In what divisions do you show Whimsey? Did you purchase him from Katie Denby?

My family purchased Whimsey, currently, an equitation horse, from Kate Denby in the later part of 2003. A special fifteen-year-old birthday present, he is the only horse I have owned. Having a horse was always a dream of mine and having him is one of the best things that has ever happened to me.

Whimsey had been a jumper before arriving at Beacon Hill. It seems that many equitation horses have another life before they are "converted." With the help of my trainers, he made the transition without difficulty.

Currently, Whimsey shows in all the big eq classes (Medal, Maclay, USET and Washington Eq). We will be showing in some classes at the Hampton Classic the last week of August.

Thanks for asking about him!
Maria Schaub

How are you doing? Thank you for your continued support and suggestions regarding future blogs. Your responses to the entries are a great source of inspiration and encouragement.
Thought it would be good idea to be in contact after the Monmouth Show and give you an update on the Beacon Hill news. As usual, the show received a positive review with the local folks and newspapers, and the turnout for the Grand Prix was impressive. Overall, the barn did quite well in a variety of divisions. After the show, the veterinarian came to the barn to check all the horses and to recommend treatment for those horses that required it. Tomorrow we will start lessons for the upcoming show, the Hampton Classic.

Talk to you soon!
Maria Schaub

What Is Your Favorite Show? What Is Your Upcoming Schedule?

Two of my favorite shows are very close to my hometown, the Beacon Hill Classic (in June) and Monmouth County (in August). The field at the Beacon Hill Classic has natural jumps and showing is exciting, fun, yet challenging. The Monmouth show has classes for all ages and divisions and in the equitation ring, the jumps come up quickly and can help prepare you for finals.

Beacon Hill's schedule for the equitation riders through indoors is the following:

• Monmouth County - August 16-20
  
• Hampton Classic - August 27-September 3
  
• Hits Saugerties/Maclay Regional - September 4
  
• Capital Challenge Equitation - September 30-October 1
  
• USET Finals - October 7-8
  
• Penn National/USEF Medal Finals - October 15
  
• Washington International Eq - October 27-28
  
• Syracuse/ASPCA Maclay - November 4-5

Talk to you soon!
Maria Schaub

What words of wisdom have your trainers given you?

Hi, Everyone!

In effort to continue to answer some of the questions received from all of you, below are some of the "words of wisdom" that my trainers have communicated to me.

Frank Madden has said to me, "I want you to be willing to take a little bit of a risk to reach a higher level. If you take a risk and it backfires, I'm never disappointed. You can take a shot and not have to 'pay' for making a mistake."

Stacia Madden has said to me, "Nerves are something you can control. Whether you use them in a positive or negative way determines the outcome of your ride."

Talk to you soon!
Maria Schaub

What is the biggest fence you have jumped?

Trainer Frank Madden and Maria Schaub. Photo by Nancy Jaffer, ©2006.

Hi everyone!

The biggest fence I have jumped was a six-foot tall oxer.

When I was thirteen years old at the Lake Placid Horse Show, I rode a horse named Cornetto. He was eighteen-hands and had previously been showing at the grand prix derby height, but was not quite careful enough to be the winner. He was sent to Frank to sell as an equitation horse and I was lucky enough to ride him for several months.

While having a lesson one Tuesday afternoon, repeatedly, I approached the jump slowly and without pace. Frank being well aware that Cornetto had the ability to clear such a height, raised the fence higher and higher and said, “I’m just going to keep raising the jump until you stop pulling.”

Let us just say his technique worked! I was not going to come at a six-foot tall oxer without any pace! He made a very good point that I will never forget. To this day, we love to look back and get a good laugh when we think about the lesson and how it influenced my riding.

Setting Up at a Horse Show

Setting up at a horse show is an enormous job and a great experience for someone like me who wants to understand all aspects of the horse world.

Since Beacon Hill is a large show barn, to be properly prepared for the start of a show, several people must travel early to be ready for the arrival of the horses and to unload tack trunks and supplies from the trucks and trailers. Initially, they also must make sure the bedding and feed has been delivered to the temporary barn site and the water buckets have been hung up, so the stalls are ready for when the horses come off the truck. Horse safety and welfare are the priorities. After the truck arrives, the horses are unloaded from the trailer and brought to their stalls, where their leg wraps and halters are removed.

Another part of setting up is putting together the tack room so items are easily accessible for the riders and the grooms during the show. Then, we check with the show office to review changes in the show entries and schedule. In the evening, the work list is prepared. It specifies when lessons are going to be given, class involvement and designated schooling times for each horse. When we are finished, we usually talk about what needs to be done to prepare for the next day.

Talk to you soon!
Maria Schaub