July 1, 2008
Dear Clients & Friends:
It seems like school just let out and now it is July already! Is it just me or is time going by way too fast? Congratulations to all of the high school graduates. We just hope that you go to school locally and stay with our ‘stable family’. Keep your priorities straight and in this order: God, family, horses, school.
We took 14 horses to the Country Heir horse show in Lexington for two weeks. Samantha Damante won ribbons in all of her pony classes and learned how to set up her pony for Conformation judging. Madison Dunn was short stirrup champion one week and reserve the next. Andrew Dunn won ribbons in hunter and jumper classes with his new mare and that's a rare feat. Taylor Vickery came home with a couple of well deserved ribbons. Skyllar Beckel came to the realization that she owns a wonderfully generous pony, not to mention winning higher ribbons every day. Sophie Carlin found out that equitation classes can be fun when you win ribbons and that equitation serves a real purpose. Michaella Gerlacher looked like a future grand prix rider with her horse, Luigi. The Merriman girls continue to be great advertisement and tributes to their trainers. Barb and Andrea Fishman showed that a young horse with talent and a good mind can do the job. Justice Apple found out that riding and showing aren't necessarily the most dangerous parts of the horse show life. She'll have to tell you that story. Annie Greenfield looks like she is good enough to become jumper rider material.
I loved the way our group worked and played together, but perhaps a little more sleep would help with finding some of the distances. Our staff was top notch. They play such an important role in our successes.
We will not be attending the Robert Murphy Show, but we do plan to go to the Circle City Show in Indianapolis July 14-20th. If we have the interest, we will attend the Delaware Show July 25-27th. We will need more clients to commit to the Saxonburg, PA Show before it is a go.
Sarah Ash is away July 1-13th. I’ll do my best to fill her shoes and accommodate her students. You need to pursue me to schedule lessons and training. I will not be available on Saturday, July 12th.
I would like to offer my famous ‘marathon lesson’ on Saturday, August 16th. These lessons require a lot of organizing and extra staff. If you sign up and pay by August 1st the fee will be $ 125, otherwise it will be $150.
I'll close with a couple of horsemanship tips. Learn how to correctly give and receive a ‘leg up’. Be sure your horse’s shoes are in good order before going off to a horse show. Learn your course before getting on to school at a show. And as always, take your horse out of his stall for reasons other than riding. Be sure your horse knows you love him. Horses do incredible things for you if you have a good relationship and they can do some rotten things if you don't!
Have a great 4th of July. Just keep the fireworks away from the stable.
Sincerely,
Pam
Quote of the month –
“In a successful partnership the rider has to know when he has to back off. He has to realize to what degree he can tolerate a horse’s idiosyncrasies. He has to have a feeling for when he should enforce his own style onto the horse and when he has to accept the horse’s.”
Elizabeth Furst, Visions of Show Jumping
June 1, 2008
Dear Clients & Friends:
We ended the month of May with the Delaware horse show. I (Sarah) was so proud of our crew that I asked Pam if I could write this month's newsletter. Happily, she agreed. Take a look at this:
Samantha Damante and Whinnie- Champion Pony Hunters; Sophie Carlin and Crackers –Champion Short Stirrup; Sophie Carlin and Stella - Reserve Champion Beginner 11& under; Carly Merriman with Stinky's help - Champion Equitation 15-Adult; Carly Merriman and Vertigo- Reserve Champion Children’s/Adult Jumpers; Skylar Beckel and Ben - Champion Unrestricted Walk/Trot; Taylor Vickery and Mac- Reserve Champion Beginner Rider 12 & Older.
