Honoring our nation’s heroes every day and especially on Memorial Day, thank you for your sacrifice and service.
Happy Memorial Day from Team MLE!
Sunday, May 24, 2020
Monday, May 18, 2020
Skyeler Voss Turns Quarantine into "Quarantraining" Time
Today we are sharing an article about one of our #TeamMLE members, Skyeler Voss of Morningside Eventing!
Skyeler was recently interviewed by one of her sponsors, Biostar, on how she has been handling the time during quarantine and be able to continue training. Take a look at the excerpt below to learn more about her program.
"Everyone handles the downtime associated with COVID-19 differently, which is why Skyeler Voss, team BioStar rider and professional eventer, has created an atmosphere at her Morningside Eventing facility that respects the desires of each of her students. While some might choose to stay home and save the riding for another day, others wish to continue on in as normal of a fashion as possible. With that in mind, the team at Morningside Eventing have used this downtime as an opportunity to build upon their program and introduce their horses to some unique training tactics. Find out what skills Skyeler has been emphasizing during this time of “quarantraining” and see if you can incorporate any into your daily routine.
What are some things you have been working on at home?
“During this COVID-19 downtime, our Morningside team has taken this opportunity to grow as a program and train with personal goals in mind rather than competitive accolades. Morningside Eventing Team LLC is a large program with 35+ horses and over 75 eventing students of all levels and ages. We have decided to stay open during this downtime but with strict protocols set forth by our Virginia governor. Each boarder has online scheduled visits, lessons and ride times to keep our numbers at the facility under 10 at all times.'
"We spent the winter in Aiken gearing up for the spring show season. Like many competition driven programs, it is easy to think from one show to the next. However, this forced break in the show schedule has allowed us to grow as trainers and riders and become stronger in the fundamentals. Using quarantine protocols, we have been able to connect more consistently with each individual rider, laying out goals for improvement outside of the show ring. We can spend more time developing the young horses and improving the upper level athletes. Morningside prides itself on being an all encompassing program with focuses on groundwork, horsemanship and riding lessons. This time has allowed us to step back and talk to each rider and communicate with every horse. It has helped us to further formulate individualized goals for each specific partnership.”
“We have taken this opportunity to learn new things and better our weaknesses. We hope that with this additional time to focus on the fundamentals, our horses and riders will be able to step right back into a successful fall season when it is safe to compete again” – Skyeler Voss (pictured with Comet Chrome)
What has the extra time without competing allowed you to do?
“Morningside has combined the expertise of our three trainers, myself, Erin Murphy, and Cali Johnson, in order to provide a “quarantraining” program that satisfies each rider’s needs and expectations while prioritizing health and safety. Every client has individual feelings and concerns regarding the COVID pandemic. We have listened and supported our students’ thoughts to come up with plans that make everyone comfortable. We have kept Morningside open under strict scheduling and social distancing protocols, but we also understand that every person has to do what makes them feel confident and safe. Some clients have chosen to not ride at all, some have chosen to focus on flat-work and forgo the risk of jumping, while others would like to keep their training to a normal routine. Each rider can set an a la carte schedule for the week that incorporates Cali Johnson’s expertise in her rope work, Erin Murphy’s focus on training rides and conditioning, incorporated with my individual lessons in both dressage and show jumping. We have taken a step back from intensive XC schooling in order to minimize risk. Instead, we have substituted Cali’s XC roping to make the horses self sufficient and improve upon their natural instincts without the rider. Erin and I have also included fun XC exercises over show jump questions in the ring to keep our riders and horses sharp without the additional galloping and pounding.”
Has your focus had to shift from your original big-ticket goals this year, and if so what is next on your agenda?
“Our barn has multiple upper-level athletes whose goals included CCI’s, CDI’s, and the North American Youth Championships. While it is disappointing to table these short term competition goals, we are looking at the long game. We have kept the upper-level dressage and event horses in normal work with less focus on the conditioning, dressage tests, and jumping height and more emphasis on the quality of training. We have taken this opportunity to learn new things and better our weaknesses. We hope that with this additional time to focus on the fundamentals, our horses and riders will be able to step right back into a successful fall season when it is safe to compete again.”
What exercises would you encourage eventers and other riders to incorporate in their daily riding during this time?
“Our whole team believes strongly in ground work. This is an incredible tool for strengthening horse and rider relationships. We are so lucky to have Cali Johnson’s roping work as an integral part of our training program. Her skills have become more widely appreciated during this COVID-19 crisis, as more riders have found time to enjoy her wealth of knowledge. Cali has started all of my event horses on the rope, teaching them self-confidence, self-preservation, and allowing the rider to understand each horse’s instincts and mechanics. Erin and myself are busy teaching during the day, but we have taken extra time to work with our young horses on the rope. I have a young horse that is anxious about sounds and activity, so I have been teaching with this horse alongside me. This gives the young horse a chance to be introduced to show-life experiences while on the ground where confidence can be instilled (blog.biostarus.com).”
*To view the entire article and read all of Skyeler's interview, click here!
Skyeler was recently interviewed by one of her sponsors, Biostar, on how she has been handling the time during quarantine and be able to continue training. Take a look at the excerpt below to learn more about her program.
"Everyone handles the downtime associated with COVID-19 differently, which is why Skyeler Voss, team BioStar rider and professional eventer, has created an atmosphere at her Morningside Eventing facility that respects the desires of each of her students. While some might choose to stay home and save the riding for another day, others wish to continue on in as normal of a fashion as possible. With that in mind, the team at Morningside Eventing have used this downtime as an opportunity to build upon their program and introduce their horses to some unique training tactics. Find out what skills Skyeler has been emphasizing during this time of “quarantraining” and see if you can incorporate any into your daily routine.
What are some things you have been working on at home?
“During this COVID-19 downtime, our Morningside team has taken this opportunity to grow as a program and train with personal goals in mind rather than competitive accolades. Morningside Eventing Team LLC is a large program with 35+ horses and over 75 eventing students of all levels and ages. We have decided to stay open during this downtime but with strict protocols set forth by our Virginia governor. Each boarder has online scheduled visits, lessons and ride times to keep our numbers at the facility under 10 at all times.'
 |
| Skyeler during a cross country run |
“We have taken this opportunity to learn new things and better our weaknesses. We hope that with this additional time to focus on the fundamentals, our horses and riders will be able to step right back into a successful fall season when it is safe to compete again” – Skyeler Voss (pictured with Comet Chrome)
What has the extra time without competing allowed you to do?
“Morningside has combined the expertise of our three trainers, myself, Erin Murphy, and Cali Johnson, in order to provide a “quarantraining” program that satisfies each rider’s needs and expectations while prioritizing health and safety. Every client has individual feelings and concerns regarding the COVID pandemic. We have listened and supported our students’ thoughts to come up with plans that make everyone comfortable. We have kept Morningside open under strict scheduling and social distancing protocols, but we also understand that every person has to do what makes them feel confident and safe. Some clients have chosen to not ride at all, some have chosen to focus on flat-work and forgo the risk of jumping, while others would like to keep their training to a normal routine. Each rider can set an a la carte schedule for the week that incorporates Cali Johnson’s expertise in her rope work, Erin Murphy’s focus on training rides and conditioning, incorporated with my individual lessons in both dressage and show jumping. We have taken a step back from intensive XC schooling in order to minimize risk. Instead, we have substituted Cali’s XC roping to make the horses self sufficient and improve upon their natural instincts without the rider. Erin and I have also included fun XC exercises over show jump questions in the ring to keep our riders and horses sharp without the additional galloping and pounding.”
Has your focus had to shift from your original big-ticket goals this year, and if so what is next on your agenda?
“Our barn has multiple upper-level athletes whose goals included CCI’s, CDI’s, and the North American Youth Championships. While it is disappointing to table these short term competition goals, we are looking at the long game. We have kept the upper-level dressage and event horses in normal work with less focus on the conditioning, dressage tests, and jumping height and more emphasis on the quality of training. We have taken this opportunity to learn new things and better our weaknesses. We hope that with this additional time to focus on the fundamentals, our horses and riders will be able to step right back into a successful fall season when it is safe to compete again.”
What exercises would you encourage eventers and other riders to incorporate in their daily riding during this time?
“Our whole team believes strongly in ground work. This is an incredible tool for strengthening horse and rider relationships. We are so lucky to have Cali Johnson’s roping work as an integral part of our training program. Her skills have become more widely appreciated during this COVID-19 crisis, as more riders have found time to enjoy her wealth of knowledge. Cali has started all of my event horses on the rope, teaching them self-confidence, self-preservation, and allowing the rider to understand each horse’s instincts and mechanics. Erin and myself are busy teaching during the day, but we have taken extra time to work with our young horses on the rope. I have a young horse that is anxious about sounds and activity, so I have been teaching with this horse alongside me. This gives the young horse a chance to be introduced to show-life experiences while on the ground where confidence can be instilled (blog.biostarus.com).”
*To view the entire article and read all of Skyeler's interview, click here!
To learn how #TeamMLE can help you and your business visit: www.mythiclanding.com!
Sunday, May 10, 2020
Tips for Staying Afloat from #TeamMLE member Pam Saul
Good morning!
