A very full year. Somehow I feel like we started this year busy and never stopped! I am going to share some highlights…
Early spring cleanup. As I sat down to write this year’s notes of gratitude, I let my mind wander back
to late winter 2023. The extensive winter clean up from last year featured the expert pruning and cleaning of the flower beds by Gerardo Vidal and crew. I was so very grateful for Gerardo blessing our gardens and fruit trees—our spring and summer foliage and fruits reflected your expertise. Thank you Gerardo!
Many colts to start..! Jerry Schmidt connected us again this year with clinician Martin Black for
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Jerry and Jackson, first saddling.
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another fabulous clinic, which included a pretty amazing colt starting series, pushing us to acquire more skills again this spring. After the clinic Jerry was so generous with his time, helping me and training assistant Elise Dean with what seemed like a constant string of talented babies to start. Thank you Jerry and Elise! Also thanks to fellow trainer Brad Varner who joined us for some great early sessions. Most of all—speaking of the colts—special, deep thanks to their owners Amy Johnson, Wendy Comstock, and Melene Bourm for sending so many lovely, special horses this year. We honor and value your trust in our work.
Helper from afar. My sister Ann Kuhn came for her annual visit in June, and once again took on several major projects around the Farm. For one, she got the ball rolling sorting, sanding and painting all the jump poles with help from Lester Hardy and Haleyanna Fell. Annie’s work ethic was so contagious that local volunteer Tom Croft designed and constructed three new jumps to go along with all the newly restored, pretty jump poles. Thank you Ann and Tom!
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Brad Varner assists in a first trail ride for young horses.
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Hoof Beats excellence. Once again, I am so grateful for this year’s Hoof Beats team spirit and sportsmanship. I’ll get to the horsemanship part, but right off the bat in late winter, many hands made light work at our spring work party cleaning up storm blow down in the Emerald Forest. It was a busy work day and much appreciated. Thank you team for showing up and helping clear out this important riding area!
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Forest clean up crew.
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Jumping ahead to summer, we made our Hoof Beats Saturdays about fun, trail rides, and trying new things. We were hosted for a full and fun day at Brad Varner’s place nearby, where we got to ride on his training track, do cow work and practice roping! A total blast. In August, we had great fun at beach camp playing games on the beach, doing more focused sessions in the arena, and as always eating great food prepared by everybody. And the highlight of our show season was definitely at Wilsonville, Oregon, where we did very well. I especially enjoyed when the team got together early each day to walk and discuss the courses together. It made a real difference and showed in everybody’s riding. Thank you team for your sense of fun, team spirit, and good sportsmanship!
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At the beach...
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...and the Wilsonville show.
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Our Hoof Beats team is always supported by their awesome parents. All year long, through a steady stream of events, “Team Parents” kept the students supported and organized through all sorts of unforeseen changes. I am so grateful for their solid wisdom and strength managing all circumstances. Thank you all very much!
Another Jerry appreciation: Once again Jerry made a huge project seem small: he took on replacing all the old footing in the arena with new, luxurious sand. As massive as the job was, it was done before most people even knew it was happening. My hero! (And of course, the old footing did not go to waste. Jerry found good use for it in extending our outdoor training and cow arena).
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Yay, new footing! Thanks to Jerry.
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Freedom Farm people. Throughout the year, chores and projects big and little get done by a small but hearty crew of us. Undying thanks to Farm hands Lester Hardy, Cecil Gates, Jeremy Soderstrom and Haleyanna Fell (Haleyanna, have fun at college in Colorado! We’ll miss you!). Tom Croft and Kip Tulin are our volunteer project hands (and poop scoopers). Kathy Schmidt and Elise Dean help me train young humans and young horses alike. Jess and Hannah Crouch support many of our boarders (and beyond) with training, horse care, and lessons. Jess is a ready advisor whose wisdom is an asset to us all. Mary Tulin makes us all look good, sharing the Freedom Farm magic on the internet. Thank you all, and to all who have contributed in so many ways, my appreciation!!
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