Monday, November 19, 2012
What a Season!
Sunday, July 29, 2012
Summer Combined Test and More!
Thursday, June 7, 2012
Combined Test Photos and Jan Conlon Fix-a-Test Clinic
I've got some news about an upcoming clinic with Jan Conlon, but first, a couple photos from our spring combined test, courtesy of Michael of Prestige Sportshots at www.prestigesportshots.com. As always, Michael and his team did an amazing job of capturing our event and is so kind to share some photos with us for our blog. Thanks, Michael!
Have you ever ridden a dressage test and asked yourself “just what was the judge looking for?” Or have you ever been a spectator or onlooker and wondered just what was going on in that little ring? If you have asked these questions, then this clinic is for you! This is a great learning experience even if you can’t/aren’t able to ride because you will be able to see things from a judge’s perspective. Auditing fee for this clinic includes use of judge’s booklet containing judge’s diagrams of tests, judging terms, glossary, methodology, and pyramid of training. The clinic will also include one or two brief question and answer sessions with Jan in order to ask all those burning questions about riding a successful test and maybe pick up some tips!
Jan is an “R” rated judge with much experience training, competing, teaching and judging actively in both disciplines of eventing and dressage including the upper levels of both. She is well versed in judging in-hand and under saddle classes including YEH, FEH, all sport horse divisions and dressage equitation This is a great opportunity for the person just practicing tests, or in hand/under saddle classes for the first time all the way to seasoned riders/competitors.
So please join us either mounted or dismounted for a great dressage clinic and get some jumping practice in too! Both stadium and XC courses will be open to participants for an additional fee.
-- Casy
Monday, May 7, 2012
Spring Combined Test!
Wednesday, February 29, 2012
Eventers in Paradise!
Casy asked Janet (Dev’s mom) and I (Jazz and Ginger’s mom) to share a little about our riding vacation in early February to Costa Rica. We flew into Liberia, rented a car and drove about an hour to a little village on the Pacific coast called Playa Junquillal (hoon-kee-al).
Janet had been there before and arranged our trip with Erika a German transplant to Costa Rica for 16 years (www.paradiseriding.com) Susan, our guide, was from Switzerland and spoke English, Spanish, and German. Each day we rode for about 6 hours, including lunch. We had the same horses every day. I rode a nice quiet bay with a floppy ear called Bugs Bunny and Janet’s horse, Fandango, was a frisky grey. They were criollo, the local breed, and somewhere around 14 – 15 hands.
The first day we rode along the beach to the north. We rode through Playa Junquillal, Playa Blanca (white sand), Playa Negra (black sand) and Playa Avellana (pink sand). There was no one on the beach in Playa Junquillal and Playa Blanca so once we were acquainted with our horses we did a nice gallop along the beach. The saddles were endurance ones and the horses’ trot and canter were so comfortable – even I could sit to them. Playa Negra and Avellana are big surfing beaches, so we rode along the beach watching the surfers catching waves and wiping out. In Avellana we rode through a little estuary and went onto to the road to stop for lunch-fresh mahi mahi the fisherman caught that morning! We went to a restaurant, tied up the horses up to a tree, gave them some water and their treats - bananas.
After lunch we saddled back up and rode through the towns. The highlight was seeing the howling monkeys at a creek along the side of the road. We were lucky and saw a baby monkey that looked pretty young – only 5 inches or so. ( The howling monkeys make this incredible noise – the first night it was a little unnerving.)
The second day we rode inland into the hills. Since most of the roads around the area are unpaved, we rode on the roads. We saw some of the indigenous trees such as guancaste (also the name of the province we were in) that are huge and grow in clearings, acacia, and a wide variety of papaya trees. We stopped for lunch at this lady’s farm where she grows and cooks all the food herself- some of the chickens lost their buddies for our lunch. She had picnic tables and chairs and the some of the locals stopped by for lunch as well. The food was delicious, but surprisingly enough, it was not spicy. On our way back, we saw two kids riding a horse back to school – no saddle, books tied with a piece of string hanging over their shoulder.
When we got back, I think all 3 of us were pretty sore. Thank goodness the next day was a day off from riding. Janet and I went zip lining and boogie boarding.
