7 Horses & Me

Hello Summer!

2011-06-15T11:19:00.000-04:00

One of my favorites! One morning I was driving the tractor, which I enjoy while listening the music on the headphones, and caught this beautiful reflection of my farm across the pond.

Here is a closeup of Chancellor admiring himself in the pond's reflection :-)

From left to right, Boxer, JaFar, Graham, Cloud all look on as friends ride by.

Here is an early evening shot of the riding ring, pastures and spring bursting into summer on a warm day.

Alice & Cloud goes solo down the bridle path. We never get tired of riding these beautiful trails.

Special Olympics gold metal winners! Alice & Cloud left. Graham & Amanda right. Equestrian Games held at UNH Equine facility.

4H Peppermint Ponies Seniors Kiara, Courtney, Maggie work on poster for Open Barn and Pony Rides.

Huckleberry stands patiently for Elizabeth, Aspen, Keelin, Rebekah, Kimberly, Destiny and Courtney.

Sarah Jean leads Boxer, Maggie lead Huckleberry for endless pony rides.

Gillian & Boxer, Makayla & Chancellor trail ride

Makayla & Chancellor splash in pond. Always a nice way to cool off!

Makayla & Chancellor, Grace & Boxer trail ride

April 7, 2011

2011-04-07T11:09:00.001-04:00

Hello Spring!

Rich and Suede enjoy low tide at Seabrook Beach

Alice & Cloud, Sarah and Boxer looking good at low tide, Hampton Beach

Chancellor shows his working trot

JaFar, Graham and Boxer show their Spring Fever!

October 29

2010-10-29T09:12:00.000-04:00

A colorful fall day. You can see Cloud in the lower left, white legs & red jacket, far middle is the dark coat of Chancellor and lighter color is Graham, far right is Boxer.

Closer shot reveals three horse happily eating. Tough life! Well, that keeps them happy and willing to give you & me great rides when we go out. I am always thrilled that my horses do not have any long term soundness issues. They get plenty of turnout to move around and be healthy and have a good attitude. Isn't that the way life works?

At the World Equestrian Games, Kentucky this past September. How exciting to see over 100 top endurance horses (all Arabians) bolt out of the group start line to complete mile course in one day. We got up at 4:45 am to watch the start at 7:30 am.
I like the action feeling this photo gives. The horses were so fit and keen. Some were lunged in the warm-up just to settle down and burn off too much energy before starting!

This horse has completed the first 25 mile loop and is being checked by a veterinarian to see if it is fit to continue. These animals are lean machines!

State 4-H Horse Show results: Senior Hunt Seat Equitation, all earning blues! Courtney & Graham Cracker, Makayla & Chancellor, Maggie & JaFar. Jan & parents are very proud of students & horses.

Four horses of the same type are compared in conformation judging. The 4H kids write down their placings & comments.

Here are four senior 4H girls (young ladies) giving Huckleberry pony rides at Fremont Town Day. At $1.00 per ride, we had an endless line of young kiddie riders wanting to take their try on adorable Huckie-bear!

A cookie bake sale was part of the day. Plus all the seniors gave a mini-talk using the Public Address system to practice public speaking. The topics were, naturally, about horses!

Last, but not least, pictures of me & JaFar winning ribbons in one of many jumper classes this year! This photo is at the Boston Putnam Myopia Horse Show, Hamilton, Ma, held in August. We won ribbons in 4 different Schooling Jumper classes. It was very exciting!

JaFar loves show jumping and never refuses an obstacle. He is so smart and engaged in his job over fences, he will make you feel confident! He certainly gives me that great feeling.

Congratulations JaFar & Jan! We were Reserve Champion at the New Hampshire Hunter Jumper Finals in the 3'3" Jumper Classic, this earlier this October in Keene, NH.

Recent Fun Rides: Pace & Beach & Tractor

2010-05-31T12:13:00.000-04:00

PACE RIDE

Late April, three of us rode in the Wentworth Hunt's Spring Pace event www.wentworthhunt.org held at Branch Farm, Milton Mills, NH. From left to right is Kaitlyn LeClair on JaFar, I'm on Graham Cracker and Alice Stawasz, wearing # 52 on Cloud at the beginning waiting for our start.

A pace ride is marked course over a cross county trial ridden at the walk, trot, canter and even hand-gallop in the proper spots and done safely. Rider & horse go as team through open field, forest, water, bridge, log, hill. is pre-marked and pre-ridden to determine optimum time for a group of riders (2 - 4+) to complete the course either at the faster pace which includes jumps, or a slower pace for trail riders not jumping. The teams matching or nearing the optimum time win ribbons.
People just ride for fun to get out in new places and sights.

