Christmas 2014

"We are all the same dead grass color..."

Merry Christmas from myself, Ruby, Dan, and Bailey!

Thanks to Erin for the pictures! They turned out awesome!

Visiting My Hometown

"I know, it's been almost a year since you rode him last!"

Since I came to visit family and friends this week, I figured that included the four-legged kind as well! Connie was nice enough to let me hop on Sully.

I had a little bit of trouble at first- the only horse I have been able to ride since I moved was, well, Ruby. Sully is massive compared to her, and going from little pony strides to big horse power trot is was a bit of a challenge. Ruby has no bounce to her, so I am a tad shocked I didn't somehow post myself right off Sully's back. His canter motion was also different, and it took a few laps around before I figured out/remembered his rhythm.

When it came to jumping, I was even less prepared. Instead of my little pony hunter jumps, I got massive movement with Sully. I stayed with him pretty well coming up to and over the jump, but the landing was definitely different- it's as if all of his weight and force comes crashing down. If I didn't know where the ground was before, I did now! It bounced me a little bit and I started snapping up out of two-point too quickly, but hey. It's been a long time since I've felt anything other than Ruby.

Connie also has a new, super adorable ottb named Lady. For whatever reason, I have always seemed to do better with the mares, so I was pretty excited to be able to try her out! What a nice horse! Super balanced (especially for a greenie/baby) and she floated around the ring. I could sit that trot all day! Lady is definitely going to have to be a hunter horse. Ignore my goofiness in the photo- I was explaining to Connie how Lady felt like a priss; I talk with my hands.

Had fun riding. It is nice to know then even as rusty as I am with riding other horses, I can still get by on them.

Thanks to Dan for coming out to take pictures!

Loops and Turns

"Look where you are going!"

This week was another super star pony week! Debi had us do something similar to last week's lesson: grid and a course. The theme of this lesson seemed to be "Loops."

We started with the line as we did before: poles, raised the first jump, raised the second jump, raised the last jump. As we progressed, Debi raised the last jump in the gymnastic line, just to see how ruby would handle it.

This is the final course we did for the day- and it was tough! Up 1 going north, loop and lead change going down to 2, to 3, lead change and loop to 4, lead and direction change through 7 and 8 to get to 5 on a diagonal jump, follow around to 6,7,8 one stride line, lead and direction change to 9 and follow the south curve to 10.

Ruby has gotten pretty good with her lead changes- if she has issues, it is usually that she swaps in the front and lags in the back. You should be 'resetting' your horse (slowing down and getting the pace controlled) after each jump, but it is even more important when this happens- slow down to let the back end 'catch up.'

Here is a photo down (most) of the line: I believe that is the first of the three jumps, going in the opposite direction as in the course above.

For Ruby, I really have to get her going strong at the first jump. If we do not have enough power, she will do this awful chip stride and manage to cram 2 strides into the 1 stride- not fun! When this happens, I tend to get up her neck and it really is not pretty.

The photo above is my favorite from the lesson. Go pony go! To the right is the last jump in the grid, going the same way as the course above. As I mentioned, Debi kept raising this one up as we went along. Maybe 2'9" ish? It is always hard for me to tell. Remember that Ruby is only 14.2hh; she looks like a horse when she jumps and sucks in her pony belly!



Special thanks to Erin McMahon for coming all the way out to the other side of town to snap these shots for me!!!

Super Star Pony!

"I think this is the best lesson y'all have had."

Yup. Pony was a super star today! I have been working on dealing with my riding anxiety (control freak here) and telling my self to just get out of Ruby's way and deal with whatever happens. Seems all of the practice has finally started to pay off.

We started the lesson with the gymnastic line (trot in, canter out) with just the first jump up and the others left as poles. These were one strides. The first time through was a bit awkward (it usually is), but Debi tightened the stride for Miss Pony, and we went through super well (with me adding some leg). We continued going through until all three jumps were raised.

Debi had me do a few variations of the course, and we singled out a few elements at a time to practice. If you look at diagram B, there is a non-numbered jump between 4 and 5- not gonna lie, that jump stumped me. Ruby was a champ, and let me goof up a few times before I finally figured out the approach. The bending line from 7 to 8 was also a little interesting at first...I don't think I have had to do a bending line since I rode with Connie!

