Hope Acres LLC

04/08/2025

🔔 REMINDER! Special General Membership Meeting! The details are as follows:

Date: April 9th, 2025
Time: 6:00PM
Location: CCAD Building (Christian County Ambulance District)
Address: 320 N 20th Street, Ozark MO 65721

Agenda
1. Call to Order and Welcome
2. Presentation and Discussion of Proposed Constitutional Changes
3. Voting on Constitutional  Amendments
4. Discussion of Table IV Trial Year - Committee Involvement
5. Open Floor Business
6. Review of Vote Results
7. Adjournment

The voting options will be as follows:
• Yes - revoke the optimum time round and return back to the 2024 jumper class descriptions
• No - keep optimum time as the second jumper class.
• Abstain - Not voting

04/01/2025

Great info!

Jim Wofford said, "Good riders sit." The two left photos, a HJer and an eventer, are riding in the same position that some call a 2-point. The two right photos are MacLain Ward top and Bruce Davidson below. The obvious difference is that the riders on the left ride up out of the saddle with straighter knees and they depend on the horse's neck for their balance. This makes these riders "top heavy" and their movements are more apt to interfere with their horse's balance.

Ward and Davidson ride closer to the saddle, lowering the center of gravity of the horse and rider pair, thus creating greater stability. Yes, I know Davidson is in a jump, but I picked this image to make the point that he demonstrates a light or half seat over a jump, which requires great strength in the lower body that the two left riders seem to lack. Davidson rode in a light or half seat, not perched like the riders on the left, except when he needed to sit deeply for increased engagement.

The bottom image by Susan Harris shows the difference between the current "2-point position" and the original 2-point. The left 2-point is actually a 3-point position because it has the two points of balance in the rider's feet, plus a 3rd point of balance with the hands on the neck. The original 2-point is shown on the right with only the two points of balance in the feet.

The authentic 2-point is a dynamic or moving balance independent of the horse's balance and motion. An independent balanced seat is safer because if the horse stumbles, the rider can maintain their balance and not automatically be affected by a horse's sudden imbalance.

The new "2-point", that is actually a 3-point, is a static balance tied to the horse's balance. This position makes the rider a passenger dependent on the horse's balance. In this static dependent balance, if the horse stumbles the rider, riders lacking their own independent balance can more easily be pitched forward even to the point of being launched forward onto the ground.

The 3-point is rewarded by judges even though it is a static unbalanced position forward of the horse's center of balance and thus dangerous if the horse loses their balance. This is one of the primary examples of how several disciplines have invented their own isolated discipline "horsemanships" with elements that are impractical, ineffective and sometimes dangerous. The worst part is that these discipline idiosyncrasies make the horses' job more difficult.

I have a video on my YouTube channel that discusses this in greater detail www.youtube.com/watch?v=1IEpQmApva0&t=28s

03/29/2025

Barn cats helping in lessons, Part 2. 🤦🏻‍♀️😜

03/24/2025

Thank you to everyone who came out today! Whether you rode, set jumps, coached kiddos, or volunteered in some other way, you are apppreciated; couldn't do it without a great community! Feel free to post photos below! 💛

03/21/2025

Cats are so great at "helping" teach lessons. 🤦🏻‍♀️

03/17/2025

Lots of amazing help yesterday getting the arena groomed after a long winter! Thanks to all the crew! 💛

02/19/2025

02/18/2025

Water heaters working great ✅
Winter blankets holding up ✅
Plenty of hay✅
Best helper ever ✅✅

This weather is no fun, but so far so good! Hoping and praying you and your 4-legged friends are staying safe! 💛

02/04/2025

The SMHJA 2025 General Membership Meeting is on Friday, February 21 at 6PM. We will be meeting at the Library Center in the Auditorium. All current members should have received an email with more details. Please check your spam/junk folders!

We have several constitution amendments to vote on. Please review all the official proposed 2025 constituion amendments prior to the meeting by going to the link tree in our Insta bio or by visiting www.SMHJA.org and clicking “Documents” on the menu and selecting “Constitution.”

Only SMHJA members present at this meeting are permitted to vote. In order to be considered a member, both the membership form and fee must be submitted. You can find this form and fee payment info in our insta bio link tree or by visiting www.SMHJA.org and navigating to the “Members” tab on the menu.

We’re excited to see everyone at the meeting!