Well, Howdy!

Boy, it sure has been awhile! It's time to get your barn updated after a very busy show and Fall season!

September had us showing down at Donida for Octoberfest as well as up in Monroe for the Northwest Autumn Finals. Both shows were a hit, with Ella and Pink bringing home the ribbons at Octoberfest, as well as moving up a division and Toby and Chelsea making their debut ride in a Mini Prix against some tough competitors and bringing home a 6th place finish! It was a great show, and for anyone not sure how to break into the show ring in 2012, a good show to put on your list!

Horses aren't the only things we ride!

The Finals show was fun as well, with all of the horses bring home ribbons - including a Championship for Toby in the 1.15M division as well as a win in the 1.20 age group class, and another Championship for Farley in the .90's, just edging out Finesse who brought home a very nice Reserve Champion ribbon as well. Both Toby and Phalcon participated in the big USHJA hunter class - Phalcon had an amazing round, but a couple of rails kept him out of the ribbons, so Toby represented the barn in the 2nd half of the competition, showing those hunters how to make the turns, and coming in 10th out of 27 rides - pretty good for a jumper! All of the horses and riders earned points toward their year-end awards, so, if you haven't looked them up yet, take the time to check them out now! Points for the WSHJA are FINAL as of 11/30/11, so make sure they have all your ribbons accounted for before they are set in stone. We have some horses and riders looking to get some neat ribbons in the National division, which is great! Look for an update on their final placings soon!

At home we had our annual barn work party. Thanks to everyone who attended - this was an incredibly productive day with jumps being painted, the hill getting weeded, pasture wires restrung and just an all over good time. We always appreciate everyone coming out to help keep the barn looking great!

The weather has turned chilly now and horses (and riders!) are bundled up against the chill. We've started body clipping, so if your horse hasn't lost their puffy fur coat yet, don't be surprised if you show up to a pretty fancy looking horse in the next week or two! All of the horses made the list this year, so your horse may be next! We'll be changing blankets again at the end of the month, so keep an eye out for updates on the SE Facebook page!

We have several horses and riders participating in the Jeff Cook clinic next weekend. We are very proud of all of our riders who signed up for this opportunity as well as those of you who will be auditing. This is an incredible learning experience for both horse and rider, as well as the chance to show your trainers how committed you are to your sport! Kudos to you all in advance!

We were also invited to participate in the George Morris clinic in Wilsonville, OR this year. Katherine and Toby will be riding in the 1.20M division with George which is a great chance to get input from one of "the greats", as well as getting the chance to see other, top of the line riders, in a very intense, learning weekend. Make sure to check your calendar and head down for the weekend or the day.

With the holidays approaching we are making plans for our annual Holiday Party! This is a great - indoor! - event with your fellow riders, food, and one ridiculous present swapping game. Come on out and see what mystery may hide beneath the SE Christmas tree! We will also be handing out our yearly "Most Improved" and "Sportsmanship" awards - fortunately for us, you have all made it very hard to choose this year's winners!

We had a fun new addition to the barn this last week - Chelsea (and Danika) are the proud owners of a brand new SE trunk! Check it out - but don't touch (kidding!)!! We're excited to see another beautiful trunk in our midst. If you are interested in ordering one, let Katherine know and we'll set you up through Olson's. Sometimes we are able to get used trunks as well, so if budget is a concern, let us know and we'll see if we can dig one up for you. If you don't have a trunk cover, make sure you put that on your Christmas list as well - outside of looking great, they protect your trunk both at home and the shows.

Lastly we just did a big coat order for the barn and are excited to see a bunch of new SE jackets in our midst! Go Team Sundance!

We want to thank you all for your support and enthusiasm throughout the show season this last year - we hope you all had a great time and enjoyed all the learning and improving you did as much as we enjoyed helping you get there! Don't forget, now's the time to start thinking about your goals for 2012! Make sure you take the time to sit down with Katherine or Chelsea and chat with them about where you want you and your horse to be next year!

See you out at the barn!

Time Flies!

Well, it doesn't seem like it has been that long since our last post, but then the last month has flown by - sort of like the sun that shows up once in awhile....

May found us showing at both the Pacific Northwest Hunter/Jumper show in Monroe as well as Thunderbird up in Langley, Canada. We were lucky enough to be able to hire a new farm hand just before the horse shows - Thomas has hit the ground running and has been working hard to learn the system. We've really appreciated having the help and hope you have all had a chance to meet Thomas and welcome him to the barn.

