Monday, November 17, 2014

Progress!!

One of these days I'll have a "real" weekend, right?  At the moment, weekends are a flurry of activity as the only real amounts of time to get work done at the farm.  So here's an update of where we stand as of this morning on the various projects:

  • Fencing:  The big house-side pasture is almost ready to have the electro-braid strung!  I think there are 3 or 4 posts that need to go in the ground that didn't go earlier as we didn't really realize they were in quite as bad shape as they were.  2 of those are the corner and brace posts for the corner next to the yard so that will have to be braced as well.




  • Barn: we finished cleaning out 2/3rds of the barn on Saturday!  WOW it looks so much better all cleaned out.  The concrete side is done and will eventually house 2 stalls.  The middle portion is done and nicely swept.  We even did the loft over the concrete... cleaned out all the junk, and organized what is left up there.  In the process, everyone had some fun finding the "buried treasures" -- a new in box frost proof water faucet was probably the best find, but there were others: 9' shade canopy in the box, a foosball table (in several boxes), 50 mile electric fence charger, various tools, couple foal/mini halters, some Army gear including a package of beef stew MRE!  Made the dust and cleaning fun.
Before - looking down from the loft




After!


  •  Electric:  Attic and 2nd floor are DONE!!  It looks SO much better!  Attic is now ready for insulation, though it was funny -- due to the status of the furnace, we ran kerosene heaters this weekend and once the attic access was closed, the 2nd floor REALLY stayed warm even after the heater on that floor was off for over 30 minutes.  A couple items left on the first floor and the basement.  Then it will be out to the barn.



  • Furnace: No real smoking issues anymore but still some odor.  Had a repairman out and after removing the exhaust, turns out the chimney needs cleaned out and probably inspected before he can service the furnace.  So we're currently heating with kerosene heaters until the furnace gets fixed.

  • Flooring:  Purchased 4" unfinished utility grade red oak for the living room and den and I think it's going to look FANTASTIC when finished.  Should be installed this week (after the phone call I just had) but to finish it, I need heat.  So the rest will be on hold.  Thinking I might just put regular carpet down in the bedrooms afterall, after looking at the flooring once I finished scraping and sweeping in the master bedroom.  Need to price it out and see.

  • Walls: Have the first floor scraped and some of the spackling done.  The stairwell is done to the point that I need a ladder to finish.  The Master bedroom is also ready for spackle.  Still need to do some scraping in the 2nd bedroom and landing, mostly up high.

  • Paint:  Need to finish picking out colors.  I know what I want the kitchen to look like but not sure what colors that will entail using.  Have colors picked out for the den, living room, bathroom and stairs/landing.  I *think* I know what I want in the master, but not 100% sure.  No idea what to do in the 2nd bedroom.

In other news, I bought my first "toy" for the farm!  A 4x2 gas gator with hydrolic dump bed, extra chain tires, wench and plow blade!  I LOVE it and it's already really come in handy.

Monday, November 10, 2014

So much to do

Had a wonderful weekend.  I haven't moved in yet but we used the farm for a 16th b-day bonfire and it was a success (minus the clogged toilet... good thing there are 2 in the house!).  Made use of the still extremely hot ashes yesterday to cook a foil-wrapped dinner too.  YUMMY!!  I think more dinners like that need to be made.


Someone recently asked me if I'd made a complete list of things that need to be done for the farm.  I told them a resounding no because I'm afraid that looking at such a long (and in many cases expensive) list would make me simply go catatonic and not be able to know where to start.  Someone else suggested that I actually do start the list because then when the lovely wonderful people in my life show up unscheduled at the farm and want to help, I'll have a few choices of things to do that need to be done.  Ok, that's a good reason to have a list.  So... as long as I don't look TOO closely, here's the START of that list (in absolutely no order except how it pops into my head):


