Cornerstone Farm South

08/30/2024

Wow eeee!!!
Starting of FINALS RIGHT! Emily and Kaaterskill won the Performance Hunter Finals Championship this morning …and a few hours later Avery WON her jumper class with a fantastic ride on Southbound! McKenzie and Rock Solid have pinned in every class - it’s really hard to win optimum time classes on a horse who was a seasoned SPEED horse …so I am VERY pleased with how our team has started the first full day of Finals competition!

Schooling day for everyone else - getting ready for a BUSY day in the tack as all 9 horses will compete in 5 different rings

Our support team is ready to go …and so are we!

❤️😎❤️🦄

08/29/2024

Emily and Kaaterskill Started the first day of competition off right with a score of 80 in the Performance Hunter Finals First Round in the Teco Arena …2nd in the Flat Finals…scores carry over to tomorrows Final Jumping Round - so we will see how we end up!

Willow is a trooper ..early mornings…hot days at the barn waiting and watching everyone …she enjoyed her new splash pad - I think the horses wanted in on it too! They didn’t know whether to be afraid or jump right in!

Congrats to Southbound (4th place) and Rock Solid (8th place) today in the jumper rings

We rocked today …ready to roll with the rest of the gang tomorrow😎

08/28/2024

We arrived in Tampa ….horses all very happy - it was 🥵 HOT! I didn’t get too many horsey pics because I had some minor surgery that is keeping me from lifting things right now…and the ponies are too tempting to do TOO MUCH!

Props to Willow - the super trooper - she helped the farrier set up and practiced some metal work and then helped me set up our craft room (great for stress relief)

We have a nice spot …we start showing tomorrow - Willow and I will
Try to get some better photos - we just tried to stay busy and out of Mom’s way today!

08/27/2024

We are all packed up for SEM Finals!

Ready for some FUN 🤩 this week!

Best of luck 🍀we had 22 riders and 17 horses qualified this year - with 11 showing this week!

Can’t wait for the wonderful hospitality at the Bob Thomas Equestrian Center!

A special thanks to all our staff who will be at home managing the rest of the herd - we appreciate you too!!

08/26/2024

Today we start the preparations for a very important week

SEM FINALS - woo hoo!

As a coach we go through the same emotions as our students …we want success, we know there will be obstacles to overcome (and I don’t just mean the jumps!)

As I am creating my lists to make sure everything is packed and ready I am also making mental notes about each horse and rider we have to help navigate this event

A good competitor has already done their homework, polished their boots and prepared their tack/trunk …but have they prepared their heart, soul and mind?

I am working to calm energy, set realistic expectations and goals, but my biggest hope is that we all face the challenges before us without fear, without undue pressure or stress, and that we can focus on our solid foundation and stretch to our fullest potential this week

So …get good rest, eat healthy food and stop analyzing your position (whether that be the division you are in or your equitation)

Be WITH your horse, be present for your team mates, and help each other be successful

With good attitudes and high hopes we will have an amazing experience …if we allow it to be amazing!

Good luck to all this week across the region as everyone starts to prepare

We are ready!

Go CSF 🦄❤️

08/23/2024

Today we said goodbye to “Adore Me” aka Dori. This pony was such a trooper …bossy yet sweet as sugar…she knew how to put polish on young riders learning the ropes as she has shown across the country in her long life

Dori was struggling with cushings disease and while we did everything we could to help her with this chronic “old age” condition she could not get stabilized and laminitis had moved to a full founder …we had to make the right decision for her.

Thank you Dr. Harvey and staff for helping keep her comfortable, thank you for all the kiddos who came and groomed her, kept her happy and said teary yet appropriate good byes

She will live on as an educator - we made the decision to donate Dori to research - and after being humanely put down encircled by those who love her we are thankful for staff at the Naples Zoo who will use her founder as a way to educate others to learn how to address these issues

Adore Me ….oh yes …we did and we always will

Gallop on good girl!

