New chapter - training at Royal Palm Farm

September 17, 2014 Collette Zimmer

I have heard it said that when God closes a door, he opens a window. This could not be more true for me than with my experience at Royal Palm Farm, which is owned by my dear friends Andrew and Tiffany Palmer.

It has happened twice for us now, that I was looking for some place to go, and they needed to find help! The first time was about 2 years ago when my job ended in Florida and my move to North Carolina was not nailed down. Andrew was hurt at the time, and they also had a trip to Germany planned and did not want to leave their one employee to run the farm while they were gone. Now this year, they are also short on help, Tiffany just had surgery, they have a trip to the ATA convention coming up, and are busy with show season. I have a good situation waiting for me in Florida, but I want their help selling my horse first, and to make sure that I have my ducks in a row before I make my next move. I am sort of using the next two months to refocus and regroup.

It does not hurt my feeling at all that I am surrounded by great people, and beautiful horses. In fact, they have more Trakehner stallions here than any place in the U.S. I find myself incredibly lucky that not only do I get to work with my favorite breed (the Trakehner), but I get to work with the BEST of the breed, and am lucky enough to actually get to ride them! Not every rider gets the opportunity to sit on such amazing horses.

Now that's a dog! One of the 2 Great Pyranees that protects the farm

I have also learned through my experience living in Southern Pines (Eventing capitol) that I may be limiting myself by my intense focus on dressage. Andrew is a beautiful dressage rider as well as jumper, and it is only going to help me to assess and sell young horses in the future if I have a bit more experience and knowledge in eventing; which encompasses dressage, show jumping, and cross country. I plan to use these next 2 months to completely immerse myself in their world, and get as much out of the experience as I can. Preston would love the opportunity to teach me to jump, and if I still have him in a couple months, I would love to take him to an event so that I can add that to his resume. Stay tuned for insights gained through my experience here on jumping, dressage, and breeding!

In addition to horses, Royal Palm Farm is home to a small herd of goats that entertain us with their antics.

Update

September 14, 2014 Collette Zimmer

This update is long over due. A lot of things have happened since my last post, and it has all been sort of a whirlwind. I will keep it as short as possible.

First of all, Preston was a rockstar at the show and qualified for championships with a 63.553% at 2nd level. He is schooling the changes at home, and will be ready to show 3rd level by the end of the season. He is schooling canter pirouette and offered some passage-like steps the other day. I am very proud of him and can see him easily showing 4th level some day.

My boyfriend and I left for Alaska at the end of July and spent 3 weeks there. We put on a 6 day running race in the Alaska Dome, where many world records were broken. Myself, I ran 36 miles in 12 hours and raised $1,000 for The Old Glory Legacy foundation.

After the race, we went on a 7 day cruise. I should have known that things were turning sour for me when I got an email from my boss at the wine shop saying she had replaced me with a full time person. The day after I got home from the trip, my horse ripped his face open on the fence where I had him stabled. The next day, my boyfriend and I had a fight which ultimately ended in me moving out and the relationship ending. I had been unhappy for a long time, and though I was willing to see if things changed once he was home more, it turns out that we had stopped communicating a long time ago, or virtually never started. It's still an adjustment for me though, because I thought we were going to be together forever.

We took a place ride and landed on a glacier!

I was fortunate to be able to relocate both myself and my horses at my friends farm while I figured out my next move. Since I had moved to North Carolina to be with my boyfriend, and I didn't have a job anymore, there wasn't really anything keeping me there. I decided to move back to Florida, and do a short stint in Alabama with my friends Andrew and Tiffany Palmer, who were short handed and needed my help. I sold Tattle and brought Preston with me. I am really proud of the job I did training Tattle, and it was fun to see what a good match he and his new owner were together. Now in Alabama, it feels right to be surrounded by friends and horses! I love Trakehners and am lucky to be able to work with and ride these amazing stallions. I have my eye set on a nice young stallion that I would love to bring with me to Florida! Now I just need to figure out how!