Here are Kaitlyn and Alice standing next to the timed scores for the Hilltop (jumping ) and Field (non-jumping).

Here we examine our placing to find too slow of a score to qualify. Kaitlyn watches as Alice stuffs her face with food. Hunt club members offer food and drink during the day so it is a nice addition to the ride. the horses get carrots too. :-)

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

BEACH RIDE
In this next set, we are headed out of Salisbury Beach in late May. From left to right, Katie's on Chancellor, Sarah-Jean on Boxer, Leah on Cloud, I'm on Graham. We ride the beach at low tide and the off-season when open to horses. The beach ride is a real treat for kids and adults. This beach is 4 miles long so we are out for over two hours.

Most people like to see the horses on the beach and don't mind. The scariest thing for horses is UFO-like kites - flying objects that might attack them. The bathers and pink umbrella over Clouds head are OK.

In the next pix, there is a UFO disguised as a huge orange octopus with big b&w eyes and long streaming tentacles. After politely yelling at the kite's owner, she lands it flat.
so now we can pass.

The kite has brought the horses to a complete stand-still. Graham stopped in his tracks. I have dismounted to lead the entourage past the scarey orange kite. Cloud takes another look.

Depending on the skill of the riders, we walk, trot, canter or gallop the horses and coax them to play in the breaking waves. At times the horses don't understand the moving wave line as it rolls and breaks around their legs. the horses will dance away. In time they learn the waves are OK and will wade in deeper or paw and splash the water.

Here we are riding in. Whew! Everyone's still mounted and happy! See you next time. :-)

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Final photo of my sister Beth having her way with the big Orange horse, the Kiote tractor and the horse manure pile! She know how to handle a big pile of horse s**t with ease. Go Sister Go!!

Vacation Surprise

2010-03-22T11:46:00.000-04:00

Did I tell you horseback riding instructors go on vacation too? My mom, Harriet and dad, John are my parents and they arranged for all of us to spend time in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. As promised 80 degrees, fabulous coastline, seaside dining, sport fishing, golf, tequila, ah . . . arriving home our neighbors prepared us for no power after a nor’easter ripped through New Hampshire. Rich and I slept on the floor in the tack room where the only heat was. A nasty return to reality.

Huckleberry was surprised to see us stumbling out the next morning, still no power. After feeding the horses, we prepared for lugging water to fill the 100 gallon tank. With two 25 gallon containers in the truck we drove to a neighbor’s nearby open well. Bucket by bucket, we tugged a rope up and down to fill the containers. Only strong backs and muscled arms need apply! We drove home slowly to not slosh the water. Then, with the might of God, heave ho, lift and dump into the big tank. We repeated the process twice. What a time and calorie burner! You can only imagine how the early settlers existed without electricity. We have it easy!

Planning the 2010 season gives thought to favorite shows, saving money and having a challenge. Competition is a great thrill - adrenaline rush, anticipation, action, preparation, execution. Last year Chancellor and Graham completed eight recognized United States Eventing Association (USEA) horse trails, 6 were overnights. I'm still bragging about 2090 year end results: Chancellor placed 8^th in the region Open Training and won Adult Team Champion Training Division. Graham was strong too, placing often.

This year I’m staying closer to home and will schedule events no more than a couple hours drive and just a couple of overnights. Goal: more fun, less work. I'll aim for good challenges that don't require great amounts of planning and preparation, so hopefully less effort. I will do a few USEA trials and few more hunter/jumper shows. For students, we will repeat last year and attended County 4H show, schooling shows, pace rides, fox hunt day, beach and trail rides, which are all popular. Come and join us!

Unexpected Ending

2010-01-28T10:14:00.000-05:00

Dispite the cold, this afternoon is more inviting for riding than my last post. Wind’s down. Sun’s out. My kind of day for riding. First, a student with a new horse has a lesson. Then a second student will have a lesson with her horse during which I will also ride Chancellor.

My biggest irritation is not getting the trailer hooked up earlier. I’m distracted talking with a horse publication about its 2010 camp issue. Camp’s been good business for me. Publication wants my advertising and photos for the next issue. They’ve checked out my web site and want more photos to run. Free advertising! Yeah! Now I’m sidetracked searching for pics. Two hours later: time for lessons. I kick my butt out the door and load up Huckleberry, Cloud and Chancellor for the indoor. I’m on time.

The student is in the arena standing next to her horse. Issue: horse not stopping. I suspected rider’s body language and she is unsure if equipment is correct. Biggest problem: horse’s bit attached upside down and rendered ineffective. With its numerous hooks, chain and loops, I’ve seen it put on many ways and this is no surprise. We get things straightened out. She mounts up. Everything clicks for the rest of the lesson.

