About Hundred Acre Wood
by Martha Barbone
Staff Writer, "The Horse of Delaware Valley"
 "Name:
Charish Campbell.
Facility: Hundred Acre Wood, Easton, Md.
Website:
www.chesapeakesporthorse.com
Phone: 410-819-8944.
Specialty: Multi-discipline with emphasis on
classical dressage. Training/Education: Varied but thorough in hunt
seat, open jumping, classical dressage, driving, reining,
recreational riding, Nutritional Reflexology, Homeopathy,
Naturopathy, Myofascial Release. Major accomplishments: ARICP
certified instructor; former Centered Riding instructor; certified
holistic equine therapist; professional equestrian sports
photographer.
Rates: Full board $650; private lessons $60 per
hour.
EASTON, Md.Classical dressage is the
cornerstone for all riding disciplines and at Hundred Acre Wood,
it¹s the key to success. Owner Charish Campbell, who earned her
ARICP Level One certification in hunt seat and open jumping and her
Level One Centered Riding certification brings to her clients a
complete and well-rounded approach to training and instruction that
encompasses her intense research into classical dressage.
³Whatever discipline a rider wants to pursue,
we always begin with classical dressage,² said Campbell. Prospective
students are invited to observe her while she gives lesson so that
they can be comfortable with her methods.
Located on just over 100-acres on the eastern
shore of Maryland between the Miles and the Wye Rivers, Hundred Acre
Wood consists of three, five to seven acre pastures, all with large
run-in sheds and is fenced in four rail oak boards.
There are 13 matted, box stalls and a heated
office big enough to hold unmounted clinics and seminars in the
center aisle barn and students have the luxury of year-round riding
in the indoor arena where the footing is the highest quality sand
and shredded rubber.
Dust is kept down by an automatic watering
system. A large outdoor ring has all-weather footing and a course
of hunter-style fences.
Circling the entire property is a logging
trail for relaxing and recreational hacking out.
Balance and harmony are integral to
Campbell¹s philosophy in all things including training, instructing
and in her general approach to life with horses.
Campbell accepts horses in for training and tailors a program to
suit the needs of the horse and the goals of the owner. She pays
extra-close attention to the needs of the horse to ensure that the
program develops their individual talents at a pace that keeps them
happy, relaxed and willing to work.
³We pay special attention to the stress level of each horse,² she
said. ³Strong, classical basics are emphasized in a program that
suits the individual needs of each horse and that is accomplished in
a way that helps the horse to be a willing partner.²
Green horses or horses that are crossing over
from one market to the other, i.e. eventing to hunters, dressage to
hunters, to further their educations or, in some cases, to
facilitate a suitable sale are accepted as well.
³When I¹m training a horse I constantly
evaluate their individual needs and progress,² she said. ³I will
adjust and blend techniques to get the best results with the minimum
stress for the horse.²
Recuperating horses or horses that need
rehabilitation welcome. ³We coordinate and implement programs
from local veterinarians and from New Bolton or Marion duPont Scott
at Morven Park,² she said.
Campbell offers one-week intensive programs
for visiting riders who are welcome to stay at Hundred Acre Wood in
the rental house that includes three bedrooms and two baths.
³We offer that program on our horses or on the owner¹s horse,²
said Campbell.
Campbell also has openings for working
students."
Hundred Acre Wood
is situated on 112 acres nestled between the Miles and Wye
Rivers on Maryland's Eastern Shore. We are located about 10
minutes from Easton, and 15 minutes from St. Michael's,
Maryland.
View Larger Map
  IMPORTANT
NOTE: Please always coordinate your visits in advance!
Trespassers, vandals and thieves
may be greeted by unfriendly trained professionals. If you fall into
this category, you should seek easier targets where you won't risk
becoming part of a healthy canine diet.
We have 3 five to seven acre
pastures, all with generously sized run-in sheds, all fenced
with four rail oak board fencing. Our barn is a center-aisle 13
stall barn with 12x14' matted stalls. The people parts of our
barn assure a comfortable environment for riders (and family
members who prefer to stay warm during lessons). Charish's
office is the perfect place for hosting small clinics, as well
as housing visiting clinicians and guests.
Our indoor arena is 66'x176' with
sand and the highest quality shredded rubber footing as well as
an automatic watering system which helps to hold the footing
firm, and keeps dust down for the health of riders and horses.
Our outdoor arena is 135'x235' with
masons' sand over stone dust base. This is an all weather
footing which almost never freezes, and holds together very well
even during the rainy seasons. We have a course of hunter style
fences, and also set a regulation sized dressage arena in the
warmer months.
We also have a logging trail that
runs about 2.5 miles, encircling the entire property.
We feed only the highest quality
grass hay, COB, and Dynamite Supplements and Specialty Feeds. We
offer a smaller paddock for individual turnout, and have plans
to eventually add another field w/run-in near the house which
will be available for weekly rental beginning in May of 2007.
Guests will be able to bring their horse(s) and either provide
their own care, or, our staff can provide care while vacationing
and learning. This is a very special treat for someone who has
only ever boarded - there is nothing like being able to look out
your window and see your horse happy and grazing peacefully! Not
to be forgotten is the "Good Morning!!" "Ho-ho-ho" that your
horse may greet you with as you bring him his breakfast!
