Spring Down Low Down Newsletter
The newsletter of Spring Down Equestrian Center
Summer 2011
WELCOME
Summer is finally with us, even though we were sure that it would continue to be cold and rainy—given that it actually rained almost all day one day at the end of June!! We are into our summer schedule, complete with summer camps, clinics, and other events. Check out the Spring Down master calendar to get our complete calendar for the rest of the year.
Events not to miss include our Nick Karazissis clinic in July—which will incorporate one of our newest advanced clinics. This clinic will combine time with Nick as well as with Carol Goodstein, Spring Down’s owner and CEO.
Also happening this summer again will be an English riding clinic with SMCHA—look for those dates on our Spring Down calendar. AND….our wonderful barn party at the end of summer will be happening on September 4th, 2011. The next Spring Down Horse show is on October 9th as well—still lots of great horses to sign up to show!
HORSE SHOW UPDATES
Spring Down hosts four horse shows a year,: this year in March, June, October and December. We have chosen a slightly different calendar this year to try to make it feasible for all of the Spring Down community to participate in all of the events—and not to have too many too close together.
Our show on June 5th was a wonderful event. Despite the occurrence of the Equine Herpes Virus—we were still able to carry on with our show. We followed the California Department of Agriculture’s guidelines, and we had a healthy and happy show—including 5 outside participants.
Our next show is on October 9th, and we are going to have a Holiday Costume Class, to celebrate the Halloween season. Also, we are coming to a close of the 2011 year, in which we are going to have a great prize for the overall winner of the Spring Down Medal class. The winner will have accrued the most points over the 2011 season at all of our Spring Down shows, in the Spring Down Medal Class. Stay tuned to see who that deserving winner will be!!
Our horse shows would not exist without the tireless efforts of all of the folks who volunteer...from the parking crew who comes at 6:30 AM to make sure all the cars are parked in the most efficient way, to the folks who take tickets at the busy gates of both arenas-and all the other volunteer jobs as well...you all know who you are. The entire staff of Spring Down thanks you from the bottom of its heart because we all value the important jobs that you do! Thank you horse show volunteers!!
All that said, it seems to be more and more difficult and time consuming these days to get volunteers for our horse shows. The show manager puts up a sign up sheet on the bulletin board for horse show volunteers about a month before the show, but, typically, no one signs up. The show manager then has to call everyone who is in the show, to see if they are interested in volunteering. This often amounts to hours and hours of phone calls….which unfortunately are necessary if no one takes the time to sign up. So, the bottom line is, if you are capable of volunteering in one of our horse shows, please look out for the volunteer sign up sheet, and please sign up at your earliest convenience. Each horse show requires approximately 20 volunteers, so please look out for the sign up sheet when it is put up at the end of August, and sign up for your favorite station. We need folks to announce, folks to man the gates and take tickets, folks to help be runners and hand out ribbons and prizes,folks to help out at the show office, and folks to help out with parking in the early morning. The Spring Down staff can physically do all of these things, b/c there are just not enough of us. So, anyone who is interested and capable, please sign up to help out at the October 9th Horse Show!!
HORSE SHOW INS AND OUTS
So have you wondered why some folks win ribbons in the flat classes and others don’t? A lot depends on the category of class in which you are entered. In any flat class that is an EQUITATION class, the judge is looking primarily at the rider’s position and technique. Some of the things the judge will consider are the following: having your eyes up and looking ahead, having your shoulders back, a good posture with a straight back, elbows at your sides, palms facing each other with thumbs up, fingers closed on the reins, seat in the center of the saddle, heels down, and a straight line from your shoulders to your hips to your heel. Also, it is very important to be on the correct posting diagonal, or the correct canter lead, b/c that is critical for the balance of the horse and rider.
In the HUNTER UNDER SADDLE classes, the judge is primarily judging the horse’s movements and manners. The rider’s equitation is important here because it will influence the way the horse goes...but the judge is really judging the movements and manners of the horse related to how well you are riding him.
WELCOME TO NEW HORSES AND THEIR OWNERS AT SPRING DOWN!
- Angel—Caroline Mawhinney
- Bennie—SDEC
- Dandy—SDEC
- Fresca—SDEC
- Goldilocks-SDEC
- Sunshine-SDEC
WELCOME TO NEW BARN CATS
Spring Down is always trying to give a good home to feral cats, or to cats whose home is no longer available. Look around the school barn and hay barn for these new cats!!
