Smiling Horse Farm

01/19/2025

My office view today and tomorrow at Stable View! We started with rain and ended with sun today!

01/12/2025

Ice is so pretty on the trees this morning!

01/11/2025

The barn before feeding tonight is so pretty in the snow

01/01/2025

More decorated stalls! 🎄🧑‍🎄🦄🎁🌟

01/01/2025

Our annual stall decorating contest competition is getting fierce! This year's winner was Chanelle and Poco's stall (dark red) with Meredith and Charlie (bright red) and Sarah and Sage in a close 2nd and 3rd respectively! Sarah's stall is the silver one and she took a picture of Sage and put different Xmas hats on him lol. Go SHF!

12/25/2024

A little late to post but we had a great time at the Stable View Eventing Academy last weekend! Grace and Nic had their Eventing debut finishing on their dressage score with solid goes in all 3 phases and yelling as they crossed the xc finish line, 'That was so much FUN' is why I love this job! ❤️🌟. Michelle and Val were also rock stars and would have finished on their dressage score except for a GPS failure jumping the wrong jump on course but luckily the officials let them finish. It's been so cool to watch their partnership develop and Vals rideability improve so much! 💪👊💯 P brought Poco to play with on xc on Saturday and see how he goes away from home. While his pony side came out a bit she did a great job riding him! 👊💯. We are so lucky to have a wonderful venue and schooling series available. A huge thank you to our team at home! Go SHF! 🌟❤️🎉🏇🦄💯💪👊🔥💫

12/13/2024

12/13/2024

We had a great time at the Trotting Round the Tree show last weekend. Judy and Micah played in the sandbox away from home as a team for the first time. They both had a few nerves but put in a solid first test. I often encourage my students to do the same test twice which paid off in spades as they were much more relaxed and were rewarded for showing more suppleness over the top line in the second test. Micah owner, Adie, groomed for Judy is on her way to earning 'super groom' status. On Sunday Lara and Auggie did the BN CT and finished on their dressage score. I judged the dressage for the CT on Sunday so Lara rode HC. Thanks to CIET for inviting me to judge and providing the great opportunity to get out and show locally. A big thanks as always to our team at home for keeping things humming along at home! 🥳💯💝🎄🎉🦄🏇🌟💫💪👊

11/28/2024

It was a small but mighty group at Stable View a few weeks ago. Julianne and Theo had a successful move up to Beginner Novice finishing 5th in a competitive division. Jane and her 2 boys also had an excellent xc school. It's so cool to be part of the process developing riders and helping them develop their horses! Thankful for the good basics Amber helps Julianne with and the basics and hard work Jane puts into her 2 boys. Go SHF! 🥳🎉🤩

11/17/2024

Come out and support the CIET!

Fall Combined Test, Dressage, and Jumper
Show 🐅💜

We are pleased to announce the date for our annual Fall Show! We are excited to be able to partner with Clemson Collegiate Horsemen's Association during their Trotting ‘Round the Tree show at T.Ed. Garrison Arena! We will be hosting a CT, Dressage Tests, and Jumper rounds. The link to register will be in the comments under this post. Use the links in our “2024 CT” story highlight on Instagram to find information about registration, class lists, and sponsorship information. REGISTRATION for the combined test and dressage tests must be in by DECEMBER 5th or a $15 late fee will be applied.

Please email London Chastian ([email protected]) or McKenna Honeycutt ([email protected]) with any questions. We hope to see everyone there 🐅💜

11/05/2024

Smiling Horse Farm played in Aiken last weekend at Sporting Days Farm CT. Everyone finished on their dressage score with ribbons for all! It was cool to see the riders confidence and the horses suppleness and rideability increase from lessons Friday at Jumping Branch Farm through the CT to finished with cross country schooling at Sporting Days! Go SHF!

10/24/2024

A bit late posting but what a beautiful weekend at the Stable View Eventing Academy! These shows are such a great asset to our community offering schooling the day before. Lara and Auggie were beasts in their move up to Beginner Novice finishing 5th on their dressage score. Adie and Micah rocked around the schooling on Saturday but had an unplanned dismount Sunday. It was great to help Jane Polk again with her horses warming up for Novice and finishing on their dressage score. As always such a huge thank you to the team at home who keep things going when I'm coaching (or judging or competing) Go SHF! 🏇🏆🎉🦄