RIP ❤️🦄

08/23/2024

Today we had to do exactly that …
HONOR your elderly equines - love them properly and care for them - when it is time do not keep them suffering so that you can be happy (about yourself)

It is hard to let go but the next step is not pretty and I see it all the time

Make the decision
Put them down with grace dignity and honor

I am upset.
This page is not about me or other humans, it’s about equines in need. And the stupid bs comments are annoying, however, like the flies mentioned in comments, ultimately inconsequential.
I spent the first part of my morning, begging a stranger to kill their horse. How did this become my life?
Because people call us to take their senior horses, before they send to auction.
Now, understand, I applaud anyone seeking a solution. I do. And I return these calls to provide some missing information.
-Your old horse does not want to leave home.
-Your old horse, like you, has failing parts. Maybe sight loss, or hearing, arthritis, dental issues, maybe back pain, Cushings, insulin resistance, or even cancer. Many of these issues are not going to be cured with medical care, nor is a stranger going to invest that into your old horse.
-Auction is not a kind solution for a 30 year old horse. Confused, frightened, and betrayed, and they often know it.
-There is no wonderful home waiting for a 30+ year old horse. There are dealers, one may try to shave off 10 years and peddle her as a child’s pony, and once she can’t do the work, she will be flipped again. Another dealer may not bother, and just sell her for the weight of her meat. A private home may purchase her for the kids, which will last as long as the time it takes to get a vet bill, or a child to get hurt
-The rescues do pull from auction to prevent a catastrophic last end, but only a few horses. The odds are not good
-The senior horses we do save at auction are generally not brought in by the longtime owner, but by the second, or third “good home” you trusted. People who are not as invested as we hope you are
-Think about how you want to spend your last chapter.
-Think about how your horse wants to spend his last chapter.
-Think about how the humans will remember their last actions towards the horse they have loved for years and years.
-If care is no longer possible, Please, for the love of God, call a vet and let your senior horse go, at home, in peace.
-(To those who will argue, we did offer to take this horse if they are insistent upon auction, but we will break under the weight of everyone’s old horse, and unless YOU want to take on a senior horse, who is grieving and confused and near its end, we don’t need more pressure or judgment)
-Owners, please complete what you began. You chose to own a horse, please allow that horse to end its life at home. There is no magic solution.
We are all born, we live, we age, we pass. There is no shame in guiding your old horse over the rainbow bridge. There is honor.
Postscript: This was composed by Rosemary Farm Sanctuary Executive Director Dawn Robyn… but many have said the same thing over and over.

08/19/2024

Jack Legoff was an amazingly astute instructor and chef d’equipe for our cross country teams

Yes …Americans ….we HAVE to do the WORK

Remember that little red book, “Sayings of Chairman Mao?” Those of us who rode with LeGoff wanted to print a book called “Sayings of Chairman Jack,”

Here are two that speak to the shaky state of USA riding technique, Jack had been in the USA from his native France long enough to have a sense of the riding culture here, and he wasn’t a big fan.

“Americans want instant riding the same way they want instant coffee.”

So that was one, pretty self explanatory, But this one really strikes at the heart of the matter---.

“Americans don’t want you to teach them how to ride. They want you to teach them how to compete.”

Certainly there are plenty of riders in the USA and Canada who are not as LeGoff describes in his broad brush stroke assessments, but if we compare and contrast the way riders in some countries, Germany for example, are expected to devote years in a quest toward mastery, our system might have seemed pretty shallow to Jack LeGoff.

And, remember, this was half a century ago. Many would say that it has only gotten worse.

08/18/2024

I want to set a perspective on a few things… I have been teaching riding lessons since I was 13 years old (there is the FIRST realization - our sport is unregulated as to qualifications to be a trainer for either horse or rider)….

SO - that means 44 years of watching students and parents set goals for their riding experiences…

This is a very thought provoking time of year - the Olympics just finished, junior Hunter Finals, Regional Derby Finals, Pony Hunter Finals, Green Incentive Finals and International Hunter Derby Finals all happened in just the few past weeks or so…

At this time of year I encourage ALL of my students to sit down with parents and work through a series of questions to set personal short term and long term goals.

I am pretty sure everyone riding in the above events has the HOPE of a medal or blue ribbon round. All most likely had the goal to qualify and attend their respective finals - just getting there is a huge accomplishment

NOW …hear me out …how many can actually WIN? Only one gold medal or blue out of thousands of riders - most compete all the time or at least 1-2 times a month ….does that mean the others who did not WIN not complete their goals?

The word goal means a destination or a journey, one’s personal ambition … it does not mean that you might actually succeed at this goal - but - there is learning and growth and dedication to trying to achieve the goal that has been set.

Olympians in show jumping are the pinnacle of our sport …
Kent gave up his spot for gold because his horse had an allergic reaction the days before the team was to compete, McLain was riding a younger horse who performed brilliantly but had an unlucky rail, Laura just had a slight timing issue and her horse did not quite sight in on the jump and took it down, the number ONE ranked rider in the world fell off when his horse thought he was turning the other way, another team had a horse disqualified for a rule that is meant to prevent harm but was taken so literally it caused them to be disqualified

And I am sure there are many other stories like this - so did they fail? Can you see how difficult this sport truly is!!!

