As you may already know if you are my “Friend” on Facebook, I was quick to start planning for our next event, which will be June 15th, and invited many colleagues as well as just friends who are local and whom I thought may enjoy seeing what we do. Everyone is welcome. While our planning and organizational skills left some room for improvement, the format of the event worked very well, and the horses really enjoyed dancing to the music and showing off.

We are looking forward to hosting the next Dressage Improv here, and hope that you can join us if you are available and close-by enough to attend. Here are some photos by Nancy Toby, a student of Julia’s who came out to watch. Enjoy! Charish

This is for our upcoming Dressage Improvs on May 25, and again on June 15th. We hope you will join us!

Cheers, Charish and Jen – Queen of The Spreadsheet (thanks Jen)

In part it is a “dress rehearsal” for the show season, which admittedly I am getting a late start on this year. Sea Lord and I are a new team, and we are not in a hurry. Here is a sneak peek of what you can look forward to seeing! Enjoy!

Where: Hundred Acre Wood, LLC

10716 Todd’s Corner Road

Easton, Maryland 21601

When: Friday, May 25, 2012 from 6-8 p.m.

FREE – Bring something to sit on

Also added to the competition schedule looks like Old Hope Starter Trials for Teresa and Julia, and a dressage schooling show in Salisbury at Misty Meadows for Mellie and Gilda.

Here is a link to the TIF’s Sporthorse page, where you will find Sea Lord and Frankie listed intermingled with some of the finest TB Sporthorses in recent times. Posted in memory of Vic Fel’Dotto racehorse breeder, rider and trainer. (1912-1993)

“Old horsemen never die, they just lose their git’ along.”

Big Bird and Tesla actually have very similar temperaments, they are freaky-smart, totally loyal, high drive – and ALL LEGS! Tesla may be the smartest puppy ever, he has totally settled in, and is “nailing it” with “inside”, “outside”, “sit”, “down” (as in no jumping, not as in a “down-stay”), and of course every puppy’s mantra – No Bites!! He even knows “go potty”! Trigger, Larry’s working yellow lab tries to bully him and boss him around but he really doesn’t put up with it. I am glad to see that he is not afraid of Trigger and her intimidation tactics, and have to acknowledge that this high drive dog has no fear.

Mellie is doing well in her work and she looks fantastic. I would love to get her out at the shows in June but think it is smarter to only focus on Big Bird mainly because of the expenses that go with competing. She is ready to go.

Duell is really stepping it up too, yesterday he had a flying change that was quick like BB’s changes, normally his changes are very smooth and easy to sit, he’s not one to “jump around”. After I get scores on BB at Inter-1, Duell will be next, though probably the girls (Mellie and Gilda) will get in front of the judge first because they are for sale, and Duell and I made our case at Inter-1 last year, despite all of the challenges.

It’s raining outside, the sky looks sleepy and on the heels of yesterday’s fab four rides, it’s hard to get motivated! Charish

Apologies to Teresa, this is about two months overdue.

This is our resident vet, her name is Dr. Teresa Martinoli. She originally hails from northern Florida, attended University of Florida, Gainesville where she logged many hours in the UF NICU, as well with Sport Horses, both before and during vet school. Before moving to the Eastern Shore to join VMC, she worked in a primarily Sport Horse practice in Baltimore & Harford Co. MD. Dr. Martinoli has been the Equine Specialist at our preferred local practice (since 1985 with my arabians and Bibo) for the past two years. Veterinary Medical Center (www.vmceaston.com)  is owned by Dr. Elizabeth (Didi) Callahan (also a breeder of top Sporthorses with her Cool Na Grena Farm – www.cngsporthorses.com ) and Dr. Dean Tyson, and treats most species of animals from guinea pigs to giraffes with everything in between.

Teresa moved in with her fabulous young warmblood, Emrys, and a full family of “critters” back in mid-March of this year. The “craptastic rancher” (as I usually refer to it) was way too small for our family of four, but plenty spacious for Teresa and her critters. They are very happy there. Our last two years in the rancher, we took up flooring and had a running list of things that needed repair. We knew that the work would be easier once we were out of it and into the new house, it’s not “craptastic” anymore, it’s actually really nice, clean and modest.

In the time that Teresa has been here, she has made herself available to me and the horses in our program whenever we need her, and she steps up in the barn covering feedings and night checks on a regular basis. I’m not sure how I would be able to attend the events on the weekends without her, actually. We are well equipped to handle lay-ups and rehabs under  Teresa’s watchful eye and the owner’s instructions.

I have to give Teresa “props” for her riding. She is a tough as they come eventer, and spent time last year at the top of the Adult Am. leaderboards at Training Level with her horse, Santiago. I might be eventing’s biggest fan to check back with the leaderboards as often as I do. Teresa’s experience in the tack and on the course gives her a rare edge as an Equine Vet. She has recently been certified to practice Chiropractic Adjustments on horses as well, so continues to be hungry to learn more – a girl after my own heart, to be sure.

Welcome aboard, Teresa – officially!

Over the next decade, we had 3 Talisman dobes – Katana, Aslan (her son), and Chaos (her daughter). Sadly Teresa came out to put Chaos down last April, the day before her 13th birthday (that’s very old for a dobe).

When you’re used to having an “armed escort” everywhere you go, it’s an absence you always feel. I wasn’t in a rush to replace Chaos, truly she was one of a kind. Last fall, Regan let me know that he was going to be breeding his female doberman, Indy – I had a good feeling about that. I asked him to reserve the second largest male for me. Indy’s breeding didn’t take the first time, but the second try, she whelped three gorgeous puppies in early March. Today is the day that Tesla arrives, on Larry’s birthday so we won’t forget our “anniversary”. Thank you to Regan and Conleth and of course Indy for this new blessing. We can’t wait to meet him (at midnight, in New Jersey….which is better than driving to Idaho!).

Happy Birthday to my dear husband, Larry, you are the best.

AncientWisdom2012May

I first started working with Regan and Carrie in about 1999, learning about bodywork or hands-on work for the horses, but training on people (other seminar participants) for the feedback of what works and what really doesn’t work. I remember the first time I met Regan, I needed help with Phantom and Bailey, they weren’t right, and our vets were very dismal about their future careers. At the time, I knew that just was not good enough for either of them, so I kept searching for answers.

Over the years, I’ve devoted more hours and miles than I care to add together practicing “the work” and continuing my education, expanding my skills.  It’s funny because for all the intense work, to watch me work on the horses it doesn’t really look like I’m doing anything. I get excited over licking and chewing, deep breaths and horses yawning. One of my clients recently asked me if I could give their horse “a poke and a stretch” if I had time. While there is alot more to it than that, I admit that’s probably a good description of what it looks like. It is subtle. But, the proof is in the pudding. I consider that this work I have learned from and shared with Regan and Jeffra, et al., is the cutting edge offering of my program, and the awareness that accompanies the work makes me a better trainer and rider. I am very grateful to have had the opportunity to work with all of these people over the years, and to still consider them my friends above all else. Cheers, catch Regan’s one day seminar in Gettysburg next Saturday, May 19th. I was hoping to go but will not be missing Frankie’s Prelim at Fair Hill HT, or Chris Talley and his Comanche’s very first Prelim.

From The Ryan Show, to The HAW Apprentice Show, to “UNSTOPPABLE” on the youtube channel. Enjoy Emily singing her heart out.

And she cleans stalls, tack, feeds, turns in-out, and is one heck of a young rider/trainer. I normally keep my kids and family out of the blog, but this was a fantastic performance by Em that deserves to be shared with all of our friends! Enjoy. Charish