Hi Gang,

Here are a couple of Florida pictures for you.  A lot has been going on over the past two weeks.  At top is a picture of Jet doing first level test four at the Ocala Winter Dressage show.  We did two first level tests last weekend and he scored a 61% and a 64%.  I was particularly pleased with him because he was competing against warmbloods who were better natural movers.  He was able to hold his own.  I am going to use these scores towards my USDF Bronze medal, which requires two scores above 60% at first, second, and third levels at USDF recognized shows.  I think I only need one more third level score to qualify.  My student Carmella Clark told me about this program and it is because of her encouragement that I am pursuing the medal.

Also in the dressage vein, I just volunteered today as a test rider for the USEA judges symposium here in Ocala.  The symposium had a group of test riders, I rode both Monte and Jet, and we would demonstrate movements from the proposed USEA eventing dressage tests for 2010.  The judges would then discuss whether or not they liked the movement and if they wanted to keep it in the test.  It was an educational seminar and I was glad to be a part of it.

The second picture up above is me riding the Irish warmblood stallion Oisin, or Double Diamond.  He is working on FEI level dressage with his owner Jutta Heinshon.  Jutta has been helping me with my dressage down here and after watching Monte compete at the horse trials a few weeks ago she asked if I could take Oisin to a show to give him something fun to do!  We are doing jump schools once a week now and I will take him to the Ocala Horse Park horse trials on Valentine's Day weekend.

In other news, my student Julie Chang has just spent this last week here with us riding her horse Ida every day.  Holley brought Ida down to Florida when she came at the beginning of the month and is riding her as her second mount, but Julie is flying down also to spend intensive weekends training on her.  I am so thrilled to see the progress Julie has made over the past six days.  Both Holley and Julie were given an Ashley lunge lesson this past week and it helped them both tremendously.  I am looking forward to doing another lunging clinic for all of my PA students when I get back North in May!

We also have a new horse in training for a few months.  His name is Westerhoven, or Wes.  He is a gorgeous imported Dutch warmblood.  His owner, Allison Ross, is about to have a baby and Wes is also suffering from asymmetrical movement when he is under saddle.  While Allison is occupied with her new addition we are going to try to sort out what is going on with Wes.  He is a darling horse and we are thrilled to have him in the barn.

Last but not least, my number one boy Doc is doing tremendously.  He is back to 20-30 minute sessions of flat work and jumping over caveletti.  I have missed having my top boy in good form and I am so glad to have him coming along so well.  I think I will know in about another month what our Spring season will look like.    

   

I'm sorry for so much in one blog!  I haven't had a chance to write as often as I should.  Take care!

Ashley

  

    

Monte at Ocala I, Novice Horse

The weather this weekend was beautiful.  My six-year-old Monte did dressage on Friday.  He scored a 39.5.  He was calm and full of presence but a little too inconsistent in my hand during the transitions in the test to warrant a better score.  On Saturday he jumped double clean on cross country and was very confident, even leaving the start box with a buck, but I rode too cautiously in stadium and we piled on the time faults.  We finished out of the ribbons, but all in all I was pleased with him.  He has very little show experience and next time I will let him go more forward in the stadium.  

Brian and some friends came out to watch Monte and my dressage trainer in Ocala, Jutta Heinshon, also came to watch.  She has an Irish stallion and after watching Monte on cross country she decided she would like to see him do it too!  We are planning to take him schooling over the next few weeks.  She says he loves to jump, so we'll see if he loves cross country!

Yesterday I took Doc to visit with a friend down here who works for Pat Parelli.  We had a great discussion about the Parelli method of natural horsemanship and how it applies to sport horses.  She showed me some techniques with her own horse and then she took Doc and played with him.  I knew he would be a quick study because he is such a smart horse.  I think he enjoyed it since so much of his recovery has precluded doing anything mental. 

Holley Russell also arrived yesterday with her horse Towanda and Julie Chang's horse Ida.  Kristin Sutch came along for the ride and she is staying for a few days to help everyone settle in.  Sadly for them, the 70 degree weather has disappeared today, but I'm sure even 60 degrees feels like a nice break.

Cherio.

Ashley  

   

Yes, it was cold, but we had fun!

Liz Jarvis on Seamus working on leg yields.  Photo courtesy of Amy Blackstone.

Pennsylvania Clinic Weekend

I am back in Pennsylvania this weekend to teach.  In Florida the high today was 76 degrees.  In Philadelphia it was 34 degrees.  Here is a picture of Holley riding Ida yesterday and the little white sliver in the background is the frozen pond at Willow Lake Farm with snow on top of it.  Brrr!  Everyone has been having a great weekend, though, and it seems that for the most part diligent training has been maintained through the holidays.  To all of my students I say, "Good for you!"

Happy 2009!

Happy New Year!  No, this is not Doc standing quietly in the grooming stall but my five (now six!) year-old Monte Carlo.  Monte Is one week away from his USEA debut.  We will do our first recognized horse trials next weekend and he already has a small following of people who want to come to watch him.  I am having a great time with him and I'm looking forward to what the winter season will bring.

Doc is doing tremendously.  He got his Christmas wish.  On Christmas Eve I turned him out for the first time since his surgery.  Interestingly, what he seemed the happiest about was being able to roll.  And roll.  And roll!  He spent this past week going out by himself and yesterday for the first time I put him back out with another horse.  He is trotting and cantering sound in the field.  I am continuing to tack walk him daily and we are swimming on a treadmill twice a week.  We have a vet check on Monday and after that I will begin slowly building him back up to regular work.

The other big news for the week is that we sold Riviera to a hunter trainer.  After four years of trying to make Rivi an event horse, we finally decided that it just wasn't what he wanted to do in life.  I have successfully competed him in USDF dressage competition and in jumper shows, but when I showed him to trainers here in Ocala the general consensus was to make him a hunter.  After this was decided we then very quickly got an offer on him and we accepted it.  I hope to be able to watch him compete this winter at HITS in the hunter classes.  I will enjoy it!

Last night Brian and I celebrated New Year's Eve on the town in Ocala.  We went to two different parties hosted by friends down here and had a great evening.  I hope 2009 brings you all great success and joy in your riding and in your lives.

Best,

Ashley