Open for Submissions!

Well, I've just realized that I have been unable to go to several Scotsgrove events and the Whinny needs you to help fill us in!

If you'd like to share your horse experiences with Scotsgrove, please do! Email Gwen at scotsgrove@gmail.com to submit your article and any accompanying pictures to get on the Whinny page.
Currently we'd love a write up about the Blockhouse Steeple Chase and the Rolex events. Of course we're open to as many different views as possible- so more than one person is welcome to cover their shared experiences!

~Gwen

Clinic with Jeanne Ahrenholz

 (photo by AK McMillan)

The clinic on April 3rd was a resounding success! We had a mixture of levels sign up and were full before we could even put pen to paper.

First up was Ash on her horse Mystical. Ash is one of the 1st generation of Scotsgrove riders. She is very involved raising her first child, but still remains connected to Scotsgrove. Leslie is the one who actually found Mystical for Ash and brought them together. Now you can't separate them- they are perfect for each other. It was so fun to watch them do some advanced level stuff. They looked very put together. Jeanne had some great advice for them as well because as we all know- you never stop learning.

Next was Patti on Teddy. Teddy also came from Scotsgrove, but found a forever home with Patti, who is one of our lady riders and suffers from a leg/foot injury. She uses riding as therapy. Jeanne just recently got over her own leg injury, so she had some useful information to pass on.

Next up was Abby on Wager. Wager used to be at Scotsgrove as a boarder, but has now moved down the road. He's still pretty green when it comes to dressage work, but Jeanne instantly saw that his poll down through his shoulders were super stiff. She got to work on putting them through some stretching motions (S-curves and snaking all down the long walls). Also Wager is going to learn pony stretches!

Next was Emi on Pan. Now, it is pretty common to see Emi and Pan cavort through their rides. They both love to GO. So it blew us all away when they both devoted themselves wholeheartedly to the workshop. Everyone was impressed to see Pan concentrating! Of course, Jeanne worked them hard and gave them lots of food for thought.

Then came Sidney on Lucky. Lucky is an older gentleman who doesn't know a lot about dressage, which means he's set in his ways. It took a lot to keep him going and on track, but Jeanne threw in a lot of change of reins and S-curves to keep him concentrating. I think they both came away with a lot to work on.

Last came Anna on Dimples. Unfortunately, I had to leave early so I did not get to watch everything unfold with Dimples, but I hope Anna learned a lot.

Overall, I think it was a great experience. I learned a lot just by watching. Of course, from the photos on the website, you can see Leslie and Lindsey in the sand taking notes soaking up the information as well.

Special thanks go to Jeanne Ahrenholz for coming down and giving us her time and knowledge, especially since she does not usually teach. Her concentration in upper level dressage is far above us and we're very grateful to have a chance to learn from her. Her main expertise is now saddle fitting and she has already improved Leslie's and Lindsey's saddles. We highly recommend her.

Green Creek Hunter Pace

(photo by Donna Odom)

It's been a while since the Green Creek hunter pace on the 21st of March. It was an interesting pace with some negative mixed in with the positive.

The Scotsgrove trailer left the barn at 9am with a full load of 6 and the Kuntz's double trailer following. Lucky, Flame, Tricks, Pan, Folly, and (squeezing in) Spirit completed the Scotsgrove trailer, while Bill rode with Teddy in the Kunz's trailer. We met up with the Odom's (riding Gypsy and Leah) at Green Creek. It was a large Scotsgrove group to say the least!

We split into smaller groups once out on the trail. Leslie on Tricks led Teddy and Spirit, Flame and Bill rode at the head of the group, Lucky and Pan rode together, and one of our newer riders rode Folly with the Odoms.

Then things got a bit exciting! Teddy started to feel like a real Thoroughbred racehorse once he got out on the trail which gave his rider a bit too much to handle. Leslie had to make up a temporary lead with her stirrup! Next Lucky and Pan moved up to pass Flame and Bill. Well. That was NOT what Flame had in mind. He pitched a big fit. He bucked, he kicked (and hit Bill), and he powered his way through his bit. (And I have this from first hand experience, unfortunately.) Luckily, Pan and Lucky agreed to stay with Flame and Bill until the half-way point where I would gracefully bow out of the second half to give the rest a fun time.

