We wish to congratulate our student, Josh Castro, on the purchase of his new horse “Dutchess”. We wish you all the best with this lovely mare and know you will make an excellent team!

(Please check back as some of these dates are tentative and may change)

April 29th- Hunter/Jumper Schooling Show (HVHJA)

May 20th- Dressage Schooling Show

June 17th- Dressage Schooling Show

June 24th- Hunter/Jumper Schooling Show (HVHJA)

July 29th- Hunter/Jumper Schooling Show (HVHJA)

September 2nd- Hunter/Jumper Schooling Show (HVHJA)

September 8th- Dressage Schooling Show

October 14th- Hunter/Jumper Schooling Show (HVHJA)

October 21st- Dressage Schooling Show

School Recess Day Camps

On January 16th and February 20th we are holding a day camp here at Southlands for those students that are out of school for the day!

There will be two camp programs being run simultaneously, one which is open to young, beginner and advanced beginner riders who would like to spend the day having a lesson, doing some horse-related crafts and playing a knowledge-based horsey game!

For our older, intermediate riders who are riding at the 2′ jumping level or higher, we are offering a very special opportunity to work with Lucy for the day! Campers will shadow Lucy for the day learning  things such as grooming and clipping for the show ring all the way to setting a course of jumps and getting a glimpse into what it takes to teach a lesson! While the day with Lucy does not include a riding lesson, it does involve many invaluable unmounted lessons that we are unable to cover on a normal basis.

Our Young Rider Day Camp will run from 10:00 am- 3:00 pm on both Monday, January 16th and Monday, February 20th and the cost for each of these days is $80.

Our Intermediate Day Camp with Lucy will run from 10:00 am-2:00 pm on both Monday, January 16th and Monday, February 20th and the cost for each of these days is $65.

Space is very limited so please email (info@southlands.org ) or call the office (876-4862) as soon as possible if you would like to get your child in!

Sunday, February 5th

A fun & relaxing horse show perfect for those riders who are new to horse shows as well as the seasoned competitor!

Open to Adults & Children…from the beginner walk/trot rider to the more advanced riders who are jumping 3’!

*Only for students that are currently enrolled in lessons at The Southlands Foundation

$100 per rider for 1 division (3 classes)

$75 for boarders riding their own horse/pony or for those that are share boarding

Schedule

9:00 am Start

 Beginner Rider

1.) Walk/Trot Hunter

2.) Walk/Trot Equitation

3.) Walk/Trot Poles

Short/Long Stirrup

4.) Walk/Trot/Canter Hunter

5.) Walk/Trot/Canter Hunter

6.) 18” X-Rails

Pleasure

7.) Walk/Trot

8.) Walk/Trot/ Canter

9.) Walk/Trot/Canter Bridle Path hack (May be asked to halt and back-up)

Beginner Hunter/Equitation

10.) 2’ Hunter Over Fences

11.) 2’ Equitation Over Fences

12.) W/T/C Hunter under saddle

Intermediate Hunter/Equitation

13.) 2’6 Hunter Over Fences

14.) 2’6 Equitation Over Fences

15.) W/T/C Hunter under saddle

Training Jumpers (Pick your height-2’6 & 3’-3’3)

16.) Timed 1st Round

17.) Timed First Round

18.) Stay in Jump Off

 •Show attire optional; neat casual riding wear is acceptable

•1st through 6th place ribbons in each class

•Champion or Reserve for each division

•All ages welcome! Divisions to be split by age if entries warrant

Please call the office at (845)876-4862 or email us at info@southlands.org if you are able to join!
 
Best wishes & happy holidays,

The Southlands Team

Dear our Southlands Family,

This year, Southlands is helping make the holiday season brighter for a local family in need. We will have the opportunity to provide food and gifts to a family of 3 children (ages 17, 14, &12)-the ages of many of the riders here!

