Hello all! I welcome you to my all-things-equine training blog. I am 23 yrs old and have begun my journey in hopes of one day becoming a well rounded horse trainer. Please follow me and enjoy the ride as I become a professional in the crazy industry of hunter jumpers, eventing and pleasure horses. I hope you will enjoy the tips and the stories!
I know you are all probably waiting on the edge of your seat to hear how the rest of my week at the Young Jumper Trainers school went, but I assure you in a few days you will be able to rest easy. :) I apologize for the delay! I'm currently busy with crazy horses who have had a week off and catching up on lessons. I haven't had a chance to make some video's for the last few days of school! So I haven't forgotten you all!
Keep riding and stay cool! Its starting to turn up the heat here in NY. (Although Its nothing like the 90's from South Carolina ;) New posts are on the on the way I PROMISE!!! :)
PS: (Simon also says to stay away from the bugs ;).... There alive and well this time of year :/ )
With the Southern sun beating down on us we began our second day by working 3 horses in the jumping chute. For those who don't know what that's is, a jumping chute is an area where the horse is sent to a set of poles or jumps and allows them to jump without a rider. This gives young horses their first introduction to jumping yet allowing them to figure out where to put their feet on there own. The first video is a 2 year old who had been in the Chute once before but never jumped.
This video shows the progression of how we built and took the steps of asking this young horse to jump.
This second video is of a 3 year old who has jumped in the chute before. She is much more confident and understands the idea of the chute.
This is the last horse we jumped In the chute. This was a 2 year old who had never been in the chute before. As you can tell he is much more hesitant to jump but by the end he was jumping clean and understood the idea of the chute.
Linda taught two lessons again in the afternoon. I was able to ride an incredible little grey mare. We jumped around a small grid before the rain came and quickly ushered us inside. To my unbelief the farms in South Carolina don't have indoor arena's. I suppose it makes sense... No snow, no cold, no need! But after talking with barn owners in the area, the never miss a day of riding without the use of an indoor arena! Needless to say this gives me a greater desire to *ahem* MOVE SOUTH!
PS: I apologize for the slow posting, learning to blog on my phone has cause more problems than I care to explain. :)
Day one began with much excitement and lack of energy (after 6 hours of sleep!) but adrenilen seemed to keep me afloat the first day.
We began by discussing the week, meeting the other students and talking a bit about each of our backgrounds. We were all asked what we were looking forward to learning this week. I am truly looking forward to learning how to take a talented young horse and shape them and send them in the right direction for the most successful career in the future.
Jose Alejos started our sessions off with a few young horses who had never been started or ground worked. Each of these horses were between the age of 2 and 4. Here is a short video of the first 4 year old Jose started under saddle.
Linda Allen instructed two lessons in the afternoon one of which I briefly watched. Although I was torn between watching Linda's lesson and watching Jose, I was very interested to understand Jose's methods. They are very similar to how Dave Minteer has taught me, and how I am now training my young horses.
Julie Winkle was unable to teach this week as she had an injury and was a bit under the weather. Linda Allen asked Kelly McKnight to step in as an alternative. Between Linda, Kelly , and Jose I am blown away by their experience and talent on the ground and on the back of these young horses. I am truly blessed to have this opportunity to spend a week soaking in every word they say!
After about 4 hours of squishy seated plane rides two weary travelers found themselves in Aiken South Carolina late last night.... Our quick layover in Charlotte was well worth the stop after having a night sky view like this one...
Obviously the picture doesn't do this sunset justice but it gives you an idea. :) Our pleasant 40 mins in Charlotte ended and we headed to Agusta GA.
Agusta seemed like a beautiful little town. I would love to go back and travel around the city some time in the day light lol. We arrived at the hotel in Aiken Sc about 12 in the morning and crashed!
Today was the first day of classes and demonstrations. I will have more pictures and updates to follow! :)
Hello!
I am beginning this blog with very exciting news and some (hopefully) exciting posts to come in the next week. I have just been accepted to the Young Jumper Championship's trainers School in Johnston, South Carolina. I was honored to receive a scholarship and will be traveling to Sc this coming Monday!
For those of you who don't know what "Young Jumper Championships" I will post the website in my "links" section. The Young Jumper Championships I believe is associated in some form with the USHJA (United States Hunter Jumper Association). Most (if not all) hunter jumpers have heard of, dealt with, or have memberships with the USHJA.
The clinicians of the week include Linda Allen, Julie Winkle, and Jose Alejos. I'm not sure what I'm doing getting myself in with such big names in this sport, but I'm excited to be under their schooling and watchful eyes for a week!
In the next two weeks or so, I hope to post some more about myself, how I train, and my upbringing in this sport but for the next week I will be devoutly posting about daily life in the 2014 Young Jumper Trainers School!
