December 2009

Welcome: Vanessa Carter returned just in time to take the Tahquitz reins while we were in Tucson showing for a week the end of October and then Laurie and Scott were away for another 2 weeks. Thank you to everyone who helped Vanessa to facilitate her riding, managing, and teaching duties while we were gone and as always do a terrific job! We welcome Laurie (and John) Neufeld and her young horse Zeek from Canada, and Beckie Jett and her young horse Leo from Washington both here for the winter. Welcome Kat and her daughter Rachel Todd and their horse Chase from next door. Welcome back and congratulations to Teri Litton. Great to see you back in the saddle!!

Congrats: We traveled to the Tucson Fall Festival the end of October. Bridget met us with a huge gang from Strang Ranch in Colorado for a total of 16 horses between us! Ashley Phillips and Poe, Megan Bliss and Billy 2, Viva, Lily, and Lisa Housten’s Vanifee represented Tahquitz with a great week of showing. Ashley and Poe showed in the 2’9”jumpers at their first “A” show doing very well and gaining valuable show miles. Megan and Billy competed in the low children’s hunters, 12-14 Equitation, and 2’6”-2’9” jumpers also gaining valuable miles and some hard earned ribbons. Viva was a blast in the 3’3” hunter derby (finishing 10th) and stepped up to the 1.15 (3’9”) jumpers winning 2 classes and a third with the fastest time but 4 faults in the 1.15 stake!! (Bridget was clean and the winner on Phillip! Go Bridget!) Vanifee debuted in the baby greens, her very first time away from home and her very first show. She was a star with seconds and thirds. Mia Bray showed at the Greater San Diego Championship Horse Show the same week at Del Mar. Thanks again to Liza and Full Circle Farm for your help this summer and continued support at the finals. In a consistent field of 40-50 horses and riders, Mia and Demi were 2nd in the limit eq o/f, 3rd in the open eq o/f, 1st open eq 12-13 flat, 2nd mod jr/am hunters, 3rd jr hunters, and 4th low children’s jumpers on Chandler. Mia finished the show champion open eq 12-13 and reserve champion limit eq 13-17. WOW………..Great show and great way to end the season Mia!!

Memberships and Hits 2010: Just a reminder to all of you to renew your memberships and print extra cards, one for Laurie to have on file at the horse shows and others to send in with your entries for the 2010 season. Hits entries are due in office Jan.6th. Laurie would like all entries completed and in hand by Dec. 28th to send in without penalties. Anyone undecided can wait and pay a $75 late entry penalty. Although I believe there is no haul in fee again this year, I also need to know if anyone is planning on buying a stall at $220/ week. We will be showing 3-4 of the weeks. Right now weeks 1,3,5, and 6 are possibilities. Please let Laurie know what weeks are best for you.

Misc: I would like to call attention to a few Do’s and Don’ts in the barn, and things that require everyone’s attention. Treats: Please do not feed any horses treats other than your own. This is a safety matter as well as a “horsemanship” matter. Some horses cannot swallow large solid pieces of carrots or treats and have been hospitalized for a blockage, and other horses may become rude or pushy when given treats. We appreciate everyone honoring this request NOT to feed treats to horses other than your own without permission. Billy #1 belonging to the Bliss’s should never get treats from anyone other than his owners or rider. Hosing/washing: There are hoses around the barn and paddocks for washing as well as over by Scott’s barn. Please DO NOT WASH your horse in a wet and muddy area. Hoses should be drug to a dry area or please use another hose. All hoses should have a nozzle on them and please DO NOT REMOVE the nozzle. If a hose is missing a nozzle, ask Molly, Vanessa, or Laurie for a replacement. Sweeping: Everyone should be sweeping on a daily basis not only in the grooming area, but the tack rooms too. Please do your part to keep your area clean and swept! Blankets: We are now blanketing at night. All pasture horses should have waterproof breathable turn-out blankets. If you ride in the evenings, please put your horse’s blanket on before turning them out as the boys may have already blanketed. With over 40 blankets to put on and take off daily at 2-3 minutes per blanket your consideration is much appreciated! Clipping: Please let Laurie or Vanessa know if you would like your horse body clipped $125. The horses will need to be bathed and clean prior to clipping. I recommend waiting as long as possible, especially if your horse will be showing. Lost and found: Please check the lost and found box above the fridge for any missing items. Items left over 30 days will be donated or thrown out.

Thank you Lori English for taking pictures of all the kids and participants at the November Mock show. You all look great and the pictures are terrific. Lori is also available for family pictures, special events, and any of your photographic needs at www.simplyenglishse.com ! Please be sure to settle your accounts. Thank you Leslie Grelle, our “judge”, for coming out to critique and encourage all the riders!! Our next Mock Show is tentatively scheduled for this Sunday 12/13 9am, weather permitting. Everyone is welcome. Please be sure to check in with Laurie and RSVP before Sunday. This will be the last mock show before our first “real” show Jan. 9-10 at Galway and Willowbrook, so we encourage everyone to come participate!! Our Mock shows are designed to give riders and horses a “horse show atmosphere” as well as a chance to practice riding courses for ¼ or less the cost of a show! Cost is $50 per horse or rider and includes coaching and your “entries”!! We will have hunter courses as well and jumper and Equitation courses for the riders. The Bliss family would also like to thank everyone for their generous donations towards Billy’s vet when he choked again for the second time last month. Bob, Susan, and Megan are very grateful to all of you.

Tahquitz Christmas Party, Secret Santa and Play day Sat Dec. 19th: Please come join us for some fun, laughter, and holiday cheer 10-1 +/- pm . Please be on your horses ready to ride at 10. We will judge the best “Christmas horse and rider” and will have bareback dollar, egg and spoon, ribbon races, obstacle relay, and other fun classes……………something for everyone!! More accomplished riders are asked to ride bareback to even out the field. Let Laurie know if you need a horse. Please bring a Secret Santa “horsey” gift $15-20 value, and a yummy treat for pot luck approx. 12pm. We will have a sign up for the pot luck in the barn this week. We are also having a stall decorating contest with different categories the same as last year. Please talk to Mia Bray for more information on the stalls. Please be sure to only use things safe for the horses on the stalls when decorating!!

10 am start games*********12pm food and drink*********Secret Santa and stall judging

Clinics: Tahquitz just finished hosting a 3 day Greg Eliel Horsemanship clinic, along with a 3 day Anke Herbert dressage clinic. Both clinics were well attended and both enlightening and helpful to the participants. We look forward to having Greg back next December and Anke in the spring. Maria Wasson from Colorado will also be at Tahquitz the end of January and again in March for a dressage ( which just means “training of the horse”) clinic!! Be sure to sign up early with Laurie as Maria is usually booked full with a wait list.

We hope this holiday season finds you happy, healthy, and among friends & family!! We are looking forward to another great year in 2010!!

Happy Holidays from Tahquitz!!

Scott, Laurie, Scottie-Mac, and Kit

IMPORTANT Upcoming dates:

Dec: Renew all of your Memberships for 2010!!

Dec. 4,5,6 Anke Herbert Dressage Clinic Fish a Bit/Tahquitz (afternoons)

Dec. 5,6,7 Greg Eliel Horsemanship Clinic Tahquitz (mornings)

Dec. 12, 13, 14 Anne Kursinski Clinic Temecula

Dec. 13 Mrs. Elliot in town through February to help teach!! Yeah!

Dec. 19 Tahquitz Christmas Party!! Play Day, Pot Luck, Secret Santa!!, Stall decorating 10-1+pm

Dec. 27 Sunday fun practice tetrathelon competition (on your own horses) at ECI (Kit, Devon, Mia? Megan? Grace?) This would be a prep for the Pony Club Rally Tet. Competition Feb. 26, 27th. No you do not have to be a pony club member for either! J

12/28 Hits entries due to Laurie!! What week(s) do you want to show 1,3,5,6??

Jan. Happy New Year 2010!!

Please make sure you have a current 2010 release signed with Tahquitz.

Jan. 2-3 Peter Lombardo H/J Clinic Bermuda Dunes $100/day (Let Laurie know ASAP if you are interested in riding again with Peter. Spots are limited.)

Jan.6th Hits entries due to Hits in NY

Jan. 9-10 Galway H/J and IEL (interscholastic equestrian league)

Jan. 9th Willowbrook

Jan. 15, 16, 17 Dressage at Thermal

Jan. 17th Tentative Mock Show Tahquitz?? TBA

Jan. 26-31 Hits week 1!!

Jan. 29, 30, 31 Maria Wasson Dressage Clinic at Tahquitz (be sure to sign up early!)

Feb. Feb. 2-7th Hits week 2

Feb. 6-7 Galway H/J and IEL

Feb. 9-14 Hits week 3

Feb. 11-14 CDI Dressage at Thermal (week 3)

Feb. 15-21 Off week Hits

Feb. 20th Willowbrook H/J double pointed Show

Feb. 23-28 Week 4 Hits

Feb. 26, 27 (starting late afternoon) Tetrathelon Rally ECI

Mar. Mar. 2-7 Hits week 5

Mar. 6-7 Galway H/J and IEL

Mar. 9-14 Hits week 6

Mar. 19, 20, 21 Maria Wasson Clinic

It’s hard to believe it will be October next week already! We hope you all had a nice and “cool?” summer. Lessons with Laurie (and Robin) started back September 1st. Please let Laurie (and/or Robin) know if you are planning on joining in on the lessons and/or might be interested in a lease or 1/2 lease with your lessons. The horse shows are already fast approaching. Our first Mock show is set for Oct. 4th!! Thank you David Chartrand for filling in over the summer and keeping everyone goal oriented and working hard! The ladies had a ball!

We kicked off September with our annual paint party on the 11th. Thank you to everyone who showed up and used your creativity, scraping and painting skills!! The arena has a whole new look; zebra Safari, pastel tropical sunsets, candy canes, championship jumps, and much more! J Diane Dunne gets a medal for the most hours spent at the end of a brush. Thank you Diane for you hard work and diligence!

Thank you’s: Thank you Lorraine especially and everyone else who filled in as nurses this summer for Techie. Techie looks better than ever, and is back in work ready to go! Thank you to Jeff and Karen for our new mounting block barn side and fixing the coop!! Hopefully we can limit the involuntary dismounts at least at the mounting block!

Arena Fund: Announcing The Arena Fund, an effort to help make the Tahquitz arenas the best in the Coachella Valley! New jump poles, dressage letters, paint, jump supplies, flowers, arena mirrors ????, decor…What’s on your wish list? Karen and Jeff have very generously contributed $100 to kick it off and invite everyone to contribute whatever you can to help make Tahquitz’ 2010 Winter Season the best ever! Please write “Tahquitz Arena Fund” on your check and make it payable to Karen R. Graninger. You can drop them at the barn in the envelope posted on the bulletin board or send by mail to: Karen R. Graninger PO Box 977 Beverly Hills CA 90212. Write down what you wish for! Thank you to those of you who have already contributed!

Welcome Tiger Lily and Milo from Canada. Tiger Lily is a beautiful 16.3h, 6yr. old Tb mare, champion Alberta AA hunter and Alberta Adult Medal for 2008, here on consignment. Milo was a very successful Jr. jumper and more recently a medal horse. We hope Milo can teach some of our younger riders how to be successful in the show ring. Welcome again “officially” to Sophie and Lizbeth Gray who arrived in July at Tahquitz. Welcome back Molly Lyle! We have missed you. For those of you that haven’t seen her yet, you might have noticed how neat and clean everything looks and all the signage. Thank you Molly! We are looking forward to the return of Marian Mohler next month as well as Mia Baker and her new horse Sport and Taylor Kessler! Congratulations Mia!! Congratulations also goes out to Terri and John Turner on their recent acquisition, Ashton. Yes, Ashton is back and we are so excited for him and Terri to have fun and become future dressage partners!! Vanessa Carter will be returning to help ride and teach in October, and we are very much looking forward to Mrs. Elliot joining the Tahquitz team Dec., Jan., and Feb. this year! We hope to see Meg Schulman at Tahquitz too on one of her clinic/judging tours to California. Welcome back Sal and Zeus who spent the summer cool and “out on the range” with Dirk’s daughter this summer in Utah. Rodeos, parades, 22 mile cattle drives, man from snowy river slides, these horses did it all!!

Summer Fun (horse shows, camps, champions, and more): Mia Bray spent the summer in San Diego with Demi and Chandler. Mia showed in both the county and “A” shows where she competed in the 3’-3’3” hunters and medals on Demi and 3’ jumpers on Chandler. Mia won both a Greater San Diego Medal class on Demi and an Onondarka Medal (14 and under), was reserve champion Jr. Hunter 3’3”, and placed extremely well in many other competitive classes. Thank you Liza Applebaum and Full Circle Farm for all you help. Mia will be going to the GSDHJ finals with Liza at the end of October with both horses and competing in the divisions she qualified in. Mia is currently ranked third over-all in the children jumpers (3’) on Chandler!! Mia with Chandler and Devon Cavaliere and Dusky also both participated in a Pony Club camp held in Fallbrook in July. All the pony club riders camped with their horses for three days and 2 nights, enjoying 2 sessions a day riding dressage, schooling cross country, and jumping stadium courses with top professionals in each field to coach them! The girls both rode well, learned a lot, and made Tahquitz proud. The camp had lots of other fun activities too. They can’t wait to go back again next year! And can you believe Robin even went and “camped in a tent” with the girls!! Pony Club at Tahquitz has already started as of 9/19. We are meeting most every Saturday 10-12:30. Please be sure to let Laurie and Julie know you are coming! If you are interested in joining pony club, or have questions about pony club at Tahquitz please let Laurie or Mary Jo Bullock know. Check out the Tahquitz Pony Club on Face book and become a friend!

Another horse/rider that made Tahquitz proud this summer and continues to ………is Laura Huston on Patrice Varge’s horse Aly, appropriately named “Private Passion”. Laura rides mainly with David Chartrand, but also gets help from Archie Cox and Peter Lombardo. Laura and Aly’s first big win was the Ariat Medal on the grass at the oaks Red White and Blue in June, the next week at the July Theme show at Del Mar they won the Golden Horse Medal, were reserve champ in the AAs, and WON the AA Hunter Classic!! More recently they were 8th in the CPHA Medal Finals - his 1st finals! They are qualified for the San Fernando Adult Medal Finals to be held in Oct. in LA , and are off to Flintridge this weekend for the San Fernando Challenge Medal Finals and the PCHA Medal Finals! It will be a very BIG show for Aly. It’s hard to believe this is Aly’s first real season of showing! We wish you all the best and continued success!! Great job Laura!!

