Sally Cousins News

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Sally Cousins, Sarah Cousins, eventing, horse trials, dressage, show jumping, stadium jumping, cross country, XC, horses, horseback riding, Rolex
Kentucky, Badminton, Burghley, Oxford, West Grove, Aiken, three-day eventing, Pennsylvania, Area II, cross-country schooling, riding lessons

Hi Guys! I will be leaving on the 30th of December to go to Aiken, and I will be back
to teach on January 15th at Forest Hill and the 16th at Megan's in New Jersey. I
will be sending out an email about those dates when we get a little closer. I hope
everyone has a great holiday!
Sally
12/24/10

Snuffle is the newest member of our crew. We have had her
for two weeks and have not yet slept through the night. She
is also a much better people trainer than we are dog
trainers. Snuffle lasted one night and 15 minutes in her
crate. She found that howling was a good way to get
attention, and she now sleeps in the bed. Snuffle would
rather eat what we are eating than puppy food. She is not a
big fan of the cold or wet and spends too much of her day
asleep in front of the heater. That way she has plenty of
energy left for playing late at night. Nat has claimed her as
his dog, which I remind him of at 2 in the morning.

She has seriously cut into the productivity of our operation. It
is good we got her this time of year! More later.
Sally
12/9/10

Hi Guys!
I just received an email from the USEA that Troy has won the Intermediate Horse of the Year
title. Some of you may think that you have the best horse in the world, but you don't-that title
goes to Troy. (Your horse can be second). I have a mild infatuation with Wes, but Troy is my
true love. Anyone who spends any time with Troy at all quickly comes to that same
conclusion. We were talking in the ring about how many bay geldings I have and how they
have similar markings, when I said "Troy doesn't have any markings." Cindy didn't miss a
beat and said, "Yes but Troy has a halo". All kidding aside, he is one of the sport's great
horses. The dressage has always been a struggle for him but his work ethic is second to
none!

11/16/10

Hi Guys!
This is a video my mother took of me riding Wall-E. He is
really coming along well. He is getting better balanced,
and I have started cantering him over poles on the
ground already and working on his adjustablilty. The man
who broke Wall-E taught him to stop quickly when you
say "Whoa." He used to stop quickly... if i said anything,
which for me was a problem. I almost landed on his neck
more than once when I was talking to someone else.

In the video of him cantering to the right you can really
see how he stops when I say, "Whoa." I have to almost
lean back first. I think that aid might come in handy one
day...
Sally
11/13/10

Hi Guys!
Well, I have done my last event of the season. I only rode Senor, who put in a good
performance but only managed a minor placing. I have done a lot of planning for Aiken, so
it is looking much more organized. Since i will not have competition updates to do, I
thought to do a series of articles on something related to eventing. If anyone has any
ideas, I would be happy to hear them. Keep in mind it takes me about half and hour to
write a thank you note! More later.
Sally
11/16/10

Hi Guys!
I rode five horses last weekend at Plantation: Senor and Ned in the Training,
Highland Storm (for Carolyn Blakey) in the Novice, and Dexter ( for Sandie Neff)
and Hyderabad (also known as "Dixie" for Sandra Fargher) in the Beginner
Novice. All the horses went well. How often can you say that!?

Mrs. Wilson, who owns Troy and Senor, was able to come and watch. Senor was
on his best behavior and at his most beautiful. He also won his division, which
was an added bonus. Ned had an unlucky rail to finished fifth.
Sally
11/3/10

Hi Guys!
I only rode one horse at Waredaca. I had three entered, but Cory was still feeling tired,
and Isis wasn't quite right. I also didn't start until 12:10, and I wasn't sure what to do with
myself! GM went well. He was a little tense in the dressage, but he jumped well in both
phases, although we only managed a min...or placing. He will now spend the next
couple of weeks just walking. I have given some of my guys early vacations so we can
start our preparations for the spring in December. Sue and Robbie have started walking
and have another month to go before doing any flat work...

Wall-E has been good, and I am determined to get him far enough along to be able to
get a good training experience in Aiken. The Wes story of the week: We live in Amish
country, and it is very common to have the buggies go up and down the road. Well. Wes
has taken up chasing the buggies as they go by...along the fence just like a dog. At first I
wasn't sure what he was doing. I just hope he doesn't jump out to follow them!

I ride at the Plantation starter event this weekend. It is hard to believe the season is
winding down. More later.
Sally
10/25/10

Hi Guys!
Wes redeemed himself at Fair Hill in the jumping phases. I was scheduled to
start the XC at noon. It was very upsetting to hear about Sharon's fall. She is a
good friend of mine, and I really feel for her.

I got on Wes 30 minutes before I was scheduled to start. He was very well
behaved and seemed almost relaxed in the warm up. He walked quietly to the
start (he used to be naughty at the start which is why I keep mentioning this). He
spooked at the sign at the first jump, and I thought this could be a long course. He
just wanted to keep me on my toes and was focused the rest of the trip.

He is very clever for a big horse, and is great at the technical questions. I had a
much easier time riding him than I did at Morven, but I did feel tired toward the
end. I have thought about it, and think that each aid I use on him is a maximum
effort for me because he is so big. I started a fitness program on Monday to get
fitter and stronger for the spring season. He was faster at Fair Hill but not yet fast
enough. The round took almost nothing out of him, and he trotted up very well on
Sunday. He has a little unfocused in the show jumping, but is such a good
jumper he was clear anyway. I am already looking forward to the spring season
with him!

