Fox Tales, March, 2017
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THANK YOU!!!
Yay! Winter is over. We measured 19+ inches of rain this season, three times as much as last year! It’s been challenging, with the mud, the rutted roads, and the squishy corrals. You haven't been able to ride as much as you wanted, and when you did, your horse wasn't at his best, but you all have weathered the weather cheerfully and with aplomb. Thank you so much! Please remember that we still live in a desert, and water is precious, and one wet year does NOT mean we don't have to conserve water.
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Spring is Nigh....
Spring is our favorite time of year. Wild flowers are in bloom, especially our purple Ceanothus - Mountain Lilac - and there’s lots of grass for the horses to munch. Don’t miss the desert wildflowers.
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It’s time for Spring Cleaning. Organize your equipment and supplies and make sure you have your name on everything. Clean your grooming supplies in a bucket of bleach solution. Order ID tags to put on new halters and bridles, and a saddle plate for that awesome new saddle. Is your name in the pretty new hard hat? Does your horse have an ID tag or micro-chip?
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What's Happening?
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Lots of stuff. We are busy repairing the rain-rutted roads and turnouts. We are planning trail rides to the beach and the mountains. We are figuring out which events to attend at the Del Mar Horseshow in April and May. And we are upgrading our website and adding lots of great new photos. We’ve also updated our HFF Guidelines for Riders that will make you a better horseman, a safer rider, and a better citizen at the barn. We will be sending out excerpts of this masterpiece in our newsletters.
Watch Out!
There have already been reports of rattlesnakes in Crest. They’re hunting mice and other small rodents and doing their part in controlling the pest population. Don’t forget that we built our tack rooms in their yards! Let’s try to live with the snakes and not bother them.
If you see a snake at HFF, please let the staff, and everyone else, know immediately. We will see what kind of snake it is and warn people to keep away, if necessary. General snake rules include: Don’t step or put your hands where you cannot see. Don’t get into wood, rocks, or brush (or jumps!) without checking for snakes first. Wear good shoes and long pants. Don’t tease, poke, goad, or provoke the wildlife! Most bites occur when a person tries to kill or move a rattler.
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Horse Show Season:
We are starting the year with a Planning Meeting, with Trainer Jenny providing important information for the 2017 shows. Jenny will provide a list of shows that HFF riders can plan to attend, including all of the Lakeside ECHO shows, some Pot of Gold shows in Ramona, and an occasional Sweetwater show in Bonita. Go to the GSDHJA calendar at www.gsdhja.org for dates, locations, and links. Sign-up sheets are posted at the barn for the coming shows.
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Summer Camp Dates:
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June 19-23 or June 26-30 TBD
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July 10-14 or July 17-21 TBD
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Aug. 7-11
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Camps run from 8:30 – 12:30 each day and cost $375.00 with a $100.00 deposit.
HFF is offering Novice Level camps for our current riders and friends. There’s a little wiggle room with the dates, so if what you see doesn’t work for you, maybe we can make changes. If you have friends, family, or neighbors who are interested in a First Timer Camp, let us know and we’ll see what we can do to accommodate. See our Summer Camps page for more information.
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Horse Camping, Picnics, and Trail Rides:
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We've got some exciting SUMMER activities in the planning stages - Horse Camping trips to the Cuyamacas, Trail Rides around the county, Beach Rides and Picnics, and our annual Campout in the Arena. We'll be firming these plans up soon.
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Del Mar Horseshow:
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Join the HFF group in Del Mar on May 6 for the Jumper Grand Prix, and possibly to the Dressage Musical Freestyle on April 29 and/or Night of the Horse on April 22. For more details and ticket purchases, go to http://delmarnational.com/
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