  • Get the furnace looked at
  • Get the stove/oven looked at
  • Pull up the carpet staples in the den before the flooring guys come
  • Get the wood floors redone (living room, den and landing... possibly the stairs)
  • Do something with the bedroom floors involving some amount of carpet probably
  • Scrape paint upstairs and at the tippy top of the stairwell
  • Have ceiling fans in living room and den mounted, eventually buying and installing the fans upstairs
  • Move fridge
  • Redo kitchen floor
  • Add cabinets (eventually adding a dishwasher which will entail more new cabinets and a change of countertop and backsplash)
  • Spackle EVERYWHERE
  • Gutter grout in the tub, followed by regular bath silicone
  • Prime all walls and ceilings
  • Paint all walls and ceilings (which also involved deciding on paint colors for everything)
  • Move book shelves upstairs
  • Replace shower head upstairs
  • Take shower head from upstairs and put on shower in basement
  • Put in insulation in the attic
  • Clear out Springhouse for outdoor storage
  • Have siding and trim replaced
  • Pull down almost dead tree
  • Put in t-posts
  • Put in new corner and front posts in barn paddock
  • Replace posts as needed
  • Run fence wire (buy more?)
  • Clean out barn
  • Build stalls
  • Figure out lights (with John's help) and water options
  • Get new barn area set for excavating
  • Figure out window treatments
  • CLEAN, including window sills
  • ETC!!!
Then there's the whole actually moving in thing and on top of that an open house at the Cottage place on the 23rd to get ready for (cleaning to do which includes the carpets HAVE to be done).  Some of the items are obviously wants or "laters" that I can definitely get away with not having done right away.  But when creating a list based on what is and what my vision of the place is... it gets to be quite a LONG list. Even straightforward stuff like "clean out the spring house or barn" gets into making several piles of stuff -- trash, sell/donate/recycle, save for future use.


But it's STILL a labor of love.  We cleared a bunch of brush from the fenceline around the house this weekend and it's looking much better already.  And the electric work continues which is amazing and I'm SO grateful for!  Just keep swimming, right?

Thursday, November 6, 2014

The new farm!

It's been a week but the new farm is bought!!!  I'm so excited.  Been out there every day since closing doing all kinds of things to make it livable and functional.  It's going to be quite the endeavor of work and love, but in the end it will be SO worth it!

The specs:  39.85 acres, mostly tillable (over half is currently share-cropped) with some pasture, a small hay field and a creek.  2 story 1905 built 2 bedroom 1 bath farmhouse with full unfinished cinderblock basement (which also has a shower and toilet).  Fuel oil furnace with forced air heat. No AC. Approximately 9,000 gallon cistern. Jefferson Regional Water Authority water. Septic. Been vacant for about 6 years. Existing barn is approximately 60x30 and in poor to fair condition.  Some of the beams will be salvageable but it's neither big enough nor set up well enough for long term use.  Corn crib probably needs to be torn down sooner than later, but will have life through the winter as a place to park the Saturn so I don't have to scrape windows.

LONG term goals:  Along with fixing up the house of course because it needs it, we want the facility to be a small show/training/clinic place... an education facility.  We LOVE holding our current SVF shows at Twin Towers, but would love to see them move to the farm.  They'll end up being a bit smaller in scale, but we could do one/month. We're looking at putting up an 80'x150' indoor arena (to be able to have indoor space that could accommodate a small dressage ring) as well as a 12 stall barn (for training and limited boarding).  We haven't yet settled on an outdoor ring size, but ideally I'd love to see 150'x250' with lights.  One of the dreams would be to run an "under the lights" jumper series during the summer.  And of course we plan to make full use of the acreage to have plenty of schooling cross country jumps. And while our personal focus is in the english world, we are NOT opposed to hosting western or trail events in the future.

My hope here is to blog the progress as we get things accomplished.  Now that I should be getting a new phone tomorrow (with hopefully a working camera) I'll be able to do that.  In the meantime, here are the "before" pics.  By estimation these are a year old and were taken from the real estate listing.  ENJOY!!

PS. Blogger is being piggish about me reordering the pics... so you're getting them in random Blogger order.  Sorry.


The Barn. The gate has disappeared prior to me buying the place (as has the horse in the pic).  The barn needs SERIOUS work and thus has a limited lifespan -- basically long enough to get another barn built.

More of the barn and the driveway fencing.  We're fixing up the fencing here and setting up this space for a paddock.  BTW, the property line to the north is the treeline in the background!

Another of the paddock space between the barn (left) and the road (right).

Bathroom.  Needs updates and work but functional for the most part.

Bedroom 2.  Probably the worst looking of the wood floors.

Bedroom 1.  Floors are only a bit better than Bedroom 2 and as a result, contemplating carpet in both instead of redoing the wood like I plan to do downstairs.  Has a nice closet (door on the right) and a lovely built in (door on the left).

View from the back patio to the corn crib.

