By Jennifer Klitzke
Adventures with my Spanish Mustang Indian’s Legend have aligned my path to many cool people. One of which is a woman I mentioned in my last blog post who shouted, “Hey, Mustang Lady!”
Well, that connection led me to the North Shore a couple weeks ago to Aspen Ridge Stable for a stadium jumping lesson, cross country schooling, and a trail ride through some of the most beautiful forest I’ve seen.
Upon arrival, my new friend introduced me to the Aspen Ridge owner/instructor and I had one of those funny feelings like I had been here before. Then I looked down the barn aisle and asked, “Did you have a peacock here about 15 years ago?” The instructor replies, “Yes.”
Then I asked, “Did you have a 42 year old while horse?” She said, “Yes, but I have to tell you that it was more like 25 years ago, and that white horse lived to be 44 years old!”
Turns out I had taken one of my first jumping lessons from her a quarter of a century ago while I was on vacation in Two Harbors. I hadn’t made the connection that it had been the same stable since I was coming from the South instead of from the North.
So here I was 25 years later taking a jumping lesson from the same instructor who helped me get started. How cool is that! Below are photos of our schooling session.
What a beautiful fence! It even matches my shirt!
Indy baulked at this obstacle the first pass and jumped it beautifully the next time.
Indy jumped the pseudo ditch without a care.
Indy had no trouble over this little obstacle.
Indy jumped the oxer in good form.
Indy cleared this solid object by three feet the first time and then came to his senses thereafter.
Indy and I had a terrific time riding beautiful scenery with really cool people. Next summer I am planning to take Indy to Aspen Ridge for a week’s vacation. In addition to the local instruction, Aspen Ridge hosts Olympic-level eventing clinicians several times a year such as Jim Graham. The facility offers miles of wooded trails, a large indoor riding arena with mirrors and cushy, rubberized footing, lots of eventing obstacles and standards for jumping, plus unbelievable views of Lake Superior.
For more information visit, Aspen Ridge Stable.