Chicory Meadow Farm

Canille and Zabella

I had an interesting long talk with someone who spends the winters in Wellington. She made a comment that matches what I have long believed, that you can ride l...ike an Olympic rider without going to the Olympics, and that you can go to the Olympics without riding like an Olympian. Why? How? Because of what I think of as the "magic tennis racket" concept. Imagine that, at any given time, there are only just so many magic tennis rackets in the world, rackets that have a sensory ability to "feel" the oncoming ball, and return it flawlessly. Imagine that the price for one of these is astronomical. If you can play tennis reasonably well, and if, in addition, you can afford one of these rackets, you will be unbeatable. If, however, you are an excellent tennis player, but you can't get hold of such a racket, you will be consistently beaten by those who do have one. Which is like the horse world. Unlike most sports where everyone starts with the same equipment, there ARE "magical" horses, and if you can ride reasonably well, and can afford one, you will win more often than not. Which is another way of saying a simple fact. Horse sports are slanted in favor of the wealthy in ways that boxing, soccer, most other sports are not, and if even they are, nowhere to the degree that they are in horse sports. But you can still ride beautifully and effectively, even though your chances of having magic horses are slim. You need magic horses to win. But you don't need magic horses to learn to ride. You need horses. Hard to accept, I know----But life never was known for being fair---

Expectations vs reality :D credits: Ariat

Summer Camp brochures are ready to be mailed out

Mandy and Annie from tonight's lessons

Nicole and Queenie

Hadley, Mary and me

Ari doing poles

Lauren and Ginger

Jessica and Roxy!

Victoria and Ari

Miss Roxy and Dienna today

Don't only look at the horse's use and motion, look closely at the rider's position, as well.