Post 100!

I think had I known I was approaching 100 posts on this blog, I might have done a better job of getting it done in a timely fashion!  I seem to be on a roll this year -- taking 2-3 weeks between posts.  Well, there's a LOT coming up so hopefully it will spur me to update more often.

Regardless, welcome to Post 100 for the Serenity Valley Farm blog!

Also... Welcome to April... before we end up hitting May! LOL  So, what's going on?  Plenty!

The best news is also the most recent -- Shirley and Spider went to their first DLSC show with us this past weekend.  It was the first hunter show of the season and held at Hilltop Equestrian Center in West Alexandria.  This was my first time showing there.  The arenas are a lovely size, but there's a bit of a bottleneck to get in/out of hte indoor where the show actually took place.  Not to mention a few spooky elements in both rings, especially the indoor.  I didn't get to see much of Spider's warm up or showing as I was working Shirley at the same time.  Ella was showing her and from what I did see as well as the results (Baby Hunter, 1st on the flat, 2nd in both jumping classes and Reserve Champ for the division), I'd say they did fantastic!

I entered Shirley in both warm up classes so she could have that extra time to settle (something Ella was also doing with Spider so I thought it was a good idea).  The idea worked as our 2nd warmup was still anxious and nervous but not NEARLY as bad as the first.  For classes, I entered her in the 18" division (Future Hunter).  I cannot say enough about how proud of her I am.  She was a bit looky when in the arena but she performed quite well given all of that.  We did blow the 2nd canter lead in the flat class and did not place.  Our jumping rounds were a bit faster than one would like to see for a hunter, and I opted to trot into the first fence instead of cantering.  We placed 6th and 5th in the jumping classes.  She stood at the trailer like a champ, even when her trailering buddy Gus was taken away.  Really, she was quite amazing! Unfortunately, there aren't any pics of us jumping at this point.

In other news, the cows are finally at freezer camp!  Haven't heard when they'll be returning but it shouldn't be too much longer.

The chickens are still laying a ton of eggs if anyone is interested in some! (hint hint)

I still have several things for sale and am contemplating setting up a yard sale maybe in July.  However the one thing I don't have for sale any longer is the Ford Explorer.  Traded it in and downsized to a 2004 Saturn Vue.  Am really enjoying it!

The garden as officially begun as I have several plants and seeds now IN the ground an some lovely flowers are popping up.

Along the fence, though you can't see it, the peas have started to come up! The 4 green plants are new broccoli transplants that I bought, and in the other pallet, I have a couple rows of spinach and lettuce.  In addition, I'm attempting to grow spinach and lettuce in the gutter gardens on the fence again this year.  One more shot.

Love the multi-colored tulips that came up under the farm sign.  Freshly mulched too!

New sign on the privacy fence along the driveway.  Seemed fitting, even if a tad western.

Update - critters and items for sale

There are quite a few things coming up and a few updates I should probably write about.  Here's the short versions of everything.

• I didn't get a "we've had a cancellation" call, so the cows are heading to Freezer Camp on Tuesday.  It's time.  Need to wrangle a volunteer or 2 to help me load them first thing Tuesday morning (last year went easier than expected, but I'm not going to assume it will be as easy with these 2), then they'll be off.  For those who purchased a share, it's typically 10 days to 2 weeks before they're ready for pick up, but I should be able to give you a ballpark quote on the processing fees later in the day on Tuesday. 
  
• The chickens have started laying like gangbusters!  Anyone want some eggs??
  
• The girls are still both over at iTolt and doing fantastic!  We have a group lesson tomorrow with Nad Noon set up.  I'll be riding Shirley, Ella will be on her Thumper pony, and Jen is going on Coco.  I'm really looking forward to it.  Spider won't be joining us but she's doing amazingly well and had a lesson with Ella and Rob earlier this week.  We're really proud of both girls!  I personally can't wait to take them on trail rides and cross country schools.  Of course the weather needs to cooperate for that to happen.
  
• As for things around the farm, they're going ok.  Pretty mud covered at the moment, but I supposed that's to be expected.  At least the 5 inches of snow we received earlier this week has already melted for the most part.  Looking forward to getting the garden put in soon.  I also need to work on getting several items sold, including:
  
• 2004 Ford Explorer XLT 4x4, black, gray cloth interior. 162K miles. Good mechanical condition with new battery, good tires. Good body condition with no rust.  Good interior with typical wear but nothing major. Downsizing to a smaller vehicle since I'll be able to use my brother's truck for the next couple years.  Asking $5,000 OBO
  
• Antique upright piano.  Purchased from a lady who told me stories about how she used to play it in her grandmother's home.  I don't know much more than that.  In ok shape.  Needs tuning and a couple keys need replaced (they're there, but the white covering on them isn't -- obviously I'm not a piano expert).  Just don't need/want any more.  Asking $350.


