About Me

I'm an adult amateur rider who never outgrew my horse obsession. My sport of choice is eventing. Though I have been riding since I was 13, and am now in my 30s, I just moved up to the Preliminary level in October 2014. I set that goal for myself in high school and though it took 20 years, I finally achieved it! Now, it's on to new goals: like competing in a 1-star and eventually Intermediate. 

This blog is for me, and a couple of my friends who subscribe to it :) I want to remember the experience of working with Leo. I love horses and always have, and my time at the barn brings me some of the greatest moments of joy and reward in my life. Yes, I have other interests, but horses are just different. It's the most truthful reflection of who I am. 

I'm originally from Pennsylvania. I grew up and learned to ride in the Poconos, but as an adult lived mostly in Southeastern PA. I started riding when I was 13 (best birthday gift ever) and was more or less glued to horses for the next 15 years. After I put my forever-horse down in 2005, I took a hiatus from riding. I paid off a lot of debt (incurred from owning a horse in my 20s when I couldn't really afford it), focused on my career, did some traveling, bought a condo.... I checked off a lot of boxes but I could never get horses and riding out of my mind so, in 2009, I bought my second horse and got back into it. It wasn't long before I realized I bought the wrong horse for myself, but, ultimately, I found my way to my current partner, Leo. Leo and I have lived and competed in Pennsylvania, North Carolina and Maryland. 

Leo and I are currently based at Hermitage Farm in Kennett Square, PA where I train with Dan Clasing.  

My Current Partner

Crime Wave (Leo)
Leo is a 2003, dark bay thoroughbred gelding. He raced until he was 6, earning roughly $35,000. After he was retired from the track,  Leo was retrained as a sport horse by Carrie Butler. She competed him through Novice level. I purchased him in 2010 as a 7 yr old. He's bold, forward and opinionated - unlike any horse I have owned before. Learning to ride him has been quite an experience! He "hates" dressage (or at least I hate dressage with him) but has always been a joyful and very exuberant jumper. He is very forward to his fences and jumping him required me to expand my comfort zone significantly.

Maryland Horse Trials, Prelim, Oct 2014

Past Horses

Apollo
Apollo is a 2003, chestnut thoroughbred gelding. He flunked out of his track training and was put out to pasture until he was five. I bought him in 2009 as a 6 year old. He had received his basic under saddle training and was started over fences when I got him. Working with Becca Diesinger, we started his cross country education and progressed his dressage work. He has a fancy trot and good jumping form. Scope has never been the issue with this guy. Apollo's career highlight is the 2010 Devon Horse Show where he competed in the Hunt Team event under the bright lights of this iconic show. Apollo was sold to a young rider in early 2012 and now lives in Winston-Salem, NC.

Apollo, Gibbes Farm (SC)

Milo (1992-2005) 
Milo was the first horse I ever owned. I purchased him as a 3 yr old - with my mom's help - in my senior year of high school. He was a bay, thoroughbred gelding and was the center of my universe for many years. In the 10 years that I owned Milo, I made a lot of mistakes with his training but also learned a lot. Milo brought me to Pleasant Hollow Farm where I met some of my greatest friends and created my strongest horse network. Milo was a chronic colicer throughout his life and had colic surgery in 2001. We competed through Novice level and had plans (hopes) to move up to Training Level but his bouts with colic became unmanageable and I decided to put him down in the summer of 2005.

Milo, Plantation HT (PA) 2004

Echo
Echo was never my horse, but this was the first horse I evented so she is definitely worth mentioning. She was a 15.1 hand, liver chestnut Morgan mare. She was loaned to me by Karen Trebitz - a fantastic woman who introduced me to eventing. I had a love-hate relationship with this particular mare. She could be a dirty stopper and was always awful for me in dressage but I had some fantastic rides on her all the same. One of the most memorable was cross country schooling at the US Equestrian Center in Gladstone, NJ (before they stopped holding events there). I competed novice and did one unrecognized training level horse trial with her before moving on to Milo.

Echo, Pleasant Hollow Farms (PA) 1995

Trainers
Currently Train with: Daniel Clasing
Primary Past Trainers: Sally Cousins, Ashley Kriegel, Becca Diesinger, Jane Cory
Clinics & Previous Instruction with: Phoebe DeVoe, Rebecca Howard, Boyd Martin, Lucinda Green, Mike Plumb, Denny Emerson, Karen O'Conner, Gayle Molander, Stephen Bradley