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Dear Visitor,
April has been a busy month at Palladia Farm! We finished off the winter horse show series at Ledges, made a splash at the schooling show, and welcomed several new horses to the barn. We even rode outside for a week because the rain drove us back inside.
There are a bunch of upcoming events at Palladia Farm: a Parent Info Session on May 4th, a professional photo shoot for all riders on June 9th, Summer Camp registration is now open, and our Weekly Horsemanship Seminars (formerly known as \”big kid camp\”) are going to kick off on Sunday, May 26th. Please read on to find out more information about all of these events; also make sure to check the \”Administrative Updates\” at the end for important information about EHV-1, tack trunks, Palladia clothing, and our new lesson card structure.
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Alex McNally
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![]() Alex \”Zandy\” McNally has been riding at Palladia Farm for about a year and a half. This year she’s a 15 year old freshman at New Trier.
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Alex says that she’s \”not that interesting of a person,\” but her barn friends disagree. They point out that she’s always kind, no matter what. She’s also just got her driving permit, she’s done the Polar Plunge in Chicago, and she cries whenever she sees someone else cry–or if they have something stuck in their eye. Alex is also incredibly photogenic, and it’s basically impossible to take a bad photo of her. Some of you might know her because she volunteers at Riding School on Sundays every week as one of our \”big kid helpers.\” When Alex isn’t riding she enjoys having random dance parties with her friends from the barn and grooming her horse, Justice.
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Justice is a 9 year-old Hanoverian gelding. A \”Hanoverian\” is a breed of German horse. In Europe, the horse’s breed is determined by the location of its birth; Hanoverians are from Northern Germany, and are named after the town of Hanover, which is the capital of a German state called \”Lower Saxony.\” Justice was born there, and later imported to the United States to become a show hunter.
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You might be surprised to hear this, but Justice is the youngest horse at Palladia Farm! If you haven’t heard us talk about \”Justice\” much, that might be because we usually just call him \”Elephante\” because he’s really, really huge. In fact, he’s so big that he has a double-wide stall. He’s very friendly, and likes it when people rub his head. He does not, however, like other horses so try not to pass too closely while you’re riding! You’ll be able to recognize him because, well… he’s the really, really big one!
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This year Alex and Justice are showing on the \”A\” circuit in the novice children working hunter and the children’s working hunter divisions. Alex says the best thing about riding is \”working together as a team with the horse,\” because riding teaches teamwork in a different way than other sports. \”With other team sports,\” Alex says, \”your team mates can talk to you and tell you how they feel so you can work with them. In riding, they can’t talk to you so you have to feel and figure it out another way.\”
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| News from Around the Farm |
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Welcome Smiley!
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Everyone at Palladia Farm would like to welcome Smiley to the barn. Smiley belongs to Jimmy, who will show this lovely horse in the novice adult hunters this season. Smiley is a big guy who will make you smile. When he was younger, he was a grand prix showjumper!
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Congratulations Caroline on the lease of Tuna!
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We’d like to congratulate Caroline F on the lease of Tuna (aka \”Name that Tune-A\”). We brought this wonderful horse to the barn with the intention of keeping him for a couple of months, but he’s quickly become a barn favorite. We’re excited that he gets to stay with us longer, and that he has such a nice family! Good luck in the novice children’s hunters for the remainder of this show season.
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Welcome back, Bree!
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Big congratulations go out to Caroline T and Susie, who are co-leasing a horse together! The lucky horse is Bree (\”C’est La Vie\”), a lovely jumper mare who spent some time at Palladia Farm a couple of years ago. She’s a lovely animal, and we’re grateful to have her back with us.
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Trainer Certification
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Did you know that all the trainers at Palladia Farm are USHJA Certified Trainers? Margaret Clayton was interviewed in last month’s iss ue of the USHJA’s \”In Stride\” Magazine. \”The [Trainer Certification Program] is a wonderful opportunity for professionals to expand their knowledge of our American Hunter/Jumper Forward Riding System. As an instructor of many students, I strive to be as well educated as possible, so that I’m better equipped to pass this knowledge on to my students,\” she said. You can find the full article on the Palladia Farm website. |
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Parent Info Session Saturday, May 4th @ 6pm & Movie for Kids
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Back by popular demand is our \”Parent Info Session.\” We’ll talk to you about the sport, answer your questions, outline the typical progression from beginner lessons to horse showing and the major steps in between, and also discuss alternative paths and goals to set for those who aren’t interested in owning a horse or participating in horse shows. No question is too small or too uneducated! Please come by and ask away during this casual group discussion. We will provide chips, salsa, guacamole and margaritas for all our parents.
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While the parents are becoming educated, we’re going to show the movie \”Secretariat\” for the kids in another room. This movie tells the story of one of the greatest racehorses of our time and is fun for kids and adults of all ages.