This was a horse show of many firsts. Samantha Damante's first show out of short stirrup and she was champion of all ponies - all right! Sophie Carlin's first show on mom Kristy’s horse, Schematic or “Crackers Carlin”, and she was a champion! Thanks for the loan mom! It was also Sophie's debut in the jumper ring. She rode Karen Greenhouse's horse, Hot Topic, and she was smokin’! It was Skylar’s first horse show ever with her new pony, Ben. What a team! It was Taylor Vickery's first show ever - she won two classes! There are more firsts: Shreya Koushik moved up to short-stirrup and “rode” to the occasion. Andrew Dunn took his new mare, Kismet and it was truly meant to be. Grace Geiger took her new pony, Little Mickey, and she rode great. Anna Merriman, Michaella
Gerlacher, Andrew and Madison Dunn rode well and are all great kids. We have a terrific group of riders. Also, a big thanks to our barn for getting my daughter, Charlotte, ready for her first lead-line class. What would we have done without all of you?! Finally, the biggest thanks of all to the amazing group of horses we have. They are the true teachers. It is due to all of them that our people excel and advance so quickly. We love all of them so much.
On to other things. Many of us will leave for the Country Heir shows on June 9th. Kathie Frost will be available to teach at Willow Way during our absence. Her phone number is 615-554-7522. Pam will be away June 25th – 28th. I shall be on vacation the first part of July. Pam will leave for the Robert Murphy show at the Kentucky Horse Park on July 8th. Please make your reservations at the Holiday Inn Lexington North. This is a great show with classes for everyone. Have a good time without me!
Please remember to provide your horse with fans and electrolytes this summer. Also, when bathing your horse please pay extra attention to those often forgotten areas - the head and the rear! Sweat can cause hair loss - chafing is very painful.
The hard work of the summer is also a great excuse to provide you or your horse with a great massage. To schedule one for your horse call Deb Uditis at 354-4915. To schedule one for yourself call Stacy Briggs at 203- 3049. Also, Karen Greenhouse's son Michael is a personal trainer and is giving us a clinic on Rider Fitness on Tuesday, June 3rd at 10
a.m.
The clinic on May 18th at Scion Farms was a great success and Pam will be holding another riding and auditing clinic there on July 5th to be followed by a tack sale. You may bring items to sell yourself or have them auctioned off for you. The last one was a lot of fun. Call Johni Beckel for details at 704-577-0188.
Last of all, a big congrats to Skylar Beckel on the purchase of her new pony, Ben, and to Andrew Dunn's on his new rockin’ cool mare, Kismet.
Have a great summer!
Sincerely,
Sarah & Pam
Quotes of the month:
“We make a living by what we get but we make a life by what we give.”
--Winston Churchill
“'Courage is being scared to death and saddling up anyway”
--John Wayne
May 1, 2008
Dear Clients & Friends:
I pondered the idea of skipping a newsletter this month, but I knew you'd be disappointed if all you received was a rate increase sheet. It's been several years since Sarah Ash and I have increased rates and I can only hope that you agree that we are worth it!
Megan Uditis finally ‘bit the bullet’ and joined us as an instructor and trainer. She couldn't deny her true passion any longer. Welcome to the team, Megan! Speaking of instructors, Kathie Frost will be available to give lessons to those of you who won't be attending the two Country Heir horse shows that run from June 10th through June 22nd.
The Team de Ville jumper competition at Lake Erie College was a fabulous team experience. We rode, worked, learned, and socialized together all weekend. Next year we want to stay over on Sunday night just so we can make the magic last a little longer. Thank you especially to Julie and Annie Greenfield for loaning us your ‘never let you down' horse, Stinky, once again and for all of your help and support. You are the epitome of team players. Another big “Thank you” goes to Christy and Sophie Carlin who came just to cheer us on. Christy was spotted doing some barn chores the other day just to help out. We have the very best group of clients ever. They'll break a nail in a heartbeat for us!
Congratulations to Grace Geiger who recently acquired a new pony we call Little Mick. Grace's mom, Heather, has also taken up riding and is coming right along. I love it when families share the same interests -- especially when it's horses!
Just a reminder about the clinic I will be holding at Scion Farm on Sunday, May 18th . If you are already a student of mine, the fee will be $ 100 instead of $125 and this will include your haul in fee. You may rent a stall for $25 and come in on Saturday if you wish. This would be a good experience before attending our first horse show at Delaware. Lori Gingrich will be conducting a western pleasure clinic on Saturday to be followed by a party and tack auction. Sounds like fun to me! Auditors are free and all are welcome to the party and sale. It's worth the trip to see this lovely Amish-built stable.