• 34" Sony HD tv.  Older flatscreen (still a tube - not the skinny kind of tv).  Works great, just don't need anymore. Has several Coax/HDMI/RCA cable connections.  May include homemade stand (made of 2x4s and 4x4s, with 2 shelves) if desired.  Asking $150 OBO


• Green wool hooded cloak.  Great Condition!  Hunter green.  Hood is lined with a lighter blue.  Rest of cloak is unlined.  Has embroidery stitching at both shoulders - a celtic knot.  Has brown suede at clasp area (but no clasp).  No longer need. Asking $150.
  
  
  

Hopefully we'll be able to get some really nice pictures and maybe some video of tomorrow's lesson on Shirley to post.

Ides of March

Spring temperatures keep popping up here and there and make me believe spring really is on the way. 

Another indication?  The horses are shedding like crazy!  Seriously... one cannot wear fleece anywhere around them at the moment for fear of walking away looking like a wookie.

It's actually been nice enough recently to have 2 rides in the outdoor arena at iTolt.  This past Sunday was one of them.  Grand plans to do a jumping session outside were more or less nixed.  With everything being completely mud-covered (another Spring indication), no one has gotten their usual turnout time.  First ride outside?  Breezy and overcast?  Coming off little turnout?  Fit Thoroughbreds?  Yeah... quite the volital mix!  Spider kind of lost her cookies.  Not in a hateful way just in her way of telling us, VERY loudly, that she NEEDED to GO!  Go where?  Who cares... just GO!  Both Ella and Anita did a good job of getting her fairly focused.  I had another ride on her yesterday outside and she was still quite convinced that it was go time but she settled even better.  Afterwards I turned her loose in the indoor and she rolled then proceeded to run/buck for several minutes.  Silly girl.  Shirley did really well on Sunday.  Well enough to end with a couple jumps (though we left the grid as poles on the ground).  She's living at iTolt full time for the moment and is making good progress with the additional workouts.  Both girls had a couple lessons with Emily Abbate last week.  They did great and both Anita and I are anxious to see them continue to grow and learn.

Side note, Shirley is LOVING the extra work.  She's becoming more and more a pocket pony.  I'm really having fun with both of them and the attitude change (from disinterest to enthusiastic curiosity) is really great to experience.

Yet another indication of Spring?  All the show bills and clinics that are popping up!  To have the time and finances to do them all would be amazing.  There's an upcoming schooling jumper show, a fun "eventing show", plus opening dates for the first few events of the season are rapidly approaching.  It's fun to look at everything going on in the area, if not a bit overwhelming to make a decision on what to attend and what skip this year.  This is an amazing area to live in as there is so much to choose from.  And even if there isn't something specific going on, there's always trail riding.  Cannot wait for the trails to be less muddy and take the girls out.

Only one new update with the SVF shows... Emily Abbate has agreed to be one of our dressage judges for the June 29th show!

February Recap

I guess since I haven't posted anything the entire month, I should recap what has happened.  In no particular order, February consisted of....

• Beginning to finalize the details of the Serenity Valley Farm Horse Shows this year.  Added a complete class list to the website.  DLSC-sanctioned Dressage classes, all 3 Prix Caprilli tests (not DLSC), Combined Tests from Ground Poles through Preliminary, and Jumper classes from 2' to 4', including 2 Gambler's Choice Payback classes.  Still have quite a few details to nail down, but the show is starting to take shape.  Hope to see a lot of turnout at the first one on June 29th!
• Spider's training has taken off!  Had a slight issue with her feet that kept her off work for a few days, but she's now doing better than ever!  Very sound, getting some LOVELY trot and lateral work and even some softness in the canter.  And she's doing beautifully in her jumping.  Ella jumped her yesterday and did a fantastic job.
• Shirley has spent the last 2 weekend's at iTolt so we can get her going again.  And going she is!  The mare is so smart and talented, that within 1 workout, she's back to where she was in December and progressing rapidly.  I jumped her on Saturday after a bit of flatwork with Anita and Shirley nearly jumped me out of the tack!  Major power in that girl!  Oh and I walked her a bit bareback after our jumping session yesterday.  She's such a good girl!
• Life at the farm continues.  Plenty to do with the slightly warmer temps that's for sure.  The boys go to Freezer Camp within the month.  The girls are starting to lay eggs again.  And we have a new arrival: a cat I'm calling Boots.  Pretty friendly, very vocal.  I honestly haven't looked to see if Boots is a boy or a girl but he/she has one of those fat cat faces and is black with a white spot on the forehead, white on the chest and 4 white feet (thus "Boots").  I think if I didn't have Phoebe, Boots may become an indoor kitty.
• The roommate is moving back to town this coming weekend.  I'm tempted to try to find another, but it would have to be a good fit, of course.  Willing to trade SOME rent for chores.  1-2 bedrooms plus access to pretty much the rest of the house and barn.  Must be ok with cats and hairy/slobbery/loveable dogs.  Does not HAVE to do anything with the farm animals if they don't wish to.  If you know of anyone that might be a good fit, let me know.