So parents - when your child rides one day a week can they realistically be competitive against riders who ride every day? if your peers in your division show ALOT on the national level are you happy with a very solid ribbon that is NOT blue if you only show a handful of times a year?

NOW don’t start bashing me - I am NOT saying that everyone needs to show more / but do you have your “sport” in true perspective??

If you ride one day a week - be happy to get to a show and try competing!

If you show only a few shows a year - that 4th place should be just as satisfying as a blue ribbon because your peers have more opportunities to achieve that goal

If you can’t afford to do more - are you willing to WORK for it as a volunteer or working student to gain more experience?

If you show once a month and win a class can you be happy for another who is champion because they have more opportunities to compete and hone their skill set?

If you have a year where maybe your horse has an injury or you experience a situation that caused you to be anxious or afraid …is it ok to readjust your goal?

Setting a goal DOES NOT mean you FAIL if you do not REACH the result you aimed for …those who truly succeed own up when they are struggling, ask for help, are willing to work through tough times, put horses and their care in front of ribbons or Medals.

They SEE and understand a BIGGER picture and evaluate the path and focus on how to bolster strengths and identify weaknesses

So take a breath …bigger does not mean better …faster does not mean better, and goals are a path to learning not always about winning

Be happy wherever your path is and embrace it to the best of your ability and appreciate those around you who support you …in BLUE ribbon rides AND when picking yourself up out of the dirt!

Just a little food for thought as we start to prepare for the end of one show season and the beginning of another

Perspective is very important - so understand your own feelings about what you CAN do and believe that you ARE successful just for setting a goal and reaching for it

Tally Ho

❤️🦄

08/17/2024

The trunk room looks amazing - got all the construction stuff out and found our carpet from the original tackroom - such a functional space

Two barns … 4 tack rooms and a storage room to boot 🥾…..can you tell we never had a barn with enough storage space????

Of course the warehouse helps too - can’t wait to get the first full shipment of hay this fall

Busy morning !!!

08/17/2024

Each day more blessings - we started to finally move into the tack rooms - look at the beautiful doors Roy stained this week - thanks to the crew that built them, the friends that helped move them, and to William McDonald construction for getting them on the tracks and ready to ROLL!!

Some might ask why it took so long to move into the tackrooms - well - we needed to safety train staff and students and properly acclimate the horses to the barns …slow and steady so the logistics are just RIGHT!

We have worked 28 years in Naples to arrive in this beautiful space …don’t need to rush it!

Yay🦄🦄😊❤️❤️👍👍😎😎

08/14/2024

We had a great last summer hoorah…now it’s back to school!

Can’t believe we have done 28 years of summer sessions in Naples!

So excited for this year as we get to FINALLY enjoy our permanent space

2024-2025 Clinics are lining up with some GREAT people coming to share their knowledge with our equine community

Stay tuned - full schedule coming very soon!

08/10/2024

This is frustrating to me…this is a NATIONAL FINALS and most responding to this post are saying we need to make the courses easier and the jumps lower

NO

We need instructors who know how to teach true basics and have the backbone to say NO when a student just says they want to jump higher and go faster

It makes me sad - our sport is suffering and we have done it to ourselves. I am not surprised by this AT ALL - we are seeing this at ALL levels of riding even into the GP ring.

Be strict ….do your flatwork …make them jump better not bigger…optimum time classes NOW and trainers need to be credentialed

Parents listen up! Do you realize there are NO criteria or licensing required to be a “professional”

Do your homework. Period

It was a tough day of show jumping at the USEF Pony Jumper National Team Championship. From the 26 rounds tackled by 13 riders, nine ended in elimination—including several falls—over Jasen Shelley’s track. Only two of the four teams finished, and the silver medal team finished on 52 faults.

08/08/2024

This is an excellent post - read and let it sink in a little

If you are offended by this as an instructor - well - maybe it’s time to expand the idea of attending some form of Credentialing - it will help you be a better instructor and will give you a network of community that will
Help
You support and grow

Our students deserve it and do so our horses

Let’s talk about the lack of quality coaching and lack of standards in the equine industry. For example, kids learning with someone who claims to be an "coach" and all they learned is how to see-saw a horse's head down and chuck their body over a fence like a champion. All coaching is not equal.

