Pletch Eventing and Saddle Fitting

12/26/2024

Better late than never, right? I had a great Christmas morning with my usual volunteer barn crew❤️. Feeling that love helped my heart after a very difficult Christmas Eve of having to say goodbye to my side kick, French Fry. It’s going to be very different around here. As the days are going by, I truly didn’t realize how much we adapted this barn to accommodate to his lifestyle and 600(+) # personality. Rest easy, my buddy.

12/22/2024

Congrats to the Annie and the Buehler family on the acquisition of Finn. This boy has been in my program for so many years. While they are a couple hours away, I am still so happy to keep him in the family!!!

11/27/2024

Friday Dec 6th-Sunday 8th- I have the following spots left!
Friday 8:45,9:30, 5:00, 5:45
Saturday 5:45
Sunday 4:15, 5:00, 5:45

11/14/2024

I have dreaded this day for years. I knew it would break my friend’s heart. Selfishly, if I could have kept him alive forever, I would have for her. It is hard to say goodbye to the one who has greeted you all day, every day when you walk down the sidewalk. He has been a staple around here for about as long as I’ve been here. Horses do amazing things for us humans who love to bottle things up and shove them down deep. Provide us with comfort, necks to cry on when you have no words, friends, and love, and common understanding. They are expensive, and heart breaking, and the best all in one. On Tuesday, Ducky was peacefully laid to rest in the woods with the rest of the herd. He and Lindsey shared 23 years together. He was loved so hard by so many people, and we all feel a bit like a shadow of ourselves right now.

11/05/2024

JC: Contendress
USEA: LCN Contendress #230738
15.3h 7 yo Mare
Nugget is ready to continue building her strength, education, and experience. She has competed starter level with an AA at local schooling and 1 recognized event.
She schools all the XC questions and show jump grid work- as seen in her video. She is not spooky or difficult and has the proper foundation. She is straight, understands bend, and is currently working on better lift through her shoulders and push from behind. She is bold, quick footed, and fun to jump with great rythm and ever improving rideability. She is a quick learner, but needs some time to get stronger in her body and balance. I believe in the right hands, she will turn into a lovely, winning novice or training horse. Currently being ridden by a professional while owner has gone away to school. Good feet, goes in front shoes, and cross ties for farrier. Turns out in a group of mares. She can be a bit grumpy about her stall space but generally isnt “mare-ish”. She would like a rider who can be a good leader for her. Ideally someone who has ridden through novice/training or has brought along a green horse. Not hot, more of a kick ride but has her own motor. Will hack out alone, but prefers a friend. Facility has full XC field, show jump ring, and indoor available for test rides.
Lafayette, IN
7🥕
Please text Gina at 765 427 7045 with questions or inquiries

10/15/2024

Take the time to pause. (Said to myself)

10/09/2024

SAVE THE DATE❣️❣️ DEC 6-8 Jessica Bortner-Harris will be here for biomechanics, flat, show jump, and (weather permitting) XC lessons. Entry form will go out to regular email list. If you would like added, please email me @ [email protected] Last chance in 2024 to start working on your crookedness, tune up your straightness, or get some valuable eyes on you for flat and jumping!

10/08/2024

Feeling this. I appreciate all my clients (established and future) and your patience. Please bear with me on scheduling. Unfortunately I am only one person who has to drive horses to the vet unexpectedly, ride training horses, respond to messages, schedule lessons and saddle appts, make orders, research and collaborate on difficult cases, and generally keep our little world turning. I am perpetually catching up these days. Just know I am doing my best! With that being said, if you do not get a reply from me via appt request form, text, or email- please reach out again!

08/26/2024

OUT OF “OFFICE”! If you are trying to reach me for saddle appts or lesson scheduling, I am out of town for the American Eventing Championships and will not be answering scheduling emails. Please expect to hear from me after Aug 30. Thanks!!

08/11/2024

If you have to work on a Sunday, better start your day with Beatrice.

07/07/2024

What a joyful, hard working group I had this weekend at Leg Up. Everyone has been working their tails off, chipping away at their own goals and it paid off!

8 riders, 24 rides, not 1 rail, not 1 stop….WOW!!! We had a great weekend. I am always so thankful, we all know it could go ANY direction with horses😂. Sadly, we did have to scratch two, so we are not immune to crummy luck this week, they just took one for the team before the event began.

