LimeLite Dressage Daily Tips and Activity

Tango and Sue get 70.395 at LA show in Burbank last weeend!!!!!!!

2012-02-02T07:09:00.000-08:00

It was amazing feeling. He was a bit hesitant the first day and we came out the second day and he was just there under me like he needed to be. We have been working on accuracy before the brilliance. The judge even wrote "VERY ACCURATE TEST". We were thrilled. We just want to get solid together and then amp it up. I am so proud of him and the work that we have done together. I am lucky to have great coaches when I need them, an amazing willing horse, and a wonderful family. I am a very happy person. Thank you Graham for all your help!!!

Tango and Sue get 67.895 at first show at Prix St George in Thermal, CA!!!!!!!

2012-01-14T19:03:00.000-08:00

Hello. We are back from Thermal where we were showing with quite a line up. The top riders were there and were in rare form. It was just fantastic being there and watching everyone get in the ring before the first CDI starts here in CA. The weather was fantastic. Not too hot, not too cool (except early mornings were quite chilly in the desert). Tango had a couple of mistakes in his first test the first day but still had a 63. Then the next day we rode more conservative but was a cleaner test, and then today he was in rare form!!! I was thrilled with the score. He tied for first but ended up second. I just couldnt be happier. Graham was busy manning the LimeLite Custom Saddlery booth and helping me when I rode and video taped me. I will try to get the video up on utube but NO promises. I am quite techno deficient. I will put a link on the post here if I get it done! I want to say Thank you again to all who helped me get here and really appreciate everything you have done. The last 3 yrs have been a struggle and I am really really grateful to all your help. You know who you are!!!! We are gearing up for the next show in Burbank in 2 weeks. I will keep you all posted on what is happening. My new years resolution is to keep up with this blog!!! GO TANGO!!!!

LimeLite Dressage Riders Get Champion and Reserve High Percentage at Show in Burbank

2011-04-24T19:51:00.000-07:00

Congratulations Tiffany Mahoney and Arabella for getting Highest Percentage Champion of the Horse Show in Burbank this Weekend!! Congratulations Julie Unvert and Veritas for getting Reserve Highest Percetage of the same horse show. WE couldnt be more pleased. All your hard work paid off. This was their first dressage show ever for both of the riders and horses. WOW!!!! Go LimeLite Dressage. We also took Marlena, Michelle Mills mare. Marlena was just getting over some shoeing issues that we changed the day before the show. She did wonderful despite the lack of being able to be ready as we hoped because of the issues that cropped up. She was third in her class at third level. We felt really blessed about all our hard work. We all had a wonderful time. The weather was wonderful. We are loving our new small private facility in Harmony Grove.

Congratulations Tiffany and Arabella

2010-10-29T17:46:00.000-07:00

We want to Congratulate student Tiffany M. on her purchase of Arabella, a four year old beautiful and spectacular Oldenburg mare. She is an amazing mare and Tiffany is the perfect owner for her. We are so very pleased to have her in the barn with our other very incredible horses. Our barn is gearing up for the next year's show season. We are certain to have success within the barn this year. I cant get over the number of quality horses and riders we have. We are putting together the show season as we speak. Happy Riding to ALL!!!!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

2009-12-29T19:31:00.000-08:00

This is the time to reflect on the past year. Cherish the memories of old and look to making new ones. Lets look to the future of 2010 and make new goals that benefit the welfare of our horses and ourselves and loved ones. I wish the best for all of you that have supported me this past year. I thank you for all of your understanding and good words. I could not have done it without all of you. LimeLite Dressage is alive and well. We are going strong and growing. I am most thankful for the wonderful friendships and goodness that our friends and family have surrounded Graham and I with. Thanks to All!!!!!! Warm Regards, Sue and Graham

New York! Here we come!

2009-12-21T21:18:00.000-08:00

We are finally headed to NY for Christmas. A two day delay in our plane but we are almost on the plane!!! yea!! I will keep you posted. So excited to see the Big Apple..

Welcome Stephanie and Navarro

2009-12-12T20:58:00.000-08:00

We want to extend a welcome to new student Stephanie and her horse Navarro. I have been working with both of them for the last month and they are doing a super job. Navarro is a super cool customer that is trained through 4th level and he and Stephanie are looking forward to a great career together. Stay posted for their progress. We extend a warm wish for all of you and the holidays. Be sure to spend time with those that matter to you!!! Happy Riding! Sue

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!!!!