Our own Devon Cavaliere was invited to compete in Vancouver this August in the Canadian Nationals Pentathlon Event. Devon was the winner of the gold medal in her age group, Youth E. Great job Devon! Mid September in Colorado Vanessa Carter showed Molly in the jumpers at the High Prairie Fall “A” show and finished the week reserve champions in their division. Our Champions, Vanessa and Molly, will both be returning sometime next month. J

Now lets swing up to “Tahquitz North” in Alberta this summer……….I had the pleasure to have both Kit and Megan Bliss with Billy #2, “Made U Look”, to go to shows with. We stayed very busy between polo, Spruce Meadows, Stampede, and horse shows. Kit and Megan had to learned very quickly how to braid and stud. We braided for all the shows, and studded for all the classes on the grass. By the end of the summer they were exhausted from 4-5 days of early mornings studding, braiding, and showing, but well versed in all! We started the season at Anderson’s just over the hill from Spruce Meadows. Hunters and jumpers are all on the grass at this beautiful facility. Viva debuted in the 3’6” jumpers, competed in her first Derby, and was super! Megan and Billy had some ups and downs in the 3’, it being only their second show together and new to the grass, but the show helped us set our goals for the rest of the summer. Goyo showed in the 3’3” pregreens and got good ribbons. He and Kit competed in the huge modified child adult hunter division where they were in the ribbons almost every class all week. They finished the week on Sunday putting in a beautiful trip and winning the modified child adult stake class!! Kit and Dreamer rocked in the 2’6-2’9” jumpers. Two weeks later we showed at Willowgrove, another Gold or “A” show and came away with…………..2 CHAMPIONS AND A RESERVE!! After 3 days of showing. Kit and Goyo prevailed in a huge division (18) of modified child/Adult (2′9″) in a sand ring 1st,1st, 2nd, and a rail………….still good enough for Champion with some good riders on nice horses and all ages!! Goyo also competed in the jumpers on the grass at 2′9″ and 3′ where he was impressed and then settled placing well. Kit showed him in the .85 jumpers on the grass practicing her equitation and winning the .85 child adult stake class!! I am still in shock and so is Kit. She rode really well, all the inside turns, all the steps, and a hand gallop to the last jump! He ended up Champion with Kit in that division too!! Viva was amazing 1st and 3rd in the 1.10.We scratched her the last day because she had a big leg that turned out to be nothing. Viva still ended up reserve champ! Megan and Billy got more and more constant as we started to figure him out. They put it all together the last day in the children’s hunter stake class. Even with a slight bobble at 1 she ended up 3rd!! She was thrilled, prizes in every class and a HUGE learning curve for her at 3′ with a mandatory precise accurate ride!

The next show was Paramount, jumpers on the grass, hunters on the sand/slop!! Day one was beautiful, and then came the rain. The sand ring got so wet they cancelled classes for a whole day and had to hold them the next day. Despite the rain and slop (and COLD), Megan and Billy won both their Equitation flat and over fences for her 12-13 very competitive age group as well as completing her jumpers on the grass, and winning very respectable ribbons in her children’s hunters. Viva competed in the 1.10 division again, placing 5th in the Derby with lots of nice horses, and did her first 1.15m class (3’9”)! Kit and Goyo showed well at the beginning of the week, but decided to scratch the last two days due to the bad footing. Megan, truly “horse showed out” left with her parents back to California. Kit and I competed one day the next week at Anderson. Both Viva and Goyo continued their successes, Kit winning her modified child adult Equitation o/f and placing second in her other two classes. Unfortunately we didn’t get to finish the week, so Kit didn’t get to show Dreamer in her last show. We did get to see a lot of Lauren Hines and some of Elise Nelson both of whom send their best to Tahquitz!

Champions and winners at Willowgrove Canadian “summer” weather Kit and the Bliss’s

Billy,Megan,Viva, Dreamer, Kit, Goyo bundled up in the rain and mud in August! Brrrrrrrr!

(check out the pink rubber boots………….required foot wear for Canada in the summer!!)

New pasture board option $280: We have introduced a new board price for pasture only. This price doesn’t require any minimum training, but also does not include facility use (tack rooms, arenas, care, etc….it is strictly board for your horse). We hope this new feature will help some of you during these tough economic times. If we get too many horses in paying for training/facility, those owners paying for board only can opt to start minimum training or we can also move their horses to Chocolate Mountain, the other Tahquitz boarding facility just 10 minutes away.

Yes and No’s!! Please take notice of the new signs around the barn and bathroom! I also wanted to remind everyone to SWEEP BEFORE YOU LEAVE, and remember the bathroom is there for your convenience. Please do your part to keep it clean and swept. Your Mother does not work there! Also all guest dog owners please be sure to do your part in picking up “souvenirs” left by your dogs. This could get way out of hand if we don’t all do our part! Thank you!!

Don’t forget to make your wish for the arena fund!! Everyone is getting geared up for the first of our series of Mock shows Oct. 4th. We encourage anyone that is planning on showing to be in a regular lesson program and riding at least twice a week. Good luck to Izzy and Kathleen Lehman who are ½ leasing Dreamer this season. Grace Osborne is also working hard this season and has ½ leased Billy Bliss. Alex Hiedenriech will ½ lease Techie again and we hope to see Claire McGlade out more with us on a lease horse soon! We hope to see you all at the first Mock Show 10/4 Sunday! Anyone interested in Tucson “A” show this year, please let Laurie know ASAP. Entries are due Oct.1st!! This is a great show, very low key, super miles, “A” circuit venue for less, and Bridget (Laurie’s sister) and customers will be there from Colorado!! Fun, Fun, fun………….

Please see attached goals sheets and releases for 2009-10 season, or get them from Laurie at the barn. These are due to Laurie ASAP!! Let’s talk goals for 2009-2010!! Thank you. We hope to see you all at the barn soon!

Important Dates and Calendar: (we are planning on attending the bold type shows)

Sept: 9/11 Paint Party

Oct: 10/1 Next TH Tucson entries are due Oct 1st! Lets’s go!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Oct. 3-4 Signature Show park

10/4 Sunday Tahquitz Mock Show

10/17 Willowbrook

10/14-18 OCHSA finals The Oaks

10/17-10/18 Surf and Turf Show park (watch the Grand Prix sat night at Del Mar!!)

10/23-25th Anke Herbert dressage clinic Fish-a-Bit and Tahquitz (sign up with Laurie)

10/28-Nov.1 Tucson Fall Festival (entries are due Oct 1st!) Who wants to go??

10/31 Dressage Getaway entries are due for the Nov. show

Vanessa and Molly to arrive!!

Alexander Techniques clinic organized by Molly Lyle TBA (off site)

Nov: 11/8 tentative Mock Show @ Tahquitz?

11/14 Willowbrook

Nov. 15th Show Jumping fund raiser for Pony Club Poway (PC volunteers needed)

11/21-22 Dressage Getaway

(11/28-11/29 Thanksgiving weekend)

11/2 Tentative Mandatory Pony Club Western National Championships 2010 Mandatory Meeting

Dec: Renew all of your Memberships for 2010!!

Dec. 6 tentative Mock Show @ Tahquitz

Dec. 4,5,6 Anke Herbert Dressage Clinic Fish a Bit/Tahquitz

12/12, 13, 14 Anne Kursinski Clinic Temecula

12/19-20 (open)

Greg Eliel Clinic TBA

Mrs. Elliot in town!!

Peter Lombardo Clinic Bermuda Dunes TBA

Play Day over the Holidays!! TBA

Jan. Happy New Year!!

1/6 Hits entries due Jan.6th

WOW, I can’t believe it’s already the end of June! This will be the last newsletter for the summer. All customers should read it very carefully and keep a copy on hand for summer reference. I hope you all will stay goal oriented, disciplined in your riding, at least until it gets too hot!! For those of you who are still gung ho and want to have a little structure, David Chartrand (H/J), Gaetan Morrin (H/J), and Patti Aiken (dressage) have all very nicely offered to give lessons and do a little teaching along with Robin who will be there for the kids and to fill in as well. Please feel free to discuss your summer riding and lesson plans with Laurie if you would like some supervision. There is a good “diehard-heat-resistant”? group of you that wants to keep riding….enjoy and have fun! Please pay the guest instructors directly. All Robin’s lessons will go through Tahquitz/Laurie. Please remember there is NO unsupervised jumping (you must be in a lesson.) We hope you all have a terrific “cool” summer where ever you are and we look forward to seeing everyone again in August. We also hope to hear from you this summer! We are only a phone call or e-mail away!

Horse Show News! April 3,4,5 Tahquitz was well represented at the Show Park County show with Kelsey Kolar riding Saga in the 3’3” and 3’6” jumpers and Pittsburgh in the 3’ hunters. Kelsey and Saga finished with multiple top ribbons and a reserve championship and Pittsburgh and Kelsey were the best ever in the 3’ hunters!! Mia Bray showed Demi in the 3’ hunters gaining more valuable miles and show ring experience at 3’. Mia Baker rode Goyo to two blues and a pink ribbon in the adult hunters and equitation, and Kit Cunningham rode Dreamer to a reserve championship with several wins in the children’s jumpers, a good ribbon in the 11 and under flat EQ, and also rode Goyo to some top ribbons in the 2’6” children’s hunters. At home in Indio, Lisa Copeland and Rudy showed in the Dressage Getaway Show. Vanessa Carter debuted her first ride ever in a dressage ring with a high score in the sixties in training level as a warm up for Lisa on Sunday. Lisa and Rudy showed training level tests 3 and 4 and continue to improve with very respectable scores in the low sixties!

May 9th IEL Gretchen Bueermann and Cassie Bullock are the Tahquitz Palm Desert Inter-scholastic equestrian team representatives for the 2008-2009 competition. May 9th was the finals at Sweetwater where Gretchen and Magic did very well in accumulating points for their team finishing top five over-all for the season individually in two divisions. Cassie also finished top five JV! This was the first year for the IEL in the valley. Congratulations Gretchen for a job well done! The Palm Desert Aztecs won multiple divisions and multiple awards for the year end as well as the overall!

May 15-16-17 Tahquitz Pony Club went to a Pony Club Mega Event Rally in Moorpark, their first rally as a “team”. Our team was Mia Bray (captain) with Chandler, Cassie Bullock (awesome stable manager), Kit Cunningham on Dreamer, and Devon Cavaliere on Dusky. The kids were a close second after dressage even being a team member short. After cross-country and stadium were complete, the Tahquitz team finished second over all in horse management (!!) and ninth over all as a team. They all learned a lot, worked very hard and well as a team, and can’t wait to go back next year with a full team!! The parents loved it too………..all watching from the neutral zone…….and no helping or work!

The next weekend took Tahquitz back to Show Park Surf and Turf May 22-24. Mia Bray showed Chandler in the Equitation and 3’jumpers on the grass. Mia and Chandler won a low ch/aa class and finished a very respectable 3rd in the 3’ stake on Sunday! Great job Mia and Chandler! Kit showed Dreamer in the 11 and under Equitation and the 2’9” jumpers also putting in some good rounds. Ashley Phillips took Poe and showed in the 2’9” jumpers on the grass too. What an improvement on both their parts and good ribbons to prove it. Look for them next season in the 3’! Gretchen Bueermann took her horse Magic and showed in the Modified low hunters, Jr/Am hunters and Equitation. They too had their best show ever with very respectable ribbons in tough divisions. Everyone had a blast, loved riding on the grass for the jumpers, and all did well!

Congratulations to everyone in the Tahquitz annual Six Bar challenge May 30th!! We had 14 riders show up for the challenge. Everyone jumped higher than they had ever before and were able to feel a real sense of accomplishment for the end of the season. All riders went through the six bar increasing in height each round they were clear until they opted to do the speed portion. Riders included: Devon on Frodo (winners of our short leg six bar at 3’3”), Meri Hamilton on Saga (winners of our power in the six bar jumping up to 4’3” clean), Mia Bray on Chandler (our fastest pair in the speed portion), Kit Cunningham on Goyo, Grace Osborn on GI Joe, Alex Leja on Molly, Kelsey Kolar on Pittsburgh, Robin Cavaliere on Shatze, Connie Koch on Sal, Lorraine Huff on Burt (our catch rider for the day!), Megan Bliss on Billy 2, Ashley Phillips on Poe, and Gretchen Bueermann on Magic.

We finished the season at the Show park County show June 6-7. Devon Cavaliere rode Dusky very well in the short stirrup and stepped up to the green rider division for the first time. This was Devon’s best show by far to date and a huge step into a bigger division where she rode very well. Alex Heidenriech rode Techie in the cross rails and also stepped up a division to the short stirrup. Alex did extremely well for limited showing miles winning a second, third, and other good ribbons! Megan Bliss was also a star on Billy #2. This was Megan’s fist time back in the show ring for over a year and her debut on Billy #2. Megan won her Maiden EQ. flat hands down, was also second in the children’s jumper stake class, and showed well in her Eq. over fences . Goyo was champion pre-green with Laurie in preparation for Kit Cunningham and Goyo in the equitation and 2’6 hunters where they won some blue ribbons and other top placings. Goodbye to Saga who went to show park with us and will be staying at show park with Bob Brawley where Meri Hamilton will train this summer and through the season while she is in college.

Clinic News: Maria Wasson came back to Tahquitz 3 fabulous days in March for her bi-annual visit to the desert. The clinic was a huge success, beautiful weather, and as always full. Everyone can’t wait until Maria’s return. We hope to have Maria here twice again next year in January and March. Keep your eyes open in the news letters to sign up early so you get in.

Hellos and Good Bye’s: Goodbye to Vanessa who headed east mid May to Colorado for the summer. We hope to see her back here this Fall! J Goodbye to Marian Mohler who has vacated for the summer?? Goodbye to Mia and Debbie Bray and horses who will be in San Diego for the summer where Mia will get to show Chandler and Demi with Liza Applebaum at show park. Goodbye to Magic who will be spending the summer “cool” in Lancaster north of Los Angeles with Emma Marlowe. Hello to Scout, out latest pony addition to Tahquitz. Good-bye to Nibbles who will be staying in San Diego with his new family. Good-bye and happy summer trails to Sal who will be spending the summer with Dirk as an (extra large?) cow pony! Molly will be competing in Colorado with Vanessa Carter, and Billy #2, Goyo, Dreamer, and Viva are heading North with Laurie, Kit, and Megan to show in Canada this summer. Aly Varge is now with Laura Housten and David Chartrand gaining valuable show miles in the 3’ and 3’3” hunters and Equitation. Good luck to all of you this summer on the show circuit!!

Summer Riding Information at Tahquitz: All summer child lessons riding lessons and times will need to be organized through Robin Cavaliere. Robin will be teaching June and July until it gets too hot. Please let Laurie (all), or Robin (kids), Terri Turner (H/J lessons with David or Gaetan), or Lisa Copeland (dressage with Patti) know if you are interested in summer lessons if you have not already. Thank you.

Note to parents: Tahquitz Summer Child lessons: Please contact Robin to set up your lessons. ½ hour privates are $45. on a school horse/pony, $30 on a lease horse/pony or your own, and full hour group lessons are $55. on a school horse/pony, $40 on a lease horse/pony or your own horse or pony. Please remember you must cancel your lesson at least 24 hours in advance if you are unable to ride or you will be charged in full for the lesson. Please try to set up your lessons on a regular weekly or bi-weekly schedule for everyone’s convenience. If you are interested in a summer lease please discuss the details with Laurie.

Contact info: Robin Cavaliere 413-7524 cell (best)
All Tahquitz lessons are paid to Laurie Cunningham except guest instructors (please check with them and pay them directly as they are doing us all a special service!)
Tahquitz package of 4 lessons can be purchased but must be paid for in advance and used in a 30 day period.

Thank you and enjoy your summer riding!

