News from Ruthanna
BTS Express! February 2007
I’m having a hard time staying up with all the energy around the barn these days! Here’s the latest, as I see it…
We have recently undergone a HUGE expansion! You might not see it from the front, but our “behind scenes” stuff has totally changed! We took some time, but got our teaching staff all organized, created some new positions, and brought on some new faces.
We welcome back Megan Dye as Instructor. Megan grew up in BTS and fills out our “family” with her gentle disposition and infectious laugh. Amy Kiesel found her place as Instructor, and our primarily “Horse Care Manager.” She is in charge of all things Equine at BTS. Meg Kelly, our Barn or “Team” Manager and back-up Instructor, is the maniac behind all that organization going on! She does all the clinics, camps, scheduling, ordering, and merchandising. Meg has engineered the “branding” you have seen around the barn, the “sea of green” we have worked to create. Lauren Theroux rounds out our staff as our Assistant Instructor and Groom Manager. I look forward to working with this tremendous group of Equestrians in making BTS the program I have always dreamed possible.
NEW STUFF and DATES TO REMEMBER:
How about that new web site!!! In case you haven’t seen, our website www.BridgesTrainingStable.com and www.BTSetc.com is all new! Gerald Freeman of Gerlin Design and Consulting has done a fantastic job, aided by the BTS Barn Manager Meg Kelly. It is still under construction, but was launched mid January after a slight delay getting it “just right.” You can now email all the BTS staff , check barn closures, up-coming events (and boy, are there a lot of those!), all sorts of stuff! Thank you for your patience, and I’m sure you’ll agree it was well worth waiting for. This is our Team Headquarters, so it needed to be something we can all be proud of. It is!
Grooming and Tacking Clinic:
We are launching our BTS Equestrian Clinic Series! Our first clinic will be “Grooming and Tacking” to take place Saturday February 24 at 9:30. This clinic will happen every other month for any student who wishes to perfect their skills at grooming and tacking. The cost is $25. See Meg (meg@btsetc.com) or shoot her an email for more information.
Lunging Clinic
Our second clinic will be “Lunging” set for Saturday March 3 at 9:30. This clinic will go over lunging techniques as well as applications. The cost again is $25, and you see Meg for that as well.
BTS In House Show!
After a long break, BTS is proud to announce its next BTS In House Horse Show! We haven’t had one of these since we left our old home at El Toro, and it is with great excitement we offer this chance for our newest members to “strut their stuff!” The date is Sunday March 25. Our judge will be our own Devon Bridges, as he gets his first real look at the talent that will be heading his way in a few years. We will be celebrating this great occasion with a picnic and party, so stay tuned for more information from Meg. Check with your instructor to see if your rider is eligible to compete. If not, they will be ready for the next one for sure, set for May 20. We are conducting a “Pre Show Clinic” Saturday March 17 to get everyone ready for the show. Come out and cheer these newest riders on as they enter the arena as “Horse Show Competitors!”
County Show
We will also be competing in the April 28-29 “Orange Coast Cooler Series Show” hosted by Sycamore Trails Stables. This is a County level show, so competitors will need to be a bit more “polished” than our in-house shows. Check with your instructor in early April to see if you are eligible to compete in this show.
Other clinics
Stay tuned for more clinics to come. We will be hosting such clinics as: Showmanship and Ground Work, Daily Horse Care and First Aid, Bits and Bitting, Wrapping, and Equipment Care. These will be in addition to our On-going Grooming Clinics.
10 LEVEL TESTING!!!
Yes, it is coming BACK, new and improved! Only the OLDEST of BTS students will remember the 10 level program designed to provide a framework of consistency and progression through the BTS Program and Equestrian Education. A test review will be conducted every first Saturday of the month, with testing being conducted every second Saturday. Check the web for more information as it comes online. The first scheduled testing will take place in April.
Barn Closures
We will be closed for lessons the following dates:
March 9, 10, 11 Alex’s wedding in Las Vegas (all staff will be away at the wedding)
March 25 BTS In House Show and Picnic (all welcome, competitors, family, friends and chear-er-on-ers!)
April 8 Easter
April 20-22 Quarterly Horse Vaccinations/worming
April 28 & 29th County Show
New Rates
Effective February 1, 2007 our rates for that second and third lesson per week went up. 2 lessons per week is now $350, and 3 lessons per week is $500. Remember, every 3 months you get a free lesson! If you ride 2x per week, you get 2 extra lessons every 3 months! This rate is for new students, and will not effect students who have been enrolled twice per week prior to the increase.
Leases
We still have a few horses available for lease. See Ruthanna for details. The rate is $325, in addition to lessons.
Apprentice/Working Student Programs:
We have begun to reorganize the Apprentice and Working Student programs. As a rider becomes proficient enough, and has demonstrated the necessary responsibility and dedication, BTS offers a program where they will be able to apprentice as a BTS groom. This will enable them to have more hands-on experience and education through practice with the day-to-day operation of BTS. This is the “dues paying” part of working your way up to the ‘Working Student Program,” where Team Members can “earn” extra riding time by devoting their expertise to help in running the BTS program. See Meg for details on this great opportunity to learn and help the team, as well as get extra time around these wonderful creatures.
Barn Hours:
As our schedule becomes more packed, we will be opening new lesson times as well as expanding a few of the existing ones. After April 1, we will offer the Monday at 10:30am and Friday 6:30pm lesson once again. Space is limited, so let us know if you are interested in either of these new spaces.
Spring and Summer camps!
We’re already preparing for our camps! Back by popular demand, our “BTS Boot Camp” will be held during Spring Break with the level 1 and 2 riders (beginning riders) April 11, and the level 3 and up riders (Intermediate) April 13. See Meg for details and reserve your space! The summer camp dates are already on the web as well. These camps all filled pretty fast last year, so get your reservation in early!
Ireland 2007!
The trip is already full for our 2007 Ireland Adventure, so Dev and I are off to Ireland this week doing some Location Scouting. We will be staying at and looking at all that we have planned, and making final preparations. This year, for the first time, we will be doing some reporting “from Ireland” on our web site. You will be able to log onto the website and see daily reports, photos and maybe even video! We will also all rally around a “live Camera” on Liffey Street in Dublin at a designated time so you can tune into a Web Cam and see your Team Ireland! We’ll give you a wave from the streets of Dublin!
Wow, that’s all for now. Meg will keep me motivated to update the Newsletter every month. Check your email for BTS Express! Thank you for making this program what it is.
Horsefully yours,
Ruthanna