Thursday was our last day of riding. We rode along the beach to the south. The beaches were absolutely deserted and we had some incredible views of crashing waves on volcanic mountains. We passed a few fishing villages and noticed a few families out on the rocks harvesting some type of scallops or mollusks from the ocean. This ride had quite a bit of cantering along the beach – we went about 30 kilometers in 4 hours. Portions of the ride included going over rocks and the horses were amazingly sure-footed. Throughout the rides Janet and I noticed how incredible the horses were. They handled all sorts of terrain so well – deep sand, packed sand, up steep hills / trails, rocks, waves, trucks, motorcycles, cows, and even other free roaming horses. This ride ended with lunch at a restaurant and the horses were trailered back home. Interestingly enough, the trailer is just a pick up truck with a large enclosed bed. They back the truck up to a hilly area and the horses just walk on. They thought it was funny that we have trailers with ramps and even $150 coconut fiber pads for the horses to walk onto the trailer. Lunch again was amazing - they’re very much into the organic, local food movement and everything is incredibly fresh.
The rest of vacation was spent snorkeling and boogie boarding at the beach. Hotel was terrific and in a location with infinity pool and hot tub. Local bars were really fun with people from all over the world. If anyone is interested stop by and talk to us. --Rica
Wednesday, February 8, 2012
Spotlight on Jennifer Dow Olsen
Saturday, January 21, 2012
Winter is here!
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
Erika Hawkes on showing in Singapore, Kate Middleton, and, of course, Mark Todd
This is the first installment in a series of features on some of the people who make Course Brook Farm the vibrant place that it is. It's only natural that we begin the series with our resident trainer, Erika Hawkes. Erika agreed to answer some questions for me and share some insights into what drives her personally and professionally. I've included her bio below, but let me just say that Erika is one of the most patient and thoughtful instructors and trainers that I have ever met. I don't think I've ever seen her lose her temper, and she really does embody what all horse people should aspire to: a calm and quiet approach to teaching and riding. Thank you, Erika!
2.What is your greatest extravagance? You mean besides my horses?! Probably getting my hair done.
3.Which words or phrases do you most overuse? Probably “again.” I seem to find myself saying that a lot while I am teaching.
4. If you could do any job besides teaching/training, what would it be (doesn’t need to be realistic)? I have always wanted to write so being a novelist would really appeal to me.
5.What other talent besides riding would you most like to have? Singing opera or playing the piano. I am always amazed at people who possess those gifts. I mean where does that come from?
6.What do you consider your greatest achievement (riding or otherwise)? Running my own business.
7.If you were to die and come back as a person or thing, what would it be? Kate Middleton!
8.What is your most treasured possession? Can a dog be a possession because it would definitely be my dog!
9.Who are your favorite writers/artists/riders? I love to read all sorts of things, but one of my most recent favorites is Jeanette Walls’ The Glass Castle. I love Andrew Wyeth as an artist because I basically spent a lot of my childhood in Maine and love it dearly. One of my all time favorite riders is Torrance Watkins. She was just sooo classy. I also love Mark Todd.
10.Who are your heroes in life? Any surprise – horses! I really think they are truly heroes to do what they do for us. Also, my mom, my dad, my husband and of course our troops, of which my brother is one. I would also have to include my vet, Dr Liz Maloney, who has been unbelievable in helping me rehabilitate several OTTBs and turn them into successful eventers. She is the best.
11.What is your motto? Treat other people (and horses) the way you would want
12.Have you ever ridden sidesaddle? No but have ridden bareback, western and done some driving.
13.What is your favorite riding moment (competition or anything else)? When I was fifteen, my father was working for a company that relocated us overseas to Singapore. I joined the riding club there and became part of the international team competing against other Southeastern Asian nations. Onetime we competed in Kuala Lumpur and we had to draw horses’ names out of a hat and then compete them in a 3’9” jumper class. I drew an awesome horse and ended up winning the class and beating my instructor! That was definitely a high point that stands out in my life. I also remember competing at Radnor Three Day Event and being thrilled after dressage and x-country to be in third place ahead of Karen (Lende) O’Connor!
14.If you could live anywhere, where would it be? Somewhere with a warm temperate climate all year round – maybe Southern California or Hawaii.