I ride on Sunday at Waredaca this week. More later.
Sally
10/19/10

Hi Guys!
The dressage at Fair Hill with Wes did not go according to plan...he was very good when I rode him
this morning, but when I got on him later to warm up for my test he was quite tense. I don't think the
very windy conditions helped any. His trot work was OK, and then he started with some of the antics
in the canter that he pulled on Charlie. At that point, there is not much you can do. He had not pulled
that yet with me, and I was hopeful he would be better. I have a lot of work to do this winter. Oh
well...on to cross country.

The course is really lovely, and with all the rain we have had lately and the wind today, we should
have great footing. The girls walked half the course today and are now crashed out on the couch
recovering. More later.

Sally
10/15/10

Hi Guys!
I rode four at the Maryland Horse Trials this past Saturday. We went down on
Friday early enough for me to walk the courses and to have an early evening,
since I was generous enough to give Nat my cold.

I had two entered in the Intermediate-Rocky and Troy-and two in the Training-Harry
and Isis. We had an early start, and Rocky put in a very quiet test. Troy was also
very good. Both horses show jumped clear and were the only horses to get the
time on the cross country. The divisions had some very good horses in them, so I
was a bit surprised when Nat called me while i was warming up Harry for
dressage (maybe I shouldn't talk on the phone then) to tell me both Troy and
Rocky had won. Harry and Isis were both good to finish on their dressage scores.

I did make the decision to run Wes in the 2-star at Fair Hill. I am concerned that
our performance wasn't quick enough at Morven to feel confident doing the 3-star.
I am very happy to have tried to get there, though. It made me challenge myself as
a rider and took me out of my comfort zone at times. Wes is a very different type of
horse for me to train, and I have learned a lot!

I am taking some horses XC schooling at Radnor on Tuesday afternoon while Nat
will be taking Wes to Fair Hill to get settled in. I hope we have better weather there
than last year! More later.
Sally
10/10/10

Hi Guys!
I rode four at Morven last weekend. We went down on Friday and had an early evening partly
because I have been really sick for about 10 days. Wes was first to go on Saturday, and he did a
pretty good test for him. He didn't show enough in the extended movements, but he got all four
changes. Cory and Rocky were a little distracted, but they got OK scores to leave them in the hunt.
Wes jumped a clear show jumping even though he had his attention firmly on the in gate. Rocky
and Cory both jumped very well. Wes was done for the day, as he was scheduled to do his cross
country on Sunday morning. Rocky and Cory were excellent XC and made the time easily. Both
horses finished second. Isis was next to go in the OT-she started the day once the others were
finished. She had a good dressage but one rail in the show jumping, and we jumped all the cross
country fences together to finish third. She was much more settled then the previous weekend at
Middleburg.

I took the "girls" on the Advanced course walk and LaLa laid down about half way through. I think
they would like me to stick to Novice. Nat insisted we have Thai food for dinner, and that did help to
clear my sinus'. He was sweating when he finished dinner.

Morven advanced XC is quite large. I did not get to compete there last year because of my shoulder
injury. Wes was more settled in the warm up and went to the box with a minimum of fuss. He
jumped amazingly well. I, however, could not breathe. By fence 10 I was tired and I still had 15 more
jumps to go. I could not collect him quick enough for a good time, but he was really fun to ride!

I ride three at Maryland this weekend. Wes has had his hair done for Fair Hill. Even though we are
qualified for the 3 star, I may do him in the 2-star. I wish I had felt better on Sunday, as I think I could
have gone a good bit faster, and that would have given me a better read on our progress. I will give
it some more thought... More later.
Sally
10/4/10

Hi Guys!
I had four entered at the Middleburg Horse Trials. You know there will be a story when I say
entered four and not rode four. Troy and Rocky in the Intermediates and GM and Isis in the
Prelim. I had decided to drop GM back to the Prelim since he has not done a full event since
July. Well, he still hasn't. We have gone from pulling shoes cross country to now pulling
glue-on shoes in the dressage warm up. To say I was not happy is putting it mildly.

I taught at Cindy Gilbert's farm on Friday afternoon while Nat and Nicole Zardus took the
horses to the stabling. I met them Friday evening at the hotel. Troy was first to go at 8:00, and
he was good, but a little more tense than at Plantation. Rocky is very flashy and got a good
score although he was not at his best either. Isis is a super mover and ended up with a 29.
All three show jumped well.

I spent the afternoon walking the courses and made it back to the hotel for an early evening.
Isis was not at her best on Sunday, but I wasn't too worried since I had such good rides on
her in Aiken. She wasn't very focused cross country, and I ended up jumping the sharks tooth
without her. I guess I have been fortunate to not to have tried out my air vest before this. I was
fine, although I did, of course, fall at the furthest fence from the barns and caught a ride back
with the EMT's. The new rules stipulate that you must be checked out by the medical crew
before you ride again. They kept asking me where I landed which I thought was odd since my
right leg was covered in dirt and grass stains. I next rode Troy and Rocky, who were both very
good cross country. I didn't go too quickly because the footing was firm, but they went fast
enough for Troy to win and Rocky to finish second. I ride this coming weekend at Morven
Park. More later.
Sally
9/27/10

Hi Guys!
I rode three at Plantation last weekend: Cory and Troy in the Intermediate and Wes in the Advanced.
Wes was a bit more up having to do the changes in his dressage test, but he went back to work,
which was a relief. You never quite know if they will come back to you mentally once they get upset.
Troy di...d a very good test, but Cory was quite fussy. All three show jumped well. Wes gave all of the
show jumps about a foot of room! I made some equipment changes which really seemed to work.
Troy and Cory were good, as well. Cory hasn't been himself this week, so i made the decision not to
run him XC. Troy was his usual speedy self and managed to move up from 7th to win.

