Tuesday, March 16, 2010

Catching up!

Well, today I hope to catch you up on all of the news, time flies. It's been a while since my last entry. It feels like we are going full speed, and it's not even show season yet!

Monsoon, begone! Last night, we went to sleep listening to the wind howling like a hurricane, day 4 of that along with 4-5" of flooding rain. Good thing we're at the top of the hill, for those in the lowlying areas haven't been so lucky. We have a few horses that live outside & I worried about them, but a saving grace was that it was warm. This morning we woke to calm, birds, the sun rising and 55 degrees, a balmy day with a few in a row on tap. YES!

Horse shows are coming, entries are in, and we're already looking ahead to late Spring and early Summer entries! Such an exciting time of year. Can't wait! Our show horses and riders have been working very hard all winter, away we go!

We took a group of the show riders and academy riders to a schooling show across town last weekend. Check out the smiles on the happy faces below:

Everyone had a blue ribbon except Sam, but he hung in there til the end in Egg & Spoon! Good job, buddy & congratulations to all of our riders. Happy memories!

For many it was their first horse show. I will never forget mine, it took place in a field next to an airport with a snow fence for a riding ring and entries were $3 a class. I got a second place ribbon that I still cherish. At the time it was a huge accomplishment to get that far, to get into the ring, doing what I enjoyed so much with the reward of a prize. Still the same decades later. :--)

Ladies' Night has been swell all winter. Such a fun place to let off steam with the other gals, get a good riding lesson to help w/the basics and increase stamina. And let's face it, lovely to get out of the house in the winter. Last session was big fun with a short Zumba Class. Zumba is a type of dance aerobic exercise and it was really fun and catchy!

First riding............... then here we are: the Zumba crew! Did Nicholas chuckle at us? What do you think?!


Our light supper was delicious & catered by Sneekers Cafe in Groton, CT, check out their Facebook page and become a fan if you're not already!!!

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?v=feed&story_fbid=369680228924&id=1367110209#!/pages/Sneekers-Cafe/178455921641?ref=ts


This month, Ladies' Night is 3/25, please RSVP to 535-1038 we'd love to see you! Please join us.

I've been up to a ton of things from soup to nuts working on horse show committees, getting awards in line for some of those, staying informed & participating in our town locally on new re-written farm friendly agricultural regs, getting riding habits in order, making changes to our lesson program which is growing so nicely, and keeping everything here on the farm running smoothly. I am so lucky to do what I love and love what I do and if you've read this far, thank you and I wish you a fantastic day filled with the things YOU love!

Sharon

Wednesday, February 10, 2010

Today's Nor'Easter & my PROOF that Spring IS coming

Well, today it's a classic Nor'Easter, a significant low off of the Mid- Atlantic Coast. Here's a photo after about an hour of snow flurries taken around 7am


I'll post another one later. Predictions have thundersnow coming and accumlations of 3" an hour possible!


And at 10 am! Look at the fat flakes by the lens....



and beginning afternoon chores....the fence posts are disappearing!



This morning, I had the rare opportunity to turn out a horse who had never seen snow! I have a pretty good clue on this because he got one look at what was falling out of the sky and his eyeballs got as big as his nostrils which got pretty expanded and noisy and he didn't take those eyeballs off of me as if to say "WHAT THE ??? Well, I have no idea why the lady doesn't seem to be worried that the sky is falling I'll just be cool here & follow her lead she gave me a peppermint yesterday and is the center of my universe." His eyes & body language defied his inner dialogue. Horses, particularly Saddlebreds are smart and brave. He learned quickly by watching me that I wasn't a bit worried and that the world wasn't coming to end no matter that all evidence was to the contrary. Being the smart Saddlebred that he is, he will retain it.

Today's one of those days I wish that those who think American Saddlebred show horses stand trussed up like a turkey all day long in dark stalls could see some in action defying those old wives tales. Come see us on a Nor'Easter day with many turned out with straight unset tails, short feet in turnout blankets getting a few hours in before the blizzard force winds start. Just being horses. Same ones challenging the best to grace the winner's circle shortly at a competition near you! Show horses......