Once at the half-way point (where Flame continued to be awful) I met the very nice ladies there who called for a trailer to come pick Flame and me up. Dr. Eastman and his assistant came to my rescue and trailered Flame and me back to the starting point to meet up with the rest just as they came in from the pace.

While my adventure turned out to not be as rewarding as I would have liked, I did learn that the rest of the Scotsgrove group had a great time. Teddy even jumped small jumps while being led by a stirrup leather! We also timed everything just right so that the predicted rain started to really fall just as we got everyone into the trailers again.

Of course, the grilled hot dog lunch and the dessert tent (yes- a whole tent devoted to desserts) were amazingly good after our adventures. We piled into the trucks and ate our lunch as the rain came down in torrents! It was a good way to end the day.

~Gwen

FENCE

A taste of what's to come on the website:

(photo by AK McMillan)

FENCE was an awesome experience. It's so amazing to watch our riders in action. Thanks so much to everyone who came out to support Scotsgrove! Remember: email any photos to scotsgrove@gmail.com to get stuff on the website or on the blog. ^.^

Our riders all did exceptionally well. The dressage tests were flown through! Sabine rode Skittles first in the (I believe?) Hopeful (or Beginner's Hopeful?) test and managed to keep the big red steam engine from getting too excited with the canter work! Katie rode Bill smoothly through their dressage test. It's amazing to see how far she's come with Bill! Caitlyn rode Skit and managed to not even flinch when music came BLARING through the loud speakers in the middle of her test. She came out placing FOURTH in her division after the dressage tests! Last was Sidney riding Lucky for their first away game, which went very well for being a first time for them both! No bolting, no running away, and no jumping out of the ring!

Next was jumping! Unfortunately Skit came up lame within the first minutes of jumping and was disqualified for both Sabine and Caitlyn. It was a very unhappy turn of events, but luckily it is believed to be just a stone bruise and nothing too serious. Katie and Bill had an interesting beginning with Bill leaving the arena after the first jump, which is situated right in front of the entrance/exit. Luckily they were able to come back because the jumps for the whole class were not correct. Leslie stood guard at the exit and Katie rode Bill through the first half of the jumping course with ease. Sadly there was a second jump facing the exit and Bill rode off course and was disqualified. But Katie gets many kudos for riding through Bill's issues! Last was Sidney and Lucky, our only pair remaining in the competition. The course started off a bit rocky with a dramatic refusal at the second jump, but Sidney stayed on and through the rest of the course they popped over every jump quietly, if a bit slowly from a walk/slow trot.

We were also able to watch Olympic gold medalist Beth Perkins ride two higher level dressage tests. I believe Ms. Perkins' mother was Leslie's first riding teacher. It was amazing to watch.

All in all, FENCE ended on a high note, despite the low notes in the middle. 

Thanks again to everyone who could make it out! 

~Gwen

Check out Leah!

(Photo provided by Donna Odom)

Leah was in a pageant and won Miss Photogenic! She won a $250.00 photo shoot and this is one of the pictures. Congratulations Leah!

~Gwen and the Barn Family

Thoughts of warmer weather...

(photo by Emi McGee)

With this past Sunday's glorious weather, I have been thinking of summer and the resent development of summer camps reluctantly being canceled.

While I have no wish to push Leslie into doing more than she can handle I have brought up "summer activity days" and met with encouragement on her part! Thus, I have begun to brain storm what exactly can be done during summer with Leslie's approval.

Here is a list so far:

• Tie-Dye Days
• Pool Days
• Trail Ride Days
• Clinics with other instructors! (pending getting them to come out)
• Camp Outs in the woods (s'mores!)
• Nature walks
• Birding (pending Leslie's and Bob's approval)
• A Scotsgrove Thespian Play? (if there is enough interest?)

Any other ideas?
Of course we would need volunteers/chaperons/enough interest to get these off the ground, but I say let's make the best of summer!

Wishing the weather was warmer already!
~Gwen

Happy Chinese New Year!

Our barn in the first snow storm of the year. Photo by CarolAnna McCarter.

And with the new year (2010 and Year of the Tiger) we bring a big update to ScotsgroveStables.com: The Whinny page and subsequent blog!

This is a brand new feature, so leave your suggestions and feedback in the comments and we'll do what we can to make ScotsgroveStables.com a better place!

Anything you want put up on the blog? Email scotsgrove@gmail.com and we'll make it happen!

I hope to eventually leave the news updates to Leslie, but for now I'll be monitoring the blog. ~Gwen