Good evening! Welcome to my blog! This is going to be one of those "story" entries. Sometimes I share clean eating recipes, fitness tips and reviews of Team Beachbody programs. Not tonight! Tonight is sharing life.
Those who know me know that I am a horse girl. I grew up with horses. When I arrived and my mom married my dad, she sold her horse. She always knew that she wanted to have horses again one day. When I was 8 years old, we began taking riding lessons. When I was 9, we bought a horse and boarded him. When I was age 10, my parents bought a farm and a few more horses that year and the years to come. I grew up showing 4-H and over the years and with five project ponies/horses, I competed in just about every class with the exception of reining and the 3 foot hunters. I will be forever thankful for my parents and two younger sisters and the way that we were raised with the horses as such a family thing.
I began teaching beginner riding lessons at my parents' farm the summer that I was age 15. I went on to grow along with my students and we advanced to the Hunter B Circuit and Arabian A Circuit Hunters as well as state-level 4-H competitions. This continued on through my college years as I would return home each summer. Best childhood ever on their 40 acre farm which is now for sale as they downsize and prepare for the next chapter.
I began teaching beginner riding lessons at my parents' farm the summer that I was age 15. I went on to grow along with my students and we advanced to the Hunter B Circuit and Arabian A Circuit Hunters as well as state-level 4-H competitions. This continued on through my college years as I would return home each summer. Best childhood ever on their 40 acre farm which is now for sale as they downsize and prepare for the next chapter.
When I was 8 years old, I attended a 4-H meeting at a place that was unlike any that I had ever seen. Windfall Farm. This was in St. Marys, PA. As a teen, I began working at Windfall as a show groom and also taught some lessons and worked with a summer camp. See this blog entry on The Windfall Era and the people who significantly shaped my life during that time and beyond... Windfall was such a part of my life and went a long way to shape me into the horsewoman that I would become.
Over the years, I went on to work professionally as a show groom, rider and instructor. I had some incredible jobs and was honored to work with some amazing horses. I was a show groom at Imperial Egyptian Stud near Baltimore, MD and learned some things from my involvement with the world-class breeding program there. Orashan was a horse of fantasy and it was a thrill to groom him, do turn out and prep him for presentation to royalty from around the world. This video filmed at Imperial shows what Orashan was like in his prime. I worked with the babies as part of my job and "Imperial Bareez" was one of our weanlings/yearlings during my time there and I look at him now and am amazed to think that I was his primary handler during his early days. Imperial has since closed as the owner aged and things changed. However, doing a search this evening, it was neat to see some of "my" horses from '96-'97 represented at other farms. I kept pulling my husband over to the computer to show him the horses that I handled daily back then which are still part of breeding programs today - nearly 20 years later! I did horse care at a nice little barn in Geneseo, NY where I boarded my own mare "Kitty" during the time right after graduating from Bible college and working at the college for a couple of years.
I left my office job at the college to return to horse world as the head instructor at a large and crazy-busy lesson/show facility in the DC area. Then I moved to the Eastern Shore of MD for a riding/teaching role which was my favorite job ever. That position had me between MD, NY and CT. I was working for that family farm when I met my husband who had always been a CT guy. Tudor Farms was the Maryland Property and in this video, you will see video of the barn around the 3:20 mark.
I left my office job at the college to return to horse world as the head instructor at a large and crazy-busy lesson/show facility in the DC area. Then I moved to the Eastern Shore of MD for a riding/teaching role which was my favorite job ever. That position had me between MD, NY and CT. I was working for that family farm when I met my husband who had always been a CT guy. Tudor Farms was the Maryland Property and in this video, you will see video of the barn around the 3:20 mark.
Then motherhood began and everything changed in 2006. We moved from CT to Erie, PA that summer when I was expecting our firstborn. I was happy to be back in my home state and was excited to be starting a family. My parents still had a couple of older horses who had been two of my own 4-H projects during my youth. We moved to Erie which is about 2.5 hours from the part of PA where I was raised. After my daughter's birth, I went to 4-H judging school for the state of PA and held my judges card here for a few years. I had judged prior to that and continued beyond that accreditation. After my son arrived, it was difficult to leave my husband with two little ones in order to be gone judging with me needing to leave early for travel and then return late. So I shifted gears and just covered open shows which were closer to home. In September 2013 I began teaching at Faith Haven Stables - a nice barn that was an unfortunate 50 mile round trip from my home. As much as I loved my lesson students and was continually impressed with the lesson horses, that drive and the ensuing 30 or so hours per week spent away from my family began to take a toll on everyone and I did wind up resigning later that winter. I was really enjoying riding a few of the green horses there and knew that I would miss my rediscovered joy of working horses as opposed to playing around with the dear older horses at my parents' place.
For the past year plus, I have deeply missed riding myself. In September 2014, my old pony Holly passed away of natural causes. Holly had come to us not-yet-weaned when we purchased her alongside of her mother just after moving to the farm in October of 1988.
It had been just Holly and the palomino gelding Andy at my parents' place. For the past five or so years, it really was just the kids riding the two older horses as we did not want to over-tax either one of them. Just under two months ago, Andy, who was the last horse remaining at my parents' farm was welcomed by a family who was looking for a companion for their own horse who had lost his friend. It was so wonderful to see photos of Andy settled at his new home, as hard as it was to say good-bye after his 21 years with our family.
A month ago, a dream came true. My youngest sister Rachel and her husband were able to FINALLY get things moving with their long-hoped/worked-for purchase of Windfall Farms in St. Marys! Remember that place where I first visited at the age of 8 and went on to work during my teen years? After the original owners of 45 years sold the property during their retirement and move down south, it was occupied for a couple of years by a QH operation and then sat vacant for 8 years until my sister and her husband moved in just three weeks ago! Exciting times! We have been down there each week since and it has been a whirlwind! My sister and brother-in-law are tackling so many projects there right now - large and small! It is remarkable to see the place coming back to life once again!
I posted this on my FB page last night...
How life has changed in the past 4 weeks is what I pondered while driving back to Erie.
It was a very, very good 29 hours down in Elk County.
Looking at the photos now while putting away things and starting some crazy-looking laundry makes me so thankful and I want to go back again soon!
For the past year plus, I have deeply missed riding myself. In September 2014, my old pony Holly passed away of natural causes. Holly had come to us not-yet-weaned when we purchased her alongside of her mother just after moving to the farm in October of 1988.
It had been just Holly and the palomino gelding Andy at my parents' place. For the past five or so years, it really was just the kids riding the two older horses as we did not want to over-tax either one of them. Just under two months ago, Andy, who was the last horse remaining at my parents' farm was welcomed by a family who was looking for a companion for their own horse who had lost his friend. It was so wonderful to see photos of Andy settled at his new home, as hard as it was to say good-bye after his 21 years with our family.
A month ago, a dream came true. My youngest sister Rachel and her husband were able to FINALLY get things moving with their long-hoped/worked-for purchase of Windfall Farms in St. Marys! Remember that place where I first visited at the age of 8 and went on to work during my teen years? After the original owners of 45 years sold the property during their retirement and move down south, it was occupied for a couple of years by a QH operation and then sat vacant for 8 years until my sister and her husband moved in just three weeks ago! Exciting times! We have been down there each week since and it has been a whirlwind! My sister and brother-in-law are tackling so many projects there right now - large and small! It is remarkable to see the place coming back to life once again!
How life has changed in the past 4 weeks is what I pondered while driving back to Erie.
It was a very, very good 29 hours down in Elk County.
Looking at the photos now while putting away things and starting some crazy-looking laundry makes me so thankful and I want to go back again soon!
The time with my family was so good and I truly love both of the horses that I found for my sister.
