I specialize in teaching dressage and am known for providing explanations on why certain aids would be applied in a specific manner at a specific time, so students learn to apply consistent, fair aids- which always makes for happy horses! I hate it when I hear someone say their horse hates dressage. Dressage should never be boring, repetitive, or harsh. My B.A. in English with a minor in Education help me present riding theory in a logical, easy-to-understand way.
ABOUT THE OWNER/TRAINER, VALERIE SWYGERT:
Over the years I have won several South Carolina and Georgia championship and reserve championship titles and placed in the Regional championships with different horses, including Step A Side (who was sold and went on to earn a 9th place nationally in the junior hunter division with a student of Don Stewart's) , Norman Swygert's mare California (who was sold to a student of Gunner Ostergaard's), the Mexican imported mare Simpatia- First Place ranking in First Level Freestyle for Region 3, and 11th for the national rankings (sold to a student who is active in Lendon Gray's junior dressage program), and Dutch gelding Persona Grata. In the 90's I evented through Novice on my beloved Carpe Diem (now 28 years old and still with me); the only jumping I have done since then has been on her daughter Deficit Spending and grandson Farther in Debt. From 2000-2007, I broke the Welsh ponies for Orchard Hill Farm (www.orchardhillfarm.com); owner Sara McCormick and I still do business together but I no longer have time to take in the ponies. In early 2007 I met a super friend and trainer in Holland who has helped me and my customers find several really super horses. Persona Grata helped me complete my USDF bronze medal in our first two shows, and earned my two fourth level scores towards my silver medal in our first two shows at that level. In 2008 I sold him, with the help of Jennifer Baumert. I then imported my Gribaldi daughter "Envy" (Una Voce, U.V. sounded stupid so I then though N.V., which is how she became Envy). Though she had NEVER been to a horse show in her life until 2 months after I brought her to the U.S., our scores at training level in 2008 were over 70% most of the time. Later in 2008 I imported Personality, with the hopes of earning the rest of my scores to continue with the USDF judge's "r" program and to complete my USDF silver medal. In addition to training my own horses, I teach several students in the Aiken, Augusta, Ridge Spring, and Columbia areas, and I take in 1 or 2 client horses at a time. In 2008 I passed the USDF "L" program "with distinction"- which is a requirement to go on to the USEF licensing program. In 2010, my beloved mare "Ali" helped me earn those needed scores, so I am now actively pursuing the "r" card. I often judge SCDCTA dressage shows and some local hunter shows and open shows, as well as some dressage shows in Georgia and North Carolina. Besides lessons and judging, I actively find horses for people and buyers for horses; my focus is matching appropriate temperaments and abilities, and I guarantee brutally honest representation- you will hear the good AND the bad about any sales horse and whether or not he or she is a good match for YOU. I have been known on a couple of occasions to refuse to sell a horse to a buyer, because if I do not believe it is a good long-term match, in the end, the buyer and the horse will be unhappy.
THE CARE AND FEEDING PROGRAM:
ALL horses here are blanketed in the winter and must have a lightweight and heavyweight extremely waterproof blankets. In the summer, I am extremely diligent with fly masks (mandatory)- all horses are checked at least daily for rubs and to make sure their eyes are bright and clear underneath their masks. All my horses wear fly boots and most clients wish for theirs to as well; these and a fly sheet will be monitored as well if the owner wishes, at no additional charge. Deworming and farrier care are billed as incurred. Supplements will be given at no extra charge but owner must provide them. MY FEEDING PROGRAM: Triple Crown Training, which in my opinion is the best, most consistent feed on the market. 13% protein, 13% fat, probiotics, Omega 3's and 6's- the only feed on the market to contain fish oil- it includes everything you could possibly want and is very palatable. Very expensive and worth every penny! All horses get the Sand Trap psyllium supplement 7 days per month and electrolytes in summer, as well as BugLyte, an additive to help ward off pests. I am extremely proud to be one of only two farms in Aiken County who provide free-choice ORCHARD GRASS/ALFALFA to all horses. My hay man from Virginia specially bales his hay in round bales for me, and then shrink-wraps them to keep them fresh- and drives them all the way down here for me. No one can monitor the consistency of grass- some times of year your horse will have good grass, others not, so their diet varies depending on how much rain we get or what time of year it is. My solution keeps the horses' nutrition consistent year-round, and the best part is, hay is not rationed, so they always have forage, THE WAY NATURE DESIGNED THEIR DIGESTIVE TRACTS TO WORK! I do keep baled hay for when the horses are inside. Salt and Equi-Min mineral licks (the best you can buy) and turn out sheds (with fans and also misters) in each pasture; some with heat lamps that are kept on 24/7 throughout the winter as well.Maximum of 3 horses per pasture. Water troughs are scrubbed minimum of 3 times per week. Feed tubs and troughs are disinfected with Nolvasan regularly. All horses here live outside 24 hours, unless an allergy or medical condition necessitates a stall, except in the case of a valuable competition horse who needs to be kept in to prevent sun bleaching or possible turnout injury, or in the case of a horse who does not tolerate the climate well. We bed on pine pellets- keeps dust levels down, much more sanitary so worth the extra cost. I take great pride in how happy and comfortable my horses are and I will not compromise that for any reason. In the 10+ years of managing my own barn, even when I kept upwards of 20 horses, I have only had 4 colics which required a veterinary call and maybe 5 other times I've had to give banamine due to a mild colic (knocking on wood here!), and injuries are extremely rare. At the time of typing this, I can't even remember the last time I had a colicky horse? This includes even my 28 year old mare, who would get colicky occasionally when I boarded her. I am very proud of this fact, and feel it speaks for the feeding program and the physical and MENTAL environment in which they are kept.