I think that's about it for the update.  I need a good camera so I can take more pictures (the camera on my phone isn't great at all).  Maybe from the tax return (after of course the set amount for bills)?  But until that time, here are 2 recent pics... Shirley investigating the pretty pony in the mirror (which she kept nickering at), and Boots.

Shirley the Super Star

I am so excited about Shirley!  I hope this post does her justice and not just a bunch of babble.

I signed up for a group lesson in Richmond with Nadeem Noon.  I've known Nad for years, watched him ride and coach at events, but until now have never taken a lesson with him.  I'm so glad I finally got the chance.

The plan, of course, didn't go according to ... well... the plan.  The plan was to take Spider.  She'd done a wonderful jump school with Ella last weekend and was doing great through the week.  Unfortunately, after a good workout on Thursday, I went back on Friday to do another session leading up to the clinic today.  Unfortunately, Spider was off and we had to make alternate plans.

Of course Shirley hasn't been in regular work for quite a while, despite being amazing a couple weeks ago during a trial ride.  We weren't entirely sure taking her would work, if she'd settle enough to in a group lesson setting, but decided to take a chance.  As insurance, thanks to Jen, we loaded up Noble for the ride as well. If Shirley had a major meltdown, we could tack up Noble and I could still get a bit of a lesson.

No worries -- Shirley, while showing her green side a bit, was a rock star!!  We missed a bit of the flatwork warm up, but really... she was very good and I'm so proud of her!

The video below is the last exercise of the lesson.  I certainly need some work, but I'm so proud of Shirley.

Show updates - already!

As posted last time, there will be 2 Serenity Valley Farm Horse Shows this year.  That hasn't changed.  But the dates have.

Serenity Valley Farm Horse Show I is now Saturday, June 29th (previously reported as June 8th).
Serenity Valley Farm Horse Show II is still on for Saturday, October 12th.

Both are still being held at Twin Towers Park in Fairborn and both are still including Dressage, Combined Test and Jumper classes (with 2 Gambler's Choice payback classes) and possibly including Cross Country Schoolling with the new bank and water complexes available.

A complete class list will be posted on the website, which I'm in the process of giving a MAJOR makeover and am VERY close to completing, but I wanted to make sure the new dates were out so folks could include them in their plans.  I know I'm already looking at calendars and thinking of what I'd like to go to.

Exciting News! Serenity Valley Horse Shows coming soon

Wow, it's well into January already.  I slacked off again keeping up the farm blog.  I need to do better because there's a LOT going to be happening this year.

Probably the most exciting news is that we are going to be organizing 2 Serenity Valley Horse Shows at Twin Towers Park in Fairborn -- Saturday, June 8 and Saturday, October 12.  Each show will consist of Dressage, Combined Test and Jumper classes.  The dressage classes will be sanctioned by DLSC and points towards DLSC Year End awards can be earned at these shows.  We're still working finalizing show bill/prize list but this is what we know so far.

The Dressage portion of the show will include all the regular DLSC classes:

• Intro Tests A, B, C (split by Jr/Sr as possible)
• Training Tests 1, 2, 3 (split by Jr/Sr as possible)
• USEA Eventing Tests - Beginner Novice through Training level (specify test on entry)
• First Level Tests 1, 2, 3
• Percentage Class - Second thru Fourth Level USDF only

The CT classes will include from Ground Poles thru Preliminary.  The October show will also offer a CCI* CT for those gearing up for the CCI* at MSEDA the following weekend who want to practice their dressage and show jumping.

The Jumper classes will range from 2' up to mirror the jumping levels of the CT divisions.  In addition, we will have a Low and a High Gambler's Choice.  Low will run from 2' to 3' and be held between the Beginner Novice and Novice divisions.  High will run from 3' to 4' and be the last class of the day.  Both classes will be 50% PAYBACK (minimum 5 entries to be payback).

Limited stabling will also be available and possibly cross country schooling, including the new water and bank complexes.

Stay tuned for more details as we get them figured out.  Of course we'll also be looking for help for both shows!  If you can offer some help either with paperwork, scribing, timing or jump crew (or any other of the myriad of jobs that go into hosting a horse show), please let me know at tleventer@gmail.com!  Unlike the other DLSC shows, I don't have a barn full of students/parents to pool from for help (though I do have a wonderful partner in crime for this venture, and I'm sure some of the iTolt folks will be able to help).  But as we all know, horse shows are definitely labor intensive.

I'm in the process of revamping the Serenity Valley Farm website itself.  In terms of the horse shows, I'll be posting the show bills, entry forms and all the pertinent information on the website so stay tuned!