The 2012 season has officially begun! With a few clinics under my belt, I am ready for Catalpa Corner Charity Horse Trials May 5th & 6th! Looking forward to getting Lucy back in the ring, out on a cross country course & jumping around the show ring at the Novice level! Hannah's 2012 debut won't be long after Lucy's at Otter Creek Spring Horse Trials May 18-20 at the Intermediate level. Lucy will also be running another Novice at OCF.
The Spring Forward Clinic at the Leatherdale Equine Center was a success. I rode Hannah with Kate Phillips on Saturday and we worked on the Intermediate Test B that I will be riding at Otter Creek Spring. We worked on improving her walk and canter as well as those fun walk/canter canter/walk transitions that she loves so much! I really enjoyed riding with Kate and hearing her input as to test riding vs. training riding. The next day I rode Lucy with Jane Braddock in the Ride a Course. I jumped Lucy through a few courses, working on keeping a nice forward steady rhythm.
I had a nice 10 day long "vacation" at Ken and Alison's while they were out of town in France. It only added a little more driving and 7 more horses to my work schedule! It is nice to be busy! I love spending time at their farm with their horses, they are so nice and fun to ride. From green babies to school masters. The dogs of course are the best part! Tini & Cozmo!
April 14/15 was a long awaited Ralph Hill Clinic! Held at North Brook Eventing Center, Jan Fisk's farm in Stillwater. It was, as usual, amazing! Both Lucy & Hannah jumped great. The first day we did some grid work and diagonal lines. The second day we weren't able to go out on the XC so we made do with what great stuff Jan had in her indoor to set up a makeshift indoor XC course! Hogsbacks, rolltops, triple bar, fake weldon's wall, chevrons and more! We even had a start box! It was so great to see Ralph doing so well. He has such great advice for all the riders and horses. We tried a new noseband on Hannah and she responded much quicker in it. Look forward to continuing to test it out!
I also took the girls over to Kim Barone's Farm, Raven Ridge, in Watertown, MN for a jump lesson. Kim had some great tips for more ride ability between fences on both the girls. I really enjoy working with Kim - she is a hunter/jumper rider and has really helped our show jumping improve.
Here is another sign that student Sammy Kelly made for me!
So as the winter has come to an end, my new singing, tambourine playing career has begun! I make regular appearances with Chris Brooks and the Silver City Boys Band at a variety of locations. Contact me for more information on our upcoming schedule! :)
Looking ahead we are off to school cross country with Jenny Warner at Otter Creek Farm on Friday April 20th. Looking forward to our first cross country outing! The following weekend we are off to Lexington, Kentucky to attend the ROLEX 4*. So excited! Ralph Hill and Eric Dierks are leading us on a Cross Country walk on Friday! It will be a great experience! Thanks to the Shirley's and Tracy Adams for this great trip!
We are still loving our barn we moved to last fall. Tracy has been nothing but accommodating and amazing! The polo fields right down the road are a GREAT place to do gallop sets, as well as all of the trails to do trot sets on. We are within hacking distance of four different cross country courses as well! I am looking forward to the weather finally warming up and riding in the sun!
Volleyball season has officially begun. My Tuesday women's league, Rack City, won our first game of the year. The Thursday co-ed team, The Flying Squirrels also won our first game! I am subbing on another Thursday team and we lost 1-2, but it is still so fun! I have been working out with Sam Berg at SNAP Fitness in Delano three days a week too! I am signed up to run in the Warrior Dash on July 1st in Afton, MN. It is a 5k obstacle course and looks likes a blast! I am also hoping to do a rollerblading marathon in September! Lots of personal goals!
All my students are doing great as well! Have a few more clients moving into the barn in the next few months, shopping for horses, signing up for shows and having fun! Lucy and Hannah are officially entered in their first shows! April is almost over and then the show season will be underway! I will also be doing another 2012 Liz Lund Eventing clothing order - so stay tuned for details! The Liz Lund Eventing/Ride Strong 2012 Bracelets have been ordered! If interested they are $10 a bracelet - contact me!
So stay tuned for XC schooling updates & ROLEX updates - soon to come! In the meantime have fun and RIDE STRONG!
