News and Events - 2011

Fall 2011 - Well folks, I have been remiss in updating the news and events for Saltbox Farm! A busy schedule is no excuse, please forgive me if I miss anyone's milestones. Here is a quick summary of the highlights and again, I hope I haven't left any news or achievements out! I thank all my students, friends and clients for a great season and wonderful support. There were many accomplishments in everyone's training and personal goals, and what I love the most about all my students is their desire to improve their riding and horsemanship.

Shauuna Smith took her young Lippizaner gelding, Favory to his first schooling show and had a fantastic outing with blue ribbons and a high score award.

Heather Lawson attended the UNH Adult Event camp, jumping her Irish gelding Dempsey with great success and nailing consistency in the dressage arena.

Kelly Pullen and Tacoma scoed 62.5 at Intermediare I and placed second at GHMA.

Shannon Paltinavich made huge progress with her warmblood mare Ashlie moving up to second level movements and awesome trail riding adventures.

Barbara Zenker continues to enjoy her wonderful horse Moretti, who at age 23 still moves like an 8 year old!

Patty Maynard and Karlton took the plunge to a Ride-Review-Ride at Settlement Farm and came away with great advice and a fun experience.

Audrey Humphrey competed the Robinson's wonderful Arab Mares at the Arabian Sport Horse Nationals at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington. Kentucky. This was a huge competition with 60-80 horses per class from all over the country! Audrey finished 3rd in the nation at Training Level and 4th in the nation at First Level with these great representatives of the Arabian Breed!

As mentioned earlier, Mary Compton earned her USDF Silver Medal with her amazing mare Pamela. This medal signifies skill and competence at Fourth and Prix St. Georges levels.

My own young horse, Crooner is wonderfully fun and well behaved boy. Our highlights include a fun trip with Katie Murphy (and 3 yr old Garth) to UNH cross-country course and 2 schooling shows where he behaved like a pro and received great feedback from Bill Warren.

Katie Murphy continues to improve and impress with her young horses Garth and Emitt. Garth and Katie were winners of the Spalding Labs USEA Young Event Horse East Coast National Championships in the 4 year old division! Watch out next year for Emitt's debut!

Anne Burke successfully bred her delightful Arabian mare Achaean Ali Thea to Majestic Gait's stallion Schoeder and awaits her new prospect in the late spring.

Bobbi Haney, after a tumultuous 2 years of surgeries and losing her young horse, found a wonderful Oldenburg mare named La Rumba (barn name Shakira) who has exciting movement and a fantastic brain and work ethic. They are a great match.

Laura Derick's pleasing gelding Mac has made a full recovery from is injury and is back in grand form, Laura's horsemanship, hard work and patience gets a gold medal!

Many thanks and deep appreciation to Monks Stables, Anne Prescott Stables, Windswept Farm, Gray Cat Farm, Elysium Farm, Riverfront Farm, Star View Meadows, Maple Meadows Farm, UNH Equine Program, Moonlite Equestrian Center and Highland Hills Farm.

June - June’s big news was the sale of my wonderful FEI horse Major to the wonderful home of rider, Jen Hunt. I purchased Major 7 years ago as a 3rd level dressage horse and quickly trained him up to PSG and I-1. He is a wonderful, sweet and honest horse. Recently, he was fulfilling the role as schoolmaster to several of my students, teaching them lateral work, collection and wonderful flying changes. I miss his big white face every morning, but he has a beautiful home and an excited young woman ready to learn all that he can offer.

July - July brought lots of good news to Saltbox Farm Dressage. The first week of July brought the acquistion of Crooner, a 5 yr old Hanoverian gelding by Constantine/Contucci out of a Feine Graf mare. He is 8 months undersaddle and is settling well into his new routine. Leslie is very fortunate to have wonderful partners with this horse, Dan and Audrey Humphrey. Their support and friendship has been outstanding and a huge "Thank you" goes out to them.

Mary Compton reached another career goal by earning her USDF Silver Medal with her wonderful mare Pamela. She has been patient and worked hard over the last year preparing for the Prix St George level and this achievement is well deserved.

Congrats to Katie Murphy on her new 3 year old gelding Garth. Katie raised and trained Fitty, her wonderful event horse, to great success. She recently sold him to a young rider and is now onto her next project and the joys of young horses again!

Audrey Humphrey had a great show at Dressage at the Seacoast riding two of Lisa and Scott Robinson's home bred Arabians. She placed first and second in her tests against tough competition and big warmbloods. This is a testament to good riding and breeding by this team from the Gilmanton/Chichester area. Congratulations!

May - May was another eventful month with the judging of schooling shows at Beland Stables in Lakeville, Massachusetts, and CVDA at GMHA VT. These events were extra enjoyable because I was joined by my good friends Keith Angstadt, Katie Rocco and Joy Congdon. Gary and I also found time to visit our dear friends Angie and Matt Voss in Baltimore, Maryland while taking a quick trip to North Carolina to relax with Mom.

April - April was an active month for many farms and dressage enthusiasts. There was an outstanding response to the City to Saddle Benefit Clinic conducted by Leslie with 9 riders attending. This was a great fundraising event and everyone had very positive feedback. MRF Dressage and SNDCTA both hosted, on different dates, completey filled Ride-Review-Rides. This attests to the dedication to knowledge of our area dressage riders. Monthly clinics were held at Town Hill Farm in Lakeville, Connecticutt and Little brook Farm in Carlisle, Massachusetts.

March - Okay, where the hell is Spring? I have had my fill of the cold and windy weather, as have most New Englanders. I have been very lucky to have my horses at Monks Stables this year on rough board. Terry Monks has been generous and fun to chat with while we clean stalls and complete morning chores. I am looking forward to better weather and riding outdoors. Slap me if I complain about hot weather this summer!

Thank you to Town Hill and Lindenwood Farms for fun and full clinics!

February - A big Congratulations to Shaunna Smith on her new acquisition Favory, a 5 year Lippizaner gelding from West Virginia. Favory is a beautiful moving, well balanced young horse with a big future. Shaunna will bring him along while continuing to train her FEI mare Aria, who is now 24 years old. The Lippizaner breed is notorius for their longevity and Aria is a perfect example of good riding and horsemanship complimenting the breed.

Town Hill Farm hosted their monthly clinic with several new riders joining the regular great partnerships. Everyone at Lindenwood Farm in Durham NH has been training all through the winter with fantastic results. Let's hope for an early Spring.

January - Happy New Year! The challenging winter weather has not diminished the spirit of many students and my kudos to the diehards! Especially the folks at Town Hill Farm in Lakeville, Connecticut who braved the low teens weather on the 23rd of January. All the horses went well and great progress was made. Leslie will be attending the Judges Forum in Woodbury Connecticut on January 30th. Review of the new tests and rules plus additional judge's education is planned by Lendon Gray's Dressage4kids program organizers. A big thank you to Lendon for this opportunity!

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