Wednesday, March 21, 2012

Leaving Aiken

After three months of glorious weather in Aiken, SC we are starting our journey back towards PA via Southern Pines, NC. We’ve had an awesome winter and all the horses have improved immensely. I’ve had a wonderful team of staff this year with Caitlin, Lindsey, Sarah, Emily and Erin: they have all been enthusiastic, hard working and have also made ground on their own riding careers.

One of the lessons I have taught the girls is saving money, and we had a personal finance exercise with saving on shavings at Southern Pines. We had some shavings left over in Aiken, and I had the bright idea of transporting them to Southern Pines instead of buying them at the event for $13/bag. This turned into one of the most difficult puzzles we have been faced with and prompted many creative ideas from our team. I’m proud to say our horses will be sleeping in luxury thanks to the complex challenge and intense, grueling labor involved in moving the bedding into the truck and the trailer.






I’d like to thank Ilene Boorman and Ron and Densey Juvonen for all of their support. Ilene’s facilities in Aiken are world class with the new cross-country course and jumping ring. Thanks to her wonderful property we saw Bettina Hoy, Lauren Hough and Mark Phillips training some of the best horses and riders found in America right at our winter training base.

Ron and Densey were also good enough to rent two apartments for Silva and me and our staff to live in. It was fantastic fun for all of us to live in style in the middle of town, right across the street from Tako Sushi, and we appreciate the wonderful opportunity to not only train out of a fantastic farm but to also live in luxury.

Stay tuned for updates from Southern Pines

-Boyd

Monday, March 19, 2012

Boyd's 2012 Clinic Calendar!

Clinic Calendar 2012:
Boyd will be doing a restricted clinic schedule for the 2012 season due to the Olympic selections.
He will be facilitating a series of clinics at Waredaca throughout the season.

WAREDACA EXPERT DAYS!
HERE IS YOUR CHANCE to improve your riding skills this year! Select one or all, and know you will be a better rider with a better horse after each Expert Session.

March 28th
May 16th
June 12th
September 5th
October 3rd

Please see Waredaca's website for details and registration forms!

Sunday, March 18, 2012

Hoku's Comeback

All Smiles and Looking Good at Pine Top 2012

Hats must go off to Caitlin and Hoku who had their first start since coming second at the Jersey Fresh CCI** in 2011! Poor Hoku had horrendous external burns covering a large portion to her body after being stuck in the Memorial Day barn fire at True Prospect Farm. The most unfortunate factor to her injuries was that the burns were all over her back, where the saddle goes (see photos below). It took months and months of patient waiting for this little mare to heal up so she could start back to work.




I must admire Caitlin's commitment, heart and no-quit attitude throughout the last 10 months. Most young riders would have given up, got overweight, turned into an alcoholic and got pregnant when faced with the challenges that Caitlin endured. She never had a day were her spirits were down, and always worked towards getting her mare back to the thing she loves best: eventing.

Hoku competed in the open training this weekend at Pine Top. After stellar dressage and show jumping, the joys and pleasure of going cross country took over Caitlin's emotions and she sailed straight past a corner on the course. The fairytale comeback event finished in a big TE!

Look out for Caitlin next weekend walking the intermediate course 10 times at Southern Pines...

Boyd

Friday, March 16, 2012

Team Training Sessions in Aiken and Neville's Celebrity

We had another successful training session this week, with all four of the four-star horses, Remi, Nev, Otis and Thomas getting to jump with Lauren Hough, and my up-and-coming two-star horse Crackerjack, (pictured above), owned by Lucy Boynton and Colin Davidson, also getting to take part this time. Capt. Phillips also helped us immensely with the dressage.

NBC sent a camera crew down to do some filming for a piece to air pre-Olympics, and Neville especially is getting used to the limelight with the cameras taking in everything from getting a bath to eating his dinner. So far Nev hasn't let this celebrity status go to his head too much and a good roll in the dirt followed by a wind sucking session are still key to his happiness.


Last night we had a BBQ at Bridle Creek to celebrate the birthdays of Head Groom Lindsey Taylor and Assistant rider Sara Gumbiner, and everyone had a great time. I can't say enough good things about these two young women and all that they do for the horses and to help me keep my business going. A very happy birthday to them both!

The birthday girls

-Boyd

Bridle Creek Farm is Available for Lease!

Our winter training season is quickly coming to an end, which means that we're going to be packing up & taking our convoy back to our new farm in Pa.  We've had another fabulous season down here at Ilene Boorman's Bridle Creek Farm (formerly Mohaph), and appreciate all the amazing improvements that she made for this season.


This year we enjoyed a  brand new jump field, large riding ring with excellent footing for flat work and the nearby cross-country schooling course, which featured tons of new jumps by Eric Bull! The barn is gorgeous and the spacious turn-out fields are second to none. The surrounding area has endless trails for hacking and fitness work, and we're right near Phillip Dutton's training facility.