As we continue to navigate these unusual and challenging times we wanted to share some a few tips from a #TeamMLE member, Pam Saul of Saul Bookkeeping to help you and your business not only survive but continue to be successful.
It's important to check in with yourself, your clients and your business to keep things running smoothly and adapt as much as possible. Talk to your clients and see how they are doing. Find out is there anything extra you can be helping them with or can you offer to stop services until a future date that you both agree to? Take a look at your client list and see who may be hit the hardest in their cash flow and contact them to see what they are doing to try and continue working. Also don't forget to make sure any new clients are fully able to pay you!
During these times adjusting your business or services to survive might be a necessity. Take a look at your product or service offering and ask yourself, can you offer a prepaid discount? Do you have a package program? Perhaps you can take some of your services and transition to offer them online? Is there a new service or product that you want to try out? Can you use Zoom or another video streaming service to be able to work remotely? Do you need to sell inventory or put a hold on orders or curtail buying more? Make a list of all the ways your business can adapt and then start detailing the steps to implement them.
When it comes to your finances, making sure everything is in order is a must. Make sure your books are up to date (shows all your income/expenses) and reconciled. Get out all billable services/products by invoice now! Always pay payroll taxes first…always!
Be sure to check with your payroll provider on current state withholding and unemployment regulations (changing on a daily basis). Also check regarding the Families First Coronavirus Response Act regarding sick leave.
Shut off all automatic payments from your account. By doing this it gives you leverage to decide what to pay. Contact your local bank manager and see if you can get a Line of Credit (LOD) before you need it. And if you have a Line of Credit (LOC), see if you can get it increased. If you do need a loan, make sure you specify that this is directly related to the actions regarding COVID-19. It's not a bad idea to call your insurance agent and see what you need to do while out of work. Watch for credit card deals that will allow you to transfer balances from other cards for less interest. Lastly, contact your vendors and see if you can go from 30 days to 45 day or even 60 days to pay your bills.
Perhaps most importantly, be sure to check in with yourself on a daily/weekly basis. You can't take care of your customers unless you are taking care of yourself first. Try to make this a learning experience so you can grow in the future. Be sure to think clearly about your business, not emotionally. You need to make informed decisions and not when you are panicked.
If you have concerns, share them with a non-judgmental person….your mentor, friend, or other person you trust. Don’t let shame or guilt make you feel like there is nothing you can do. Take small steps towards positive action. Be sure to create attainable goals so that you don’t have self-fulfilling failure. Make sure to physically take care of yourself. Your health is the most important thing right now.
And most importantly, realize that it isn’t just you, that we all are dealing with the same issues and going through this together.
If you want some extra help or guidance in a particular aspect of your business during this pandemic or to boost sales once things begin to normalize, contact us at: www.mythiclanding.com. We're here for you!
As we continue to navigate these unusual and challenging times we wanted to share some a few tips from a #TeamMLE member, Pam Saul of Saul Bookkeeping to help you and your business not only survive but continue to be successful.
It's important to check in with yourself, your clients and your business to keep things running smoothly and adapt as much as possible. Talk to your clients and see how they are doing. Find out is there anything extra you can be helping them with or can you offer to stop services until a future date that you both agree to? Take a look at your client list and see who may be hit the hardest in their cash flow and contact them to see what they are doing to try and continue working. Also don't forget to make sure any new clients are fully able to pay you!
When it comes to your finances, making sure everything is in order is a must. Make sure your books are up to date (shows all your income/expenses) and reconciled. Get out all billable services/products by invoice now! Always pay payroll taxes first…always!
Be sure to check with your payroll provider on current state withholding and unemployment regulations (changing on a daily basis). Also check regarding the Families First Coronavirus Response Act regarding sick leave.
Shut off all automatic payments from your account. By doing this it gives you leverage to decide what to pay. Contact your local bank manager and see if you can get a Line of Credit (LOD) before you need it. And if you have a Line of Credit (LOC), see if you can get it increased. If you do need a loan, make sure you specify that this is directly related to the actions regarding COVID-19. It's not a bad idea to call your insurance agent and see what you need to do while out of work. Watch for credit card deals that will allow you to transfer balances from other cards for less interest. Lastly, contact your vendors and see if you can go from 30 days to 45 day or even 60 days to pay your bills.
Perhaps most importantly, be sure to check in with yourself on a daily/weekly basis. You can't take care of your customers unless you are taking care of yourself first. Try to make this a learning experience so you can grow in the future. Be sure to think clearly about your business, not emotionally. You need to make informed decisions and not when you are panicked.
