I had many great horsey experiences in 2019! I am really pleased with how the year went overall; nothing is ever perfect, but both horses are sound, happy, and healthy, which is really what matters to me. Some of my 2019 goals were met easily or with lots of hard work, and a few of them were utter fails haha. C'est la vie! Let's recap! Happy, health, sound Both mares are doing well in this regard! Dreamy will be 29 this year, and while she definitely shows signs of her age at times, she overall looks and acts much younger than she really is! Ellie has really matured this year, filling out as well as mentally becoming more comfortable in her own skin. As she will be eight this year, I feel like we have moved through the baby phase. having this photo shoot was definitely a highlight of 2019! Continue lessons with Beth and Babette This goal was met and then some! I took almost weekly dressage lessons with Beth and monthly jump lessons with Babette. Thanks to the
Ellie and I closed out our busy 2019 season with a dressage clinic with USDF Gold medalist Ashley Madison of Yellow Wood Dressage at Hidden Brook Farm (where I take lessons). Almost exactly a year ago, I rode with her for the first time; this year I was able to ride both weekend days thanks to my Morgan Dressage Association scholarship! Ashley had not seen Ellie in a year, so she was suitably impressed with the progress we have made. I really like being able to ride in a two-day clinic as it seems to help solidify what you learned the first day by being able to practice it again immediately (at least immediately in my mind as someone who takes weekly lessons haha). I was also lucky to ride in a later afternoon lesson on Saturday and then Ellie spent the night at HB Farm and I rode in the second lesson on Sunday morning. It was so much easier to only truck her up and back home once, plus Ellie LOVES being at HB Farm haha. Riding with Ashley helped me better understand our S