Hoof Beats Wrapping Up a Winning Season--an Appreciation

by Mary Gallagher

Chris Greimes provides instant replay.

For us at Freedom Farm, October brings striking colors, crisp air, fuzzier horses, and the end of show season for the Hoof Beats Competition Team. This season was a big deal, as the students had set their sights on moving up a division, into the meter jumpers. They all had horses capable of the move, and, I knew that this was going to be a significant change for them. Jumping higher would require horse and rider to travel faster than they’ve been used to at the lower levels. This meant they needed to upgrade their ability to gallop to the jumps faster, with the conditioning, confidence, and balance to jump the bigger jumps. (I should mention I was often riding, too—on my jumpers in training Oliver and Marcus.)

Inspired by Beach Camp!

 by Mary Gallagher and Kathy Schmidt

For the last 17 years we have had the good fortune to visit the farm of Cindy and Gary Flood, in Long Beach, Washington, for our annual beach camp. They have graciously hosted our campers and horses, giving us use of their excellent covered arena and paddocks, with easy access to the legendary beach nearby. Our camps have taken many forms and included campers of all ages at one time or another. We are so grateful for the ongoing opportunity to be at such a beautiful facility!

This year’s camp was, in a word, outstanding. As many of you know, recent beach camps have been exclusively for our Hoof Beats riders. Well, the small but enthusiastic crew that came with us this year really excelled at making this camp about horsemanship, pitching in to help, being there for each other, and having loads of fun in the process! Together we set a new standard for the future.

Kathy Schmidt, who has partnered with me the last few years, bringing many years as a grade school teacher as well as a high level of horsemanship to the occasion, agreed that this camp was special. The question is, how to make it a success every year?

Here’s what we think: