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the Word from the Herd
they grow up so fast
 Cute little filly Fairway is not so little anymore (still cute, though.) She is, at 8 months of age, almost as tall as her mom, Olivia. She was recently weaned, meaning she no longer spends all her time with Olivia. She took the separation very well, having already made lots of friends among the herd.
Video of Peter K and Dickens learning about saddles will be coming to our Facebook page.
  Jessie is now at Caroline's barn & would love to meet you. A young horse, he is learning about many things & can be immature & unpredictable, or as he puts it - playful & curious. Video of Jessie will soon be on our Facebook page.
Please remember the rules of being around horses when you go see these youngsters - make sure your hands are empty, no sudden noises or movements & no treats except for some loving attention. |
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Getting to Know Us
this month...
Caroline MacNair Carl
What do you like to do that doesn't involve horses? take pictures, hike and ride my bike
What pets do you have? 2 dogs (Cowboy & Bernard) 1 cat (Connie), 24 hens & 2 roosters
What was the last thing you accomplished with a horse that you were really proud of? My horse, Viktor, was lame for a year & it was a real challenge to get him to accept that his spa treatments & rest time were over. But he has learned to enjoy his conditioning program and is getting stronger all the time.
What was the last movie you really liked? Secretariat
When teaching lessons what do you find yourself repeating? the 3 H's: head up, heels down, hands down
Favorite horse book? Dandelion by Sheelagh Mawe T.V. show? travel programs on UNC TV Snack? almonds
If you couldn't work with horses, what would be your dream job? I wanted to be a marine biologist and work on Jacques Cousteau's boat - fortunately I did not get the job.
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Quote of the Month
Mike Singetary:
"Do you know what my favorite part of the game is? The opportunity to play."
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We hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving & had a chance, before the trees lost their leaves, to take A Walk Around the Farm.
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Dear Friends of MacNair's,
November was a busy show month and our riders really did well. Please see below for details of November's shows. One of our twice yearly Riding School Shows will be on Dec 5. We hope you will come and participate - everyone has lots of fun. Peter Nordlander has started weekly lessons on Thursdays. You are welcome to trailer your horse in if you'd like to ride with Peter. Call Caroline for details: 919-302-0626The footing in the main ring at Country Acres was re-done in time for the NCDCTA Year End Championship Show. N.C. State's IHSA Hunt Seat Equestrian Team ended the semester strong, currently standing in third place & only a few points away from moving up. Sign-up sheets for the Raleigh Holiday Classic "A" Show are on the bulletin board at Country Acres. Nancy
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November Show News
 | | photo by Mary-Copeland Cain |
Raleigh "C" 11/5 - 7
Character, Dante, Forte, Marty, Noir and Snowball represented MacNair's at the Hunt Center and we were proud to have them do so. This was a big show - 15 to 30 entries in all of our divisions and yet we came away with lots of good ribbons including Championships and Reserves. NCHJA show resultsPictures of this show by Mary-Copeland Cain & Lisa Pollard. NCHJA show photos
Duke "AA" 11/9 - 14The Duke Benefit Horse Show is the largest horse show in North Carolina, but that didn't stop Laura, Bryan and Charlotte from winning lots of ribbons. Our banner sported ribbons of every color including a tri-color (a Short
 | photo by Dottie Burch
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Stirrup Championship - way to go, Charlotte!) Duke show results
Dottie Burch took the photo of Charlotte & Daisy in their championship finery - all other photos are by Bryan Rosenberg. Thanks for sending them along, Dottie & Bryan!
Duke show photos
NCDCTA Year End Championship Show 11/21
 | photo by Eric Bohn
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Many of MacNair's riders were successful at this show. Anne Cain, Haley Bohn, Lorrie Richards, Mary Black and Laura Pendleton all won classes. Haley & Jackson were Grand Champion in the Maiden division for the year & Anne Cain & Windy won Introductory Level for the year! Congratulations to everyone who rode - you make us proud.
NCDCTA show results
Pictures of this show by Haley Bohn, Eric Bohn & Lisa Pollard.
NCDCTA photos
 | photo by Haley Bohn
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A big thank you to all who contributed photos and news for the newsletter - it is appreciated more than you could imagine.
....look under the Shows tab on our photo site to find a specific show. |
A Couple Reminders...
for December
Riding School Show: just for our students, Dec 5, starting at 10 AM. If you want to show, talk to your instructor to see if there are spaces left.
Country Acres boarders: Dena wants to make sure you are all aware of the following: blanketing is done between 3:00 & 4:00 PM - if you ride after 3:00 you are responsible for blanketing your horse. If you want your horse on the NO TURN-OUT list, 2:45 is the latest we check phone messages. Please limit what you hang on your stall door - the shavings truck is quite wide. And finally, as much as we all like to believe it's going to warm up again, it's not - so please take your fans home. We all want to keep Dena happy!
No Riding School classes: from Dec 20 to Jan 2. We will se  e you back at the barn refreshed and ready to ride after the New Year. (Fun fact - riding really does burn lots of calories.) If you can't go that long without sitting in the saddle, we offer Holiday Horse Leases Dec 20 - 23 and 27 - 30. Talk to your instructor if you'd like to participate. It's always nice to get out to get out of the house and enjoy the horses. Video Evaluation Clinic: Dec 11 If you haven't signed up yet please call us right away. This is a chance to see yourself ride and figure out how to ride better. Click the link for details. A Few More Bits & Pieces...
Cross Country Course: If you've ever looked around this beautiful 280 acres farm & thought "I wish I could ride cross-country here" you may get your wish for the 2011 show season. We are planning a 2 to 4 mile course across streams & lakes, up & down hills, & over inviting jumps. Suggestions appreciated. Jumpers: we are also planning some jumper shows, probably the day before our NCDCTA shows. Stay tuned for details. Thank you, Nancy! Everyone who shows at an event you put on would like to thank you for the wonderful job you do. You make showing a fun, satisfying & rewarding experience.
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Peter Nordlander
Thursdays at MacNair's
Peter had a lovely autumn day for the first of his Thursday sessions at MacNair's.
He rode Viktor and Pica and Caroline Carl, Laura Pendleton, Olivia Mayer and Jen Stout had lessons. Olivia commented that Peter helped her grasp the idea of "constant communication" with the horse and how to translate that to her riding. She "made some great steps forward."
Call Caroline for details on scheduling.
photos
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4-H News 
for December
The 4-H Clinic will be on Dec 18 starting at 12:30. Plan on attending if you are in 4-H and would like more time in the saddle.
4-H Fun Day 12:30 - 3:30 (with optional Lease Ride 3:30 - 5:00) is Dec 22. Spend the day at the barn with your friends - both human and equine. Does life get any better?
If you want to participate in either or both events, please call the office. 919-851-1118
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So Long
...and thanks for everything
 Elizabeth Love's Equine Facilitated Life Coaching business has expanded to the point where it is demanding more and more of her time. As happy as we are for her, we are sad that she can no longer find to the time to teach at MacNair's. We wish you all the best, Elizabeth - please visit!
Junebug has returned to her owner. For one of Jun  ebug's riders in particular, that departure is bittersweet. Mary-Copeland Cain spent 2 years learning life lessons from this horse & what it means to set & accomplish personal goals - even when it wasn't easy to do so. Congratulations, Mary-Copeland, on all your successes, large & small. The fact that you worked so hard for them makes it all the sweeter. |
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As always, we love hearing from you. If you have a suggestion, an idea, or something we should be aware of, please let us know. If you have an item (or picture) that should be in the newsletter, don't hesitate to get in touch.
Sincerely,
the Staff at MacNair's Country Acres
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