It’s hard to believe that winter is actually winding down, but the daffodils suggest that Spring is here. It’s hard to believe that in the last six weeks we’ve hosted the Aiken Eventing Camp, an ICP workshop, two dressage clinics with Jules Anderson, the Aiken Event Horse Sale, competed at six events, and been a part of launching the Professional Riders Organization. Wow!
The camp was great fun. It’s so rare to get to teach people twice a day for five days in a row. Allison Springer, who taught it with me, and I both look forward to doing it again. Karen O’Connor does a great job conducting the Instructors Certification Program. Having her input, as well as the input of the other instructor participants, has definitely made me a better teacher, though I think I speak for all of us involved when I maintain that simplifying and shortening the process would make it more attractive.
Jules is on her way to the airport as I write. Her help has been tremendous to me with my own horses, and it was great fun to watch her help Mara Dean with Nicki Henley. I’ve known Nicki Henley since importing him as a five year old, and now he’s on his way to being a dressage horse — what a great follow up to such an illustrious eventing career!
The weather forced us to consolidate the Sale into one day, which worked great. By all observations it is a buyers market, and there were plenty of nice horses to try. Though we’ve already been to six events this year, in another ten days it will be nine events! I’m especially looking forward to Southern Pines next week. It’s long been one of my favorites and this year we have the added bonus of attending Will Faudree’s retirement party for his horse Antigua.
Just a year ago the idea was hatched to form the Professional Riders Organization, or PRO. It’s hard to believe that PRO now exists! I encourage everyone to visit the website, professionalriders.org, and get to know the organization. There is so much good work to be done, and now we have a structure in place to do it!