Birds Eye View Equestrian Center
Alexandria Hallett (Amos)
Below we go through Alex's history in the horse world, through all the different disciplines,
awards and horses that she has worked with.
1999
Walk Trot / Cross Rails
Alex started off doing the Pony Hunters and Equitation. She started her career placing in the Walk Trot and Equitation Class'.
- 1999 Champion Walk Trot Equitation
- 1999 Reserve Champion in Cross-Rails Equitation
2000 - 2001
Pony Hunter/ Equitation
Next Alex moved on to the Pony World. Here she competed successfully under the tutelage of Brian Tommerdahl. She proceeded to go on to receive many awards in the Medium and Large Ponies.
- 2000 Won Gascoigne Pony Medal
- 2000 Qualified for Pony Finals
- 2000 Seventh Place – Medium Pony’s - Ohio Hunter Jumper Association
- 2000 Competed at HITS Ocala
2001-2002
Pony Hunter/Equitation Continued
In 2002 Alex and her pony Bert 'Instant Replay' went on to place Reserve Large Green Pony in Zone 5 and continue on to compete at Pony Finals and place in the Top 20.
2002 Qualified and Competed at Pony Finals 2002 – Large Greens.
- 2002 Reserve Champion Large Green Pony Zone 5
- 2002 Sixth Place – Large Pony Hunter – Ohio Hunter Jumper Association
- 2002 Sixth Place – 11 years and Under Equitation – Ohio Hunter Jumper Association
2002-2003
Childrens Hunters
After re-homing her pony due to Navicular to a mentally and physically handicapped facility Alex started training different horses to compete in the Hunters and Jumpers.
2003
Western/Team Penning
After Alex's trainer Brian Tommerdahl passed away she decided to step away from the show world and start to try different disciplines and really find the joy in riding again. One of the first things that she tried out was the western world of breaking and training horses and having some fun playing in the world of Team Penning.
2003-2004
Dressage
Next Alex moved on to Dressage. During this time she rescued and rehabilitated a starved Off The Track Thoroughbred from Last Chance Corral in Ohio. After putting weight and muscle back on him and bringing him along in the dressage world. She had a full work up done on her Off The Track Thoroughbred Paco 'New Begginings' before starting to jump. In the work up they found that he had two blown out knees and was twice as old as initially thought. So to make sure that Paco could have the best life possible, he was rehomed through Last Chance Corral to find a forever pasture home.
2004-2007
Eventing
After learning about the dressage world, Alex decided she wanted to get back into jumping again and decided to see what eventing was all about. During the beginning of 2004 Alex purchased Buggy 'Birds Eye View' and began the next step of her journey with her new life time companion. Buggy and Alex moved to Florida in 2006 and started Eventing in Sarasota Fl.
2007-2009
Dressage In Florida
Once in Florida Alex started to train with MeLinda and Linda Brown in Sarasota Fl. She proceeded to bring Buggy along to 2nd level dressage and was working on 3rd level at home.
2007-2011
Show Jumping
At the same time as taking her dressage lessons, Alex started training with Jimmy Morrisey to start competing in Show Jumping at Imperial Farms in Parrish, Fl. As they started to push Buggy's limits they found that he was capable of jumping much higher than initially expected and proceeded to clear 5' with ease.
Fall 2008 - Winter 2011
College IHSA
Alex went to college at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College in Terre Haute Indiana on multiple scholarships: Equine Scholarship, Soccer Scholarship, Academic Scholarship, and a Digital Media Scholarship. As part of her scholarships Alex had to maintain a 3.5 GPA as well as participate in both of her sports at the same time. She also maintained 18 credit hours for every semester of her college career.
During her freshman year, her very first show she came in First in the Jumping as well as 3rd in the Flat phase. At the end of the year Alex was ranked in the Top 10 of the Open Division of her Zone.
May 2009
Kentucky Spring Classic
After Alex's freshman year in college she traveled to Kentucky for the Spring Classic to compete in the Adult Amateur Jumpers with Michael Morrisey as her trainer. While at Kentucky she was able to really fine tune her course work in preparation for the remainder of her summer.
July 2009
Grand Prix
After coming back down to Florida from Kentucky Alex came down to Venice and competed in the Gamblers Choice as well as the 2009 $25,000 Grand Prix. This was Buggy and Alex's first Grand Prix and it was an amazing starting point and learning experience for both of them in the art of jumping such large courses.
