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Volume 3 Issue 10

What’s New from the Crew at Stable View - April Edition Get to Know Sarah Kuhn

Working Equitation at Stable View

In this edition you will find: Did You Know? Barry's Letter..................................................................3 Rider Spotlight: Sarah Kuhn ......................................5 Stable View Partnerships: Ahh Sunshine................8 Horses & Harmony V....................................................13 Working Equitation Comes to Stable View............14 Intercollegiate Corner: University of Georgia.......15 Sensational Serpents with SCWF..............................18 Stable View Spotlight: Violet Wakefield.................23

Did You Know? One can see Bridgestone, the Rolls Royce Plant and Meta from behind The Pavilion?

Barry’s April Letter

Eventing, Dressage, HJ’s, Driving, Working Equitation, Healing Arts, Bluegrass, Off Road Driving Experience, Trails Club and Eco Tours are all on the 2026 Stable View Calendar. Add Accommodations, The Bistro and Ollie's Inn, and what do you have........ A top-class facility with the ability to offer the Aiken Community plus those from further afield a diversified and rounded selection of events.

While Stable View was originally designed as an Equestrian facility, with the addition of 850 acres purchased in 2018, it's now come into its own as a "Gathering Place". If you're interested in any of the following, just click the relevant QR Code.

Rider Spotlight: Sarah Kuhn

Q: Was there a defining moment—on cross-country, in the dressage ring, or show jumping—when you knew eventing was your sport? A: I wouldn’t say I had a defining moment. I was always drawn to Eventing because of the difficulty and versatility it requires from both horse and rider. There is always something I’m working to improve and there is so much variation in the weekly training schedule for the horses. But, of course, the thrill of cross country really drew me in. There is truly nothing else like it!

Q: Cross-country reveals everything about a partnership—can you share a moment when trust between you and your horse truly showed up? A: My top horse, Mr. Cash and I have been together nearly 10 years. He has always been a very spooky and difficult ride. Originally, we weren’t sure what he would be able to do because he would be spooked out on cross country by things in between the jumps and be very difficult to ride. Over the past few seasons he has really begun to relax, understand, and trust me. Now when he is insecure or scared, I feel him look to me for guidance instead of shut down mentally like he did as a younger horse and our partnership was still new. That trust has allowed us to jump around some very difficult courses with large crowds and he has exceeded my expectations in so many ways.

Q: Eventing is often described as a test of resilience—what has it taught you about handling pressure and unpredictability? A: The sport does require a lot of resilience. There are times when nothing is going your way and you have to pick yourself up and try again. I’ve had results where I was so disappointed in myself, how I rode, or that the mistakes I made let the horse down. In those moments, I had to make the conscientious decision to keep going and keep trying. The drive and resilience eventing has taught me has translated to all parts of my life. Last year I had a horrible injury and my doctors weren’t sure how I would recover. I pushed and pushed myself and believed in myself for months. Now I am back doing what I love. Everything I have learned and the person I am becoming through Eventing gave me the mindset and conviction to make that happen.

Q: What’s the most underrated skill a successful eventer needs to develop early on? A: Eventing is all about horsemanship and relationship. It is so important to really understand your horse both in and out of the saddle. It’s not just about going to events and trying to get up the levels and get results. If you don’t have the horsemanship and a deep relationship with your horse, you won’t go far. Q: What keeps you coming back after the inevitable highs and lows of eventing? A: I really enjoy the day to day and that keeps me coming back. I love producing horses. I love the feeling when something in training clicks for a horse and then they understand. I also think in Eventing you are trying to produce an all-around athlete, which is so difficult and requires you to constantly be thinking outside of the box. I am always learning new things and always realizing how much I still have to learn!

Stable View Partnerships: Ahh Sunshine

Jim Hannah, who grew up in Aiken, had an interesting background before founding Ahh Sunshine. After college, he was an insurance sales rep who played slow-pitch baseball and found a unique baseball bat that helped him become a remarkable player. Other players eventually approached him wanting to buy the bats, and he started selling them from his car. He sold the entire inventory in 2 weeks. He quit playing ball a year later, trading playing for being a successful salesman when he added gloves, uniforms, and shoes to his inventory. He eventually outfitted an array of baseball teams with their uniforms and gear. As a salesman, he was then offered a job with Pitney Bowes. He eventually tired of wearing a suit and tie every day and decided to start Ahh Sunshine, and has now been self-employed for 33 years.

