Find out who sold!

Hi Everyone!

This week has been an exciting week!  We want to send a huge CONGRATULATIONS to Malia on her purchase of her dream horse, PL Diamond's Inspiration.  Malia has been following Izzy for two years now!  We are so happy and honored that you chose Izzy as your dream horse, and we wish you the best as you two develop together!  Izzy will be living in the lovely state of Washington!

Malia and her newest family member, Izzy!

We are also super excited that Alice, Glenda's Irish imported mare came home from training with Tim Bourke!  Thank you Tim for all the amazing work you did with her!  We are looking forward to an active fall eventing season!  

Photo Courtesy of Mary Pat Stone

Alice and Tim through the water at Hunt Clubs, where she secured first place in a very competitive Novice division!

Keep an eye out for Glenda and Alice this fall throughout Area 2!  

See you all around!

Carrolton comes to Playland Equestrian Center again for this year's Roading of the Hounds!

Hi Everyone,

We are once again excited to invite back Carrolton Hunt Club for a Roading of the Hounds on August 28th!  We will be riding off at 8:30am.  We invite everyone to join us in the fun!  We will have a potluck brunch following our ride.

Please R.S.V.P. to Glendaplayer@gmail.com if you would like to join us!

Alice's Wins First at Hunt Clubs!

Hey Everyone,

Definitely a bragging moment here!  Since I have been travelling a bit this month, I decided to put my lovely Irish import in training with Tim Bourke.  Tim just took her to Hunt Clubs HT for her first go at eventing.   Tim competed her in the Novice level at Hunt Clubs.  I couldn't be happier with his hard work training her, and it shows by their WIN of FIRST place of a very competitive Novice division. A huge THANK YOU goes out to Tim, and his entire fantastic team!  I am looking forward to my hectic summer to settle and to bring my mare home!  Expect to see us out and about this fall!  YAY!

Thank you to Mary Pat Stone for taking this fantastic picture!

Photo credits to my bff; Brook. 

Looking forward to seeing you all this fall!
Cheers,
Glenda

Izzy's adventures!

Hi Everyone,

I just wanted to update you on how much this fantastic girl has developed!  Izzy is a home bred at Playland Equestrian Center, LLC.  She is a 4 yr old, dark bay filly.  She has improved in her training by leaps and bounds!

As soon as I returned to Maryland soil from my wonderful time in Colorado, I headed on over to the Maryland Horse Trials grounds to take advantage of their open cross country schooling on their recognized course.  Multiple students of mine went, and I rode Izzy!  She was perfect!  Such a brave girl that was bold to many various Beginner Novice fences! Additionally, she has schooling at Gordansdale with a young rider!  I am so proud of how she has developed this summer, that I wanted to focus one blog completely on her!  The night of 8/3/16 she even completed her first twilight starter event at the MD horse trials!

Enjoy these videos of Izzy!  For more videos, check out my youtube channel, Glenda Player.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Yva_uy0FXI

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0LFi9ApWBmU

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NYa52yaBDFg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_J9DUCwwrPU

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KE9ir1s-ILg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L1YvdNdPYZE

A shout out to all my students that came with us is in order, as everyone rode superb!

Cheers!

Continueing my education in C.O.R.E. Rider!

Hi Everyone!

I have been so busy having fun this past few weeks of July, that I haven't gotten a chance to update you all on the activities at Playland Equestrian Center, LLC and my life!  So I am going to do my best with a few updates to catch you all up on all the fun stuff that has been going on!

July brought a bit of travelling for me.  I was lucky enough to head off the farm from July 19th -26th to Colorado for an educational course in Mind Body Studies.  MBS Academy is one of my inspirations for developing the C.O.R.E. Rider program.  I was able to spend 5 days training with the head trainer of MBS, Mia Segal!

We worked on many different lessons.  All the lessons can be applied to the principles of movement we look for in quality riding and movement of a horse!  For example, throughness!  All of the various lessons focused on the connection through the human body of allowing the movement to travel through the entire spine (and one's entire body) for a more efficiently organized movement!

Mia even pulled me to the side and worked privately with me for one on one session!  I am so thankful I received this opportunity to take a week away from the farm, and continue my education!

Here are a couple pictures from some of the various courses that I have worked with MBS.

This picture is of Mia working with a fellow student.  Mia is providing feedback through touch to help this student feel how movement travels through her spine.

A picture of a couple of my good friends and fellow riders exploring some of the same concepts learned in class while seated in a saddle!

Photo credit goes to MBS Academy for each of these photos.  Thank you MBS!

Additionally,  huge thank you to everyone that took care of the horses while I was away!

Last but not least ....A shout out on a job well done to the following PL home bred owners!

On 7/24 at the Full Moon Farm Aloha Horse Trials, Virginia Strench with Black Diamond (formerly PL Black Diamond)placed 6th in Novice Rider-B and on 7/21-24 at The Event at Rebecca Farm (Kalispell, MT) Kelsey Devoille with PL Lucky Regina placed 5th in Sr. Open Training-D!  Way to go girls!  

Cross Country Schooling the youngsters! So much fun!

Hey Everyone!

Another busy week has come and gone!  We had a blast this past week adding more training to the youngsters here at Playland Equestrian Center!  Izzy furthered her training with jumping the Beginner Novice fences here at Playland, and even went to Gordansdale to school water, ditches, and more!  She did great, even when ridden by a 16 yr old!  Check out the small video clips below to see her progress!  We also want to give Annie, another upcoming Irish sales prospect, a shout out!  She is developing beautifully!  Soon we will update you on more videos of her progress! But for now, know that she is something special!  She came schooling with us, mostly as a hack horse - but she entered the water and jumped some small logs with confidence!  I love it when you give a youngster a patient, quiet start  -- it pays off!  While is seems slow in the beginning -- they improve by leaps and bounds later as they become confident in their ability! Thanks for sharing in watching their progress with us!

Here are a few more video clips of Izzy from this past week:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aTToi6QFVnU

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8CJviQSF28g

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EWJM0uLID3c

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aTToi6QFVnU

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7EAnlSsPu0g

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1GZ3HzdAcKk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QsoEv8CBMcA

We also want to congratulate the following homebreds and owners:

Louisa Woodville with Empress (formerly PL Lucky Empress) in placing 14th in the Open Training-C division at The Maryland Horse Trials #2 + CIC

and

Caroline Carney with PL Cha Cha for her 4th place finish in Novice Rider- B at the Chatttahoochee Hills Horse Trials on the weekend of 7/9-10.

Way to go team PL!

Have a great week!

Glenda

Fun times off the farm!

Hi Everyone!

This past week has been a busy and productive week at Playland Equestrian Center, LLC!  We have had the wonderful Tiffany Cunningham join us for a couple weeks to help out around the stables.  She has been fantastic, and we are on a mission to get as much done as possible!
  

Tiffany competing her horse, Sportsfield Jinx, at 

Millbrook Horse Trials in Preliminary.

Photo Credit Faith Potorski.

Izzy and Clover have been out multiple times this week - both to Waredaca's Tuesday evening show and to a clinic with Stephen Bradley at A Bit Better Farm.  Izzy was super impressive with her behavior off the property at both locations!  She stayed true to her bloodlines with a calm and quiet disposition!  Check out the link below for a video of Izzy at the Stephen Bradley Clinic! Keep in mind, Izzy is available for sale at Playland Equestrian Center, LLC.

https://youtu.be/xz3L3aCRfyI 

Also, a huge congratulations to Haley Hughes on The Consultant (formerly PL Irish Calib) for placing 11th in Open Preliminary-B at Chattahoochee Hills Horse Trials this past weekend!

Tell your friends!  Playland Equestrian Center, LLC is in search of a barn supervisor/ head groom.  Please send glendaplayer@gmail.com your resume if interested.

Weekend updates!

Good morning,

This past Saturday we hosted another CORE Rider Clinic at the farm and it went over very well! We had smaller groups with the new format which allowed for more one-on-one time and a more personal learning experience! Thank you to all of our riders who came and participated. We will be planning another CORE Clinic for later in the year so stay tuned for that announcement!

In the meantime, if you want to learn more about the CORE method or schedule a private CORE lesson with Glenda, visit: http://playlandequestriancenter.com/c-o-r-e-rider/


Also, sending a big congratulations to Louisa Woodville with Empress (formerly PL Lucky Empress) for their 18th place finish in a big Open Training-C division at the Surefire Horse Trials this past weekend!  Way to go!

Congratulations All Around and ISO Barn Supervisor!

Good afternoon everyone,

Today we have to send congratulations to Marjorie S. on her purchase of PL Ardan Hill! We can't wait to see how he develops with you and where the future takes you both because we know it will be great!

Also, congratulations to another one of our favorite homebred pairs, Louisa Woodville with Empress (formerly PL Lucky Empress) for their 6th place finish in Novice Senior 2 at the Seneca Valley Pony Club Horse Trials this past weekend!