2009-12-12T20:53:00.000-08:00

Hi All! I have made several trips to Colorado and Arizona since I last did my blog. Things are great here. Rain Rain and more Rain. We needed it and the rings have really held up. I get to quite a few barns and have to say we have been blessed with rings that are super in the rain. The big jump arena so far has not been down at all if you are brave enough to ride in the rain. Looking forward to Christmas and starting the new year with some wonderful rides and shows.

Welcome Taharra Morris-Reed

2009-10-25T12:33:00.000-07:00

Ok, so.....long time no blog. I apologize. We moved houses at the end of Sept and then found out we had to move AGAIN. So....we have been diligently looking for a place and are getting ready to move again this week. Thank goodness we do not have to interrupt the horse schedule to do that. We have a great announcement. We have a new working student in our barn and her bio will be posted on the website soon. She is doing an incredible job. We would like to extend a warm welcome to Taharra Morris-Reed from Carlsbad, CA. We are very excited to add her to our team. We are able to fill more spots in the barn and will be doing more young horse training now that she is here. We invite you to come to the barn and check out the horses and the new addition to our team. Happy Riding to all and we look forward to seeing you!!!!!

2009-08-04T13:57:00.000-07:00

Hi All,

We are headed to Colorado for our next clinic tomorrow. We just made a trip to AZ in the heat. I must tell you that it was not quite as bad as I expected. Some of the dressage barns we visited were beautiful. They all had misters and fans and they were very comfortable and all had covered arenas. Very very nice. The horses are all doing very well. We are looking at the show season but are thinking of waiting until the late fall, early winter so its not so....hot. It has been a bit hot here in San Diego county. Mostly humidity is making it hot right now. I will be scheduling a clinic again in Sept for Colorado. If you are in need of a saddle, please call , Custom Saddlery for a fitting. 760-332-9515 or go to the website at www.mysaddle.com. They have some incredible saddles and the service is great!! Happy Riding!! Sue

2009-07-28T07:10:00.000-07:00

Hi All, July has been a very busy month for me. We love it at Circle P. The footing is wonderful. We are starting a monthly get together for everyone at the barn and Pinky is doing the prelim work to get all of the info together on what evenings each month we will have it. It has been hot in all of San Diego county but it is very nice in the afternoons as a cool ocean breeze comes up as the barn and arenas are on top of a big mountain. The views from up there are great and on a cool day you can see the ocean. The horses are coming along nicely and we are looking at starting the show season next year in Dec. The horses are all ready to go. We want to put a few final touches on and solidify a few things and then we are off and running. I am headed to AZ for a few days on horse business and then next week to Colorado to do my monthly clinics. We have 2 people looking for nice amateur horses at about 3rd level. If you are reading this blog and have something, PLEASE give me a call. Our budgets are fairly low but we really just want something very quiet but forward. We don't need size either. So....if that helps. Back to work!!!! Happy Riding! Cheers!

2009-07-05T08:32:00.000-07:00

Hello, We are very excited about our move to Circle P. Pinky, the owner, has just finished some final minor adjustments on the footing to make it absolutely primo footing. The horses are loving their bigger stalls with runs on them. Antonio takes incredible care of the horses. We are very pleased to be there. We find there is a wonderful breeze as we sit atop a hill and still are able to get the ocean breeze. We have revamped a portion of the tack room to make it very nice for our clients. Graham has worked very hard to make all kinds of remodeling to make everyone feel at home and so all is convenient, efficient and very nice. We want to encourage anyone to come and visit us there. Just give us a call and we will make time to show you around. The place sits on top of a lovely flat area of 18 acres. I have to tell you this is the best deal in all of North County. We have all weather footing and are never down for more than a day in the rain. The stalls are ALL 12X16 and 12 of them have runs. They still use shavings (yes, nice clean lovely shavings) which is nice. Take care!!Happy Riding!!

