Well it has been awhile since the last blog, but I’m not totally to blame. We just finished the busiest time of the year for us, and I’ve had an equipment problem. My lovely wife gave me a remote keyboard which I love. I’ve written so much with it: great blogs, short stories and at least one historical novel that rivaled Pillars Of The Earth. Really great stuff all to be embraced by critics and layman alike. Sadly I didn’t know that the keyboard had to be synced so all my efforts of literary genius were unrecorded. This is a great loss for all of mankind and I feel for all of you.

Now back to reality, our students had a powerful finish to the season. The highlights were,
Alden Leavitt won the preliminary at rocking horse on Castle farms Snooze Cruise–a horse I found for them last June as an unevented 6yr old. He really has come on beautifully and just qualified for the 1* team for young riders  at the CCI in Ocala. Mary Atkins Hunt also finished the season with a 1* qualification at Ocala. She also was 4th at the CIC at poplar with only a few time penalties to keep her out of first which she was tied for after dressage. Both pairs jumped clear in their first CCI *.

In the CIC 2** Sable Giesler had a great weekend to end in forth with what had to be the best show jump round of the day, after a lovely clear xc in her first 2**. I really look forward to the championships with this pair. Also Laramie Maxwell who made the trip out here from Yelm, Washington only a few weeks before the show finished 5th in her first 2**, not bad for a flying hippo! With any luck this will be a good starting point for her first run at the advanced level, at Chattahoochee. Before she heads back to her trainers John and Suzy Elliott, but I can’t talk about them as they have disappointed me with there careless decision in relocating to Washington 7 years ago. Living near me does seem to have that affect on people though.

As well at Ocala Mary Hollis Baird won a prelim division, and Casey Dannehower continued what she was doing at training by winning her prelim division, it’s kind of annoying really;)

I know I missed a lot of our clients at those three shows but I’m sure if I find the novel I wrote there will be notes in that.

On a side note I’ve decided to start a special feature blog, it is called “The Real Road To The Olympics”. Every 4 years there are articles written called the road to the Olympics covering the difficult final months of preparation to get to the competition. Really though this is exit ramp to the Olympics, and not much use for those who want to to develop top horses with that goal in mind. The timing for me is important as I have only young horses in the barn to develop, and I think most people can afford a horse like those I’m starting with. Now I’m fortunate to be starting with a few, some will be sold, (probably to raise funds for the remaining horses) some will not make it for many reasons, but I will try to show how long the road can be. Keeping in mind it is only 4 years away. There is always the possibility that a horse with more mileage will enter the barn but that is part of the journey. Right now there are a few horses that I will write about but understand they will all be long shots and we will have a better idea as the years progress. Also I am trying to put 2 more in the barn to make this a viable endeavor. I will be introducing the horses in the first installment and explaining the thoughts behind the plan.  I hope this will give the insight to what it takes to bring horses on to this level.

Living the dream

Kyle