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Next Shows: Ledges \”AA\” in May and Fields & Fences \”A\” in June
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Our next horse show will be May 15-19th at Ledges Sporting Horses in Roscoe, IL. This is an \”AA\” rated show, and the first outdoor show of the season. Woo hoo!
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After that we head to Fields & Fences for an outdoor \”A\” show with the first derby of the season. That show runs May 30 – June 2, 2013.
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If you’re interested in competing at either one of these shows or coming to watch, please contact Margaret ASAP. Good luck to our riders!
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Professional Photoshoot Sunday June 9th
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Professional photographer extraordinaire Wendie Aull from Aullmyn Photography & Design will be conducting mini-sessions for all of our riders on Sunday, June 9th! All riders are invited to participate in these sessions, with or without their favorite equine. Photo sessions will include a variety of mounted and unmounted shots, as well as nature and beauty shots in the beautiful fields at Daybreak. Sessions are limited, so please email Margaret to sign up soon. The cost is $100/session, which includes unlimited rights to ALL images from the session! Great idea for Father’s Day gifts!
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Summer Camp
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At Palladia Farm, we run one of the best Summer Camp Programs around! Each camp session includes no more than eight students, so that each can develop an individual relationship with our horses and instructors. While under constant supervision, each student learns to safely halter, lead, and groom a horse. Beginning riders will be shown how to put a bridle and saddle on the horse, how to mount safely, and how to navigate the ring at a walk and trot. More advanced students will learn how to recognize and treat common ailments, how to clean and assemble tack, and will practice their riding skills at the walk, trot, canter, and over low jumps if appropriate.
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Students ride individually, receiving one 30-45 minute private lesson with our instructors daily.
Each day there will also be a fun session in our climate controlled clubroom and barn aisle, the focus of which will be learning more about our equine friends, including how to recognize breeds, colors, and different styles of riding. At Palladia Farm, we value the individuality and creativity of every child. To this end, we also offer time for arts and crafts, allowing the students to relax and pursue projects that appeal to their individual sensibilities.
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2013 Dates
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June 4-7, 2013, 9am-12:30pm (Tues-Fri)
June 11-14, 2013, 9am-12:30pm (Tues-Fri)
June 25-28, 2013, 9am-12:30pm (Tues-Fri)
July 30-Aug 2, 2013, 9am-12:30pm (Tues-Fri)
Aug 13-16, 2013, 9am-12:30pm (Tues-Fri)
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$500 per session. Refer a friend and receive a $50 credit!
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Please talk to Margaret, Alex, or Susie for more information; you can also reach us via email–margaret@palladiafarm.com, susie@palladiafarm.com, or alex@palladiafarm.com. There is more information available on our Camp Page on our website as well, including registration forms and liability waivers.
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Ledges Winter Series: It’s a Wrap!
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We had a great time at the last show of the 2013 Ledges Winter Series up in Roscoe, IL, on April 11-14, 2013, and we’re looking forward to starting our outdoor show season next month. Tons of people showed up at Ledges to close out the season, making this the largest indoor show at Ledges in several years. The competition level was unusually high as well.
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Callie Kennedy and Tellus (\”Tubby\”) brought home another reserve championship in the Children’s Hunter 14 & Under division, which was extremely competitive at this show. Alex McNally and Justice made their debut in the same division, earning ribbons in every class. Lindsay Pristou and Encore (\”Cooper\”) were very consistent, and won several high ribbons out of 20+ in the novice children’s division. Anna Vrioni and Dig Down Deep (\”Digger\”) also won high ribbons in the novice children’s, and even won a class the first day! Jane Dickinson and Name That Tune-A (\”Tuna\”) made us proud by getting lots of great ribbons and a big win in the modified adult amateur hunter division. Lastly, Alex Pope won several great ribbons, including a big win on Cooper the first day.
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Way to go team!
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Our Spring Schooling Show Was a Huge Success!
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Our next generation of horse show competitors impressed us all at our annual Spring Schooling Show, held this past Sunday, April 21st. We had 17 riders, and they claimed all but three tricolors the entire day. Way to go, girls! We are proud of your hard work, your sportsmanship, your horsesmanship, your kindness, and also your hard-won ribbons. Congratulations!!!
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| Educational Opportunities |
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Horsemanship Quiz Challenge
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The mission of the United States Hunter/Jumper Association’s Horsemanship Quiz Challenge (HQC) is to educate and recognize young equestrians who have exceptional horsemanship knowledge. Quiz Levels One, Two and the HQC Finals test horsemanship knowledge using a multiple-choice and true/false test with an additional hands-on practicum component incorporated into the HQC Finals, which is held in tandem with the Emerging Athletes Program (EAP) National Championships each year. The goal of this program is to ignite each youth’s passion for advancing his horsemanship knowledge and make it an integral part of his equestrian life.