Diagram A is the course we started with; B is the course we finished with. Course A was absolutely excellent if I say so myself! For B, we had one run-out at jump 4: I came out of jump 1 with way too much speed and instead of paying attention to lining up my next jump, I was half-halting my ass off. We came to 2 a bit too far to the left- I felt her wiggle at 3 and was able to correct but she darted left at me on 4. Totally my fault; I am actually surprised we even made it over 3! Second time around was MUCH better.

Very proud of Ruby today. I am hoping we are back on the path to trusting each other again :)

Saddle Fit: Dry Spots?

"This looks like an ink spot test..."

In February 2013, I became the proud owner of a custom Hastilow Concept H/J saddle (more info on how I made this decision in my Quest for a Saddle post). I was thrilled- great saddle, made to my (and ruby's) measurements, great support, comfortable, lifetime warranty, and adjustable. I thought for sure my saddle fit struggles were finally over.

Unfortunately, I have come to the conclusion that there is no such thing as a 'perfect fitted' saddle. Your horse's body can change due to a number of variables: health, physical fitness, age, etc.

When I bought my saddle, it came with two tree bars- a medium-wide, and a wide- in theory, to compensate for her usual weight loss changes throughout the year. I started noticing a few changes in the saddle fit a few weeks ago (it felt like I was tipping forward and the saddle was pinching at her shoulder).

According to old school fitters, one of the most obvious saddle fitting concerns are dry spots. You can clearly see that there is an area behind her shoulder where there is no sweat. There are some mixed reviews about this online:

Although my first reaction was that the saddle was not touching her, it is actually the opposite case. Dry spots occur because the saddle is pinching to the point that the blood flow is restricted, causing lack of sweat in those areas. However, I was told this this is the case only if dry spots are less than the size of a coin. The dry spots you see here are actually considered good, as it means that the saddle is not rubbing.

Information about dry spots and general saddle fitting tips can be found at The Saddle Fitter. I have spoken with Cordia in the past and she has always been very polite and helpful when I have had questions. Another perspective I have seen can be found at Jochen Schleese's page.

My next thought dealt with the saddle sliding. Interestingly, the pads stayed where they were supposed to be, but the girth and saddle moved up her wither. Ideally, your saddle should sit an inch or two behind the shoulder blade. For ponies or horses that have wide/broad shoulders, this can be a challenge. I tried adding my ThinLine pad to see if it would grip a little better, but it did not seem to make a difference.

 Although I have been told that no slip pads and anatomic girths can help with the sliding, I would like to get the saddle fitting properly first to try to fix the issue. I have learned that the horse word is full of gimmicks/marketing ploys, so before I jump on the bandwagon, I will start with the saddle.

You can see in the next two pictures that the saddle is a little bit too narrow. It seems to fit pretty well on her shoulder, and I did not notice any bridging, but that gap is a bit too much. Most fitters recommend 2-3 finger-widths of space- I do have small hands, but I can pretty much stick the entire thing in there (photo below). When I have the girth cinched and am in the saddle, the saddle gets pressed down until the gap is lessened, but I can feel by sliding my hand down that is it really tight.

I have contacted Hastilow and ordered another bar up (extra wide); I will be out this evening to switch the old one out and see if there is a noticeable difference. I am fairly certain that widening the tree will then cause the saddle balance to shift forward, so I would not be surprised if I need some flocking changes.

Either way, I have the name of a recommended saddle fitter in my area (thanks Tammy!) and will have her come out to check and validate (or not!) my thoughts. Sometimes it is best to just step aside and let the professionals handle it :)

Once I get the fitter out, I will update this post to include her observations and solutions! Hopefully we can get this resolved soon- a comfortable pony is a happy pony.






Update: January 7, 2014
Finally had the saddle fitter come out (I wanted to coordinate with other boarders to split the farm call). Putting in the extra wide (orange) bar turned out to be the right decision (yay me!). Some flocking was removed near the center of the saddle as well: the fitter thought that my saddle might be riding up Ruby's withers because it was rocking. I will have to ride in it a few times and see if there is any difference, but I am hopeful for good results.

For others in my area who might be interested, the fitter I used was Embrace Saddle Fit. The farm visit, fitting, and flocking came out to be $120.

Show Manners

"Seriously, she almost ran me over!"

Going to a horse show is stressful enough without having to deal with riders who seem to not know basic show etiquette. Although I have had mostly positive experiences in the show ring, a fellow barn mate had a rough show class due to a breach in etiquette.

