December 21, 2011

Happy Winter Solstice everyone!  I hope you are all enjoying the holidays and staying warm.  The weather has been so mild so far this winter, that we haven't had any down time with the training of the horses.  That's all about to change, though!  

I got married November 5, to Jonathan Romm.  The wedding was here on the farm, and it was truly the best day of my life - so amazing to be surrounded by so many friends and family.  Here's one of my favorite photos: 

And now Jonathan and I are off on a wild & crazy honeymoon.  We are taking three months (Jan-March) to travel through central and South America and Africa.  I am so thankful to all my students and clients who are allowing me to take this once in a lifetime trip.  I'll be back to work teaching and training on April 1.  We'll be keeping a blog with lots of photos.  Check out my facebook page for updates!

Wow!  Sorry it has taken me so long to update the site here, but I've been a little busy!!  I've been showing a ton this summer, took Hannah to the Young Horse Championships, enjoyed teaching a lot of students (new & old), and have been planning my wedding, which is in (yikes!) less than two months.  

Ellen Peebles, her wonderful Hannah, and I drove halfway across the country to Lamplight Equestrian Center, just outside of Chicago, in early August.  Hannah was wonderful, and we were so excited to be competing against the best young horses in the country for the Markel Young Horse Championships.  It was really inspiring to be around such high quality horses and riders.  I can't wait to go again next year!

All of my horses in training are doing great.  I have a couple youngsters that I am starting under saddle right now, which is always such fun.  Somehow I have ended up being "the mare trainer" but that's fine with me!!  I have seven mares in training right now, and only a couple geldings.  Gracie is going so well right now, and I'm really looking forward to the Regional Championships with her.  Anna just competed in her first show ever and did so well!  And Double Oh Seven will finally start his show career next weekend at Pinehurst!  Very excited to see how he does.  

Emme & Natalie continue to be the best working students ever.  They have both qualified their horses for the Regional Championships, so we'll be headed to Lexington, VA, with a bunch of horses!  ~ Eliza

March 21, 2011

First of all, a big congratulations to Ashley Powell on the purchase of Maui!  Maui is a gorgeous 2005 Hanoverian Mare by Madison.  She was bred by Dr. Lori Minteer of Jupiter, FL.  Dr. Minteer was wonderful to work with and has done a beautiful job with Maui.  We're so excited for her future with Ashley.  She arrived last Tuesday, late at night, and has settled in well and is already improving in her training each day.

I'm off to my first big show of the year this weekend - March Magic down in Williamston, NC.  I'll be showing Gracie at the I1 each day and Hannah in the FEI 4 year old test as well as Training 3.  I'm excited to get back to showing after this long winter!

Other big new... I'm engaged!  Jonathan Romm and I got engaged a week ago.  I am so excited.  I don't have too many details planned out yet, but we do know that it will be on the farm, probably in late Oct or early Nov.  And no, I will not be riding Lancer down the aisle!  But do expect some pictures with the horses!!  :)  ~ Eliza

February 21, 2011

Well, a big change in the weather since I last wrote.  It has been down right balmy here for over a week now.  It's great riding weather, and I've been teaching and riding a ton!  All my young horses are back in full training with me, including Hannah (Real name- Favulous) who just came back to me from her owner, Ellen.  Ellen has been doing a super job with Hannah all winter long, just light work for this fancy baby girl.  But now she's back with me, because in a month we head off to Williamston for the first show of the year - March Magic Dressage.  Hannah will be trying the FEI 4 year old test for the first time, and I'll be showing Gracie at the I-1 and coaching a few students.  I've updated the calendar on my website, so it should give you a good idea of my schedule for the next few months. 

I've been having super lessons from Bailey every other week, mostly with Gigi and Gracie.  Gracie is just feeling so fantastic.  I think I'm becoming pretty obnoxious when people ask me how she is, and just gush on and on about her!  Scott Hassler came in for a clinic, and I rode Miss Grace Face each day and also Acadiana on the 2nd day.  Acadiana handled herself so well at a new place and really settled down to the work after just a little wildness on the lunge line.  

Double Oh Seven is (finally!) really a riding horse.  He is going so nicely and gives a wonderful feel.  His owner, Catherine Cheney, has been such a help in the barn these past couple months.  She is also leasing Lanciano, an older former FEI YR horse, and really enjoying learning from him.  It's so inspiring to have Emme and Catherine around each day,  both are so hard working and really want to learn.  I can't ask for more!  