But what happens when you have a good coach? One that opens their program to you, takes you under his/her wing? Becomes invested in your success? When you essentially become part of the "family"...

Eventually, something will happen...

Coach tells you that you are not Karen O'Connor 2.0, and not ready to make the move up to the next level.
Coach says you need to go back and fix some holes in your training.
Coach says you have developed a bad habit, and it needs to be fixed before you can accomplish your goals.
Coach says you need to make sure that your horse is being ridden (not just hanging out at the barn).
Coach says you need to dedicate more time to studying the sport, not just riding.
Coach says it isn't a "horse" problem, it is a "you" problem.

People have become increasingly more reactionary. More easily offended. In lieu of everyone getting a trophy, it is so hard to hear these words from people you admire. Some of the best coaches will be the toughest. Not ones that tear you apart constantly, but coaches that aren't afraid to have the tough conversations with you. Or conversations that you may not have wanted to have.

But remember, a good coach is in YOUR corner. They want YOU to achieve success. They dedicate so much more than an hour of time to your growth not only as a rider but as a horseman. Maybe you are burning the candle at both ends (and in the middle), and you need a reality check that this sport requires more of your time and focus.

These conversations can hurt, but while it may sting at first.... take a second. Think about why your coach is against you moving up right now, why your coach is saying to wait until the summer to be a working student, why your coach is saying that you should not enter the show until the homework and flat work is done.

By Courtney Waskiewicz

08/07/2024

Happy Summer! Every year right before school starts we offer our CSF “Boot Camp”… we set goals for the new show season (and school year) and work on identifying our weaknesses and bolstering our strengths

We discuss diet, rest, focus and strength training …we ride 2 sets a day and get to the barn super early …these kiddos are dedicated to being better at the sport they love!

I am thrilled to be a part of such a wonderful group of young people - our key word this year is

RESILIENCE

How does that resonate with you? What does it mean to be “resilient” and how DO we accomplish our goals …even when sometimes life throws us curves!

I can’t wait to see the results this year - our boot camp motivated our riders last year to EXCEED our hopes and dreams

2025 …we are ready for you and the future looks AMAZING 🤩

08/04/2024

Compassion and caring for others is something we have to expose our children to on a regular basis - SO many things in this world right now lack a basic understanding of listening to another heartbeat and realizing we are in this together

So thankful that Willow is getting to grow up with the best of both worlds - technology to challenge her but farm life to ground her …she is learning that caring for others actually makes you feel better …and that is something we all need right now

Next time you go to post something negative ….remember …children are watching you

Happy Sunday

07/29/2024

The Blue Ribbons just kept coming! All our riders pinned solidly in all their classes in KY! We had a great crew - can’t wait to go back - and the weather was perfect …only one rainy day!

Here is the photo dump!

07/27/2024

We started the week off with a Blue Ribbon for Rock Solid and McKenzie! Emily and Kaaterskill had great rounds just out of the ribbons out of 70 horses and Kai and Melbourne Z pinned in EVERY USHJA class out of 35!

Solid rides on the very first day of the horse show ….more to come!

07/24/2024

Yesterday we arrived safely at our destination-KY Horse Park 2024! Woo hoo! We had a great set up crew and horses traveled well, only a little rain and traffic - even thru HOTlanta!

Pretty busy - too busy today for photos but much more fun to come! Can’t wait for the rest of the Gang to get here!

07/22/2024

Headed to KY! All rested and chipper!
It’s 74 degrees 😎

07/21/2024

Tucked in for the night - nice layover resting spot …tomorrow we hit the TN mountains then KY!

Woo hoo

07/21/2024

Summer Adventure Trip 2024 is rolling! Left Naples early this AM…thank you to all our wonderful staff that are staying home to give our lesson ponies some extra TLC after a busy summer full of programs

Just fueled up in Ocala headed for our layover stop north of Atlanta

KY Horse Park Here we Come!!

07/14/2024

07/14/2024

Tackroom finishing touches are going in…. Can’t wait to see all the bridles up in such a beautiful space

07/11/2024

Tonight was really special …Gnomes are our “lucky trademark” …so we hosted our FIRST CSF Craft Night in the new tackroom …everyone started painting their personal gnomes …next week we BEDAZZLE with our outdoor GLITTER STATION! My mom would be so happy right now…

It’s starting to become reality - love the memories we are making!❤️

07/09/2024

This is what I grew up jumping …on a pony not much bigger than pepper (12h)

Look at Ms Betty’s Equitation - it was functional not faddish

Let’s bring these COOPS BACK! Building one in our new ring between the trees….come derby with us next season!! Some fun opportunities to stretch ourselves while celebrating our history coming up in 2025 in both our clinic series and the Stepping Stones Show Series will offer a specialty class each show to try something NEW!!

