Christmas is just around the corner. The horseperson in your life would love riding lessons or camp! We will be offering a Christmas Break camp again this year. Gift certificates are available for lessons and all camp sessons (Christmas, Spring, and Summer). Call now (716-741-2346) for more information or to sign up.
We welcomed two new horses recently: Logan and Cisco. Both horses are currently being leased, which is ideal for them as they are still green and need consistent work. Logan is a seven year old bay Thoroughbred gelding, and Cisco is a five year old bay Quarter Horse gelding.
We also had our Halloween Show on October 13th. We had a good time with the annual costume class, and everyone had fun in their classes. We'll let you know when we set dates for the Winter and Spring shows. The Spring show especially will be lots of fun--we're planning special divisions and lots of fun prizes.
The last month and a half have flown by! We had our summer show on August 25 and 26. There was a nice turnout and the show went smoothly. The profits from the show, including Alex's Memorial Trail Class, were enough to finish paying Alex's vet bills. We had a good time, and look forward to our Halloween show on October 13 and 14.
On September 1st, Jasmine and Fancy left for their new home near Alfred University, where their owners are going to school. The horses have settled in nicely and are happy in their new home. We miss them, but they're in good hands.
We have been enjoying a beautiful summer at SMF. Day camp and lesson students are enjoying the weather, as are the instructors and horses. Day camp is proving to be popular as always, though we still have openings for coming weeks. If your child is interested in attending (or attending again!), call to reserve your spot!
We are both sad and happy to say that two of our horses have been sold. Jasmine and Fancy have been sold to young women who have been riding them for years. They will be going with their new owners to college this fall. We wish Jasmine, Fancy, Erin, and Erin the best of luck!
Several of our horses are gone, but we also have new horses:
Lexus is a handsome and athletic horse who stands about 17 hands high. He is capable of doing walk-trot lessons, as well as lessons where students canter and jump.
Irish is a lovely mare who has competed successfully at high levels of equestrian competition. She has had some time off, and is now being re-schooled to make her a lesson horse.
While not technically a new horse, Riley is now back to normal work after more than a year off. He is cantering and jumping cross-rails, and will hopefully be able to compete at 2' soon.
We initially planned to have our O. R. F. A. summer show this weekend; however, due to conflicts, the show has been rescheduled to August 25 and 26.
We are extremely sad to say that our beloved Alex was humanely euthanized this afternoon. Alex has been ill for nearly six months, and we pursued every non-surgical option possible. The decision was made to arrange for him to have surgery, our final hope for helping him. Shortly after the arrangements were made, Alex let us know he didn't want surgery, it was his time to go. He colicked very badly, and the only thing we could do was let him go.
Alex left this world on a warm, sunny spring day in a field of tall grass, listening to the birds sing, surrounded by some of the many people who loved him. His final moments were peaceful and full of love. He has been buried here at Spruce Meadow Farm.
Alex had been our best lesson horse for years. He nearly always won Champion or Reserve Champion in our shows, and he taught so much to so many people. He gave us everything he had. Making the decision to let him go was the least we could do to thank him for his years of service.
A lot has happened in the last two months! First, we had our "Spring has Sprung" horse show last weekend, May 12 and 13. We were fortunate enough to enjoy beautiful weather all weekend. We had divisions for all riders, from the leadline class to three-foot hunters. We are incredibly proud of all our riders (and horses!), and would like to thank everyone who helped make the show a success.
We are extremely proud to announce that Operation Rebuild Farm Association (O. R. F. A.) raised over $400 to help cover Alex's vet bills. O. R. F. A. sponsored Alex's Trail Class and the concession stand, with all proceeds going to Alex. Alex is doing fairly well--he is eating and is able to do walk-trot lessons (on veterinarian recommendation). He also absolutely loves being taken out to graze--although we humans don't being dragged to the grass!
Maynard had a very happy birthday. About a dozen people came out to celebrate his 30th birthday. We played games, had a picnic, and sang "Happy Birthday, Nardo!"
We recently took Riley and Wilson for x-rays. Riley was due for a check-up to make sure he has been healing well from his surgery. Riley's surgeon from Cornell reports that he is "a new horse." He is fully healed and should be sound for anything! He was finally turned out for the first time in a very long time, and had lots of fun:
He was very excited to finally be free.
Jump for joy!
He has lots of energy.
He just loves to run!
Wilson's x-rays weren't as promising--his knee is severely damaged. We will, of course continue to try treatments and therapies to help him. He has been cleared to be turned out, and he loves to roll, buck, and run around! Wilson is looking quite cute these days:
Such a coy expression!
He's a very attractive horse.
Who wouldn't love a face like that?