So here are a few quick bits to keep in mind next time you are in a jam-packed show setting (schooling ring or competition ring):

1. Pass on the left: this is one of the first rules I learned riding in a lesson program. My trainer always said "pass like you are going to shake left hands." If this is confusing, think of it just like driving a car (in the USA)- stay on the right.
2. If you are moving more slowly than others in the ring, walk on the inside.
3. Keep a safe distance away from other riders- if you are coming up from behind and get too close, either circle or cut through the center of the ring and pass on the inside. If you are passing close on the inside, alert the rider in front of you that you are coming up behind them.
4. Riders who are jumping have right of way- if you are working on the flat, try to stay out of the way when another rider is practicing a jump course.
5. If multiple riders are jumping, call out where you are going to give everyone else a heads up!
6. Do not stop on the rail.
7. If your horse starts to act up, move out of the way and get reorganized.
8. When entering the ring, let others know you are coming in.
9. Know the rules for your discipline- a lot of these are 'unspoken' courtesies, but some shows will have a set list. Just be aware of what the show expectations look like so you don't inadvertently upset another rider.

Horse tail ribbons: some shows will allow or even encourage riders to make certain designations by using colored ribbon in the horse's tail.

1. Red: Horse kicks
2. Yellow (some riders use Blue as well): The horse is a stallion
3. Green: Horse is green or young
4. White: Horse is for sale
5. Pink: Mare in heat

The second part of show etiquette must be followed by spectators. I have been to a horse show with Ruby where an exuberant show mom was screaming and rattling a cow bell during the class...a COW BELL! Ruby spooked, as did a few of the other horses in this pleasure class. Rude much?

1. Be aware of what you are doing: let's face it- horses can act pretty stupid sometimes. Follow common sense- do not (bring a freakin' cow bell), open an umbrella, swing your jacket around, whatever when standing outside the ring and watching the classes. If you have children there, make sure they know how to behave (I have had kids throw rocks in the ring while I was showing!). Come on people!
2. Watch what you say: another 'we don't admit it but it is true' fact: Horse people love to bash their competition. Grow up, show some sportsmanship, and bitch later. Yes, there are some riders showing who have no business being on the horse, or trainers with bad reputations showing up to shows. Get over it. How would you feel if you were about to get in the ring and you heard someone snicker or say something hurtful? The only person you should be worried about, is you. Plus, you never know who can hear you...one nasty comment can ruin your own reputation.
3. Don't talk to the judge when there is a class in the ring. Wow, I have had Mr. Narcissism come to the judge, flirt with her, and distract her during a hunter class...judge was not paying ANY attention to the rider. The rider fell, got back on her horse, finished the course, and placed FIRST because the judge did not notice her fall! I know Hunter shows are all about politics, but seriously. Get off your high horse (ha ha.)
4. The reason #3 sucks- don't argue with the judge. This is considered a faux pas, whether you agree with the judge or not.
5. Stay seated until the class has finished. Most people ignore this one and move about freely, but keep in mind that you moving about and stomping around the bleachers is super distracting.

**THANK YOU to Erin for helping me out with these lists :)**

Getting Fit for Riding

"Have you heard of Pilates for horseback riders?"

Just like any other sport, just going to practice works fine but may not be the most efficient way to get in the best competitive shape. Take swimming, for example: I was a competitive swimmer for 12 years with the recreational team in my neighborhood (JRAC). Sure, we had swim practice twice per day during the week, but we also had 'land training'- squats, sit-ups, push-ups, star jumps, suicides, whatever. Why? Because being 'fit' is the best way to get better at your sport- and riding is no exception.

If you are a causal riding student (as I was most of my life), you are probably only riding about 1-2 times per week. Although any exercise is better than none, you don't really get a whole lot accomplished riding once a week. So what are some ways to strengthen when you can't ride?

Horse Channel has a decent article.

If you don't mind working out at home, I recommended checking out Rider Fitness: Body and Brain. It's a little goofy, but gives some good explanations of what muscles you should be working and how they will improve your riding.

Also check out Pilates for Riders -I have never done Pilates before, but this seems to be the new 'thing' to do according to the ladies at my barn.

For those of you who are also in my area, the TVDCTA has a Pilates instructor who is also a horseback rider- who better to learn from than someone putting these exercises into practice?

I for one can attest to how difficult it can be to get motivated to work out, but my riding is getting noticeably better as I get more fit- I have been doing some exercises recommended by a friend (thanks Erin!), running (new to running? check out the "Couch-to-5k" app on your phone), and am trying to get myself back into swimming.

