We Will Miss You Jamie!

As many people have already heard, we lost Jamie last week down in Ocala.  She was truly Missy's devoted side kick and best buddy, always well behaved, full of affection and personality.  Those two had a special relationship and Jamie was such a unique character, from her unusual breeding (Ridgeback/Lab) to her unending patience with squirrel herding.

Everyone at Blue Hill Farm mourns the loss of this special dog and we hope that every day Missy turns her sadness into a smile as she remembers the most amazing 10 years with this beautiful animal.

We've put together a full photo album that can be seen on our Facebook page.  Here's a little glimpse of those photos for this blog post.

Missy also wanted to thank Paddy Hughes for originally breeding this beautiful dog and bringing her to Missy~

RIP Jamie.  We love you.

 

Florida 2016 - Adventures of Jess Pye and DJ!

Florida 2016: It’s been a while since I’ve wintered in Florida and getting the chance to come south this winter with Blue Hill has turned into my most successful Florida trip to date! Blue Hill Farm South is a lovely place of airy barns, huge turnouts, tons of open riding space and lots of sunshine! I brought Dr. Jo Ellen Krueger’s DeeJay with me this year with the goal of making the move up from preliminary to intermediate.

Ocala 2: I’ve spent my entire eventing career in Area V where hills are unheard of, ground is generally concrete and interval training is the only way. DeeJay has been playing on the hills of Chester County since September and it’s made a tremendous difference in his fitness and strength. Missy has helped take our show jumping and cross-country skills to the next level while Jess Ranshousen has literally taught me how to teach DJ to do dressage. The first event of the season on a young horse is always a bit of an unknown and Ocala is never an easy event but DeeJay clearly wanted to show off all his new tricks and had three great phases to finish in 3rd place in the Open Preliminary C division.

Rocking Horse 2: The big move up! I will start by saying that I’ve never been so proud after finishing with an R next to my name. DeeJay is young and still green. He’s really only been jumping and eventing for two years and although he always aims to please he doesn’t necessarily have the “seek and destroy” mindset when it comes to the sport. His brain operates more like, “Green grass, rainbows, and butterflies and… OH! Jump! More rainbows…” He put in a very steady dressage test, a one rail round in the show jumping that looked much worse thanks to my extra trip through the start flags and then jumped most of the XC course like a complete pro. Sadly, he had a green horse moment, just one wedge and two tables from home, and I chose to retire after two uncharacteristic runouts at the C element of the final combination on course rather then get the big E. As I made the long walk home I smiled. My lovely young horse just jumped like he’d been running intermediate for years. He didn’t understand one question on course. At this point, I can definitely live with that.

Rocking Horse 3: Redemption time. I was ready to redeem myself when Rocking Horse 3 rolled around and after a great dressage lesson with Jess and good jump and XC lessons with Missy I was sure we were ready.

DeeJay didn’t disappoint. He put in a lovely dressage test that still left tons of room for improvement, a beautiful show jumping round to leave all the rails in the cups and I went a bit cautiously around the cross-country to come home with a clear jumping round. DeeJay is an intermediate horse – Mission accomplished!

Ready to go Home: In a few days I’ll be leaving for the return trip home to PA and Blue Hill North and DeeJay and I will compete in the Carolina International as our layover. I’ve never been there before and I’m looking forward to a new event and challenge! I’ve already done several new things in the past six months including living, training and competing om the East coast and at events like Jersey and Plantation Field, ridden with a former US Dressage Team Chef d’Equipe in Jess Ransehousen, survived a real winter (for like a month..), trotted and cantered up some seriously big hills and been part of a wonderful group of eventers who I can call my Blue Hill family. And it’s only been six months!

Jump Schooling With Missy

April 3rd Fix A Test Fundraiser with Jessica Ransehousen!

Sunday April 3rd, 2016 is the date for the Fix A Test event to help fund-raise for the Second Nature Farm Junior Young Ride Team!!

Come on out for a fun, productive day of improving your dressage scores!
Registration with Lara at DQlara@verizon.net or call her with your questions at 484-459-2532
You can also follow updates on Facebook

Florida Adventures with Ari and Madeline!

ROCKING HORSE WINTER II

"What a great start to the year it has been! I have had a lot of fun spending a few days a week working at Blue Hill Farm South. My mother and her group of students have also arrived in Florida, so it has been great seeing them all as well! Rocking Horse Winter II was a fantastic last competition before Ari and I headed off to the CIC 3* at Red Hills.  I was SO pleased with our dressage because, as you know, dressage is our weaker phase. However, Ari and I had a lovely test. Now I just need the visualize that ride over and over again, and channel it into my future dressage tests! I am still learning so much as a rider.

"One thing that Jessica Ransehousen said to me was to not to ride the bad that I know can sometimes be there. And that is so true. I can’t go into a test expecting Ari to jig during the walk and explode into the right lead canter. I have to know that we are going into the arena to have fun and do the best we can, which hopefully includes a nice and calm extended walk and good canter transitions!

"Our Cross country was wonderful, even though I was quite nervous when I first walked the course with Missy, but she told me how to ride it accordingly, and assured me that Ari and I would be fine. And that we were! Show Jumping was great too,  as Ari has been jumping so well lately. I am so grateful to have a horse that loves her job and teaches me everyday.  The Advanced at Rocking Horse was a great confidence builder, and I can’t believe that Ari and I finished in 3rd place!"

ONTO RED HILLS!

"Ari and I had a fabulous clean and clear show jumping round this morning, followed by a fun cross country. Unfortunately, we had a run-out at the first combination on course that was completely my fault, but Ari blazed around the rest of the course once her rider got her head in the game.  Even though this weekend didn't go as planned, I am still so fortunate to be at this level and on such an amazing horse.

"As always, Red Hills put on a wonderful event, and had so many kind volunteers that made this show possible. Also, thanks to Missy for coaching me through my second 3*!  I'm so grateful that Laura Backus could be here too! Thanks to everyone who cheers me on, and @drapertherapies, @majykequipe, and @mangobaydesign for supporting me! I couldn't do it with out everyone!" 

Here's also some nice press from Eventing Connect! 

Thank you also to Eventing Connect for all the great photos they shared from Red Hills as well.

 
OTHER ADVENTURES IN FLORIDA

"Aside from my eventing adventures with Ari, I competed Woody at HITS and was really happy to finish 5th place out of 58 in the 1.10 jumper class. Woody really put on his wings and galloped around like a rockstar!  I also competed a horse for one of my Mom's students at his first show this weekend. He has really taken a liking to eventing, and I absolutely love working with young horses, it is just so rewarding and fun to see them learn.

"I can’t believe the Florida season is coming to a close, it has gone by so fast! Still, I am excited for the summer season, and am of course looking forward to seeing everyone up north again!"

All the best,
Madeline, Ari, and Maya