Great Scot Riding & Training

05/31/2026

Great Scot field trip !!! Extending an invite to come out and enjoy the sport of Polo. It's very exciting to watch. We will be there with an EZ up and chairs if anyone wants to come watch with us. Sunday July 5th in Crozet , Virginia at Kings Family Vineyard , Gates open at 10 am

05/24/2026

Had a great morning at a clinic with the legendary Jimmy Lee. As a younger trainer in my earlier years I would watch him judge and he was just so spot on. He didn't disappoint as I watched my own boy and a couple of my students doing their THANG 👏 it was a really cool forum as he taught with two other Virginia trainers, Paul Matthews and Steve Rivetts. They each complemented each other and gave each rider so much good information. As for the overall experience I give it an A+, from the moment we signed up to when we drove in, every detail was organized and well communicated. Nydrie Stud was such a rich historical piece of Virginia horse country. It was so cool to walk through the barn and through the fields. I am a major equine geek when it comes to history and it was really such a great experience to be there where many many champions were born. The new owner River Run Farms LLC has done a phenomenal job. Hope to see more events here in the future.

05/18/2026

The Great Scot Team finally got out to a show this year !! First one is always the toughest one because adrenaline is high, nerves are all over the place, the venue is new to us so trying to navigate different arenas and warm up areas and stalling areas. It all factors in to the overall vibe and focus of my riders and horses. Some didn't bat an eye and a couple of my horses thought the jumper arena right on the busy road was very challenging to focus in 😵‍💫😵‍💫 we take it all in stride and change the focus to a teaching moment, no longer a class to win. And that's horse showing folks !! You go in with thoughts to be competitive and end up being humbled by these great animals we love so much. They still get a pat and a mint and we go home with new things to work on. Throughout the weekend we made sure to have fun where we could, drank lots of water and found the shade. I had two newbies who'd never shown with me before and they did fantastic, Ainsley winning her class in leadline and Shannon Jackson in pleasure in the top five in good company ! Abby stepped into the 2' hunters this season and rode confidently in a very big group pulled a ribbon each day. Bryleigh decided to try her hand in the jumper ring and came home with champion and reserve along with our Katelynn Elizabeth on her perfect girl Charm picked up champion on Sunday. My two boys Tango and Fash walked away with homework! But their riders made me proud with how they handled the rowdy 🤠🤠 the others I will tag in pics . Send me pics if I didn't get any

05/14/2026

Sharing from this gals page Blue Thunder. Such a beautiful write up on not losing the joy in the journey and the climb. This is not just for kids, it's for anyone that chooses to be a student and that have a passion to succeed.

In a world pushing kids to specialize earlier, win faster, and carry the weight of adult expectations before they’ve even had the chance to fully grow up… we have to protect the joy.

The truth is greatness is never built only in the bright lights and victory laps. It’s built in the missed manuevers, the hard practices, the long drives home, the tears, the setbacks, the rebuilding seasons, and the quiet moments nobody else sees. Those moments matter just as much as the wins. Maybe even more.

One of the greatest gifts we can give kids is not pressure… it’s perspective. Teaching them an attitude of gratitude through every high and low will take them farther in life than talent ever could. Grateful for the horse. Grateful for the lesson. Grateful for the opportunity. Grateful for the growth. Grateful even when things don’t go their way.

Because when kids learn their worth is not attached to a paycheck, buckle, title, trophy, or social media highlight reel… they become unshakable. They learn to compete from a place of purpose instead of fear.

“Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you...” 1 Thessalonians 5:18

God created each child for such a time as this. Not to be crushed by comparison or consumed by pressure, but to grow, learn, inspire, and become exactly who He designed them to be.

“For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things He planned for us long ago.” - Ephesians 2:10

The goal isn’t just raising great competitors. It’s raising good humans with grateful hearts who still love the journey long after the applause fades.

Somewhere along the way, the horse world, and honestly the world in general, forgot that kids are supposed to have fun too. Blue Thunder has taught Savannah that the magic was never only in the big moments. It was in every step it took to get there together.