Lots to do today- every year I volunteer for the show committee to order ribbons & trophy coolers for UPHA Chapter 14's Spring Premiere Horse Show in April and today's the day the order goes in. The company we work with gives a 10% discount for orders done prior to Valentine's Day-keeping costs lower for the horse show, and ultimately passed on to the exhibitor! Right on, right?! RIGHT!

Have a super day and enjoy the snow! And enjoy the PROOF that Spring IS a'comin' I'm sure of it cuz soon, those ribbons will be here & next the show!




Friday, January 29, 2010

Villa Stables is happy to offer our February 2010 school vacation week Frosty & Fun Farm camp to kids ages 5-15 from February 15-19. Participants will complete farm chores, have a mimimum of 1 DAILY horseback riding lesson, then journal on much much more in shared experiences & themed days throughout our private & pastoral equestrian center.

Dates: Monday 2/15---Friday 2/19 9:30am - 3:00 pm*
Fee: $250/wk ($25 discount if signed up by 2/2)
Advance payment arrangements can be made/billed or accepted in 2 installments.
No specialized equipment or apparel needed: just long pants, sturdy boots/shoes & horse fever!
*Special Mon/Tue agenda/prorated fees for N. Stonington students!

Our agenda will include:

Riddle Running Day! It's a mystery! And so much FUN! Children, in groups, get a riddle- which leads them to their next activity/learning center, which in turn gets them another riddle leading them to the next activity & so on- for the entire day! With prizes for quickest, most accurately completed, and best perseverance on our day of tasks, it's a lot of learning, quick-thinking, running & fresh air.

Celebrate the Morgan Horse Day! Spend it with Laurelledge Moonbeam, VHF Tiffany & MPA Legacy Lives On............."Wait, who?"....................... You know and love these show horses- but probably only by their barn names- Blue, Tiffany & Nine! Here we will spend the day with these beautiful Morgan Horses and learn all about them: from markings, to their conformation and traits & what makes the Morgan Horse a wonderful part of our lesson program here. We will compare them with horses of other breeds and types we also have here on the farm & discuss their suitabilities based on how they've evolved & what they've been designed for over centuries.

*Horse Health Day! A visit from the vet & the blacksmith occupy much of our day with tours of their respective offices on wheels and Q & A sessions with live demonstrations. We'll see how a shoe it custom fit and find out how to take a horses vital signs and much, much more.
*Day of the week subject to change based on the unfortunate event the vet/blacksmith has an emergency elsewhere.

Games Day! Everyone's favorite! Learning is FUN! Mounted & unmounted games for all abilities and ages challenge our skills, and promote teamwork. We'll even play a horse themed board game at lunch! Our American Saddlebred horses want in on the action so what better a day than games day to learn about horse shows & competitions?


Please call today to reserve your spot as enrollment is limited. We are happy to answer any questions or accomodate special requests. Make horses part of your day today, & make it a great one!

Nicholas Villa Stables
75D Reutemann Rd
N. Stonington, CT 06359
860-535-1038
www.villastables.com
Check out our farm blog! www.villastables.com/blog

From 55 to 13 degrees with a 30 mph wind! What a difference a week makes!

On Monday we had sideways rain and mild temps. Today the only thing going sideways was an empty cardboard box that blew off my deck and away like a flash sideways into the wind! What a difference a few days makes.

Our yellow kitten is missing as of last night. We tucked him into the barn late yesterday afternoon & he did not show up for breakfast. He's 7 months old, if you're reading this & know about cats could he possibly have hit the road looking for a girlfriend? I'll wait for him to come home before I make that phone call about neutering, if he gets wind he'll surely be hasta la vista. I hope he's OK. I've looked everywhere including tack trunks, rafters and every bin we have. Don't ask me how I know to look there...........Anyone fellow alum Wilson Women remember when Zorro kitty spent the weekend in Jeannine's tack trunk? When she got home from the Burgh for the weekend and opened the trunk to get a treat for Rocky out leaped a very aggravated Zorro! YOWL!~

We are again hosting a February Vacation day camp the week of 2/15 and I'll post the details here. North Stonington schools do NOT have a winter week off this year. North Stonington students that wish to attend are welcome on just Monday & Tuesday and we will prorate fees accordingly.

