It has always been a dream to take the horses south for a couple of weeks in the winter, and in 2024 this wish finally came true! Our winters in this part of West Virginia aren’t especially harsh, but they can be difficult enough to keep the horses fit and interested. This year, after having to take all of 2023 off due to back surgery, Jen took four horses to Aiken, SC for two weeks, and it was an absolute blast!
Jimmy (HJA Sundust), Zipper (Battersea Zipper), Falcon (Mosswoods Falcon), and Clara (Blitzen Golden Legacy) made the trek, and after a harrowing trip with two blown tires and traffic jams galore, it was absolutely worth the wait. We stayed at the wonderful Dreamcatcher Farm, owned by Susan and Duncan, two awesome Area II eventers who retired to Aiken, and also happened to have a Morgan! We were fast friends, which made the stay even better!
The main goal was to spend the time concentrating on nothing but riding, which can be challenging in the cold weather at home, but also when balancing a demanding full time job. We spend our two weeks, hacking out, getting fit, working in Susan and Duncan’s dressage ring, playing on their working equitation course, and going on multiple adventures with Susan and her Morgan, Tristan! We got to do everything from ride in historic downtown Aiken, to cross country schooling (Zipper’s first!), to meeting and spending time with lots of Morgan friends who lived in the area!
It was absolutely worth every minute, and turned from a trip to get the horses fit into a wonderful vacation with our new friends. The horses enjoyed the weather – perfect there in March – and the constant ride-out, which was just the best way to solidify Jen and Zipper’s new partnership, and leg up Jimmy, who had been off.
We can’t wait to return to Dreamcatcher Farm in March of 2025!