SPRING DOWN STARS
We now have available for sale in the Spring Down office Trading Cards for the wonderful Spring Down Stars!! These cards are for sale 2 for $5. Check out our Spring Down web site to see the STARS of Spring Down who work tirelessly, patiently and lovingly to teach our riders how to ride. We couldn’t do what we do without our horses! They are trained to do a special job here, keeping new or experienced riders safe, as well as patiently guiding us to new challenges in the arena. Also available are Spring Down trading cards for the cats of Spring Down—who help to give our barn the wonderful character that it has!!
MONDAY IS MOTHER’S DAY!!
Every Monday at SDEC, from 1PM—2:30 PM, we are hosting a new and wonderful group of ladies/Mothers who are very interested in learning all there is to know about riding and dealing with horses. These lessons not only include a lesson to teach and improve riding skills, but every week we have a special lecture on an important aspect of horse care or horsemanship. When one owns a horse, really the riding is only 25% of the time that is necessary in dealing with all aspects of the care of the horse...so SDEC has launched this new program to try to teach folks all of this other very important information.
During our regular lessons, we do try to squeeze in as much information as we can about the other aspects of horse care and horsemanship...but this special Ladies group affords us the time to go into more depth about the training of horses, veterinary care, nutritional needs, horse show preparation, horse psychology, and many, many more topics.
Come and join us on Mondays, from 1—2:30PM! Please see the SDEC office to schedule these lessons.
DRILL TEAM UPDATE
The Spring Down Drill Team, "Spring Down Rhythm `N Blues" performed an outstanding routine at our horse show on June 5th decked out in patriotic costumes. These dedicated riders come to Spring Down at 8AM every Saturday and Sunday morning to practice their equine choreography with their coach, Carol Goodstein.
Riding in a drill team teaches you many riding skills, and you are having so much fun "dancing" with your horse, that you are not even aware how much you are learning!! Carol is currently looking for more members for "Spring Down Rhythm `N Blues", so please consider joining this wonderful team. Contact the office if you are interested, and then you can try the Sunday team to see how things work.
The current members of the Saturday advanced drill team are as follows: Sara Boyd, Britta Buehneman, Alecia Cairo,Kris Clark -Hahn, Dina Gabriel, Deb Lyons, Laurel Saldinger, and Kelcy Senz.
The current members of the Sunday team are as follows: Kore Chan, Dani Schneider, Emmeline Sears, and Julia Wettersten.
The drill team alternates are Nicole Elsineitti, Robyn Ogilvie, and Caroline Warde.
We are always looking for new folks who want to join our SD Drill Team…..ask the office if you are interested!!
TACK-UP LESSONS
Spring Down will be continuing to offer group tack-up lessons on a monthly basis. The lessons are scheduled every Sunday, at noon, for one hour.
"Why take this lesson?," you may ask. At Spring Down, we teach comprehensive horsemanship, not just horseback riding. A very important component of horsemanship is understanding the equipment you are using on any given horse: both how it is put on, and how and why it works. The group tack-up lessons will allow time both for demonstration of the equipment that we use, and hands on practice with someone standing by for instruction and assistance.
General grooming and equipment used for grooming will also be taught in the tack-up lesson. And, of course, as we are very safety conscious here at Spring Down, techniques for keeping both you and your horse safe will be taught so that everyone is safe and comfortable during the grooming and tacking-up procedures.
Please see the office to schedule yourself into one of these tack up lessons. If you are unable to make the group lessons, a private lesson may be arranged. The group lessons are preferable, because the hour time will allow you to become familiar with more different types of equipment and also allows for more time to practice. A private lesson is the next best thing, however, if that is what your schedule will allow.
NEWS FROM THE OFFICE
As we get into summer schedules, please remember that Spring Down has a strict 24 hour cancellation policy. If you do not cancel with 24 hours notice, you will be charged for your lesson. This means that, if you have a lesson at 12 noon on Wednesday, you need to cancel your lesson by 12 noon on Tuesday. If you call to cancel at 4PM on Tuesday, you will still be charged a late cancel feel. This policy exists because we need to plan our instructors and horses schedules in advance. We have reserved your teacher's time for you, your horse's time for you, and very often the horse has been tacked up by one of our grooms.
When requesting a specific horse for a lesson, everyone needs to understand that it is just that: a request. The office will make every effort to honor that request, but sometimes we have ten requests for the same horse in a given day. Also, all the horses at Spring Down need to get exercise each and every day, so it is our responsibility to make sure that each horse gets ridden by someone (and that one horse doesn't get ridden too much). We try to match the horses and riders as best as possible, but please remember that each horse can teach you some new and different skills. Everyone should be here to learn more about horseback riding AND horsemanship...not just to ride the same horse over and over again. Be flexible, and you'll be surprised at how many new horse friends you will acquire by branching out a bit...and at how much you will learn.