2009-06-10T12:47:00.000-07:00

Hi HI HIIII!! I have been remiss in keeping up the blog. I have been busy going to Colorado doing the clinic there. I had a great time and everyone is improving so....much and I am super super impressed. I really am grateful to the loyalty of everyone there and it is really paying off for them in the improvement of their riding and the development of their horses. I just want to thank all of you for your support. I spent a week with my son and we went to Magic Mountain six flags and I have to tell you that I have never been so....excited to get back on my horses. My oh my, the adrenaline was flying that day. haha. We had a great time but I think it took me 2 days to recover. Even the horse shows dont make me that tired. Who would think all that fun was so exhausting. I am gearing up for a big busy month of June and we have a lot going on. I will be back in colorado on June 25th and 26th. I am looking forward to that again. We are going to be the horses to Circle P in Escondido and will be training out of there. Several of the clients live that direction and it will take 35 minutes off of their daily drive. We are looking forward to the new place and are going to miss Dove Hollow but we will be going back there often too. We feel lucky to have the options we do for training facilities. I will be in touch soonwith more updates. happy riding!!!

2009-05-26T08:37:00.000-07:00

Hi All! I hope you had a great Memorial Day Weekend. We went up to Dana Point Harbor and spent the afternoon on a wonderful sunny perfect day walking around and looking at the art work at the art show. It was very nice and relaxing. Even Missy (our dog) enjoyed herself. I am getting ready to head to Colorado for a clinic there on Wednesday. Debbie McDonald was at our farm again the weekend before giving the clinic she donated to the Young Riders Program that people bid on in the silent auction. The horses are doing well and making superb progress. The weather has been absolutely perfect. Sunny with a cool breeze. Aaaahh. very nice. Take care all and Happy Riding!!

2009-05-20T06:57:00.000-07:00

Hi All, Things are moving along well this week. Several students are having some major breakthroughs. It is a very exciting time. The horses are having their own excellent progression also. Karen just got a new saddle for Waltzy and we have been playing around with that. She is like a person with a new car. She had a grin on her face and said, "I LOVE IT, I LOVE IT". A saddle is so.....important and can make such a difference. I have experienced it myself. It can make a rider go from being afraid and low self-esteem to confident and quiet. It is quite amazing. Be sure you always have the right saddle for you and your horse. Have a great rest of the week and I will be back soon :-)

2009-05-14T12:35:00.000-07:00

Hello!! Graham has been making new dressage letters for the upper arena. It is looking good. We are super excited to see them. The new mirrors that were put in about a month ago are spectacular. The horses are doing really well and Karen and Waltzy had grins on their faces this week (both of them) as they are really getting to know each other well. Tanya, Ashley, Karen, and Kristen, are really improving in their riding. They are progressing up to the upper level movements and are really getting good at the dressage arena geography. This really takes some practice and they have been working really hard at it. Good job!! We are going to add traveling to Temecula for a couple of clients that need some lessons there on a weekly basis. If you are an interested Temeculan or in that vicinity, please give us a call and we can tell you the schedule. Take care and Happy Riding!!

2009-05-09T10:42:00.000-07:00

Hi All!!!! This week has been a lot of fun and very interesting. We have opened up the upper arena and taken the dressage court out for a couple of weeks and it has been super super fun. We can work on all our dressage movements with pretty much NO restrictions. I want to add that Lilly Marlena, my sponsors horse, has been doing wonderful. She has moved over to a bigger area since she is so young. We continually get compliments every where we ride as to how beautiful and what an amazing mover she is. Tango has had a super week also. He is really getting his tempi changes down well. Waltzy is super happy with his new owner, Karen. When he walks by the grass area, he always thinks that he gets to eat because his new owner loves him and spoils him. I am so.....happy Karen is treating to the life he deserves. The others are also very very well and progressing. I guess summer is here and it is warming up for all of us dressage trainers here in San Diego. Happy Riding!!!

2009-05-04T06:46:00.001-07:00

Hi All, It has been a whirlwind two weeks. We went to the World Cup in Las Vegas, had the Axel Steiner Clinic, the Del Mar National Horse Show for 4 days, then left to do a 2 day clinic in Colorado. I have to thank my student Deanna Martin for putting on another successful clinic in Colorado. We had amazing breakthroughs with the riders, the weather was superb (70's) and was just downright a good time. I am looking forward to the next one May 28-29. We flew into San Diego on Sat morning at 9:30 and were back to work at 10:30 a.m. riding horses. They all were happy and seemed to enjoy their time off but glad to go back to work. We had Jane Weatherwax at our barn this weekend for 2 days. Everyone seemed to enjoy it very much and it was very informative. There were lots and lots of good instruction had by all. We are looking forward to a normal couple of weeks hopefully. We have our new clothing items (hats, shirts, jackets, etc...) with our logo on them and everyone is loving them. The feedback we are getting is fantastic. Thanks to everyone who supports us!!! Happy Riding. I promise to be back to this blog soon!!!