Debi is a trail marathoner and she seems to have a few students who run with her to stay fit- I saw on Facebook that "a 12 mile jog" was no biggie for them...I joked that "if you add a dot in the middle, I would go..." I do have to say that those girls are better riders than I. Is it the running? or are they just riding more? There is no way to tell, but I sure hope to drag my ass to a 5k by the end of August to get started! Maybe I will find out :)

Ask a Friend to Ride or Not?

'is there anyone here who COULD handle pony?"

Greetings from Sunset Beach, NC! One of the hardest parts of vacationing is leaving the pets behind (Thank you Erin for watching my cat and lizard this week)!

When should you decide to ask a friend to ride your horse while you are away? In my particular experience- never. At one point I was working on site for a project for 3 months...when I came home to ride my horse after having asked 3 other girls to exercise her for me, she was a complete train wreck. It seems someone did not know how to ride her and she got to the point where she was refusing trot poles...TROT POLES?! I know have some serious reservations about letting others get on her especially when I am not there to supervise...

For those with horses who aren't quite as complicated, all I can suggest is this: find someone you really trust and who knows your horse before you ask them to hop on unattended. I encourage you to watch your friend ride a few times to make sure things are going smoothly. Make a list of things you want them to work on with your horse, and make sure they know the limits (i.e., no jumping above X height or Y spread). I tend to be on the controlling side, so I would ask 'how did the ride go' to get some feedback. In cases where I have been asked to ride someone's horse (or even show), I followed up and let the owner know how the ride went- it is just polite.


Since I will only be gone for a week, it did not make sense for me to bother with the situation. For longer periods of time, you will have to think about if the risk is worth it! Remember though, sometimes a short break can be good for your horse :)

Can't wait to see my pony when I get home!

Dressage: Because Gibberish is Cool

"make a circle at x"

Let me make something very clear: I have been riding for close to 10 years now- sure, I have seen dressage letters in the ring or out at a show, but I did not spend any time at all actually looking at them. I was the perfect hunter snob... why would I care?

So, naturally, when Debi asked me to make a circle at x, I had absolutely no clue where that was (and I decided not to wear my glasses to the lesson- they always steam up!), which meant I was wandering around the ring squinting like an idiot trying to see if I could spot the x before she realized I had no clue what I was doing. Unfortunately, the x is not one of the nice big letters that I might have been able to see- it was a small smudge underneath another letter (okay, seriously? How is anyone supposed to be able to see that, especially when trotting around the ring?)

From USDF:



















This led to a discussion about the letters- which are arranged in no apparent order...in my mind. Might as well try memorizing jibberish! There are a few theories that speculate as to why the letters are the way they are now. The most common belief is that they are arranged based on Imperial German court, where the stable yard was marked to indicate where a rider's horse was to stand to wait for the rider. The letters would then be as follows:

A = Ausgang /Exit
K = Kaiser/King
F = Furst/Prince
P = Pferdknecht/Ostler
V = Vassal
E = Edeling/Ehrengast/Guest of Honour
B = Bannertrager/Standard Bearer
S = Schzkanzler/Chancellor of Exchequer
R = Ritter/Knight
M = Meier/Steward
H = Hofsmarshall/Lord Chancellor

In the 1932 the Olympic committee added: D, L, X, I, G, and C. The only research I could find in regards to these letters suggested that they came from French terms, where:
X = cross or center
G = gauche (left)
D = droit (right)

I found nothing on L, I, and C...


A second theory suggests that the original letters represented the first cities conquered by the Roman empire. However, no one bothers to state what these cities were called. Upon a quick Google search of "early Roman conquests," I discovered that early Romans did not keep a written history, and much of what was written in later years was mixed in with fables and myths (even the name of Rome's founder, Romulus, is fantastical). Furthermore, my research suggests that Rome's first conquests were the Etruscan towns, named Arretium, Casira, Clevsin, Curtun, Perusna, Pupluna, Veii, Tarchna, Vetluna, Volterra, Velzna, and Velch...no correlation there.

There are other theories with German origins, but I found them to be inconclusive and not particularly interesting. It seems to me that it all comes down to tradition, although I would have liked to know for sure why things are the way they are.

Getting in Frame

"Nope, that won't work"

The hardest part about riding with someone new is that you have to rebuild that trust and relationship not just between you and the trainer but between your horse and the trainer. 

And then, of course, there is me set in my ways who was being introduced to things that I had never done before. 

