Latest update

Hope this message finds you all doing well. Wistar and I are doing wonderful. We arrived Thursday, February 14th after an uneventful drive with blue skies over the passes and the horses eating and drinking beautifully. San Diego met us with rain, cold temperatures and lots of mud. The rain lasted about two weeks and finally we have beautiful blue skies and warm days again.

I have the very fortunate opportunity this season to be working with Steffen Peters at Arroyo Del Mar with Wistar. This has been a very exciting and beneficial transition. Wistar is working beautifully and trying hard every day. I spend my morning watching Steffen work his horses and then have my lessons in the late morning. I find myself growing everyday and will strive to emulate the communication and harmony he possesses with his horses. It is truly beautiful. Steffen and Shannon are incredibly supportive and helpful and I feel so blessed to be able to work with someone so accomplished.

The afternoons consist of traveling to Sea Breeze Stables which is just ten minutes away where our other horses are stabled. The horses are well. At Sea Breeze the rain has prevented us from riding for the last couple of days before traveling to the Los Angeles Equestrian Center. Hopping on at the show was "interesting"!

We have arrived at the LA show yesterday and the horses have really settled in. I had a super work out with Wistar today under Steffen's tutelage. Paula had a great lesson on Rubesco and Cendro and WT were angels. The competition starts up on Friday and with a little luck I will put in a solid test.

Thank you again to my sponsors and supporters who have helped me get to this point in my training. Without you I could not pursue this dream. I can't wait for you to see how our hard work has led to a jump in our capability! You can see ride times at www.cornerstonedressage.com

82.8%

Well I will say I had a couple of weak moments in my Grand Prix Freestyle at Donida's schooling show on January 20th but some really good moments as well. Wistar was a dream through his piaffe/passage work and I nailed all of my one tempi's. I have a few kinks to work out for the big shows but it was a nice confindence builder right before we leave for CA which is this Tuesday the 12th. Cendro scored a 72% in his 2-4 test. He is owned by Margot Reed and will be coming down to show with me in all of the CA shows. Paula and a rubesco won there 1-4 test with a 69% and Ashley and Windtalker did a fabulous job earning a 65% in her 1-2 test. They will be heading down with me as well. Rubesco is schooling third again and will be showing first and second level this year after a two year break due to injury. Ash and Windtalker or Little Dub as we like to call him is also schooling third level and showing first and second this year. Little dub turns six this year and he is looking more and more like his Poppa Wistar every day.


So first show up....LA Equestrian Centers Mid Winter dressage Fair Feb 29- march 2.
I will post again and let you know when we arrive and all of the details of the long 24 hour haul. (don't worry we will be stopping and resting)

Merry Christmas!!!

Hi everyone,

Wanted to write and wish everyone a very Happy Holiday season. Things have been going really well here and I have so much to be thankful for in my life. Wistar is such a blessing to me and he has been absolutely outstanding these past two months. We recently finished a clinic with Janet Brown and I ran through the Grand Prix for the first time. He scored a 67% and we worked on many movements there after that could easily go from 6's to 7's or 7's to 8's. His piaffe and passage are getting so strong I am very excited for his debut in CA this coming March. We will continue to focus on strength building and health for the coming months. I will be leaving in February and will be down south for quite a few months this time. Thanks to all of my fabulous sponsors and all of you that have supported me these last couple of years. We have a really solid financial base to get us started in CA for 2008

One huge benefit financially this year is that the USET Festival of Champions/Olympic Trials will be held in San Juan Capistrano, CA this year as opposed to Gladstone, NJ where we attended in 2005 and 2006. This will allow the money we currently have to go further and help fund the training aspect more thoroughly. If any one is interested in supporting Wistar and I please feel free to contact me on our website www.summervalefarm.com. Your donation is now tax deductible when given to the 501c3 "Assured Steps" and earmarked for Jennifer and Wistar.

Many blessings to you and your family and have a wonderful Christmas!
Give your horse a treat for me and I will post again in February before I head off.

Jen

2007 Regional Championships

Hello,

Well the season is finally winding down. We just finished with our regional championships. Warado was wonderful despite some nasty weather and mucky footing. He was a little star behaving beautifully and working hard through the less then ideal conditions. We had a wonderful group of friends, students and supporters to cheer everyone on.

The weekend started out with our Northwest 1st level championship class. We had a super warm up and over all a solid test. The mud puddles proved a bit difficult in our canter work with a couple of balance problems and a break into the trot. We ended up with 69% and a fourth place. Saturday we had our Great American 1st level Championship which for me was a real disappointment. Warado felt great and as I went down center line I had a sick feeling about how deep the footing had become due to the rain. I started my first lengthening and pulled up. I asked the judge for permission to withdraw and she completely understood. I just couldn't risk him in it. It was a tough decision but in the end I knew it was the right one.

