Oh my Goodness – Where do I start?? Let’s see…I think I’ll start by saying that I certainly was overly optimistic telling you that I would write you every month this past year. I failed miserably at that. But…I did accomplish some other things. With the help of Sarah L. Lesperance as my fantastic and irreplaceable barn manager I have built a number of X-C fences to add to my jump training possibilities. Those fences gave me the variety I needed to develop a series of Jumper Derby competitions here at Quarter Run Farm. We have already scheduled our first competition for 2005. It’s coming right up. (Look elsewhere in this web site for details) I designed and oversaw the building of the stadium-jumping course at the Longleaf Pines Horse Trials held at Carolina Horse Park. I have trained and resold several horses and maintained a weekly teaching schedule of 20-25 students. I worked with a number of horses brought to the farm throughout the summer and fall for training by me. All these things I did while I continued to train my own competition horses.
What else???…What else???…Oh yes, I had outpatient surgery to remove a growth on my lip early in the summer. The growth turned out to be non-malignant Thank God, but it was a very scary time for all my family. Chester didn’t escape the need for medical attention either. I nursed him through an eye injury late in the summer that threatened his sight. It was brought on when he tried to outrun some insect that was plaguing him. He did recover well, thank you again-God, but by the time he was healed, it was too late to properly prepare him for the fall competition season. I have, however, found a great dressage trainer as the result of our enforced time away from competitions and I am VERY pleased with our progress.
I finally bit the bullet in the fall and bought a “gently used” truck to replace the “workhorse” I have used for years. I DO hate having to make car payments again – They are HUGE!!
Well, a New Year is here and a new competition season is approaching. I CAN’T WAIT!!! Chester and I have set our sights on Rolex 2005, the last week of April. We plan to go in there and “blow ‘em away” with our improved dressage skills. I also look forward to competing The Phoenix again this spring. She is certainly coming along with her education. I have a new prospect called Claire that is also showing promise. So there is much to feel excited about regarding this year’s competitions. Please come to our competitions. Your presence there really pumps me up! Please keep in touch via this web site, the phone, or snail mail. It is your energy and enthusiasm that keeps me jumping out of bed each morning eager to see what the day will bring!
As we begin this exciting year of 2005, please keep me and all the wonderful creatures here at Quarter Run Farm in your thoughts and prayers just as I carry all of you in my heart every day.
With Love,
Caroline
HERE’S OUR SCHEDULE:
CHESTER
Pinetop Horse Trials – Thomson, GA. – March 4-6
Red Hills CIC*** World Cup Qualifier – Tallahassee, FL – March 11-13
Morven Park Horse Trials – Leesburg, VA – April 2-3
ROLEX CCI**** - Lexington, KY - April 30-May1
THE PHOENIX
Five Points Horse Trials – Raeford, NC – March 18-20
The Fork Horse Trials – Norwood, NC – April 16-17
Virginia Horse Trials – Lexington, VA – May 20 - 22
March 18, 2005 UPDATE INFORMATION
Dear Dowd Crowd,
I want to update you on the first two horse trials that Chester and I have competed in so far this season. First, we spread our wings at Pine Top Farm in Thomson, Georgia, March 6/7 in one of the advanced divisions. I was pleased with Chester’s dressage ride…in fact I was apparently more pleased than the dressage judge was, according to the scores. I don’t mind though, because I know how he felt compared to two years ago. Our cross-country round was great. He was comfortable and bold and it felt great to be back at the Advanced level again after such a long time off. Our show jumping round was clean and clear and although we did not receive a placing I felt it was a great first time out for the season.
On Tuesday we left Georgia for Red Hills Horse Trials in Tallahassee, Florida. Got settled in there and enjoyed preparing for the competition held March 11-13th. Chester and I were entered in the CIC-W***. That simply means that the competition is a qualifier for the World Cup Competition to be held at a later time. Our weekend started out on a very good note with Chester putting in a very nice dressage test that placed us 15th out of 40 in the division. On cross-country day we had a spectacular ride with Chester smoking through the course. It was exciting, fun and we both had a blast of a run. That great ride moved us up to 11th place. On Sunday Chester and I were on our way to a clear round in stadium when we had a freak accident at fence 6. We both fell and, for a few seconds, I was knocked unconscious but over several minutes regained my faculties. In the end I sustained only bruising and a mild concussion, but an ambulance trip to the local Emergency Room was in order to be sure that was the extent of my injuries. Chester suffered bruises and a few scrapes but jumped up quickly and by the time we arrived back in North Carolina, he seemed none the worse for the wear. My headaches are subsiding and my bruises are healing quickly so I plan to be back on the competition track in time to take Chester to Morven Park Horse Trials May 2/3. I wanted to write to you about the accident at Red Hills in case you heard about it or saw it written up in some media publication. In the case of a fall of the horse and rider during the competition, mandatory retirement is required of the competitor. So even if my brain had not been scrambled, I would have been unable to complete the competition. Let me say here though – MY HELMET KEPT ME FROM HAVING A VERY SERIOUS HEAD INJURY – ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS WEAR YOUR HELMET WITH YOUR CHIN STRAP BUCKLED CORRECTLY!!!
I want to publicly thank my Dad who drove from Virginia to Georgia and Florida with me for the ten days we were gone. He cooked my meals, helped shovel stalls, hefted all my heavy gear to and from the trailer and generally took very good care of me. He escorted me to the hospital in Florida and gave me as much support as a person could ask for. THANKS DAD!!! You are awesome and I love you.
I also want to publicly thank Sarah Lesperance who drove back to Tallahassee, Florida from Kileen, Texas where she had gone from Quarter Run Farm in North Carolina to await the arrival of her husband from Iraq. She came back to Florida for the weekend to be my groom. Without her Chester could not have gotten the immediate care that he needed when we had our fall. Sarah’s care is directly responsible for Chester’s quick recovery. Sarah also served as my very professional “right hand” during the competition. Sarah, you are a special person, a fantastic groom and Chester and I are both deeply grateful for your help.
Well, dear friends, that’s my news for the moment. As my Mom would say…”I took a digger”. I wish it hadn’t happened but I am so very grateful to my guardian angel that neither one of us was injured more seriously. Please plan to come out for the competitions we have coming up. It means so much to have you there.
With Love,
Caroline