Looks like it is going to be a very busy show season this spring.  I hope all of you are also enjoying this weather and riding every day.  Check back often for updates or visit me on Facebook! ~Eliza

January 11, 2011

It's snowy and icy and yucky, and so here I am getting lots of computer work done.  I've been really working with my students lately (and myself) on coming up with some goals for 2011.  All my regular students have been great about planning what they really want to accomplish with their horses in 2011.  It's exciting to think about.  I'm a planner, so I'm in my element sitting here in front of my computer, planning out the whole year of shows for all the different horses I'm riding and coaching.  With horses, plans never quite work out like you'd hoped, but it's still worthwhile to put your goals down and paper and craft a plan for how to accomplish those goals.  

So my challenge to any of you out there reading this, what are your goals?  Write them down.  Break them into specific, realistic steps and then figure out how to accomplish each step.  It will focus you and give you something concrete to work towards.

This year I have many goals, but I'll just give you all a few of them:

Compete Gracie successfully at the I-1 and qualify for Regional Championships (one score to go!)  Create a freestyle for her and compete with it by the fall of 2011.  Improve the GP work - piaffe/passage, 1 tempis and pirouettes.

Compete Gigi successfully at 1st level and qualify for Regional Championships.  Continue teaching her 2nd level movements and compete at 2nd level test 1 by the fall.

Debut all my 4 year olds (4 of them!) successfully and happily.  If things keep working out, qualify any or all of them for the National Young Horse Championships in Lamplight in August.  If not, work towards qualifying them at Training level for the Regional Championships.  

Those are my competition goals, but I have other goals that are not competition related, and yours don't have to be either.  If you just want to feel confident hacking your horse out alone through the trails, that's as worthwhile a goal as it is to compete at the Grand Prix.  Challenging ourselves makes us better riders, and it keeps our horses interested as well!  Happy riding ~ Eliza

December 14, 2010

Ahhh, winter is here in full force!  I write to you now from under about 12 layers of clothes, but I'm still working hard, riding and teaching (those brave souls who still agree to lessons in this weather!)  All the horses are going very well.  I'm actually really excited to have a few months of quiet training time with no shows to prepare for or any big events to rush of to.  Gracie is feeling better than ever, and all my "babies" are coming along so well!

I am still writing for Barnby Notes, and they have opened some of the professionals' notebooks up to the public.  So check it out at www.barnbynotes.com.  

I have two really fabulous horses for sale, and I have updated their pages here, so visit the horses for sale pages and check out Ronin and Santee, or better yet, come see them for yourself!

I make very regular updates on my Eliza Sydnor Dressage Facebook page, so if you're not already a fan, please look me up!  I hope you all have a wonderful holiday season, and that your horses are warm and cozy on these cold nights!  Thanks for stopping by ~ Eliza

September 12, 2010

Seems like the summer came and went in a flash.  Things are going really well here on the farm, except that we are praying for a little rain and an end to these flies.  We're finally starting to get some cooler nights, so I know it's around the corner! 

I've been very busy with horses in training, teaching here on the farm and away in clinics and doing a fair amount of shows.  I give very regular updates on Facebook, so make sure you become a fan of Eliza Sydnor Dressage on there!  I have some beautiful new horses in training - lots of youngsters. 

I'm proud to announce my newest sponsor, FITS.  FITS is a fabulous compay who makes all kinds of riding apparell, however they are mostly known for their britches.  They have a different design to them, and they are the most comfortable riding pants you'll ever wear.  Please check them out at www.fitsriding.com.  They also make beautiful shirts, stock ties, etc.  I'm so excited to have them as a sponsor, because I really believe in what they produce. 

I'm also going to be writing regularly for Barnby Notes - www.barnbynotes.com.  They make beautiful training notebooks for riders.  There are notebooks specifically designed for taking notes at clinics/symposia and also for practicing tests, or just keeping track of your daily progress.  They also offer online notebooks, both private and public.  The public ones will give a glimpse into the regular training of a rider like myself, as I chronicle my progress with certain horses.  Make sure you check it out. 

We are gearing up for a really busy couple of months here on the farm.  We are having our second on-farm wedding, September 25.  Then we'll have a big workshop focused on my dad's efforts with sustainable agriculture the next weekend, followed by a clinic with my good friend and excellent trainer, Eiren Crawford, October 5 & 6.  Then the following weekend is a going away party for some good friends who are moving as well as a show down in Raeford, NC.  And then October 16 is our 2nd annual FINAL BANQUET!!  I hope all of you can come to this.  Last year the theme was Arabian Nights, and it was such a blast.  This year we are hosting an evening with Mark Twain, where guests will be invited to help Mr. Twain finish his newest book, Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.  You can't miss it.  Plus, that same weekend will be a clinic with Gerhard Politz.  Phew!  No rest for the weary...

