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07/01/2008
MEET THE CDCTA'S ERNIE! (Dressage photo's by Lightspeed) Have you met Ernie? Do you know who he is?
 For
those CDCTA members who may not have been aware, the Club owns a horse. His
name is Ernie.
Ernie is a spectacular horse
who was "donated" to the Club by member, CDCTA Board Member, and ex-Treasurer Mary
Schmitt upon her death from cancer. Mary wanted Ernie to share his talents with
deserving CDCTA young riders to further their abilities and give them a chance
to compete at a level they may never have achieved otherwise. She also
wished to ensure a peaceful retirement for him with her good friend Kathy Ryan
at Hearthstone Farm. The CDCTA has established a retirement fund to ensure
that his future is secure.
Notes from Stefanie:
6/13/08
I just got back from GMHA
this weekend and I thought I would drop you an email on how it went. As
always, Ernie was a total super star! We had a great dressage test that
really showed a lot of improvement in all the areas that we have been
working on. Our score for dressage was a 35. Stadium was in the middle
of the day and it was really hot. Ernie was none the worst for wear but
my mind wasn't completely there. I want as focused in my warm-up as I
should have been so the course ended up being a little sloppy. We had no
rails fall, though. We really lucked out with cross-country because it
was at 9:30am on Sunday. The course was kind of tricky with a lot of
hills (you kind of have to expect it for GMHA) and most of the jumps
were maxed out. Ernie was great about all the hills and we did much
better with setting a training level pace. We came in under the time
limit and Ernie recovered in about five minutes. We ended up with second
place in the junior training di vision. I had an amazing time at GMHA
and we are considering applying for the young riders camp up there this
summer. This weekend, we are going to the Valinor Horse Trials. I know
you guys are waiting on pictures and we are ordering some from King Oak
and GMHA that I will get to you as soon as I can.
Stef
5/22/08
I just wanted to give you an
update on King Oak. I know it is a little late but I
have been sick for the past two weeks and I am a little
late on everything. We did really well at King Oak. We
were tied for fith after dressage and went clear after a
really tough stadium course. Cross country was amazing.
I was one of the best courses I have ridden! We were
slow because I was still thinking about Novice level
speed. We ended up tenth but I am very happy with it
being that it was my first training.
I have a pony club rally this
weekend. I it just a local thing but it will be fun
We ordered some pictures from
the event. I will send them to you when they come in.
-Stefanie
5/5/08
Hi!
I just got back from UNH Horse
Trials this weekend and I thought I would send an e-mail
out to share how we did! Ernie was such a good boy the
whole weekend. It rained the whole weekend and
everything was soaking wet. The rain didn't stop Ernie
from giving his all in dressage and we ended up with a
30.0 for a score. The test put us in first place in our
novice division. We had a double clear round for stadium
which kept our first place. I was one of the last riders
to go for the Novice division for cross-country so by
the time I got out ont the course, it was pretty chewed
up. The majority of the course was in the woods so that
footing was allright but the parts on grass were pretty
slippery. Ernie listened very well and slowed down when
I needed him to. There were a couple of jumps I was
unsure about how they would ride but Ernie being Ernie,
everything went very smoothly. We kept our first place
the whole weekend with a score of 30.0 and we also got
the award for lowest scoring pony clubber in the Novice
division.
We go to King Oak next weekend
Training Level.
Pictures still are not up yet but
I will let you know when they are. Please pass this
along to the other members of the committee.
Thanks,
Stefanie
3/2/08
At the
moment, Ernie is a wooly mammoth but he is happy. We
have had some luck this winter with keeping Ernie going.
Grandview Stable, in Columbia, lets us come twice a week
to use their indoor. Ernie has a lot of fun being fancy
every time we go. I also participated in a 4 lesson
clinic with Vicky Hammers O'Neil which was a lot of fun.