HORSE SHOW DATES: (2011)
- October 9th, 2011
- December 11th, 2011
SUMMER CAMP IS HERE! (2011)
- July 111th-22nd (2nd wk avail.)
- July 25th-Aug 5th
- Aug 8th-20th
- Aug 22nd-26th
- (One week sessions available!)
INTERMEDIATE CAMP: (2011)
NICK CLINICS: (2011)
- July 5,6,7 2011
- Nov 1,2,3 2011
SAFETY CLINIC with Carol Goodstein
SMCHA ENGLISH RIDING CLINIC:
- July 18,25
- August 1,8,15,22
SD ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION:
MINI CAMPS
Our new monthly program "Crazy About Horses" has been quite successful for those that only have a day to spend with horses and get their "boots wet." It is a perfect option for the parent, friend, or grandparent to ride along with their horse crazy kid. The camp is from 10 AM - 2PM covering many aspects of horsemanship: safety around horses, horse management and care, grooming, understanding how to put on special epqupment, a live demonstartion, and of course, RIDING! Be sure to sign up early as this program is very popular!
Next 2011 DATES: August 20, October 15
GIRL SCOUT "HORSE RIDER" BADGE PROGRAMS
We've been working with the Girl Scouts of Northern California as an approved vendor. The standard Horse Rider badge is $40 per rider. We currently offer the Horse Rider and now Horse Fan badge to all troops. Each troop can earn 2 badges in one visit for a special price of $65 per rider. For the Brownies, we are offering the Horse and Pony Try It patch for those young scouts! Check our web site at http://www.springdown.com/groupevents/girlscouts/
15 FOR 15
Do you finally get in the groove after the first half of your lesson, and need just a little more time to figure out how to get things right? We are offering, during the slower times of the day (Mon - Fri, 9AM - 2PM) 15 extra minutes of lesson time for $15 dollars. If your instructor is availlable, the extra time can be just the ticket to boost your confidence. Contact the office within 24 hours of your lesson to see if the 15 for 15 is available for your next lesson!
SGIL HELPER TRAINING PROGRAM
Work at the barn to help pay for your next riding lesson? Is that possible? We have many special events at the barn and need helpers to assist in making them successful. Here are the qualifications:
- Must be at least 12 years old.
- Experienced intermediate level rider.
- We will have you shadow and train under an instructor.
- Available on either Saturdays or Sundays.
- All hours worked will be paid and put in your pre-paid account toward lessons, shows, clinics, or board.
- Contact Diane Allison at: allisonjdmh@aol.com for more info.
THANK YOU TO GREAT SPRING DOWN EMPLOYEES!
Spring Down is thanking two instructors who have been teaching for us for a while now...but they have recently become fixtures in out instructor schedule, with lots of standing clients of their own who love them. These two wonderful young equestrians are Laurel Saldinger and Kelcy Senz. Both of these yourg ladies have been riding for many, many years, most recently taking lessons with Carol Goodstein as two of her most outstanding students. Both Laurel and Kelcy have been High Point winners at our Spring Down Horse Shows...so they are truly experts in their riding skill
Laurel and Kelcy are both teaching at Spring Down Summer Camp this summer season, but they will also be teaching regular lessons. Please see the Spring Down office to see when you might be able to meet these young equestrians and take a lesson with them! They specialize in teaching young children - introducing them to the wonderful world of horses and horsemanship!
SPRING DOWN LEASE PROGRAM
Spring Down is trying out a new lease program, for adults and advanced younger riders. This program will allow you to lease one of our wonderful Spring Down horses by the month—and not only will you get to ride them a lot….but you will get to learn about horsemanship, horse care, and general information learning all about how it would be to own your own horse—and the things you would need to know to be successful at such a venture.
To be eligible for this program, you must be a rider at least proficient in walk, trot, and canter. You must also be an adult, or have an adult available to help you out with the other lessons about horsemanship and horse care. You must be old enough—or have an adult with you who is old enough—to deal with the horse on the ground, and to learn about the daily care of a horse safely.
If you are interested in this program, please see the Spring Down office. The Spring Down instructor who is responsible for this program is Robin Elsineitti—and she will keep the participants informed about the schedule for horsemanship/horse care lessons.