If you have concerns, share them with a non-judgmental person….your mentor, friend, or other person you trust. Don’t let shame or guilt make you feel like there is nothing you can do. Take small steps towards positive action. Be sure to create attainable goals so that you don’t have self-fulfilling failure. Make sure to physically take care of yourself. Your health is the most important thing right now.
And most importantly, realize that it isn’t just you, that we all are dealing with the same issues and going through this together.
If you want some extra help or guidance in a particular aspect of your business during this pandemic or to boost sales once things begin to normalize, contact us at: www.mythiclanding.com. We're here for you!
Monday, May 4, 2020
Horse Shopping? Let #Team MLE help!
If you or someone you know is looking to buy your next equine partner MLE clients have a wide variety of talented horses for sale! Although you can't travel, our clients can provide LOTS of videos and answer questions you might have to help you through the buying process. Just because there is a pandemic happening doesn't mean your dreams of horse ownership have to end! Take a look below and contact Margaret@mythiclanding.com or www.mythiclanding.com to get more information!
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| Marley |
- Tiz A Deputy (“Marley”)
- 2013 16.1h bay Thoroughbred mare
- Location: Brookeville, MD
- Price/range: $15k & Under
After retiring from racing at the end of 2017, Marley was restarted slowly after some letdown time. She has 3 quality gaits and a lovely personality (she really loves her people!). While she is still on the greener side, she is quite willing and relatively simple to ride and train. Marley is often used for lessons when someone is lacking a horse, and everyone loves her. She’s gone cross country schooling a few times and loved it, and has also been to schooling horse trials and dressage shows where brought home some ribbons. She hacks out, stands well for the vet and farrier, and has no behavioral issues or vices.
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| Marley |
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| Finn |
- Film Shot (“Finn”)
- 2009 15.3h Thoroughbred Gelding
- Location: Larkspur, CO
- Price/range: Contact for price
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| Bentley |
- Bentley
- 2006 16.1h Shire-Arab Cross
- Location: Nottingham, PA
- Price/range: $15k & Under
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| Bentley |
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| Tee |
- Tempter ("Tee")
- 2014 16.3h Thoroughbred Gelding
- Location: Dickerson, MD
- Price/range: $10k & Under
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| Tee |
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| Winter |
- Winterfell ("Winter")
- 2014 16.2h Percheron Thoroughbred Cross Gelding
- Location: Middletown, MD
- Price/range: $15k & Under
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| Winter |
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| Excel Star Eye Candy |
- Excel Star Eye Candy
- 2015 16.2h KWPN Gelding
- Location: Nottingham, PA
- Price/range: Contact for pricing
This talented young horse has upper-level potential in several disciplines! He has shown
up to 1.1 meter in jumpers and evented in Europe. He is a fabulous jumper and super mover, suitable for a junior, young rider or adult amateur and also talented enough for a professional.
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| Excel Star Eye Candy |
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| Lunetta |
- Lunetta
- 2009 16.2h grey German Sport Horse mare
- Location: The Plains, VA
- Price/range: Contact for pricing
Looking for a well-rounded competitor? Lunetta is your girl! This lovely mare has competed through the Intermediate level of eventing before spending time in the hunter/jumper ring. Most recently she has been in dressage training with a local professional, before heading back out into the eventing world this fall. She would make the perfect junior or amateur horse and is ready to show someone new the ropes. Luna is a barn favorite, and anyone would be lucky to have her!
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| Lunetta |
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| Loriot |
- The Frame Loriot 371 ("Loriot")
- 2012 16.3h Hanoverian Gelding
- Location: The Plains, VA
- Price/range: Over $75k
Through no fault of his own, Loriot is back and ready for his new owner. He spent the winter in Wellington competing in the A/O jumper classes with great success. He is ready to go and keep winning for you!
Loriot is the son of the world famous Lordanos, and out of a 1.50 meter mare by Caretino. He’s a natural athlete with the gaits of a pure dressage horse and the scope for the big classes. He has WON through the 1.20 meter jumper classes and is ready to keep moving up the levels.
He has a big step, super balance and is brave to the fences. He has also been extremely successful eventing through Training level and could easily switch back to that discipline. Overall, Loriot is kind, quiet and fun… everything you want in a young rider or amateur horse.
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| Loriot |
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| Elliot |
- Adios Nonino ("Elliot")
- 2009 16.2h Holsteiner Gelding
- Location: Buellton, CA
- Price/range: $25,000
Elliot is a seasoned Novice-level eventer who has been ridden and produced by an adult amateur. Some career highlights include 4th finish Novice 3-Day at Rebecca Farm 2019, Area 6 Reserve Champion in the Novice Rider Division, and 2nd place finish at Galway International Horse Trials in October. Elliot is best suited for a rider looking to enjoy a lower- level competition horse.
Happy horse shopping!!
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