Tattle with his new owner. He hit the jackpot and is owned by 2 vets! They are going to compete him in eventing.

Getting ready for the show

July 18, 2014 Collette Zimmer

Preston and I have not been able to show for about 2 years now. We have had a lot of issues moving to a new state. I had issues finding a good farrier (who trims their feet), and since Preston has a clubby foot, this is really important. We have also had saddle fitting issues. I had a saddle custom made for him when I bought him, but I had used it on so many horses that it became too wide and pressed down on his withers. It was a custom made saddle, so no saddle fitter in the area would touch it.

Training for an ultra run

July 6, 2014 Collette Zimmer

I subscribe to the theory that if we expect our horses to be athletes, we must be athletes ourselves. Over the years I have done dance, yoga, Pilates, weights, hiking, and biking. I have never been a runner. I have always felt limited by my bad ankles, and I have never enjoyed it. Ten years ago I broke my back getting thrown off a horse, and that gave me further excuse. Even as a kid, having to run the mile for gym, I would stop and walk and was always one of the slowest runners. One of my friends said of me, "if you ever see Collette running, don't ask questions, just run that same way!"

Starting young horses, my experience

July 1, 2014 Collette Zimmer

Kite, the first horse I started myself. She was sold a few months later as an eventer. I received many compliments both from her breeder and her owner on the job I did with her.

I have been asked to expand on the way I work with young horses, so here it is. If you have anything you would like me to write about, please comment below, or send me a message! I have included a short "recipe" of the ground work I do leading up to the first ride, including the work done in the first ride or two. If you are interested in a blog pertaining to the horse's first few rides after the round pen, please let me know!

About me 3, from Florida to North Carolina and everywhere in between

June 18, 2014 Collette Zimmer

After leaving Florida, I went to work for about a month at Royal Palm Farm, for my good friends Andrew and Tiffany Palmer. I met both of them when I started working at Valhalla, and we immediately became friends. Good thing too, because they moved just 2 months after I started working there to start their own farm in Alabama. Andrew has carved out his niche eventing Trakehner stallions. He also helps owners prepare their young stallions for approvals.

About me-Florida adventure →

June 15, 2014 Collette Zimmer

I moved to Florida in August 2010 and went to Valhalla farm. My youngest sister, my Mom, and my dog came along. I took a working student position under USDF bronze, silver, and gold medalist Erin Brinkman. Her mom, Jean, was the barn owner and also had her gold. Iris Eppinger was the farms other trainer, who is also a USDF gold medal recipient. There was a lot of learning to do! The position did not pay, but it did offer me housing, lessons, and a stall.

A little about me - Wisconsin

June 11, 2014 Collette Zimmer

This will probably be the hardest post to write. I hate talking about myself! But I think it is important for you to have a little background on me to put my writing into context. I plan to use this blog to share some of what I have learned about horses, riding , dressage, etc. I am by no means an expert! If it means that you know everything there is to know about a subject, then I hope I never become one! I am learning every day, usually directly from the best teacher there is-the horse. I invite discussion and questions!

Meet the horses

June 7, 2014 Collette Zimmer

Preston is a 15.3 hand Trakehner gelding. I have owned him now for 3 years. I got him when I was a working student at Valhalla farm in Florida. I wanted something I could train and show that would not be sold out from under me. Since then he has moved to Port Orange Fl, where I ran a barn of 9 horses and worked as assistant trainer. Our next move was to Destin Fl, where I worked as assistant trainer to Jodie Kelly. From there we moved to a beautiful farm in Defuniak Springs Fl which was owned by a plastic surgeon. There I ran the stable, worked the horses, and taught lessons to the kids that lived there. When I met my boyfriend who is in the military, we moved to Southern Pines NC.

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Collette Zimmer dressage is in Odessa, Fl; and accepting new students! Please contact Collette for more information! 850-247-9342.