Busy, busy, busy...it's summertime!

There is a whole bunch of stuff going on each and every day beyond the horses in training, barn chores that need to happen on their schedule and the miscellaneous things that go into keeping the farm ticking along smoothly!! But more of that later! Here's what's on tap for next week -

 Monday has a big day of training for Wyatt and Don William - they are off to a Catherine Haddad Staller Clinic at Straight Forward Dressage. Advance thank you's go out to Ange and her staff for allowing us to come to her facility to train with Catherine! Auditors are welcome for the very reasonable fee of $20 (bring your chair!). We're hoping to see a bunch of students there with their pens and paper taking lots of notes! The clinic starts at 2 and goes until 6pm. Hope to see you there!

Tuesday is a busy day for Watermark horses and students - there is a schooling show at Blue Goose Stable in Cochranville! Wakanda is going back for more mileage at Third Level, Daylily is going for some off the farm schooling, Adelaide and Karin are coming, GiGi and Jen will be there...lots of friendly faces and hopefully a good breeze to help us all stay cool!!



Due to the predicted heatwave that's going to peak on Wednesday, there will be evening lessons only (thunderstorms permitting). Thursday will also be afternoon and evening lessons - same rule applies for t-storms.

August 9th-11th Dressage Seminar

We are pleased and proud to offer a 3 day Seminar with Head Trainer and USDF Silver Medalist Anne Rawle August 9th-11th.

The emphasis of the Seminar will be:
Understanding and Developing the Young Dressage Horse
Improving Your Lateral Work
Riding & Executing Better Tests
Teaching and Counting Flying Changes
Collection

The clinic is open to riders of any level who are open to learning. Each rider will be asked to provide a short biography for both horse & rider that will be printed in the program in order to give everyone present a bit of background information.

Each day will begin with a full demonstation from USDF Gold and Silver Medalist Ellie Rawle, followed by a series of lessons followed by a light lunch with a discussion group and visual presentation. Additional demonstration rides will be given by our staff as the weather allows. The schedule listed below is a rough outline and subject to 

change and/or revision.

To sign up for the clinic, please download the Waiver and Clinic Form , fill them out and send them to Ellie. Space is limited and will be filled in the order in which completed forms and fees are received. Clinic Fees must be paid in full 7 days prior to the clinic date. No checks will be accepted after July 30th. Thank you for your 

understanding.

Auditors are welcome at $20 per person per day. Please bring a chair as seating is limited.

Food and drinks will be provided to all participants and auditors.

We are open to hosting outside vendors or service providers during this time. If you would be interested in having your business represented, please contact Ellie to arrange for space.

Fee/Clinic Information:

Single Ride/day - $120
Two Rides/days - $110 per ride
Three Rides/days - $100 per ride
Auditors - $20

Stabling is limited but available on a first come, first served basis. Please contact us to discuss your needs and possible arrival and departure times. Day and overnight spaces are currently available. 

Schedule (subject to change)

7:15 First Demo Horse

8:00 First Lesson

1:00 Lunch is served

2:30 Afternoon Lessons begin

Show photos! The next week's comings and goings...so far!

Jen & GiGi

Jen & GiGi

 Congratulations to the Blue Goose schooling show participants! Thanks to Darcy and everyone at Blue Goose who made our fun day possible!

Jen and GiGi have been working with us for just a few weeks and they rallied to go to their first dressage show together on Tuesday! Big congratulations to Jen for memorizing both of her tests and having good execution of the movements!

Adelaide & Karin

 Karin got to ride her beautiful Adamant daughter Adelaide at Blue Goose!! They had a 61% in their first test and despite the thunder and lightning going on all around us, their second test was quite nice!

Adelaide & Karin

Wakanda WF

And for a change of pace, Wakanda WF got to go to a show! This was her first show in several years due to my injury and so many to bring along, so "Wendy" got pulled off of the back burner! She is a blast to show, so be prepared to see her more often!!! The first test was the Third Level Test 1 and while there is room for improvement, she was extremely well behaved and quite fun to ride. Our second test was a few minutes later and the Fourth 1. While not quite as polished as the first test (it was hot and she was a touch tired), Wendy really gave me a glimpse of how bright the future will be with her...if she does not sell first of course!

So look for Wendy at the upcoming recognized show at Blue Goose in the Third 1 and 2! 

Ride4Life, farm stuff, show schedule, hot weather...it must be summer!

Thanks to all our staff and helpers - First Cutting is finally finished!!! Due to all the rain we had in the past few weeks, that means Second Cutting is not far away for the fields that were harvested before the wet arrived for a prolonged visit!

