Monday Evening June 29th, 2009
Dearest Pony Farm Camp Parents and Families,
Good evening to you! All is ‘Quiet on the Pony Farm Front’. We have had a good day, despite the rain!!!! The kids are happily snuggled in their beds, dreaming of another day of riding and farm fun…but let me begin at the beginning!
After you left yesterday afternoon, we did all sorts of orienting to the farm and the Pony Farm way of doing things. The Pony Farm “Golden Rule” here is to take good care of each other, the animals, and the land. This rule is really our only rule. The rest is just how we all live together. So far, the kids have really lived into this and make friends already. I have watched kids that have been here a long time invite a new camper to come sit with them. I admired how they all helped each other during room clean up or at barn chores. I love seeing them playing and working together. This is how life should be. I once had a friend who told me that he had to live in the world as it was and that I got to live in the world as it should be! I think he was right. I am glad that I get to do this life’s work. It always makes my heart glad.
After the initial staff introductions, they went to the barn to feed their pony or horse, in the rain, of course! Then, while the staff did the evening chores, the kids who had just arrived met with Kris and myself to go over the daily schedule, safety procedures, mail, packages, and meal times. When the staff rejoined us, we had a yummy steak dinner. Lots of kids chowed down and the few vegetarians were happy with cheese and veggies. Dessert was minty cupcakes, even using some of our own home grown mint. Lots of good ‘getting to know you’ chatting took place as the rain fell on the roof.
We then sent the room counselors with their charges on an All Farm Scavenger Hunt. They had to answer 10 questions about different parts of the farm. It is a fun and silly way to get to know the facility and start to get together as roommates. We then had each camper introduce herself by either saying what her favorite trip was, her favorite gift, who she would most like to have dinner with, or what was a ‘fun fact’ that no one else knew about her. Each camper now also has a number so that we will be sure to know that everyone is present and accounted for during the upcoming Temple Games. Following this, we gathered everyone’s ideas as to what they most want to do this session. We tell them that we want to make this their best two weeks of the summer, if not their year. We gathered a mighty list. They would have to stay for 3 months to do it all but it surely won’t be boring, I can promise you that!
We then started Vespers with the Counselors-in-Training telling why they have come back all these many years. I am always moved by what they say. I think the campers also get inspired by their stories of friendship, fun, horses. Its seems like a great way to kick off a good session. We followed this with songs that are special to camp and Goodnight circle. Your daughters are most articulate and verbose! It was lovely with the Vesper Candles burning bright. I am happy to say we had not one sniffle of homesickness last night. Whew, the first night is always the one in which we are most attentive as we put the kids to bed. Each room counselor did a great job. I went around to hug the littlest ones. It was all smiles. We then planned the coming week’s schedule so it would be ready for them to see by morning’s light. It is a power packed week for sure.
Today, I must admit that we were all a little daunted to wake up to pouring rain. Adding MORE water to the already deep mud was of concern. We are such safety freaks that we don’t want anyone slipping in the mud in the rings. Our poor farm manager has literally had to take the tractor and push avenues for the horses to be turned out safely. He also raked the rings twice today to make the footing as good as we could.
However, true to Pony Farm style, we preserved and all ended well. After a number of changes, all the kids are on a happy horse. Before I came down to write this I asked if it was accurate to tell you that the feat had been accomplished and they said a resounding YES! My hat is off to the staff as this is no mean feat in the pouring rain with 48 campers. Jessy and her riding staff can rest easier now that the groups have been formed and the matches made. Match.com has nothing on us!!!!
This afternoon the kids who had a suitable, safe and happy pony or horse either went on a trail ride, played “New Games” or enjoyed the Farm Animals with me. We had all the bunnies, goats, sheep, donkeys and miniature horses out on the lawn. We groomed them, jumped them, hugged them and chased the ones that ‘got away’! I do love this silly and happy time. It seems just like the kind of thing that kids ought to do on a summer afternoon. The kids that did ride were able to ride in the rings that had been raked and in smaller groups. As of this afternoon, there are 8 riding groups with 6 kids in each. With the 8 staff and 11 Counselors-In-Training, everyone gets the benefit of a group lesson with lots of individualized time.
With a good solid intro to Barn Chores and a snack in their tummies, everyone trooped off to do barn chores. They did a super job and were up ready to take their showers in great time. We always know that it will be a good session when the first night of barn chores gets done in jig time.
I was so thrilled that we ate our first peas and salad greens out of the farm gardens tonight. We have been eating our chicken eggs all along, having fresh flowers on the table, and using the herbs in the cooking. However, tonight was the first real meal of farm raised produce. The kids loved the peas and ate all the salad. I was a proud farmer as we have created most of the gardens from seedlings that we grew with grow lights in the basement of the lodge. What fun! There is plenty more to come, too. Pray for sun!
Tonight they did their Bag skits…a silly game where each room collects 6 items and puts them in a plastic bag. The bags then get passed out to another room who creates a skit around the contents of the bag. The kids get most creative and silly in their skits. It is a real favorite of the kids. We then followed that with our Vespers from half the kids at Homestead. They read a poem together. It was cute and fun. Again, Good Night Circle and singing followed with a peaceful bedtime.
