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December '07 at Jumping Branch Farm in Aiken Schooling Horse Trials
Left to right: Daphne and Sue, winners of the Tadpole Division, Fleck and Holly, winners of the Training Division, Karen, coach, and Gwen and Vickie, winners of the Beginner Novice Division. Our team had a clean sweep, and there were a LOT of starters!

Meet some of the great people and horses you will run into at DHF...

Holly and Fleck

I was lucky enough to meet Karen and become her student. Not only have I learned so much from her, but I also got my second horse of a lifetime from her! Fleck was Karen's horse that I had been eyeing for about 3 years before I convinced her to sell him to me. I LOVE this horse! He has been so much fun and has quickly become my best friend. Fleck has taught me so much about dressage, eventing, jumping, and being goofy. Being that I'm quite goofy already, we make a great match! We have had three and a half great years together and I look forward to many many more. Last year everything really came together for us. We qualified for the Area 3 eventing championships and finished on our dressage score which put us 5th out of 39 at Novice level. That qualified us for the American Eventing Championships. We hauled all the way up to Indiana and met Karen and Vickie up there, who came for moral support! We had a blast and even though we weren't spectacular, we ended up in the top 50!! We also placed 3rd in the GDCTA year end awards for First Level Dressage at Schooling Shows! This year we are looking to conquer Training Level Eventing and get a little bit better at First Level and working on some Second Level. In addition to our competition success, Fleck and I also just have a blast goofing around. He really is such a great guy. He's always cracking me up! We enjoy trail riding, galloping at the horse park, and hauling to all the different barns to ride with friends. It's been great to create such a bond with such a wonderful pony boy. I can't ever thank Karen enough for selling me my awesome boy.

Shelly and Sprite

Hi, my name is Shelly.  My horse is Sprite.  See Sprite Run.  See Sprite Jump.  See Sprite Spook.

I am a lower level eventer that really enjoys riding and the camaraderie that riding brings to my life.  I have owned horses most of my life (Arabians) but did not take a formal lesson until I met Karen through some mutual friends almost 10 years ago. I decided to give English a try and fell in love with combined training/eventing….especially the jumping phases!!  I am not always brave but I think I could win an award for tenacity.  A useful trait considering my horse is a little stubborn.  I got Sprite (Shake It Up) in the spring of 2003 as an unbroken 5 year old that I fell in love with because of her color…..that and she was free!!  It was a stroke of luck that Karen did not run away screaming when I told her I had “bought” a new horse without ever asking for advice or even seeing Sprite in person.  What was she thinking!!!    You can sum up Sprite in two words:   ARABIAN and MARE.  She is the most stubborn horse I have had the privilege to ride and after 5 years of intense battles…I mean lessons, she is a lot of fun and we are a pretty good team.  After several years of low level eventing and just having fun, I discovered that I was pregnant.  During the pregnancy, Sprite got several months totally off and even went to live with my sister for a while.  I got her back in October 2007 with grand plans to immediately start riding and showing again.  But life got in the way and now I consider myself lucky to ride at least 1-2 times per week.  Sprite seems to enjoy her life of leisure.  I hope to start showing again soon.  I have missed my SWAG team members!!! See you on course.  

Vickie and Gwen

Hi!  My name is Vickie and this is my horse, Gwen.  I am a "not-so young" event rider, wife, mother (Stephen-22 and Lindsey-18) kindergarten teacher, and friend.  I have been riding with Karen for almost 3 years now and loving every minute! Gwen and I are currently competing Beginner Novice but hope to move up to Novice some day (yikes!).  It is so much fun showing, schooling, trail riding, learning, eating, laughing and crying with Karen and my fellow SWAG team members.  Come join us - you won't regret it!!

 


Sue and Daphne

Hi, my name is Sue and this is my wonderful horse, Daphne, a big-hearted, "been there-done that", packer MARE! Daphne is a 15 year old appy/paint who I have had for a little over 2 years. Karen is my coach, neighbor, and friend and has taught me everything I know about riding, and then some! She introduced me to the sport of eventing shortly after she found Daphne for me and away we went!! Daphne has pinned in every single show we have been in and has even gotten first place in several! WOW! I never imagined where I would be now if it hadn't been for Karen. Anyway, Daphne and I are currently competing Tadpole and would like to move up to Beginner Novice. We have a wonderful group of SWAG eventers here who love to ride, compete, and shop together. Please join us!!

Some scenes from the road...

Karen and Holly strike a pose at Lamplight

The SWAGs at Big Bear...

Got room for one more?