What a great photo of Louisa and Empress taken by Katherine Rizzo! 

Also- please help us spread the word! We are in search of a  Head Groom / Barn Supervisor!

Playland Equestrian Center, a premier dressage and eventing barn in Frederick County, Maryland has a current opening for a long-term groom position with room to grow as a team. Lovely facility that has tons of potential for growth. Looking for the right person to grow with the farm long- term. Possibility of traveling south for the winter. Position comes with shared living quarters, board for one horse, and lessons. Person must have excellent communication skills, be people-oriented, organization skills, time efficiency, be detail orientated, and have a strong work ethic. Duties include daily horse care, supervising the working students, and client relations around the barn. The ideal candidate has experience grooming at FEI level horse trials. The job is for 6 days a week. Salary will be based on experience. Serious inquiries only. Looking for a long term commitment with a minimum of 6 months. Contact glendaplayer@gmail.com with your resume.

PL Students and Horses at Waredaca Starter!

This past weekend two of Glenda's students went to compete at the Waredaca Farm Starter Horse Trials in Laytonsville, Maryland. Both students had a great time. Maya Kuntze on PL Irish Queen got a 34.7 in dressage, had a clear stadium round, but 3 refusals in cross-country put them in 9th in their Beginner Novice division. Ashley Redman on her mare PL Irish Pearl also did well in dressage, had a clear stadium round and 1 refusal in cross-country in their Elementary level division. We don't have official placings but either way we are very proud of both these ladies and their Playland homebred horses! Remember, if you are looking for your own Playland homebred to help you accomplish your dreams, we have several for sale right now at: http://playlandequestriancenter.com/sales/

Ashley and Pearl on XC

Ashley and Pearl in Dressage

Maya and Queenie in Stadium

Maya and Queenie in Dressage

*All photos thanks to Maya Kuntze Photography*

Spots Filling Fast! Don't miss out! C.O.R.E. Rider Clinic Saturday June 25th

We are excited to announce another C.O.R.E. clinic at the farm! We have new un-mounted and mounted lesson plans for the clinic, including offering jumping lessons and private flat lessons!

The clinic consists of a day full of lessons with un-mounted group sessions followed by mounted lessons. Our new format breaks the clinic up into a morning and afternoon group, allowing for only a half-day commitment. (We know that weekend time is precious, so now you can come and enjoy the clinic and still have time for other commitments!)

We have also had some requests from previous clinics for private CORE lessons so we now have two spots available at the end of the day for 30-minute, private lessons with Glenda.

Information on the Clinic:

• ​Un-mounted group session: $35
• Un-mounted group session plus mounted small group lesson: $85
• Private, 30-minute lesson: $65 (Only 2 spots available. First come, first serve basis!) 

Tentative Clinic Schedule:
9:00-10:30am: Unmounted group #1( Morning session)
10:45-12:00pm: Mounted group #1 (3 riders max.)
12:00-1:15pm: Mounted group #2 (3 riders max.)
1:15-1:45pm: FREE LUNCH (provided!)
1:45-3:15pm: Unmounted group #2 (Afternoon session)
3:30-4:45pm: Mounted group #3 (3 riders max.)
4:45-6:00pm: Mounted group #4 (3 riders max.)
6:00-6:30pm: Mounted private #1
6:30-7:00pm:  Mounted private #2

*Contact Erinn at emurphy@arbee.net to sign-up today! Space limited, don't wait!*

Playland Show Results From The Weekend!

Congratulations to Ryan Hall with PL Sianna (Lily) for their 7th place finish in the Open Beginner Novice-1 division at the Willow Draw Charity Horse Trials in Weatherford, Texas. Lily is still very new to competition and is doing a wonderful job under Ryan's riding and instruction!

Ryan and PL Sianna- photo courtesy Ryan's Facebook 

Also congratulations to Kelsey Devoille with PL Lucky Regina for their 7th place finish in the Open Training division at the Equestrian Institute Horse Trials in Cle Elum, WA. Way to go!

We also have to send a special shout out to Ashley for her first move-up and event of the year with PL Irish Pearl. Although things didn't quite go as planned, we are still very proud of her and know there are good things to come in the future for this pair with a little time and work.

Playland Seeks Help for the Summer!

In search of a reliable GROOM ASSISTANT needed for the summer and fall at Playland! $ Paid position $ Tell your friends!

Playland Equestrian Center is seeking a groom for the summer and fall of 2016. This person will be working closely with Glenda assisting with turning in/out, grooming, tacking up, clipping/braiding, preparing for shows, bathing, administering medicines as needed, travelling to competitions and more! Must be a self-starter, have strong organization skills, be time efficient, and work independently while on a team. Exercising horses and accompanying to clinics and schoolings available for the right person. Would be a great step-up for someone who has previously been a working student and is looking to get started in the industry building a resume.
Position pays $200/week and exchange for board for one horse. Lessons may also be a possibility.

Email glendaplayer@gmail.com today to apply!

PL Homebreds: Where are they now? (Ari)

Continuing our 'Where Are They Now?' series for our homebreds today. Up next is Ari!

"As you may or may not know, Playland has been breeding horses for generations. Our goal with the Irish cross has been to produce a horse that has the endurance of an Arabian, the bone, temperament, and athletic nature of an Irish Draught in one horse that will exceed the test of any event course, show jumping, or dressage competition. We feel our Irish horses are capable of not only that, but are also excellent all around family and companion horses. Our sales motto is  even " Breeding, selling and training high-class amateur-friendly competition horses for all disciplines." 

"Ari" was purchased by Berott while she was still attending school at Wake Forest University. Berott and Ari are quite the pair and have successfully competed through the First-level of dressage and are currently schooling higher. Berott and Ari are are a great match and we love seeing PL homebreds succeeding in dressage too. We will definitely be on the lookout to see how far this duo can go "in the sandbox" this year!

PL Homebreds: Where are they now? (PL Zeiss)

Continuing our 'Where Are They Now?' series for our homebreds today. Up next is PL Zeiss!

"As you may or may not know, Playland has been breeding horses for generations. Our goal with the Irish cross has been to produce a horse that has the endurance of an Arabian, the bone, temperament, and athletic nature of an Irish Draught in one horse that will exceed the test of any event course, show jumping, or dressage competition. We feel our Irish horses are capable of not only that, but are also excellent all around family and companion horses. Our sales motto is  even " Breeding, selling and training high-class amateur-friendly competition horses for all disciplines." 

Let's check out our next homebred, PL Zeiss aka "Zeiss." He was purchased by amateur Tara who was referred to Playland through a friend. Tara and Zeiss have done a bit of everything from low-level eventing, to competing in some jumper classes at Swan Lake, to most recently competing in barrel racing at a fun show! Zeiss and Tara are a great match and are a prime example of how versatile the Playland homebred is and how far they can go with the right rider! We love this fun duo and can't wait to see what other adventures they get into together!

Photos courtesy of Tara's Facebook page

*To view our current sales horses please visit our website at: http://playlandequestriancenter.com/sales/

PL Homebreds: Where are they now? (PL Diamond Lace)

Continuing our 'Where Are They Now?' series for our homebreds today. Up next is PL Diamond Lace!

"As you may or may not know, Playland has been breeding horses for generations. Our goal with the Irish cross has been to produce a horse that has the endurance of an Arabian, the bone, temperament, and athletic nature of an Irish Draught in one horse that will exceed the test of any event course, show jumping, or dressage competition. We feel our Irish horses are capable of not only that, but are also excellent all around family and companion horses. Our sales motto is  even " Breeding, selling and training high-class amateur-friendly competition horses for all disciplines." 

Let's check out our next homebred, PL Diamond Lace who is now known as "Lace."  Lace was purchased back in 2010 by adult amateur Carly. Carly has done a phenomenal job bringing up Lace while she completed vet school! She and Lace are a great team and have successfully competed in many disciplines including eventing, jumpers and the hunters! Lace is also Carly's go-to trail horse and "hubby horse." Carly is now officially a veterinarian so we are not sure how much time she will have to compete Lace, but we do know that whenever she does, these two will be awesome!

Carly and lace shortly after purchase

Carly and Lace competing in the Jumpers

Carly and Lace schooling a Training-level fence 

Carly and Lace competing in the hunter ring 

Carly and Lace helping another horse into the water on a trail 

*To view our current sales horses please visit our website at: http://playlandequestriancenter.com/sales/

PL Homebreds: Where are they now? (PL Cha Cha)

Continuing our 'Where Are They Now?' series for our homebreds today. Up next is PL Cha Cha!

"As you may or may not know, Playland has been breeding horses for generations. Our goal with the Irish cross has been to produce a horse that has the endurance of an Arabian, the bone, temperament, and athletic nature of an Irish Draught in one horse that will exceed the test of any event course, show jumping, or dressage competition. We feel our Irish horses are capable of not only that, but are also excellent all around family and companion horses. Our sales motto is  even " Breeding, selling and training high-class amateur-friendly competition horses for all disciplines." 

