Christmas Party 2008 - December 14th

A super afternoon!  The day started with a beautifully turned out spotless group of eight dressage riders wearing red sweaters and sparkling white saddle pads. Each of the horses wore a row of red ribbons along their mane while performing to an assortment of perfectly selected Christmas music. The dressage group then did some individual performances demonstrating their skill and training level.  We then moved on to the Horse and Hound. The Horse and Hound usually performed outdoors at the annual Jump with Hope for Kids with Cancer Horse Show was done very well indoors. Each team consisted of; a dog and handler; and a horse and rider. The combinations were timed as they went over and through their individual courses, the best time won.  Lastly,  we were treated to a great three bar competition! Just as the jumping contest ended we heard clashing and hoof stomping on the roof of the building, it was Santa Clause coming for a visit...

Merry Christmas!

T'was the 14th of December and all through the barn

the Quadriller's prepared horses with balls of red yarn.

Not a creature was missing from this Christmas fun

as dogs were all barking ""thank goodness were in".

When all of a sudden there came a great call

Raise cash for the "Kids"  we can really have ball.

So the dogs they jumped higher than handlers they knew

and scooted thru tunnels as faster they flew.

Handlers ran through the course just a fast as they could

and after, dog sat beside them because every dog should.

Then the jumpers came in and finished without pause "paws"

with the money all going to the "Kids" and the cause.

Then a clashing and banging on top of the roof

to our surprise it was Santa and all of his "hooves" (all 32.)

Santa clause was a hit with the young and the old

and Santa was hearing some stories they told.

Promising to be good till the real Christmas Day

and delighted to have such a wonderful day!

Thank you to Amberlea for making this fun and -  looking forward to Schooling days Soon!

Hi Ellen,

I'm sure you don't remember me - it's been about.. Oh, 22 years...

(Wow), but I was walking down memory lane in my head today and I thought maybe I would send you an email. When I was six years old my mom and I drove past a field of horses, and I went nuts. I wanted to ride SO badly. Even though she (my mom) was really scared of horses, she set me up with some beginner’s lessons with you (she stayed in the car most of the time!).

I remember clearly my first lesson at Amberlea with you. I rode Ben, who was old at the time so has surely passed by now. Anyway, I remember walking in the mud for maybe the first time, and learning to tack up, and just being so incredibly excited.

You were a strict teacher but you took me seriously even at 6 years old. For some reason I remember you saying "I want smooth and creamy!

Not chunky peanut butter!" during one of my lessons and that made me laugh. I can't even remember how long I rode with you - maybe a couple years. Then I moved to another area and found a new barn.

Well I stuck with riding my whole life. I would say that horses pretty much raised me. I live in BC now and I have my own horse (who is a terrible brat, but also quite lovely) and I teach riding lessons to beginners and kids with autism.

I guess I just wanted to say thank you. There is no way to really say it in a strong enough way. You really changed my life. Horses have been by far the best thing in my world. Now as a teacher I know how trying little kids can be sometimes and how tempting it is to just get their lessons over with :)  I am sure that if you hadn't put the energy into me that you did, my sticking to it at age 6 with a mom who wasn't into it just wouldn't have happened and I would have missed out on so much.

Best,

Cindy

PS- attached is a picture of me with some students, and then a picture of my horse Abby

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Revised: 09/01/09