Congratulations Meri Hamilton (Paloma) and Cassie Bullock (Cal Poly) our seniors. Good luck to you next year at college! We will miss you and hope to see you when you come home to visit!

IMPORTANT!! READ CAREFULLY!! Summer Reminders: 1) Summer Board is due at the beginning of each month. Please post date and send your checks to Laurie for July and August. (See contact info at the end of newsletter.) July board is due this Wednesday!! 2) Summer Shoes: PLEASE check your horse’s schedule and leave a check for Dirk on the shoeing clip board or on the door. Dirk comes every 2 weeks. His summer schedule is posted by Laurie’s tack room door. Summer policy is no check no shoes! If you can be available to help catch your pasture horse(s), this would be VERY helpful. If you are unavailable that day, you can arrange for Ashley to catch your horse for you. Enforced this year will be the $10 catch fee for pasture horses over the summer. 3) General: Please continue to sweep up after yourself in the barn, grooming areas, and tack rooms, especially the evening crowd and Saturdays. Please do your part to help keep the bathroom clean. Please use your own rags and towels and wash your own laundry. Laurie’s laundry service????????? is closed for the summer. Ideally everyone should have their own, but if you need to use Laurie’s tack, or pads, please return them clean! The tack rooms are FULL please tidy up your area in the tack rooms and take any extra items home. The guest tack room really needs everyone to make a big cleaning effort! 4) Please read through your Tahquitz Rules and Courtesies (attached) as a reminder and do your part to know the do’s and don’ts! There is a copy on the web site if you have misplaced yours! 5) There is absolutely NO UNSUPERVISED JUMPING ALLOWED!! This is very dangerous, against Tahquitz policies, and a huge liability. Thank you for staying safe! 6) IMPORTANT!! PLEASE remember to call at least 24hrs in advance if you need to cancel a lesson in order to not be charged. 7) All hoses used for washing should have nozzles on them to save water and keep the area from getting too wet. Please wash in areas that are not wet and muddy already. Please turn the hose off when you are finished and pull it out of the heat. 9) Misc.- Please let Laurie know if you need any gate codes or door codes for the summer. Please remember to close the gate and lock it if you are the last one at the barn. This goes for the day time in the summers as well if no one is around. Last one at the barn should also turn the alarm on. Thank you.

Fly season is upon us. All horses should have their own fly spray and lotions to help keep the flies away as well as medication for any sores on their legs and faces. Fly masks if worn need to be checked daily and not put on too tight. Flies can get under the mask and make things worse. Please check under your mask especially in the heat. Some horses need masks, others are better off without them! Please remember oily sprays and medications attract the sun and dirt. Your horse can get burned very easily in the heat. More fly spray is not necessarily a good thing!

Summer Heat. It is very important to remember to drink lots of fluids all day every day to stay hydrated and to take breaks in the heat. Please remember your horse needs breaks too. They are supposed to be doing all the work! As it gets warmer, early morning hours are the best time to ride. Electrolytes like “Stress-Dex” are also a good idea to add to your horse’s daily feed if he is working hard and sweating. Be careful not to feed your horse too much electrolytes or lots of high protein in the extreme heat. You can risk founder. Fans and water tubs are a good idea in the barn (available at home depo and Wal-Mart).

Summer break and riding: Enjoy your riding through July. August lessons will be minimal due to the heat and summer holiday season. All the horses should get a minimum of 3-4 weeks off a year. 6-8 weeks is recommended. That means no riding, all relaxing……. You and your horse will both come back fresh!

Summer Care: Unlike the rest of the year, horses may require some extra care in the summer time due to the heat, flies, and bugs. It is important all owners are prepared to either care for their horses themselves or arrange for someone else to. Ashley is working for me and will be available to do some of the extra care while I am away this summer. These services are not included in your board and will be billed separately. Please discuss this with me if you have not already so we can set up your horses “TLC” schedule for the summer to make sure your horse has the care it needs if you are either away or not able to come on a daily basis. Some horses will not need this especially if your horse has been here in the past without a problem. It will depend on the heat and how the horses deal with the bugs and flies. You will be expected to have fly spray, and any medications needed for the summer (face and leg bites). Summer TLC (check your horse, medicate any sores, apply fly spray, light groom) is 3-4 days a week for $30/week ($120 for the month). Please remember any and all services need to go through Laurie and will be billed at the end of the month. Ashley will post a schedule in her tack room and be sure to keep the horses on that schedule unless told otherwise.

Emergency information: Please see individual customer information for vets. Any of Scott and Laurie’s horses, or dogs, please try to contact us first. In case you cannot reach us please try Dr. Manno @ 1-800-655-9480, Steve Carter @ 1-307-880-4758, or Dr. Fenton @ All Creatures 564-1154, Dr. Clark 342-1081 or Dr. Vail 398-0288 can be called if they are unavailable. Dr. Randazzo 345-8227 is also available for the dogs. There is an emergency first aid kit in the tack room for human use. If you leave on vacation, please let Ashley and Eli know and be sure to leave a number where you can be reached and make sure all information on the stall cards (if your horse is in the barn) is correct.

Eli will be working with Antonio to keep all the horses happy and Tahquitz beautiful this summer. Please remember Eli and Antonio start at 6am take care of the horses and manage all 40 acres of Tahquitz. Their responsibilities (feed, clean, water, turn-outs) in the barn are only a small portion of their day. Irrigation and maintenance take up all of their extra time. If you have any concerns at all you can call Scott or myself directly and/or for simple matters discuss it with Eli or Ashley. We will be checking in too. Thank you!

Have a great summer and we will look forward to seeing everyone in August. We all work hard at Tahquitz to be a special place for you and your horse to achieve your goals what ever they might be. Keep up the good work!

Happy Trails! Laurie, Scott, Scottie-Mac and Kit

Summer Contact information June -August:

Robin Cavaliere (novice and beginner lessons) 760-413-7524 Robin is also available if you have any general barn questions or concerns.
Ashley Phillips 218-6837 (summer grooming, catching for the farrier, please also let Laurie know if you will need or be using her services.)
Eli at the barn 834-5375
Laurie and Scott Canada house phone: 403- TBA after July 1st when we move in. Please call the house if you can to reach us or leave a message. We are on Mountain time! Please leave a message if it is not an emergency.)
Please use our cell phones for any concerns or emergencies. Note: our cell phones are international calls to Canada. Scott’s cell 760-250-4774***** Laurie’s Cell 760-250-8418*******
Laurie’s e-mail Laurie@tahquitzequestrian.com (always good!)

Mailing Address June – mid August: Cunningham: C/O Calgary Polo Club PO Box 17 Site 9, RR 2, Okotoks, AB, Canada T1S 1A2
I will be in Colorado mid June for 2 weeks and then again the first week in August at my family’s ranch (970)-963-2319. Cell does not work on the ranch, but I will be able to retrieve messages. Scott will be in Canada.
Summer Schedule:

June – (Child) Lessons and rides need to be set up through Robin 413-7524. Guest instructors also available.

July- same as June

August - Minimal lessons/rides for the month. Cunningham’s return third week?

August 31 school starts

September- regular lessons to begin again!!

NEWS FLASH!!

Congratulations to Aly, “Private Passion”, and Laura Housten for winning the Ariat Medal at the Oaks “A” show this week!! WOW!! Great job and keep up the good work! And congratulations to Mia Bray and Demi, “Secret Story” for winning her open Equitation flat and Greater San Diego Medal at Show Park this weekend!! Kit Cunningham representing Tahquitz Pony Club Riding Center along with three other riders from the Roaring Fork Hounds Pony Club was invited to ride in a Bernie Traurig clinic while we were in Colorado. Bernie did a special group session specifically for pony clubbers since he grew up in pony club and believes he would not be where he is today without it. The pony club session of the clinic will be aired on his web site www.equestriancoach.com. Way to go all you Tahquitz riders and horses! Keep up the good work this summer at home and afar!

Kit, Mia, Kelsey, and Ashley at Show park in April

Tahquitz Pony Clubbers Cassie, Kit, Mia, Devon.

Kit, Mia, and Gretchen relaxing on the beach at the May show park!

It always seems like January, February, and March are over before we know it. Here I am catching up from the New year which Tahquitz brought in with a blast! Everyone showed up for a fun play day and post Christmas party. The highlight was the Christmas stall decorating contest. There were Christmas lights, Christmas décor, garland, ribbons, beads, and everything you could imagine on the stalls. It was a beautiful sight and everyone did a great job!

Our competition schedule took us to Galway in early January. Mia Bray took Demi in the hunters, and Chandler in the jumpers and Equitation. Demi won her 3’ hunter classes, and Mia and Chandler were also blue ribbon winners in the 2’9” and 3’ jumpers! Cassie and Reilly showed in the jumpers and Equitation, winning almost all of their IEL classes! Kit showed Dreamer in the 2’9” jumpers and Equitation, also with a win and some good ribbons. Ashley Phillips took Poe and jumped 2’9” on the grass in the jumpers doing very well. Vanessa showed Goyo in the pregreens, winning two out of three classes. Robin stayed home and held a mock show for the other kids who got to practice and learn about flat classes, equitation classes, and hunter classes with Mrs. Elliot as the judge! The next weekend took us to the Dressage Getaway show here in Indio where Lisa Copeland, Connie Koch, and friend and neighbor Sue Pietrzak all showed. All riders did new tests and/or a new level. It was a good show and great experience for all. Thank you Patti Aiken again for hosting quality shows in our back yard!

The first of eight weeks at Hits Thermal started the end of January. Due to “in house” injuries and Bridget not arriving until later, Tahquitz laid low until week 6. We were sadly rained out of Galway in Feb. as a show prep for our debut. Hits at Thermal is a high goal level and season highlight for most of the older kids, adults, and “A” circuit horses. This year was especially fun because the ticketed warm ups were open every day Tuesday through Sunday for practice for everyone and weekly haul fees and stall fees were waived. We are so lucky to have an A3 show right in our back yard so affordable for 8 weeks!! I hope everyone was able to get out and watch the best of the best and set their “Hits” goals for next year!

Hits Champions and Highlights: Kelsey Kolar showed Saga to clear rounds, blue ribbons and good miles in the level 1, 2, and finishing in the AA jumpers, level 3! Mia Bray showed weeks 6 and 8 with good ribbons week 6 in the 2’9 and 3’ divisions. Mia finished the circuit week 8 Champion in the 3’ Children’s hunters 13 years old and younger and more good ribbons and good mileage in the very competitive 12-13 Equitation. Devon Cavaliere and Dusky showed in the short stirrup hunter week eight winning one of her 5 classes and finishing Reserve Champion in the short stirrup hunters on Dusky! Kit showed Goyo weeks 7 and 8 in the 11 and under Equitation, Modified child hunters, and Jr. Novice 2’9”. Kit and Goyo were reserve champion week 7 in the Jr. Novice division, champion week 8, and mid-circuit overall champions Jr. Novice! Kit was also reserve champion in the children’s modified hunters week 8. Bridget showed Dale Fifield’s horse Red in the jumpers weeks 6, 7, and 8. Red moved up quickly from the level 2’s to the level 3’s and finished extremely well in the level 4’s! Vanessa showed Molly week 8 in the level 2 jumpers, and rode to the level 2 Reserve championship! Thank you Bridget for all your help making the shows happen by schooling and riding the horses while Laurie is still off the horses! Bridget and her customers showed weeks 3-8 in the ponies up to the level 6 jumpers with good ribbons, classic winners, and some championships too! And one more “Tahquitz” Champion……..lets’ go back a few years. Does anyone remember Noah, aka Titleist 8, bred by Dale Fifield? Noah came to Tahquitz in bad shape four or five years ago after getting a bad wrap and getting off track. Noah now belongs to Didi Mckenzie in Texas. Didi and Noah were Hits Circuit Grand Champion A-O hunters for 2009!! Some stories do have a very happy ending!

Willowbrook Spring March 15th It was a cold windy day in Desert Hot Springs last Sunday at the first of Willowbrook’s four spring shows where Tahquitz turned up in force for the beginner walk trot division. Robin Cavaliere assisted by Ashley Phillips, managed to guide the group of six Tahquitz riders to victory!! All our riders did extremely well and we are proud of each and every one of them for their hard work and dedication. They represented Tahquitz beautifully in every way. Congrats to Izzy Lehman and Valley Girl the champions in the beginner walk/trot division. Alex Heidenriech won several classes on Techie to finish in reserve for the division. Claire McGalde on Slash, Grace Osborn on Patches, Julia Way on Dusky, and Brigitte Paquette on Master Frodo also placed very well!! Congrats to all our riders for a job well done and dominating the beginner walk trot division!

Clinics: We had a wonderful clinic with Maria Wasson the end of February. Maria is from Longmont Colorado and is back this week for another 3 day clinic March 27,28,29. Maria comes out every year at least once in the winter and gives a fabulous clinic. Maree McAteer gave a clinic and lecture the next weekend on teaching riders feel and understanding the horse from the ground up. It was a wonderful evening watching beautiful horses, examining how we try to communicate, what the horses might be feeling, and a follow up day long lining all types of different horses. Maree McAteer will be back again next year for those of you who missed a great clinic!

Congratulations to our Pony Clubbers Mia Bray, Cassie Bullock, and Leah Price who all passed their C2 on March 1st. Kit Cunningham hopes to join them with her C1 after this weekend! Our other Pony Clubbers went to a Quiz rally in January, a horseless rally last weekend, and everyone will be working towards an eventing rally in May, and possibly a show jumping rally the end of May. Pony Club meets almost every Saturday, October through June. The kids are taught riding skills as well as an hour of horse management .Tahquitz Pony Club Riding Center now has 5 active D’s and 4 active C’s. Thank you Julie Gimble for taking on the D’s and doing a great job!

I am happy to report “Billy Bliss” is back in work and that Megan now has Billy #2 from Colorado to ride and show. Teri Litton is doing very well and came out to visit everyone last month. Meri Hamilton is back and riding, and even I have found my way back on a horse! We are all now wishing Molly Lyle-Sanchez a very speedy recovery!

We all tried to get together late January for a farewell party for Meg Schulman. Meg spent most of February judging and doing some clinics. As much as Meg loves being at Tahquitz and in California it is too hard to keep up and maintain her place in Colorado as well her apartment here. We hope to see Meg when she passes through and hope she will be coming back for clinics on a regular basis.

Welcome Diane Dunne from La Quinta, Langley Vick here for the winter, Robin Carr from New Port Beach, and welcome “Marrakech”, Wyumara’s filly by Mezcalero (Voltaire), born March 12th!

Please remember Board is due at the beginning of the month payable to Tahquitz. I will do my best to get lesson and training bills out next week! We will probably not be doing as much blanketing in April so you can think about taking blankets home, getting them washed and put away for the summer. That also means fly season is coming. Please make sure you have fly spray for your horse(s), but be careful not to apply too much and cause a burn in the hot sun especially with the oil based fly sprays.

Tahquitz Calendar! Please take a close look at the calendar through June. We will be showing locally as well as traveling. May and June are tentative, but I have outlined some possibilities. If there is an event I have missed that you would like to attend, please let me know. We will travel to the shows where the most customers want to go!

Pony Club

Entries due

Shows/Clinics we will attend or host.

Reminder:

ALL memberships need to be renewed for the 2009 show season and numbers given to Laurie with a copy of your membership and horse registration (“A” shows)!!

March

3/27-28-29 Maria Wasson Clinic @ Tahquitz

April

4/4-4/5 Signature show Show park (IEL) Schooling on Friday

4/4-4/5 Dressage Get Away Indio

4/5 Willowbrook Spring (not if we go to show park) Robin will host a mock show here!

4/11 Galway-4/12 Easter (IEL)

(Spring Break 4/11-4/19 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)

4/15-19 World Cup Las Vegas!!!!!!!! www.lasvegasworldcup.com

4/25-4/26 open

May (TBA)

5/3 Willowbrook Spring

5/9 Sweetwater IEL Champs (Gretchen Bueermann)

5/8-5/10 Gold Rush Hanson Dam “C” ??

5/15-16-17 Pony Club Event Rally Moorpark

5/23-5/24

5/28,29,30,31 Gold Rush Hanson Dam “C” ?? OR Show Park June Jamboree “A” ??

5/31 PC Show jumping Rally Poway?

June (TBA)

6/6-6/7 Signature Show Park “C”

6/7 Willowbrook Spring

6/12 School is out!!

6/13-6/14 ?? Tahquitz six bar challenge, play day??

Tahquitz Play Day and New Years Party “Players”

Devon, Kit, Mia, and Ashley at Hits w/Ashlee Bond

Lisa , Rudi and grooms at the dressage show

Marrakech 3 days old Born March 12th

I hope you all had a very Happy Thanksgiving. The following news letter has results from the November shows as well as important information pertaining to up coming clinics, dates, and “to do’s” before the 2009 Show season. Read and be informed!!

Tahquitz Triumphant in Tucson!

Everyone was very disappointed the Galway H/J was cancelled the end of October as we had 13 horses and riders anxious and ready. We traveled to an “A” show in Tucson the next week in November. It was a busy week of showing with a total of 8 horses and very successful for everyone. Mia Bray and Chandler won 3 of the 4 level 0 (2’9”) jumper classes to come home with the championship. Mia also showed Chandler in the 12-14 Equitation at 3’ and the low/chAA hunters and equitation at 2’9”. They did very well in tough competition and came home with lots of good ribbons and great miles. Mia also showed “Demi”, Secret Story, in the 3’ divisions of children’s hunters and Equitation. This was their first show together and Mia’s first time competing at 3’. Look out for this pair in the near future. Despite the newness of it all they were able to put in several very good trips for very respectable ribbons.

Chandler Demi

Dale Fifield’s horse, Red (Unforgettable Fable), was a super star and came home with the championship in the level 2 (3’3”) jumpers with Laurie. This was only his second show ever and first time at 3’3”! Dale also showed Red in the low/ch AA flat and equitation classes for more top ribbons.

RedViva

Patrice Varge’s horse Aly, aka Private Passion, showed his maturity and was a blue ribbon winner with Laurie in most of his classes in the restricted and young hunter divisions. Patrice also debuted on him in the non pro hunter under saddle finishing fifth in their first partnership ever in the show ring! Viva competed with Laurie in the 3’3” pregreen division winning a class and finishing with other good ribbons just out of reserve champion. Viva also competed in her first Hunter Derby! It was lots of fun and valuable mileage against top veterans, all good for the next go! Goyo competed in the pre-green hunters as well as the 3’ jumpers. He was very good and very consistent and finishing the week reserve champion in the Pre-green hunters. Marian Mohler and Moe competed in the beginner rider division outdoors and the 2’ flower box division indoors coming home with a super equitation ribbon and top ribbons including 2 firsts over fences indoors! Terri Turner also showed indoors, the first of many shows to come. Terri and her horse Greco were triumphant in every way with good ribbons and good miles in every class! Laurie’s sister, Bridget Strang, met us in Tucson with her customers. They too had champions in the second year greens, ponies, top ribbons in the AA hunters, and a leading second round score for third place in the Hunter Derby for Bridget and Duncan!

Dressage show:

Meg and I both love the discipline of classical dressage and were so excited to have 6 horse and rider combinations show at the Dressage Getaway show in Indio November 15 and 16. How lucky we are to have an “A” circuit dressage show right here in the desert. Thank you Patti Aiken for making this happen. Thank you to the Tahquitz Pony Club for helping volunteer all day Saturday! Everyone had a ball and are all very excited to learn more “dressage”. Although it might appear different, you are all learning and practicing “dressage” every day in your lessons! Quality transitions, suppleing exercises, smooth and straight leg yields, lengthening and shortening the stride, round circles, straight lines……….are all the things you have to do in a dressage test. These are also the things we need to be able to do to jump successfully! When your horse is soft, straight, forward, connected, and “on the aids”, they will also start to be round and through. Dressage translates to “training of the horse”. I hope you all will rise to the challenge in your lessons knowing the day will come when you have to do these things at a certain time in a certain place and in a dressage arena! That is what makes it much harder!! We hope to be able to have a schooling dressage show to benefit everyone sometime in the near future! Congratulations to Patrice Varge on “Aly” aka Private Passion for their 63% and first place their debut in the dressage ring, and to Terri Turner and Greco also their very first time in the dressage ring and with a win in the intro! Rudi, Lisa Copeland’s horse, won all three of his training level tests with Laurie with scores in the high 66%. Lisa also showed Rudi at Training level with a very good score and top ribbon. Connie Koch and Sal showed at Training level and were first and second in their tests, again in the 60 percentile. Goyo competed at First level with Laurie with good scores also in the 60 percentile. Congratulations Tahquitz on another fun and very successful dressage show! The next dressage show is Jan. 16-17-18 with entries due the end of Dec.. The other shows are mid February and Mid April. Mark your calendars! Let’s go show! (Below: Terri and Patrice!, Connie and Sal)

Lisa and Rudi

Congratulations to Tahquitz Pony Clubbers! Tahquitz Pony Club riding center had an all day rating Nov. 22nd. Thank you Sarah McCarthy for coming from Fallbrook to test, teach, and encouraging the kids to higher levels! We have 3 new D1’s, congratulations MaKenna Parsonage, Mimi Strong, and Gabby Mathews. They now join Danielle Brisceno and Caprice Ibba our other D1’s. Courtney Mann and Grace Osborn successfully passed their D2 rating and join Devon Cavaliere our other D2. These three will be working hard to acheive their D3 rating next spring. Mia Bray, Cassie Bullock, and Leah Price all passed their C1 rating. Kit Cunningham also passed the difficult riding portion of the C1 and will be freshening up on the more technical horse management this month. Mia, Cassie, and Leah hope to step up and pass the C2 rating soon as well. (Below: Cassie, Mia, Leah and kit with examiners.)

Tahquitz pony club meets most Saturdays. Pony Club teaches the kids the importance of proper care and horse management as well as setting standards in their riding (ratings). We encourage all pony club parents to become involved with fundraising to help keep expenses down and also helping teach the horse management. Our Pony Club started last year and continues to grow. For more information contact Laurie or Mary Jo Bullock or visit the Tahquitz Pony Club Riding Center web site at www.tahquitzponyclub@myoxyfresh.net .

Clinics: Greg Eliel www.gregeliel.com is coming this weekend 12/5-6-7-8. This clinic will be tentatively 9-12am daily Friday through Monday and will cover the basics of proper ground work and then how to apply it to your ride. There will be novice riders to advanced riders as well as very green horses and made horses all applying the same basics and refining their tools. Assessments and problem horses are $150 per session. If you would like to have Greg help you with your horse please schedule with Laurie. 398-6234 or Laurie@tahquitzequestrian.com. Auditors $25 daily checks to Greg Eliel.

Anne Kursinski will be in Temecula 12/14-15-16, Sat, Sun., and Mon the following week!! Tahquitz will be present with riders (Meri, Laurie, and possibly others) and auditors all three days. Talk to Laurie if you are interested in coming to watch and learn from one of our past Olympians. Auditing $50 per day includes lunch.

Archie Cox www.archiecox.com will be at Tahquitz the following weekend 12/20-21. Cost is $100 one day and $170 for 2 days. Lunch is included for everyone in the clinic and will be provided by Tahquitz Pony Club Riding Center. All auditors $15 per day includes lunch.

Mark your calendars!! Maria Wasson www.westwindsfarm.com from Colorado will be returning to the desert for clinics at the end of February (2/20,21,22) and March (3/27,28,29). Maria’s has been coming to Tahquitz for more than 10 years and her clinics always fill. Sign up now to secure your spot! More information to follow.

Hits 2009!! www.hitshows.com Please everyone look at their schedules this winter. Hits Thermal entries will be due before you know it early January. Tahquitz ideally would like to show at Hits weeks 1-2-3. We will ideally take a break for the off week, week 4 and week 5. We would then be back for weeks 6-7-8. Of course there will be schooling available all weeks and we will only show if there is interest those showing weeks, and/or one of the other weeks. We need to hear from you if you are planning to show and if so which weeks to try and secure stalls at the cheapest rate.

Memberships: All your memberships need to be renewed for 2009 starting now, December 1st. Please get to Laurie your 2009 membership form (attached) filled out with a copy of all your NEW cards. New this year horses need to pay a fee for a Horse ID to be registered. You can do this on line at www.USEF.org when you renew your membership.

With all the clinics coming up, I thought I should reprint last month’s “Appropriate dress code. Most of you have been to enough shows and barns to know what “appropriate attire” means. Because it does get “hot” here in the summers we do not enforce a “dress code” at Tahquitz, but do encourage everyone on a daily basis to wear what some barns enforce all the time. For special events (Mock Show, clinics, schooling at shows) appropriate attire should mean britches and boots (or nice half chaps), a belt, and a nice shirt. The shirt should ideally have a collar and short or long sleeves. Tank tops and sleeveless shirts are not acceptable clothing for these events and ideally not for lessons at home either. Shirts should be tucked in neatly. Your appropriate attire shows respect to the clinician, judges, and is a positive reflection on Tahquitz! We thank you for all of your positive efforts!

Reminders: December board is due December 1st. Board is not billed. We appreciate your checks sent at the beginning of every month payable to Tahquitz Equestrian. Lessons, farrier, feed and training are payable to Laurie C. when you get your regular bill, or send a check “on account”. We have also been finding a lot of forgotten articles (clothing, tack, cleaning supplies, personal items) left out at the end of the day. Please check that all of your items are neat and tidy and put away at the end of the day, or we will be forced to start a finder’s keepers lost and found for any articles left out and/or not labeled! Thank you and remember your mother does not live at the barn! Please do not leave unfinished drinks and food in the refrigerator and DO NOT EAT, DRINK, OR USE THINGS THAT DO NOT BELONG TO YOU in the fridge!!! We have some horses that are eating the bushes and flowers. Please keep your horses away from the greenery at the front of the barn as best you can.

Thank you again to Molly for all your hard work and expert cleaning and super organizing. Please remember Molly is strictly a volunteer and is there to help Laurie in exchange for some riding and horsemanship tips. She is not employed by Tahquitz nor is she there to clean up after everyone! Molly has been invaluable to Laurie, Ashley, Vanessa, and even Eli. Thank you Molly and keep up the good work!

Blanket season will soon be here. Please make sure you have a good fitting waterproof and/or breathable blanket. We will start body clipping this month. Please let Laurie know if you would like your horse body clipped. $125 body clip, $25 bath.

Welcome Marley, and the Barker girls and their pony Mavrick and from Gardner Valley, and welcome back Sydnie Safoyan from Palm Desert and welcome back Molly (the horse)!

Congratulations to Ashton on his new home at Flintridge! We will miss you!!

We hope you all had a very Happy Thanksgiving and Happy Holidays to ALL!

Tahquitz Calendar:

December:

ALL memberships need to be renewed for the 2009 show season!!

12/5-6-7-8 Greg Eliel Clinic www.gregeliel.com @Tahquitz

12/13-14-15 Anne Kursinski Clinic Temecula

12/20-21 Archie Cox Clinic www.archiecox.com @ Tahquitz

12/27 TBA Tentative Tahquitz Christmas Party/Play Day or 1/3??

January:

1/1-1/2 Pentathlon Camp and competition ECI

1/3 TBA Tentative Tahquitz Christmas/New Years Party/Play Day??

1/10-11 *Galway H/J www.galwaydowns.com (Inter high school Equestrian League)

1/10 *Willowbrook

10/17 PC Quiz Rally

1/16-17-18 *Dressage Getaway www.dressagegetaway.com

1/20-25 *Desert Circuit (DC) 1 (green are the weeks we plan to attend)

1/27-2/1 *DC 2

February:

2/3-2/8 *DC 3

2/7-2/8 Galway (IEL)

2/9-2/15 Off week

2/14 *Willowbrook

2/13,14,15 *Dressage Getaway

2/17-22 DC 4

* 2/20,21, 22 Maria Wasson Clinic tentative

2/24-3/1 DC 5

March

3/3-3/8 DC 6

3/7-3/8 Galway (IEL)

3/10-3/15 DC 7

3/13-15 PC Eventing Rally 3-day ranch

3/15 Willowbrook spring

3/17-3/22 DC 8

3/21-3/22 Signature Del Mar (IEL)

3/27-28-29 Tentative Maria Wasson Clinic

April

4/4-4/5 Dressage Getaway, Indio

4/5 PC Dressage Rally

4/5 Willowbrook Spring

4/4-4/5 Signature Del Mar (IEL)

4/11-4/12 Galway (IEL) (4/12 Easter!)

4/11-19 spring break Desert Sands School District!!

4/15-16-17-18-19 World Cup www.lasvegasworldcup.com

May (TBA)

5/2 Camelot, Newhall “C”

5/3 Willowbrook Spring

5/8-10 Gold Rush Hanson Dam “C”

Schooling dressage show? / combined test? @Tahquitz

5/28-31 Showpark June Jamboree “A”

5/28-31 Gold Rush Hanson Dam “C”

June (TBA)

6/6 Camelot, Newhall

6/7 Willowbrook Spring

6/12 school’s out!

The weather has finally cooled down and lessons are in full swing! We had a fun and successful Paint Party at Tahquitz in September. All the jumps have a fresh new face. Thank you Lorraine Huff, Karen and Jeff, the Bliss family, Robin, Ashley, Kit, Devon, Mia and Debbie Bray, Leslie and Samantha Rue, Connie, Lori, Molly, and anyone else I missed! The jumps look great. For those of you that missed out, I am sure we can find something that needs some paint!

Thank you to Bob and Susan Bliss who hosted an equitation night dinner. We watched the equitation finals at the Oaks in August where Meg was one of the judges, outstanding filming courtesy of Bob Bliss productions I might add! We also started to watch the new Get Connected DVD put out by USEF with Debbie Mcdonald and Cynthia Hankins. It was a great educational evening with delicious food topped off with a mini celebration of Meg’s birthday. Thank you again Blisses!!

Thank you Molly Sanchez for all your diligent and hard work in the barn cleaning cabinets, dirty tack, the feed room, the refrigerator, and super organizing everything!! Tahquitz has a whole new face. If there is dirt to be found or things to be organized, look out! Molly will be on it!

Hello and welcome to Saga, Meri Novascone’s new horse who spent the summer in San Diego. If you have not met Saga, you need to stop by and say hello to the 18.3 hand gentle giant! Marian Mohler is just recently back, riding hard and ready to go to Tucson next week! Sal and Nibbles have returned from their cooler summer climates. Welcome back Dream Boy and Cara Moon and Diamond and George VanValkenburg. Welcome to Shamrock from San Diego and Gigi and her owner Lisa Chambers from Alaska. Welcome to our new riders Teri Litton from Palm Springs, Susan and Lauren Bossler from Palm Desert, Mia Baker and Taylor Kessler, Morgan Clayton, and Amanda and Brittney Jerd! Vanessa Carter also just arrived from Colorado!!! Vanessa will be helping Laurie managing the barn as well as helping ride, teach, and groom this winter. Please introduce yourself if you have not already. Welcome Vanessa we are thrilled to have you!

Congratulations to Linda Menne on the lease of CK for a year to a nice girl learning to ride in a show barn in Rancho Santa Fe!

We had a terrific turn out for the season opener Mock Show at Tahquitz. Almost everyone participated from poles on the ground up to the 3’3”jumpers. The mock show was a good prep for the next weekend at Willowbrook where 6 riders represented Tahquitz, and represented us well! It was a cool windy day in Desert Hot Springs but that didn’t stop Kit and Devon from champion and reserve in the Short stirrup division on Goyo and Dusky, and Mia Bray bringing home the championship in the low/ch/aa division . Ashley Phillips rode Poe and Dale Fifield rode Red also finishing with some top ribbons in the 2’9” hunters and other flat classes. Grace Osborn and Alex Heidenreich also did very well in the lower ring with some first places and top awards in the crossrails and beginner walk/trot on Techie and GI Joe. Well done everyone! The next Willowbrook is 2 weeks. Robin will need to know who is planning on going to the November 8th show by Friday Oct. 31 this week.

Congratulations to Tahquitz Pony Club Riding Center on our 1year anniversary!! We have a total of 17 members signed up now and more to sign up for the 2009 season! We will be hosting some fundraisers for the Pony Club Kids throughout the year. Thank you all for your support. Our next ratings are coming up November 22nd and Nov. 28th. We hope to have 3 new D1’s, 2 new D2’s, 4 new C1’s, and 3 new C2’s! Please contact Laurie if you are interested in joining Tahquitz Pony Club Riding Center!! For more information go to www.USPC.org or our web site which is www.geocities.com/Tahquitzponyclub/home.

Dressage entries are due this Th to Laurie for the Nov. 15, 16 Dressage Getaway show! They are looking for volunteers to set up, scribe, be runners, score, and help. Please go to www.dressagegetaway.com if you are interested in helping or let Laurie know. Connie Koch, Terri Turner, Lisa Copeland, and Laurie on Aly and Goyo will be representing Tahquitz at the dressage show!!

Clinics: Tahquitz will be hosting a number of clinics again this year. This weekend Saturday Nov. 1st Sue Eoff will be conducting a clinic with an hour and half ground session on body awareness followed by a lesson applying what you learned on your horse. Please contact Laurie if you would like to join either or both sessions. Sue’s web site is www.waltzinghorses.com . Greg Eliel www.gregeliel.com is scheduled to return Dec. 5,6,7,8 (4 days 2 hour sessions) for a Natural Horsemanship clinic. This is a great clinic to refine your aids and learn about basic horsemanship from the ground up! Please get your $175 deposit made out to Greg Eliel to Laurie ASAP to reserve your spot! Anne Kursinski will be doing a 3 day jumping clinic Dec. 13, 14, 15th in Temecula again this year at Endar Farm. $200 deposits (to Endar) are due now. We will be going as a barn with some riders and auditors!! Archie Cox is returning to Tahquitz Dec. 20-21 for a hunter/jumper clinic!! This clinic at Tahquitz is recognized by the USHJA and is filling very quickly. A $85 deposit (to Laurie) will be due mid November to reserve your spot! Cost is $170 for 2 days, $100 for one day. There will be (3) 2 hours groups 2’6, 3’ and 3’6”

I thought I would take a few moments to review some of the barn policies and a few notes on barn and ring etiquette as we start off the busy season with a lot of new faces!!

Fridge- The fridge is there for everyone’s use, however that also means that those who are using it need to PLEASE help keep it clean and organized. We have also had some complaints of food and drinks being opened or missing. Please label all your items in the fridge and please only use, eat, drink items that belong to you.

Washing your horse- As the weather cools water saturation a.k.a. “MUD” becomes more of a problem. This makes a big mess and eventually kills the grass as horses walk on it. Please do not tie your horses to the barn to wash them. All hoses should have nozzle on them so no water is wasted. Please take your horse to a different (dry!) area or different hose if there is mud or excessive wet areas. There are hoses and wash areas around the barn, arena, and front paddock by the trash dumpster. Please ask Laurie, Vanessa, Ashley, or Robin if you have any questions about this. There is also a wash area at Bridget’s barn we can use until January if you need to tie your horse. All hoses should be turned off after you wash and the last one to use the hose should roll it up neatly. Thank you!!

Tack rooms- Sweep? Clean? Organize? Have you done your part? We are going to need to make more space to accommodate horses coming into the barn. Anyone with two saddles should be stacking them. Any extra saddles need to go home. Only people boarding or leasing a horse(s) at Tahquitz should have items in the tack rooms. Please mark your saddle rack, tack box, and bridle area, feed room items with your name. Please take any extra items home. There is also room on the feed room at the end of the barn for “some” storage. Thank you!

Crossties- EVERYONE must do their part and sweep before they leave. If someone is in your cross tie area, please sweep one that is not being occupied! Sweeping means the whole area, not just the mats!

Appropriate dress code: Meg and I have had a discussion about “dress code”. Most of you have been to enough shows and barns to know what “appropriate attire” means. Because it does get “hot” here in the summers we do not enforce a “dress code” at Tahquitz, but do encourage everyone on a daily basis to wear what some barns enforce all the time. For special events (Mock Show, clinics, schooling at shows) appropriate attire should mean britches and boots (or nice half chaps), a belt, and a nice shirt. The shirt should ideally have a collar and short or long sleeves. Tank tops and sleeveless shirts are not acceptable clothing for these events and ideally not for lessons at home either. Shirts should be tucked in neatly. Your appropriate attire shows respect to the clinician, judges, and is a positive reflection on Tahquitz! We thank you!

Arena and lesson etiquette: Please remember to be aware and courteous to all the riders in the ring at all times. We have a lot of new riders, beginner riders, and baby horses in the arena and also some horses that are more sensitive to sounds and noises than others. We all need to learn how to respond and guide our horses energy, however some riders will be more aware and able than others. Please be courteous to those riders and horses in the ring and be safe and thoughtful outside the ring! This applies to spectators too. Everyone should be mounting and dismounting in the ring and closing the gate properly especially if there is a lesson in progress.

Blankets/sheets- It will soon be time for sheets and/or blankets. Please make sure yours are clean and bring them to the barn labeled with your horses name on them. Horses wearing blankets that live out or get turned out at night need a waterproof blanket that will keep them dry if it rains? Any blankets that are not waterproof cannot go on the horses in the rain. Not that it rains a lot in southern California…………!! J If anyone needs a blanket, Chaskit (no slip, no twist, self righting) blankets are on sale until 10/31. Go to www.chaskit.com. Note: not all horses need blankets.

Board- Please remember board is due at the beginning of every month. Bills do not always go out at the beginning of the month when board is due. Please make your board checks payable to Tahquitz (lessons, farrier and feed are payable to Laurie Cuningham),and put them in the mail or check box at the barn. We require a 30 day paid notice if you plan on moving. Due to increased costs and continually rising hay costs, Tahquitz board will go up $15 across the board as of November 1st, 2008. Pasture board $280, stall/sand $500, stall/shavings $600.

If you have not discussed your 2008-2009 goals with Laurie and Meg, please be sure to schedule a time and go over them. All lessons, board, and rate sheets are available on line at www.tahquitzequestrian.com. Thanks again to Molly Sanchez for the new face lift a Tahquitz. Let’s see what we can do to help keep all areas neat and clean and organized! Good luck to Aly, Chandler, Moe, Greco, Demi, Goyo, Viva, and Red next week in Tucson! Meg will be teaching through Wed. 11/5 am along with Vanessa and Robin through the weekend. Please let Laurie know your plans for next week ASAP so we can schedule lessons before I go early Monday.

Thank you!

Laurie

Important dates and show calendar 2008- 2009

(* and bold type indicate shows or events we plan on attending).

November:

11/4-9 *Tucson Week 2

11/8 *Willowbrook

11/15-16 *Dressage Getaway Indio

11/16 Sunday Pony Club Show Jumping Rally Poway?

11/22-23 Sat. 11/22 Pony Club ratings

11/27 Thanksgiving Day- no lessons

11/28 Pony Club ratings

December:

ALL memberships need to be renewed for the 2009 show season!!

12/5-6-7-8 Greg Eliel Clinic www.gregeliel.com @Tahquitz

12/13-14-15 Anne Kursinski Clinic Temecula

12/20-21 Archie Cox Clinic @ Tahquitz

12/27 Tentative Tahquitz Christmas Party/Play Day??

January:

1/1-1/3 Pentathlon Camp and competition ECI

1/9-13 Hits Thermal?

1/10-11 *Galway H/J

1/10 *Willowbrook

1/16-17-18 *Dressage Getaway

1/20-25 *Desert Circuit (DC) 1

1/27-2/1 *DC 2

*Maria Wasson Clinic TBA

February:

2/3-2/8 *DC 3

2/9-2/15 Off week

2/14 *Willowbrook

2/13,14,15 *Dressage Getaway

2/17-22 DC 4

2/24-3/1 DC 5

March:

3/3 -3/8 *DC 6

3/10-3/15 *DC 7

3/17-22 *DC 8

*Maria Wasson Clinic TBA

April: *4/15-16-17-18-19 Don’t forget to make your las vegas world cup reservations!!

I wanted to get a newsletter out right away to let everyone know some important information and upcoming activities and dates! We are in full swing (at least during the cool hours of the day)! Please contact Laurie (or Robin) for lessons and get yourself and your horse on the schedule! The schedule for the week is set up on or before Monday each week with 2-3 hours of lessons available in the mornings and in the evenings. Laurie can be reached via e-mail Laurie@Tahquitzequestrian.com or leave a message at 398-6234. Robin can be reached on her cell phone at 413-7524 if your child has been riding with Robin. Laurie and Meg will also be teaching some of the beginner and child lessons as the schedule permits and when Robin is busy or working. Please remember any lesson not cancelled with a 24 hour notice will be billed in full. We hope to see you soon.

News Flash: Paint Party, Paint Party, Paint Party, Paint Party!!

9/12 This Friday afternoon we will be having a paint party at Tahquitz. Laurie will provide paint, brushes, refreshments, and Pizza! We hope you can come help repaint the jumps with a “new face” for the 2008-09 season. For those of you who cannot make it, there will be plenty of painting left over!! Hope to see you there 5pm-dark!

Thank yous: Scott and I wanted to thank you all for taking such good care of Tahquitz this summer. Thanks to everyone’s efforts along with Eli, Vivian and Boys, and Jesus the ranch looks green and beautiful!! Thank you also to everyone for their beautifying efforts in the grooming area! Patrice bought new cross ties to go with the freshly painted poles courtesy of John, Terri, and Greco’s generosity! Thank you Eli and family and Jesus for all your hard work cleaning, sanding, and painting!! Thank you Lorraine and others for the floral details to brighten the front of the barn. Another huge thank you goes out to Terri and John for opening their lovely home to everyone on Labor Day for a swim, a delicious spread of provisions, and happy birthday wishes to Robin and Patrice!!

Upcoming shows: The horse show season is right around the corner! I have included a calendar at the end to help everyone get organized and set your goals. We will kick off the season at Tahquitz with a Mock Show Saturday October 4th for everyone at Tahquitz to practice and get ready for Willowbrook October 11th the following weekend. Galway in Temecula will be 10/25-26 where there is something for everyone including jumpers on the grass! The Greater San Diego Medal finals follows Nov. 1-2 (congrats to Mia Bray on Chandler for qualifying!) We will trek to Tucson for a week of fun Nov. 5-9, entries close Oct. 10th! This is always a great show, something for everyone with an “A” show atmosphere. Please let Laurie know if you are interested as space is limited and we need to organize trailer space and hotel rooms. We hope to send a trailer to Willowbrook that weekend as well for those riders getting going and needing to stay closer to home. Hits Thermal this year is 8 weeks! We will be doing a few weeks at the beginning and a few weeks at the end. We need to hear from those of you who plan on showing at Hits which weeks you would like to show. Please discuss this with Meg or Laurie. Dressage Getaway will be bringing 4 dressage quality shows to our back door again mid November, January, February, and April. We hope to be well represented there again this year! J

Clinics: We will have several clinics again this year at Tahquitz. Meg and I like to bring in clinicians who we think will enrich and strengthen our program. We are especially excited to announce Archie Cox owner of Brookway Stables will be coming back to Tahquitz for a Hunter/Jumper clinic December 20th and 21st. Archie is very well known rider and trainer on the West coast. His horses and riders are winners in the hunters, jumpers, and Equitation divisions in the zone and nationally including indoors and regional and National Equitation Finals! Archie was unable to come last year because he was asked to do a clinic for the USEF (United States Equestrian Federation) trainer’s symposium in Florida in December. We are very excited to have Archie back this year! This clinic will fill quickly. All riders will need to pay a non refundable deposit fee to reserve your spot. More information and cost to follow. We also hope to have Maria Wasson from Colorado back possibly in February and March 2009! Dates TBA!

Leases: Tahquitz has a few wonderful school horses and ponies available for lease. I wanted to clarify what this entails and why you might consider a lease or half lease for you or your child. Leasing is not required. Those that want to schedule lessons will be given a school horse to ride for their lessons. Leasing a horse is the next best thing to owning a horse and is a stepping stone for those that want to eventually own a horse. Leasing a horse or pony guarantees the rider that horse or pony for their lessons. They also have the opportunity to come ride and practice on their own with a lease horse or pony. Only riders that are confident they can care for and ride the pony or horse safely on their own should consider a lease. Meg, Robin and Laurie can help you make that decision and help choose the right horse or pony. In the event there is not an appropriate horse or pony at Tahquitz, we can also help find horses and ponies that are for lease r for sale at other stables.

What is a ½ lease? The 1/2 lease fee is $350 per month this year. This includes 4 lessons during the month at $45 and use of that horse/pony for lessons and rides for a total of 3x/week. The rest of the lease money goes towards the horse or ponies shoes, feed, board, and any vet expenses. Lease money is due up front at the beginning of the month. A minimum 2 month commitment as required if possible on any lease. Any show expenses and additional lessons are in addition to the lease fee. We try to set up a schedule with the ½ lease so we know what days the horses are leased and what days they are available for lessons.

What is a full lease? A full lease is the same as owning a horse. All expenses are paid by you including board, feed, shoes, vet, and sometimes an additional “monthly lease fee” for the use of that special horse or pony. Some owners also require you to have an insurance policy on their horse or pony. If you think you are ready for a lease or ½ lease, or if you have any other questions, please contact Laurie.

