Adult Camp Adventures: Windurra!

You may remember I wrote about taking some time off work last week - fondly referred to as my "adult camp" lol.

Originally, my 'big' planned outing for the week was a clinic with Jimmy Wofford, alas cancelled due to lack of entries. Former barn mate Rachael had planned to bring her camp kids along to the clinic as a day trip activity and found herself scrambling when the clinic was cancelled.

In a moment of impulsive boldness, she emailed international event rider Boyd Martin asking to bring the campers out to Windurra. Amazingly - he not only replied extremely promptly, but also encouraged her to bring out the whole troupe to spend as much time on property as they wished.

He graciously offered to give a tour at a prescribed time, but said that they'd be schooling horses before and after, so to come whenever and stay for however long the group wanted to. Naturally, more than just camp kids were interested in going along for the trip haha! 

Boyd was out teaching a cross country lesson when we arrived - including schooling a horse while he was at it. First thing to learn about how Windurra operates: Boyd is always doing about 5 things at once, but in such a way as you might not actually notice.

After helping a student get a horse through a sticky combination, he rode over to the group to introduce himself, tell us about what they were doing, and encourage us to get up close and personal while they finished the lesson. 

Obviously, this was not a problem for us lol.

One of Windurra's most famous assets is it's lovely cross country course - with everything from starter level logs on the ground to advanced level fences and combinations. Tho interestingly, many of the combinations were set up at much higher levels of technicality but with relatively inviting fences. This looks like a GREAT place to school - perhaps we'll make it out one day!

Also worth noting - literally every single sentient being on Boyd and Silva's property was notably friendly. Like, walking down the path past a rider, that rider would unfailingly smile, say hello, and ask how we were doing. Like. Really friendly. It's pretty clearly a cultural thing at Windurra - and definitely a part of their business model. Friendly eventers. Yup. 

Naturally, while we watched Boyd finish his cross country schooling lesson, he pointed out a very special horse hacking with a working student. The camp kids were downright amazed to see this horse, having all watched the Purina Stories of Greatness video earlier that morning. Gotta say, it was pretty cool hearing the high-pitched whispers from the kiddos, "It's Neville!!"

Boyd also took this opportunity to point out facets of the property surrounding us. Namely, the all-weather footing track built into the cross country course for hacking and conditioning horses. It isn't necessarily a gallop track (there are plans to build one), but it's perfect for getting in conditioning rides when the ground is very hard, legging horses up, or simply helping horses get out of arena. 

It was kinda funny bc during the course of Boyd's group tour, he schooled three horses, taught two lessons, sold a syndicate share in one of his up-and-coming horses, and only god knows what else. But in such a way, again, as you'd hardly notice while on tour, lol.

After finishing his xc ride, he directed us over to the stadium ring, where he met us on his dirt bike to tell us more about the facility. Mentioning everything from the details of the footing, why he chose this type of fencing (for youngsters), and the various trainers who come in - including mentioning George Morris on multiple occasions as a visiting trainer (at a about a yearly frequency). 

Windurra is laid out in a fairly linear fashion - with the cross country course closest to the road. Then the jumping arena, then the plot of land planned for a new indoor arena, then the dressage court, then the shed row barns.

The dressage arena was its very own special brand of lovely - with a full wall of mirrors and surrounded entirely by roses. This was absolutely a spot we'd revisit again soon.

But first, a tour of the barns! Complete with meeting almost all of Boyd's current upper level mounts!! Unfortunately I can't remember exactly every detail he shared with us - but believe this particular horse is Master Frisky. Who wasn't particularly frisky on this day, oh well.

Then we met Steady Eddie, who was in the middle of all sorts of fun body work treatments (note the spectra vet blankets and magna wave tubing outside the stall). This horse is currently preparing to go to Burghley - pretty freakin cool!

For those of you unfamiliar with the story behind Boyd's shedrow barn, I recommend watching Purina's Stories of Greatness video - it's a good one.

The gist is: When Boyd and Silva Martin first got started in the US working out of Phillip Dutton's barn, there was a fire. They lost almost everything, including some horses (the notable exception there being Neville - again, another reason to watch the video).

After the devastation wrought by the fire, all sorts of local (and not so local) supporters came out of the woodwork to help rebuild. Including donating these turnout sheds - each from various good samaritans - that are pieced together to create Boyd's international event horse facility.

After many years operating out of this beloved shedrow, there are now plans to build a more 'traditional' barn. But it was pretty cool to see this facility in action. Especially after having maybe been a little spoiled by the cushiness of my current hunterlandia-ensconced barn lol.