The name Ahh Sunshine is an acronym for his family: A for his 9 wife Anita, H for Hannah, and Sunshine is the nickname he gave his daughter when she was born. It is truly a family business. Jim met his wife Anita when she was his school bus driver. They both played softball at Millbrook and kept running into each other. She owned a school supply store to which Jim took his much younger brother, buying school supplies for him. When her mother realized Jim was interested in Anita, she was overly cautious as she believed him to be married and that his little brother was his son! Once that assumption was clarified, their first date was on Valentine’s Day in 1990, and they married 10 months later in December of the same year. Today, after 25 years of marriage, they work together daily at Ahh Sunshine. When Jim first started screen-printing uniforms for softball teams, he would also design their logo. He then sponsored USC Aiken’s shirts to help bring brand visibility to Ahh Sunshine. The hardest part of starting his new business, Jim says, was learning the software for the machines. Being dyslexic and self-taught on the machines, was not insurmountable but time-consuming. He mastered screen printing, design and artwork, and signage creation by trial and error. When Ahh Sunshine expanded to embroidery, a technician came to help set up the machines, and Jim quickly mastered the technique.

Ahh Sunshine currently offers embroidery, screen printing, banner and sign production, sublimation/heat press applications, and ink melts, with screen printing being the biggest part of their production. Jim and Ahh Sunshine joined forces with Stable View 8 years ago when Cyndy Olliff walked into the shop inquiring about staff apparel. Since then, Ahh Sunshine has been the go-to shop for hats, embroidery, and screen printing on apparel, logoed arena and cross country jump signs for Stable View’s sponsors, directional signs for the many running events, decals for vehicles, and remains on speed-dial for marketing and sponsorship personnel. “The best part of working with Jim at Ahh Sunshine is that they creatively find solutions and options for various Stable View projects,” says one marketing team member. The business is built around church and school events since they both revolve around kids, sports, and various team and special events. That all diminished during that Covid era, and it took nearly two years for Ahh Sunshine to recover.

Anita, Jim and “Sunshine”

Jim is the face of the business with a staff of less than 12. Their busiest season is mid July through mid October as summer is over and schools are back, fall events and church festivals are in full swing. Then come the holidays where personalized gifts are popular. Jim also remains active in his church, sits on the church council and is the Kitchen Coordinator and Cook each week where on Wednesdays, he cooks for 125 to 150 kids afterschool and choir programs and on weekends, prepares meals for shut-ins. Ahh Sunshine’s business success and loyal repeat customers has a foundation built upon quality products, creating logos for clients with their specific vision as the focus and timely production turn arounds.

Horses & Harmony V

Ten years ago, the Friends of the Aiken Symphony launched Horses and Harmony, a fundraiser supporting education outreach in local schools and the Aiken Symphony Orchestra. This special event brings together the elegance of equestrian movement in harmony with a live professional orchestra led by conductor Scott Weiss, in Stable View’s Covered Arena. Held every other year, Horses and Harmony returns in 2026 on the afternoon of Saturday, April 25. Ticket sales end at 8 p.m. April 16 (tomorrow night)—click the image below for more information or to purchase tickets.

Working Equitation @ Stable View

This year Stable View will be hosting its first two Working Equitation shows, June 13-14 and August 1516. Working Equitation combines dressage, obstacle navigation, and cattle work, emphasizing harmony, precision, and practicality. It’s designed to reflect the skills needed for real-world horse handling—like opening gates and maneuvering through tight spaces.

The Three Phases of Working Equitation Dressage Phase Similar to classical dressage Horse and rider perform a set pattern Judged on balance, obedience, and elegance Ease of Handling (Obstacles) A course with obstacles such as gates, bridges, poles, and jumps Tests the horse’s agility and responsiveness Speed Phase Same obstacle course, but timed Focuses on speed, efficiency, and accuracy

For more information or to view the Prize List, click HERE

Intercollegiate Corner: University of Georgia

UGA has a multitude of equestrian programs. In addition to the UGA Eventing team, there is the NCAA equestrian team that specializes in more hunter/jumper and western pleasure disciplines. There is also a club IHSA team as well. UGA is under the Department of Recreational Sports at the university, where UGA is recognized as a Tier 1 competitive sport.

UGA is hoping to send at least one team of 4 with a possibility for an alternate or a scramble team. They also have an alumni team competing as well! After winning the Spirit Contest last year, UGA looks forward to bring the same energy this year. They have been preparing for the hobby horse Competition through running longer distances. UGA is also looking forward to the Jump Decoration Contest. Their jump will be turned into a doghouse, complete with a bulldog stuffed animal to represent Boom X, UGA's live bulldog mascot.

The University of Georgia Eventing Team is a passionate and driven group of student-athletes representing UGA both in and out of the arena. Made up of riders from a wide range of backgrounds and experience levels, the team is united by a shared commitment to hard work, sportsmanship, and school pride. While each rider trains independently, they come together to compete as a team, supporting one another, building lasting friendships, and creating a strong sense of community within a typically individual sport. The team’s impact extends well beyond its current members, with strong alumni connections and a wide-reaching support network throughout the Athens equestrian community and across the state of Georgia.