Hellos: Welcome back the Brays along with Chandler, Lindsay, Happy and Mia’s new horse for the season Demi! I am very sorry Lauren Hines will not be returning this year to help Laurie at Tahquitz. She decided to stay in Calgary to ride and work this winter. Vanessa Carter from Colorado will be filling in for her. Vanessa has had lots of experience around horses and most recently groomed for an “A” show barn that traveled to Spruce Meadows last summer and other “A” shows in Colorado. Vanessa will be sub managing, riding, teaching, and helping groom/braid/hack at the Hits shows. We hope she will be here by the middle of October and stay at least through April! Welcome Vanessa! Welcome Molly Lyle Sanchez who is helping around the barn and learning more about correct horsemanship, grooming, and horse care. Please introduce your selves.

Reminders: Since it is the beginning of the season and some of you are just getting back into the swing of things, I thought it would be a good time to remind you all about barn etiquette. The tack rooms will be filling soon and space is limited. Please keep your area neat, clean, and swept. Your mother does not live at the barn! Any extra gear should be kept at home to accommodate everyone in the tack rooms. There is some room in the feed room for plastic containers on the shelves with horse and riders names. Please pick up any manure before you ride in the cross ties and please sweep the grooming area and your tack room area if needed before you leave! All of Laurie’s tack used on school horses is to be cleaned and put away after your lesson. Your own tack should also be cleaned and put away neat and tidy as a courtesy to everyone else in the tack rooms. The bathroom is there for your convenience. Please do your part to help keep it clean, swept, and tidy!!

Lesson fees: This is a mainly a reminder to the parents with kids that ride with Robin and are not billed for lessons by Laurie. 1/2 hour private lessons on a school pony are $45 ($30 plus $15 for the school horse). These lessons are mainly for the intro kids learning to ride who are not ready to ride in a group. Any child group lesson or child lesson over ½ hour is $55. All lessons are payable to Laurie Cunningham. Lessons can be purchased in packages but must be used in a 30 day period. Please leave a check after each lesson with the date of that lesson(s) on it. Anyone that would like to pay in advance for a package of lessons for the month is welcome. Please again list the lesson dates on your check(s).

Goals: Laurie will have some goals sheets at the barn next week for everyone. Be thinking about your short term goals and long term goals. This will help us put together a show schedule and maximize your lesson time to reach those goals. Please look at the calendar below. There will be sign ups for every show at the barn. Tucson, Hits, and the dressage shows need to be entered early or pay a late fee. We will do our best to keep you informed. All the shows can also be found on line for more information.

Important dates and show calendar through March 2009

(* and bold type indicate shows or events we plan on attending).

September:

9/12 *Friday 5 pm paint party at Tahquitz

9/20 Pony Club Meeting for parents to discuss calendar, sessions, season goals (time TBA)

9/21 *Sunday Pony Club Ratings clinic Fallbrook (parents and coaches)

9/27 Sat. First Day of Pony Club at Tahquitz for 2008-09

9/27 Sat. Quiz Rally Pony Club

October:

10/4 *Sat. Mock show at Tahquitz!!

10/11 *Willowbrook

10/19 Sunday Combined Test Fall brook

10/25-26 *Galway H/J

November:

11/1-2 *GSDHJ finals TBA

11/8 *Willowbrook

11/4-9 *Tucson Week 2

11/15-16 *Dressage Getaway Indio

11/16 Sunday Pony Club Show Jumping Rally (Poway?)

11/22-23 open

11/27 Thanksgiving Day

11/28-30 Hits Indio “A” show?

December:

ALL memberships need to be renewed for the 2009 show season!!

12/5-7 Hits Indio “A” show

12/13-14 open

12/20-21 Archie Cox Clinic @ Tahquitz

12/27 Tentative Tahquitz Christmas Party/Play Day

January:

1/1-1/3 Pentathlon Camp and competition ECI

1/9-13 Hits Thermal?

1/10 *Willowbrook

1/16-17-18 *Dressage Getaway?

1/20-25 *Desert Circuit (DC) 1

1/27-2/1 *DC 2

*Maria Wasson Clinic TBA

February:

2/3-2/8 *DC 3

2/9-2/15 Off week

2/14 *Willowbrook

2/13,14,15 *Dressage Getaway

2/17-22 DC 4

2/24-3/1 DC 5

March:

3/3 -3/8 *DC 6

3/10-3/15 *DC 7

3/17-22 *DC 8

*Maria Wasson Clinic TBA

Horse Show News! Congratulations to all the riders and horses that competed at Hits Thermal 2008. We were very well represented over the 7 weeks by Meri Hamilton and Ashton competing in the level 1 and 2 jumpers, Kelsey Kolar and Pittsburgh in the 3’ hunters and jumpers, Karen Graninger and Glory their debut in the level 3 jumper division, Marian Mohler and Moe in the Adult Maiden, Patrice Varge and Burt in the Adult Maiden, Patrice’s baby horse Aly in the schooling and baby green hunters, Gretchen Bueermann and Magic in the 2’6 and 3’ hunters and equitation, John Slawinski’s horse Gandolf in the level 2-4 jumpers, Alison Capps and CK in the Jr, Novice hunters, Paula Rooney and Wonder in the ponies and pony equitation, and Laurie’s horses Molly level 5 jumpers, Goyo level 1 jumpers and AA hunters with Amelia Esqueda, and Viva in the level 1 and 2 jumpers. Everyone met or exceeded their goals. Thank you Lauren and Ashley who worked very hard at both base camps to keep everyone on time, the tack room clean and organized, and everyone looking beautiful in the show ring. Mia Bray, Megan Bliss, Kit Cunningham, Ashley Phillips, Lauren Hines, Lorraine Huff, and Lisa Housten’s horse Lala were among others who took advantage of the schooling days in preparation for their future horse shows at Hits.

February 16th took us to the Willowbrook Double pointed show. Mia Bray maintained her consistent winning streak and was (double) champion in the low/ch division. Megan Bliss showed Billy to some top ribbons in the equitation and a win in the medal. Kit Cunningham and Dreamer were (double) reserve champions in the green rider. Mia and Kit both represented Tahquitz well at the year end Awards banquet in March. Kit was reserve champion year end Green rider and third place all around 12 and under and Mia was the low ch/aa hunter year end champion on Chandler. Great job girls!

Tahquitz took advantage of the Dressage Get Away at Indio on April 5th and 6th. Lisa Copeland showed her horse Rudi two days in the intro and her first ever training level test on Rudi. They both did super! Great job Lisa. Keep up the good work! Laurie showed Goyo first 2 and 3. He was super too! We hope Patti Aiken will continue to have these dressage shows and we hope that more Tahquitz players will support them. They are a wonderful asset to our area and such a good discipline for all of us to aspire to!

April 13th Tahquitz took the “B” squad to Willowbrook. Grace Osborn rode Pharaoh to several top placings and good consistent finishes in every class. Brigitte Paquette was Champion beginner walk-trot on Master Frodo, and Claire McGlade rode Techie to a first, 2 seconds, and a fifth. All our riders did a great job! Ashley and Poe debuted in the big ring putting in very consistent good rounds for their first show together.

Two weeks later April 19th and 20th Laurie took Kelsey, Mia, Megan, Kit, Devon and Goyo to Show Park Surf And Turf! The kids got to do the jumpers on the grass as well as hunters in the sand rings! They all had a blast and did well! Goyo was super in the hunters ending up pregreen champion his fourth show ever. He was a little more impressed in the jumpers on the grass, but jumped well and got good mileage. Mia made the cut in her Greater San Diego Flat medal out of 27 riders and was second in another big flat Equitation class. Megan and Kit both got good ribbons on the grass and put in good trips in the equitation and hunters. Kelsey and Pittsburgh rallied and finished very well in the 3’ hunters. Devon showed in the short stirrup and also won some good ribbons.

Robin Cavaliere took Dusky and Julia Way to Willowbrook the first weekend in May. Julia did extremely well her first show with lots of top ribbons. Look out for Julia and Dusky next year!

Galway is holding its horse shows again! Robert Kellerhouse and Stephanie Wheeler are teaming up to get these shows going. Mia Bray, Kit C., Connie Koch on Sal, Devon on Dusky, Ashley on Poe, and Goyo went up early Saturday morning May 17th and showed. The jumpers were on the grass with a little bit of up and down hill. They were more fun for all! Connie on Sal and Ashley on Poe both debuted on the grass and were super at 2’6-2’9”and 3’. Mia and Kit both won top ribbons in the 2’6” and 2’9” jumpers. They practiced their hunter rides in the sand arenas in the heat of the afternoon, not nearly as much fun. Devon and Dusky were a rock stars winning all but one of her short stirrup classes! Great show Tahquitz!

Talk about even more fun…………..!!! Tahquitz went to a Cross country school the following weekend May 24th at 3 Day Ranch above Hemet. It is a beautiful facility with courses from beginner Novice to Advanced. Connie Koch brought Sal, Mia rode Chandler, Debbie Bray rode Lyndsey, Leah Price rode GI Joe, Kit rode Dreamer and I took Viva. The horses loved it and so did the riders. We all jumped up banks, down banks, through water, over logs and ditches and coops. Mark your calendars for next year. We will be sure to go again!

We just finished the season at the June Show park County show 6/7-8. Congratulations to Mia Bray our equitation star on your wins in the Novice and Limit equitation on the flat. Mia also place 6th in the Greater San Diego Flat Medal with all the older riders!! Devon Cavaliere was second in her short stirrup flat equitation as was Kit in the Maiden Equitation! All the riders, Robin Cavaliere included also placed well over fences in their respective divisions of short stirrup, 12 and under hunters, low AA hunters, and the” low ch/aa jumpers! Robin met her goal and rode in a Medal class placing 2nd! Zeus also won two pregreen over fence classes with Laurie. It was a fun show and a great way to finish the season although we wish Gretchen, Kelsey, Karen, and Meri could have also joined us.

We want to wish Billy a speedy and healthy recovery from his colic surgery April 21st. Billy has been a real trooper at age 21. We came home from Show Park Sunday night, he coliced Monday somehow getting his small intestine through a hole he isn’t supposed to have in his belly. The surgeons at Chino Equine Clinic have been fabulous and expect a complete recovery in 90 days. We are all here for you Billy and Megan!

LOOK WHAT’S NEXT: Saturday June 14th play Day! Let us know if you want to come play. We will be having a “mock Show” along with a 6 bar challenge for the more accomplished riders. We start at 8am with rails and move up to crossrails and beyond. Hope to see you all here! Bring water. It is supposed to be HOT!

Clinic News: Maria Wasson came back to Tahquitz in March for her annual visit to the desert. The clinic was a huge success, beautiful weather, and as always full. Everyone can’t wait until Maria’s return. We hope to have Maria here twice again next year in January and March. Keep your eyes open in the news letters to sign up early so you get in.

Thank you A BIG thank you (again!!) to Patrice Varge for putting together more fun Tahquitz pictures from all our activities this season. Be sure to check out all Patrice’s hard work on the photo albums!!

Hellos and Good Bye’s: Goodbye Lauren Malestic and Butterscotch. We wish you the best and lots of success where ever you go. Goodbye to all the Strang Gang who left early April followed shortly by Lauren Hines. Poof! Where did everyone go??  Goodbye to Marian Mohler who has gone north for the summer and to Meg Schulman who is doing a lot of judging around the country June and July. We hope Meg will be able to be here next summer to teach some too! Welcome to all our new riders this spring Olivia Frary, Sydnie Safoyan, and Tessa Vanderwerf all from Palm Desert, Emma and Maddy Randal from Rancho Mirage, Hannah Sloan from Palm Springs, Gabby Mathews from Indio, and Terri’s sister Sharon Turner from Palm Springs. Welcome to our Tahquitz Family!! Welcome back Gerry Auker for the summer to fill in for Meg and Laurie. Thank you Gerry for helping us out again this summer!!

Welcome back Eli Arranda and his family (Vivian, Little Eli, Jesus, and Jose) to Tahquitz. Eli will be working with Jesus, our other help from this winter, to keep all the horses happy and Tahquitz beautiful. Please remember Eli and Jesus start at 6am and manage all 40 acres. Their responsibilities (feed, clean,water) in the barn are only a small portion of their day. If you have any concerns you can discuss it with Eli, or Robin, or Gerry, and/or call Laurie. Thank you!

Summer Riding Information at Tahquitz: Starting the week of June 16th, after school is out, all child lessons riding times will need to be organized through Robin Cavaliere. Gerry Auker will mainly be helping Lisa Copeland and some of the adults. Robin and Gerry will both be teaching June and July until it gets too hot. Please go through Laurie for your summer lesson needs if you have not already so I can set it up with Gerry or Robin Cavaliere before I leave. Thank you.

Summer Child lessons with Robin: Please contact Robin to set up your lessons as soon as possible. ½ hour privates are $45. on a school horse/pony, $30 on a lease horse/pony or your own, and full hour group lessons are $55. on a school horse/pony, $40 on a lease horse/pony or your own horse or pony. Please remember you must cancel your lesson at least 24 hours in advance if you are unable to ride or you will be charged in full for the lesson. Please try to set up your lessons on a regular weekly or bi-weekly schedule for everyone’s convenience. If you are interested in a summer lease please discuss the details with Laurie or Robin.

• Contact info: Robin Cavaliere 413-7524 cell (best) Gerry Auker 567-0829
• All lessons are paid to Laurie Cunningham. Gerry will collect his own fees.
• Package of 4 lessons can be purchased but must be paid for in advance and used in a 30 day period.

Thank you and enjoy your summer riding!

Congratulations to our new horse owners. Scooter sold to a nice family in Pasadena. Jack is now living in San Diego, Earl has a new home in Anaheim Hills, and Burt now belongs to Sharon Turner! Congratulations Sharon and Patrice and Burt!

Congratulations to all our Tahquitz Pony Clubbers on working hard and getting rated this year! Mia Bray, Kit C., and Leah Price are all D3’s along with Cassie Bullock. These riders also did a C1 prep and hope to rate up in the Fall , except Kit who will stay a D for a year. Devon Cavaliere is our token D2. Danielle Brisceno, Grace Osborn, Julia Way, Claire McGlade, and Caprice and Jasmine Ibba are our D1’s. These riders are also working on rating up to the D2 in the Fall! Tahquitz Pony Club is off to a great start. Congratulations to everyone for achieving a rating our first year! We hope to put together a Tahquitz team and do more rallies next year too!