Stay warm and think good thoughts for our kitty, I'm going back down to look around.

All the best, Sharon

THIS JUST IN! *********UPDATE************* KITTY FOUND
Nicholas found yellow kitty outside, he must have been shut out this morning when we turned horses out! But here's the kicker. Nicholas found him in the stone wall in the hollowed out nest where he was born! Smart little guy....... Be it ever so humble, there's no place like home. He was loud, alert and HUNGRY! All's well that ends well.

Monday, January 25, 2010

"Winning is only half of it, having fun is the other half!" E.O. "Bum" Phillips

Low pressure coming through New England during the midday today- looking out the window to blustery wind and sideways rain. The horses are all tucked in & some who have a choice are standing outside in it! It's one of those mysteries of life with horses on why some of them choose to stand in the weather no matter how awful it is than what we perceive to be the haven of shelter. After thousands and thousands of years of evolution it's just one of those things you don't mess with with horses. They as a rule have such a strong self preservation intinct that you just gotta leave it alone...


Right now we're looking forward to Ladies' Night on Thursday Feb. 11th with a fun Zumba session of Latin Dance & aerobics! Ladies' Night is educational and always fun! By popular demand we are calling for the Ladies' Night Men's Invitational as well, so the boys are welcome this time too! Please contact me for a ride or drive time on the 11th.

February is Frosty but FUN with a day camp during school vacation week 2/15-20. Cost is $250 for the week with a discount of $25 to those who sign up prior to 2/1! Please call for more information.

Nicholas and I greatly enjoyed an afternoon (into the evening!) of football for the AFC & NFC Conference titles last night- up to the wee hours for the nailbiter between the Vikings & Saints. I am so happy for the City of New Orleans- to see such elation and joy in the Superdome was so ironic to imagine it was also where people lay dying when it was underwater just after Hurricane Katrina. I was just like the spectators last night rooted to the spot that couldn't leave their seats after the game. There was some magic to it, for sure. 16 seconds or so from the Vikings attempting a close range field goal and then to winning a coin toss & a making a lengthy field goal attempt. As competitors ourselves, with a love for all sports, we were riveted.

I was up late reflecting on it last night and remember so well we were shipping horses home so happy from the World's Championship Horse Show in Louisville that year as Katrina was hitting to the South. We had stopped in a rest area off of the NY State Thruway & stood soberly surrounded many other travelers watching the radar on a television as the storm literally descended upon the city of New Orleans.

It seems so funny now that our phones all can get the radar for any city in the world basically yet back in 2005 we had to rely on a Rest Area tv tuned into the Weather Channel to get the latest. I'd also like to point out that I'd love to be a fly on the wall if Jay Leno & Brett Favre had a chat this week about retiring while still on top. But I digress.........

Back to the drive home from Louisville 2005.......I thought about the Jazz band that peformed a couple of nights earlier at the horse show during the retirement of the beautiful American Saddlebred, Americana's Jazz Man. The band was from New Orleans & talk about charisma! Next to the beautiful Saddlebred showing off in his final performance they both brought Freedom Hall to its' feet all the way to the rafters! I wondered what the band went home to after that retirement ceremony- and I thought about them again last night.
"Laissez les bon temps rouler!" And on we go.....

Also thought about legendary (#8 on the NFL's list of all time characters in the league!) NFL coach E.O. "Bum" Phillips who resigned from the New Orleans Saints the day after winning a game (ironically) against the Vikings who said:


"Winning is only half of it.
Having fun is the other half. "
Have a super day! I wish you blue ribbons, and most importantly the having fun, as well!
Sharon

Tuesday, January 19, 2010

A very busy week!


Busy & Happy days around the farm!