I still don't really know Wes all that well, so I was not quite sure what expect in our first Advanced
together. He was much better going into the start box. I jumped too weak into a bounce combination
and had a run out at the skinny out, but after that, he was perfect. He didn't get too strong and was
very honest at the skinny up the bank at the end. I was really pleased with our round and still plan to
go to Fair Hill. Our next outing is Morven. That is a harder course, but I think it will give me another
opportunity to know him better.

I took some horses XC schooling on Sunday. Sue Clayton (for whom I did some riding in Aiken) has
come east for a few weeks from Wisconsin. I will be riding Isis in the next couple of events. She is a
very big mare. Maybe this is the season for riding giants. I go next to Middleburg. More later.
Sally
9/19/10

Hi Guys!
I had a light weekend at the Fair Hill Starter Trials where I only rode two in the Beginner
Novice. Eva went much better in the dressage and got a 35. She thought we might vote on the
second show jump, but I helped her see the error of her ways. She then happily jumped
whatever I pointed her at.

I rode Chris Grant's talented young horse, Junior, as well. He really stepped up to the plate
and was good in all three phases-particularly impressive since this was his first event. Both
horses finished second.

On another note, I have been riding Wall-E. He came back from being broken at the end of
August. So far, so good. He has some things he has been taught that are different from the
way I do things-not wrong; just different. I started riding him on the lunge. (We have tried to
keep his routine the same, and that is how they started each day.) Whenever I say, "whoa" or
ask him to stop, he immediately turns to face Nat at the inside of the circle. It's quite funny,
really. He still takes many of his cues from the person in the middle of the circle. When we
take him of the lunge and I ride around the whole ring, he feels a little lost. I am still just riding
him in the indoor, but I will venture to the outdoor soon.

I ride at Plantation this weekend on Friday and Saturday, then go XC schooling at Fair Hill
Sunday. More later.
Sally
9/13/10

Hi Guys!
I had three horses entered in the Intermediate at Seneca. All three phases were on Saturday,
and I was scheduled to be done by 11:30. I love that format, as I find it easier to keep going than
to have big gaps in the schedule.

Yet again the dressage ring was right next to the cross country fences. OK, everyone had to deal
with the same situation, but I do think that it played a part in higher than normal dressage scores
for everyone. (Whine over.) Rocky was tense but tried. Wes was pretty good. I spent most of the
test trying to bend away from the very scary flowers at the entrance. He made no mistakes, and
each time I feel we get better. GM was very much on his toes. He hasn't been out in over a month,
and he was feeling very silly. Wes was fourth after the dressage, and GM was sixth. Rocky
jumped clear in the show jumping, but I am concerned I used up my show jumping luck for the
month coming out of the triple!

Wes and GM both had a rail. I sent Wes too forward early in the ride, and he then jumped too big
into a combination. GM felt quite flat, and after his round I decided not to run him XC. Rocky had
the fastest time on the XC to move up to fourth. Wes had the second fastest time. The course
was not suitable for a big galloping horse like Wes, but maybe he has gotten a few pointers from
Joule who lives in the next paddock over. Wes finished second. I have some work to do in both
the show jumping and dressage before I move him up in two weeks. More later.
Sally
9/5/10

Hi Guys!
I rode three in the Intermediate at Loudoun last weekend. We drove down on Friday to stable
at Morven Park, and the next morning we made the 20-minute drive to the show grounds at
Oatlands. Joule was my first ride of the morning, and I was quite disappointed to find the
dressage ring between the sta...rt box and the first XC fence. Those of you who have seen
Joule go know how silly he is at the start of the cross country. This location of the arena did
nothing for his relaxation in the dressage. It could have been a lot worse, but we never did
walk.

Troy was super, and Cory was OK. We waited until early afternoon to show jump, and by then
we were dealing with the all too familiar heat. The show jumping was on quite a hill which
didn't suit Troy well, but Joule and Cory were super. Sunday morning Joule was first out at
8:00, and he went around very easily. Cory was good, but a few seconds slower. Just before I
started XC on Troy, there was a fall on course. The starters announced a hold on course, and
we waited for what seemed forever for an ambulance. Then the medical team decided they
needed a helicopter. We all went back to the trailers so they could land it. The good news is
that the early reports say that Brittany will be OK. "There but for the grace of God..."

I was due back up at Fair Hill for the XC schooling starting at noon. That should have worked,
as I was due to be done riding at 8:45. Well, I did make it, but not by noon. All the horses that
went schooling were perfect, so we were able to finish by the time the course closed at 4:00.
Troy finished second; Cory third, and Joule fifth. I ride at Seneca this weekend, where Wes is
doing his first Intermediate with me. I am looking forward to it!
Sally
9/1/10

Hi Guys!
Last weekend I rode four at the DVCTA Horse Trials at Carousel Park. Having spent most
of the summer sweating, I have spent the last two weekends wet. It has been a nice
change though. Senor won his division, managing to beat Ned in the dressage which has
never happened before. Ned ended up second. H...e seems more confident each time he
goes out. I rode a friend's horse, Kelty, in the Novice. We were visited by geese in the
dressage, so she was somewhat distracted, but she jumped really well and confidently to
finish second in her first event at that level. Eva was in the Beginner Novice, and she
handled the atmosphere very well-even the geese. Her dressage test was not forward
enough, but she was well behaved. The show jumping was challenging. Just before I went
in the ring the skies opened yet again. It seemed as if each time I went to jump it started to
pour. (I look at it as good practice for fair hill...) Eva was super cross country, and I couldn't
have been happier with her.