They moved to Windfall just 3 weeks ago and Millie arrived the next day. We met Phaedra just 5 days ago and she arrived the next day.
Life is just plain better with horses. And family! And fresh air and room to roam.
This past Friday, I was working in the barn with both of the horses and my 8 year old daughter said to me, "Mom, you are really good with horses." So simple, but it meant the world to hear that from her. She is getting to know this part of me in a new way - beyond jut spending time with the elderly horses who had been fixtures at my parents' farm.
Earlier this morning, I was messaging in "the family thread" where my mom and two sisters and I stay connected throughout each day (and night!) and I was sharing this with them...
Do you know what I realized last night and it was significant to me? God didn't let me sell my saddle, for all of the times that I tried. That is such a quality saddle and there is nothing like riding in it. I bought it when I was 16. It doesn't fit every horse but it is very nice on Millie. And Kitty's girth even fits her. Plus Kitty's bridle. So many times in the past year I have missed riding so much. I would think about it 3-4 times a week but didn't know when I would get to ride again. God knows the desires of our heart. I so enjoy riding Millie. She is such a joy. If I didn't have that saddle, it would not be the same. Sure, I could ride her in one of the western saddles but again, it just would be different. It was a reminder to me of God' plan and his timing and how He sees the big picture and we just see a part. He is faithful.
I do not know what the future holds. But of course I would love to spend more time at Windfall with my family - as in being there each day! That is in God's hands and I will trust his timing. My kids LOVE being there. Getting my husband to embrace Elk County takes a bit more time and effort. So we will see. In the meantime, I am thankful for our super-gas-saver hybrid and the flexibility of my own health coaching business which allows me to travel and work from the road whenever I like. It is not a stretch to picture a point in time a year from now where we would not depend on my husband's income as primary. This could free us up to live wherever while pursuing a dream. I hold that prayerfully before the Lord as I work hard and do my best each day. He knows the desires of my heart and is certainly faithful. Stay tuned for the rest of this story as it all unfolds!
They moved to Windfall just 3 weeks ago and Millie arrived the next day. We met Phaedra just 5 days ago and she arrived the next day.
Life is just plain better with horses. And family! And fresh air and room to roam.
This past Friday, I was working in the barn with both of the horses and my 8 year old daughter said to me, "Mom, you are really good with horses." So simple, but it meant the world to hear that from her. She is getting to know this part of me in a new way - beyond jut spending time with the elderly horses who had been fixtures at my parents' farm.
Earlier this morning, I was messaging in "the family thread" where my mom and two sisters and I stay connected throughout each day (and night!) and I was sharing this with them...
Do you know what I realized last night and it was significant to me? God didn't let me sell my saddle, for all of the times that I tried. That is such a quality saddle and there is nothing like riding in it. I bought it when I was 16. It doesn't fit every horse but it is very nice on Millie. And Kitty's girth even fits her. Plus Kitty's bridle. So many times in the past year I have missed riding so much. I would think about it 3-4 times a week but didn't know when I would get to ride again. God knows the desires of our heart. I so enjoy riding Millie. She is such a joy. If I didn't have that saddle, it would not be the same. Sure, I could ride her in one of the western saddles but again, it just would be different. It was a reminder to me of God' plan and his timing and how He sees the big picture and we just see a part. He is faithful.
I do not know what the future holds. But of course I would love to spend more time at Windfall with my family - as in being there each day! That is in God's hands and I will trust his timing. My kids LOVE being there. Getting my husband to embrace Elk County takes a bit more time and effort. So we will see. In the meantime, I am thankful for our super-gas-saver hybrid and the flexibility of my own health coaching business which allows me to travel and work from the road whenever I like. It is not a stretch to picture a point in time a year from now where we would not depend on my husband's income as primary. This could free us up to live wherever while pursuing a dream. I hold that prayerfully before the Lord as I work hard and do my best each day. He knows the desires of my heart and is certainly faithful. Stay tuned for the rest of this story as it all unfolds!
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