I have always been against 'tools' (spurs, draw reins, side reins, chains, etc.) not because I am against those tools in general, but because I knew I was not an experienced enough rider to be using tools that could easily become shortcuts. More than that, Ruby has a personality such that I know she will freak out when put in a position when she feels 'trapped' (i.e. side reins are a hard pass). 

So, what seems to have worked for us (in our dressage newness without those tools) is to get her moving forward off the leg, keep contact, and encourage her to drop her head and bring her nose in (by 'in' I mean 'tucked in') by using the outside rein. However, she gets tight and will resist on her right side, so going left (counter-clockwise), I have to use my inside rein as well so she doesn't end up bracing. Technically, I think you are 'supposed' to ask using the outside rein only, but for now any positive response to the pressure is good, so we will work out the kinks later.

I have a tendency to lock up on her, so I will check myself by giving on the inside. Unfortunately, I do this by "dropping my hand" which you really should not do -keep those hands up and elbows bent!, but hey, I am focusing on her more than me at the moment. Remember to take and release- the goal is the have the horse carry his/her head this way without yanking or bracing. If your horse resists and throws his/her head up, correct it! That is rude and should not be tolerated: keep your hands still and do not give if your horse tries that. On the other hand, if your horse gets frustrated/upset in the early stages, relax and let him/her know that they have a place to go.

 

The opposite side of head throwing is curling- it is hard to see from this angle, but Ruby is actually giving me too much tuck here. In this case, release and reset your aids.

It is especially important in the early stages not to expect too much. Get a few strides then relax. As both of you get more comfortable, expand the number of steps until you can keep it regularly.

Also keep in mind that (in my experience) these training techniques are not the law: work with your trainer and horse to figure out what your particular horse responds best to. Some trainers will scream and tell you there is only one way- leave and find one that understands that cookie-cutter does not work. If nothing else, Ruby has certainly taught me that!

Homesick

"How many times can we start over?"

After any setback (time off, injury, or my case 'major change'), getting the motivation to get back on your horse knowing where you were before, can be a challenge.

I did have a mini Ruby-meltdown last night. Why? Well, let's look at our riding history:

Purchased Ruby and rode with same team for years- gained lots of confidence and jumped little courses no problem. Barn goes out of business= new management and uncertain future. Moved Ruby away from the horses and riders with whom we had grown together. Meltdown. Couldn't do anything, and found owner's son throwing WolfPack fireworks at my horse. Went back to previous barn (which had survived management change). Met Connie. Started over with training, and got to jumping 3' 3'3" courses after about a year- Ruby and I jumped everything from picnic benches, chairs, mounting block, tires, everything! Barn went under, so we moved. Meltdown. Started over (again). I left for VA Beach for work for 3 months and had other riders ride Ruby for me...came home and she refused EVERYTHING- cross rails, trot poles= our confidence was crushed (either Ruby was holding some major grudge or my riders asked her to do something she didn't want to/couldn't do). Moved barns again to get a fresh start. That barn closed shorty after our move (Jesus!) so we moved to be with CJ. Stared over (we're pretty good at this now). After about 6 moths, we were back to jumping 2'-2'3" with minor confidence issues (all on my end), but no more refusals. Moved 700 miles away, and now...

New trainer, new barn, new climate, new everything. I gave Ruby 2 months off to adjust (for both of us) to the move -my second ride on her since was last night. It has been hard, because I know I will have to start over again to build us both back up. After so many hurdles (pun not intended), sometimes I feel like we just can't win. Finding Heldergate (with CJ and Olivia), Connie, and Harry was the best thing that had happened to Ruby and I. CJ and Connie weren't just trainers- they were friends. I could show up to a lesson with CJ in tears about boy problems, work problems, whatever, and we would have a beer and chat at the barn (she always joked that I didn't need to pay for therapy, which I was doing at the time, because she and Ruby were better for me than any 'therapist'- so I did drop the psychologist and took more lessons/rode more- best decision ever). If you ever want to learn about the political situation in Zimbabwe, discuss government types, or just have an ear, CJ is your go-to on that front! Connie was the same way, and I actually stayed at her place for a bit after a really bad breakup (stacking hay beats moping). She didn't just teach me about riding/training, but about economics, politics, and finances. At either barn, I could spend all day with either trainer knowing that they cared not just about training, but about Ruby and I personally. This new barn is all about business so far, and I have only seen the owner/trainer a handful of times. I never realized how much a great group of trainers/friends made a difference in my riding! 

Ruby and I are still the new kids at this barn though, I am hoping we can find what we lost in the move.