Summer Reminders: 1) Summer Board is due at the beginning of each month. Please post date and give your checks to Laurie for July and August. (See contact info at the end of newsletter incase you forget.) June board is now due! 2) Summer Shoes: PLEASE check your horse’s schedule and leave a check for Dirk on the shoeing clip board or on the door. Dirk comes every 2 weeks. His summer schedule is posted by Laurie’s tack room door. Summer policy is no check no shoes! If you can be available to help catch your pasture horse(s), this would be VERY helpful. If you are unavailable that day, you can arrange for Ashley to catch your horse for you. New this year, there will be a $10 catch fee for pasture horses over the summer. 3) General: Please continue to sweep up after yourself in the barn, grooming areas, and tack rooms, especially the evening crowd and Saturdays. Please do your part to help keep the bathroom clean. Please use your own rags and towels and wash your own laundry. Laurie’s laundry service is closed for the summer. Ideally everyone should have their own, but if you need to use Laurie’s tack, or pads, please return them clean! The tack rooms are FULL please tidy up your area in the tack rooms and take any extra items home. 4) Please keep nozzles on the hoses at all times to conserve water. 5) Please read through your Tahquitz Rules and Courtesies as a reminder and do your part to know the do’s and don’ts! There is a copy on the web site if you have misplaced yours! 6) There is absolutely NO UNSUPERVISED JUMPING ALLOWED!! This is very dangerous, against Tahquitz policies, and a huge liability. Thank you for staying safe! 7) IMPORTANT!! PLEASE remember to call at least 24hrs in advance if you need to cancel a lesson in order to not be charged. All hoses used for washing should have nozzles on them to save water and keep the area from getting too wet. Please wash in areas that are not wet and muddy already. Please turn the hose off when you are finished and pull it out of the heat. 9) Misc.- Please let Laurie know if you need any gate codes or door codes for the summer. Please remember to close the gate and lock it if you are the last one at the barn. This goes for the day time in the summers as well if no one is around. Last one at the barn should also turn the alarm on. Thank you.

Fly season is upon us. All horses should have their own fly spray and lotions to help keep the flies away as well as medication for any sores on their legs and faces. Fly masks if worn need to be checked daily and not put on too tight. Please remember oily sprays and medications attract the sun and dirt. Your horse can get burned very easily in the heat. More fly spray is not necessarily a good thing!

Summer Heat. It is very important to remember to drink lots of fluids all day every day to stay hydrated and to take breaks in the heat. Please remember your horse needs breaks too. They are supposed to be doing all the work! As it gets warmer, early morning hours are the best time to ride. Electrolytes like “Stress-Dex” are also a good idea to add to your horse’s daily feed if he is working hard and sweating. Be careful not to feed your horse too much electrolytes or lots of high protein in the extreme heat. You can risk founder. Fans and water tubs are a good idea (available at home depo and Wal-Mart). John and Jeff, Terri and Sharon’s husbands, have very nicely offered to organize the mist system in the barn. Thank you John and Jeff!!

Summer lessons and riding: Please let Laurie know if you have not already what your summer riding and lesson plans will be. August lessons will be minimal due to the heat and summer holiday season. All the horses should get a minimum of 3-4 weeks off a year. 6-8 weeks is recommended. That means no riding, all relaxing……. You and your horse will both come back fresh!

Summer Care: Unlike the rest of the year, horses may require some extra care in the summer time due to the heat, flies, and bugs. It is important all owners are prepared to either care for their horses themselves or arrange for someone else to. Ashley is working for me and will be available to do some of the extra care while I am gone. These services are not included in your board and will be billed separately. Please discuss this with me at your convenience so we can set up your horses “TLC” schedule for the summer to make sure your horse has the care it needs if you are either away or not able to come on a daily basis. Some horses will not need this especially if your horse has been here in the past without a problem. It will depend on the heat and how the horses deal with the bugs and flies. You will be expected to have fly spray, and any medications needed for the summer (face and leg bites). Summer TLC (check your horse, medicate any sores, apply fly spray, light groom) is 3-4 days a week for $30 ($120 for the month). Please remember any and all services need to go through Laurie. Ashley will keep the horses on a schedule.

Emergency information: Please see individual customer information for vets. Any of Scott and Laurie’s horses, or dogs, please try to contact us first. In case you cannot reach us please call All Creatures 564-1154 Dr. Fenton or McConnell. Dr. Clark 342-1081 or Dr. Vail 398-0288 can be called if they are unavailable. Dr. Randazzo 345-8227 is also available for the dogs. There is an emergency first aid kit in the tack room for human use. If you leave on vacation, please be sure to leave a number where you can be reached and make sure all information on the stall cards is correct.

Lastly, my family and I want to thank you all for your thoughts, prayers, wonderful cards, and support the last two months both here and in Colorado. The outpouring from the community all over has been amazing! My brother will be dearly missed by all. The new orange tree for Tahquitz is beautiful and my family will pick out a special tree in Colorado as well in Lathrop’s memory. Have a great summer and we will look forward to seeing everyone in August. We work hard at Tahquitz to be a special place to train for you and your horse to achieve your goals what ever they might be. Keep up the good work!

Happy Trails! Laurie, Scott, Scottie-Mac and Kit

Summer Contact information starting June 16th:
• Robin Cavaliere (novice and beginner lessons) 413-7524 Robin is also available if you have any general barn questions or concerns. I will be checking in as well.
• Gerry Auker 567-0829
• Ashley Phillips 218-6837 (summer grooming, catching for the farrier, please let Laurie know if you will need her services.)
• Eli (and Vivian)at the barn 834-5375
• Laurie and Scott Canada house phone: 403-995-2495 Please leave a message if it is not an emergency.
• We may get different cell numbers in Canada this summer, but will let you know. Our cell phones are international calls and very expensive ($$$$$)!!
Please use these for emergencies.
Scott’s cell 760-250-4774***** Laurie’s Cell 760-250-8418*******
Laurie’s e-mail Laurie@tahquitzequestrian.com (always good!)
• Mailing Address June 16- August end? Cunningham: C/O Calgary Polo Club PO Box 17 Site 9, RR 2, Okotoks, AB, Canada T1S 1A2 Please call the house if you can to reach us or leave a message. We are on Mountain time!
• I will be in Colorado middle to the end of July at my family’s ranch (970)-963-2319. Cell does not work on the ranch, but I will be able to retrieve messages. Scott will be in Canada.
Tahquitz Up Coming Shows and Schedule summer 2008:
May 31st Meg leaves to Colorado, returning in August.
June 3-14th Laurie’s last 2 weeks teaching.
June 13th last day of school!
June 14th Mock show And play Day at Tahquitz 8am-11??
June 16th Cunninghams leave.
June – (Child) Lessons and rides need to be set up through Robin 413-7524
Gerry Auker to help with some teaching as well 567-0829
July- same as June
August - Minimal lessons/rides for the month. Cunninghams and Meg Schulman return TBA.

SET UP FOR HITS THIS SATURDAY. 1/19/08 @ 2pm and SUNDAY 1/20/08 @ 10am

Anyone showing@ Hits is expected to help in some way setting up and /or taking down after the circuit. Any and all help is appreciated!! Anyone from the barn even if they are NOT showing, can come help! Tahquitz is located at the HITS show grounds TENT #16 at the far West end. Directions: From Tahquitz take Jackson street south to Airport. At Airport turn left, east. Take Airport across 86. The first entrance to Hits is the stabling gate. Turn in the stabling gate (right). We are immediately on the left the whole bottom row of tent 16. Parking is along the road on the North side of the tent. If anyone asks at the gate, tell them you are here to set up for the show and have not received your “pass” from your trainer. If you cannot make it this weekend, please let Laurie know and I am sure we can find a duty over the next 8 weeks! Bring a happy smile and helping hands. Thank you!

Horse show News: November took Tahquitz to Tucson for a week with Aly, Burt, Moe, Viva, Molly, Cat, and Gandolf! Congratulations to Patrice and Burt for showing the most and the best ever, 5 days in a row at 2’3-2’6” and good ribbons in every class! Aly gained some valuable show miles in the Baby Green division, was truly a “baby” and very “happy” to be there! Marian and Moe showed in the 2’-2’3” division. This was their first jumping since last spring. Marian was a star and just barely missed out on the reserve championship for her division! Viva placed very well in the Young Hunter division, and topped it off with an inspiring debut round in the level 1 jumpers! Leslie showed Cat in the level 1’s and 2’s, their debut for the year and their best show to date! Gandolf, a new partner at Tahquitz, finished reserve champion in the level 2 division and placed well in the level 3’s, and Molly was super and jumped to a Championship in the level 5 jumpers. Bridget was there as well with 5 horses winning her fair share! Thank you Ashley Phillips for all your hard work! Every year we say how much fun we all had at Tucson, it’s hard to imagine it getting even more fun! J We hope to go again next year for more of the same!

Meanwhile back at the ranch……….Meg ventured to Willowbrook for a record day in the cold and wind with the next generation, 7 diehard little girls. Brigitte Paquette debuted on Master Frodo in the beginner walk trot division and truly dominated by winning all 5 of her classes! Lauren and Butterscotch, aka Cloud Nine, made their debut and also did very well in their division for a new partnership and a trial run. Thank you Meri Hamilton for all your help! Devon Cavaliere and Dusky competed in the a few classes of short stirrup and a few classes of crossrails where she was able to bring on the “blue” and win some fun prizes. Kit and Megan showed Dreamer and Billy respectively in the very competitive Green Rider division, both riding well and pinning some top ribbons. Mia and Chandler dominated the Low-CH/AA division winning all of her classes! Well done Mia! Briana Rogers also showed her horse in the Low CH/AA, refining their ride and doing well.

The next weekend found Tahquitz at a 2 day sanctioned dressage show, Dressage Getaway at the old Indio show grounds. This was a first for most everyone and their horses. Lisa Copeland and Rudi debuted at the intro level receiving valuable mileage, comments, and blue ribbons!! Rudi also competed in Training 1 and 2 open with Laurie for a blue and a red ribbon. Connie Koch riding her horse Sal and Karen Graninger on Glory starred in the Training 1 and 2 Amateur division receiving first (high 60’s %) and second place respectively! Meri Hamilton showed Ashton off at First Level 2 and 4 Jr. division with scores again in the mid 60’s both days and winning all 4 of her tests. Aly showed in the training 1 and 2 Open scoring very well in the mid to upper 60’s and blue ribbons all the way around. Goyo competed First Level Test 1 and 2 also winning blue ribbons with good scores in the mid 60’s. Gale Winston showed Pistol, Dale Fifield’s horse Training 4 and first level test 1 for the first time and scored well. We were very proud of everyone that went, how well everyone did, and for Tahquitz having the most horses competing from any one barn! Dressage is excellent discipline and cross training for the riders and horses. We are looking forward to showing again in April!

Greg Eliel came back for the fourth year the first week in December and did another wonderful Natural Horsemanship Clinic at Tahquitz. Every year he is able to add some new incite and inspires everyone to a new height of timing and awareness. The Tahquitz Christmas party was the highlight of December! There was a costume contest, games, good food, and Santa’s gift exchange. Mia Bray and Chandler were the winners of the “Best dressed Christmas Horse and rider” with Karen Graninger and Glory a close second. Everyone (in costume) played bareback dollar……….I think there were a few saddles….Scottie-Mac being the winner of the jack pot…….,egg and spoon, ribbon races, and a teams obstacle course. It was a beautiful day and fun for all. Thank you everyone for all your help, delicious treats, meats, and dishes, and most importantly my fabulous Christmas gift………..NEW JUMPS! Thank you Robin for organizing and Bridget for brain storming. They are much needed, beautiful, and for all to benefit! We spent 2 fun days at the George Morris Clinic the next week hosted by Michael Cintas and ECI. Laurie was very grateful to be able to ride Molly in it along with Jan Richardson on her nice horse Spice. Lauren Malestic and Jen Burleigh also both enjoyed one day with the “master”! Tanni Tytel, Terri Turner, Marian Mohler, Ashley Phillips, and Meg Schulman all were able to audit. What a valuable experience for riders and auditors!

Christmas and the New Year saw lots of people riding and enjoying the nice weather. Willowbrook Jan. show was last weekend 1/12. Unlike November, it was a glorious warm and sunny day, thank goodness! Tahquitz was very well represented with 11 horses and ponies! Julia Bauerfiend debuting on Scooter, Julia Way debuting on Pharaoh, and Brigitte Paquette her second show with Master Frodo, all shared top ribbons in the 5 classes of Beginner Walk-Trot. They all did very well and can’t wait until the next show to do more! Lauren Malestic and Butterscotch, her new pony and partner, won two blue ribbons in the walk-trot crossrails and their first of many to come! Look out for these two down the road! Devon and Dusky completed the short stirrup hunter hack very successfully, and stepped in the cross rails ring where they won two classes! Leah Price debuting on Reilly and Cassie Bullock debuting on Liam also both won classes in the crossrails! Marian Mohler was very consistent on Moe for a reserve championship in the long stirrup division. Kit on Dreamer and Megan Bliss on Billy (Just One More) both rode well and received top ribbons in the Green Rider Division, Megan topping it off by winning the 2’6” OCHSA restricted medal! Mia Bray on Chandler and Cassie Bullock on Reilly competed in low CH/AA division, Mia again winning decisively 4 of her 5 classes and the Championship, with Cassie and Reilly also showing well.

Pony Club: Tahquitz Pony Club is growing fast and received official renewal recognition for the 2008 season! The pony clubbers meet at 12:30 Saturday afternoons. For more information about pony club, pony club news, and to receive pony club e-mails and website information please contact Laurie, Robin, or Mary Jo. The pony clubbers will be learning horsemanship and horse management along with the safety and skills to being an all around horse owner and rider. We are working towards getting all the kids rated in April this year. Our goal and Pony Club’s goal is “a happy child on a happy horse”!

What’s New: Congratulations to Lorraine Huff on the arrival of Cardiff, aka “Scoshe” from Canada, down for a trial run, EH! We can’t wait to see all that you two can do! Congratulations to Lauren Malestic on the purchase of her very cute pony “Butterscotch”, a new barn favorite, in November. Look out for this pair down the road!

Hello’s: Welcome our new students and boarders since the last news letter, Terri Turner from La Quinta, Olivia Frary from Palm Desert, Claudia Bueermann from Palm Desert, Leah Price from Palm Desert, Diana Coe from Colorado, and Jan Richardson with Spice and Percy from Northern California. You may have noticed our fellow Canadians, with a wee bit of “Irish”, are here for the Hits shows. Please introduce yourselves. They are all very friendly “eh” and love being at Tahquitz. Welcome back Lauren Hines, super groom and helper here for Laurie finally! And just this week Bridget and her helper, Cody, with 11 horses from Colorado! We are looking forward to the arrival of Wonder and Paula Rooney next week for the Hits shows. Yes, we are full!

Goodbyes: Goodbye to Junelle Pearson and Valentine and Kelly Slawinski and Troy. We hope you will come back when space is available here and until then we wish you the best. Goodbye to Meg, Jen, and Jessica Burleigh and Strutt we wish you lived closer! We hope you will come ride and visit as much as possible.

Thank you’s: Thank you Bob Bliss for taking the old fridge to the “refrigerator funeral home”. It almost became a permanent fixture. Thank you Patrice Varge, our resident decorator, for the beautiful Christmas garland, Santa, and Christmas wreath for the holidays. Thank you Larry, Lyne, and Lauren Malestic for the awesome new picnic table ring side at Tahquitz. If you come on Saturdays, Lyne usually feeds everyone lunch there too! J

E-mail and Web site: Please remember to update your e-mail with Laurie if you don’t already receive the newsletter online. Laurie’s e-mail is Laurie@tahquitzequestrian.com.

