Clover Run

12/12/2024

A small stab in the heart is what you feel when you put up the day's riding list and you see riders sinking heavily in their shoulders when reading which horse they are assigned for the lesson. A small stab in the heart for that horse that for an hour will carry around a rider who has already decided that he does not like his horse. A small stab in the heart for the horse that did not choose the rider himself but still does his best, lesson after lesson.

Riding is a privilege and something you have chosen to do. If you chose to ride at a riding school, your instructor assumes that you actually want to learn how to ride. The instructor's highest wish is that you get good at it.

Often there is a plan and a thought as to why you are assigned to that exact horse. Before you mount up next time, ask yourself "what can this horse teach me today?" All horses have something to give, a feeling or a new tool in the box.

The art is actually in being able to get a lazy horse to move forward, to get an uncertain horse to gain confidence, a naughty horse to focus or a tense horse to be released. It takes work. If you think a horse is boring, it's more likely that you don't ride the horse as well as you think! It's not easy to be confronted with your own shortcomings, but it is in that very situation that you get the chance to truly grow as a rider.

The excuse that "it's not my kind of horse" is actually a really bad excuse. A good rider can ride any kind of horse. A good rider has trained many hours on different types of horses to become a good rider. A good rider can find and manage the gold nuggets in every horse.

If we absolutely want to ride, it is our duty to strive to do it as best as possible, even if it's only for fun. We owe it to every horse that carries us upon it's back.

Copied and shared with love for all of our horses, ponies and riders 🐎❤🐎

12/10/2024

How do you get to ride lots of different horses?

Good question.

1. Be born mega rich, buy em and ride em.
2. Be a barn rat. Ride anything that won`t hurt you too badly.
3. Never say "not today, thanks" if you are offered a ride on any horse. Your key word is "yes", followed by "thank you."
4.Work to become good enough so that people want you to ride their horses.
5. Like the guys in Top Gun, when they walked into the bar full of young women "YES! A target rich environment!" Hang where there are lots of horses, not where there aren`t any.
6.Learn the Yiddish expression, "No for an answer I already got." Ask if you can ride extra horses. Maybe they say no. You`re no worse off than if you hadn`t asked.
7. Don`t be a lazy toad. If your barn owner offers to trade extra riding for weekend stall cleaning, be the kid who says "yes", and let your worthless friends sleep in and miss out.
8.Get a horse job, and be the eager beaver. Many horse owners are not truly horse riders, and they are often looking for a way to weasel out of riding today. Be there to pick up the ride.
9. Think of other ways.

(When Russ Fawcett (directly behind me) asked if I wanted to ride Iron Cloud out in Jackson, Wyoming, I said "yes please", and "thank you.")

12/05/2024

More on the German phrase that says “riding is only learned by sweeping.”

I remember an example of this one night, about 40 years ago, when I was spending a month at Walter Christensen’s dressage training stable, Stal Tasdorf, in Tasdorf, Germany. (photo of Walter teaching)

Walter’s main barn had a cobblestone type of floor, hard to keep clean because of all the indentations, and in various corners were funny little Hansel and Gretel type brooms, straight handles with what looked like a bunch of twigs wired to one end.

Everyone had left, all the working students, all the riders, and here was the master, then coach of the Swedish Olympic dressage team, vigorously giving the aisle one last cleanup before turning out the lights.

In the great scheme of things, why would it matter one iota whether the aisle was immaculate? Early next morning, when all the horses were being fed, hay and straw would get spilled all around, and who was going to see that floor in the middle of the night?

But that’s not the point, is it? And for those who do see the point, they probably would have been at one end of the broom. And for those who can’t grasp why it mattered to Walter, they’d have left it as it was.

To what extent can pride in a way of doing things be taught? Because that’s what’s at play here, I think.

And pride in one detail spills over into pride about other details, until it creates a mindset, a way of being. Or not---And in that way, sweeping teaches riding, tenuous as the connection might seem.

12/01/2024

11/27/2024

BY DAPHNE THORNTON OF TWO BIT TRAINING When it comes to riding lessons, I understand that riding is the overwhelming desire, as well as the underlying principle, guiding most participants. However, sometimes riding is not possible, or even advisable. On those days, I am a fan of unmounted lessons.....

11/04/2024

Several saddles
Pessoa close contact, county dressage, collegiate dressage, winter all purpose, and more. More pictures available upon request. Pricing varies by saddle.

Edgewater Md 21037.

Need something specific? We are selling tack and supplies to fundraise to replace our trailer that was totaled when hit by a drunk driver. Let me know what you’re looking for- I might have it!

11/04/2024

12+ fitted fleece pads of various sizes from 15” to 18”
Older but excellent condition.
Great for your first horse show or fox hunt! $10/each, buy the whole lot for $75.
Edgewater Md 21037.