2009-04-22T11:38:00.000-07:00

Wow. A bit of heat the last few days. Thank goodness for the covered arena. We had the Axel Steiner clinic at our farm yesterday. Tango and I rode in it and it was hot even in the shade. HaHa. He was a good boy and Axel really worked us both at all the PSG movements. He gives great training advice and show tips. It is really wonderful getting that judges perspective on things. Remember, the Del Mar National starts tomorrow and don't forget to get your tickets for the Sat night Freestyles. We need to support our sport here in California. There are a lot of FEI level riders at this show and it is worth coming to watch. We are getting a group together to sit in the stands. We always bring snacks and have a grandstand party. Just let us know if you want to go. We will be getting the tickets today or tomorrow. Take care and happy riding. P.S. Watch for a new website to get greatly discounted new tack items. Our client Karen is putting together a new discount store. Happy Riding!!!!

2009-04-19T20:43:00.000-07:00

Hello!!! First of all, I have to say Congratulations to Karen Farmer and her purchase of Waltzy. We are even more excited as he is staying at our farm and will stay in training with me. I have been riding him for 3 years and am so....happy he is staying. Karen does a wonderful job with him and they both look like they have been patiently waiting for one another to appear in their lives. He is already bonded to Karen and is happy to teach her all that he knows. Karen is a good rider with wonderful feel and I am really excited to be able to teach the both of them together. It is a fairytale story that is just starting!! Also, we just got back from the World Cup. WOW!!!!! It was amazing to see an American win the World Cup but even more amazing that it happened on home soil. How cool is it that our own San Diego Dressage Trainer and Rider Steffen Peters was the winner. BOTH NIGHTS!!!! Graham and I had a wonderful time. We sat right over the arena on the second row at H. It was amazing. We sat next to the owners of Raval. We met lots of wonderful people and caught up with old and dear friends also. It was wonderful to see all of my friends from Colorado in addition to California. Way to Go USA!!! We were back at work today and riding all the horses and teaching lessons. We are excited also, we met with our embroidery people and we are going to have our shirts and hats for all our clients. Hang in there, they are almost ready!!!! Look for our logo and name on Dressage Training Online. We are listed there also. It is gonna be another HOT one tomorrow so stay cool and Happy Riding!!!

2009-04-13T17:32:00.001-07:00

Happy Day After Easter!! We were all joking around at the barn that the horses had to carry around extra pounds today after such good Easter weekend that was had by all. We had a fun weekend with some new students that came to ride. The World Cup Dressage and Jumping is coming up in Las Vegas this week. We will be headed there on Thurs to watch the Dressage. I am looking forward to the fun there also. I cant wait to walk through all of the vendors and look at their items. It should be a lot of fun. Then the Del Mar National starts on Wednesday after that. It is a fun filled exciting Dressage month. I have to say that living here in San Diego is a Dressage Riders Paradise. Dont forget your taxes are due this week!! Congrats to all who have filed them already. Cheers!

2009-04-08T15:46:00.000-07:00

Hi All, It's been a while since I posted my blog. We went to the show at Indio this past weekend. We pretty much got a complete sand blasting facial while we were there. We were laughing that people pay big money for that and we got it for free. (Probably much nicer in the doctor's office, ha ha). We all were joking that by Friday evening we had sand in places we didnt even know existed. UGH!! The winds were really really bad. I laughed at Graham as we were driving up and said , as we saw about 2500 wind turbines (windmills that make electricity), "that should have been our first clue it is windy here". Lots of horses went from the barn and some it was their first time out. Tango debuted at 4th level. He did pretty good considering he hasnt been anywhere for a while. He was a bit tired though and I had my hands full keeping him up in front. He did not disappoint us in the moments when he was spectacular though. We got 4 "8's" in our test that day. I have not been to a horse show with just one horse to ride in over 10 years and I felt like I was on a mini-vacation (goes with the sand blasting spa treatment Friday LOL). We have such a fun and supportive group from our barn. We had a lot of laughs and celebrations. Congratulations to Amy Walker on her debut at Grand Prix. We are there to support you. You go Girl!! We got back on Sunday afternoon and promply worked 2 horses and went home and crashed. The horses are in top form this week and things are staying on track. We want to thank all our clients and friends that support us. So....back to wonderful Dressage Training and Riding in lovely San Diego!! Happy Riding!!!