A quick word about tradition. Most of you know I am quite traditional about our sport. Please don't bring me your horse to train wearing a hot pink or turquoise saddle pad. If you are under 8 and are only using them for yourself at home I can live with a few wild colors, but please plan to outgrow them.
We will be attending the first Delaware Horse Show May 23rd - 25th. Hunters will most likely haul up on Thursday to prepare for showing on Friday.
We will plan to haul to Kentucky on June 9th. Most of us are staying at the Lexington Holiday Inn North.
Entries have been sent in and you must let me know what your care and grooming needs will be.
My tip of the month is - only buy flexible fabric band aids. They really stay in place despite what we riders put them through.
Sincerely,
Pam
Quote of the month - A Horse's Epitaph
''Content with harmless sport and simple food; Boundless in faith and love and gratitude;
Happy the man, if there be any such; Of whom his epitaph can say as much. ''
Lord Sherbrooke
April 1, 2008
Dear Clients and Friends,
I trust that all had a wonderful Spring Break. I know my son and I did! I can't recommend enough the Disney Cruise Line. Graham and I had a blast together and we are signed up for next year!
The marathon lesson I held on the 29th was the best so far. If riders didn't have to work or go to school and could ride three hours a day with me, we'd have our fair share of Olympians. Thanks to the kids and their parents for trusting me with your children. I'll never let you down. Speaking of future Olympians, Ali Wolff won her first Grand Prix March 20th on
Lanoo. I wasn't present that day, but was in Palm Beach the weekend before when Ali was 1st and 2nd in the High Amateur Jumpers. And yes, I did say ‘amateur’, meaning 18 years of age and older. It seems like Ali was doing short stirrup just a couple of years ago. Talk about time flying. I'd like to think Ali was using a phrase I used to say to her. During her interview after her Grand Prix win she said, “I was going to win or die trying!” I love that stuff.
While I was in Florida I had the pleasure of seeing a couple of our favorite equine friends who were previously owned by the Mershad family. Connor, who was Sophia's horse, was competing with a small eleven-year-old girl in the children's jumpers and was being ridden and trained by my dear friends from Ireland, Richard and Andrew
Bournes. Gabriella's former pony, WiseGuy, was pony jumper champion with his new owners, Middleton Stables. I was thrilled to see them so well cared for and so good at their jobs.
I could be swayed to spend a couple of months in Palm Beach next year with horses and clients if you twist my arm. This endeavor takes loads of early planning like you can't believe -- start talking! The tutors are the best as is everything else. We might even be able to score some private off-property stabling.
Assuming we have adequate parking, our first Fun Show at Willow Way Farm will be May 4th. I'd like to start at 9 am and go from beginning riders to advanced as the day progresses. We will break around noon for a potluck lunch. Kathie Frost has graciously agreed to officiate. On the day before, we will have informal schooling throughout the day and a grooming clinic from 10-11am. I will need to leave by 3pm to attend a Hunt Club function.
The clinic I am giving at Scion Farm has been moved from May 11th to May 18th . The riding charge is $125 and auditors are free. Scion Farm will be hosting a party and tack sale on Saturday night, May 17th after Lori Gingrich completes her Western Pleasure Clinic.
For those who board at Willow Way or elsewhere… please, please let the person who needs to know when you are or are not getting your horse out on unscheduled days. You could save the barn a lot of extra work. It has been brought to our attention that some riders are jumping their horses without a trainer present. This is not only unsafe and against the rules, but it is unfair to the horse. Sarah and I are really protective of how much our horses jump. You can accomplish most of the same skills by practicing over poles and
cavalletti.
Our most helpful person of this month is Deb
Uditis. Deb is a fun, enthusiastic, and super hard working boarder. She is also great about sharing her coffee with me! We so appreciate you!
Have a great month!
Sincerely,
Pam
Quote of the month:
“I love riding my horse when he is on a training schedule. When he is taught the right thing to do he teaches
me so much when I ride him.”
Karen Greenhouse