PL Cha Cha, now known as "Cha," is owned and ridden by Caroline. The two of them are a great team and have done really well competing this year so far. Earlier in April they competed at Chattahoochee Hills with their USCA Eventing Team and finished 2nd in a very competitive Novice Horse division! Their college team also won the challenge and Caroline got third overall as a collegiate member out of all teams with the lowest score of her team. Caroline is excited and is getting ready to do the move-up to Training level. We are so proud of these two and can't wait to see how they do the rest of the season! Way to go Caroline!

Also, Playland is currently seeking another farm worker to join our team!

Reliable maintenance worker needed at Playland! Job duties include: splitting firewood, weed-wacking, bushogging, delivering round bales, maintaining fencing + grounds, plowing/shoveling snow, maintenance on farm machinery, basic plumbing, electrical, and various housing and building maintenance required, etc. Proficient in both safe operating and mechanical maintenance of various large tractors and other machinery required. Experiences with horses is not necessary as long as candidate is comfortable working around them. Housing is on site. Must be self-starter, strong organization skills, time efficient, and work independently while on a team. Email glendaplayer@gmail.com today to apply! 

PL Homebreds: Where are they now? (PL Black Diamond)

Continuing our 'Where Are They Now?' series for our homebreds today. Up next, PL Black Diamond!

"As you may or may not know, Playland has been breeding horses for generations. Our goal with the Irish cross has been to produce a horse that has the endurance of an Arabian, the bone, temperament, and athletic nature of an Irish Draught in one horse that will exceed the test of any event course, show jumping, or dressage competition. We feel our Irish horses are capable of not only that, but are also excellent all around family and companion horses. Our sales motto is  even " Breeding, selling and training high-class amateur-friendly competition horses for all disciplines." 

Let's check out our next homebred, PL Black Diamond who is now known as Vegas! Vegas is owned by junior rider Virginia and the two of them have had quite the run already together! Last July they even finished 7th in the Open Training division at the USPC National Championships! They have had several other Top 10 finishes in the Training division as well. We love this duo and can't wait to see how they do at other competitions in the future.

(Photos courtesy of Virginia's Facebook)

Did you know that current sales horse, PL Diamond's Inspiration ("Izzy"), is a full sibling to PL Black Diamond? She is already showing the same athleticism and bravery of her older brother and would also do well with a junior rider! Check out Izzy's sale ad here:  http://playlandequestriancenter.com/sales/

PL Homebreds: Where are they now? (PL Lucky Empress)

Continuing our 'Where Are They Now?' series for our homebreds today. Up next, PL Lucky Empress!

As you may or may not know, Playland has been breeding horses for generations. Our goal with the Irish cross has been to produce a horse that has the endurance of an Arabian, the bone, temperament, and athletic nature of an Irish Draught in one horse that will exceed the test of any event course, show jumping, or dressage competition. We feel our Irish horses are capable of not only that, but are also excellent all around family and companion horses. Our sales motto is  even " Breeding, selling and training high-class amateur-friendly competition horses for all disciplines." 

Let's check out our next homebred, PL Lucky Empress, who is now known as Empress! Empress was purchased by Louisa and the two of them have been out and about everywhere since day one. Between clinics, travelling, going south for the winter and competitions around Area II, this is one fantastic match and it's easy to see how great these two are together. Just this past weekend Empress and Louisa came home with an 8th place finish at The Maryland Horse Trials Spring Starter #2 at the Training-level. Last fall, they even finished 13th in the Novice 3-Day Event at Waredaca Farm. We love this team and can't wait to see where they will go in the future!

To become a part of the Playland family and get your own PL Irish Horse check out our website for our current sales listings: http://playlandequestriancenter.com/sales/
  

Updates on PL Homebreds and 1/2 Lease Horses Available Now! (PL Irish Lily)

Hello everyone!

Since we have been catching up with previous working students lately, we thought it could be fun to explore where some of our homebreds are and what they are currently doing!! As you may or may not know, Playland has been breeding horses for generations. Our goal with the Irish cross has been to produce a horse that has the endurance of an Arabian, the bone, temperament, and athletic nature of an Irish draught in one horse that will exceed the test of any event course, show jumping, or dressage competition. We feel our Irish horses are capable of not only that, but are also excellent all around family and companion horses. Our sales motto is  even " Breeding, selling and training high-class amateur-friendly competition horses for all disciplines."