Fall 2009
Training and Handling 2
One of the many equine class' that Alex took while at college was Training and Handling 2. This class brought in a horse, or in Alex's situation a cute and adorable 12.1hh welsh pony named Phoenix. The pony that was brought in for Alex was an untrained, never saddled and barely handled pony. Phoenix was picked up in a field and brought in never having been worked with before. The purpose of this class was for Alex to do everything from teaching him to lunge to saddling him for the first time, to getting on and riding. During the 3 months that this class ran, Alex accomplished the following with Phoenix:
- Walk, Trot and Canter
- Jumping
- Walking on tarps and over bridges
- Shoulder In, Haunches In, Half Pass
- Turn on the forehand, Turn on the Haunches
- Bowing, Trailer Loading, Single Tying
- Getting his feet done, his teeth done
- Riding English and Western
2008-2011
Advanced Western
Due to wanting to learn more about the western disciplines, Alex took Intermediate 1 Western all the way up to Advanced Western. She trained under Sara Schulz who is the Head Western Trainer as well as the Head Coach for SMWC's Western Team. Many things she learned throughout these classes she has turned into things she uses with her jumpers and hunters. Riding under such an amazing coach from a different disciple allowed her to develop many new training techniques as well as a new perspective on training.
2008-2011
College IHSA
During her time competing on SMWC's IHSA colligate team she placed in the Top 10 of their Zone each of the 4 years she competed. Her last year she graduated a semester early and with only one semester of competing still came in the Top 10 of their Zone!
May 2011
Mini Prix
During the Spring of 2011 Alex and Buggy 'Birds Eye View' competed in Tampa right after coming back from College in preparation of competing in the Grand Prix at Venice again.
- 8th in the $3500 CHHJA Mini Prix 1.30 meter
- 2nd in the 1.25 meter jumpers
- 4th in the 1.15 meter jumpers in Tampa Florida
After a fantastic first outing Buggy blew a severe abscess in his front foot which required over a year of rehabilitation for him to come back into riding shape again.
September 2012
Colic Surgery
It was a horrible call that Alex received early one morning when her phone call came through that Buggy was colicing. He had a couple bouts of impactions but nothing to serious in the past so to start with she wasn't to concerned. Alex said, let me know if it gets any worse, I'm up and getting dressed, I'll let you know when I'm on my way and have called the vet. About 10 minutes later as shes getting ready to head out the door she gets a frantic call that he has now thrown himself down to the ground and flipped himself over multiple times. Alex was out the door and on the road with the call to the vets that they needed to be at her boarding farm ASAP because her horse was in serious distress. After arriving and helping to keep him walking and moving the vet arrived and gave him a minor sedative. The vet also tubed him and was unable to find any fluid build up in his stomach. After another 5 minutes of Buggy being in sever distress the vet recommended to take him the hour north to the Surgical Center in Tampa.
Once arriving at the Surgical Center in Tampa Buggy had is initial exam where he ended up refluxing over 5 gallons of fluid. He was kept at the surgical center for a week before they determined that he needed to have surgery due to his health deteriorating. The reason for the delay was due to his health showing signs of improvement and then signs of issues but never fully getting better.
After deciding to send him into surgery late friday evening. He was led to the prep room and sedated. He was then taken into the surgical room where before the surgery was even able to be performed it was determined that he had lost the fight and was brain dead. Alex was brought in to say her last good byes to her amazing partner. While in there the surgeon told her that unfortunately his brain had shut down and there was nothing more they could do for him.
He has stopped blinking, his eyes were clouded over, and he has lost all color to his gums and tongue.
As she was explaining why they had determined he was brain dead, Alex noticed that it looked like he was trying to blink. The anesthesiologist came over to check and see if it was just a muscle spasm but found that it was actually Buggy trying to blink. Once he blinked and re-opened his eye, the cloudiness was gone and the color rushed back into his tongue and gums. The surgeon let Alex know that now he was back they still needed to complete the surgery necessary to save his life. After the surgery was completed the surgeon has found that his small intestine has folded over and his colon has twisted. Amazingly none of his intestine needed to be taken out due to it all receiving adequate blood circulation during his extended stay at the surgical center.
