The long trip to Stuart Horse Trials

Long and hot it has been after 7 hours in the car thus far, and 2 more hours to go due to a traffic jam on the Mass Turnpike. Our entourage consists of 2 sweaty horses, 2 restless kids, 2 great bay farm riders, the "show mom" and 3 jack russell terriers of various shapes, sizes, and ages. It was a full house this trip, for sure.

The horses and riders have been working very hard and have had a couple of awesome weeks of training. Emily just got her first BRAND NEW cross country saddle along with a used dressage saddle! (Lucky girl!)

A slight shoeing mishap put a question on whether The Game Plan (aka Hershey) would make the trip, but he is on the trailer, feeling good, and we are keeping our fingers crossed that he will compete in his second Preliminary event this weekend.

If we can beat the heat expected this weekend, we hope for a great time and a great ride!

Clinic Comments by Emily

The clinic we had this weekend with Debbie Place at Ben Loch Farm was AMAZING! I think the biggest piece I learned from this clinic was that keeping my hands down and at the withers while riding into them helped me balance my horse and prepare for a more powerful jump. I enjoyed watching the other riders and reconnecting with my young rider friend Paige Garson. Thank you Paige & Cindy!!

Mom and Dad also got something from this clinic ... the confirmation that I need a new jumping saddle. Looks like we'll be doing some horse shopping before the next horse show, which is the Stuart Horse Trials.

Time to go shopping!

First Preliminary for The Game Plan

Groton House Farm - always a wonderfully hosted event and a great meeting place for Area 1 Eventers. From the complimentary coffee and donuts in the morning, to the wine, cheese, and buffet competitors parties in the evening, it is one of Great Bay Farm's favorite events!

Groton House I is know to be a good early season move up course for a Preliminary horse and proved to be true for The Game Plan (aka Hershey) this year. Hershey preformed well with a dressage score of 36 - only 3 points out of the lead. A clean cross country round and a few time faults moved him into second place.

The pressure was on for show jumping ... it was a technical course with a couple of roll-back turns and big square oxers. Hershey was great, but we still have a few kinks to work out at this level. A couple rails cost us the 2nd place, but we still came home with a ribbon.

GREAT SHOW HERSHEY!

GMHA

Second event of the season and the horses and riders of Great Bay Farm seem like they've been together for years! This weekend's show at GMHA was more about seeing and supporting our fellow riders than the ribbons. We were stabled with many friends from Maine, as well as 5 dogs and 2 non-riding children. It was a full house! And it was a strange weekend, in that several riders experienced technical penalties. While these kept us from the ribbons, everyone learned something new about the sport, themselves, and their horses. The horses - they never knew anything was wrong and performed like stars with clean cross country rounds and within time. The riders were able to be support of their friends and share their own past stories. One said they had forgotten to salute the judge, several had missed stadium jumps at one time or another, and another recalled how they had started out with the wrong dressage test. Although none of these are devastating, they remind us that it's not about the ribbons - it's the love of the sport that keeps us coming back for more. HAVE A GREAT RIDE!

Fun & Success for All!

The last 12 hours have been a blur! Up at 5:30 AM this morning to feed, then non-stop dressage, stadium jumping, and cross country for the horses & riders of Great Bay Farm. We are only miles from home now, but still reeling from the excitement of the day!

Emily & Billy's first outing together went GREAT! After getting past the nerves in dressage, they had a great round in stadium and a clear cross country to earn their first ribbon as a team. GREAT JOB EMILY & BILLY!

Susan & Hershey (The Game Plan) were fabulous finishing on their dressage score and bringing home a ribbon as well. NICE WORK!!

The trail mix is gone for now ... but keep your fingers crossed as we are waiting to see the acceptance list for our next show - GMHA in June. GMHA is one of our favorite events, as this 2 day horse trial format gives us a little time to watch and learn from other riders as well as visit eventing friends we haven't seen since last season.

SEE YOU AT THE START BOX!

King Oak or Bust

Show season has officially begun! Horses are bathed, show clothes are packed, and we're on our way to King Oak Horse Trials in Western Massachusetts - approximately 4 hours from the farm in Pownal, Maine. Emily's Mom even made the special "show time trail mix"!

So far so good - last year on the way to the King Oak Fall Horse Trials, we broke down just a few miles from the Maine border and were stuck on the side of the road with the horses for 3 hours. Thanks to fellow eventer friend Jean Detert for coming to our rescue and getting us to the show! We've long passed that notorious breakdown spot and we're ready to get to King Oak, unpack, walk the cross country course, and get a good rest.

The horses and riders have worked hard the last couple months to prepare and everyone is VERY excited. Now it's time to see if the hard work pays off! We begin with Dressage at 7:30 AM on Saturday and go non-stop until cross country is finished at 10:30 AM. This event is held all in one day, so wish us luck and look for the update which will be posted on our ride home.

HAVE A GOOD RIDE!