The family has provided us with a wish lift with everything from warm clothing and boots to dishes and mugs for the grandmother they live with. So many of you have already signed up for the item you are going to buy, but there are still quite a few items that need to be bought to make sure this is an extra special Christmas for this local family.

If you are interested in providing, please email Sophia at info@southlands.org or call her in the office at (845)876-4862 ext.100 to find out what items are still needed.

We will gather on Sunday, December 18th at 1:00 to wrap the gifts and get everything ready for delivery!

I would like to extend a very sincere thank you to all who attended and contributed to our 2011 Holiday Gala held on December 10^th at the Beekman Arms Inn. The event was great fun, with fabulous company, delicious food, a great venue, and a wonderful collection of silent auction items to bid on!

This year, your contributions helped us to raise over $20,000, one of our most successful events in years! Your generosity and kindness helps Southlands to continue to provide the finest of horsemanship education as well as passing on a sense of love for this amazing land we are so fortunate to have.

We truly appreciate your participation and we hope to see you at next year’s event!

 Sincerely,

Allison King

Horse Master’s Program

Through our unique “Horse Master’s” Program, students of all ages will acquire complete knowledge of the horse, from the ground up, through lectures and the practice of learned skills in horse care and stable management.

Staying true to Deborah Dows’ original mission statement, we are sure to bring up the soundest of horsemen, ones that can not only ride well, but also understand the true value of ground knowledge. It has been said that “for every hour spent in the saddle, two should be spent on the ground”.
 
Students of all ages will advance through six levels, starting at the most basic. Participants will receive framed certificates of achievement that will hang in the aisles of our barn for all to see as well as a special token of their respective level!

On December 3^rd, we will invite riders who have been taking lessons at Southlands for at least 18 months to attend an evening of level clarification. This evening is not designed to teach new material, only to clarify where within our level spectrum you are with your horsemanship knowledge. This way we can customize the horse masters classes to what you need and want!
 
The evening will begin at 4:00 pm and wrap up at 6:00 pm. Refreshments will be served! $15 per level.

Please sign up on the bulletin board at TSF or email Sophia at info@Southlands.org to let her know you will be attending.

As many of you know by now, we suffered a significant historical, emotional and economic loss with the fire that destroyed Deborah Dows’ home last Monday. Fortunately, that was all that was lost as none of the occupants was injured. Our renters have found accommodations, and Zsa Battaille, our barn manager will be moving into Southlands housing shortly. The barns, classroom and riding facilities are undamaged.

As far as what was lost: what little remains of the house will have to be demolished. The vast majority of Southlands’ archives including Olin’s paintings were stored in Deborah’s house and did not survive the fire. The few documents that were recovered are being reviewed by a restoration specialist, and we hope to save these. Furthermore, the house is insured and we are confident we will be able to maximize the amount available to us by working closely with our insurance advisor.

At this point, as we clean up the debris from the fire, we are looking forward to how to best continue the vision of our great facility. As we see it, the most important thing is to continue the mission as set forth by Deborah, which is to “provide a historical and agrarian connection to the community, and cultivate a respect and love for the land and its animals through education, conservation and outdoor recreation”. The Board is committed to continuing and improving our facilities to meet these ideals.

Our membership has always pulled together in times of need, and we are so grateful for your generosity. If you wish to make a monetary donation to Southlands, we will put it in a general fund that will be used to continue Deb’s vision for Southlands. If you care to make a donation to Zsa or the Pangia family, please make it payable directly to them.

Finally, thanks again to all of our friends. As a non-profit organization, we depend on your support. Blows such as the destruction of one of our touchstone properties is tragic, but we are also hopeful. We still believe we have a truly special place in Southlands, and will look at this challenge as an opportunity to build on our future.

Very truly yours,

The Southlands Board

P.S. With the loss of so much historical information about the Dows family and Southlands, we would appreciate any remembrances, documents, or correspondence you could share with us to help rebuild an archive.