Wes continues to train well. He has, however, taken up jumping into other horses'
paddocks. He seems to think this is very entertaining. I do not! I take several to Loudoun
this weekend. More later!
Sally
8/25/10

Hi Guys!
Last weekend I rode three at Waredaca. Rocky and Joule were in the Intermediate,
and Wes was in the Prelim. Rocky and Joule finished on their dressage scores.
They only managed minor placings, but I was really happy with how they went.

Waredaca was my first full event with Wes, and I wasn't ...quite sure how it would go. I
did take him XC schooling at Fair Hill the Tuesday before, and was very excited to
actually do the cross country with him.

He was pretty relaxed in the dressage. He was more forward than at Fair Hill, but I did
have a mistake in the counter canter. He was excellent in the show jumping-much more
rideable. It was raining that day (what a relief from the heat!), and the footing was slippery.
We put in large studs after hearing some other riders having trouble. Wes was silly going
to the start, but once on course he couldn't have been better! I have a very aggressive plan
for him this fall, so when each step goes as well as this, it makes me think that it is
possible. I ride at the unrecognized event at Carousel this weekend. More later!
Sally
8/18/10

Hi Guys!
Last weekend I took four horses to Fair Hill. It was my first outing on my new guy, Westerly.
It was also his first competition since April. He has a reputation for being difficult in the
dressage, so I wasn't sure what I would get. We had him off the truck for a good while
seeing the sights and settling in. I had planned to just do the dressage and show jumping
in the Prelim. On Wes, the small ring feels tiny! I think four strides got us down the long
side. He stayed pretty relaxed, though, so I was quite pleased. He was a little nervous for
the show jumping, and by the time I got out there, the XC was already going. He jumped
clear even though he was not very focused.

Troy did a super dressage test to finish in second place after that phase. Cory's halts
weren't great, but he was steady, and Rocky was much better than he was at NJ. All three
jumped clear over a challenging show jumping course which moved them up a good bit.
Cory and Troy we...nt easily XC. Rocky was quite strong and ended up with a time fault. The
more they pull, the longer it takes to set them up for each jump. I might consider a change
in bridle for him. Troy ended up winning, and Cory and Rocky tied for fourth in a large
division. I was very pleased with the day. I ride at Waredaca this weekend, and Wes will be
doing his first full event with me. Keep your fingers crossed!
Sally
8/10/10

Hi Guys!
We went to the Olney Farm HT on August 1st. I only rode two. Senor was
super in all three phases to finished tied for first. We lost the tie because
we went faster XC than the other rider. (When you are tied with someone
the person closest to the optimum time is placed ahead.) He has been
so consistent this year.

Eva was a little excited. She was pretty well behaved but was spooky in
the dressage. There was a lot for her to see, and it was much more
interesting than anything I was trying to tell her.

Olney has done a super job upgrading their courses. Both the show
jumping and cross country had new jumps, and the XC layout had a much
better flow. Eva went very green (she is) but finished. She will have
learned a lot, and I was very pleased with her. More later!
Sally
8/3/10

Hi Guys!
We went to the New Jersey Horse Trials today. My horses felt a little flat, and I think that the heat and just having
done Maryland has left them a little tired. I had made the decision that if they didn't feel great in the dressage and
show jumping, I wasn't going to go XC. The decision was almost made for me though. They have not gotten the
rain that we have, and the footing was quite hard. There are some other events coming up, and I hope we will get
more rain. It never hurts to save a good horse for another day...We go to Olney tomorrow, and I am going to try to
stay on this year!
Sally
7/31/10

Hi Guys!
I am not yet sure that I have cooled out from the Maryland Horse Trials. I entered four in the
Open Intermediate and one in the Prelim. The Intermediates went on Saturday morning, and I
was scheduled to be done by 11:15. I had the best crew (read army) that made it possible:
Susan Supko and Paul Supko, Heather Vinson, Beth Rahn, Nicole Zardus and Nat. It took
everyone to get the horses in the right equipment, to the proper place and on time.

It was really hot and humid, and I think the horses dealt better with it than I did. All four
Intermediates went super in all three phases. GM won, Cory and Troy were second, and
Joule finished third. Nat then drove the Intermediates home, and Jen drove down my Prelim
ride for Sunday. I helped several students warm up Saturday afternoon, then walked the
Prelim XC, and by 5:00 I was done.

Calvin went early in the Prelim. He had a very relaxed dressage and jumped really well to win.
Afterward, I drove up to Carousel Park to do several groups on a XC school. Everything went
smoothly last weekend. I hope we can repeat it! More later.
Sally
7/21/10

Hi Guys!
Last weekend we competed at the Carousel Park Horse Trials. I rode Ned and Senor, and Nat rode
Crispen. There had been a lot of rain on Saturday, and the high heat and humidity had finally broken. By
Sunday the conditions were good.