SPRING DOWN NEWS & NOTES
MOMMY AND ME:
This program has turned out to be a smashing success. It is a series of 3 classes designed to introduce the smallest member of your family to horses while spending some quality time with Mom or Dad. As a group, you'll be introduced to safety, horse's ground manners, and you will get comfortable around horses. We'll teach you all about their special equipment, grooming and tacking up, and learning to ride. Each class may include the use of a vaulting horse, grooming, a riding lesson, and a special lesson about some aspect of horsemanship, geared to the little ones.. The series is a scheduled class, so look for upcoming dates!
Please see the office for more info as we will be planning a series of classes starting in the Fall of 2011.
SDEC times for this class are scheduled from 11:30 AM to 1:00 PM. If you have capability for registering through Park and Rec in Redwood City, Los Altos, and San Carlos, there may be availablitiy to sign up for the earlier group from 10:00AM - 11:30 PM. You must register through Park and Rec to get into this
time slot.
SPRING DOWN UPDATE
Spring Down was very successful in assisting the San Jose Mounted Patrol at our last horse shows. We raised funds to keep the San Jose Mounted Patrol going—donating over $2,000 in funds to this wonderful organization. Carol Goodstein, Spring Down’s owner and CEO, agreed to match funds raised at our horse shows….and since we raised $1,000—she matched that amount to give the San Jose Mounted Unit over $2,000!!
For all of you who came to our shows and helped to support this wonderful and very worthwhile organization…..THANK YOU VERY, VERY MUCH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The San Jose Mounted patrol, thanks to Spring Down and many other groups who have made the effort to help them out—will be able to continue their work for another year! Please keep this organization in mind in the future to keep them up and running!!
Are you ready to join a group?
A frequently asked question is " When will I (or my child) be able to join a group?" There is no one answer to that question, because every person, no matter how young or old, learns skills at a different rate. In my experience as an instructor, the time may vary from just a few months, to over a year or more. But, there are a few key criteria from which we instructors judge whether or not joining a group is feasible:
- Can you get your horse out of the stall to the arena, and back again after the lesson SAFELY AND CORRECTLY? Parents, a hint to expedite this process for your smaller child is to learn how to do this too so that you can assist your child. There can sometimes be 6 or 7 folks in a group, and one instructor can not help everyone in the group to and from the stall.
- You must be able to check and tighten your girth, and also adjust your stirrups MOSTLY BY YOURSELF. This does not mean that your instructor will not help you at all, but it DOES mean that you must make a good effort to get as much done by yourself as you can.
- You must have good skills at mounting the horse safely.
- You must be able to do a posting trot ON THE RAIL BY YOURSELF WITHOUT MUCH ASSISTANCE. This includes being able to start, stop, and steer by yourself.
- Do you know how close you can safely get to the horse in front of you? Do you know what to do if you think you will get too close, i.e. pass safely, cut across the arena, or circle safely? Your instructors can assist with your refining these skills, but the basic knowledge and ability must be there.
- A basic understanding of posting diagonals is necessary. Of course, your instructor will continue to help you with this skill, but it must be understood by the rider.
- Do you know how to dismount safely by yourself? Your instructor can not assist everyone in a group without taking too much time away from the lesson.
There are, to recap, lots of requirements for being able to join a group. The bottom line for the necessity of these requirements is to ensure the safety of all the riders. Remember, there is only one instructor in a group, so each rider must posess the basic riding skills to ride responsibly and safely.
Do You Want To Jump?
Our goal at Spring Down is to help people to acquire the skills to do whatever type of riding interests them. Jumping is one part of the equestrian experience, and although it can be very exciting, it is also very demanding and challenging.
It is essential that you have mastered your flat work before you start jumping. After all, jumping is really advanced flat work with obstacles. Having solid flat skills is vital for your safety and security.
The following guidelines provide the minimum essentials that are required before you are able to safely and securely start jumping:
- Must be able to maintain good balance, steering, and control of the horse at all gaits: walk, trot, and canter.
- Must be able to walk and trot without stirrups. The instructor should not notice any difference in leg position or effectiveness with or without stirrups.
- Two-point seat must be strong and balanced, with the ability to do poles at the trot and canter.
- Must be able to stay in two-point seat at the canter three times around the indoor arena, or one time around the big, jumping arena.
- Must be able to execute circles at the canter effectively.
- Must be able to drop and regain stirrups at all gaits.
- Must know diagonals and leads.
- Must have a basic knowledge of simple and flying lead changes.
"Good horsemanship requires that you make the wrong thing difficult and the right thing easy."
- Carol Goodstein
Read the previous issue of the Spring Down Low Down: Winter 2010
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