Need something specific? We are selling tack and supplies to fundraise to replace our trailer that was totaled when hit by a drunk driver. Let me know what you’re looking for- I might have it!

10/03/2024

Horse friends-

Things are not looking good at all regarding a payout to replace the truck and trailer damaged in the accident. I’m going to be going through a lot of tack and equipment etc and posting for sale to try to raise more funds. If there’s something you need, I probably have it.

I know I have:
Lots of old lesson quality saddles and bridles, English and western
Longing equipment including a Pessoa system
Various jumps, many needing repair/paint
Wheelbarrows needing minor repairs I’ve never gotten around to doing
NEW pair of Sergio tall boots wide calf size I think 41
Tons of equine sport boots, polos
Lots of bits
REALLY nice dressage saddle practically new
Buckets

So much more… many things I hadn’t gotten around to unpacking from the move, so it may take me a bit to get to what you need. Let me know if you’d like me to look for something specific!

09/28/2024

09/26/2024

All I Want To Do Is Jump

I ran a fairly large lesson program for almost 20 years. This is a statement I have heard over and over, both in my lesson barn days and from colleagues today.

All I want to do is jump.

There are a few problems with this. Let's start with the horse. I love the old horseman's saying " horses only have so many jumps in them ". Is that 100, 1000 before it becomes lame.... No one knows....but horses certainly weigh a lot and the concussion landing on those small little legs is significant. Horses also get bored, burned out....and let's face it...sour.
Respect for the horse . The riders job is to do the best thing for the horse. Most horses only need jumped a few days a week. That means if a lesson horse works 5 days a week, only 2 of those are jumping days. 3 of those are purely flatwork or hacking.

Riders : most of jumping well has NOTHING to do with jumping. Riders need to work on pace, transitions, straightness, their position, effectiveness of aids, balance, ability to change positions smoothly ( from 2 point to sitting etc ) and so much more.

So if you are one of those students who Just Wants To Jump , please replace that with "I want to be an effective rider and horseman or woman . I want to do what is best for the horse "

And instructors who cave to this plea from students
Only YOU can set the CULTURE of your barn. Talk frequently about horsemanship and doing right by the animals.

09/20/2024

20 years ago, Freedom Hill Horse Rescue was founded to help horses in need from the Premarin and nursemare industry. Today, we are continuing our mission to help rescue horses from neglect, abuse, abandonment, and to keep them out of the auction and slaughterhouse pipeline. We also help horses in need of finding a new home through our owner surrender program. Help us continue to help horses by donating to our $20 for 20 years fundraiser! Just $20 (or less!) will make a major impact by helping our current horses and future horses in need 🐴 Consider donating through the link below or in our bio and help us meet our goal of $20,000. You can read more about FHHR’s history by going to our website, freedomhillhorserescue.com.

DONATE HERE 🔗: https://www.paypal.com/donate?campaign_id=5UFMDD9JVPJ7G

All proceeds go directly to the horses at Freedom Hill Horse Rescue, a 501(c)(3) non-profit.

09/19/2024

Though natural born talent can provide you with great benefits in the show ring, this gift can only take you so far when it comes to overall success. Being a talented rider is important, but there are qualities that you can acquire that will allow you to perform to the best of your ability. Here are...

09/07/2024

09/06/2024

Many people are telling me that they did not realize how severe the accident really was. I’m going to share some pictures, some details: you can see the missing running boards that were ripped off, missing wheel well, missing tire, displaces axle from both sides, damage to frame and floor under horses feet, axles hanging loose when the crane picked the trailer up. You can see the angle I pulled over at the point of impact-the truck was still struck, showing if the truck was still in the lane, I would have been struck head on and killed. Additionally, the steel breakaway cable snapped and the gooseneck is bent, and the truck bed is separated from the cab indicating frame damage.

It is assumed the 2018 Chevy Silverado, driven by Laura Belkofer, 31 of Owings, Md was going about 60mph at the time of impact, and did not decelerate. The driver crossed the center yellow line before hitting my truck, slamming into my trailer hard enough to rip the axles off of the steel frame of the 32’ trailer, and then bouncing off of at least 4 other vehicles before coming to a stop. The driver has 3 prior DUIs, was on a restricted license, and was just let off of probation in June 2024.

If I had seen her cross the center line even 1 second later than I did, she would have come through my windshield and killed me instantly. If she had hit one of the other vehicles before me, they would have been killed. I have whiplash and a concussion. One minor victim had glass removed from their eye, and an adult victim required staples to their leg. I am unsure of injuries in other cars.

I’m not going to get nearly enough from insurance to replace the truck and trailer. If you haven’t already, please consider donating to the go fund me, or I can provide Venmo if you prefer. I HATE asking for help, but it is needed at this time. Thank you from the bottom of my heart to those who have already donated.