We want to thank Ilene for all the improvements that she's made in order to provide us with a first class training facility.  Now it's time to spread the word that her facility is available for lease and for ship-ins for schooling!


Ilene has also been working away at launching her new website BridleCreekFarm.com, which will showcase the facility and events she plans to hold in the near future! Until then here is Detailed Information on Bridle Creek Farm:

Location:  
Bridle Creek Farm is located in the Bridle Creek equestrian community adjacent to Phillip and Evie Dutton’s winter training facility and USA assistant team veterinarian Kevin Keane’s farm.  The farm backs to miles of trails and is within a half-hour drive of numerous competitions and other equestrian facilities, providing unlimited opportunities to compete and train.

Stabling and Accommodations: 
Karl Splan designed the barn to create a stress free and safe environment for the horses and a layout to minimize stable management time.  There are nine twelve-by-twelve stalls which are solidly built with double walls between the stalls and grills for ventilation and visibility.  There is also a privacy barrier where the feed buckets are located to reduce tensions between neighbors at feeding times.  Each stall has dutch doors and is equipped with individually controlled overhead fans and automatic waters.  Buckets may be hung for those horses whose water in-take requires monitoring.  There is also a large tack room with washer and dryer, feed room, wash stall and a half bath on the main floor.  Upstairs is a two bedroom furnished apartment.
Laurie Fix Photography
Paddocks:  
There are fourteen four-board paddocks in immaculate repair all with electric on top.  Six paddocks have no common fence lines and all paddocks can be viewed from the barn and dressage ring so that horses can be monitored at all times.

Rings:  
There are two rings both constructed by Brian Reidmuller (Brinik Paving).  The dressage ring is 88’ by 220’ and has two and one-half inches of rubber and stone sand footing over a firmly compacted four-inch stone base. The ring is irrigated and dragged daily providing a surface which the equine athletes trust, encouraging better movement and more confidence while reducing the chance of an injury due to a miss-step.  For the rider, there is a full side of mirrors.
Laurie Fix Photography
The jump and dressage competition ring, added in 2011, is 140’ by 280’ and has two and a half inches of rubber and stone sand footing over a fully compacted six inch stone base.  This ring is also irrigated.  Despite its size, Brian Reidmuller’s ring building expertise has resulted in a ring that drains almost instantaneously providing excellent footing during all but the most severe downpours.

Jump and Schooling Field:  
This recently cleared field was hand raked and leveled to provide the perfect place to school on the flat or set up a grand prix jump course.
Cross Country Schooling Field:  
This ten acre area was designed from inception by XC jump designer Eric Bull with guidance from top international event rider Boyd Martin to present numerous cross country questions.  The land was prepared in painstaking detail being hand raked and leveled to provide the equine athlete with secure and predictable footing.  It introduces key elements for schooling cross-country, including a large water jump with a gradual entrance (for the novice horse and rider) to  banks and a mound which challenge the more advanced horse and rider combination.  There is also a sunken road with both banks and a mound, a huge two level bank complex, ditches and numerous cross-country fences.  Eric designed each feature to provide numerous lines for schooling unlimited questions. 

Facility Leasing:
The barn including eight stalls and eight paddocks and dressage and jump rings and furnished two bedroom apartment is available for lease from April 1st through December 31st. Rental prices include lawn and pasture maintenance, weekly ring maintenance and power washing the barn upon departure.  Preference is given to an individual or group leasing the farm for the nine month period but shorter rentals may be available.  Rates vary by the season and the length of the rental.  

Please contact Ilene at bridlecreekfarm@gmail.com or 202-457-7806 with questions about farm rental.



Silva's Clinic Season is Gearing Up!

Lesson/Clinic Series at Barbara Weinbrecht's, Earlville, Md.

Wednesday March 14th
Saturday March 31st

Check back for more dates & times throughout the season!!

Starting times: Weekdays, 1 p.m. & Weekends, 10 a.m.
Auditing is complimentary ; please bring a chair.
Location: 330 Sandy Bottom Road, Earleville, Md.
Cost: $115/45 minute session.
Please make checks payable to: Barbara Weinbrecht and mail to:
330 Sandy Bottom Road, Earleville, Md. 21919.


"This past Wednesday Silva conducted a clinic at my farm. As usual, we are always so glad to see her. It's been a loooooooong winter without her and my motto is "I cannot be left unsupervised". Silva is an incredible rider and teacher. She gives every rider her undivided attention and custom fits the lesson to their needs. We are so glad she is back with us and look forward to every time she is here to help us become better and better."
Barbara Weinbrecht


Contact Barbara Weinbrecht's

Monday, March 12, 2012

Freedom's Pride SOLD


Congratulations to Maryland Young Rider sensation Mary Fleming, who is the proud new owner of Freedom's Pride. 'Libby' has been in training with us for a few months thanks to Biz Carey, and she certainly was a pleasure to have around. We had three successful eventing starts down here in Aiken before the sale was completed late last week.

Good luck Mary with what looks to be a very exciting horse for the future!

Boyd