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Showing posts with the label foxhunting

Wentworth Hunter Pace - June 6, 2021

After Margaret and I had such a fun time at the fall hunter pace, we opted to go again this spring! This time, while I rode Rejoice again, Margaret rode her horse Jester and had a friend ride Ladyhawke. All Kennebec Morgans!! Jester and Rejoice have the same dam and Jester and Lady share the same sire. Unfortunately instead of a lovely late spring day, we had one of the first intensely hot and humid days of the year. It was definitely a bummer, but the ride was mostly in the shade of the woods and we had a great time!  most of the fences were 3' coops but we found a small log and this hay to jump haha Until we didn't. 😑 We brought along a third friend who rode Margaret's older mare, Ladyhawke. She's a good rider but hasn't known Ladyhawke for very long and didn't realize how much of a cranky boss mare she could be at times. She kicked Jester right in the front leg just about halfway through the ride, and while the cut itself ended up not being a big deal in the...

Ellie's First Fox Hunt - November 18, 2020

Ellie finally became a foxhunter! She was such a star and thought it was the most exciting trail ride of her life haha. It included new horses to meet, hounds that looked like fun to meet,  three deer jumping into our path, going fast through the fields, and then getting to eat grass at the holds while wearing her bridle. She took it all in stride and with a maturity I wasn't sure would ever happen LOL! This was a perfect culmination of a year of growing up and learning how to work as a team. We had SO MUCH FUN! I hope to do a few more fox hunts this fall in 2021! before we headed out we are way in the back haha Ellie is on the far left!

Planning A Show Season and Setting Goals for 2017

Every year, I try to create a realistic yet challenging show season for myself and my horse.  I try to set goals that are attainable, fairly specific, and FUN!  I could show every weekend, but that is obviously not realistic (and truthfully, it's a lot of work , strain on my horse, and not as much fun to show after a while). With Dreamy, I had a weird urge to prove she could "do it all".  We did dressage, eventing, and fox hunting, as well as dabbled in the pleasure/hunter rings and attempted team penning a few times.  We even tried sidesaddle and won an NEHC pleasure class.  She won a lot of awards in a lot of different divisions and disciplines and gave me some of the most incredible horse experiences of my life.  We did things others probably never thought we would (maybe included) and I hope I helped show someone out there that a Standardbred really is a good choice in a horse if you put in the time.  And WOW, did I ever put in my share of blood...

Plans and Goals for 2016

Well, nothing like catching up your very outdated blog to the present time in just 22 posts! LOL!  Things have surely changed since 2013, and I have to say I could not be happier with the changes. Though had you told me three years ago that I would be where I am now, I would have NOT believed it at all!  But life has a funny way of working out and sometimes we need to go through bad times in order to get to the good stuff.  I was able to ride again six weeks after the little guy was born.  When I say ride, what I really mean is plod around the field trying not to fall off LOL!  My core muscles were pretty much non existent.    First ride post baby! Right now, not much is going on with the mares.  We had an unusually warm December which left us with lots of mud, and I was able to hop on and toddle around the yard and fields with them.  Then things froze up and left us with ice!  There is some snow, but the ice is making it tough to...

The Blessing of the Hounds

Wentworth Hunt 's formal season began on September 28, 2013 with  Blessing of the Hounds at  Yorkfield Farm.   It was an awesome hunt, great weather, and a fast pace!  Dreamy was a machine, going first field again and just loving it!  We even jumped a HUGE hedge which I'm told is 3'8".  Whoooo!  Wish I had a pic of that!

Tuckaway Farm Fox Hunt

September 21, 2013 was our first hunt of the year!  Dreamy was perfect, the weather was gorgeous, and we were asked to move up to first field (!!!!!!!!!!!).  The little Beginner Novice Standardbred can gallop and jump big fences!  The hunt clinic afterwards was very informative and the kennel tour was a very cool bonus.

RABT Farm Fox Hunt - our first year of hunting comes to a close

Dreamy and I finished up our first year of fox hunting at Rest and Be Thankful Farm in Lyman, ME on November 24.  Coincidentally, it is the same place we had our first hunt , so I thought that was pretty neat!  :-) Somehow we lucked out to have yet another gorgeous day for hunting!  I was still pretty sore from my fall just three days prior at the Die Hard hunt at Garrison House , but I was very determined to not allow a broken rib and sprained ankle slow me down!  LOL! Not a very flattering photo of either of us (I look like I gained twenty pounds - LOL - and Dreamy looks like she is crippled), but I wanted to show the VERY HUGE RED CHRISTMAS RIBBON in Dreamy's tail this time.  You know, just in case a rider couldn't SEE it.     We are WAAAY in the back of Second Field, where I happily put Miss Dreamy after her kicking incident at the Die Hard hunt. I was NOT coming off today! I'm not in this photo, but it is just lovely. I am so luc...

Garrison House Farm "Die Hard" Fox Hunt

Dreamy and I hunted again on November 21, 2012, the day before Thanksgiving.  The hunt was held at the beautiful Garrison House Farm in Durham, NH.  It is located just a few miles from where I went to college, at the University of New Hampshire, and while I had driven by the farm numerous times while a student there, I had never been until this hunt!  We were lucky that it was yet another gorgeous crisp fall day.  This hunt is the day before Thanksgiving and usually one of the last (if not THE last) hunts of the year, hence the name "Die Hard".  And as you will read, the name was more than appropriate... Warming up Waiting at the start, more walking around (we are on the left) One of the first runs!  Wheee!!!  Our "hunt photographer" Sarah rode behind me at this hunt and got lots of good pics of our bums!  LOL!  Love it!! I am very lucky that Dreamy is so good during our canter/gallops.  She listens well...