⭐️Kory and Andy won the dressage, SJ clear, and finished in 3rd with some XC time at their second event. Huge accomplishment after their first event that included a lot of sideways galloping😂
⭐️ Emily and “NeNi” moved up to BN and FOD for 3rd place. So proud of her for her commitment to this mare-she’s a tricky one!
⭐️Cadi and Jojo had their second blue ribbon at their second CT- I’m not convinced JoJo was actually a dressage horse in another life.
⭐️Halle and Remi came out strong for the season to FOD with 4th. They’re ready for their first USEA trial at Hoosier in a few weeks!
⭐️Abby and Finn FOD with a blue ribbon and are also headed to their first USEA event at Hoosier!!
⭐️Annie and Bella finished 2nd with a teeny tiny bit of time on XC, the woes of pony legs. the Buehler’s have worked so hard bringing these girls up almost weekly and I am so pleased to see it pay off for them.
⭐️Addie and Flash also absolutely killed it to finish on their dressage score
⭐️Sarah and Taco also moved up to BN with zero issue(not that anyone ever questions his capability😂) they FOD for 2nd and will be headed to Hoosier’s BN. Time to start schooling the Novice on this one!

06/26/2024

Rare opportunity for an on site lease with me!

🐴 Confident and eager thoroughbred mare available for 1-year lease🐴
Meet Nugget, a 15.2 hand 7 year old OTTB looking for a new partner. She has had a year of training with an experienced amateur, and is currently being ridden at the Beginner Novice level. She is brave and willing to go. She will gladly hack around fields alone or with a partner, or zoom around a cross country course. She would do well with a rider who is able to set boundaries, as she is very intelligent and likes to push buttons. She stands for the farrier, baths, loads, and crossties. She stands for body clipping, but takes some encouragement when around her head. Currently, Nugget is located at Pletch Equestrian Center in Dayton, IN. Looking for an on site lease.

06/22/2024

“The horsemen and women don’t panic when they’re buried in details”

Keeping passion alive in this sport and industry can be hard at times. Your inspiration needs to be in the process of each horse, and every rider. Being a coach also means helping keep the fire going in your students. Fueling the passion. That’s hard. That is so hard on us. Take what you feel in a moment of desperation and multiply that by how many students we have at any given time. You will find the absolute toughest people in this industry. Please remember that we are all still humans. Love and respect the people on your team: vets, chiros, coaches, farriers- your problems are their problems and they may have 40 of you.

Acquiring students is easy - keeping students is hard

The initial excitement, the enjoyment that comes with experiencing those changes- the light bulb moments, feeling the horse soft and easy and happy with a little adjustment. It’s really fun to watch those in the initial lessons, to make a little tweak in the riders position or mind frame or approach and see quite a change in no time at all.

But time goes on an excitement fades as the work becomes work: it stops being magic and starts to roll into laborious and tedious awareness, habit development or habit changing. You might hit a wall and plateau in development, and have to watch your friends all progress past you while you plug away at learning to not pull when you pick up your reins for example.

Its the difference between chasing a thrill and chasing development- the thrill seekers will be on within a few lessons to something else that gives them a quick burst of “magic,” until the thrill fades there too.

The horsemen and women don’t panic when they’re buried in details, because they know mastery of riding is mastery of details- doing basic things with perfection. They are there when it gets hard and stops being glamorous, and they are the ones their peers will call lucky when it looks easy on the other side.

05/31/2024

05/29/2024

Finally ordered myself some of the new stability leathers from , and I am honestly so surprised. I try not to jump on bandwagons too fast, or I’ll blow through way too much money. I watched a review from a British rider on stability leathers, and decided it was worth my input as a rider and saddle fitter. I can say that I have two significant “things”, I have been working on all my life and while these did not magically correct them, they sure did make it easier for me to find a better balance to improve within one ride. You wont find me out of them! If you would like to order a pair, these are fully lined calfskin to work on your calfskin saddles without extra wear and tear. Retail $170
Now… riding in these reminded me of my grand idea of a Rolex giveaway. Winner of a pair of these custom stability leathers is Megan Haddock! .tothe.cookie .tothe.cookie

04/29/2024

Hey all!!! It’s 11:30 pm on Sunday after Kentucky 3 day. I’m fully exhausted after a great week, and headed home via more appts tomorrow. I’m trying very hard, but if I have not gotten a reply to you in whatever form you have messaged me, maybe just send another email!!! Loved seeing everyone at the booth and hope all had safe travels home!

04/28/2024

Sami Turner repping that !!!