(left): CJ and I sharing some jokes during the Heldergate "Friends and Family" horse show. I'm pretty sure someone could walk into the middle of one of our conversations and think we were both insane...add Olivia to the mix and witty snarky comments were flying all over the place!

(right): Connie and either I discussing changing riding standards in hunter shows, or me saying something funny about the people watching I did in the city. 

Lesson with Harry, where he constantly yelled (if you could call that 'yelling') 'plenty time, plenty time' and 'don't worry so much!' throughout my lesson.

What used to be 'heels down' was then 'chill out' as the most commonly heard phrase in my lessons by all three of them.




Change, although necessary, honestly can suck hardcore. Either way, I can always count on Ruby to be there for me through it all; everything else can change, but our bond won't. No matter what difficulties lie ahead, always remember that  if you can't go out and pick yourself back up for YOU, do if for your horse.

Ruby's Arrival

"Your pony is such a doll!"

Doug (Peace of Mind Equine Care & Transport) arrived with Ruby at about 7pm- he had nothing but nice things to say about her!

Top: Ruby getting ready to go in her new stall
Left: Edna (my car) and I made it to the new barn
Right: Ruby's first time seeing a mirror- she had better get used to them,  since both the indoor and outdoor rings are lined with them.

It was miserably cold (polar vortex and whatnot)- temperatures are well below the average. hopefully it will start warming up soon so Ruby and I can get back to our usual work schedule.

Last Lessons in Virginia

"When you get a plane ticket, come back and ride with me"

I had a lesson with Harry de Leyer last Thursday, riding his horse Sunday. She was a squirmy baby (only 3 1/2 years old!) but man could she jump! Very point-and-shoot. Harry's horses go with all leg and no hands which is always a hard concept for me to grasp, but Sunday and I worked out the kinks in the beginning of the lesson and ended with a job well done.

This picture was taken after the 4th fence in a diagonal line. As I mentioned in my previous post about Harry, there is no babysitting! As terrifying as this might be (I am used to doing hunter courses-6 or 8 jumps with plenty of time between, whereas these were 13 jump courses with maximum of 2 or 3 strides between each fence!) Harry's positivity really helps my confidence. I figured he wouldn't ask me to do something unless he really believed I could.

My last lesson with Connie was this past Sunday. I sure am going to miss her and Sully! We worked on Sully's jumping confidence- when you have a few jumps right next to each other, he will get worried when he is unsure which fence he is supposed to jump. Mad Tack also finished Connie's order of 'spooky jumps'- which ended up being spookier for me than they were for Sully. Can't wait to see how he has progressed next time I see him!

Barn Shopping in Alabama

"You flew down here to look for a horse barn...but didn't look at apartments for yourself?"

Funny story- I was super picky about where Ruby would be living, but not where I would be living. Granted, I know my place is going to be at least somewhat decent since Dan is living there, but my requirements are not quite as specific as Ruby's- I just need a bed and a kitchen really.

I have spent the past week touring facilities in the Huntsville area. My findings are as follows:

1. Flint Ridge Farm- nice looking facility, well-kept, lesson program. Won't work for Ruby and I because there are barn hours and I would have to be rush to be off the property by closing time.
2. Kildare Farm- smaller farm, very nice trainer, lots of riding opportunities if I wanted to ride something other than Ruby, good de-worming schedule, lesson program. Won't work for us because there are no lights in the outdoor and no indoor ring, so we would be unable to ride at night. Unfortunate because I really like both the farm and the trainer!
3. River Pine Farm- One of the nicest looking facilities with both and indoor and outdoor, lights outside, lesson program, trail access. Although this barn was nice, I did not agree with the de-worming schedule (not based on fecal floats), and the horses are not led back into the barn- the gates are opened and they all run to their stalls. Considering Ruby's issues with the field anyway, this is not a habit I want her to get used to. This is also the only Hunter barn I considered- trying to get away from trainers who still think the crest release is good riding form!
4. Cotton Meadows Farm- our new home!

Cotton Meadows is owned by the trainer Debi Crowley. Debi was very considerate, friendly, and helpful when I told her about Ruby's catching issues. She clearly knows horses! The barn is nice and has two outdoor rings and an indoor (with mirrors). Although I did not get to see her teach a lesson, she did offer help to a young rider in the ring- any time you see a trainer helping someone when they are not being paid for it, you know they have you and your horse's best interest at heart. I think both Ruby and I will fit in at this barn. Lessons are offered here, but it is a boarder barn which gets me away from the kiddie scene.