Senor went well to finished third. (I think he has been third at all his events this year.) Ned is still making a
comeback due to the loss of vision in his right eye. He won the dressage (and won his division). Almost all
of the hard turns in both the show jumping and cross country were off the right. There were times on course
when he didn't have much approach on the right side. I was very pleased that he seemed to handle it well.
He has never competed there before and adjusted to the new environment well. He looks fantastic. I ride
five at Maryland HT this weekend. More later.
Sally
7/12/10

Hi Guys!
I rode only one horse this past weekend at the Fair Hill Starter Trials. I took my
four-year-old TB/Dutch Warmblood mare, Eva. Her registered name is Rhythm, but when i
got her, the movie WallE had just come out. Yes, her brother (who i got at the same time)
is named Wall-E. He is a year younger and is currently in south Jersey getting broken.

When I have a baby in training, I will often pick an event as a goal. It focuses my training
and gives it more structure. Eva did go to Aiken this past winter. Because I was hurt last
fall, she was not able to take full advantage of the experience since she didn't jump yet.
Eva is really brave. In Aiken we have some Coverall sheds. When we leave, we take the
covers off and put them in storage. She was in the field when they took them off her shed,
and she found this fascinating. When they laid it out to fold it up, she proceeded to walk all
over it. Everything on the farm had to stop because she was scaring all the other horses.

I wasn't sure what to expect from her at Fair Hill. She is still very green and most of my aids
only work periodically. She was amazing. She was quiet in the dressage and wasn't
concerned at all about the judges box. When I was waiting to show jump, she begged
from everyone. She managed to get some cookies, some peppermints and a crouton. She
was excellent on cross country. I was really impressed. I don't want to get my hopes up, as
so much can go wrong. We'll see... More later.
Sally
7/4/10

Hi Guys!
Surefire HT was last weekend. I had four horses entered in the OI and Calvin entered in
the Prelim. The Intermediates ran on Saturday morning, and the Prelim Sunday morning.
I asked Mary Coldren to schedule me on Calvin as early as possible so I could drive
back up to Fair Hill to teach at the XC schooling. I woke up Saturday morning feeling
quite ill. Although I handle the heat well, I think the effects are cumulative. We have had
such a hot June. I decided to try to get as far as I could.

The guys were pretty good in dressage. I perked up considerably after my first warm up
jump for show jumping. They jumped a challenging show jump course well. The time on
the XC was hard to get. Rocky was my first XC ride, and he is so brave and fast that he
made easy work of the course. Cory was next. The water had been dyed a very bright
blue, and Cory jumped into the water and stopped, and it was all I could do to keep him
trotting. He kept staring at the water. We trotted up the bank, then trotted the chevron. Not
my original plan! Troy skipped around and got the time. I did not run GM, as he was a bit
foot sore the previous week, and I thought the footing too hard to take him XC. Cory won,
and Troy and Rocky were both second. Calvin went really well to finish fifth. My sister Jen
did her first Prelim on Harry and did a great job.

I hit a ton of traffic driving back up to Fair Hill, so I was a bit late. (I hate being late!) It
made for a stressful drive. Fortunately, the schooling went well. I take Eva to her first
event this weekend at Fair Hill. It could be interesting. I have told many of the kids I teach
that if they want to pretend they don't know me I will understand. More later.
Sally
6/29/10

Hi Guys!
Some of you may already know that Robbie and Sue were not presented to the jog on Sunday. Both
did very relaxed dressage tests-not quite collected enough for good scores, but both were very well
behaved with no breaks or mistakes. The XC rounds were excellent. Buck was first out on course and
retired at 5b. I was just waiting to go out of the box and thought that wasn't good news. I was most
concerned about that combination. Robbie was perfect. He did hit a very deep hole on the way to the
2nd water where I think he twisted his ankle. He finished and cooled out well, so it wasn't until later
that I knew he was sore.

The three-star courses feel easy on Sue. She jumped right around and was faster than Robbie. She
rubbed across a fence and hit her stifle, which as the evening went on, seemed to stiffen. To say I
was disappointed would be putting it mildly. I had high hopes for Bromont. Oh well...it gets a lot worse
than that. They will be OK, and shipped home well. I will regroup and get ready for the summer
events. More later.
Sally
6/14/10

Hi Guys!
I rode six last weekend at Plantation, including Harry in his first Prelim for my sister. He jumped
around very easily to finish fifth. Calvin was very harshly marked in the dressage, but continued
his good jumping form to also finish fifth. Senor went much better to be third, and Titus and Goya
went well in the Novice to get minor placings. Nat rode at the starter trials on Sunday. He had a
few bobbles in an otherwise good dressage test, and he jumped super and finished third in the
Training.

The story of the weekend for me was competing Ned again. Last summer within 24 hours he
went completely blind. The vets couldn't figure out (and still don't know) what happened. He was
put on very high doses of steroids for 30 days, and he regained vision in his left eye but not his
right. How much vision the vets weren't able to determine, and they told us to set up an obstacle
course and see if he ran into anything. I was hoping for something more scientific. During that
time I was injured, so I was unable to ride him. Nat rode him at a starter event 60 days after he
finished his treatment. That went well, but I wasn't convinced he was comfortable. We left him
home from Aiken this winter, and he was turned out with the babies and was perfectly happy.

