LADIES NIGHT January 8th

Our next Ladies Night is Thursday- 1/8/09 6:30 PM. Please RSVP to Sharon!
See you there!

Jessica Moctezuma is USEF's Junior Exhibitor of 2008

Jessie has been awarded the top honor as Junior Exhibitor of the year by the US Equestrian Federation, our national governing body for all equestrian sport in this country. Truly this is a distinguished honor and one deserved in full by this wonderful young woman we are proud to call a friend and consider call a member of our extended family. She's means a lot to all of our riders** for her support, sportsmanship, friendship and cheerleading. **(Ask Portay about "channeling her inner Jessica Moctezuma" prior to heading thru the gate! )

This year, at Louisville as the riders rode for their ribbons in the esteemed Senior Equitation Championship, Jessie displayed the most outstanding display of horsemanship I saw thoughout the entire week long 2008 Kentucky State Fair World's Championshp Horse Show. After a grueling class of more than 45 minutes of length consisting of rail work, periods of retirement and individual testing- her young, new equitation partner tested her the most at the very end- during her individual work- "Elvis" lost his concentration a bit- perhaps saw the outgate as they were headed in the direction, I am not sure -Jessie read it- stopped in between elements and before pushing him to the next one- stopped under the biggest pressure of her life, breathed, and put her hand on his neck for a couple of moments, gathered her reins and went flawlessly into the next move. That bloggers, is HORSEMANSHIP. The horse first. Without the horse as priority # 1, the ride is nothing.

The last few years of her practice have been hundreds of hours on hundreds of throwaway horses- American Saddlebreds that were plucked from the pipeline for slaughter. Saddlebred Rescue Inc. picks these animals up, sick-thin- and down on their luck- then rehabilitates and schools them for placement to good homes as solid citizens. Jess's mom Nealia McCracken houses a branch of SBR at their farm in New Jersey and Jessie has been an important part of the process to save them as SBR's #1 "Crash Test Dummy" test rider.

When Jessie rode out of that class back in August, she did so, with her 8th place (oh someone will correct me if I am wrong here I don't remember the color) to an ovation rivaling a rock star- good girl, Jess. Congratulations on the final award of your Junior Exhibitor career being one exemplifying the most important thing of all- your horsemanship over a period time. Congratulations to Nealia and Mark and Mayo and everyone at Northwind.

Check out this article from nj.com

http://www.nj.com/sports/njsports/index.ssf/2008/12/moctezuma_is_a_winner_on_or_of.html

A Funny Thing Happened at The Feed Store

A funny thing happened at the Feed Store.





The following phone call came in from Fleming Feed & Hardware-our feed store- home of the best support best team on earth- Jim, Rob and Sean at the Stonington branch & Jaclyn from Nutrena make my life easier on more levels than I can describe. I see them more frequently than my family, my vet, and my blacksmith combined.





"Hello?"





"Sharon, it's Jim, I have some fantastic news."





"You do?"





"Yes, you won the drawing."





"The drawing." ???





"Yes, you won the raffle!"





"The raffle." ???





"That's what I said! You're the big winner of a big prize!"





"Big Prize." ??? "Jim, are you feeling all right?"





You get the idea here. Jim insisted I won the raffle and to leave room for a large pick up when I came in on Wednesday. Naturally my radar was up and suspicions heightened but no amount of my grilling got him to fess up.





The next day on a run to the feed store, Jim presented me with the raffle ticket. (see below)

As tempting as the diet soda was, I went with the 48" barn wreath.

Thank you to my "Secret Santa", I love you (whomever you are) for knowing where I shop, for the gesture, for making us feel appreciated, shopping locally, and most importantly making me LAUGH!

Thank you & Merry Christmas

In appreciation of another successful year,

Nicholas Villa Stables invites you to join us

for Dinner, Drinks and some Holiday Cheer!**

December 20th at 5:00 p.m.

Nicholas Villa Stables

75 D Reutemann Rd.

N. Stonington, CT 06359

Please RSVP by December 15th 535-1038

**To participate in our Yankee Swap (teens/adults) or Kids Gift Exchange bring along a wrapped gift!

Ladies Night Report!

Our inaugural Ladies Night was a BLAST! Patti and Erika gave us an impromptu Yoga lesson that went down for the record books!

Our next one is planned for January 8th. For $40, the regular cost of a riding lesson* (*non-riders give a $10 donation to Saddlebred Rescue) you will receive:

a fun group riding lesson with emphasis on core principles, balance and strengthening

an informational seminar with our equine nutritionist

time with a licenced personal fitness trainer who will give us some homework for our important muscle groups we use for riding

refreshments, laughs and social time you won't soon forget!

Please RSVP to Sharon - everyone is welcome

See you January 8th!

Save the Date! December 20th

The barn Christmas party will be December 20th, 2008- watch this space for more information! Come one, come all!