TRAINING:
Each horse is an individual, so I don’t have a set program. Training horses may be ridden by me or the owner or any combination, depending on your needs. We do have a few outside professionals who come in to help when needed. I believe it is important for the horses to be hacked out, jumped, work over cavalleti, do flatwork in a field, work up and down hills- anything they need to keep them mentally eager and physically sound.
I have a Respond Laser blanket, the Equissage massaging system, Game Ready icing system, and you horse is welcome to be treated by any of the area’s top acupuncturists, massage therapists, etc.
LESSONS:
I teach both here at my farm, and I travel to several areas as well. Please let me know what your needs are.
Deficit Spending, 2000 fancy and quiet AQHA mare, fabulous hunter- jumps anything you point her at in style, and schools solid second level dressage. Safe & predictable to ride, never spooky or hot, handles new/strange situations with great aplomb. Will trail ride anywhere with anybody. Has foxhunted with children. She is out of my best horse ever (retired superstar Carpe Diem & is her only foal, so she is "priceless" and will never leave Jasmine Farm.
2003 pony, Welsh x out of above mare Deficit Spending, and by Llandefalle’s Better by Far. "Farther in Debt" a.k.a. "Trouble" has turned into a fancy and fun dressage horse though he loves to jump and occasionally some of my students who event enjoy him. He does the Spanish walk, has a good start to most of the lateral movements, and has a super uphill canter. He is light off the leg and eager to please. Sometimes a bit too eager….and I’m not always sure teaching a horse to rear was a good idea! On the What's New page, you can see photos of him painting. He knows many other tricks as well, including lay down, bow, smile, hug, stretch, etc. He also is a permanent resident at Jasmine Farm; I tried to sell him once but was just too darned attached… He has only been off the farm a few times- his first time out was a schooling show as a 3 year old, and then I didn’t take him anywhere until the past few months- he has now been to one recognized dressage show (Dec. ’09, where he was predictably low on Sat. and redeemed himself on Sunday by beating out some warmbloods with a 66%) and then in January I trailered him to a lesson. I believe he has the horse version of A.D.D… like the dog in the movie “Up,” he is likely to be in mid-sentence and yell “Squirrel!” Hopefully I can get him out some more, but he is kind of last on the list of importance and since he isn’t for sale and I don’t have a lot of money invested in him, we have no agenda.
Our resident favorite and mascot, miniature donkey Fiesta, is currently living with Loose Rock Riding Center's petting zoo giving cart rides and enjoying being spoiled.
A couple years ago, Lynda Bragg-Workman put her lovely gelding Vulcan’s Odessey (misspelling on purpose- that is how he is registered) here in full training. Initially she sent him here because she felt he was too much horse for her. However, he just needed some confidence and within just a few weeks, Lynda started to ride him herself! She comes over from or Augusta when she can, while I ride him the other days. She has shown him Intro level, winning many classes including those at her first USDF show, despite Lynda describes as that “sitting on a volcano about to erupt” feeling he gives sometimes. I will continue to show him at training and first levels until Lynda has the time to show him herself.
Allisa Faulkner’s horse Parker is a lovely Dutch cross gelding. Allisa is in school full time, so I ride him a few times a week when she can’t come out here. She is eventing him at training level despite my best efforts to turn her into a D.Q.! Obviously, she is a fabulous rider and he is a super jumper… Photo credit thanks to Nikki Livermore!
My other horses Una Voce, Personality, California, the foals, and the recent imports can be seen elsewhere on this website