Corn Crib.  You can't see it but the back wall is... missing.  Yep... will be coming down but has been storing a full-size tractor for a few days so it should hold up enough to keep the frost off the windshield of the Saturn.  Property line to the west is the treeline in the background to the left of the corn crib.

Living room.  Beautiful built in and I love the big windows.  Floors should refinish nicely.

Den?  TV room?  I haven't settled on what to call this room, but I like it.  Big enough for the tv and a nice couch. LOVE LOVE LOVE the wood french door!  And yes... those marks on the walls and ceiling are where the paint has peeled off.

Another view of the den... and more peeling paint.  To the right is another doorway that leads to a VERY small hallway and the bathroom.

Front of the house, which face the driveway NOT the road (the road is across a paddock to the left).  Fenced patio is a cement slab over the cistern.  And do not ask me why they have random t-posts in the front yard.

Another of the front of the house from the driveway.  The picket fence on the left side continues along the driveway.

Another house angle.

More house.

From the driveway, looking towards the house across the front paddock.  Road is to the left.

Front paddock from the driveway at the "front" corner of the front yard, and looking towards the road.  Treeline in the background towards the right of the pic is the creek bed.

Side of the house, showing the cistern patio and the spring house.

Kitchen.  Unfortunately, the ceiling fan disappeared before I saw the house.  We're now rewiring and moving it to make it a little more centered, but there will be a ceiling fan in this room (and many others actually).

Another view of the Kitchen

More kitchen.  Currently the frig is plugged into the wall outlet on the left side of the pic.  Doesn't leave a lot of space between the front of the frig and the front of hte stove so the fridge is moving to the off pic right side of the window.

Existing kitchen counters.  Will try to salvage and maybe repaint?

Most of the kitchen and obviously taken with a fish-eye lens.  Standing at the back door/stairwell to the basement.

LAND!!!

Almost the same shot as above.

More land with "stuff" that was left.

2nd floor "landing".  Almost a room to itself.  Closet is the door on the right.  The 2 doorways on the left of the pic lead to the bedrooms.  Check out the woodwork near the stairs!!

Another shot of the landing.

Living Room, showing the beautiful woodwork.

Stairs.

Cistern patio and spring house.  The spring house is ok functional, but currently full of junk!

Cistern patio, house and springhouse.

From the back corner of the "yard" toward the springhouse and house.

Friday, August 15, 2014

1 week to go!!

I can't believe it's here already - 1 week to go before opening date for all classes for the October 4th show at Twin Towers.  Here are the important things to know:


  1. NEW ADDRESS!!  Yep, we've moved and until we get settled at a new address we though a PO Box would be best put to use.  Here is the address to send ALL entries to:
    Serenity Valley Farm, P.O. Box 49374, Dayton, Ohio 45449
  2. Updated Class List: After 3 shows, we've decided to make a few changes to the class list. 
    • Dressage Changes: Of course all the DLSC Year-End Qualifying classes are still being offered. In addition, for dressage, we're offering up to 3 "Test of Choice" classes - one for regular dressage, one for Eventing dressage and one for Western dressage.  These classes are intended to be able to ride any test not already being offered, though riders may enter ANY dressage test. Classes may be combined depending on entry numbers.
    • Combined Test: Due to low numbers, we have officially dropped the Prelim level and 3-Day class offerings, but riders may enter the Test of Choice to ride their dressage. For jump practice, riders may enter the Jumper class at their level and compete for ribbons or may use the Training CT course as a "schooling round".
    • Jumpers: Since we have officially dropped Prelim level classes, we've also dropped the High Gambler's Choice and modified the remaining Gambler's choice to cover 2' to 3'3". In addition, we're adding another payback class - 6-Bar.  See the Event Details page on the website for a description of 6-Bar.  Both Gambler's Choice and 6-Bar will take place at the end of the day in the jumper ring, but moving them to the end should also improve the flow of the jumper ring.
  3. Pre-Entry Prizes: Brubaker's Feed in New Lebanon was wonderful enough to provide us with 2 door prizes at the June Show to give away in a random drawing of all pre-entries at the June Show.  We plan to do this again, so even if you're just entering jumper classes, consider pre-entering.  Not only will you save some money (on jumper classes), but you'll be entered into the drawing.  Thank You Brubaker's!!! 
If anyone has any suggestions or feedback, we'd love to hear it! We enjoy hearing the comments from our competitors and try to make this show a good experience for both horse and rider.
 