We had a large group head out to Monroe in May with riders showing in everything from the Walk/Trot division to the 1.15 jumper classes. Everyone was great, with both horses and riders getting new experiences in the show ring: Pink and Ella tried out their first "A" circuit show together and came home with a Reserve Champion in the .75M jumpers. Amelia and Mexico attended their very first "A" show and brought home the ribbons in the walk/trot AND moved into the cross-bar division with Emma (also attending her first show) with both horses and riders placing in every class. Phalcon and Aidan moved up to the 2'9" division for the first time, and Phalcon moved into the 3' division as well - inlcuding competing in the Hunter Derby that weekend, going over all the "big" options and just being a general stud! Finesse and Nicholas moved up to the .90M jumpers for the first time together and brought home a Reserve Champion in both the Children's & the Low division. The jumpers - Toby, Maia & Jasmine, all moved up in their divisions, with Toby & Jasmine riding in the 1.15M classes and Maia moving from the .75M to the .85M - in her first show! Danika and Farley played in the 1.0M jumpers and Ella (the horse!)added her first show in the walk/trot group. Marla and Webster rounded out the group by coming out, showing and winning the Champion in the 1.0M adult group - all in all a busy, but very fun show. We really appreciated all the help we had as we ran from ring to ring and we are very proud of all our horses and riders!

Jasmine plays in the Grand Prix field at Thunderbird

We came back from that show and, in true horse show season fashion, packed up and headed North with the jumpers for two weeks at Thunderbird. The rain was icky - and the footing made it tough on a couple of days - but the horses stepped up to the bigger (and scarier) fences that Thunderbird offered with Jasmine and Toby working in the 1.15 and 1.10 jumpers (including Jasmine with the win in the 1.10M division and Toby bringing home some cash in his 1.15 classic). Maia continued to impress, earning great ribbons in the .85M and then getting to move up AGAIN to the .90M group and earning a division Championship our last week. It was a great couple of weeks and a wonderful learning experience for horses and riders.

We're back to the barn now and the horses are doing great - everyone is enjoying the larger grass field turn outs and Thomas is working hard on pulling the spring weeds which have enjoyed all the rain. Horses are up to date on shots and worming and are getting their dental work done for the spring as well. Feel free to come out and help mow the lawn by taking your horse for a nice grass walk around the barn!

We're getting a few weeks of down time in between shows and will be working getting ready for the next show! Maia, Toby and Webster will be heading up for a couple of weeks in Thunderbird at the end of the month and we are currently working on getting show forms done for the Emerald Classic in July. Make sure you get signed up at the barn so you can come join the fun down in Donida this July!

Fingers crossed for a few more days of sun to come our way - horses have enjoyed a couple of days without sheets, but nothing consistent yet - maybe in July...?

See you out at the barn!

Round and Round it goes...!

Phew! What a whirlwind! After a quiet few weeks, the end of April and first part of May find us spinning around in a flurry of activity!!

April ended with Dinner and a Horse Show out in Monroe. Thanks to everyone who was able to join us! It was a fun night of horse talk (and Dave's injury and recovery - we're all pulling for you!!) and showing. We were especially excited to get to see Jill ride both of her horses in the show and cheer her on to a 5th place finish on her horse Koa. Chelsea says it is because of all the exercise riding she does on him....

We also had the chance to introduce everyone to the new barn mascots - Bacardi and Shooter joined the Sundance Team  and have been working hard at keeping the entire staff wide awake for all hours of the evening. If your trainers have seemed a little punchy lately, talk to the puppies!! Big thanks to Michelle for the large crate as the two dogs seem to enjoy cuddling up together at night, and even slept for a whole 6 hours in a row the other night - a red letter event for all! We are excited to have them here and introduce them to the world of horses and showing. We appreciate everyone's patience and help as we bring the pups to the barn and teach them all about sharing their new home with horses AND humans! It has been exhausting, but fun.

A rare moment of sleep 

The end of April also had us all filling out show forms! We have a lot of horses and riders heading off to the Monroe show this month, as well as a two week trip to Canada for our jumper crew. Check with Staff about any scheduling questions you may have during that time period. We are excited to get to go to the show with everyone and hope that you are all looking forward to it as well!

June Thunderbird forms will be due soon as well so if you had been considering trying that show, make sure you touch base with Staff in the next week as we'll need to have your information organized before we leave town for Canada. This is a great horse show so even if you aren't able to show, make sure you set aside some time while we are gone to come up and cheer on Team Sundance! Plus, there will be puppies needing some love......

Dr. Bergevin will be out to the barn on Monday so the horses will get the day off for shots and wormer. He will be checking teeth as well and we will have a list of horses that will need to get their teeth done. If your horse is on the list after Monday we will let you know.

In an attempt to fool the weather into Spring, we have officially moved to lighter clothes for our horses. It is still too chilly to go without, but we have enjoyed a couple of nice warm days - followed, of course, by rain. We have our fingers and hooves crossed for some sun during the horse shows!

April also found us taking Abby to her new home! After living here with us and having a great time giving lessons and supporting a lease, Abby has found a new little girl to love her. We wish Kenzie and the folks out at Woodside Stables all the best and hope to see them at the shows!

Sadly, April was also our last month with Javier. Javier worked at Sundance for 5 years and has been a great addition to the Team and will be greatly missed. We are in the process of trying to find a replacement, so if you know of someone looking for a part time job with horses, let us know! It is not work for the faint of heart, so, as much as small kids may think it is "fun" to work with the horses, we are looking for someone who will be able to drive the tractor and lift trunks as well!! Keep your ears to the ground and let us know if you hear of someone who might be a match!

That's the latest for now - we hope you all have a wonderful Mother's Day!

See you at the barn!

April Showers - & then some...

Hopefully you're reading this and enjoying a small reprieve from the rain (and hail) that we've "enjoyed" over the last few weeks. The horses are enjoying a few moments of dryness outside and we have our fingers crossed that this next week will be a little easier on everyone than the last - needless to say, we appreciate our covered arena more and more during these types of "Spring"!

Proof that sun exists somewhere!

Next week, on Saturday, we'll be heading out for Dinner and a Horse Show. If you haven't signed up already, make sure to do so! This is a great barn event and a fun evening for all. We enjoy dinner together at the Monroe Red Robin and then head to the horse show to watch the Grand Prix. There are two going on at this show and it is a great opportunity to hang out with horse people and watch the big jumpers - not too mention get excited about showing your OWN horse!

Speaking of shows, we have quite a few weeks coming up in May/June (5/16-6/5) so mark your calendars now. We've enjoyed some down time at home after Thermal and have been prepping the horses to head back out to the circuit. In May, the majority of the barn will be heading out to Monroe to show in the Pacific Northwest Hunter/Jumper horse show. If you aren't showing with us that week, come on out to cheer on your teammates! We'll have riders in everything from the cross bar hunters to the 1.10 jumpers so there should be something for everyone to watch. Following the week at Monroe, your trainers will head up to Thunderbird to campaign the jumpers for 2 weeks. Danika and Katie will be holding down the fort again, so make sure to check with Staff about the schedule for those 3 weeks if you want to try and get some extra lessons in before/after we leave. It'll be a busy, but fun, 3 weeks.

Horses will be getting shoes on Monday (4/18) and then, at the end of this month, we'll have the vet out for spring shots and worming as well as a check up for teeth. Healthy horses are happy horses!

In other barn news, Ella has settled in and jumped her first jumps this last week. We are very excited about her quiet and willing personality and are hoping she'll continue to progress quickly. She'll be making her show debut at Monroe next month in the Walk/Trot division.

Abby is still looking for a lease (or a new owner!) so please keep your ears open for anyone who might be interested. We hate to have to see her leave, so if you know of someone looking for a fun pony to lease, let us know!

Bowling is still on the agenda as well! If you'd like to join the Sundance bowling team, let us know! It's a fun day out and a great cause as well.

With show season in full swing, make sure you continue to touch base with staff about scheduling. Show entry forms are quite often due well in advance and you don't want to miss your deadline. Also, make sure to take the time to follow along with Katherine's examiner articles. The last 3 have all been about show costs and are a great way to know what to expect and why. Quite often there is a lot of misunderstanding about who is getting paid what and why, and these articles are designed to help educate everyone on the mysteries of horse showing! Also, for those of you that do go out to visit at the Monroe show, make sure you check out the program - there's another article in there about what makes a great horse show. As always, if you have any questions, just ask!

Enjoy the small sun break - hopefully it'll stick around for a few minutes!

See you at the barn!

They're Here!