Beginning in May of 2007, we will
be offering our 3 br, 2 ba rancher for short-term rental. Anyone
can rent the house, it's not very fancy, but it is clean and
tidy and very private. Charish will be offering a one-week
intensive program for visitors either on our horses or horses
owned by our guests. We are now accepting reservations from May
through Waterfowl Weekend (Mid-late November, 2007).
Charish G. Campbell.
Charish Campbell is a life-long
horse-lover. She started out riding at the age of 3, on a
working cattle ranch in Chesterfield, Missouri. Her first riding
experiences were on a brown and white Shetland pony named "Mrs.
Robinson."
Charish started taking lessons at
the age of 5. Over the years she has had the opportunity to
learn from over 40 Trainers and Olympic Riders. She is committed
to a lifetime of learning and of constantly improving as a rider
and trainer.
She and her parents purchased
Hundred Acre Wood in 1996. Charish was then 25 and a single
parent. Her daughter, Emily, was just 2. The early days were
filled with trial and error, cold nights of foalwatch waiting
for Girlie to come, and many months of coming back to the sport
as an adult, a parent (somehow that changes everything), and for
the first time, as a professional.
In November of 1997 the Barn was
completed and the horses moved in. Later (March, 1998), the
interiors (tack room, office) were completed and fully
functional.
Never having been a professional
before, and having already heard the rumors, Charish sought to
find a better means of stating her qualifications. In November,
1998, Charish underwent the Certification Process through the
ARICP (www.riding-instructor.com)
and achieved Level One Certification in Hunt Seat and Open
Jumping. In
2003, Charish received Level 2 Hunt Seat and also Level 2 Stable
Management Certifications from the American Riding Instructor's
Association.
In 2000, Hundred Acre Wood, LLC
hosted the horsemanship-leg of DNR’s Camp Outdoor Discovery.
During that summer, there were 19 horses on property, many
volunteers and working students (thank you!), and 368 children
were safely introduced to horses and horseback riding.
In the fall of 2000, Charish
traveled to E. Lansing, Michigan and worked with Wendy Murdoch (www.wendymurdoch.com
) to achieve her Level One Status as a Centered Riding
Instructor. She then traveled to Knoxville, TN and achieved her
Certification as a “Horse Professional” through EAGALA (www.eagala.org)
in the field of Equine Assisted Psychotherapy (EAP). She has
been seeking the right people or the right program. In the fall
of 2006, HAW offered a pilot program for an after-school program
for children that seems VERY promising. She has high hopes for
this program in the future – if it is meant to be.
Charish and her husband, Larry,
met in 2000, then married in 2001. Emily has had her last name
legally changed to Campbell the next year, and in June 2006,
they welcomed Lawrence Franklin Campbell, IV (“Colt”) into their
lives.
Today, Hundred Acre Wood, LLC is,
more than ever, a family-run business. Their one full time staff
member, Richard Cooper, has been working for the family for 25
years, since they moved to the area. Richard is part of the
family, and he and his family are very dear to the Campbells.
Richard has a long and very accomplished background working with
horses, having managed Perry Cabin Stables long before they were
torn down and made into Perry Cabin Ballfield.
Today, this business is all about
balance and harmony. Special attention is paid to the stress
level of the animals, as well as the natural rhythms within the
calendar year. For instance, February is always the “slowest”
month, due to the uncertainty of the weather, and this year is
no different. This is the time to shift gears – or work on the
website, and run some field trials of different products and
simply take notes on observed results. They conserve their
energy so that they will be fresh when the weather warms up and
new students are ready to begin with lessons and working student
schedules.
Charish has never turned away
working students, and has learned so much from those special
relationships – some spanning years. Working students – and all
of our students – quickly become part of the community. The
Campbells are grateful for their help day-in, day-out.
Larry has taken this winter to be
home with Colt, so that Charish can get her roots once again
with the horses-- riding, training, and of course, teaching. In
the summer, Larry will be back working on the boat, and Charish
will be home with Colt, with evening teaching hours and other
hours by appointment.
Charish has no goals to show at
this time, though she is very much looking forward to bringing
back the “Friday Night Demo Ride” to show off her horses, still
going strong after all these years. Friday Night Demo Rides will
essentially be choreographed Musical Freestyles, and will be a
fun time for all.
Charish has trained 3 of her horses
through Grand Prix, and has two horses currently schooling at
intermediate levels. She regularly accepts green horses as well.
Charish’s training process includes
constant evaluation of the horse as an individual, and constant
adjusting and blending of techniques to get the best results –
with minimal amount of stress for the horse.
Charish has studied various
holistic “healing” modalities since the age of 17, has
apprenticed and clinic’ed with some of the foremost holistic
personalities, and is currently enrolled in Clayton College
working on her BS in Holistic Nutrition, and later, her ND.
 Richard
Cooper
Today, Hundred Acre
Wood, LLC is, more than ever, a family-run business. Their one full
time staff member, Richard Cooper, has been working for the family
for 25 years, since they moved to the area. Richard is part of the
family, and he and his family are very dear to the Campbells.
Richard has a long and
very accomplished background working with horses, having managed
Perry Cabin Stables long before they were torn down and made into
Perry Cabin Ballfield.
Richard and Amore PT posing for camera |
Richard with granddaughter Armani |
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