Autumn Charm Sport Horses

So freaking true. I am thankful and blessed to have created such a wonderful Team at my farm. My clients support one and other, lift each other up and show concern, empathy and community when things are down. We all have to deal with hard and negative things in our lives. Plus so many have mental struggles such as anxiety, depressiom, ocd etc.. and then just learning how to refuel ( I am an introvert....so refueling by being alone is so important ) but I dont have to read h...ate on my phone, or anger or intolerance . I erase it all. I have enough stress. I dont need Social Media to add to it. Social Media is sort of part of our community now. I certainly enjoy connecting and staying in touch with my horse friends and aquaintances and my distant family. The parts I don't enjoy go away with a click. Find a community that supports you. There are GREAT people in this industry. See more

Here he is ! Fred the Mule. I called him Fredly...he is so cute. He is currently in for a bit of Training with Kerri L.( who is a wonderful trainer, if anyone is in need ) at Tumblestone Farm in Mt. Airy Md. He has an owner who truly tries to do the best by him.

Don't Be Intimidated By Money There are many many roads that lead to "Rome" ....and from many different financial variables. Don't ever let lack of money stop your pursuit. Where there is a will, there certainly is a way. I grew up riding in a flatish area ( "Pennsylvania flat " ) in a pasture on my OTTB mare. It was uneven, hard when the sun baked it, mushy when the rains came and I made it work. I'll never forget going to a horse show...I was maybe 20 years old, and a ...group of woman approached me and asked me what kind of fancy warmblood my mare was. Just an OTTB I replied. That's what good training does. With social media we see lots of posts of new saddles, fancy custom boots, the latest $500 bridles and $300 bits. None of that replaces good riding and correct basics. You can certainly find gems in the consignment shop ....and still get your saddle fitted by a competent professional. People will notice your riding, horse care, presentation ( learning to braid, clip and groom well costs very little ) and horsemanship way before they notice $7000 of tack. So don't be intimidated. Keep plugging away. Dedication, hard work and grit can't be bought in a store. Here I am, pictured a few years back on a really fancy horse named Pittsburgh. Did you notice, I am riding in a Wintec ? Probably not. ( and yes, I always wear an approved helmet with chin strap now )

Be Your Own ( and your horses ) Advocate In the world of today, it is so important to be your own advocate. I know for sure in the medical world , this is so true. A close friend of mine certainly saved a close friend of hers life in the past few months when a Doctor told them to " take her friend home to die " because she had a particular life condition. My friend stood up for her, got the medicine she needed and today she is back to her normal, happy life ! ( and yes, the ...Doctor was reported ) . But how about with our horses ? They have no voice. We are their caretakers. Some various things to think about : 1. Say no to a training method that doesnt work for your horse. That being said...listen to the instructor and their methodology. If the method traps the horse, walk away. If you have tried it in the past and failed, politely decline. 2. Veterinarians: I choose professionals I trust. I trust them because they explain things to me in a clear way. I take the time to understand anatomy and function on my own time so I can understand. I dont trust vets who jump quickly to doing invasive things or who dont give me all the information. Ex : your horse has cushings but you find out later the vet gave you an "old " medication that doesnt really work, not the newest product. ( it would be different if he explained both medications and gave you the option or just plain said " old one doesnt work " ) 3. Horse feeding , farrier and all the other things apply as well. Knowledge is power. My last tidbit is Experience Counts For A Lot. A Lot. Ask " How many surgeries / horses trained, horses have you fed" etc. It means something. You are asking your vet advice on collecting your stallion and he may never have done that before...or maybe had a half day in college 10 years ago. Then it is time to call an expert , whether thats a breeding vet OR someone who is a stallion manager at a big breeding farm. Offer to pay them for their time. They have earned it.

Toyah took my homebred, Calamari ( Legs ) to her first show of 2021 at Swan Lake Stables, in Littletown PA. They did the 2ft 7 jumpers. It was Legs first time showing indoors and she has only done jumpers a few times. This video is from their first course where they really found a better pace and kept it and a new level of confidence. Legs had gotten extremely bored in the hunters...glazed over eyes, half asleep. This shows a whole different horse. Her face when she came out was "wow, now I am alive ! " They placed 7th and 4th today with easy fixes to make. So happy to see a renewed excitement in this partnership. As an aside...Toyah has ridden with me 20 years. How crazy is that ?!? This trip was a culmination of a lot of hard work. So proud of her !

My working student, Campbell, is 16 yrs old today. This girl...means the world to me ! She is loyal, hardworking, mature, respectful, determined, athletic , talented, trustworthy and has the makings of being a phenomenal horsewoman. She has amazing parents who have taught her work ethic and who are so supportive. My horses love her. She has a calmness they appreciate. I know she started the day with CJ ( Consider Me ) ....and I hope the whole day is memorable. ... Happy Birthday !

One of my Resolutions / goals is to take better care of both my mental and physical self. I have neglected this, like many horse people, for way too long. So saturday morning I made the difficult decision to cancel my clinic that day. The day of rest did me a lot of good. Since I get so few days off ( average 2 per year or less ) ...having a day of true rest is even more rare. I missed working with all the super people in Maryland yesterday but today I had a light day in Ne...w Holland at Spring Hill Farm ( along with my friends Tylenol and ibuprofen ). I long lined 2 and taught 4 lessons. I felt pretty good and I hope to build on that throughout the week ! Sometimes...we just have to watch out for ourselves. I am always concerned with putting the needs of my horses first. I need to do the same for myself. Pictured is Jazzy, the Barn Cat at Spring Hill Farm in New Holland PA....and the ultimate example of R and R .

Foals ( now yearlings ) are growing up ! Rumspringa ( Kramer ) by Royal Prinz out of Ravi Sutra ( Rousseau x Riverman ) and Costanza ( George ) by Coromino out of 17 hand proven producer Thoroughbred mare My Town are getting to be big boys. George has quite the spicy ( but still loveable ) temperament . Kramer is super sweet and the first one to walk to people. They are both gigantic. I expect them both to be 17 hands. Will be registered German Oldenburg this year and then look for the perfect homes.