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You can register for the HQC online. There is also a study guide available. We encourage all of our junior riders to participate in this program. Please let your trainer know if you’d like to improve your horsemanship skills, with or without this program. We have lots of ideas for events full of horsemanship and fun!
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Weekly Horsemanship Seminars
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Beginning Sunday, May 26th, we’re going to begin offering weekly horsemanship seminars to any of our big kids and adults who are interested. (For these purposes a \”big kid\” is anyone who already knows enough about horse safety to stay out of harm’s way, does not require adult supervision, and who can pay attention for three hours.) Here is an assortment of topics that we will cover:
-Leg wrapping (types of wraps, and why and when to use them)
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-Grooming (proper techniques, the purpose of each tool, what health concerns to check for)
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-Tack (how to fit tack properly, names of bits, parts of tack, training aids and how to use them)
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-Lunging
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-Turnout
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-Common veterinary ailments (how to identify, treat and prevent, how to give injections)
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-Stabling, feeding, nutrition, horse habitat, horse stressors
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-Jumps (how to set courses, walk lines, types of jumps, USEF rules)
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The first session is May 26th, and the topic will be \”Horse Show Setup.\” We’ll hold this session at Fields & Fences as it is the week before our show there. (Transportation can be provided.) Why do we setup the way we do? What are considerations when stabling at another facility? How do you hang a hay net? How do you tie a horse? What should horses eat during a competition? What medications do we use at horse shows, what do they do, and why?
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Sessions will run on Sunday mornings from 9am until about noon; we offer these sessions to you at no additional charge because we believe that horsemanship is a necessary and important part of our sport and an important part of the relationship between horse and rider.
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Nothing Beats A Little Bit Of Elbow Grease
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![]() What is the best way to get your horse’s coat in gleaming shape for spring shows? All of the horses at Palladia Farm are on SmartShine, a coat supplement from SmartPak, but the experts agree that a gleaming show coat comes from the inside out. That gleam, or bloom, is the result of a horse’s own natural oils. Start with a diet that is well balanced, with the proper amounts of vitamins, minerals and fatty acids. Add a good exercise program and pasture if you have it.
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Then, it’s time for your elbow grease and a lot of it. Grooming is a great massage and brings those natural oils out. Try and limit shampoo baths that may strip those oils away. It’s very tempting to shampoo away a stain, but if you allow the natural oils to build up, you end up with shine, and stains will slide off with a damp cloth.
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Your gleaming grooming routine should also include appropriate horse clothing to protect your horse’s coat. A waterproof sheet for rainy days, a cotton sheet for cool days and nights, and a fly sheet for warm weather protect your horse from sun, mud, flies and dust. This will save you time, keep that coat from bleaching out and getting stains, and help keep the dust and dirt away.
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EHV-1 Outbreak in Gurnee, IL
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The EHV-1 outbreak at Double W Stables in Gurnee, IL, appears to be under control. They have not had any new cases in several weeks, and all horses on the property have been symptom free for two weeks. They are scheduled to come off of quarantine this Sunday. At that point, our heightened biosecurity protocols will return to normal.
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A reminder: For the rest of this week, please do not come to Palladia Farm after visiting other horse facilities, and please do NOT bring friends who ride at other barns to visit.
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| Palladia Wear |
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Our official Palladia clothing is ready! There is a complete catalog near the white board at the barn. We’re going to place our next order some time in May. Please sign up soon–and don’t forget to buy an official Palladia Farm jacket!
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| No More Lessons Cards |
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In order to streamline our accounting process, we’re doing away with the old lesson card program for school horse students. We’ll still give you the same deal, though, just with a different structure. Now when you pre-pay $500 or more, we’ll give you a 10% credit. So if you buy $750 of training, for example, we’ll give you 825 PalladiaBucks to be used for any services at the barn. We’ll send you a statement once a month so you know when you need to recharge your account.
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| Refreshments Available |
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Did you know that we provide a chilled Ice Mountain water cooler and a fully stocked Keurig machine for our customers? Please enjoy a nice beverage on us!
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| Tack Trunks Now Available! |
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The official Palladia Farm tack trunks are now (finally!) available and ready for ordering. Cotton sheets for spring and cool summer nights are also now ready for ordering from The Clothes Horse. Talk to Margaret for ordering information. Coolers will be coming soon.
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Like us on Facebook!
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| Please \”like\” Palladia Farm on Facebook and share our posts whenever you can! We’re trying to increase our name recognition in the horse world, so we’d really appreciate it if you’d like, comment on, or share any Palladia Farm posts that may come your way. Thanks! |
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We hope you’ve enjoyed the newsletter, and that you’ll be able to take advantage of some of the opportunities that we’re offering this month. Enjoy your spring!
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Sincerely,
\nMargaret Clayton\n
\nOwner/Trainer
Palladia Farm, Inc.
www.palladiafarm.com
(773) 220-2193 |
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