09/09/2024

The American Eventing Championships (AEC's) are always fun. Qualifying is the hard part so competing at the AEC's is just the frosting on the cake so to speak. Eventing is hard and things don't always come together at the right time or go to plan. Unfortunately for Susan Faulkner-Evans and Dreyton this wasn't their weekend (after winning almost every event they entered this year). Susan has worked hard polishing up her dressage test, using her corners, showing at Novice in a 2nd/3rd level balance and she piloted Dreyton around for an excellent test. XC looked amazing but unfortunately Dreyton had a shuffle and pop at the ditch and popped Susan a little out of the tack, she stopped to organize and since it was an AB jump she picked up a 20 and then a drive by later on course. They redeemed themselves and completed with a beautiful clear stadium round on sunday in her novice division. Ally and Charlie rode the best dressage test for the horse Ally had in the warm up. Charlie didn't want to play that morning. They went on to be beasts on xc and stadium and finish on their dressage (fod) in their novice division. Lara Lisa Shelnutt and Auggie rode an excellent dressage test and looked great on xc until the road crossing where Lara sort of stopped riding and they also picked up and uncharacteristic stops at the next 2 jumps then also redeemed themselves with a lovely clear stadium. Julianne Shea Tetrick and Theo had some 'expressive' canter work during their trot circle but an otherwise lovely dressage test thanks to Amber Garcia for all your excellent work and the warm up! Julianne and Theo were beasting the xc but ran it uncharacteristically slow and gathered some time which dropped them down but redeemed themselves with a clear stadium to finish in 14th place and in the ribbons in their starter division 🏆🏇🎉 Julianne and Theo did their first horse trial in June this year and thanks to her parents she was able to qualify and come to the AEC's! Savannah and Casper had an excellent dressage test and solid goes in xc and stadium! A bit of time on xc kept them just out of the ribbons. Thanks to Amy Barrington for trusting me with Savannah and Casper! A huge shout out to Carol Bishop for all the dressage help. Another shout out for our team at home, Keith Stafford , Ashley Guidry Monell , Meredith Neville , Melissa Aldrich Jade Alexander Maggie Avent Michael Lowder Bill Mathis, Hanna and William for keeping the horses healthy and happy and the barn tidy! Go SHF! 💪🏆🏇♥🦄🍾👊

08/26/2024

What a beautiful office this weekend Bouckaert Equestrian and a great group of officials, volunteers and organizers to work with! I remember doing their first horse trials many years ago...

08/19/2024

Saturday I put on my judges hat and did a ride a test clinic . What a great group of riders ready to learn how to improve their tests! Someone recently asked me what I like doing the most: judging, teaching or training. Honestly it depends on the day what the answer might be but I really love how all three compliment each other and challenge me to be better! Doing this clinic is a great opportunity to put all three 'careers' to work. It was so cool to see each rider and horse pair become softer, more through and more accurate, clearly improving their test if they chose to ride it a second time. Thank you Samantha for organizing the clinic and "lunch and learn". Thank you again to BME for inviting me, it was so much fun!

08/19/2024

Windridge Farms & Services put on an excellent horse trial last weekend! Susan Faulkner-Evans and Dreyton did it again with a first place on her dressage score of 21 in her novice division! 🔥🌟🦄🏆. Ally and Charlie are looking great finishing 5th in the same division. Julianne and Theo checked the last box for their AEC qualification by completing another starter horse trials but also finishing 2nd on their dressage score! Grommet and myself put in 3 solid goes finishing 3rd in our starter division! 💪👊 It's an honor and pleasure to be part of everyone's horsey fun. Next stop, Lexington, KY for the American Eventing Championships! As always a big shout out to our crew at home keeping things running smoothly and Alicia and the volunteers and officials for hosting such a great event! Go SHF! 🏆🦄🔥🎉🌟💫👊💪

07/24/2024

Huge congrats to these two ladies and their ponies for being beasts at Full Gallop Farm horse trials last weekend! Lara and Auggie were 3rd and Julianne and Theo finished 5th with a speeding ticket 🏇🙈 in their Starter divisions. A big fat thank you to Amber Garcia (Julianne's trainer) for coaching on Sunday while I was judging show jumping at Stable View. Thank you to our crew at home for keeping things running when we travel! Go SHF! 🦄🔥♥🏇🎉

07/07/2024

Huge congrats to Susan Faulkner-Evans and Hello Hello for winning the Area 3 Eventing Championships!
https://useventing.com/news-media/news/usea-area-iii-championships-kick-off-with-a-bang-with-13-new-champions-crowned?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR2_DIY_hauBMAm3OZsfffiwC84tQQ_tt35P6AFZwuOhLnopbxFlYolTDIQ_aem_cqJGOoGMJvOb6P-WQMm_dQ

USEA Area III Championships Kick Off with a Bang with 13 New Champions Crowned