Anyway. The tour continued - next with meeting Crackerjack. This horse is particularly special, having been around some of the biggest 4* tracks in the world despite having respiratory (or "wind") issues rendering him closer to 50-60% capacity of what he ought to be for his level. As Boyd said, this horse should not be able to do what he does - and yet he does it. He's an incredible athlete!

Also notable - you can see we've got a fairly large tour group in a busy bustling barn full of upper level, valuable horses. All in various stages of work, with riders and working students buzzing about. The most exceptional thing? Nobody ever once had to tell a kiddo to be careful or not get too close to a horse. Because every single horse was quiet and friendly and safe.

Maybe they stick the surlier ones somewhere else.... but again, I tend to think it's a cultural thing. At Windurra, the horses are just kinda expected to be ok with whatever happens. Like that horse barely visible behind Boyd just chillin on his Theraplate.

Another thing that struck me was that almost every single horse we saw under saddle (and there were a few) went in a loose ring snaffle. Sure, there are other bits hanging on the wall above (and the most.... non loose ring snaffle-y ones are obviously the furthest from the door....), but it's just an awful lot of simple bits. Even all the horses we saw on the cross country fence.

Oh and there was also this goat haha. Another very friendly resident!

Continuing with the introductions to Boyd's upper level horses - here we see Shamwari 4, who is featured in the video below. This horse ran around Rolex last year, unfortunately sustaining an injury and just now getting back into work. Such a lovely face tho!

Then another horse whose name is only just now getting to be more broadly known: This is Ray Price, one of Boyd's homebreds. And, according to Boyd, this is a very special horse. We'll see a little more of this horse later, as he was currently being prepped for Silva as we toured the barn.

Unfortunately a couple big name horses weren't in the barn during our tour (sorry but I apparently completely missed Welcome Shadow, sorry Megan!). Tho we did get to see Blackfoot Mystery, maintaining his mystery by staying shrouded in fly gear in his field lol.

Finally tho it was time to see Boyd and Silva back in action again - Silva on Ray Price and Boyd on Tura Lura, whom he showed this past weekend at the Maryland Horse Trials.

While he rode, he told us a bit about what he looks for in a 'type' of horse. Specifically, it has to move and jump like a warmblood, but look like a thoroughbred. Many of his horses are very high percentage TB - up to 80%. But with that WB style of moving. And this horse in particular - Ray Price - is one to watch for the future, as Boyd suggested he's aiming him for Tokyo 2020. 

It was also pretty clear tho, just why everyone at Windurra is so freakin friendly. This is a bustling place of business - and even as we were there, so were owners and buyers and various investors. Including one owner who was checking in on a new acquisition - but who also may or may not have jumped in on the Ray Price syndicate in the meantime too. 

Anyway - the tour followed as Boyd moved to schooling his third horse, Shamwari 4. He told us a little about his conditioning plan for horses too. And by "a little" I mean omg I should have just recorded him bc he spoke too much information too quickly for even yours truly to capture it all. 

Long story short, it's very heavily focused on conditioning. Basically every horse works twice a day. Once for some type of conditioning, usually done by working students. Whether a long slow walk or trot, or more purposeful canter or gallop sets. Then another ride done on the flat or jumping, usually done by Silva or Boyd.

Honestly I wish I had better notes from that bc it really struck me just how much these horses get ridden - but especially how low-impact much of the riding actually is. It's not just short bursts of intense activity, but long slow building up.

Anyway, Shamwari was delivered to Boyd at the jump arena by a working student who had just done something like 40min of walk/trot conditioning on him. And Boyd warmed him up for a little bit on the flat before doing very purposeful work over a single oxer, back and forth, with placing poles two strides out on either side (this is all in the video).

Shamwari was a little frisky but looked pretty good! Then Boyd went on to just cruise through a fairly long course of jumps - stringing various combinations together. And then... Done. That's it. Nice and sweet. So the focus for the horse had been on that 40min of conditioning. Then just some very purposeful, to the point type jumping. Then done. Gives me food for thought!

video of various schoolings at Windurra here

It was honestly pretty incredible to have been able to see so much, and hang out for so long. The entire team at Windurra was amazingly friendly and welcoming, horses and goats included.

It was also very enlightening to learn more about the inner workings of an international eventing barn, chock full of 4* talent and incredibly valuable horses - both the confirmed talents and the up-and-comers. On the one hand, there are a lot of dedicated folks working very hard to keep this operation working like a well-oiled machine. But on the other hand? They're still just horses who need fly spray and a quick hose off in an open air wash stall.

In any case, it was honestly pretty inspirational to see how they operate at Windurra - tho Charlie maybe wishes I hadn't learned that all those horses work twice a day lol. But who knows, maybe Charlie will have the opportunity to visit the property himself at some point in the future!