January 2012
“Horses are our mirrors—they reflect the best aspects of our selves as well as the things we need to work on.” ~Kate Cooler
Cooler Horsemanship, LLC
Fiore Farms, LLC
7600 Millbrook Road
Summerfield, NC 27358
843-227-2120
843-304-3407
Dare to Dream
Join the Cooler Horsemanship online library for $7.95 per month
Kate & James Cooler
A Christmas Spectacle
Foundation Groundplay and Saddleplay, Levels 1 & 2
$300 per person (one AM or PM session Saturday and Sunday); maximum 10 participants
$15/day or $20/weekend for auditors; free Friday night overview
The Cooler Horsemanship Christmas Special took place at Fiore Farms on December 20, 2011. Highlights included Elizabeth English (left) in costume as Mother Ginger, riding to “The Sugar Plum Fairy.” CH students rode and did ground play to various holiday tunes; Kate and Kleo wowed the crowd with their dressage moves while James performed freedom play with Indigo and tandem riding with the Roan Boys (aka Moonshine and Indigo). Click here for more details and photos of the show.
Looking Back, Heading Forward
In 2011 Cooler Horsemanship held two shows, five clinics, and four demos. James and Kate taught approximately 180 lessons and trained seven horses; 23 horses boarded at Fiore Farms in peak season. Events ranged from a course at the Guilford County Agricultural Center to a trail clinic to the SEFHA Colt Starter Challenge. Throughout the year, James and Kate shared their students’ joy as they built stronger relationships with their horses. “We couldn’t be prouder of all that our students accomplished in 2011,” says James. “We look forward to building on that progress this year.”
In this special edition of Cooler Horsemanship News, we offer a slideshow retrospective of 2011. Looking ahead to 2012, James and Kate and CH students talk about their dreams and goals for the year.
Read on to view the slideshow, enjoy a recap of the Cooler Horsemanship Christmas Special, and learn what’s on the horizon.
What a Year!
We are constantly adding instructional videos to our online library, which can be used as a stand-alone learning tool, or as a supplement to Cooler Horsemanship lessons and clinics.
Parting Shot
What are your goals for 2012? We asked several Cooler Horsemanship students that question—and their answers weren’t about losing weight or getting a new job. Read on to find out their hopes and dreams, and to learn what James and Kate want to accomplish with their horses, CH students, and the Cooler Horsemanship program this year.
Jeanette & Oberon: “I want to be able to ride Oberon on the trail this summer.”
Amanda & Zip: “I’d like to be able to do freedom play in the pasture without having Zip leave!”
Jane & Ben: “I want to get better at my horsemanship skills, especially all the ground work. I’d like to ride Ben on my own; I don’t care about trotting, but walking him is a definite goal.”
Elizabeth & Sonder: “My goal is to refine our recent success with cantering; I want asking Sonder for a canter to be as easy as asking for a trot.”
Mary & Mystic: “I’m really eager to work on freedom play with Mystic. Getting him to rear on command is a fantasy goal for the year.”
Jeanne & Rebekah: “I want to do freedom play, side pass on the ground and in the saddle, and ride Rebekah at the canter.”
James & Indigo: “I’m getting into jumping: I want to see how far I can advance. I have an eye on show jumping in the future.”
Kate & Kleo: “My biggest goal is to become more interesting to Kleo--to find ways to get her motivated as we move to the next level.”
COOLER HORSEMANSHIP GOALS
James: “I see a lot of our students progressing toward freedom play, and I’m excited to help them achieve that level. In terms of the overall program, my biggest goal is to hold 15-20 clinics this year.”
Kate: “I’m still working on myself as a teacher. I want to become a better instructor and communicator.”
Friday: overview, 6-7:30 PM
Saturday: 8 AM-noon, 1-5 PM
Sunday: 8 AM-noon, 1-5 PM
The clinic focuses on achieving calmness and responsiveness in your horse while building a relationship based on trust and understanding.
© 2012 Cooler Horsemanship / Editor: Mary Seymour mseymour58@gmail.com / Photographer: Margaret Bednar mbednar@triad.rr.com
Mary Seymour captured this image of James’ horse, Indigo, peering through the barn door. With his face in shadow and the rest of him in sunlight, he looks part ghost horse, part flesh-and-blood horse.