Now I am riding Chancellor, my big black beautiful steed. I feel like a warrior going to battle on Chance. He can and will do anything for me. I love this. I ride up next to the student. Visualizing helps you learn, so I like to demonstrate technique live. The student and I ride as duo. It is intimate and effective. Chancellor’s energy invigorates the student’s horse and the rider adjusts to connect. Excitement generates as we work through exercises. We laugh and breathe the cold air while our horses’ bodies release a steam cloud. We are warm and glowing. I push for 35-45 minutes of aerobic work in walk, trot, canter and cavaletti. We have lots of fun!

Driving home up the driveway the truck’s headlights catch the eyes of JaFar, Boxer and Graham grazing on the front lawn! OMG I shriek! Escaped Horses At Night! In the deep snow, JaFar, the detective, has found a way out through an otherwise impass and shown the others how to get through. Thankfully the horses find the frozen turf to eat and do not wander, although I immediately imagine the disaster that would occur when loose horse meets moving auto. We jump out of the truck and secure the horses, who, agreeably return to the barn in anticipation of dinner.

After all the horses are secured and fed, I depart for my favorite Asian restaurant to pickup Pad Tai to-go. Tired yet relieved, I am grateful my day has ended peacefully.

Greetings to the New Year, 2010!

2010-01-01T21:48:00.000-05:00

Being the first day of the New Year, I am excited to embark on a personal goal many of you have encouraged me to do: share our horse passion through stories, experiences, observations, reflections and lessons learned being a horseback riding instructor - or student myself, teacher, mentor, leader, camp counselor, trainer, farm owner, wife, pet lover, competitor, friend and neighbor.

You have wondered what it's like to "live your horse dream" so here we go! This blog is for you; tell me what you think and feel so we can make it worth reading. Don't be shy - any and all comments welcome!.

Let's start with the title name: 7 Horses & Me. Many of you know there are 6 horses here at North Road Farm. However, often there's a new horse on the scene, or I'll talk about a student, parent, club member, dog, husband - you name it - the 7th character is that one. This way I won't unintentionally praise, humor, embarrass, single out, lecture or challenge you (who knows!). And, I can be honest and scream, jump for joy, cry, laugh, cringe, stop, go, or hit the hay (bed) exhausted.

Last Tuesday was one of those days I wish I still had my old desk job working for corporate America. Inside, not outside, in cold single digit temperature, WINDY with ice. This student has been with me for three years; he wanted his lesson, plus two grandmas were there to watch. I have a really nice new stable to teach at with a beautiful indoor, so there were NO excuses not to teach and ride myself.

Outside I go: back up the truck and drop on the trailer, pack the tack up with saddles, bridles, side reins, neck strap, coolers, hay nets, plus all my riding clothes. Get Huckleberry for the student and Graham Cracker for me. Load both into the trailer and off we go for the 20 minute ride south. Thank goodness I'm on time (not always the case - another New Year's resolution). Unload horses & help student tack up Huck.

Graham is temporarily on cross-ties, waiting to go in a stall, and rears up impatiently, pawing his front hooves in the air with emphasis, much to the awe of spectators! He must stand 15 feet tall this way, I think to myself. Never dull with a 7 year old, 1300 lb, 16.3 hand brute. Despite the Graham distraction and the wind cracking, the student still wants to ride. We enter the indoor. I am grateful it is well built and does not creak and moan. I have taught in noisy indoors before and the horses freak out - causing accidents and injuries. Huck is on best behavior and gives the student a confident ride. The family leaves with smiles on their faces. I am happy.

Now my turn to ride; I need my fun, too! Oh, wait a minute! A boarder wants to talk about training his horse and pulls me into the heated observation room (which I like) for a chat lasting about 20 minutes. I really want to get on to riding, but being the teacher, I remind myself that students come first. The conversation goes well and we make plans to get started later in the month. I tell myself to be thankful for opportunities like this that make my dream a reality.

Back to Graham. The sun is setting. The wind is fierce. I call on my energy and passion to focus on riding. Believe it or not, it can be easy to find reasons not to ride! Graham, thankfully, is all business under the saddle and offers me an excellent effort, remembering his dressage exercises despite a 5 week break after the end of the fall fox hunting season. My euphoria and endorphins peak. I am fulfilled.

Now, finally, time to go home. Moon's up, wind's howling. Ugh! Just beam me home! I take a deep breath, head down and brace the wind. Ignition turns like a charm and the truck comes alive: heat cranked up and lights on. Takes me 5 trips to and from truck to indoor to get all items & horses loaded. Thank goodness the horses do not fuss and are easy loaders. They must know we're going home. I climb in the truck, melt into the seat, honk a good-bye to the indoor facility and thank God I love horses.