An exercise to warm your horse up

Here’s an exercise to warm your horse up AND work on your accuracy and confidence over skinny jumps at the same time! This can be used for babies and beginners on up to more advanced combinations.

All lines should be done at the walk on as long of a rein as possible with the LAST line attempted being the straight line connecting the two obstacles (pink) set at 18′ between the poles. Feel free to use lots of walk halt transitions, either before or after the obstacle just to give your horse time to stand still, look at it, and relax! ➡️ Relaxation is everything in this exercise!

Then you can do all lines in the same order at the trot. Starting levels should have just a rail on the ground. If the horse is not very green or has already done this with the rail on the ground then the rail should be slightly raised. When trotting through the horse may land at the trot or canter. It just needs to be a straight line and a steady rhythm on the departure.

Once the horse can do all of the lines walking and trotting then you can raise the poles further to encourage the horse to jump. Once they can trot the blue and green lines and land in good balance then you can trot in to the pink line. They should trot in, land, and take one stride and hop out over the second obstacle landing in good balance. If anything goes wrong go back to the blue and green lines using transitions as needed before or after the jumps to work on balance. Once the horse is confident in balance with the blue and green lines then you can trot in to the pink line again.
Let us know if you try this exercise at home!

Our newest sponsorship

We are so pleased to announce our newest sponsorship with Purina Horse Feed and Bowman’s Feed & Pet. We have been feeding our horses Purina grain for many years now and have seen horses from 2 years old to 32 years old absolutely thrive on this diet. Purina offers choices in nutrition that allows us to really customize what we feed to suit each horse’s needs. With the help of Purina’s local Animal Nutrition Specialist Reese Marshall we can be sure we have everyone happy and well feed! All of this on top of the absolute pleasure of doing business with Bowman’s Feed and Pet is just such a wonderful opportunity. Bowman’s is a family run business that really defines the way small, local businesses can serve their community better than any large chain can. If you have not met them, do yourself a favor and stop in or give them a call to see how they can help you with all of your farm and pet needs!

Fjord Fleece hoodie

What better way to beat the chill in these early spring mornings than with my super cozy Irideon Riding Wear Fjord Fleece hoodie from Toklat Originals. The fabrics that Irideon has been using are really amazing! Soft, stretchy and seem to really resist barn grunge!!
Find your local Irideon Riding Wear retailer at Toklat.com and send us a DM for a coupon to use in-store. Or shop online with KWILLIAMS15 for 15% off & free shipping!!

Lessons have started here with Peter Gray

Lessons have started here with @peterscottgray! @carlin.eventing is up first with her two horses, then we continue with dressage until 2:30pm before heading over to @cbf.woodbine for an afternoon of jumping.

Still want to audit? Come on over! Audit passes are $15/day or $20/weekend. Cash and Venmo accepted when you get here.

FINAL 3/24-25 Peter Gray @ ABBF Clinic Schedule & Notes

We’re looking forward to a great clinic with Peter Gray this Friday-Saturday! Be sure to double check the schedule below. And please keep this clinic organizer’s life easy and turn in all paperwork and payment by tonight!! 

As expected, the weather does not look to be our friend over the next few days, so … the jumping lessons will now be at Covered Bridge Farm! All dressage lessons will remain at A Bit Better Farm.

A few quick notes before the schedule and list of who still owes what.

1) If you have an issue the day of the clinic, please text me (301.502.8929).

2) The A Bit Better Farm address is: 3400 Damascus Road; Brookeville, MD 20833. Look for a blue “A Bit Better Farm” sign by the road. Drive between the houses to the gate leading to the barns. Press the button on the post to open the gate. Park in the front lot, or drive COUNTER CLOCKWISE around the indoor arena and park on gravel. DO NOT PARK ON GRASS! Auditors can park their cars in the front lot on gravel.

3) The Covered Bridge Farm address is: 2345 Duvall Road; Woodbine, MD 21797. Once at the farm, stay to the right. Please keep trailers on the gravel lot next to the outdoor arena as much as possible. Do not drive trailers behind the indoor arena. Auditors can drive their cars alongside the outdoor and park in the smaller gravel area near the indoor arena.

FRIDAY SCHEDULE

Start Level Rider(s)
8:00 AM Prelim Carlin Keefe
8:45 AM Prelim Carlin Keefe
9:30 AM 1st Level Sarah Gonzalez
10:15 AM 2nd Level Margaret McK
11:00 AM Preliminary Molly Sherman
11:45 AM Preliminary Katie Mayo
Break    
1:00 PM Beginner Novice Katie White
1:45 PM Training Emerson Kalsey
Drive to Covered Bridge    
2:45 PM Novice & Below Jacqui Ross
    Julia Scherschligt
    Kim Keating
4:00 PM Training & Above Jules Batters
    Julie Bigham
    Claire McElwain
    Jacqui Ross
    Kelley Williams

SATURDAY SCHEDULE

Start Level Rider(s)
8:00 AM Novice/Training Kelley Williams
8:45 AM 2nd Level Margaret McK
9:30 AM 2nd Level Katherine Rizzo
10:15 AM Training Julia Bigham
11:00 AM PSG Cheryl Sherman
Break    
12:15 PM 2nd Level Hannah Feldhausen
1:00 PM Novice Haley Miller
Drive to Covered Bridge    
2:00 PM Novice & Below Janet Andres
    Sarah Gonzales
    Edyta Malik
    Katherine Rizzo
    Katie White
3:30 PM Training & Above Gretel Frew
    Mikahla Insalaco
    Rachel Narrow
    April Tennyson
    Open

Voltaire Design Adelaide dressage saddle

Being able to really sit with the motion of your horse requires balance and relaxation in the saddle. This provides the horse with an opportunity to use their natural ability to it’s full potential without having to worry about where their rider will be and if they are “coming along for the ride”. My Voltaire Design USA & Canada Adelaide dressage saddle really lets me sit where I want and need to be on my horses’ backs to help them develop and ultimately show off their talents on the flat.

The baby horses

The baby horses had so much fun working on their basics while Kelley was away! Thank you Kim, Katie & Margaret for keeping everything going at home!

Southern Pines Horse Trials

It was great to get out at Southern Pines it’s really starting to feel like spring properly! The horses stretched their legs and had good runs, both Kelley and Julie came back with placings which is great! I’ll put a video of Julie and Tex on our socials.

3/11-12: Southern Pines Horse Trials (Raeford, NC) 

  • Kelley with Valfreyja: 12th in Open Novice B 
  • Julie Augustine with Texas Riddle: 13th in Open Novice B 

Ridgeview Veterinary Practice

We’re thankful Ridgeview Veterinary Practice is able to provide dental care as one of their broad range of services! Dental care is so important to equine health. Ridgeview vets are trained to provide the very best care from floating to complete oral exams and treatment.