Remember this?

Betty Oare took a jump in 1974 while hunting with the Piedmont Fox Hounds in Upperville, Va. Douglas Lees Photo



Click to catch up on the week in sport horse news: https://conta.cc/4cQbi2E

07/09/2024

Are you READY to start your day! Super Pony Girl is ready to go!

Stay hydrated and give your pony some extra bubble bath time today!

07/08/2024

I am seeing a lot of posts that share this theme …those of us in this industry have all felt this way at one time or another

BUT
How are we going to solve this problem? I would like to hear some positives that could lead us to a path of respect on many levels - from working together better as professionals to how to educate parents …I don’t have the solutions but I think this is a growing problem that we all have to look at together

Thoughts??

Someone in Europe commented on my post the other day about the state of the horse industry in the United States stating that I was painting a dark picture and should restructure my business…

Let me clarify by saying, it’s not just me who experienced struggle, depression, rude clients, thoughts of giving up, etc. It’s nine out of ten horse trainers in this country. I’m pretty sure that it’s a bit of a mutual feeling around here. There are some who have been lucky and landed careers with great barn owners and don’t have the overhead expenses, but they’re not the norm. Most of us have started from scratch and have built everything from the ground up.

I have reinvented my business countless times for various reasons - to accommodate a need, to help more people and horses, to care for my horses, myself or my family. I have done just about everything from 4H to birthday parties to camps to board and training to an entire string of school horses to IDA, show teams, yoga and horsemanship classes and everything in between.

As a trainer and instructor I have seen a few main problems that seem to be most common in what horse trainers are dealing with today…

1. Instant gratification. We live in a here and now world these days with our handheld computers in our pockets. Horses are not machines. Every minute of every day, a horse is a horse. They don’t have their own agenda, just eat, sleep, p**p and survive. They don’t care about round circles and square halts. It takes time, knowledge, understanding and patience to teach a horse what we want. And on top of that, every horse is different and learns at different rates. Some things come easier than others - just like with people.

2. Champagne taste. Horses are expensive (we don’t need to get into that financial statement, again) but you can’t bring your horse to a trainer for top quality board and training and expect them to subsidize your hobby. Most of us already aren’t charging enough given what we put out for each horse. We are not rolling in the big bucks, the only thing that’s plentiful is manure.

3. Disregard and disrespect of trainers being actual humans. We have lives. We have families. We have other responsibilities. Believe me, we think about your horse and how to help you both better as we lay awake in the middle of the night. You are important to us and we are taking care of your horse, but we have other things going on in our lives - just like you. We cannot answer calls and texts at all hours or work with you on our heels all day.

Like I’ve said countless times, we need a change. It’s time for respect. Respect of the horse being an animal who needs time, patience and understanding. We really need a change in this economy (🙏🏻). And it’s time for a change in how we treat each other.

I know that we can’t really do a whole lot about the state of the economy, but we can certainly help ourselves and our horses by learning and teaching proper horsemanship. I think that if more people took the time to truly understand how horses’ minds and bodies work, it would be a huge step in the right direction. Not only would the need for instant gratification diminish, but the intricacies of what good horse trainers actually do would be understood on a deeper level. More on that later…

Be kind. Everyone is fighting their own battles.

🌻 Cara

📸 Max & Maxwell: Equestrian Photography

07/06/2024

June 2021 we moved to
our permanent home on Rock Rd (CornerSTONE Farm….seems appropriate!) and started a ONE YEAR construction project…..hahahahaha

July 2024 ….we have survived ALOT more than most will ever know or understand …Yesterday we FINALLY fulfilled all the paperwork and fuss required by the SBA to officially finish!

Seems a little surreal as it has been NONSTOP 18 hour days of WORK!

There were mountain tops and valleys …but FANTASTIC friends and Family helped us get there

Thank you - thank you ❤️🦄

We are ready to turn the corner to start bringing joy and blessings to our community with this beautiful facility that hopes to be a place of peace, beauty and love of all things HORSES!

It’s time for us to start enjoying the dream instead of surviving ….there is always hope if you are willing to do the WORK!