Once his surgery was completed due to the unknown reason that his system has shut down and re-started it was unknown whether or not Buggy would be the same horse once he had recovered.
We are glad to announce that since his surgery Buggy has come back and is doing amazing. He was 16 in 2012 when he went in for surgery and just turned 20 and is currently still jumping 3'+ and also teaching lessons and enjoying his herd mates.
July 2013
Birds Eye View
Equestrian Center
In July of 2013 Alex purchased and opened her own boarding and training facility in Ocala Fl. The farm was purchased as a foreclosed property and Alex, her fiancé Robert and her parents have worked very hard to bring it up to the amazing level that it is now. Birds Eye View Equestrian Center offers a 12 stall block barn, 5 stall wood barn, lighted sand arena, sand round pen, and a large grass riding/jump field. We also have a full sized grand prix dressage arena with letters.
We are conveniently located right down the road from Clayton Fredericks farm and cross country course, as well as 10 minutes from Longwood Farm South, 20 minutes from HITS, 20 minutes to the Ocala Jockey Club, 30 minutes from Cedar Lock Farms - Run For The Ribbons, 32 minutes from the Florida Horse Park and 51 Minutes to Rocking Horse.
September & December 2013
Longwood Farm South 6 Bar
For the first competition back after Buggy's surgery Alex decided to have some fun at a new venue. Buggy and Alex headed to Longwood to compete in the 3'6 jumpers as well as have some fun in the 6 bar competition during the Fall of 2013. They also competed in the December Longwood Just Jumpers 3'6 and 4' Jumpers going double clear and coming in first in both of their divisions.
Febuary 2014
Canterbury
Horse Shows In The Park
In February of 2014 Alex and Buggy went to Canterbury to show in the 3'6 jumpers. In both of the 3'6 class' Buggy went double clear and came in 1st.
May 2014
Run For The Ribbons
In May 2014 Alex and Buggy competed in the 3'6 and 4' Jumpers at the Run for the Ribbons show. They went double clear in both classes and came in 1st in both classes.
January 2015
Canterbury
Horse Shows In The Park
During January of 2015, Alex coached at her first show with two students. Both of her students ended up doing really well and jumping really nicely.
Febuary 2015
Canterbury
Horse Shows In The Park
In February Alex went back to Canterbury to compete in the 3'6 Jumpers and went double clear and came in second.
One of her students competed in the 2'3 and 2'6 Jumpers and for her first time with her new horse that Alex helped her find and did fantastically.
April 2015
Barrels
In April of 2015 Alex started working with Phoenix to teach him how to complete a barrel pattern. He competed in his first barrel show and finished with a time of 20 seconds. For his first time out he did fantastic and was only 4 seconds off the fastest competitor.
April 2015
Eventing Schooling Show at Rocking Horse
In April Alex and a lesson student decided to give an eventing schooling show a go. Alex's lesson student was very interested in eventing and wanted to see if it was something she wanted to pursue. All throughout the month of April they worked on their dressage tests as well as went to different places to go cross country schooling. They both had a fantastic time out and ended up doing really well.
May 2015
Longwood Farm South
Just Jumpers
In May Alex coached at the Longwood Farm Souths Just Jumper Show. All of her students had an amazing time and some of them even graduated from a lower height to a higher height while competing!
June 2015
Longwood Farm South
Just Jumpers
- Champion 2' Jumpers
- Champion 2'3 Jumpers
Alex showed Willy her new 5 year old in the 2' and the 2'3 Jumpers. He ended up winning all of his class' and coming in Champion.
Alex had two students competing; the first student did a warm up ride at 2'6 and then competed at 2'9 and did really well. Her second student had a young green horse that showed in the 2'3 and the 2'6 and didn't refuse a single jump! It was an amazing show.
June 2015
Run for the Ribbons Year End Award Banquet 2014-2015
- 4th in the High Jumpers with Buggy 'Birds Eye View'
August 2015
Longwood Farm South
Just Jumpers
Champion 2'3 Jumpers
- Champion 2'6 Jumpers
Alex took her 5 year old to show in the 2'3 and 2'6 Jumpers where he did fantastically. He ended up coming in Champion of both divisions at the show.
Alex's lesson student ended up doing the 2'6 warm ups and went clear. Then she went double clear in the 2'9 as well as going double clear in the 3' division. It was a great day at an amazing venue.
September 2015
Run For The Ribbons