2009-04-01T20:21:00.001-07:00

Hello All! We are starting our series of Monthly Dressage Clinics to be held two days in the last week of each month in Grand Junction, CO. One of my wonderfully talented students, Deanna Martin, is hosting these clinics. It is a great way for me to keep in touch with my former clients, and to visit my family that is still there. We started the first one there in March and it was so....much fun to get on some of the former horses that I had in training. I realized how much I missed riding the horses and teaching their owners. Colorado is a lovely state. However, I do like the year round riding climate here in San Diego and Encinitas, CA. Happy Riding!!

2009-03-29T12:55:00.000-07:00

April is going to be a very exciting month. Horse shows, World Cup, Del Mar National. Fun, Fun, fun, and in between we have even more fun riding, learning, training, and teaching. There are more exciting things going on at our facility too. We are getting a BBQ area (for more fun!) and then improvements to our cross ties. We want to thank Graham for all his hard work keeping things improving. The weather is absolutely awesome. We spent Saturday late afternoon at a beach restaurant on Harbor Island (right on the bay-could hear the water splashing the deck we were sitting on :-D) with family remembering why we live in this amazing place. This is going to be another GREAT month for dressage trainers in San Diego!! Happy Riding!

2009-03-24T21:27:00.000-07:00

Well....it has been a very exciting 4 days. We spent Saturday and Sunday at the Robert Dover clinic. WOW! is all I have to say. It was amazing. I know why he is one of the best riders, teachers, and trainers. Rumour has it he is coming back this year too. I encourage anyone to watch. We then left the clinic on Sunday and went to Grand Junction, Colorado, to give a 3 day clinic there. It has been really fun. Watching the horses change for the better and riders improve is always such a delight. One more day at the clinic and then home late on Wednesday night and back at work on Thursday. We also want to wish Brian a safe trip with one of his new horses back to Minnesota..Happy Riding!!!!

2009-03-19T18:55:00.000-07:00

Spring has arrived! It is warming up and starting to feel like it. The flowers are blooming and everything is getting more colorful than it already is. We have had a lot of laughs this week. Everyone seems to be extra happy at the barn this week. The show was a success and the horses and riders just seem happy. We have some new faces around the barn and a couple of new ones coming. I must say Welcome to All!! and also"Thank You" to those that have been with me. We have ROBERT DOVER coming to the farm this weekend. It is VERY exciting. I hope to see you all there. Happy TGIF Day tomorrow. Happy Riding!! (and auditing).

2009-03-15T21:30:00.000-07:00

We have been at the Dressage AffaireHorse Show in Del Mar watching all of the wonderful rides Fri-Sun. Brian Hafner from our barn at Dove Hollow won 2 of 2 Young Rider (PSG level) classes. Good JOB Brian and Lombardo!!!! We watched the up and coming riders and the ones that are "already there". It always inspires me. I can't wait to get on my horses tomorrow. I will be in touch!!!

2009-03-06T22:30:00.000-08:00

Hello Dressage Riders in San Diego County!! It is TGIF day. We have the Axel Steiner Clinic tomorrow (Saturday) at Dove Hollow. The horses had a great week as did all the riders. The weather has been perfect in my standards. I love the cool temperate weather here in the winter. The footing has turned out super in the lower arena. I rode in the upper, indoor, and lower arena today. Missy, my Corgi dog, has decided she is absolutely in love with everyone and every dog at the barn. She just makes the rounds each day and hopes she can go for a ride with just ANYBODY. She is the eternal optimist. She is very very happy there. She even begs the guys to let her ride in the golf cart. Have a super weekend. Talk to you all on Monday!!! TTFN

2009-03-04T14:38:00.000-08:00

Today was another perfect day in San Diego for dressage trainers and anyone who likes the outdoors. Horses had a great day. Waltzy was a superstar today. We decided to start doing cavaletti work on Wednesdays to help break up the week for the horses. We decided to try jumping Waltzy just for fun and he LOVED it. He is such a cool horse. He just takes everything in stride. I think we will start jumping him once a week just for fun. The trails are lovely here also. Karen is taking Billy out on the trail Friday. I know they both are looking forward to that. Ok all, I will touch base tomorrow. Headed to Dog Beach with Missy (our Corgi) and then running errands.

