We've found dry stalls on a 400 acre farm with rigns, loads of turnout and easy access to nearby facilities. A rented RV and crockpot, and we're good!

The horse industry is alive and well here in Ocala, where we've come for the winter to continue our work with our Connemara eventing ponies.

There is no shortage of shows and events to attend . . we've been to Rocking Horse Winter I horse trial (Altoona, FL . .about 25 miles to our east). We took Blu Jayne Open BN to "get her feet wet" . . punn intended! The water complexes here abound . .the biggest difference is that the sand here is soooo white there is an almost blinding glare. In any case . . she put out a great first run performance and took 3rd place, finishing on her dressage score. Fortunately her fitness wasn't too too challenged, as there are virtually no hills here . .but the mpm time was a solid 350 in any case. Next week for her will be the Florida Horse Park horse trials where she is aptly entered in Novice.

Speaking of the Florida Horse Park, you've gotta love this place . . last week they held a Dressage and Jumping show on a WEDNESDAY . . oh joy. We took Taz (Erin Go Steady). . our youngster and he turned out a super BN A Dressage test (33) and did two terrific jump rounds . .over 2'6" and 3'. Nothing fazed him even a little . . except when he saw a darling grey Connemara that so closely resembled his barn mate Blu Jay. Turns out the handsome gelding was in fact a 1/2 sister to our Blu Jay . . sharing Landgate Bluebeard as the sire. STUNNING resemblance! Also last week we had the pleasure of attending the Anne Kursinksi Jumping Sypmosium at Longview Farm South here in Ocala. . what a place! (Photos will be posted on my website.. www.EventPonies.Com)

Anne most certainly had some interesting methods. For instance, she asked riders (demo riders were professionals from across the country) . .to do things such as turn over their hands so that the rein comes strait out over your index finger and under your thumb. It was obvious what a difference this made to help keep arms soft and hands fussing less. Anne also requested that some riders knot their reins and "stop fussing". Instead, she insisted that riders maintain soft contact and use their seats and legs effectively to ask the horse to come through. Ms. Kursinski's stride-counting exercise was brilliant . . challenging even experienced riders to really understand where they are in relation to their fences. This is an exercise I will certainly bring home to my own students. We also had the pleasure to watch Anne ride a horse she chose from the group . . a stunning bay gelding being trained by Robin Walker . .and ICP Level IV instructor, who's here from Michigan for the winter with his string of 14. Anne demonstrated how nearly all of her adjustments were made softly, swiftly and accurately through her body whilst in two-point her entire ride. She certainly has perfected that craft.

More wonderful things about Florida? The variety of grain manufacturers and thier use of ingredients . . .Seminole Feeds, Buckeye, Pennfield and numerous other lines each offer multiple configurations of performance grains and many incorporate herb to the extent you'd open a bag and want to eat it for your own breakfast. Numerous varieties cater to low-starch diets but provide enough fat and fiber to balance it out. Perfectly suited to my performance ponies.

We're hoping our friends back home are keeping warm and happy and in touch. Do write us . .we're here til April 5 . .with a brief stint to Aiken, SC early March for the Aiken Event Horse Sale and a visit with Eric Horgan. For information on how you too can do Florida on a Baling Twine, contact me, , ,Cori Nichols at NorwegianWoodFrm@aol.com.