I was feeling pretty stressed as the weekend approached. I get really nervous when I have buyers coming because I just want everything to go well. I always feel like I represent my horses accurately but horses are horses and you just never know what type of day they will be having when the buyers do show up. You just pray they are on good behavior and that the horses meet the buyers expectations 
Rebecca and her friend Dee came all the way from Utah and they were my kind of people. Just super nice people who are down to earth and easy to work with. We spent Friday evening riding in the ring under the lights. We rode in the ring a bit more on Saturday. During our ride, two trailer showed up and unloaded four horses. Amy who bought Auto Pilot and Michelle who bought Rustyshouldrun came over with some friends to ride. Burgiss didn’t seem to mind the added chaos. We then headed out of the ring to go on a little trail ride.
I probably scare people with my version of trail rides but it gives them a good opportunity to see the horses in all situations. We hacked down the road where the cars don’t really slow down or give you much room. Then we went out into a big open field where we saw a hunter..uh oh! Stay away from that part of the woods. We had a little trot around but it was pretty muddy. We jumped a little natural ditch and then we all had a canter as we headed back home. Hey, it was the driest spot Dee was riding Junior who is always a bit of a fire-breathing dragon on the first canter and I rode Bear who is some sort of morgan/qh/mutt mix that is owned by my boarder. Dee and I were making our horses behave but Burgiss was being his normal good boy self just cantering along oblivious to the fire-breathing dragons beside him. We practiced going in and out of the water filled puddles as well to show off Burgiss’s water skills.
If the vetting goes well than Burgiss will head to Utah. I’m very excited but also nervous because vettings make me want to puke even when I know the horses are sound
We decided to have a nice relaxing Sunday and went to Wye Island for a trail ride with our boys. Wye Island is a beautiful place to ride and there is even a little beach you can walk down on and take the horses into the water. How cool is that!
I hadn’t ridden Letterman all week due to rain/busy schedule. One of the reasons that I bought him was that I don’t have to worry if I don’t ride him everyday because he is always behaved. I really have no goals for him so if he’s just my weekend trail horse so that Kurt and I can go out and have fun than that is plenty good enough for me.
Both Junior and Letterman were a wee bit excited when we got there because a whole group of trail riders had pulled in and were going out for a group ride. I am always impressed how Letterman handles himself. He was nervous but he stands much quieter for me to tack him up than he used to. Junior was being much worse We got on and immediately had a trot to let them blow off some steam. Amy was riding out with us and even her guy was all puffed up.
We had a lovely 2 hr ride where we had awesome trots/canters/gallops across the fields just enjoying our nice horses.
Junior is the best!
Letterman is the best!
Thank god for trails with porta potties
Junior always has had the cutest face.
I was slightly surprised that Letterman took so easily to the water. It’s pretty scary to be in this much water but he really didn’t seem to mind. He’s very trusting which is cool.
It really was an amazing weekend topped off by a great Ravens game! I was sitting down yesterday thinking that these people that buy horses from us all become friends. Just this week, I had gotten emails from several people who bought horses from me as well as a visit from two of my buyers with their horses. They just love their boys and it makes me so thrilled to see them jumping around courses grinning from ear to ear. Allie posted something on facebook about her horse being the BEST (Track’s Protege a CANTER horse from Delaware Park) and so many of our CANTER buyers were on there arguing that THEIR horse was the BEST If that doesn’t make you smile than I don’t know what does. I find it very easy to sell these horses that I get so attached to when they all have great homes with people that love them. It makes me energized to keep going.
Shine my Shoes, Diamond H, Bushy’s Yield, Rockin Fun, Letterman’s Humor, Rustyshouldrun and Auto Pilot all sold from my barn so far this year. I sold Hold that Halo, Dance with Bill and Esstoga Tune out of the field this year(not our norm). Mort Robbins and Cool Casey started with me but ended up down in North Carolina and were both sold. In an interesting turn of events, Mort had slipped and tweaked his stifle right before his vetting and didn’t pass. He just needed some time to rest and when he was ready he went down to North Carolina because my barn was full at that point. He was bought/vetted by the same person who had vetted him the first time I think we will hear some big things about him in the future!
What a busy year so far!
You really should add Yellow Tavern to that list. It has a lot to do with you that I felt confident to commit to him, site unseen, and…traveled up to the snow covered north in January, to get him. (and, by the way, I adore him)
Patty, those are just the horses that I sold in 2011!!! There are many many more that we have sold over the past several years almost hard to remember them all at this point. I would NEVER forget Tavern
I knew he was your horse the first time we talked it just took you a bit to get back to him after the trip to Pa when you bought one instead of buying Tavern 
I also sold Bushy’s Yield to Patrice Fleck in VA this year without her even riding him. Based on her happy facebook posts I would say she is head over heels in love with him.
I get to know all my horses really well so if somebody accurately describes exactly what they are looking for then I can often tell whether it may be a good match or not.
Any new Tavern pics???
Shoes and I had a wonderful afternoon ride today. He jumps on the trailer and off we go to a nearby arena. As much as I love riding him, it is having that happy little face in the barn that makes me smile everyday! The start you give these guys really makes a difference.
Back home in cold snowy Utah after our super fun weekend at Jess’s. We had the best time and yes we were a little amazed at how close the cars whizzed by us on the road but the horses were so good.
I must admit that I pretty much gave Burgiss every kind of amateur jumping mistake ride you can and he took it all in stride. He is super and going to be a lot of fun. I am really glad that Jess found me qualified to be Burgiss’s new person. We all have to keep our fingers crossed that the vet check is good…..it should be, he feels great!
And Junior does have a very cute face and he was good to Dee so she must have passed the Junior specifications test. We both had so much fun we want to come back to ride at Wye Island!
Oh and let me not forget a big thank you to Kurt who took pictures and hung out with us and helped us out and let Dee ride his horse. You guys are really fun!
Jess you are the best and thru your knowledge of the trainers at DE Park I got my guy thru Canter and he is really getting good, you need to bring Letterman out hunting and check Dan out!! You will not recongize him!
Jess
I wish we were close geographically – I know I would love riding with you. I haven’t been able to show this fall because I ruptured a disc in my back (a small rupture). I am back riding, but still not comfortable sitting the trot or canter and I haven’t been jumping. I hate this break from serious flat work because, lord knows, he needs that to be a constant in his life (he thinks submission is highly over-rated). Had a fun trail ride today, though. So, no new pictures, but I will say MJ looks “smokin’ hot”! He really has his “man body” now and all his parts look good together!!
Patty