The Paces of Lord Teddy, Lady Bumpernickel, and Sir Cal
    at The Dutch Knob Hunter Pace
(as told by the Thoroughbred Cassius Clay)

Twas a chill morn in the Lancaster downs,
When the Autumn Charm court came into the town.
Dutch Knob, a duchy, had featured a race,
Meant to test the locals’ heart, nerve, and pace.
As the Charmers came down the winding road,
Their hearts suddenly stopped with great forebode.
A careless cowboy turned hard on the path,
Earning shouts from the court, their sneers and wrath.
Sharply cutting off an approaching car,
His mount in the trailer shifted hard, ajar.
With this behind them, the trio prepared,
In matching colors, they tucked up their hair.
Lord Teddy, with a cocktail, led the team,
Jigging and leg yielding to let off steam
Head bowed to the rein, he pranced, trotting ahead.
The Queen of Displeasure took second instead,
Lady Bumpernickel, snorted, pinning her ears,
Gripped the bit in her teeth to charge full gear.
Last but not least, from the County of Green—
Sir Cal, a handsome lad with muscles lean.
Over rolling hills and manicured tracts,
The Autumn Charm court rode, as if with a pack.
The obstacles were many and not very nice,
Which is why Sir Cal had to check them out twice.
Lord Teddy also found the course quite tough,
When he did stop to read, “We do fun stuff.”
Lady Bump with the dim hand at her rein,
Decided to avoid all things that cause pain.
Galloping headlong on the trail at speed—
They encountered a jogger who would not heed.
“Run her right over,” cried the Lady Bump.
“Aye, crush the peasant,” said Cal from her rump.
“I think she’s deaf, dumb, a mute,” Teddy cried.
They continued on her back till the path did divide.
As the sun overhead and clouds, there, passed
A mounted rider came galloping fast.
She gave no alarm, no warning intent.
She just galloped on the trail, hell-bent!
“How rude!” Lord Teddy bellowed in his shock.
“Off with their heads,” said Bump curling her hock.
Disturbed by the ignorance of the crime,
Sir Cal hollered, “Hey call it out next time.”
O’er roads, up steep switchbacks, narrow with grief—
Lady Bump’s squire acquired a leaf.
Attached to her helmet button, it stayed,
To keep the court safe, intact, and unfrayed.
Back to the trailer, so headed the three,
Teddy led them ‘neath every low-lying tree.
Of the seventy souls that began the quest
The Autumn Charm court took home the fourth best.
Headed to home, the team was disrupted,
When a hag crossed the road, drunk and corrupted.
The brakes of the truck coughed, shuttered, and stirred,
Then the evil old witch flipped our team the bird!
The court sprang to feed her a knuckled balm
But stayed in their seats and tried to be calm.
Transporting the leaf, their victory spoils,
The court arrived home, quite pleased with their toils.
The day ended well, with smiles and muscles sore,
Until the next pace, I can say no more.

TOYAH and DAWN O SLEW at SPRING VALLEY STARTER TRIAL ( 5/06 )

My OTHER favorite photo-( above L to R ) Hannah and Pic, Molly and Winnie, Dee and Max, Jenn and Poppy at the 2005 Dutch Knob Paper Chase ( Jenn / Molly placed 9th )  Molly won the natural horsemanship class. Pic , Max and Dee finished their first paper chase and had a blast !

Summer schedule-  All Lessons will be rescheduled to Mon , Tues , Thurs and Friday. Mon and Thursdays - lessons from noon till 9 pm , Tues and Fridays Lessons from 8 am till 3 pm.  This schedule allows us room to attend shows and prepare for shows.

                               2008 FOCUS ON HORSEMANSHIP

ALL formal shows - horses must be braided.  We will no longer be "dressing " better than our horses - these are HORSE shows !  Need Jenn to braid - schedule ahead !  No acceptions  - you are representing ACSH - and we want to LOOK good so we Feel good and RIDE good .

Show Riders - Tack must be cleaned and packed in trailer before shows.  Students are responsible for bathing their horses prior to shows and will be learning clipping techniques as well. All students are responsible for loading and unloading horses ( on trailers ) for shows or providing someone to do so .  Show days are long for all.  This is part of showing - doing the dirty work.  Students may be offered opportunities to stay overnight prior to horse shows in special circumstances.

                                     2007 Show Manager Program

Students who are not ready to show or who do not want to show but want to be a part of the ACSH team can sign up to be show manager for our group.  Help prepare riders for the ring, make sure riders are getting ready in time, help organize schooling for riders, make sure horses are wrapped ( polo wraps ) for warmups ,  pack up and unpack trailer, set up trailer area at shows and be a part of the team !  Especially need help for Hunt Cap Shows.

  2008 Schedule

March-14-16 Manolo Mendez clinic at Wildfire Farm ( dressage ) , 21- Fair Hill Paper Chase

April - Jenn Foal watching Como Park

May- 4th - recognized dressage at Bucks Co. ,  4th - Hunt Cap Paper Chase, 11th - IEO Dressage at CRC ( Jenn and Student Dee managing )

June - Jenn Foal watching Halle(6/23 )  and Dutchess(6/19 ) ,     Hunt Cap shows,15th- IEO  Dressage at Diamond 7   , 6/9-6/11-Summer Fun Days For ACSH students - ages 7 to 14.   

July- Hunt Cap,  20th - IEO Dressage at Harmony Hill, 7/1 to 7/3 -Summer Fun Days for ACSH students

August -17th- IEO Dressage at Diamond 7 Arena

September-IEO Dressage at Spring Valley Park, 23 to 28- Dressage at Devon ( show youngsters ) 

October-

November-

December-