Good Bye March.

    So I am just doing a quick update. STILL have not been able to ride, and I think my mother is about to send me to a mental institute because I am going crazy! It doesn't help that we are suppose to get 6-12 inches of snow Thurs-Fri-Sat. I really hope it turns to rain!

      I have mostly been planning my summer out and how this whole thing is going to work out. Between trying to get my H-B (possibly C-3) for pony club, getting Duellsa out in the eventing world, taking Keiko Beg. Novice in MeCTA, and trying to get my MDS silver medal on Dixie. WHEW I'm going to be a busy girl, but I love it! :)

    Pony Club wise, it has been pretty calm. That is sure to change in the next few weeks! We have Quiz rally this weekend. I am just helping with Mega Room. Lucky me! I have to figure out if  I am going to go for my H-B & C-3 this year, and I only have till the 15th of April to decide. AH! Thats coming up to fast.


Everything happens for a reason :)

I see the light!!

              The past few days have been great! I have not been able to ride since my last post (March 8th). I did trailer over to my instructors barn for an Audrey Bean lesson. I rode a unknown bred, chestnut pony, Matty :) He is super cute! He is a different ride though. He is a "GO GO GO!" pony, so he charges at everything. We have to get him thinking about what he is actually doing. By the end of the lesson he was slower and actually using him self over the fences rather than jumping them any way he can.
            
              We trailered Oliver over for Lexi (one of Sandy + Audrey Bean's students) to try. I bought him in September right before AEC's. He was VERY green, but learned so fast it blew my mind! I bought him for a training project, so this was great that someone was finally looking at him.  He was really good! I have not ridden him since the beginning of February. She was a little nervous on him at first, as everyone is on a new horse. She looked fairly comfortable on him at all gaits. Even took him over the gymnastics that were set up. I make her sound like a beginner...but she isn't she is a really good little rider! He was such a good little goober. She loved him. I know he would be in a GREAT home. Lexi is a good kid so I know she'll take care of the lil guy <3. So I think they are going to take him on a trial, so if he sells that means I am down to 5 horses. Now to find a Lifetime lease home for Thunder!

               I am super excited show season is coming quick! Hopefully in the next few weeks I can ride my mares                                               Everything is melting so fast, it makes me so happy.

Getting there!

   We had a horrid ice storm on Sunday-Monday. It was a bit ridiculous.

Tuesday, March 8.

    So, After all the storm craziness I finally was able to ride my mares :). Dixie was amazing! Surprisingly I got a little collection out of her! YAY! We have been struggling with collection because Dixie is built "Down Hill." We are getting it slowly, but it probably didn't help at all that I had a saddle fitter come out in July and she said my saddle fit, and it didn't. Great lesson learned! Dixie has not been ridden much over the winter. We wanted to give her a break cause she had an great year and worked extremely hard.

     

     Duellsa was great as well. It was probably one of the best rides I have ever had on her since she has been home. She neck was long and stretchy. I am not used to her in my hand! It was amazing. I only could do walk and trot work on her, but it is better than nothing :) Usually she tries to go in a "Gran Prix" frame with her tense neck and hollow back :P. Silly Green horses hahaha :)

    

     Later that afternoon we headed to Augusta for the Maine Combined Training meeting. (http://www.maine-eventing.org/ )  We are working on getting more members! Also we are looking to start more stuff on the FB page. ( MeCTA FB page. )Starting a "Photo Horse Show" picture contest! It might give some people something to do in the winter! I think it should be fun!

Lack of riding.

        I'm not sure what to write because not much is going on at the moment. I have not been able to ride since my 1st post. The place I ride at home is all ice and really unsafe. This weekend we are supposed to get hit hard with rain and ice. Looks like I am not going to be riding for a few weeks :/. I hate to be complaining on this but I guess this is what blogs are for!

~I want Summer~

About Me:

Ashley Shaffer

Accomplishments

SHOWING

2006                                                       

NCRC w/t/c 12 & under Champion         

NCRC Open Reserve Champion                      

2007
NCRC Halter Reserve Champion
NCRC w/t/c 12 & under Reserve Champion

NCRC Open Reserve Champion

MeCTA – Elementary 6^th Place
 EMDA – Quadrille Champion

 USPC- Foxcroft Pony Club- earned D1, D2, & D3 ratings

2008                                                             

NCRC Sportsmanship Award                     

Maine Dressage Society- Bronze Medal      

EMDA – Training Level 2^nd Place               

MeCTA Beg. Novice 1^st Place                   

MeCTA High Point Jr                                 

2009
NCRC w/t 13+ Champion
NCRC w/t/c 13-17 Reserve Champion
NCRC Open Reserve Champion
MeCTA Beg. Novice 2^nd Place
MeCTA Novice 1^st Place
MeCTA High Point Jr.

MeCTA Usea 1^st Place

 MeCTA- Awarded Figure Trophy for lowest
combined score for Junior at Snowfields Horse Trials

 USEA- Snowfields HT Novice Jr. 1^st Place,
    Clay Brook Farms Pony Club Award

  King Oak Novice Open 1^st Place
2010
USEA- UNH Spring HT – Novice 3^rd place

Huntington Farm HT- Novice 2^nd place

Snowfields HT- Novice-3^rd place

Course Brook HT-Novice- 5^th place

Competed in Area 1 Championships- Novice

Competed in American Eventing Championships- Novice

Got my Bronze, Silver, and Gold medal @ the Novice level

Got the “Blue Ribbon Award” for USEA

USPC- Foxcroft Pony Club- earned C1 rating

Earned C-2 rating.