 

Monday, July 21, 2014

Show Recap and... MOVING!!

The SVF show on June 28th was fantastic!  Thank you to everyone who helped to make it a success.  Our 3rd show and we learned a ton and have a few changes, both in class offering and in management, that we're going to implement for the October 4th show.  But really, it went well.  Once again we were spared bad weather until we were cleaning up.  I'll take having to put things away in the rain over having our competitors have to deal with it any day! 


As for changes, we'll definitely be offering the Test of Choice class again.  This class is intended to allow competitors to ride any dressage test that is not already being offered - this includes regular dressage, eventing dressage or even western dressage.  If we get enough entries of one type or another we may split the class along "type" lines (ie: split between English and Western, if we get enough western entries).


We are also planning a couple changes in the CT/Jumper ring, but are still working out those details.  Keep watching for details.  As always, if you would like to see a specific class offered, please let us know.  We're always open to competitor requests and suggestions.  Our goal is always to offer a low key NICE schooling show.


By the way, our judges for October 4th are finalized: Megan Carr (KY) and Kathy McFadden (OH). We look forward to seeing everyone there!


Moving?  Did someone say moving??  YES!!  While plans for a new SVF are not finalized yet, we will be moving in the next couple weeks from our current location in New Lebanon. Please watch for an update on where to send October 4 show entries as the address WILL change! We're looking forward to getting in the new place and sharing all about it.

Wednesday, June 18, 2014

Greenstone Dressage Recap & SVF June Show Update

Things are happening fast and furious around here it seems.

Greenstone Dressage Show - June 14

Took Shirley to the dressage show.  It was... educational and interesting.  We entered Training Level Test 1 and the USEF Rider Test (Training Level).  Arrived in plenty of time to have a nice LONG warm up with lots of reward breaks.  I think that worked but she was still "up" when we walked over to the other side of the trees and went in the ring.  We've been trying to work on keeping her in front of my leg... and thus soft, forward and straight.  Yeah... that didn't work very well initially.  I'm sure people who watched us enter the ring for our T1 test thought for sure I'd started drinking really early that day!!  "Not straight" doesn't even BEGIN to describe our entrance... or the trot from the halt at X up to C.  It was really funny.  Even funnier was the judge's comment which simply said "haunches left" or something mild like that. 

We did have some nice moments.  And our final centerline and halt were wonderful (scoring our only 7).  But we still have a LOT of work to do.  The second test wasn't even as nice.  She really fell behind my leg and would go hollow.  I was told it was almost like she simply didn't want to try.  Like she was saying "I already did this and now I'm not sure what you want!"  Frustrating but we'll get there I guess.  Finished with both scores just a hair below 60% (that dreaded 40 that I try so hard to break) and a 4th and 2nd ribbon.  Just don't ask how many were in the class!
Training Level Test 1 - the final centerline

After the final halt - Training Level Test 1

SVF Show - June 28

The show is rapidly approaching.  There was still room in the schedule when the closing date for the dressage and CT entries came so we extended closing date to Wednesday (today).  Yikes!!  Probably shouldn't have done that as between Saturday and Monday's mail delivery we received over 25 entries!  It will be a VERY full day!  Entries are officially closed for non-jumper classes today and no late entries will be accepted.  Of course pre-entries and day-of entries for jumper classes are still being and will be accepted.

We are so excited about the show.  We're currently working on not only the Ride Times schedule but lining up plenty of volunteers (if you can help, we'd REALLY appreciate it!), getting all the paperwork in order, and looking at ways to make the show really nice for all participants.  We'll be at the park Friday afternoon/evening to set up the rings and of course all day Saturday, including tearing down after the show and putting the dressage rings and jumps away.  Please help if you can!


Farm Update

We currently have a contract for the purchase of the farm!  I'm so excited about the change.  The process itself is amazingly convoluted and difficult, but really looking forward to a fresh start.  I don't yet have a purchase contract on the new farm so that's yet to be announced.  Closing date for the contract is currently set for July 25th.


Upcoming Events

In addition to the whole packing and moving, Shirley and I will be at Red Tail Ridge in Johnstown this weekend for a Jimmy Wofford clinic (Ella and Thumper will be there on Saturday as well).  And July 5th is the Leg-Up Horse Trials in Indiana.  Cannot wait!!  Also it looks like the farrier was able to locate Spider's recent abscess so she'll be going back to work.. which is exciting as usual!  Things are definitely looking good around here.

Happy Summer!




Monday, June 9, 2014

Nad Noon Adult Rider Clinic Recap

This weekend, Shirley and I trekked out to Twin Towers Park and participated in the Nad Noon Adult Rider Cross Country clinic.  We rode with Nad a couple times last year and this was our first XC schooling for 2014.


Summary:  WOW!!  There's obviously work to do, but we both learned a ton and had a blast!!  It was SO much fun, not to mention so worth the money spent.


Saturday:  Up at the buttcrack of dawn as we were scheduled for the 8am ride time.  We were in a small group of 3 starter/beginner novice folks.  Day 1 was more grid type exercises using XC elements.  SJ fences were set up around the water or near the bank for example.  We started out in our typical fashion and I think really got things sorted out.  Lessons for the day -- MORE LEG, especially at just before and at take off.  Shirley, in typically hot OTTB fashion, has really taught me to take my leg off lest she bolt after the fences like she used to last year.  She's doing so much better now, but if the fences are at all "different", because my leg is off she peeters out on her energy and looks.... I get worried about the fence and throw my upper body forward so I don't hit her in the mouth at what will most likely be somewhat of an awkward jump... and my lower leg flies back.  Leg on keeps her in the contact and she has much better jumps... and so do I.


Sunday: Late afternoon ride time, though Reilly did NOT let me sleep in.  I think both of us were a little tired. We started out a bit off.  Shirley was backing off too much with the curb rein so Nad had me ride with it really loopy so I could ride her up into the bit more.  I was a bit off with my position... staying "stuck" in the folded position instead of opening my shoulders on landing.  And of course when Shirley backed off, I jumped up her neck with threw us REALLY off.  Sunday was more gallopy mini-courses.  Jumped BN... a few Novice and even a couple Training size fences.  Really got her going and I could definitely feel the difference in how we jump when she's really in front of my leg and in the bridle. 


As I said, we both learned a TON!  Shirley jumped SO well (and at one point too well when she left out a stride in the 2-stride small SJ vertical to 3' bank up combination.... too much speed and too long of a stride... but she jumped VERY well).  I think she gained a ton of confidence and so did I!


We have the Greenstone Dressage Show this Saturday, where I entered us at Training 1 and the USEF Training Rider Test.  Next weekend we're off to another clinic... this time with Jimmy Wofford.  Then there's the SVF show... then we head to Indiana on July 5th for the Leg Up Horse Trials!!  Cannot wait!!

Tuesday, June 3, 2014

3-Day Eventing thoughts... and plans!

I spent the first day of June announcing the Show Jumping phase at the IEA Horse Trials.  This is a job that I look forward to every year.  Saturday I started in dressage then moved to Show Jumping, with making the announcements and raffle drawings Saturday night at the Competitors/Volunteers Party... and did Final Inspection wrangling first thing in the morning and then did SJ the rest of the day Sunday.  It's a fantastic event with a wonderful organization. Even better, IEA Horse Trials also hosts one of a handful of Classic Format Training and Novice Three-Day Events.  If you've never heard my rant about the FEI and what they did to eventing when they nixed the classic format, or how much the classic format is important for horses and rider... be prepared... it's coming up next.

Eventing, for those who don't know, evolved from the cavalry. Dressage = parade grounds, obedient, relaxed, etc.  Cross Country = battlefield, endurance, speed, bravery, etc.  Show Jumping = soundness after the battle, obedient, responsive, etc. Cross Country day in the Classic Format used to entail 4 phases -- Phase A Roads & Tracks (a warm up), Phase B Steeplechase (speed), Phase C Roads & Tracks (cool down + added endurance) and Phase D Cross Country (test of endurance, bravery, etc.).  A decade ago, for what I'm sure are entirely monetary reasons, the international governing body of the sport, the F.E.I., dropped the speed and endurance portion of day 2 (phases A, B and C) and left just a longer Cross Country track (to distinguish between a 3 day and a horse trial which has always only had cross country). They decided it would no longer be part of the championship events - WEG, Olympics, etc.  Then those changes trickled down... they no longer became part of the events used to qualify for the top events.  That is the only part that makes sense.  It's silly to qualify over a different type of event than you are competing.  However, that change spelled doom for the classic format.  Soon it was no longer even an option to use a classic format event as a qualifier.

