November 8th 2009, we will be having one of our biannual Horse Trials and dressage shows. Organized and run by Penny Ross and Virginia Horse Trials.  This is meant as an introduction to eventing, the cross country course is small and inviting, all run in one field which is enclosed. The terrain is hilly but easy to ride.

Dressage is in the arena and stadium jumping in another arena, we use the indoor for warm up.

There is limited stabling available, $30.0 per stall per day call Ellen Maddox on 540-290-1430 to book a stall.

Entry forms and releases are at the Virginia Horse Trials website  http://www.vahorsetrials.com/

Hope to see you there!

Yours

MW

October 11th, we will be hosting an inspection by the KNN at Cedar Creek Stables.

Come on out for a day of beautiful horses, lots and lots of spots. We have two horses doing ridden perfromance tests, and two yong stallions plus mares and foals and young horses galore. We will have lunch and refreshments available everyone is welcome.

Bring a chair!

Hope to see you there.

Cedar Creek Stables,

2435 Shutterlee Mill Rd, Staunton, VA 24401

Take Exit 225 from I-81, go West on 262/275, at the second yellow flashing light is Shutterlee Mill Rd, go Right.

Cedar Creek is 1 mile (approx) down on the right, you can’t miss us a HUGE green and tan building down in the Valley, there is a sign by the drive way.

Hope to see everyone there. a day of gorgeous spotted horses.

WE are in the process of getting ready for the upcoming KNN inspection. We have horses coming in from all over the place, some from as far away as Ohio and Texas.

All the young horses have to come up from the fields and get prepped, bathed, groomed, manes shortened, reminded how to lead in hand etc.  Mares and foals too!

I’m out there marking out the galloping/trotting course for the ridden tests for the stallion and the mare who are both doing a ridden test.

We are practicing the young stallions down the jump chute. Plus they have to be shown in-hand  at walk and trot.

Plus all the ridden horses have to be ridden and schooled.

April Reedy is marrying Brenden Schultz on Saturday Sept 19th and then leaves for her honeymoon on the Sunday for a week. So all of next week we have no April. Arrgh!

But it’s going to be fun. I hope we’ll get a lot of visitors and spectators to watch the grading.  But boy this is going to be a lot of work.

Remember Oct 11th Sunday come on out to Cedar Creek and watch the grading.

The nights are getting cooler, we have heavy dew on the ground in the mornings, the days are shorter, yes summer is winding down. We have had a busy and eventful summer.

In April Casey our Farm Maintenance Manager took a very long road trip out to Idaho and brought home 2 Knabstruppers, Halifax and Paula. Halifax who is a 3 yr old colt by Harlequin Middelsom, is owned by Donna Current, he promptly went into training with April, who is prepping him for  the KNN inspection in October.

April has Halifax going and under saddle and even going out on trail  rides.  Here they are setting out.  Halifax is coming along fine.

In June we had our Horse Trials/CT /Dressage day, we had several Barn participants, Hillery and Afton, Ethan and Scrap (who won their division), April and Payana, April and Impy and Beth rode Aviator. Michael rode Bolder and Melissa rode Jack.

We also had a VADA-CH schooling dressage show in June ably run by April and Alison. We had a great turn out.

In July we had a 1 day clinic with Mark Stopford, every one enjoyed their day and learned lots.

In August we went to the Eastern Region Andalucian Horse Clubs open dressage show at the VHC. April and Payana qualified for the GAIGS at the first go at First level, April and Xafaire won a Training level class and Melyni and Xavoy almost got their 60% at 4th 3 (59.2% so close).

Melyni and Xavoy are scheduled to do a musical freestyle exhibition at the Shenandoah County Fair August 29th  and April and Halifax are doing their first ever dresssage show at VHTs Fall Fest starter Horse trials Aug 30th. March Ryan will be taking Aviator to that same show. Wish them luck.

More soon!

We have the return of Matt McLaughlin to Cedar Creek Stables on July 17-19. All riding slots are filled, but there is plenty of room for auditors.

We will have food available, so come on out and enjoy the lessons.

We also have a Shenvada schooling show on the Saturday July 18, for entries contact Anita Scruggs at Shenvada.

Hope to see you there.

MW

Wishing everyone a Prosperous New Year and I hope you all had a great holiday.

Belatedly I have the the followup on our Matt McLaughlin Clinic.

We had a great clinic with Matt. Helpful as always, Matt steered us through our various holdups and hang ups.

Matt and Melyni and Xavoy, all concentrating!

Melyni got to work on activating X’s hindlegs and getting him to work over his back, then to half passes and flying changes.  Finally once they had that hind leg activated and the canter uphill, then onto the beginnings of canter pirouette.

April with 2 young horses to ride, got to work on suppling and bending and getting them to move off the leg. She and Impy and Payana did a lot of  work leg yielding on the wall and across the arena. There was some frustration but finally success. Both young mares benefitted enormously.   Impy finally beginning to work over her back and Payana beginning to understand the half halt and the need for rythmn!

Matt worked Xavoy and Payana in hand on the beginnings of piaffe. Melyni and April tried their hands at it as well, sadly Melyni needs a lot of work on her timing! April did much better getting the beginnings of some decent rythmn with X.

Many thanks to Matt, Heather, Maureane, Anne, Ronnie, Kathleen and all the barn staff for making this clinic such fun.

We had a great time, and learned a lot. There was a lot of homework handed out as well.   Matt will be back in the Spring, I hope we get some more spectators.  There is always a lot to be learned by watching others. Even if what you learn is what not to do!!

LiL Ricky and April show jumping phase of the HT

Nov 9th was our Fall Horse trials and dressage show. We had a super turn out, with 55 rides. Everyone seemed ot enjoy them selves. April Reedy rode two of her young horses Lil Ricky and  Impressions Pride in the Advanced Green HT’s and Baby Green Ct’s, both horses won their respective divisions.

Payana did Tr 4, and did well, esp since she had to do it in the small arena! Not much room to canter a baby!

Our dressage judge was Gaby Hooten, from Roanoke.

Everyone seemed to have a good time.  Many thanks to Penny Ross for organizing this event. and to all ther stalwart helpers who helped us run it.

Impressions Pride (Impy) and April in the showjumping phase of the CT.