News

Archive for the ‘Uncategorized’ Category

Today, as I was getting ready to start teaching, I looked out the window of my front door to see four of my high-school aged students going out for a trail ride on this beautiful Sunday morning. The horses were walking calmly by; all the riders were chatting as they embarked on their ride out to the “big field” which is a 30 minute hack away along the equestrian trails and the golf course. It’s a beautiful day for a ride and I’m so happy the riders are able to get out and enjoy their horses and that the horses are so well behaved. It’s a nice, albeit short, break from the hectic show pace we’ve had this year and it’s a great thing to be able to slow down and enjoy the day with a bunch of good friends and sweet horses, who are enjoying the day just as much as we are.

What a fantastic week! The week started off with three riders participating in the Karen Healey clinic on Tuesday. I got a chance to audit the clinic and Karen had a lot of interesting and pertinent things to say. Her emphasis was on presentation: how you get to the jumps, all the details between each jump, not just executing eight nice jumps. I liked her focus and the riders learned a lot.
Everyone rode really well. I can’t name all the placings, but here are just a few: Madison Busey, champion in Maiden Equitation (and an 8th place finish in Schooling Hunter over fences, against all the pros! (around 20 of them!), Morgan Busey: 1st place in Low Schooling Jumper, 3rd Older Children’s Hunter over fences. Alaina Rhee: 3rd place, VHC Children’s Equitation Derby; 3rd place, Oak Ridge Medal. Glendon Mohan: 6th place, VHC Children’s Equitation Derby and Elizabeth Parent, two 2nds in Regular Small Pony Hunter and a 4th in the Classic. Everyone had a great time. And everyone improved each day. The horses were awesome, too!

What’s your definition of “fun”?

I often see or hear riding programs referred to as “fun” and it makes me wonder: Is my program fun? Would someone who rides here describe the lessons as fun?

Well, we don’t often play games on horseback. We don’t do bareback lessons. We don’t do many trail rides as part of lessons. If we are working regularly in the arena, are we still having fun?

For me, fun is learning something new. Fun means overcoming obstacles or rising up to meet a challenge. Fun is doing something you never thought you’d do. Maybe it’s being able to put together eight jumps for a great course. Perhaps you rode for 10 minutes without stirrups or executed a perfect simple change of lead. Maybe you got your horse to walk without jigging or performed a superior canter departure. Or maybe you jumped a swedish oxer for the first time. These things are hugely fun when you’ve never done them before – when you’ve worked hard to accomplish something new. The hard work leading up to a breakthrough becomes even more worthwhile and you feel proud of yourself and your horse. What a moment!

That’s what I love about this sport. There’s always room for improvement. We can always be better and we should always try to help our horse be the most he can be. That’s the fun of riding and it’s why I teach: so others can find that joy in setting and reaching a goal, all from the back of a magnificent partner, a horse.

We are so proud of our riders! Congratulations to Alaina Rhee for winning the VHSA Equitation on the Flat class! With her win, she qualified for the Finals to be held in August in Lexington, Virginia. Morgan Busey was a close second. It was a demanding class and both riders performed wonderfully. Morgan Busey was also second in the VHSA Children’s Medal class. Casey Schmitz was reserve champion in the Pony Hunter division and Madison Busey placed 1st and 3rd in the Large Children’s Pony Hunters. Despite sweltering heat, our horses and riders braved the heat well and everyone had a great day!

What a great show! Clairvaux riders rode to huge successes on July 24 at the Foxchase Farm Pony Show. Sydney Hess won the Pony Equitation class and was reserve champion in the Pony Hunters. Alyssa Rhee rode Elizabeth Parent’s Rock Star to Champion in the Pony Hunter. Emma Hess earned some great placings in the Pony Hunters. Elizabeth Suder rode in her first classes over fences with Clairvaux’s Heart in the Short-stirrup Hunter, earning high placings. What a great day! I’m so proud of each riders’ accomplishments. Everyone rode very well and the horses were fantastic. Congrats!

The weekend of July 17th and 18th was a double-header. On Saturday, Morgan Busey, Kelly Tehan, Alyssa Rhee rode at the Foxchase Farm Horse Show. Kelly Tehan and Clairvaux’s Doc were champion in the Working Hunters. Morgan Busey placed 2nd in a very competitive VHSA Children’s Medal Class. Alyssa rode her sister’s Mandalay Bay to great ribbons in the Benefit and Working Hunters.

Then, on Sunday, seven Clairvaux riders rode in the Sandstone Farm Jumper Show. Glendon Mohan, Morgan Busey, Madison Busey, Ali Anderson, Karl Nobert, Sarah Rexroad and Casey Schmitz competed. This was their first jumper show and they rose to the occasion. The longer courses and different formats were a breeze for our riders and some great placings resulted, including champion and reserve in the Puddle Jumpers (Casey Schmitz/Texas Hold ‘Em and Madison Busey/Figaro, respectively) and champion in the Low Jumper division (Morgan Busey/Quest). Congratulations!!!

Great day for Clairvaux riders! Casey Schmitz was champion in the Pony Hunters with Texas Hold ‘Em, while Alaina Rhee was champion in the Working Hunters with Mandalay Bay. Cameron Schmitz took reserve champion in the Open Hunter with Catch My Kisses. Ali Anderson had some great trips with Top Gun, and earned some good placings in the Open Hunter.

Congratulations to Elizabeth Parent for her 6th place finish in the VHSA Medal Finals, held at the Loudoun Benefit Horse Show, on June 20th. The course was beautifully designed and competition was fierce. Way to go, Elizabeth!

June was a great month for many Clairvaux riders. Upperville was great! Casey Schmitz and Texas Hold Em were Reserve Champion in the Local Large Pony Hunter. All horses and riders placed in their respective classes and/ or divisions. Aimee Baldillo’s Perfect Alibi placed second in the Back From The Track Hack and Shannon DeWit’s Basking By The Bay placed seventh in the Thoroughbred Hunter Development Class, both ridden by Terri Young. Elizabeth Parent on Rock Star and Morgan Busey on Quest placed well in the Local Small Pony Hunter and the Older Children’s Hunter, respectively.

What a great weekend! We had really nice weather and the horses and riders were super. Glendon, Annie and Alaina won good ribbons in the 3′ hunters and equitation. Casey won two equitation classes. Elizabeth and Shadow won ribbons in the Children’s Pony Hunter and other classes.