Fox Tales, April, 2019
THANK YOU!!!
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Yay! Winter is over. We measured 17+ 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. 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 started the year with a Planning Meeting, with Trainer Haley providing important information for the 2019 shows. Haley provided 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 24-28: Summer Camp For First Timers, age 5 and up.
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July 15-19: Summer Camp​ for Beginner Riders.
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Aug. 5 - 9: Fun Camp! For riders who walk/trot/canter and jump small jumps.
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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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Jumper Grand Prix at the 2019 Del Mar Horseshow:
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Join the HFF group in Del Mar on May 4 for the Jumper Grand Prix, and possibly to the Dressage Musical Freestyle on April 27 and/or Night of the Horse on April 20. For more details and ticket purchases, go to http://delmarnational.com/
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There will be three events of particular interest: Night of the Horse is a wonderful show with many entertaining horse performers. The Musical Freestyle is always a thrill, watching the most beautiful and talented dressage riders and horses dancing to music. And lastly, the Jumper Grand Prix is an exciting display of athleticism as horses and their riders race over huge jumps.​
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NIGHT of the HORSE • Saturday, April 20 • 7:00 PM
Equestrian variety show featuring unique and exciting top-notch entertainment which will thrill your entire family!
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EVENING of MUSICAL FREESTYLES • Saturday, April 27 • 7:00 PM
Known as “ballet on horseback,” this Dressage event features Olympic and World Champion horse and rider pairs.
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$100,000 GRAND PRIX of DEL MAR • Saturday, May 4 • 6:45 PM
Action-packed speed, agility, and nail-biting show jumping competition.
Please plan to join us for this year's Del Mar Jumper Grand Prix, to be held on Saturday, May 4. We will be buying a block of tickets so we can all sit together. Please let Katy know ASAP if you plan to attend - Tickets are first-come, first-served.​
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