I am planning
on my first event of the season to be UNH in May. King
Oak, Valinor and GMHA are also on the calendar. I will
also particapate in Regional Dressage and Evening Rallys
for Pony club. I think I will have National intent for
both and see how I qualify. There is a possibilty I will
take my C-3 rating this summer as well. I am taking my
H-B rating which isn't with a horse and if I am ready, I
will take my C-3 too.
Stefanie Shea
10/31/07
Ernie has been quite the super star lately. In the
past 2 months, we have done a lot! I did the Lord Creek
schooling horse trials on September. The cross country was
tricky…not Ernie’s favorite kind of course but he was great
throughout the whole thing. We ended up second in the Novice
division. I also went to the Town Hill Horse Trials. Ernie was
amazing. It was the best stadium ride we have ever done and
cross country was perfect. We ended up seventh (also novice).
One of the Pony Clubs in our region put on a C and D level rally
that Ernie and I went to. It was 2 stadium courses and a
cross-country course. I managed to fall off on the smallest
fence on the course, but landed on my feet! We also just had a
Pony Club camp on Columbus Day weekend. At camp we have two
lessons a day with great instructors, including Betsey Reeves,
who taught Karen O’Connor. Ernie made a lot of new friends and
he now has a new girlfriend. Her name is Katie and Ernie says
she is very cute. I recently had my C-2 Rating which we passed!
Ernie was wonderful as always and he is very happy to not have
to do Beginner Novice level stuff at Pony Club events anymore!
That same weekend we had Ethel Walker Horse Trials. We saw
Jessica Bauer there, which was nice. Even though he was tired,
Ernie tried really hard. Cross country was really smooth. We
were in a rhythm the entire course. I’ve been working on letting
him do his job and not over riding him and we ended up third
which qualifies us for Novice Championships next year. Most
recently we had our pony club’s fundraising show. It was so much
fun! Ernie and I did the jump off, the timed 3ft jump off, the
relay race and the pairs class. In the jump off, the jump was
almost 4 ft before I got out. We got out on the last round.
Ernie and I won the 3ft timed jump off. The relay race was
really cute! I did it with the girl who leases my pony and we
got second! Ernie’s and my favorite class was the pairs class. I
also did this class with the girl who leases Justin. We had to
walk, trot, canter, back up and change direction all while
holding a piece of crepe paper with our partner. Our team ended
up winning!
This fall and winter, I hope to work on our dressage and show
jumping, to get ready for next spring. Thanks again to CDCTA for
letting me lease Ernie. It’s been an amazing year.
10/9/07
Hi Sue! I'm sorry I haven't been in touch
lately. I have been getting ready for my C-2
Rating. It is this coming weekend and so is
Ethel Walker. I will write 2 updates and send
them to you between now and then. I got home
from Pony Club Camp today so things are still
calming down. Ernie had a lot of fun and he now
has a girlfriend. He has been great going novice
and I can't wait to move up next year. As for
Lou Denizard, my club is setting up a clinic
with him that I am riding in so I will have to
see what else I have going on. If I don't ride,
I would be more than happy to volunteer for you
if you would like. I am still sorting out my
computer to send you pictures. (My computer is a
little retarded.) Again I am really sorry about
not being in touch. High School was a little
tough to get used to but you will be hearing a
lot more from me now.
Stef
1/11/07
Ernie has settled in quite nicely in his new home. He is
turned out in a 4 acre field with 4 other horses and has befriended
almost every horse at the facility. I am currently working on building
trust with Ernie and it is going quite well. We are starting to bond
and I am seeing more and more of his personality. Early on, Jessica
Bauer came to give me a lesson in order to have a good start to working
with my new partner. I have taken Ernie to one mounted meeting so far,
it was a cross-country schooling at Ayer Mountain schooling banks,
ditches and water. In one jump he has completely banished my fear of
drops. He is one amazing horse. In the beginning of December we passed
the C-1 Pony Club rating, also at Ayer Mountain Farm, with Maureen Pach.