On that note, let's check out our first homebred, PL Irish Lilly, who is a sister to current sale horse, PL Sultry Gem.

Owner Rosa Lehnig, of Lehnig Eventing, just recently posted these photos of PL Irish Lilly making her first eventing show debut at the Texas Rose Horse Park, with rider Ryan Hall in the Beginner Novice division. The pair finished the weekend in 8th place! Don't they look fabulous? Congratulations to Rosa for bringing her along so nicely! We can't wait to see how far this mare can go with continued training.

To see all of our current homebreds and sale horses, please visit the sales page of our website: http://playlandequestriancenter.com/

Love our homebreds but aren't ready for the responsibility of full horse ownership? How about considering one of our talented half-lease horses! Competition season has begun and we are looking for a few riders to half-lease some of our awesome homebreds! Playland Equestrian Center has an excellent half lease program with multiple horses available for on site leases. We are an active stable that hosts clinics, shows, and goes to local starter and recognized events in the area. Contact Glenda today at 301-788-1188 or glendaplayer@gmail.com to set up your appointment to come meet one of these fabulous horses!

Working Students: Where are they now? (Part 6)

Today we are checking back in with previous working student Shoshana!

What is your favorite memory about being a working student at Playland?  

I absolutely loved getting to work hands on with foals, which is something I didn’t have a lot of experience with before. Playland taught me skills that have made me feel more ready to handle other young horses, and of course similar skills can transfer on to horses of any age. I also loved getting to work with so many high quality horses. Coming from a very backyard background, it was cool to see the differences really good breeding can make! Lastly, I adored the people. Playland has a great group of boarders and other individuals and I have stayed close with both of the girls I was a working student with. They are the most encouraging and uplifting friends I could ask for and our group messages prove that!

What are you doing now?

I currently work for Horse Illustrated magazine and Young Rider magazine as the assistant editor. If I have to have a ‘desk job’, it’s the perfect one to have! I spend all day writing about and editing information about horses, answering kids’ questions and emails about their horses, and then I get to spend my evenings with my pony, who is currently on the cusp of stepping up to Novice.

Wow! We are so happy to see that Soshana is doing well and still able to incorporate horses into her "desk job!"

Photo courtesy of Shoshana's Facebook

Working Students: Where are they now? (Part 5) And weekend show results!

First off we want to congratulate Kim Brokaw with PL Ace of Diamonds for their 5th place finish in Beginner Novice-C at the Maryland Horse Trials Spring Starter #1 this past weekend!

Next, we are checking back with previous working student, Aubrey to see how she is doing and her favorite memory from her time here!

What is your favorite memory about being a working student at Playland?
My favorite memory is very hard to pick since so many memories stand out.  But I would have to say that it is a tie between foaling out the four mares, schooling at cross country for the first time, and working with the young horses in preparation for their first rides.  Each of those experiences were new to me and ones where not only did I learn a great deal but also gained confidence in my horsemanship abilities.  The skills I learned at Playland are constantly used and taking time to work in the equine industry has really helped me in my goals to be a professor in equine studies later on.

What are you doing now?
Right now I am in my second year as a graduate student at the University of Maryland, College Park, working towards a PhD in Equine Nutrition.

Aubrey competing PL school horse, Indy, at Waredaca

Working Students: Where are they now? (Part 4) And CORE Clinic Review

We wanted to take a quick minute to thank everyone who came out this past weekend for our C.O.R.E. Rider Clinic! Although it was raining on and off, we stayed dry inside the indoor arena and had a full participation for both un-mounted and mounted sessions throughout the day! We hope that our riders who attended learned a lot and can take some of the awareness skills used to work on their own riding. Stay tuned for the announcement of our next CORE Clinic!

Also, we were able to catch up with previous working student Molly!

What is your favorite memory from Playland?  I don't have one favorite memory in particular, but I loved how active Playland was. We hosted shows, clinics with outside trainers as well as with you, and frequently had the opportunity to practice dressage, jumping, and condition or trail ride outside the ring. Additionally, there were opportunities to school cross-country off the property and compete, as well as audit clinics and lessons you rode in with various trainers of different disciplines.  Those experiences were all educational and important to the working student experience.

What are you doing now? I built my own barn and have 3 horses right now who I am training. I also have a few students. I will be competing with my horses up to 4th level dressage, Training level eventing, and 1.05m jumpers.

Molly and her Lusitano, Real. (Pronounced Reyaal)

This  is just the very beginning for Molly! We are so happy to see how far she has come and her success in the industry! We truly can't do all that we do without working students!