Last, but certainly not least, we are very excited about our new Kinder-Riding program! This program is geared for children ages 4-6. It consists of a one-hour session each week for four consecutive weeks. It is limited to four children per session, and each child will have a personal helper. This program utilizes games, stories, and songs to teach children about horse care and riding. The cost for the session is $200 per child. We offer a 10% discount for siblings. Contact us for more information or to sign up.
We had our horse show on March 3. We had a lot of fun with this show, and look forward to the next one (May 12 and 13--rain dates are May 26 and 27).
Maynard will celebrate his real birthday on May 19--he'll be 30! Not many horses live that long, and very few are as active as Maynard. To celebrate, we're hosting his birthday party. The plans are still in the works, but on May 19th, we'll have a day of games and a picnic to celebrate.
Finally, the new horse has a name! After nearly three weeks, he has been dubbed "Wilson."
First, our horse show has been postponed yet again. We are determined to have the show on March 3! We know many students are anxious to show, and hopefully this date will work well with both the weather and students' schedules.
We are very happy that Riley has recently begun daily handwalking (walking while being led, like you walk a dog). He is very happy to get out of his stall, even for a few minutes a day, and enjoy the fresh air after being on stall rest for several months. He is behaving himself quite well, too! As promised, we have some pictures of him:
Being loved!
Standing.
Walking.
Isn't he a handsome boy!
In our last update, we reported that Fuzz had been diagnosed with lymphoma. Fuzz passed away quietly in the morning of February, 12. His final moments were peaceful, and he was told many times how much we care about him. Rest in peace, Fuzzy-bear.
On a happier note, we welcome our newest rescue horse! A dark bay, 6 year old Thoroughbred, he was retired from racing just recently when he was found to be lame in his right knee. The cause of the lameness could not be found, and his owner was unable to put further resources into him. With a few months of rehabilitation, we are optimistic that he will fully recover and make a nice riding horse. We have some pictures of this handsome guy, too:
Fresh off the trailer.
Looking quite magnificent!
He certainly is a cutie!
He says hello to his new neigh-bor.
Who could let a face like this go?
You may have noticed that the new horse is never referred to by name. Well, that's because he doesn't have one! His registered name is "I'mAFavoriteTrick", but he didn't come with a barn name. So, we leave it to the people of Spruce Meadow Farm to name him: for $1, you can purchase a raffle ticket. If your ticket is drawn, he will be given the name you select! Of course, the more tickets you buy, the better chance you have of being the lucky one to pick his name. You can purchase tickets at the horse show, or talk to Karla or your instructor. All the proceeds of this raffle will go to the costs of caring for him. Help support a sweet, good-looking gelding who is just starting a new career.
Our Christmas party was a success, with more than 65 people attending. We had a wonderful time with good food and great company.
Our horse show has been postponed (again!) and will now take place on February 24. Our lounge/viewing room has been remodeled and is now fully functional. It will be heated for the horse show, and concessions and baked goods will be sold to keep everyone warm. We also plan to keep the front barn tack room heated so students can keep warm until their classes begin.
As anyone who has been out to barn in the past month or so is aware, Alex has been very sick. He seems to be feeling better, but he is not entirely out of the woods yet, so please send lots of good wishes his way! Also, a stuffed horse will be raffled at the horse show, with proceeds going to help pay for Alex's extensive veterinary bills.
We are sad to say that one of the barn cats, Fuzz, has recently been diagnosed with lymphoma. A gift basket of cat items will be raffled at the horse show to benefit Fuzz.
Finally, the price of lessons and board has increased due to rising costs of caring of the horses. We apologize for the inconvenience, but we are no longer able to absorb the increased cost of caring for more than thirty horses.
Happy New Year! We hope everyone had a wonderful holiday season, and we look forward to the coming year. We have a lot planned, including our first in-barn show on Saturday, January 20. The show is geared toward newer riders, with several walk-trot and walk-trot-canter divisions, as well as cross-rails and two-foot. We will also have another Trail Class to benefit Riley, as the Halloween show's Trail Class was a huge success. Talk to any of the trainers about entering!
Sunday, January 21 marks our Christmas party. All students are invited! Ask your trainer for more information.
Finally, we'd like to wish all of our Thoroughbreds a happy birthday! Thoroughbreds (specifically those registered with the Jockey Club) celebrate their birthdays on January 1.
Riley went to Cornell University in Ithaca for surgery in September. The surgery went well and he is expected to make a full recovery. He has been checked several times since the surgery and he is healing beautifully. It will still be a few months before he can return to work, but he will heal fully and have a normal, pain-free life. Pictures of the big boy are coming!
Our annual Halloween show was held on November 4th and 5th. There was an excellent turnout in spite of the chilly weather. We hope everyone had a great time and look forward to our next show!
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