Hi everyone, Thomas here.

Although my registered name is Fort Chiswell’s Aristocrat, I prefer to be called Thomas.

As the reigning School Horse of the Year, I’ve been elected to write the inside scoop blog about the upcoming show.

As an accomplished lesson horse and member of the best group of lesson horses in the world, I’ll share my vast knowledge.

Right now, I’m enjoying a few days off after some maintenance joint injections to help me do my job better. I’m also looking forward to some fancy new shoes!

So, I have the lesson horse iPad at the moment, but I’ll share with others who are specialists in parts of the show.

I’ll be referring to the show as our recital. Show weekends are our chances to show off our students, and the new skills we’ve been working on together.

Day one: Friday

Starting at 5:00 PM on Friday, we lesson horses will be helping our students perform the patterns we’ve been working on.

Riders are very brave to perform alone in the arena, and I applaud all of them who are trying the event.

We’ll start with our walk and trot stars who have to be in bed early. After they show, we’ll have two qualifying classes for the Knollwood Challenge, our version of an equitation final. We’ll finish the night with the walk trot and canter riders working through their patterns. 

We lesson horses will then go out for the night and discuss the events of the evening while enjoying out bottomless salad bar.

The Saturday recital starts in the big outdoor arena at 10:00 AM.

Our walk, trot, and canter students will ride in the beautiful arena I refer to as ‘patternland.’  (Many of my co-workers and myself have spent countless summer hours down here enjoying pattern camps. We spend days teaching our up and coming academy show students the skills needed to ride circles and straight lines, and then to put them into some of the strangest combinations we’ve ever experienced.)

We get to trot into the arena, and I like to pretend I’m at the Lexington Junior League show, even though I’ve never been.

The weather will be cool, and my co-workers and myself will be feeling grand. Look for some enthusiastic performances!

The Sunday performance has a different vibe.

I’ll turn the iPad over to 2021’s lesson horse of the year, Sparky. He’s a specialist in starting future stars, and knows every nook and cranny of the little outdoor arena.

Hi everyone, Sparky here. In case you didn’t know, I’m the handsome mature looking gentleman who lives in the last stall on the right. I enjoy breezes from the big screen door, my own fan, dinner in four days a week, and the privilege of running in on my own each day. (Sometimes I go wild and ‘run’ all the way to the other pasture.)  I even have my very own tiny orange crop.  

The Sunday performance is the BEST.

I love working in leadline and with the 10 and under walk and trot riders. The walk trot specialists give our newest riders confidence at their first shows while keeping them safe.

It’s an immense privilege to  have enough experience of being a horse to be trusted with the youngest riders. While we starter models may have a few bumps and grey hairs, we’re absolutely beautiful on the inside, and young at heart.

I’m now passing the iPad to Pumpkin, our 2024 Horse of the year.

Thank you, Sparky the legend.

Pumpkin here. I love to follow all the rules, so I’m here to remind everyone about the details that will make the weekend super enjoyable. It may be inside information, but feel free to share all the information.

We have an official photographer covering the show. Our friends at Collective Grace will be covering the show on Saturday and Sunday. Photographer Kim and her staff have a knack for capturing moments in their work. And, they always make me look good.

Here’s the link to their gallery for Knollwood families. Kim will edit pics and post here. The pics make beautiful holiday gifts, and are reasonably priced. Just think, you can have a photo of your favorite lesson horse IN YOUR HOUSE!

Parking can sometimes be tricky.

Feel free to park on the road where you can, but please don’t park between the NO PARKING signs on the curve of Horseshoe Bend. You will be visited by a friendly but firm Delafield police officer with a citation book.

We cannot park in the curling club lot this weekend, as they are also hosting an event this weekend.

Concession Stand and Gift Baskets

Our award winning youth group, the Knollwood Knockouts, run the concession and offer gift baskets as fundraisers for their club activities.

These Knollwood Kids support Saddlebred Rescue, local horse shows, youth mental health organizations, and other local organizations. I’ve heard they also host a fantastic award banquet. Somehow, my invitation always gets lost in the mail?

Please visit their area to enjoy some great food and conversation. I’ve heard that the baskets are great at this show. One is even full of gift cards, and there’s an unbelievable wine basket on silent auction.

Each rider received a back number in their show bag.  We don’t hand out ribbons in the arena, we create ribbon bags for each rider in the show office. (The school barn lounge)

At the end of the show, please return your back number and you’ll receive your ribbons.

Fine print.

I’m a rule follower, just ask the instructors who love me.

So, here are some guidelines:

It’s a really busy weekend. We ask that only show riders come into the back of the school barn. Our instructors and techs are trying to keep us horses safe, organized, and on task. We’re moving around a lot, and want keep distractions down to a minimum.

We’re looking forward to a fantastic recital this weekend.

We have a few requests to finish up.

Around here, we clap for everyone. Any rider who enters the show ring deserves our applause and respect. We’re horses, after all.

Our riders all have goals for the weekend. They might be something simple, like switching a crop smoothly, or it might be tricky, like nailing a difficult element in a pattern.

Ribbons are pretty and all, but we lesson horses and instructors are more interested in reaching personal goals.

To close:

Thank your horse.

Hug your horse.

Congratulate riders.

Cheer for all the riders.

We hope you enjoy the weekend as much as we do.

Upcoming events:

KF Fall October 16-18

October  19 - Horses’ Day Off. Lessons are credited.

IASPHA Fall October 24-25

Academy Info Night November 7

Academy Demo Night November 21

Closed for Thanksgiving November 26

PNO Gift Wrapping Party November 28

Knockout Holiday Party December 5