Reminders: For the most part everyone is doing a good job cleaning up after them selves in the cross ties, WHEN THEY ARE REMINDED! Please remember to always pick up your manure as soon as possible. Attention JR riders, crossties and alley ways are to be swept prior to leaving if not before you ride! No exceptions!! The tack rooms and feed room are to be kept neat and tidy at all times. Please keep your area in the tack room neat and tidy, tack trunks closed. All feed and baggies must be marked. If you use the bathroom, please do your part to keep it clean and swept for others. Please use your own rags and towels and wash your own laundry. Laurie’s rags are for Laurie’s horses. LESSONS: IMPORTANT!! PLEASE remember to call at least 24hrs in advance if you need to cancel a lesson in order to not be charged. A schedule is posted every Monday. ALL lessons and any changes or requests in scheduling for the week need to go through Laurie, ideally on or before Monday. Any lessons not cancelled 24 hours in advance will be charged in full. Please refrain from calling Laurie in her cell phone during lesson hours unless it is necessary. The best number to reach me at night is 398-6234.

Attention all family members, sideline crew, and any friendly sideline helpers. It has come to Meg’s and my attention there needs to be a side line SILENCE CODE. That code means silence on the outside while a lesson or horse show is going on. We appreciate everyone’s enthusiasm and willingness to help, however this is very distracting to both the student and person giving the lesson. Please refrain from making comments or talking during the lesson from the sidelines. Of course we are always available to talk to after the lesson to discuss things and you are welcome to discuss them with the student at that time too! Meg and I appreciate your help with this! Thank you very much.

Clipping: Please let Laurie know if you would like your horse body clipped, $125 in house or with your blades, $150 out of house. We are trying to get everyone done that needs it in the next few weeks. All clipped horses should wear a sheet during the day and sheet (unless it rubs) and blanket at night.

Blankets: Please bring your horses’ wardrobe to the barn. All blankets should be marked. Horses will need their heavier blankets if/when they get body clipped and a sheet for the day. Horses that live out at night or in the pastures need a turnout blanket with leg straps. If you ride your horse in the evenings, please help the boys by putting your blanket on your horse when you are finished.

Hits 2008: Get ready, get set, and get yourself organized for HITS! We held a preliminary meeting last Sunday and plan to hold another this Sunday 10:00am (at the Hits show grounds Tahquitz Tent 16 for those of you that missed the first one and have any questions comments, or input). Thank you Marian for taking notes and organizing them for everyone. This is what was discussed:

1. Show list—Laurie will email you this list, or has already. This is a complete check list for the barn for shows. Riders can make their own shorter version. Please let Laurie know if you did not receive one.

2. What you will need at Hits (This is also a general list for horse showing): Tahquitz colors are navy blue, burgundy and silver. Ideally show sheets, wraps, and all horse apparel at the shows should be in these colors and have your initials or name on them.

· Show sheet

· Wool (colder mornings) or cotton mesh cooler (to keep your horse clean and cool in their stall, at the ring, or after a bath.

· 4 clean wraps and 4 clean pillows to wrap your horse after jumping , marked w/your name.

· (2) clean white show pads : hunters need fitted pads, jumpers can use square pads navy or white

· Schooling pad

· Gear duffel bag with your name on it or plastic box with a lid with your name to keep all your items clean and organized in.

· Grooming box with brushes, vetroshine for the tails, hoof oil, hoof pick, rags, comb.

· Show clothes bag. You need to have 2 pair of show britches, 2 show shirts, a show jacket, extra hair nets, hair bands, hair brush, etc…..These can be kept in your coat bag.

3. Tack should be clean and in good condition. All riders should get in the habit of wiping off their tack everyday after they ride.

4. Horses on show days should be bathed and trimmed the day before. Legs are to be wrapped after jumping especially if they are standing in stalls.

5. On schooling days horses should have washed manes, tails, and legs. Their ears, noses, and legs should be neatly trimmed. Riders should wear britches with a belt, boots if you plan to show or nice ½ chaps if you are only schooling is ok too, a collared shirt or nice t-shirt, and look neat, clean, and presentable. This is proper attire for your lessons at home ideally as well!

6. Responsibilities as riders at the show:

· You are responsible to let us know as soon as possible if you cannot have your horse clean and trimmed for schooling or the show so that we can schedule it and help you. We are happy to help and know that work and school may interfere. Please learn to be organized early for this reason.

· You are responsible to help catch and help load your horse to go to the show and return from the show unless other arrangements have been made.

· You are responsible to keep the stalls clean throughout the day unless your horse is in “full care”. Always leave the stall clean at the end of the day. Your horse should always have fresh water. Please empty the manure in the manure pile after you clean your stall.

· Keep gear together and tidy in the tack room

· All tack should be cleaned and put away in the tack room after your last ride.

· Horses should be wrapped after your last ride and braids taken out.

· Keep lounge area neat and clean.

· Help with jump crew, ring crew, and most importantly support crew if you have extra time.

· Flowers may need watering at the end of the day.

· Alley way swept and raked at the end of the day.

· Tack room is swept and clean and locked at the end of the day.

· Bikes are put away and locked (if you have one at the show.)

7. Fees:

· Schooling or ride at the show w/Meg and/or Laurie $45/day

· Partial horse care: help grooming, tacking up, untacking, includes schooling $65/day

· Full horse care: includes bathing, wrapping, grooming, tacking, cleaning stall, schooling fee $85

· Hauling to and from the show grounds $15/day or $60/wk

· Ticketed round $25 (please let Laurie know if you plan on schooling so I can purchase the tickets.)

· Braiding: Bridget or Laurie (in house) $35/mane $25/tail

Show hirees (outside) $45/mane $35/tail

(Tails are taken out and rebraided daily for the hunters and Equitation. Manes should be redone daily, but may on occasion be left in for a day if they are neat and the horse shows early the next day.)

8. Schooling days for ticked rides are available Tues, Wed, and Thur.

9. Paradise Embroidery (Wendy and Richard) has our logo for pads, coolers, jackets, hats!

Although on paper this may seem like a lot to do and be responsible for, it is standard procedure unless you are at a “full service” barn that charges full service rates. We want you to learn to be a part of the process, have fun doing it, learn to be responsible and organized, and we are there to help you! Good luck to everyone from Tahquitz showing at Hits Kelsey Kolar and Pittsburgh, Meri Hamilton and Ashton, Gretchen Bueermann and Magic, Karen Graninger and Glory, Patrice Varge and Burt, Laurie and Aly, Gandolf, Molly, Viva, and Goyo, Marian Mohler and Moe, and Bridget and her gang as well as Alison Capps arriving from Alaska, and Paula Rooney and Wonder from Canada! Please feel free to come cheer everyone on, hang out at the barn, and see the sites as well as some of the best horses and riders in the world compete! We are SO lucky to have this venue to watch, learn, and participate in right out our back door!

Tahquitz Up Coming Shows and Schedule 20062008:

Please let Laurie know what shows or events you are interested in so we can make plans, or if you have any additions!

January:

Desert Circuit Week 1 1/22-27

Desert Circuit Week 2 1/29- 2/3

February:

Desert Circuit Week 3 2/5-2/10

Willowbrook Double pointed show 2/16

Desert Circuit Week 4 2/19-24

March:

Desert Circuit Week 5 2/26-3/2

Desert Circuit Week 6 3/4 -3/9

Desert Circuit Championship Week 3/11-3/16

Maria Wasson clinic TBA

April:

Dressage Get Away

Show Park Tournament of Champions

Ride America?

May:

More shows TBA and posted.

The weather is perfect and the barn is in full swing!! It is great to see everyone back riding and their horses getting fit and ready for the upcoming show season, clinics, and fun horse activities.

Kit and Dreamer

What’s New: Thank you Robin for collecting funds and organizing the delivery (courtesy of Bob Bliss and Co.) for the new fridge. Please get your $22.00 to Robin or Patrice if you plan to use this beautiful new clean fridge. Lets everyone do their best to keep it that way! Coming soon the new Tahquitz web site with new pictures, new links, a new layout, and of course all the information you need to know about Tahquitz. The address is still the same www.tahquitzequestrian.com. Thank you (again) Jeff, Karen, and Connie for all of your advice, hard work, production, and patience putting the site together. Tahquitz Equestrian Facility Pony Club has officially started!! The pony clubbers meet on Saturday afternoons. For more information about pony club, pony club news, and to receive pony club e-mails and website information please contact Laurie, Robin, or Mary Jo. The pony clubbers will be learning horsemanship and horse management along with the safety and skills to being an all around horse owner and rider. Pony Club’s goal is a happy child on a happy horse!

Hello’s Welcome back Meg Schulman who returned to Tahquitz the beginning of October and has been doing most of the teaching! Welcome back Cassie Bullock and “Reilly” and “Liam”, Marian Mohler who just returned for the winter as well as Shelby Johnson and her horse “Patches”! Welcome Meg, Jen, and Jessica Burleigh from Rancho Mirage and “Strut”, and Lauren, Lyne, and Larry Malestic and “Sparkles” from La Quinta! Junelle Pearson from La Quinta and “Valentine” are our most recent new comers. Welcome back Grace Osborne from Bermuda Dunes to the riding program. Other new comers this month in the riding program are Britney Palmer from 1000 Palms, Brooke Shapter from La Quinta, Sydnie Safoyan from Palm Desert, Kate, Amanda, and Kellie Klempen from Rancho Mirage, and Sydney and Shelby Armor from Palm Springs. Welcome all the new and up and coming riders at Tahquitz!

Tahquitz also welcomes “Petal” the newest and youngest addition to the herd (and Shatze), and “Dreamer” to smoky California from snowy Colorado!

Horse Show News! Tahquitz held its first “Mock Show” of the season October 6th. It was a great jump start for the season! The weather was perfect and everyone participated from walk-trot rails on the ground up through the 3′6″ including riders from Rancho Polo, Fish-A-Bit, and other barns. Tahquitz will be hosting another Mock Show next weekend Saturday Nov. 3rd! We hope to see you there!

The first show of the season was Willowbrook Oct. 13th. Lauren Malestic took “Master Frodo” in the walk-trot crossrails division and placed very well in every class. This was a huge division and Lauren’s first show and third ride on Frodo! Great job Lauren! Kit Cunningham and Mia Bray competed in the Green Rider division on Dreamer and Chandler. They had a great show each winning two (big) classes, and Kit slipping away with the Championship her first show on Dreamer. Lisa Copeland and Rudi came along for the ride and Rudi also was a star! Breana Rogers showed her horse to a respectable second and fourth in the 2′9″ division. Thank you Lorraine for your support and photographic talents! Photos from Oct. Willowbrook 2007!

Everyone was geared up to go to Camelot this weekend, but unfortunately we were “burned out”. November promises to be very busy starting with the Mock show, a week at Tucson (good luck Aly, Burt, Moe, Viva, Molly, Cat, and Gandolf!), Willowbrook #2 (Kit, Mia, Megan, Devon, Lauren, Lorraine? and others?) and the dressage show. This all happens before Thanksgiving! FYI entries for the dressage show are due this Monday 10/29. Please get them in to Laurie ASAP (Karen, Lisa, Meri, Lorraine, Robin, Aly, Goyo, Kelsey? and Dale)!

E-mail and Web site: Please remember to update your e-mail with Laurie if you don’t already receive the newsletter online. Laurie’s e-mail is Laurie@tahquitzequestrian.com.

Reminders: For the most part everyone is doing a good job cleaning up after them selves in the cross ties. Please remember to always pick up your manure as soon as possible. Crossties and alley ways are to be swept prior to leaving if not before you ride! No exceptions!! The tack rooms and feed room are to be kept neat and tidy at all times. All feed and baggies must be marked. If you use the bathroom, please do your part to keep it clean and swept for others. Board is due at the beginning of each month. Please get your check to Laurie or put it in the box. Shoes: Your horse is on a six week schedule unless noted otherwise. PLEASE check your horse’s schedule and leave a check for Dirk in the shoeing envelope. A $10 fee will be charged if there is no check at time of service. NO EXCEPTIONS! Please use your own rags and towels and wash your own laundry. LESSONS: IMPORTANT!! PLEASE remember to call at least 24hrs in advance if you need to cancel a lesson in order to not be charged. A schedule is posted every Monday. ALL lessons and any changes or requests in scheduling for the week need to go through Laurie, ideally on or before Monday. Any lessons not cancelled 24 hours in advance will be charged in full. Please refrain from calling Laurie in her cell phone during lesson hours unless it is necessary. The best number to reach me at night is 398-6234.

Blankets: As it gets cooler next month, the show horses should start getting their blankets at night or a light weight shell or sheet. Please bring your horses’ wardrobe to the barn. All blankets should be marked. Horses will need their heavier blankets if/when they get body clipped later in November and December. If you need a new blanket, Chaskit (www.chaskit.com) is having a sale through Oct. 31st!

News Flash, Just in!! We are very excited (and lucky) to have Greg Eliel back this December for another Natural Horsemanship Clinic. Greg is from Ellensburg, Washington. He spends most of his time on the road giving clinics and doing demonstrations all over the country. Greg has his Ph. D. in patience, humility, and dedication when it comes to horses and their owners. He is a master at teaching awareness and timing, and the tools to apply to create a calm, soft, and supple horse. Greg works with all levels of riders and horses and all disciplines of riding. Anyone new to the natural horsemanship and what Greg will be doing can talk to Laurie or go to Greg’s web site www.gregeliel.com and learn more about it. I encourage everyone to ride with Greg if you can. The clinic is $450 for 4 days, 2 hours a day, some ground work and some mounted work all building the foundation for the pathway to success for performance and safety. Greg is also available for horse assessments ($125 per horse) if you have a particular problem, a problem horse, or want to work one on one with Greg. You can audit the clinic for $25 per day. My favorite quote from Greg’s web site is, “I look forward to the day when I can feel my horse as much as he feels me.” What Greg has to teach you will stay with you as a horseperson as long as horses are a part of your life! Please sign up with Laurie ASAP and before 11/19 (I will be gone 11/20-11/28 over Thanksgiving). A $150 deposit payable to Greg Eliel reserves your spot.

Tahquitz Up Coming (local) Shows and Schedule 2006-2007: Please let Laurie know what shows or events you are interested in so we can make plans, or if you have any additions!

10/27 Camelot “B” cancelled due to fires! L

(10/29 Dressage show entries due)

November:

11/3 Mock Show @ Tahquitz

Pentathlon entries due this week!

11/7-11 Week 2 Tucson Fall Festival (leave on Monday 11/5) 11/10 Sat. Willowbrook (11/10-11/11 Open House Hits Thermal)

11/17-18 Dressage Get Away at Indio

11/21-25 Thanksgiving Break (11/22 Thanksgiving Day)

December

12/1-2-3-4 Greg Eliel Natural Horsemanship Clinic @ Tahquitz

12/8-9 Local Desert Pentathlon (Ride, swim, run, shoot, and fencing) everyone invited to participate! Contact Mary Jo Bullock 349-9525.

12/15-16 (Possibly Archie?)

12/17-18 George Morris Clinic at ECI, Rancho Mirage

12/22 Tentative: Tahquitz Christmas Party and Play Day

12/25 Christmas (No lessons 12/23-12/26)

TBA Archie Cox Clinic @ Tahquitz Equestrian Facility in December