When i got home, though, he looked old-long, shaggy mane and no muscle. I brought him back
into work at the end of March, and it took him a while to get fit and strong again. I rode him in the N
ovice just to see how he would handle it. He shot out of the start box like a rocket and drug me
around the course looking for the bigger jumps. He also seemed to think that over the winter I
had gotten a bit wimpy because of the slow speed I wanted to go. I'm not quite sure what will be
next for Ned, but he sure felt great last weekend! More later.
Sally
6/6/10

Hi Guys!
The preparations for Bromont continue...so far, so good. Last weekend I took some horses to
Waredaca. I had entered three in the Intermediates and two in the IP. I just did the dressage and
show jumping with Robbie, as it was too close to Bromont to risk running him. Robbie's dressage
was really good-he hasn't been that relaxed in the ring in a long time. I still wasn't thrilled with his
show jumping. I have two jump schools left before Bromont to try to sort it out.

Rocky got a 33 in dressage. I used a double bridle on him, and he was much improved! He finished
2nd in the IP. Joule finished fourth in a very competitive division and was the only horse to finish on
their dressage score. GM went well. He is a very fast horse, but it takes me too long to set him up for
some of the combinations, so he wasn't quite fast enough to get a good placing. I didn't run troy. He
seemed to be having an "off" day. At Waredaca I tried to enter the division that would go early so I
could get home to teach and ride. They started the OI at 10 on Saturday, so that didn't work, but I was
able to get home early enough on Sunday. I ride at plantation this weekend. More later.
Sally
6/2/10

Hi Guys!
Last weekend I took just two horses to the Virginia Horse Trials. I took Sue and Robbie with the
idea I could spend more time with them practicing some warm up and equipment changes that I
want to use at Bromont. Well...some of it worked; some of it didn't. Both of the dressage tests were
much better. Sue could have even scored better if I had trusted that I would not have pushed her
over the edge by riding her more forward. I tried some new show jumping boots on Sue that she
hated! I also used a new bit on Robbie in the show jumping that I'm not so sure about. For the
cross country, I used some new XC boots that I was very happy with.

Sue went really well and was very relaxed. Robbie pulled a shoe mid way around, and I had to pull
him up. I was very disappointed that he was not able to run the whole course if only on a fitness
level. I am going to Waredaca this weekend, where I will do just the dressage and show jumping
with Robbie. I would like to do a combined test with Sue there as well, but the dressage is near the
XC, and that rarely produces good work with her. More later.
Sally
5/27/10

Hi Guys!
I rode six last weekend at Fair Hill. I had three in the Intermediate, Calvin (Atlantic Roar) in the
Prelim and Titus and Goya in the Novice. The challenging phase of the weekend was the show
jumping. The course caused a lot of problems at all levels. The lines were a little long, and the
grade took its toll. My Intermediates jumped well, although Cory was the only one to leave up all
the rails. Rocky and GM each had one. I did not run GM XC since he had run the weekend
before. Rocky was super XC. He wasted some time being silly at the start, but ran well and had
a respectable time. Cory was the only Intermediate to get the time and moved up from ninth to
win. It was a large division with some really good horses and riders. Calvin got a 25 in the
dressage, then added nothing further to his score to finish second. Titus was third in the Novice,
and Goya was sixth. I was very pleased with how the weekend went in general.

I take Sue and Robbie to Virginia this week. I hope I can make the drive down there worthwhile. I
wanted more time to work on their dressage warm up, so we will see... More later.
Sally
5/17/10

Hi Guys!
Plantation was last weekend. I had some great help. Robin Schaffer and Heather Vinson
agreed to help, and they made it possible for me to ride six horses. I had originally thought
the event was over two days. I should read the omnibus more carefully. I had three
Intermediates, a Training, a Novice and a new ride for me, Goya, in the BN. In the
Intermediates, Troy won, GM was third, and Joule was fourth. I rode them back-to-back XC
and found it a bit challenging. The organizers were kind enough to wait for me to finish, but I
did have a dressage ride coming up, so I felt the pressure of getting back for that as well.

Senor went well to finish third; Titus second, and Goya fifth. Although it makes for a hectic
day, I would rather get everything done in one day. Sunday of that weekend was a bit
lighter, and I took Eva (my 4 yo) to her first serious XC school. I was impressed by how well
she behaved. It was crazy windy, and some of the horses with us were a bit rattled. I am
hoping to take her to an event this summer. I ride at Fair Hill this weekend. More later.
Sally
5/12/10

Hi Guys!
Last weekend I rode four horses at MCTA. Each year the organizing committee improves this
event. I rode Calvin in the Prelim, and he finished fifth with a very consistent performance. He
even won the MCTA Masters trophy for the lowest score in dressage for an MCTA member. I
am not yet ready to win any Masters trophies... I also had Sue and Robbie in the Advanced.
Sue's dressage was better even though the score wasn't. She was not forward enough, but
she was well behaved. I can then work on the rest of the test. Robbie had an off weekend. He
was very tense in dressage and was very distracted in the show jumping. He did jump clear
around the XC. I think it is important that we have the margin off error in our training that even
if our horse isn't having its best day, it still can jump around well.

Sue mistook which weekend it was and thought she was running in the Hunt Cup. I had to
slow her down XC to settle her to the jumps. She went around easily enough. Sue finished
third and Robbie fourth. It wasn't a big division, and many people didn't finish. Rocky ran in
the Intermediate division and finished sixth. He jumped well but didn't handle the heat as well
as the pure Thoroughbreds. The temperature was into the 90's.