Thursday we had a super Ladies' Night with a large attendance. If you haven't come to one of these fetes yet, you are missing a super good time. We had a large group of very enthusiastic riders. Ladies' Night rides (and drives!) work on the basics, and strength & balancing exercises on mostly lesson horses. Here and there we do a show horse demonstration under saddle, or driving. After riding, we convene to our cozy lounge by the fire for a light supper, desserts and a guest speaker of my choosing. We have had equine nutritionists, massage therapists, a horse communicator, and for this month: a comfort food theme: complete with Stacey Hewes, our Pampered Chef Consultant, Saddlebred Rescue Cookbooks for sale, and a light supper of Golden Mushroom soup, Warm Moscatelli pasta salad with feta and roasted vegetables done by Sneekers Cafe in Groton, CT followed by Polynesian Pineapple Surprise & Raspberry Fudge Trifle for dessert by Denis & Stacey respectively.
Jane & Stacey strategize on their baking tips!

A man dropped in! Anything goes at Ladies' Night!
A "standing" ovation............. Upon exiting the restroom our January token man cleared his throat and proudly proclaimed to the room......... "I'd like to make an announcement please! The seat? Is DOWN. I am 76 years old and I can be trained." He brought down not just the seat, but the house to roars of laughter! We are considering a Ladies' Night Male Invitational for Feb. 11th! Write your thoughts in the comments section!

Our next Ladies' Night is Thursday, February 11th. We will ride, enjoy a light supper & have a short demonstration by Raeleen on "Zumba!" It's a fitness program using resistance training, latin music and dance, where the motto is "Ditch the workout, join the party!" Sounds good so far!? We're looking forward to giving it a try. The one second from the left (below) is excited to pack another outfit!



On Sunday I traveled to Massachusetts to judge one of the UPHA Chapter 14 Winter Tournaments @ High Tail Acres Equestrian Center, and had a lovely time. The Deltorichio family and their customers graciously hosted the tournament & opened the barn, sparing no detail on comfort to horse and human, to 60+ riders and 8 participating stables. It was very rewarding to see so many young people & adults so enthusiastic about their riding & deliver a showing of their best skills. Each rider really tried their best from tall to small. Some had butterflies, some didn't- all worked through the nipping cold with smiles & their best efforts and most importantly sportsmanship & a love for their horses.

Highlights for me were the singing of our National Anthem- a wonderful way to start the program & sung in an outstanding fashion by a pre-teen High Tail Acres tournament rider, the leadliner who answered (correctly) what her stirrup was called who afterward looked truly puzzled on why the lady judging didn't know what a stirrup was :-) and of course, the FABULOUS food. Hey these are MY highlights, after all.

Monday was a day off of school in observance of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day and we had day camp here at the farm! Up & at 'em for another long day. So worth it though, two days with horsey-kids is a learning experience & inspiring! One long talk we had on Monday was how is that we can put so much energy into hours of work at the barn with no complaint but find it difficult to summon a speck of enthusiasm for even five minutes cleaning our rooms?! The answer was unanimous .........."Because it's the BARN!"

A totem pole of kids peeking in on us.. Pablo too! MEOW



Oh how I remember how time flew at the barn when I was a kid & what a haven it was. How I loved everything about it. The sight, the smells, the sounds, and most importantly time with the horses. It was a dream as a child to spend the day at the barn.


Things you don't find playing X Box: The kids found this perfectly symmetrical birds nest sewn with horsehair from each horse in the lower barn: beautiful


We made many discoveries at camp & worked on vocabulary, safety skills, bareback riding, did balancing games and winter grooming strategies. Big fun at the barn!!


Our next camp will be over February Winter School Vacation. Call if you are interested!

Signing off, Sharon








Friday, January 1, 2010

January Ladies' Night Thursday 1/14

Our first Ladies' Night of 2010 is scheduled for Thursday January 14, 2010 beginning around 6pm- please join us for a riding or driving lesson, followed by a light supper and a short lecture geared to equestriennes of all ages.
Please join us for this very popular, fun and educational series!
Cost: $40 for riders
$20 for non-riders

RSVP to villastables@gmail.com or the barn at 860-535-1038 & for your riding/driving time

Happy New Year! Bring on 2010!

Happy New Year, bloggers!
Our farm blog went on hiatus for show season when we got busy with things, and that's sad! We had so much fun and everyone worked so hard to incredible deserved rewards- it was a blue ribbon year! Here's the blog back for 2010 and one resolution on my list is to blog more- we at Nicholas Villa Stables wish you a blue ribbon year & a happy and healthy 2010.
Happy Holidays from all of us!