Later that day we had our 2nd level NWDC test and he was very well behaved no major mistakes just a little lack of expression. He scored a 67% and was again fourth.

Sunday was a little more exciting. The rain was really pouring and huge lakes had developed in the arena's. Fortunately the arena I was in on Sunday was wet but firm.
We were aloud to warm up with in the arena because of the lack of space now around the outside due to the addition of a third dressage court with in the enclosed sand arena. I spent about two minutes cantering through the lakes to get Warado accepting of the new obstacles. We went down center line and he did a super job. One little cross canter in one of my movements and the rest was very nice. He ended up Reserve Champion with a 73% in his Great American 2nd Level. Receiving a 76% from one judge and 69% from the other.

Paula and Solo did a beautiful job as well taking 3rd in her PSG with a 64.7%
Paige and Dan-o Had a super weekend winning there NWDC 1st level, NWDC 2nd Level, Great American 2nd Level, and was reserve in her Great American 1st level Championship in the junior/yr division
Diana and Elegancia were Reserve Champions for both there NWDC and Great American 3rd level AA classes
Kimmie and Princess were very satisfied with their 1st level AA classes
Meghan and Poet, Teresa with Durk and Marika, and the rest of the gang made for a really enjoyable weekend.

Special thanks to Lucas for staying at the show to watch the horses over night and give Warado and extra carrot good night!

Janet Foy Clinic

Well the weeks are flying by this year. I can't believe it is already September. Wistar and I went to the Janet Brown-Foy clinic the weekend which was inspirational and great fun. We worked a lot on the quality of the transitions into and out of Piaffe and Passage. Wistar was a champ. He has gained so much strength in the last couple of months. His rhythm has improved (my rhythm) and he is very active behind. I still just need a bit more lift with his front legs. We also worked on the quality of his schooling canter. Being able to stay consistent and controlled within a working pirouette. It was really fun.

Just an update since the last blog. WEC was a lot of fun for Paige, Paula, and Ashley. Paige and her pony Dan-O did a great job with their 2-4Q with a 66.9% and winning the class. She also won her very first 3-3. She did a great job through the weekend and ended up qualifying for second level at championships. Paula had a fantastic ride on Phirst Solo taking nd in her FEI class with a 65.5% at Intermediare One. Way to go Paula!!! Ashley and Little Dub (Windtalker) had a great 2nd show. Ahsley took 3rd in her T-4 class and we were all very proud of the pair. Everyone did great and now we look forward to the championships.

Summer fun

Hi there,

Hope you are all well. Wistar and Warado are doing really well. We are heading to the last show before championships up at Whidbey Is. this weekend. Warado is doing a couple of second level test to finish up his year end award requirements. He is all qualified for first and second level this year. Championships will held at Donida Farm Equestrian Center the last weekend of September.

Also coming to the show with us is Paige who will be attempting her first third level 3 test with her pony Dan'O. Paula will be showing Solo at I-1 and Ashley is showing her boy at training and first level. We will get some pictures and post. Should be a fun show.

Wistar is doing great. He is getting so strong. we took this picture of he and I the other day after doing a new photo shoot of Warado. He is so adorable!!!

Jennifer

Getting back to it!

Hi guys,

Hope you are all well. It's been quite some time since my last update. I'm sorry about that. A lot has happened in the last couple of months. Back in April right before the big LA CDI Wistar and I had a couple of road blocks. Two weeks or so before our show he had the untimely misfortune of a hot nail in his left front foot. We fixed the problem as quickly as we could but it did not seem to get better and eventually abscessed. We were very careful to keep him quiet and low key until we could continue to get him checked out and grow his feet out a bit. For the past couple of weeks we have just been focusing on getting him as healthy as possible. It has been tough but I am happy to say that he and I are up and running and doing great. He is my bud and I love him. Every day with him is such a treat.

I will keep you posted on our show season when it is determined and we hope to get back down to LA to train with Krissy Harrison this winter and/or to Idaho with Debbie McDonald. Next Spring I hope to take a big group down with me to show and train. It should be a lot of fun.

A quick update about Little Man. He has been wonderful. Taking up quite a bit of breeding slack for Wistar(Poor Guy). He went to WEC last month and won his classes at first and second level. He is getting very strong. We will be showing this weekend at Champagne Classic. Also Ashley(my assistant)will be competing her horse Windtalker and Paula Helm will be debuting her I-1 test this weekend on Phirst Solo. I have to tell you that she did her first set of PSG's two weeks ago at Whidbey and she scored a 64% and a 65.25% and achieved her silver medal. I was so proud of her. We will have a big great group there this weekend at Champagne and would love it if you can make it out to say hi and help cheer everybody on.

Well that about covers it for now. Hope you and your ponies are all well.

Talk to you soon,

Jennifer