2009-03-03T09:56:00.000-08:00

It's a new month for dressage trainers in San Diego. The big dressage circuit is in full swing. We are planning to hold off on the horse shows for a bit longer. The horses are doing great and we want to move them up a bit more and get them more confirmed where they are. We are so....proud of Marlena, our young horse. We had some setbacks with shoeing and now she is going even BETTER than before. We have gotten new footing in our lower arena and it is really, really nice. It is super fluffy and soft for the horses. Axel Steiner is giving a clinic at the barn on Sat, March 7th. AND then Robert Dover clinic on March 21st and 22nd. It is wonderful that Dove Hollow keeps bringing in super clinicians and keeping the education going there. It is so nice to have all that education at our place. If you are interested, please give us a call!! Have a good ride and remember to always enjoy your time with your horse. Our horses are a blessing along with many other things we all have.

2009-02-28T12:17:00.000-08:00

We arrived back from Colorado to hit the pavement running. Horses were all well and thanks to Brian's great riding they all were wonderful to sit on Thursday. San Diego weather is unbeatable and I greatly appreciated it although it was very nice and warm in Grand Junction, Colorado. The week has gone by quickly and it felt so....good to get back on a horse again. Please feel free to contact us if you need any type of services. We are available for night lessons and weekends too. The mission is to get all clients to set their goals and to ensure they are achieved according to the clients wishes. Those of you who have not gotten them to me......you know who you are!! Happy Riding. :-)

2009-02-23T20:57:00.001-08:00

Hello All!! I have gone back to Colorado to visit my family for a couple of days. Graham and I are enjoying ourselves and anxiously staying in touch with Brian Hafner, who is taking care of the horses while we are gone. It is quite warm here but has been raining. We will be headed back on Wed and cant wait to get back to the sunshine!! We are already missing the horses and our dog Missy. We speak with Brian daily on the training and to check in on how everyone is doing. We are especially privileged to have Brian to take care of them while we are away. We know they are in excellent hands. We just want to get back to training our dressage horses and riders in San Diego County!!!!

2009-02-20T16:46:00.001-08:00

Hello everyone. It is sunny and beautiful. We rode the horses in the outdoor arena today and were enjoying the beautiful San Diego, CA weather. Warm sunshine, cool ocean breezes. Aaaahhh. Tango was really amazing today and we are getting ready to show him in April at 4th level. Waltzy is confirmed at 4th-3 and hoping to move him up to PSG this summer. He is progressing nicely. Our schoolmaster, Billy, was teaching lessons on the tempi changes. He does them so nicely. Remember......less is more sometimes (most of the time). Marlena, my sponsors young horse, is doing well. We have high hopes for her. All the people and horses were amazing today. Well....take care everyone, we will see you soon in your lessons!!!!

2009-02-16T14:37:00.000-08:00

Today is Presidents day and it is POURING rain. All of the horses were wonderful today. It was a blast listening to the rain and still being able to ride under our WONDERFUL covered arena. It was raining so hard we could not hear each other talk. We are never down any days due to the weather. YIPPEE!!!! I worked on getting the horses stretched, loose, soft and supple from having their day off this weekend. They all seemed happy to be able to get out and work today. They all felt like butter. I am so thankful everyday for wonderful horses and what I do for a living.

2009-02-14T09:21:00.000-08:00

So...today is Valentines Day and a day off. We can't stay away from the barn though. We love our horses and will spend it with them accordingly. The weather is off and on again sunshine with showers. But...with our new place at Dove Hollow, we have a covered arena and do not have to worry about that. :-) HAPPY VALENTINES DAY TO ALL!!!!!!!!!