:52:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to all of the riders who competed in the Foxtail Farm show today. As you can see, we brought home lots of ribbons and had a fantastic time. I was so proud of our group of riders - you guys had smiles on your faces all day long and you had wonderful attitudes. I was impressed that everyone stayed and made sure to support Kristi and Alexis, who rode in the later classes. Special mention of Kristi is in order - she took second place in a very tough equitation class.

Thanks so much to Bob and Sissy and Kristi who were kind enough to drive all of our ponies to the show. And thanks to Craig and all of the parents who managed to organize the most important things - food, coffee, hair perfection, etc. I feel like the luckiest riding instructor in the world! I can't wait for the next one but I am even more excited about the coming trips to Redtail Ridge and Alum Creek.

Nice work today!

2008-04-19T11:50:00.000-07:00

2008-04-19T11:47:00.000-07:00

perfect day...

2008-04-16T18:09:00.000-07:00

What a day!

2008-04-15T17:20:00.000-07:00

Cursive came home to resume training.

Bob and I took Sassy on her first trail ride.

I rode Spyder outdoors!

Cute pic of Cursive and Spyder in love.

Training is going great. Bob and I are insanely busy with assessments/consults and training and the weather is perfect. And we have a show on Saturday. I can't wait!

Equine Affair

2008-04-13T18:03:00.001-07:00

Spyder's Brother was the stallion in the trakehner demonstration on Saturday

My girls are so cute!

A beautiful example of a __________. Who can tell me what kind of horse this is?

We can't wait for the show on Saturday at Foxtail Farms in Ostrander. Our participants include Lindsay, Megan, Kristi, Alexis, Lia, and Emily and I know everyone will do great!

Please attend and show your support for our brave young riders. The show begins at 9am on Saturday and we will need help on Friday evening and early on Saturday morning.

Training pictures...

2008-04-02T17:41:00.000-07:00

Bob working on trailer loading with Henry.

Alexis shaving her pony for the fiftieth time....had to throw this in for Susan.

Kristen riding Sassy.

Bob riding a saddlebred during a training assessment.

New Horses

2008-04-02T17:35:00.000-07:00

Emily and her new quarter horse mare, Lilly.

Megan and her new five-year-old andalusian/arabian/draft/thoroughbred cross mare, Secret.

I am so happy for both of you!

Training Update

2008-04-02T16:02:00.000-07:00

Spyder - has a splint. Still 'resting'

Mondavi - Bob had him sidepassing beautifully across the arena today. He is such a neat horse. I can't wait to see where he takes Kristi!

Sassy - She is doing so well! Bob and I have both been riding her in just a rope halter and she is doing walk/trot quietly with her head down. She is beginning to act like a horse, which I never thought would happen.

Henry - After a big fight and a lot of fear, he is loading in and out of the trailer perfectly. Bob worked with him for about an hour today and by the time he was finished, Henry was trotting up into the trailer.

Zippy - is going to make a lovely contest horse for her seven-year-old owner. She is going quietly at walk,trot, and canter and is going to be completing training within the next couple of weeks.

Spyder, Sassy and Mondavi will be continuing training through April.

Emily's new horse (Lilly) and Megan's new mount (Secret) will be completing a month of training with Bob and I to get them ready for show season. We will also be working with Steve and Vickie's haflinger (Wilma) and we will be travelling to Ostrander, Delaware, and Sunbury to work with several clients at their barns. It is going to be a busy month!

We have a group trip scheduled to attend Equine Affair on Saturday, April 12 and our first show is on Saturday, April 19. If you would like to attend either of these events, please let me know!

Pictures coming soon.

Spyder and Kristen today...

2008-03-29T17:42:00.000-07:00

Kim and Allen McMillan, Spyder's first owners, came to visit today and branded Spyder while they were here. He was great about the whole ordeal and didn't seem to worry too much about his smoking rump. Ouch!

Spyder and Kristen's First Ride - January 4, 2008

2008-03-29T17:26:00.000-07:00

Rain!

2008-03-19T14:07:00.000-07:00

Rain rain rain....

Bob and I have pushed on and this week are starting to work all of the horses under saddle - now it's getting fun!

Welcome to new students Jessica and April!

Please feel free to stop out between 12 and 5pm to watch Bob and I work. If you have a horse in training this month, give us a time you would like to visit and we will work with you and your horse.

Congratulations Emily on your purchase of Lilly! We can't wait to see pictures.