05/10/2026

Happy mother's Day to the Great Scot barn family ! So many momma's that share this passion with their kiddos. I get to share with my boy and my own mom adores animals and the horses as well. We honor you and your sacrifice 🙏❤️

04/29/2026

We need rain !! This spring so far is not behaving. No April showers to give us May flowers.... But maybe tonight we will get some 🤞🤞 watch this video from late March when we got a 15 min down pour. Listen with sound up 😲😲

04/27/2026

Another birthday in the house !! Our favorite chestnut mare, Pikse princess turns 22 years young today. I was very blessed to receive this unicorn back in California when I got the chance to meet her wonderful mom Amy Williams . She did not want to sell her beloved pony, just find her next chapter where she could bring as much joy to others as she brought to her. Well it's been a few years now and this very special unicorn bring smiles to all who gets the privilege to ride her and learn from her. She's so fancy, she's so kind and she's so special 💗 happy birthday Puddin

04/20/2026

One fun thing about having unicorns with papers is we know their exact birth date !! We have a birthday in the house today 🎉🎉🎉 Happy 19th birthday Marcus aka Exclaim (USEF registered name) known around the barn as Baby Shark or Hannibal Lector 😆. Although his ground manners may be a bit rough, he's a wonderful teacher to my more advanced riders who are learning to take a feel, count strides, get round, get organized and be competitive in the show ring. Mark is your guy.

04/17/2026

I don't board these days anymore it's just not worth it. But I do have a couple special boarders. This is a great letter, a good reminder and a little insight into this crazy industry

Now that I finally own my own barn after years of boarding, there’s SO much I didn’t realize as a boarder that I TOTALLY get now, Jamie Sindell writes.

Dear Barn Owners of My Past:

I would sincerely like to apologize for believing it was appropriate to grab hay whenever I wanted. I had to stuff Precious Pony’s face full. Heaven forbid she stands for an hour deprived of hay. What I didn’t realize is that Precious wasn’t wasting away. Hay is freaking expensive. Every. Single. Flake. Is money.

It was obnoxious to snag hay. If I believed you were truly starving Precious, I owed you a conversation. Sorry!

I also extend an apology for not thanking you regularly. I now comprehend what it takes to haul my butt out of my cozy bed on a frigid morning. I feel the pain of wrestling a frozen hose and slinging manure pucks into the wheelbarrow. I would absolutely prefer to skip chores and arrive in my heated vest to ride Precious Pony. You never had the choice to ditch the horses and sip a latte by the fire. Instead, you were out there caring for the herd.

In the summer, scorching fly-filled days when sweat soaked every fiber of your clothes, you ensured the horses stayed comfortable and healthy. I’m genuinely sorry I didn’t express my gratitude enough or bring you a Strawberry Acai on the regular. What I understand now is that one thank you or kind gesture makes a stressful barn day less painful.

I would be remiss if I didn’t say MY BAD for believing everything in the barn should look like an Instagram reel. Days the stalls weren’t done ASAP, water was lowish, or the ring wasn’t dragged with a pretty pattern…. Well, now I recognize crap happens! You have a life beyond Precious Pony, and gasp, maybe even a family to care for too!

Things come up. I’ve had sick kids upchucking into bowls, a spouse stuck at the airport, and busted-frozen pipes cramping my watering style. Crazy days make it extra hard to get everything looking just so. If the horses are regularly getting good care, blips aren’t a crisis. Precious Pony will survive to trot another day!

Turnout! Ugh. I was a brat. When I believed Precious Pony MUST go out to frolic, but the fields were a mucky mess, that wasn’t my call at your barn. In fact, Precious Pony would not only destroy your sopping fields, but she might pull shoes or come in limping.

Currently, my fields are moats. Every time the horses gallop through the mud, I cringe. Turnout all the time isn’t always feasible or a solution.

I am also sorry if I didn’t respect your barn rules. Your barn is your pride and joy (when you can muster up joy after caring for Precious Ponies all day). I know I now savor my crossties clipped, halters hung on a bias, and aisle neatly swept. At the end of a longggg day, these details matter. Forgive me for the days I left my brushes strewn about or my muddy blanket heaped in a mountain on the floor.

Finally, my biggest regret… I wish I lent you a hand more often. On days you were overwhelmed and rushed, I wish I hadn’t zipped out of the barn. An extra set of hands for turnout or holding Precious Pony for the farrier goes a long way. Presently, those extra free minutes mean I can grab my daughter from preschool on time instead of dashing in late, a hay-covered-mom-failure.

Let’s face it. Most people don’t board because it’s a cash cow. They do it because they love horses, even if down the line they become a little jaded. If I disagreed with some of YOUR decisions at YOUR barn, I hope I was respectful and kind. If I wasn’t, shame on me. No matter how strongly I felt about Precious Pony’s care, hushed whispers among disgruntled boarders wasn’t the way to go.

Now, when I take on a boarder at my farm, it is my choice. Though I will tolerate the owner and love Precious Pony like my own, at the end of the day, I own this joint. I want respect. You deserved the same.

Sincerely,

Jamie Sindell (Exhausted Owner of Wish List Farm est. 2022)

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