MeCTA- Novice 1^st Place-Dixie

Elementary 2^nd place-Keiko

NCRC- w/t/c Reserve Champion.-Keiko.

PERSONAL

My name is Ashley K. Shaffer, I am a 16 year old that lives in Milo, Maine. My family has had a horse farm/rescue since 2001. I started riding in 2003 at my family’s farm, and soon started taking lessons with Gail McCormick of Infinity Farm. Although Gail has been primary instructor, I have had the privilege of working with many other instructors/clinicians throughout the state of Maine such as Mary (Gunzel) O'Rourke, Judy Westlake, Audrey Bean, Sandy Porter-Bean, Carol Poulin-Taylor, Anna Welch, and others. I have had so much support from the “Horse Community”, from my friends and competitors, local farms, (Robin Corey-East Ridge Stable, Sandy and Audrey Bean-Pendragon Equestrian Center, Sue and Hannah French-Ireland Farm) “Club” family's,(FPC-Ruksznis Family,Gillespie Family, and the rest of the FPC members) and my entire Infinity Farm family. My most important support and influence has been my family, especially from my parents Kim and Wayne. They have given me everything I need to accomplish my dreams.

I started helping train horses at Infinity Farm in 2004, I helped to train several school horses, as well as horses for sale at the farm. I've since taken on project horses to train at my family's horse farm/rescue. I've trained several young horses with little to no training, as well as rehabilitating rescues and training them for new “jobs” in new homes. I started helping at the farm and now I can run the day-to-day operations independently. Some of my “success” stories are “Nikki”, “Ella”, “Ready”, “Hershey”, “Thunder”, “Francis”, “Ruby”, “Dream” &”Oliver”, just to name a few.
    I'm now working with Duellsa a 7 year old, Oldenburg mare. We purchased her from Jill J. Owner of Wishmaker stables in NH. She had not had much handling when we got her. Once arriving to our farm she had a month to get used to the routine at Second Glance Farm, and then went into training with Gail and I. She is a fast learner and now has three smooth steady gaits. We are working on er getting to build more top line muscle, and all the other things a green horse need work on.

I am hoping to get her out in the show world in 2011, out to Equitation, 2 phases, and possible some Horse Trails by the end of the year.

My biggest accomplishment however is “Dixies Wild Angel” who was a rescued feral pony purchased at auction for just over $100 to save her from a “meat” truck in 2005. Dixie was a 3yo mare with BIG attitude and NO training. She became very ill right after coming to our farm and took quite some time to recuperate. After several attempts to find a home for her, Gail offered to bring her to Infinity Farm for a month and help me get her training started. Both Gail and I worked very hard (and a month turned into 2 ½ years!) and we were able to get Dixie going under saddle and with Gail's guidance and lots of encouragement I was able to tap into Dixie's potential and now we are an incredible team. We've shown equitation, dressage, and evented. We were MeCTA Champions in our division in 2008, 2009, and 2010. We have been competing at the Novice level with USEA. I competed in the Area 1 Championships in Massachusetts in August 2010, and competed at the American Eventing Championships (AEC) in Georgia in September 2010. This year (2011) We are working on Dixie's dressage. I am now to tall to jump her comfortably. So we are going to compete in USDF shows at first and second level. We are hoping to got to USPC Festival in July (in dressage). We have also done parades, and love to ride on the trails and are a common site riding through our hometown of Milo.

Memberships

North Country Riding Club (NCRC) – Dexter Maine – member since 2005

Maine Combined Training Association (MeCTA) – member since 2007

United States Eventing Association (USEA) – Area 1 – member since 2009

United States Pony Club (USPC) – Foxcroft Pony Club – member since 2007

United States Dressage Federation (USDF) – member since 2007

Maine Dressage Society (MDS) – member since 2007

Eastern Maine Dressage Association (EMDA) – member since 2007

2011 Goals

USPC- To Obtain H-B rating

To compete in USPC Festival

MeCTA – To compete Keiko @ the Beg. Novice level, and compete Duellsa @ the Elementary and BN levels.

USEA- To get Duellsa out in the showing world in USEA towards then end of the year.

Future Goals

I would love to work/intern as a working student for a farm that competes at a National, International, and or Olympic level. My other Goal would be to continue my training and education in all things Equine.

Then I want to go to The American School of Equine Dentistry in VA.

Maine Winters are bad for eventers.

      Today was a decent day. I finally was able to ride for the 1st time in 2 weeks. Not having an indoor in Maine is REALLY tough. This time every year I always feel like I am going to be SCREWED in the following show season. I guess a break for the horses is "Okay" but I would much rather be working them.
    Anyway, I only rode Duellsa today. She is doing amazing for being undersaddle for only  4 months. I am working now to try to get her in my hand more, and get her back coming up and building muscle. Ms. Duelli has some BIG plans for the year. Lots of clinics and some shows in her future.
    I would have ridden Dixie but she had a little girl to teach this afternoon! Kaya is doing very well on Dixie. It is very odd teaching someone on her. I am so used to me riding her. This year is going to be very different with her this year, considering we are only doing dressage. I love to event her, and I am going to miss it dearly. I am hoping I can find someone to event her a little bit. Dixie just loves XC so much!
    I am also trying to get my project horse Oliver sold. As much as it pains me to sell him because he is so incredible, I bought him as a project and I need to stick to that. Once he is sold I should be able to get my life going. I am hoping to get my permit before Show season, and go for my licence after.
    I would really like to get out of Maine in 2012 and into a working student program down south. It might be hard considering I want to bring 2 horses. I guess you never know where life is going to bring you......