Well, it's official - as of this afternoon both Farley and Ella settled into their stalls and introduced (or re-introduced) themselves to the rest of the gang. Farley seemed glad to be home, and quickly marched down the path and strolled across the arena in that "Yes, yes I'm back, you may all resume your worshiping" way that he has. Good thing he's modest.... Ella seems to be settling in as well. Sue brought some blankets out for her today and she'll head to work tomorrow getting used to the new routine. It'll be fun to see what she has to offer!

In barn news we have some events coming up, so make sure you put them on your calendar! We are doing Dinner and a Horse Show on the 23rd of April. This is a great event with food and horses - what could be better? And this year, a special treat, in that Jill will be showing her two horses in the Grand Prix to give them some "inside" exposure so we'll have a chance to cheer her on again! Everyone can check out Katherine's (secret) favorite horse, Poppy, in the ring - shhh, don't tell the other horses!!

We have a couple of shows that we are looking at doing, so make sure you touch base with your trainers ASAP if you are interested so we put them on the calendar as "for sure". GCEC has a hunter show in April (30th) that we are considering, and then there is the Mother's Day Classic in Wilsonville (9th-15th) and, of course, the Pacific Northwest Hunter/Jumper show (16th-22nd) in Monroe. Both shows are in May, but forms will be due soon, so if you're interested in either show, let us know now so we can work toward getting you there.

We will be going to Thunderbird the end of May/beginning of June (5/23-6/5) to give the jumpers a chance to get some miles up there. If this is a show you're interested in, let us know. The show runs for 2 weeks, but horses can go for 1 week if you are unable to do both weeks - let us know and we'll help work out the details with you.

Nimh enjoys the view!

We're still working on doing some bowling (May 1st) - remember, if you are interested in joining the bowling team, let us know! It's a great way to spend a Sunday and a good cause as well!
Hope you have all been able to make it out to the barn through all the rain. The horses haven't minded staying in a bit during all the liquid sunshine - we have all our fingers and hooves crossed for some solid sun later this week.
Stay warm and dry and we'll see you out at the barn!

Well, we THOUGHT it would get warmer....

Well, we all know how fickle WA weather can be, and this month has been no exception. After hinting around at MAYbe being able to shed a layer off of our four footed friends, the Weather Gods apparently thought we had spoken too soon and, although we have had some beautiful days, they have been chilly. Your trainers have truly appreciated the heater these last weeks and we promise to never predict warmer weather again!!

We were delighted to receive a lovely "Thank You" note from Allison who had known Titan/Sinatra from his early days this last month. She wrote to us to thank us for all the work that we have put into him and told us about what a cute little guy he was right from the start. It was a wonderful surprise to get such a nice note in the mail, and neat to get to hear about his past. We are very excited about all the progress he has made and have all our fingers crossed that he is able to find a new home soon. He has someone coming to visit him this weekend, so hopefully she'll fall in love - after all, how could she not?

In show news, we are preparing to leave for CA next week! The horses are ready and the trailer is almost all packed for the trip. The truck went off for some last minute repairs and is patiently waiting to get started on the long journey down - we are all very excited to get the chance to show in the sun and watch the best in our sport compete! The week we are heading into is sold out so we are expecting a huge turn out and long days with lots of horse show to watch - what a fun way to start off the season! For those of you staying at home, Danika and Katie will be manning the barn and handling the schedule - please check with us if you need to make any changes, and while we are away, make sure to touch base with Danika if you need anything. We'll do regular updates on the SE Facebook page, so make sure to check in and see how things are going down South!

In other show news, there is a GCEC hunter schooling show in March as well as the three weeks of Monroe shows in April coming up quickly. Let us know ASAP if you are interested in riding in any of these events!

Sam will be out to see all of the horses on Sunday. If you were planning to ride Sunday, please make sure that you do so before noon as the horses need 24 hours off after an adjustment.

In other barn news, Ella officially started her 1/2 lease on Pink and has been doing great! It is fun to have Pink back in the mix and for Ella to get the opportunity to ride more often. Cookie has also returned to some light work and we have our hopes high that she will get back into the lesson program soon - we have missed her!

We are also currently working on ordering sweat pants for the barn! These are warm and protect your riding clothes as well as being super cool and fashionable! You can get them with a cuff at the bottom or open and they run about $20/pair. Let us know ASAP if you are interested!

Hopefully you have all had the chance to get out and ride during one of these beautiful sunny days - it may be chilly but it is hard to be cranky when we have this lovely PNW weather!

See you at the barn!