Rockbridge Hunt Pony Club Rocks!

The Rockbridge Hunt Pony Club meets at Hoofbeats and the members are active volunteers for our center.  Henry and Halan are often Pony Club mounts as well.  So far this year, Weby Branscome, Conner McNeil, Olivia, Victoria, and Sofia Flemming, and  Madison Coslett have participated in the Quiz Rally at Virginia Beach with outstanding results!  Olivia and Victoria qualified for Championships in Quiz with the Old Dominion Region Pony Club!  Conner and Halan and Weby and Henry participated in the Dressage Rally and placed 2nd in Horse Management and 3rd overall on a scramble team with the Glenmore Hunt Pony Club!  Way to Go Girls!

VMI Games Special Olympics Equestrian

The Virginia Military Institute, the Virginia Horse Center, and Hoofbeats TRC hosted the Equestrian Games on March 31, 2012 on a beautiful Spring day!  19 riders participated in the Opening Ceremonies at VMI and then rode in  Equitation, Musical Freestyles, Dressage, Trail, and Pole bending.  Everyone had a wonderful time and Hoofbeats hosted a dinner and dance in the barn afterward thanks to hospitality from Linda Clemmons, Patty Beard, and Robin Richard.  Alex Cummings from Washington & Lee University created a stunning documentary of the event that you may access from this blog!

Many volunteers made the event possible from the horse handlers, the VMI Cadets, students from Washington & Lee, Southern Virginia University and the usual suspects from the Hoofbeats Family.  Papa John’s Pizza provided lunch for the athelets and pizza for the volunteers!

Special Olympics on the news!

Zumba Thon!!

We at Hoofbeats Therapeutic Riding Center would like to thank Zumba You Way for hosting a recent “zumbathon” that benefited Hoofbeats!  Instructors Courtney Hobson, Lisa Adams, Sandra Budel, Tarra Pettis, and Kerri Stillwell organized the fundraiser, which featured Zumba dance workouts for nearly 50 participants at Lylburn Downing Middle School from 6:00 to 8:30 p.m. on March 3.  Zumba workouts feature international rhythms and dance moves, and there was a whole lot of positive energy generated at that event!  Those of you who didn’t make it to the “Zumathon” can find out more about the local program at Zumbayourway@yahoo.com  or on Facebook!

Sprinkles at rest

Sprinkles came to us this year and did amazing things in a short amount of time.  He was careful under saddle and on the ground and he took several of our riders from the spotter division at level 2 to independent riding at level 3.  He had a hard life before coming to Hoofbeats and his last year was a happy one.  He approached every new thing with an open and happy heart and heaved a contented sigh as he approached each meal.  He is buried with Caboose and Licky at Maria’s farm.  He is in good company.

TRAV Riders compete!

Hoofbeats competed in the 18 th annual Therapeutic Riding Association of Virginia (TRAV) Regional Competition on Oct.8th and 9th at the Virginia Horse Center.  Lynda McGarry was the awesome show manager and she put on a great show!  Judges were Jan Fessler, Gabrielle Hooten, Hamlin Rainey, and Anthony Huff and Mary Jo Beckman was the behind the scenes master Secretary.

Hoofbeats took 44 riders and 9 horses to compete in Equitation, Dressage, Musical Kur, Trail, and Poles.  Everyone had a great time and came home tired,  loaded with ribbons, and with dreams of next year!  Thank you to all of the Volunteers and Fabulous Families that went with us and made it so much fun!  Thanks also to Tamara Hattersley who took all of the pictures!

Highlights of the weekend included a Pas De Duex with Jill and Betsy Dawson in honor of deployed soldiers.  Many Hoofbeats riders performed Musical Kur Freestyles that they helped to create.  Cody Robinson, Betsy Dawson, and Sebastian Dawson won Championship in their divisions.  Hannah Beard and Kayla McCoy won  Reserved Championships.  SHERMAN was voted TRAV THERAPY HORSE OF THE YEAR 2011

Show Team Pictures!

Diane and Willie the Great!Michaela and Sherman

Hoofbeats Show Teams have a blast in 2011!

Cronies on Ponies Drill Team

Hoofbeats riders competed in Dinner Theaters, Games Rallies, Drill Teams, Local and Regional shows in 2011!  The Hear the Beat Horse Show Series and the Dressage with a View Shows were extremely popular and our riders learned so much about teamwork, preparation, and goal setting as well as getting so much experience!    Thank you to everyone who shared themselves and made it such a lovely experience for everyone!

Hoofbeats Holds Games Rally!

Blueberry in Kisses and Curlers!

Hoofbeats celebrated the end of second session with our annual summer Games Rally!  Riders rode relay races until the storms drove us inside for an early Pot Luck Dinner hosted by Linda Clemmens and Rosa Clark.  After the storm, we went back out in the mud for lots more fun!  Thank you to all our fabulous volunteers who gave all their wonderful energy!

 

Goodbye Dear Friend

Caboose and friend

Hoofbeats lost a dear friend yesterday.  Caboose came to our program in 1998 to partner with Kirk for Special Olympics.  Kirk refered to him as his “Chick Magnet” as Caboose had groupies all along his show circuit.  I think of him as my Masterpiece of Therapeutic horses.  He taught me so much about what a therapy horse really is.  He was soft enough for the smallest rider and patient enough for the most disorganized one.  He taught a generation of riders the fine points of Equitation, Dressage, and friendship.  Caboose was recognized for excellence regionally and nationally as TRAV horse of the year and NARHA Region 3 horse of the year.  He was a gentleman, a talented Musical Kur Dressage horse, and one of the finest Therapy horses I have ever known.  He is buried with his long time friend, Licorice.