Sensational Serpents by Jay Keck

Jay Keck, Industry Habitat Manager for South Carolina Wildlife Federation, had a strong connection to wildlife and the outdoors. He now coordinates the Wildlife and Industry Together (WAIT) program and is dedicated to inspiring others to appreciate and protect wildlife.

Garter Snake

Snakes are amazing animals that contribute significantly to ecosystems around the world, but for many, snakes can be an intimidating and somewhat scarry occurrence on outdoor hiking and running trails. Ralph Waldo Emerson wisely wrote that; “Knowledge is the antidote to fear.” If you would, allow me to provide some knowledge so that your run, walk, or hike, is more enjoyable, less stressful, and possibly even more fascinating during your encounter with one of our sensational serpents!

Copperhead

Out of the 38 snake species we have in South Carolina only 6 of them are venomous, so chances that would encounter a non-venomous species is much greater than your chances of seeing a venomous one. However, if you are outdoors enough, you will see a venomous species from time to time crossing or even warming itself on a trail. Copperheads, our most abundant venomous species, are usually active in low-light hours, as well as at night during the heat of the summer. Copperheads usually have a light brown or tan body with a Hershey Kiss pattern that extends from behind the head down the tail on both sides of its body.

The head, like other pit vipers such as the cottonmouth and the timber rattlesnake, is quite chunky and angled. The copperhead is the only species that has a coppery brown or rusty colored head. Cottonmouths, a relative of the copperhead, are usually much darker in color and lack the Hershey Kiss design that is diagnostic for the copperhead. Cottonmouths are commonly found in or near water in the coastal plain of South Carolina, so if the trail borders a low-lying wet area, be on the lookout for these thick-bodied vipers. Timber rattlesnakes, which can be a common occurrence in areas within the coastal plain, are thickbodied snakes that can reach 5 feet in length or more. They usually have black chevrons or crossbands on a brown, gray, or yellowish body, though the body can sometimes be completely black. They tend to be lighter in color in the coastal plain and a bit darker in the piedmont and mountains of South Carolina. If you encounter one of these venomous snakes, or any snake that you are unsure of, keep your distance to ensure your safety. It makes no sense for a snake to chase you or attack you without being provoked, so keeping a safe distance between you and snake will ensure that you both have a safe and enjoyable time on the trail!

A few non-venomous species I would like to mention are some of the more common ones that you would see during the day. Black racers are thin, cylindrical snakes, that can get to a length of around 5 feet. They have large eyes for finding prey and will even lift the front third of their body so they can look for prey – a technique some people call periscoping. They are fast and will almost always flee if approached. A similar nonvenomous species is the Eastern rat snake, which can be black, gray, or even yellow with black stripes in the coastal plain of SC. This snake can reach lengths of approximately 8 feet, though species found in the wild are usually four, five, or six feet long. If approached they will often “kink” their bodies up to break up their linear shape, or to make them look more like a branch, some people believe. Another fascinating nonvenomous snake that you may encounter in your area is the Eastern hognose snake, one of the most popular species for snake enthusiasts in our country due to their comical looking face and the performance that they often give when approached.

When threatened, the snake may spread its neck like a cobra, hiss, and strike (but with no intention of biting). If those acts fail to deter the attacker, it will potentially roll over on its back, open its mouth and allow the tongue to hang out as if it is dead. This snake is quite remarkable and one that I hope you’re lucky enough to see in the wild! The snake is usually heavily blotched on the sides with black, brown, and tan shades, though some can exhibit other colors, with other species being entirely black. The tip of the nose is upturned, giving it the name “hognose”. Our personal pet hognose snake is named “Piglet” and appears to have a permanent smile on her face! With the idea of knowledge quelling fear, consider learning more about the snakes in your area by reading a couple great books. “Snakes of the Eastern United States” and "Snakes of the Southeast” are two great books written by local snake expert, Whit Gibbons. With the knowledge you will gain from these and other sources, I believe you will be more comfortable and happier as you explore the outdoors on your favorite nature trails!

Stable View Spotlight: Violet Wakefield

Violet Wakefield plays a key role in maintaining the health and presentation of the plants in the nursery at Stable View. She ensures they are properly organized, fertilized, and pruned before they are set on course for various shows. A member of the Future Farmers of America (FFA) at Aiken High School, the skills she learned from this club made her a natural fit for the nursery position.

Outside of Stable View, Violet is a senior at Aiken High School and has spent her high school career actively participating in the FFA, the Beta Club, GEM, and serving as vice president of Light Mine’s Wellness. In addition to school and her work in the nursery, Violet volunteers at Stable View horse shows and several organizations within the community. Her positive attitude and willingness to help have made her a valued member of the crew at Stable View. After graduating this Spring, Violet plans pursue a degree in Psychology at the University of South Carolina Aiken. She will use this degree to become a children’s therapist after college. Violet also looks forward to continuing her work at Stable View while attending USCA.