So it was the Ride4Life at PVDA with the Dancing Horse Challenge this past weekend. Lots of top riders and horses, but the big thrill of the evening was to see Catherine Haddad Staller and her Winyamaro doing their rockin' P!nk Freestyle in full costume!! Great musics, superb riding and amazing horse who thrives on the encouragement of the audience! Really, really fun to go and cheer Catherine and Winny on for such a good cause! 

The Showplace Arena complex

Kathy Priest

Tami Batts & Ranko

Catherine & Winny

CHS & Winny

The DVCTA had a cool performance from their Quadrille. Two of our students participated, so it was a great opportunity to go and see what they've been doing beyond the open shows with monster scores! Congratulations to all who participated!

Liam says it is awfully bright to work!

Whodini is sure it was too hot to work so hard!

Life on the farm (beyond hay, teaching, cheering at shows) has involved a whole bunch of training, riding and gearing back up to compete some of the horses! We're also experiencing a bit of hotter weather - some might say finally, but I say regrettably - so the days are starting earlier and stretching at both ends! 

Oz thinks it is a fine day to work - no matter how hot or cold!

Wyatt is always pleased to work!

We also have a "supermoon" today/tonight. While I can't see it as being 'bigger' - it is certainly BRIGHTER! than usual!!!

Supermoon!

So look for us at Blue Goose on Tuesday this week and Wednesday next week. We'll also be out and about getting mileage on the horses at some of the local hunter/jumper shows. Those road trips will be for the horses that need to get out and see ponies, paints, show material, warm up rings...all the chaos of what makes showing more exciting than being here at home where it is so quiet and dull! :)

Happy Riding! Stay hydrated and as cool as you can!

July Clinic Series!

We've had requests to put together another Clinic Series - which is fabulous! It is always a pleasure to share our knowledge with others so here comes an opportunity to help boost your competition scores and increase the tools in your training toolbox!

 We are hoping to work around the local schooling show schedules and that got us to thinking - would evenings work for people? Or are weekends better? We'll need some feedback, so either comment below or contact us via email so we can do what suits the majority best!

Here's the rundown on the rough concepts that are in the works - Part One: Improving Your Lateral Work. 

 Part Two: Teaching Changes - From Simple to Advance Counting

Part Three: Executing Better Tests to Boost Your Scores

So that's the current concept. We'll be aiming for July dates (hence the "would evenings be better?" thought) and we need to hear from people who are interested. We can also squash it all into a single day if that would be better/easier/more convenient for everyone. There is a great deal of material to cover, so that is the only reason we were going to break it up. But we can do what works for everyone! Get in touch with us and we'll post dates and more information shortly!

Thanks! Happy Riding!

Group Lesson is ON for Sunday @ 2:30PM

We'll have Group at 2:30 on Sunday this weekend.

Hope to see you there!

Woohoo! Check out this future eventing star!!!

YAY! We are celebrating!!! Videos and photos are beginning to trickle in from breeders, riders and owners of horses by our stallions!! Keep 'em coming folks! We want to brag about your beautiful horses!!

Here is "April Moon at Lucinda Green clinic at FHI last week. What a magically [talented] mare, by Avebury WF! This was her first time going xc, and she was amazing! Leading horses over ditches, through water, and up and down the banks... Looking forward to her future, and want another!" ~KH

Congratulations to owner Kerri H.! And breeder Hoppy Stearns! What a bright future "Luna" has!!!

Hooray!!! The website is getting there!

Ok, so about 40% of the website is now current. Specifically the Sales Horses individual pages. So REFRESH away folks!!!

Alrighty ladies and gentlemen - we need to get the word out to past buyers and current owners of horses from our breeding program or by our stallions!! The pages for the horses we have contact with are current (meaning our own) but the ones that have gone on and had careers and lives beyond our close contact are woefully behind in updates. 

So if you have a WF bred horse or by one of our stallions, please be sure to email Ellie@watermark-farm.net their current info, some photos and what your training/showing plans are for 2013! Video links are great too!

Thanks in advance!!! You guys are the BEST!!! 

Massive website update/upgrade is in the works!

I promise! I swear it will be finished by the end of the weekend. Some new pages, new featured sales pages and a few updates to our stallion and offspring pages.
 Check back for the official announcement or just keep refreshing the main page.

ETA ----

Massive apologies are extended.
The website has not been kept current in any sense of the word. The calendar has been updated most recently but the majority of our sale horse's pages are totally out of date. The fault lies with me as I was obviously overcommitted with so many to ride each day and the various chores that exist in the daily life on the farm.

So it is being furiously worked on at every opportunity - I swear. If there is a particular horse that interests you, please check our FB page for images and links to videos on our YouTube channel.