Tom and a fat, fuzzy, barefoot Dunny enjoy a first ride back together

This is long overdue! Since our last update, Tom has returned to the saddle, and has even been out competing. He swung back on in late December, a few weeks ahead of schedule, and was jumping horses only a few weeks after that. Now, to see him ride, you would never have known he had major back surgery only a few short months ago. He will tell you he feels stronger and that he is riding better than he has in years.

We made the Aiken, SC journey, along with most of the eventing community, for close to eight weeks with seven of the horses in tow. While, as with most things regarding horses, the trip didn't go quite as anticipated, it was beneficial and fun for all. Though we didn’t compete as much as we had planned, we took advantage of the great footing and even better weather and got a good start on fitness on most of the horses. Ruby Boy, our quirky but much loved Irish horse, returned to work while in Aiken, after a very long lay up. We also found a new home for Julia’s dressage mare, Miss P. We wish her and her new owner, Bethany, the best of luck!

Amanda lungeing Darla in Aiken

Paco waits to do his first real dressage test

We are now getting everyone at home back into the swing of things and into the spring season in Area II. We will be starting off locally and with our lower level horses and riders with a trip to Dominion Valley’s horse trials at Foxcroft School, followed up by an outing at the Difficult Run Pony Club horse trials.

We wish everyone a great spring! Good luck and kick on!

The holiday season is in full swing, which means things around the barn at Faircroft are quieting down while everyone takes time to celebrate. We think everyone here would be in agreement that we are looking forward to the end of what has proven to be a long, frustrating year. Between the long drought, concrete footing at most of Area II’s events (despite valiant efforts by many organizers), and soundness issues with horses AND riders, we have spent most of the year stuck at home, while hoping for rain and dreaming of galloping. The one thing you learn early on after coming to the sport of eventing is that it is full of highs and lows. The nice thing about the lows, though, is that they make the highs that much higher! We are all hoping for a lot more highs in 2008.

Tom and Sundown warming up for showjumping at Middleburg

While we haven’t been out and about competing, things haven’t been completely quiet at home. Tom took advantage of the quiet fall and had his much anticipated spinal fusion surgery on October 23rd. Now six weeks out, he will tell anyone willing to listen that he feels the best he has in years. His doctor has said that he will very likely be able to return to "full activity" at the end of December, several weeks earlier than planned!

Tom also finally found his new equine partner earlier this year. In February, and thanks to the help of Trudy Boyce, we imported the handsome and talented Sundown. He is an advanced level eventer from New Zealand and is the first "made" horse Tom has ever ridden (having always made his own upper level horses). Most of the past year has been spent getting to know Sundown and developing a partnership, with the help of Stephen Bradley and David O’Connor. They are really getting the hang of each other now, and should be fun to watch next season. In the mean time, Sundown is enjoying a little down time and spending most of his vacation begging for his most favorite thing; peanut butter sandwiches.

Amanda schooling Paco

Barn manager and assistant trainer, Amanda, had also been looking for a new ride after losing her preliminary horse, Groovin, last year. After a few false starts, we seem to have found her a worthy partner late this summer, in a quirky little grey gelding named Paco. He is quite green in many ways, but has all the right ingredients to be a very nice event horse. He should be ready to start his eventing career in a couple more months. While everyone is hoping he will be her first one star (and more?) horse, Amanda right now would be happy if he just willingly and eagerly goes out and enjoys his job.

We will be heading to Aiken, SC in mid January with our largest group of south bound horses yet .We are looking forward to sandy footing, warmer weather, and an over abundance of great teaching and fun events while down south. Our winter travels are always a great opportunity to really focus on the horses and your riding, and with a sound Tom and a nice batch of horses, that is just what we plan on doing. Tom is planning on teaching and clinicing some while down south, mainly in near by Camden. Please feel free to contact us for more information.

We hope everyone has had a terrific and safe year and we look forward to seeing all our friends out and about in 2008. We wish everyone happy and safe holidays! Stay warm.