It’s almost show time! Read all about our plans for 2016, Lauren’s teaching weekend visits from Florida, some neat Sprieser Sporthorse swag, and all the latest news in our e-newsletter. Want to receive our scoop directly to your inbox? Click to subscribe!
Hey everyone. Long time, no see. I’ve been radio-silent for a few weeks because nothing all that compelling has happened in the last few weeks. I ride, I teach, I work out in some capacity, I go home, I go to the shows, I make teensy increments of improvement, I repeat.
But that doesn’t mean I’m not learning. It’s just that the wheels of progress were moving at a snail’s pace. A plateau at worst, a tiny smudge of an upward grade at best. And that’s how it goes, sometimes.
Read the rest at The Chronicle of the Horse!
Ella and I kicked off 2016 in the first CDI-W of the year. She felt absolutely amazing in the warm-up, so energetic and keen to my aids, the best I’ve ever had her. I feel great about the amount of fitness work we did in the fall—we even got an award for the fittest and healthiest horse, so it’s not just me that thinks she looks incredible!—and I feel frustrated that we didn’t do very well.
I’m still learning how to keep all the pieces together, and still learning what contact I need to show in the ring to make her look her best; and the sound system at Global needs some serious work, with the installation of a new VIP tent that makes riding in there like riding in a fishbowl, with bad echoing that made my freestyle a bit of a hot mess.
Read the rest at The Chronicle of the Horse!
As usual, we’ve arrived in Florida, and everything has gone a little sideways.
Everyone is fine, no calamities. But between a few Naughty Baby Squirrel moments and some rogue skin crud, it’s been a colorful week. My Young Rider student, Kristin, is here taking part in Robert Dover’s Horsemastership Week, and I’ve gotten to watch a little, as well as be in the presence of a large collection of teenage girls. It’s reminding me that a) I’m getting old, fast; but also b) kids have their own way of working through, and describing, their world.
Read the (hilarious) rest at The Chronicle of the Horse!
I came home from the National Finals and braced for impact. Two things happen to me every autumn: first, things slow down. People give their horses, and themselves, a break, and it means that I don’t teach as much; combine with the holidays, and my whole world hits the brakes.
It’s fun for a few days, but then I start to twitch, as idleness does not become me, but I’m so tired that it’s sort of frantic, directionless energy. And that’s usually when Thing Two happens: I get really, really sick.
But 2015 was different, for whatever reason. Things didn’t slow down. I got to teach some clinics in some incredibly cool places, and made wonderful new friends along the way. Thanks to an amazing client, I’ve got an opportunity to shop for a young horse for us to own together, so I travelled around meeting baby horses. And my clients kept riding, bolstered by a big group that are all in the Prix St. Georges 2016 Or Bust Club, as well as by unusually balmy Virginia winter weather.
Read the rest at The Chronicle of the Horse!
We love helping our clients find the perfect horse. We love selling wonderful horses to great people. And so when we can help a wonderful client find a fantastic horse right in our own barn, we’re thrilled beyond words! What a wonderful Christmas present to have Barbara and De L’Amout come together under our roof. Congratulations to Barbara, Dela and to seller Belle Gray Farm. It’s a pleasure working for all of you!
A collection of any of the number of things that get said while riding at my farm on any given day:
Dude. Dude. Dude. DUDE.
Listen: I’m sorry. I really am. But this is the hand you were dealt. This is how it’s going to be. The sooner you accept this, the sooner I put you back in your field and give you a cookie.
By all means, keep whining. But the only person making your life hard right now is you.
My right leg is not. coming. off. Get used to it.
GOOD BOY DANNY OMG you’re a GENIUS you’re a ROCKSTAR you’re going to the OLYMPICS oh whoops there it went.
You’ve lived here since 2007. Does the corner have to be scary every day?
Read the rest at The Chronicle of the Horse!
How we all come to find our trainers is a personal journey. Some folks get it right right off the bat, but more often than not, we’ve all kissed a few frogs along the way to finding our educational Prince (or Princess!) Charming, and we’ve also inevitably outgrown perfectly good programs and needed to seek out something, someone else.
I see lots of folks out there getting downright bad help, and I’m always struck by why anyone would tolerate trainers who tell them they’re stupid, or trainers who are awful riders, or trainers who are bad to their horses. But I also see lots of folks out there who don’t get enough help, and I wonder if it’s because they don’t know they need more help, or if they don’t know how to find more—or better quality–training.
When searching for a coach or trainer, here are some things I encourage folks to consider.
1. Has your coach done what you want to do? This seems like a no-brainer, but I can’t tell you how many riders I meet in clinics who are riding with people who haven’t competed at the level they themselves are striving to compete, or ever dealt with a horse or rider issue like the one their student is experiencing. Whether that’s youth riders with the NAJYRC working with trainers who’ve never shown the FEI levels, or adult amateurs working on bringing their horses up the levels working with coaches who’ve only ridden trained horses themselves, if your coach hasn’t done what you want to do, look elsewhere.
Read the rest on The Chronicle of The Horse!
The 2015 competition season has come to an end, and what an amazing year it’s been! For a breakdown of results from our last few shows, more information about winter training (including Lauren’s Winter Training Days), some year-end awards and all the Sprieser Sporthorse news fit to print, read our November newsletter. Click to read more, and subscribe!
Auditing is available at $40/day, with lunch provided. Come on out!
SATURDAY
9:15 Lisa Hellmer & Stratocaster, 9 yr Oldenburg Gelding, Intermediate I
10 Tiffany Catledge & Cherto, 8 yr KWPN Gelding, Third Level
10:45 Lauren Sprieser & Danny Ocean, 7 yr KWPN Gelding, Prix St. Georges
11:30 Lauren Sprieser & Ellegria, 14 yr Westfalen Mare, Grand Prix
12:15 Lunch
12:45 Kristin Hickey & Capital Call, 10 yr KWPN Gelding, Fourth Level
1:30 Heather Richards & Hastening Cardoon, 13 yr Welsh Cob/TB Gelding, Fourth Level
2:15 Kristin Hickey & Zarco, 5 yr KWPN Gelding, First Level
3 Lauren Sprieser & Dorian Gray, 7 yr KWPN Gelding, Fourth Level
3:45 Jean Loonam & Red Hot Chili Pepper, 9 yr Hanoverian Gelding, Second Level
4:30 Kristin Counterman & Three Times, 15 yr KWPN Gelding, Young Riders
SUNDAY
7:30 Lauren Sprieser & Dorian Gray, 7 yr KWPN Gelding, Fourth Level
8:15 Kristin Counterman & Three Times, 15 yr KWPN Gelding, Young Riders
9 Lauren Sprieser & Ellegria, 14 yr Westfalen Mare, Grand Prix
9:45 Jennifer Mutchler & Floete, 18 yr Hanoverian Mare, Prix St. Georges
10:30 Lauren Sprieser & Danny Ocean, 7 yr KWPN Gelding, Prix St. Georges
11:15 Tiffany Catledge & Cherto, 8 yr KWPN Gelding, Third Level
12 Lunch
12:30 Jean Loonam & Red Hot Chili Pepper, 9 yr Hanoverian Gelding, Second Level
1:15 Kristin Hickey & Capital Call, 10 yr KWPN Gelding, Fourth Level
2 Heather Richards & Hastening Cardoon, 13 yr Welsh Cob/TB Gelding, Fourth Level
2:45 Judy Sprieser & Stratocaster, 9 yr Oldenburg Gelding, Third Level