Who's ready to ride?

Oh my gosh, it's the middle of June and I'm finally convinced that winter is over and we can get on with it!  The horses are sleek and muscular and, considering how the pasture grew with all the rain last month, getting quite fat as well!  The barn isn't as clean and tidy as I like to have it, and I'm still wrestling with what's left of the manure pile, but otherwise the place is looking pretty okay.

It was not easy getting back to work after taking five months off.  Copper especially had a hard time adjusting.  Well, I did too, to be honest!  But now I'm getting two or three rides a week and it's going well.  I'm so thankful to Phoenix for being such an easy-going horse!

My lesson schedule isn't quite back up to where it was a year ago at this time, but I've got enough riders to keep me busy (and still get enough rest!)  Those of you who've claimed a regular time slot can keep that time as long as you wish, and anybody else can contact me anytime to see when I've got lessons available.  Short notice is fine; if I can get you in, I will!

In the last couple weeks, Phoenix and Copper have both gotten hoof trims, a dose of dewormer, and chiropractic adjustments!  Next up, a checkup with the vet.  Horse care is pricey but these two work for a living and I figure they deserve and need good care.

PLANS IN THE WORKS:

- Anybody up for a tack cleaning day?  I'm thinking of two separate Saturday mornings.  Let me know if you're willing to lend a hand!  I will keep you updated.


- It's almost Farm Day season… got a sibling or friend you'd like to bring out for a day?


- I'll be hiring a saddle fitter to come out sometime in July.  I'm really excited about this, since my knowledge of how saddles fit horses is very basic, and I suspect my horses could feel a lot better and perform better if I always saddled them up in something comfortable.  And of course, anything I learn will benefit my students.


- Stratford District Saddle Club shows this summer are taking place June 22, July 6, July 20, August 3. I won't be taking horses there (that would require a trailer, a truck that doesn't have anything wrong with it, and me to be less lazy!) but if you drop by there's a chance you could catch me there helping out and visiting my horse friends.  I used to show here and love this club.  Check out their website for more information!


- The New Hamburg Fall Fair held a Western show in 2013, for the first time in about fifteen years.  I volunteered to help plan and act as ring steward on show day.  It was such a good experience I'm back for more in 2014.  More details will follow (and if you live near NH the fair booklets will be available soon.)


Other than that, I will actually be working on that trailer situation soon, when I borrow a nice stock trailer for a day and practice loading.  Copper hasn't been on a trailer in probably ten years, and Phoenix hasn't left the farm since he got here seven years ago.  It'll be a challenge, but even if we don't end up going anywhere, it's a skill I believe a good horse should have.  Wish us luck!


And finally, somebody around here will figure out why my gadget-phone-camera and my computer aren't agreeing on the subject of putting pictures from one to the other, and when that gets figured out, I'll be back to posting pretty pictures here for your enjoyment.

Alright.  I'm going to go sit on a horse for a few minutes...

Not quite business as usual yet...

Well, I hope everybody is surviving the deep freeze we've been having!  I had lessons planned this week, but I have my limits: if it's not safe to drive, or dangerously cold, all lessons will be cancelled.

I'll let you know if that happens, but if you have a time booked and you're not sure if you we're going ahead, you can reach me by phone or text or email, whatever is convenient for you.

At this point, there won't be much riding until we can get into the corral with the snowblower, or we get a thaw, whichever comes first!  The snow is now higher than the red windowsills on the east side of the barn and I've spent a lot of time shovelling around the gate. The path to the manure pile is completely drifted over, which means I now have a new manure pile just outside the barn door.  But the good news is, the water tap thawed out today and we have running water again!

The horses are fine but do appear to be getting bored! There's not much for them to do, other than eat, which is just as well because in weather this cold they need to eat more.

Usually in winter I don't ride much.  Moving snow and manure takes up a lot of time! But despite all my complaining... I'm still thankful for this job.

It's Fall now - new things going on at the farm

So what's happening at the farm this fall? Two things: tack cleaning and getting ready for the weather. I like this time of year.  There aren't as many flies, we're not sweating as much as we did all summer, and the horses, just starting to get thicker coats, are soft and velvety.  Most mornings, when I let them into the pasture, there's a soft pink light from the sunrise and mist across the distance.  It's really beautiful.

TACK CLEANING DAY - alright kids, come on out to my place and let's roll up our sleeves and get to work.  I am pretty sure there will be a lot of giggling and talking, hopefully within all those girly noise we'll get some stuff cleaned nicely.  If you haven't had the tack cleaning lesson, we'll catch you up.  

DAY AND TIME - Saturday October 19 from 2:00pm to 4:00pm

COST - Nothing, zip, zero, no money changes hands.  We're all helping each other out, so we have clean safe tack to use for our rides and have a good little visit together while we're at it.

Give me a call or an email so I know how many buckets and sponges we'll need.  

SPECIAL FALL LESSONS

This seasons brings changes. Sometimes for the 5:00 lesson I'm wearing a Tshirt, but at my 7:00 lesson I'm in a hoodie and windbreaker.  And now we're riding under the floodlights.

It feels too early to start talking about winter clothes but some of us (me) will be needing something warm soon.  This year, rather than taking a few minutes here and there to discuss winter riding, I'd like to designate a few lessons specifically for that topic.  

Bring your warm outdoor clothing, everything you've got - gloves, boots, undershirts and long johns, hats.  If you've got actual riding clothes bring them.  If you've got something that isn't meant for riding, bring it and let's see if it's suitable.  Maybe you've got hockey gear that might work.  We'll take a look at what I have and recommend.  We'll see what works and what doesn't, and be ready for the cold when it hits!

WINTER CLOTHES LESSONS 

DAYS AND TIMES - Wednesday October 23  at   4:00 pm

                                   - Thursday October 24  at  6:00 pm

COST - special price of $20 each.  I expect to get enough riders to make it worth my time and yours.  

FOR WHO - all ages, boys and girls.  (Parents can squeeze in for free!)

Please contact me to let me know if you can join me.  (If you can't do either of those times we might arrange another one.)

FARM DAYS - as long as the weather is reasonably pleasant, I'm open to holding a few more Farm Days.  This could be a fun way to spend a PA day.  

Looking forward to seeing you! 

Summer 2012

This has been an excellent summer. I feel pretty lucky to have such dedicated and enthusiastic riders, and I adore my horses.   I love my job!

Here are pictures of a few of my students. 

Thank you to everybody who gave permission to have pictures on my site! 

I'm so proud of all my riders who are remembering one of my Most Important Rules of Riding... SMILE!

Sadie, age 12, with Phoenix

Sadie was my first student when I set up here three years ago

Laura, age 9 (almost 10!) with Copper

We girls don't melt in the rain

Selina, age 18, with Oakie

we don't melt in the heat either, even if we think we might

Rukhsana, age 9, with Oakie

Laika, age 14, with Phoenix

Daniel, age 12, with Phoenix

Lucas, age 14, with Oakie

Victoria, age 8, with Copper

Victoria & Copper, Daniel & Phoenix, Lucas & Oakie

Laura & Copper

Rukhsana & Phoenix, Laika & Copper

These sisters wore matching outfits and rode matching horses

 Hey grown-up riders -- prepare to smile for the camera, you're next here!