There are currently no longer ANY Advanced or Intermediate classic events anywhere in the country (I'd guess the world, but I don't know for sure).  And in the US there is only 1 Preliminary Classic 3-Day.  Thankfully that is close by in Kentucky and has a fantastic organizer who understands the value of the classic format. 

A classic format 3-day horse is, in my opinion, the epitome of the equine athlete.  They are very much akin to the Ironman triathlete... extremely fit and capable of doing a variety of work. They aren't always "easy" but to me, there's nothing like them.

I have participated in 4 classic format events, all of them with Char.  My first was a Training Level 3-day in Canada before they existed in the US.  Unfortunately, lameness issues meant we drove north of Toronto and were unable to compete.  The following year (2000) we made the trek north again and were able to complete the event!  In 2001, we were entered in the Preliminary (CCI*) event in Kentucky. I even borrowed a top hat and tail coat to wear in dressage (the ONLY time I've ridden a horse without a helmet since an accident in 1993). 





Lameness issues plagued us again leading up to the event and we made it a little over halfway around the course before calling it a day.  In 2003, we completed the Training 3-day at Mayfest in Kentucky.

Events that host Classic 3-Day Events should be praised and helped as much as possible.  To have 2 such events in my "backyard", IEA hosting Novice and Training and MSEDA hosting Training and the country's (world's?) only Preliminary, is amazing to me! I hope those organizers (IEA and Lee Ann Zobbe, and MSEDA and Mary Fike) know how much their continued commitment means to me and to the sport - even if the sport doesn't always recognize it!

I'm not sure I have the energy to compete at the Preliminary level again.  It's quite a time commitment, but I haven't ruled it out either. What I do know is that I have a 10 year old extremely talented mare who is quite capable of that level. It may take us a few years to figure out if we can do it again, but we'll figure it out.  In the meantime, I KNOW she can go Novice and Training... and so can I.  So we've developed a plan...

2014 - get her going smoothly at Beginner Novice. Part of the reason for not pushing is because the farm is still for sale (I've been told I will be receiving an official offer THIS WEEK!) and will need time to set up at a new farm AND get used to what that entails, both financially and effort-wise.

2015 - renew my USEA membership so I can get her to some recognized Novice horse trials. We need to have numerical results (aka "finish") 4 Novice horse trials in order to qualify for....

2016 - forgo my beloved announcing job at IEA and COMPETE in the Novice 3-Day Event.  Shirley will only be 12 at that point and I have no doubt she can do it!

Tuesday, May 27, 2014

Updates on it all

Time for updates!!


SVF Show 
We are now accepting entries for the June 28th show for all divisions! Thank you to those who have already sent entries. We had fun running this show last year and are REALLY looking forward to it again this year.

For dressage, Prix Caprilli and all combined tests, entries close on Saturday, June 14th. To be considered on time, entries must be postmarked by June 14th. Late entries for these classes will be accepted if space is available and with a $10 late fee.

To qualify for pre-entry Jumper class fees, entries must be RECEIVED by Wednesday, June 25th. Entries for all jumper classes as well as schooling jump rounds for either the jumper class courses or the CT jump courses can be made up to and on the day of the show.  

Farm 
Still working on selling/buying a new farm. The process is PAINFULLY slow! Still showing the farm to prospective buyers, though one of the buyers is currently working through the financing process and says we're close to her being "approved" and will be doing a contract soon. Dropped off a contingent purchase contract to the new place. Have a lot of plans for it and cannot wait! The horses have taught me more patience, but it's getting ridiculous! Beyond ready to get started.  

Ponies 
Shirley went out for her first trail ride of the season yesterday. Can I just say that Buck Creek State Park has AMAZING trails! They're in great shape and a ton of fun. Wish it wasn't an hour drive to get there, but it is what it is and so worth it. She was GREAT too! She's done 2 shows so far this year - the first DLSC hunter show at Hilltop Equestrian where she earned two 3rds and a 2nd in the Beginner Hunter (2'-2'3") division. The next weekend we went to the May Come Again Farm Event Derby and competed in both the Starter CT and Starter Derby divisions. Had a couple equipment issues along with ... good grief... COWS!!... but I'm pretty proud of her overall. The pics below are all screen captures from video that Anita took.... some of our nicer moments. :)


Spider has been working very well with Anita on her dressage and coming along nicely working some 2nd level movement and building some much needed strength. She hasn't been out showing yet this year, but I'm hoping we can get her out soon.