We have also taken him to Bethany to ride with Deb Moynihan so some of
the members of the Ernie Committee Could see him. I am looking forward
to going to regional Dressage Rally and hoping to qualify to go to
regional Eventing rally in June. Now that the holidays are over, I am
starting to take more lessons with him and can’t wait to start competing
in the spring. Thank you CDCTA and the Ernie Committee, for this
wonderful opportunity to ride this truly amazing horse.
Stefanie
Shea
April 2007
I just wanted to get an update to you all, Ernie is doing great. We are preparing for upcoming shows and pony club functions. I am now training with Maureen Pach for both dressage and jumping. We are currently working on throughness and being forward. I have also been doing some gymnastic jumping that both Ernie and I are enjoying. My first event will be Babcock Hill. Ernie and I are planning on doing beginner novice. We have recently participated in a Centered Riding clinic hosted by our pony club. I also went to a pony club mounted meeting taught by Carolyn McKevitt where we worked on leg yields. Hope to see everyone at the CDCTA schooling show at Wishing Rock Farm!
June 2007
Since my last update, Ernie and I have gone to 4 shows. The first show of the season was Babcock Hill combined test. We ended up with 3rd with Lou Denizard as my dressage Judge. Ernie was quite happy to be back competing. We also did the CDCTA combined test at Wishing Rock Farm. Our dressage was very nice and I received my first 8 on a test there. Our jumping was a little fast but Ernie had fun so it’s okay. We have also attended the Ethel Walker School Combined test. Ernie, as always, was great. We ended up winning too! Most recently, we have gone to Mystic Horse Trials. Maureen Pach came to train me. Our dressage was rhythmic and steady. We had nice impulsion too. I had a pole down in stadium that dropped us 3 places. Cross country was so much fun. It was my first real course on him. It was really nice not to have to fight to get him over every fence! (My old pony was a
stopper.) We ended up with 6th and I’m happy with it. I’m going to Pony Club Regionals at the end of June in Dressage and Eventing. I am hoping to go to Nationals in Kentucky. Fingers crossed! I hope to see everyone at the Phillip Dutton Clinic!
August 2007
Ernie and I just got back from Pony Club Nationals in Kentucky! He was absolutely great! We ended up with 5th as a team and 5th individually. As soon as he heard that he was going to Pony Club Nationals, Ernie was excited. He all but cantered onto the horse van. The 18 hour drive took almost nothing out of him. He had plenty of energy when he arrived. The stalls in the Kentucky Horse Park are smaller than Ernie is used to but it didn’t stop him from having a good roll in his shavings. The first day of competition was just Jog-outs, and Opening Ceremonies. Dressage warm-up was good but there were a lot of things that were distracting to both me and Ernie. Its hard to concentrate when your actually riding at Kentucky Horse Park! Our actual Dressage test was very nice. I have been working on my transitions at home and they couldn’t have been better for the test. We had
nice impulsion too! Our final score was a 36.5. This helped the team place at 4th and individually, we were 3rd with a point between 3rd and 1st . The cross-country course was amazing! It was so cool to be riding right by the Rolex jumps! Ernie was awesome as usual. He was a little fast at first but slowed right down when I asked him to. When we finished, everyone in the vet box were joking about how Ernie looked like he was ready to do the course again and some of the horses looked like they were going into cardiac arrest. It poured rain on Show Jumping day. The footing was gross and a little slippery. A lot of the horses were pulling rails. Ernie was very good for most of the course but on the second-to-last jump things got a little hairy. When he took off over the jump, his hind feet slipped and he crashed through the jump. It obviously stung him and he was
definitely off for the next few strides. I tried to pull him up after because I didn’t know how hurt he was. Ernie decided that he wasn’t going to stop until the course was finished and his job was done. No matter how hard I resisted, Ernie was going over that last jump! I checked his legs and there was nothing there and he seemed none the worse for wear. He was very proud of himself though! The mishap dropped us from third to fifth but I’m happy! Everyone else on my team went clear so my score was dropped and we placed fifth!
Next week, we’re doing a clinic with Katie Rocco to get ready for our events this fall and for my C-2 Rating.
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