I ride six at Plantation next weekend. I thought it was over two days when I decided to do that.
More later.
Sally
5/7/10

Hi Guys!
Loudoun Horse Trials ended up going much better than I feared. My divisions all went
on Saturday, and I was riding three horses in the Intermediate and one in the Prelim.
My first Intermediate dressage ride was at 8:11, and my last OI XC ride was
scheduled for 10:05. I didn't quite get that done, but I did finish by 10:40. All three
horses were brought to the show jumping, then all three went directly to the XC. I had
a great crew, and it went really smoothly. The organizers and stewards were also
really helpful, not to mention that the horses went well and were very well behaved!
Cory won, Joule was second, and Troy was third. Then I rode Shelagh Davidson's
horse, Calvin, in the Prelim. He did all three phases in 50 minutes. He did his best
dressage test and jumped very well. I much prefer this schedule to one that is drug
out over three days. We got home at a reasonable time, and I was able to ride and
teach the next day. I go to MCTA this weekend. I hope the weather is good for them
this year! More later.
Sally
4/26/10

Hi Guys!
Last weekend was the Fair Hill Horse Trials. It was run over three days. I only
entered four horses and ended up doing just the dressage on GM. It is a little
frustrating to do over three days what I can often get done in a morning. Oh well. They
didn't ask me... Sue and Robbie did their first Advanced run this year. The footing
was perfect, and the course was super. Robbie ended up fourth, and although Sue
was good XC, she finished out of the placings. Robbie did his most relaxed test this
year and got a 33. He is such a grumpy little guy (unless you have cookies; then he
looks like a little angel). They go next to MCTA in the Advanced, then I hope on to the
Three-Star at Bromont. Maybe I should not write that, because as soon as i wrote my
plans for last fall I got hurt. I am very superstitious!

I take some Intermediates and a Prelim ride to Loudoun this weekend. It's not Rolex,
but at least it's a fun event. More later.
Sally
4/19/10

Hi Guys!
Sometimes I think I should do my entries in the evening, not after I have had a pot of coffee in
the morning. I rode seven horses at Plantation last weekend. When I made this plan, I had not
thought out the shipping arrangements very well. My sister also rode her two, so for the nine
horses that competed from our farm, we had four trailers. The parking guy's nightmare. I also
was quite lucky to have some great help and several students who were riding pitched in as
well. All the horses went well.

I am often concerned that when i ride that many, I am able to ride the last horse as well as I
did the first. The times worked out OK, although I did have three OI rides in a little over half an
hour. Nat had lunged the second and third Intermediate rides so they would be warmed up.
Sue's dressage was better-not as good as she can be, but it makes me think we are on the
right track. Troy won, Sue was second and GM was third in the OI. The time was hard to make,
and those horses are quite quick. Cory also won. His dressage is much more consistent.
Calvin jumped really well, and Titus really stepped up to the plate in his first Novice.

I just realized that the May Plantation is only on one day. I am going to take another look at my
entries... More later.
Sally
4/13/10

Hi Guys!
We drove home from Aiken on Friday the 19th. We were not even really
unpacked when we loaded up and drove to Morven. I rode the horses I wasn't
competing, then we left late morning to ride the entered horses on the grounds.
I also had two courses to walk.

The schedule Saturday morning was tight, so everything had to be ready the
night before. I was pretty happy with my guys' behavior in the dressage. Robbie
won the dressage with a 35. The judging was a bit harsh, but it was consistent.
The guys jumped just the best. I was surprised to find the courses so long; the
Intermediate was 6:44, and the Prelim was 6:10. Even my guys were tired.
Having said that, the jumps were super, and the footing was great. My three
Intermediate rides finished first, second and third. I have only done that one
other time. Rocky finished second in the Prelim and was much improved in the
dressage. It is great to be home and to catch up with everyone. More later.
Sally
3/30/10

Hi Guys!
Full Gallop Horse Trials was last weekend, and I was really pleased with how the
horses went (except Sue, more later). They finally went smoothly in all three phases,
and I had the best ride on Robbie XC that I have had in a year. The dressage was
also improved, and I feel with most of my guys we are on the right track.

Now Sue...she has been very sore in the area around her hamstrings, and we have
had several vets work on her and as of yet, have not found the cause. She is still
jumping well, but the dressage, which is her weakest phase anyway, is suffering.
Last spring we had good dressage performances, and I would like to get her back to
feeling comfortable enough to do good work. That said, I have decided not to try to get
her to Rolex. I was very down for a few days having made that decision, but it is the
right one for her.

I am now revamping my spring schedule, and it is taking me forever! More later.
Sally
3/17/10

Hi Guys!
Several events have taken place since I last updated my website: Paradise, Pine Top
and Sporting Days. At Paradise I rode a couple of Preliminary horses that git minor
placings, along with some of the lower level horses. The courses there are quite
difficult, and I was really pleased how all the horses went. Between Paradise and
Pine Top i got very sick. I can't even remember the last time i was sick. I had to keep
riding and teaching, and by Thursday I thought I might just keel over. Then I realized I
wouldn't be so lucky. I still haven't totally kicked it yet. At Pine Top I didn't run cross
country because I was just too far out of it after the first two phases. I did not
anticipate so many problems, and my heart goes out to Jan and Rebecca.

