Posts

3-Day Horse Jumping Clinic With Bernie Traurig at Hay Fever Farm

I had the pleasure of being an Auditor for Bernies clinic this past month at Hay Fever Farm in Robbinsville, NJ. It’s been decades since I’ve attended a clinic, but I was on a horse. There were a few sessions per day and they were full of helpful tips, techniques for the riders and auditors. My friend Maile was there with her husband, David and she was riding her horse, Luna. I didn’t take pictures on the first day, so I took a few on day two and three. The pictures I took are just for fun, part of how I memorize techniques and the learning process for me.

Being that this is December in NJ, the clinic was held in the indoor arena with different pole and jumping exercises. Learning to train the eye, counting the strides and understanding more of our chosen sport. There were a continental breakfast and lunch served every day, and best of all, the people I met were wonderful, full of conversation and good stories to share. I also shot some video and took notes so that I can try some of these later. My trainer just got a bunch of poles to work with, can’t wait!

At one point, Bernie and Ernie, (like Sesame Street), another professional rider, got on 2 horses that needed a little more extra work, it was pretty exciting to see how these horses did with different riders.

IMG_6658_BernieTraurigClinicDec2019.jpg

IMG_7171_BernieTraurigClinicDec2019.jpg

IMG_6661_BernieTraurigClinicDec2019.jpg

IMG_6677_BernieTraurigClinicDec2019.jpg

IMG_6683_BernieTraurigClinicDec2019.jpg

IMG_6691_BernieTraurigClinicDec2019.jpg

IMG_6768_BernieTraurigClinicDec2019.jpg
IMG_6780_BernieTraurigClinicDec2019.jpg
IMG_6854_BernieTraurigClinicDec2019.jpg
IMG_6878_BernieTraurigClinicDec2019.jpg
IMG_6955_BernieTraurigClinicDec2019.jpg
IMG_6998_BernieTraurigClinicDec2019.jpg
IMG_7005_BernieTraurigClinicDec2019.jpg
IMG_7009_BernieTraurigClinicDec2019.jpg
IMG_7020_BernieTraurigClinicDec2019.jpg
IMG_7047_BernieTraurigClinicDec2019.jpg
IMG_7038_BernieTraurigClinicDec2019.jpg
IMG_7084_BernieTraurigClinicDec2019.jpg
IMG_7081_BernieTraurigClinicDec2019.jpg
IMG_7176_BernieTraurigClinicDec2019.jpg
IMG_7101_BernieTraurigClinicDec2019.jpg
IMG_7244_BernieTraurigClinicDec2019.jpg
IMG_7246_BernieTraurigClinicDec2019.jpg
IMG_7267_BernieTraurigClinicDec2019.jpg
IMG_7326_BernieTraurigClinicDec2019.jpg
IMG_7301_BernieTraurigClinicDec2019.jpg
IMG_7327_BernieTraurigClinicDec2019.jpg
IMG_7331_BernieTraurigClinicDec2019.jpg
IMG_7332_BernieTraurigClinicDec2019.jpg
IMG_7379_BernieTraurigClinicDec2019.jpg

IMG_7391_BernieTraurigClinicDec2019.jpg
IMG_7404_BernieTraurigClinicDec2019.jpg
IMG_7416_BernieTraurigClinicDec2019.jpg
IMG_7423_BernieTraurigClinicDec2019.jpg
IMG_7436_BernieTraurigClinicDec2019.jpg
IMG_7447_BernieTraurigClinicDec2019.jpg
IMG_7450_BernieTraurigClinicDec2019.jpg

A special thank you to everyone who attended, as well as thanks to Elisa and Neal Shapiro, for hosting this event. And thanks to Bernie for putting together this clinic.

Day 3-The Standardbred National Horse Show at The Horse Park of NJ

If you didn’t see my post on Day two click here to see it.

Day 3 was on a Sunday and I got there later than I wanted to. This time, I brought my husband and our daughter, it was her very first time at a horse show. It was super hot and it did rain a little. But we sat in the covered seating area and we had a packed lunch. My friend showed earlier in the jumping and dressage, and I wished that we could’ve seen her. Oh well, there will be plenty of other times. But still I wanted our daughter to see these events. This is a breed show to show the many ways this horse can perform.

Brielle hurt her back jumping with Baby, but had one last class on Kora in a flat class. She did really well and placed 2nd. All in all, she placed with two seconds and two fourths for the weekend, not bad considering that Kora is a horse that has only been under a saddle for just two months! And I got the word that Kora has been adopted!

They had a HUGE flat class of 25 riders, that benefited the Race for To Cure MS, and one of the riders that was sweeping the entire weekend has MS. She’s wearing the long sleeved blue shirt, riding Xrossing The Delaware. I wanted to meet her badly!

I love Fruit Punch Gatorade on ice and I made a mixed green salad with feta cheese, tomatoes, chick peas, plain macaroni noodles, drizzled with olive oil, lemon juice and Penzeys Ozark seasonings. We also had fresh cherries for dessert. And yes, our daughter loves this salad too.

IMG_4422StandardbredNationalHorseShowbyDeirdreRyanPhotography.jpg

I like this one, an English and Western rider….
IMG_4455StandardbredNationalHorseShowbyDeirdreRyanPhotography.jpg
IMG_4440StandardbredNationalHorseShowbyDeirdreRyanPhotography.jpg
IMG_4444StandardbredNationalHorseShowbyDeirdreRyanPhotography.jpg
IMG_4433StandardbredNationalHorseShowbyDeirdreRyanPhotography.jpg
IMG_4436StandardbredNationalHorseShowbyDeirdreRyanPhotography.jpg
IMG_4484StandardbredNationalHorseShowbyDeirdreRyanPhotography.jpg
IMG_4472StandardbredNationalHorseShowbyDeirdreRyanPhotography.jpg

Because of the heat and rain, the judge was in the area where we were seated.

IMG_4487StandardbredNationalHorseShowbyDeirdreRyanPhotography.jpg
IMG_4496StandardbredNationalHorseShowbyDeirdreRyanPhotography.jpg

The red ribbon means to stay away because that horse could kick. Kora is not experienced in a show ring, and the day before, other riders were getting too close to her. I’ve ridden an Arabian named Annie who had to wear one, she would literally stop, back up to kick another horse in a show ring or during training. Did anyone pay attention to that ribbon? Nope! Did Annie do her thing without warning? Yup!
IMG_4505StandardbredNationalHorseShowbyDeirdreRyanPhotography.jpg
IMG_4511StandardbredNationalHorseShowbyDeirdreRyanPhotography.jpg

A very exhausted but happy Brielle!
IMG_4515StandardbredNationalHorseShowbyDeirdreRyanPhotography.jpg

IMG_4543StandardbredNationalHorseShowbyDeirdreRyanPhotography.jpg
IMG_4566StandardbredNationalHorseShowbyDeirdreRyanPhotography.jpg
IMG_4544StandardbredNationalHorseShowbyDeirdreRyanPhotography.jpg
IMG_4571StandardbredNationalHorseShowbyDeirdreRyanPhotography.jpg
IMG_4568StandardbredNationalHorseShowbyDeirdreRyanPhotography.jpg
IMG_4549StandardbredNationalHorseShowbyDeirdreRyanPhotography.jpg
IMG_4535StandardbredNationalHorseShowbyDeirdreRyanPhotography.jpg

Because Brielle was hurting, I helped with cleaning out the stalls, holding on to Baby while her other helper cleaned the other stall, and made sure that she was ok. She went one to place at Gladstone the very next day!

If you’re all wondering if I’m going to show soon, yes I am! Stay tuned!