Thanks for checking in on my website.  I wish all of you fabulous rides! ~Eliza

June 20, 2010

Things are going very well here, except that it is SWELTERING!  I wasn't expecting this heat so soon, but what can you do?  We're just trying to keep the horses cool and not kill ourselves in the heat.  Which is much easier, now that I have two FABULOUS working students.  Greta Friesen came at the beginning of May and has a wonderful Hanoverian gelding, Astaire, who will be her partner for the summer until he has to go back to being a school horse for St. Andrews College.  Emme Johnston arrived the first of June, after graduating from Mt. Holyoke College, and brought her horse, Jake, a lovely Irish TB gelding.  These girls have just been wonderful, and I am so grateful for their help!

There has been a little bit of confusion from some about the management of Braeburn Farm.  As of April 1, I took over managing the farm.  However, my mom, Cindy Sydnor, is still very actively training, teaching, judging and clinicing.  It appears some people thought my takeover of management meant that my mom was retiring.  But those of you who know her know that will probably NEVER happen!  This way she can do all that she wants to do, and none of what she doesn't want to do.  :)

I have a lovely new horse in training, a 2007 Oldenburg mare by Royal Prince, named Acadiana.  She is owned by Gerry Orlando from Efland, and came to me June 7.  She has already been lightly started and is just a joy to work with.  She has three good gaits and a super disposition.  I am excited for her future!

I will be clinicing in Waxhaw, NC, June 29 & 30, and then in Charleston, SC, July 10 & 11.  Then we will be headed to the Dressage at Lexington show, July 16-18.  Hope to see some of you there!

May 15, 2010

Ok, so I know it's been way too long since I updated the news here.  But I have been trying to re-do the website so that I can update it regularly rather than have my webmaster do it.  And that proved a little more complicated than I thought!  But it's done, and now I can (hopefully) give you more regular updates.  I'm still new to this, so the best way to follow along with my progress is to become a fan on Facebook.  Just search for Eliza Sydnor Dressage!

I've been to three shows already this spring, and things are running a million miles an hour here!  But I'm loving it.  My students have been doing great at the shows, and I've been really proud of all of them.  I had two really disappointing shows with Gracie early this spring, and I just couldn't figure out what was going on.  She's been SO hard to put weight and muscle on, and while she was going FANTASTICALLY this winter, she really shut down on me in the show ring.  I finally bit the bullet and paid for a scoping, and we found out that poor Momma has bad stomach ulcers.  So she is in the first week of her treatment right now, and I'm really hoping that this will help her to be her wonderful self at shows in the future.  She is such a talented mare, but as many of you know, she's never been easy.  (That's how I ended up with her!!)  But I love this mare, and I'm excited to see how she progresses once her tummy feels better. 

I've started working regularly with Double Oh Seven (owned by Catherine Cheney), who has lived at our farm since he was 6 months old.  He is three now, and he is blowing us all away.  He is just the MOST beautiful young horse with three incredible gaits and the sweetest disposition.  He's lungeing beautifully, and I've been on him a couple times now.  He's really much more concerned with his cookies than with me on his back!  I'm very excited for his future with Catherine - what a horse!  Below is 007, Ellen's 1st ride on Hannah, and Ellen strutting her stuff with Max at the Pinehurst show.

I'm also very excited to welcome Greta Friesen as my new working student.  She arrived a week ago, and she has just jumped right in and become invaluable already.  We picked up Astaire yesterday, a horse she is leasing for the summer from St. Andrews College.  He is lovely, and I'm excited to see their progress. 

We have many horses for sale right now.  I am still figuring out how to update that info on this site, so please email me or call for more information.  I know of many for sale, from youngsters to trained horses, in all different price ranges.  Here are a few photos of White Pearl from the Dressage in the Sandhills show, taken by WNC Photography.

 February 16, 2010

  

~Eliza

January 18, 2010

I've also created a Facebook page for Eliza Sydnor Dressage, so take a look and become a fan!! 

November 23, 2009

 

 

Eliza & Bella (aka Urietta), owned by Joan Maynard, photo by Pat Girard. 

 

 
Photos by Cindy Sydnor (no reproduction without permission)