Sporting Days went well. I rode Shalagh Davidson's horse, Calvin. He is a super
jumper, and i really enjoyed my rounds on him. GM did his first event after his wind
surgery and felt fabulous. I have several rides again this weekend at Full Gallop. I
have to figure out how to get them all there!

It is hard to believe that I will be home in just over a week. I have asked several
people to make sure there is good weather when we get home. I hope they have
good connections! More later.
Sally
3/9/10

Hi Guys!
Well, we did get snow in Aiken. We actually got five inches Friday night. The snow
removal plan in the south is to wait for it to melt. We were supposed to be going to
Pine Top early Saturday morning. but Pine Top officials delayed the start by two hours
so they could evaluate the roads in the daulight. (We would have had to leave at 5:00.)
The roads were OK by about 10:00, but the snow on the ground wasn't melting. Pine
Top ended up plowing the parking lot and dressage rings and sent out a notice on
their web site that the dressage would start at 3:00. We got that notice at 12:00. We
then quickly loaded the horses and drove over (It is about an hour away.)

When we got there, we were supposed to sign up on a sheet of paper and pick a time
in the ring we were originally to ride in. This meant the judges were doing an OI test
and then maybe a OT test. It was very confusing! With four rides and being a little later
than other riders, my times weren't great. The tests weren't that good, but could have
been worse. We really didn't have the help for this format. (read free-for-all.) The
officials did their best, though, and by the next day the snow was mostly gone, and the
jumping phases went well. I only ran two cross country. Both Robbie and Rocky are
waiting until the next Pine Top. Sue jumped really well. We go to Paradise this
weekend, hopefully with better weather! More later.
Sally
2/16/10/10

Hi Guys!
This is the time in Aiken when the events are held not only on weekends but
also on Wednesdays. We did Sporting Days on Sunday, February 7th, and
Full Gallop on Wednesday, February 10th. I rode Sue Clayton's horse, Isis, in
the Preliminary at Sporting Days, and she won. This is a lovely (and huge
17.3h) Han/TB mare. She is an amazing jumper and awesome mover. I
haven't ridden her often, and she was wonderful. Joule was second to Isis in
the Prelim. He was really good (for him) in the dressage and jumped just the
best. That course really suited him because it is so tight. He is like riding a
dirt bike, as he is so quick on the turns. I also rode Spirit and Honey in the
Novice. Both horses jumped well but were very harshly marked in the
dressage. So much so that I thought that there must have been a mistake in
the scoring. I'm not usually off by more than a few points. Oh well...

Full Gallop was really windy. I mean really windy! My first ride was at 7:20,
and I finished at 4:45-a long day. Troy won, and Cory was third. Brett did the
Training level again and was much more settled and finished fifth. Spirit got
a good score in the dressage and jumped great. Kim Judge's horse, Titus
Too, did his first event. The conditions were not great for a first outing, but he
could not have been better. He finished second in the Beginner Novice. It
was a super day.

We have Pine Top this weekend. I hope we will not get the snow that is in the
forecast! More later.
Sally
2/11/10

Hi Guys!
Full Gallop on Wednesday the third was the first full event of 2010. It has played
havoc with me remembering what day of the week it is. We have had a very wet
January, and the footing at Full Gallop was very muddy. I rode five horses. Cory
was second in the Prelim. I also rode Rocky in the Prelim, but took him cross
country slowly to try to settle him. Brett did his first event with me at the Training
level. His competition name is Desperado, and he has been competing with
Andrea Leatherman. He was a little nervous in the dressage, but he is a cross
country machine! I also rode Mary Roeshler's mare, Spirit. She was in the
Novice, and is an amazing jumper. Honey was my last ride in the Beginner
Novice. She went well and was really easy to work with all day.

I have another event this Sunday at Sporting Days. We are expecting (of course)
more rain. At home, though, they are calling for lots of snow, so I should be
happy it is just rain! More later.
Sally
2/5/10

Hi Guys!
We are finally settled in and are preparing for the upcoming events. We
did the Full Gallop derby on Saturday, and all the horses went well. The
derby was a combination of show jumps and cross country. We were
also able to do more than one round, so it was great to be able to take
the horses back out on course. I schooled some of my upper level
guys at Jumping Branch on Sunday. It is always a pleasure to gallop
cross country after having been in an indoor or ring all winter.

I have been schooling the youngsters, primarily, and galloping them to
the jumps is not promoting relaxed quiet work. Some day they will get
there. We have some more horses coming in this weekend, and it will
be great to share the Aiken experience with friends. My first event is on
February third, and I am really looking forward to it! More later.
Sally
1/26/10

Hi Guys!
We are now in Aiken, and the farm is in great shape. Lizza and Robin Schaffer
helped set up, and they were wonderful help! It is cold down here, but because
the footing is all sand, we are still able to get the horses out for at least 10 hours
a day. That makes the riding a lot easier. When the horses are cooped up. It is
really hard to make them focus when we ride them. In the afternoons here it has
warmed up enough for the horses to lie flat out sleeping in the sun.

On the ninth of January we did our first competition. It was a combined test to
benefit the Aiken Animal Shelter. Karin Roseman's Adelaide, Ginny Kidd's Micky,
and Krista Grubb's Honey all did their first competition of 2010. All of the horses
went well, and it was a great first outing. We are looking forward to cross country
schooling this week. It is supposed to warm up to normal temperatures (55
degrees is the normal high) this week. I am so looking forward to that! More later.
Sally
1/10/10