Tomorrow will bring lots of horse fun, riding, trail riding, probably some driving…maybe even swimming if the weather cooperates. Our life guard is standing by to give the swimming tests and the pool is ready. I bet it will be pretty cold though!
I will give you a run down of tomorrow once we have seen them all ride in their actual groups. We have promised them and you that we will ‘not bore anyone, scare anyone or work anyone to death….’ And we mean it. If the kids are in the wrong group, it is not for want of trying….We surely have told them often enough to let us know if its not the right placement.
Finally, before I end, let me tell you that if you want to come to visit this weekend, Kris and I think it is best to come on Sunday from 1 to 4. We will have finished Brunch, gathered laundry and organized rooms for the coming week. Sunday is a non riding day. They will be swimming, tye dying shirts, making bracelets, and playing with the farm animals. You are welcome to join in the farm fun. I think this is a better day to come than Saturday as we will be doing the Temple 4th of July Games and Fireman’s Barbeque. It is a tradition and is such fun. It is hard to know exactly when we will get back from that. We will be riding that afternoon but then you would miss the 4th of July fireworks back home…so, come on Sunday if you want….HOWEVER, please do not feel like you have to come. The kids have plenty to do….Most parents do not come as it is only a two week session….Your child will not be the only one without a parent present so if you live far away or have other fun stuff to do, rest assured she will be fine and well tended….We also have them practice for the Talent Show on Sunday night. Often times the kids whose parents come actually don’t get to go in the Talent Show because they were off getting ice cream….So, you are welcome to come but not expected to come!!!
So, I hope your day is ending nicely. I am still at camp and the kids are all asleep in their bunks. Rest well yourself and know that we are enjoying your children…and tending them well.
All my best, Boo
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Saturday, June 27, 2009
What a Fantastic Week!
Friday June 26th, 2009
Dearest Pony Farm Families…Parents, Grandparents, Sisters, Brothers, Friends….
I smile as I think of you all. I sure hope you read these as I think it helps you be a ‘fly on the wall’ with your kids/sister or granddaughters. We sure are having a great time and love for you to know the happenings at the farm. We also hope you are well and have had a good week yourselves. We all think of you often and miss you…but just a little! It has been non stop action here and let me tell you all about it!
First and foremost, WHAT FANTASTIC KIDS YOU HAVE GIVEN US FOR A WEEK!!!! I swear you have done a fabulous job of raising great kids….not one single tear of homesickness, not one fuss, not one whine, not one complaint…it is a total treat to be with them, to the last one of them. Thank you for making the world a better place because of these children…They will grow up to do great things I know for certain. What an A+ you should get on your parenting report card. We are really going to be sad to say goodbye to the kids that are leaving tomorrow.
Secondly, despite the rainy weather and the mud, we have surprisingly been able to ride every single day and do lots of great outdoorsy, farm things both in the afternoon and the evening. The weather, while not great, has not been a damper on the spirits or the activities. We are grateful for the indoor and a dry bed. I truly don’t know how the tent and canoe camps do it with this kind of weather.
The riding has gone very well. We are excited to have you see the demonstration tomorrow. The kids have all worked really hard learning new skills. I have been so thrilled with the quality of the teaching that has gone on this week. Prior to Staff Orientation week, we hosted a national Certified Horsemanship Certification Clinic here. Five of our riding/teaching staff attended the whole week and became certified. The increase in their lesson planning, task analysis, skill building and teaching is really significant. I am very proud of the teaching that your children have gotten. I hope that you share my feeling when you come tomorrow. I also hope that you enjoy the quality of camp/lesson horses and ponies that we have. We are really proud of our string of mounts for a camp program. We like to think its “top drawer”!
Speaking of the Riding Exhibition and Demo Lesson tomorrow, we would love it if you could try to arrive by 9:30 to 9:45AM. We will have our Community Meeting and review with the kids what they will each be doing. Kris and I will then make some general remarks to you all while the kids are tacking up. We try not to have parents and visiting siblings in the barn while the kids are tacking up as it makes it too crowded. We can show you the week’s schedule and tell you a little about the week. We are also happy to answer any questions you might have. Following this, we invite you to go to see your daughter(s) ride. The Counselors-In-Training will conduct the actual lesson while you gather around the Senior Instructor. She will tell you all about what they have worked on during the week. She can also point out things to look for to parents who might not be ‘horsey’ in their own lives. We think the more you know, the more impressed you will be by the progress your child has made during only one week.
Following the group lessons, the kids will then regroup and do carriage driving, vaulting or jumping in specialty groups. They have had such fun doing the different things of camp that we love to give you a taste of what they have learned other than on the horse! We expect the whole Exhibition to end about noonish. We ask that you bring a picnic lunch to share with your child(ren). We will all have a picnic together on the front lawn, hopefully with sun shining on us! We will provide food for any and all kids staying over for next session so do not worry if you are not coming as we will take good care of your kiddo. (We even plan to have a Pizza Night tomorrow with everyone getting her favorite kind of pizza.) I think it is a safe bet to plan to leave by 1ish….Although, we sure won’t be glad to see you and your daughter leave. It has been such fun!!!
Speaking of fun, the Treasure Hunt/Hunter Pace was very well received by all. I actually was in NYC for a night to help my daughter move from the Upper East Side to Gramercy Park. The troops here set up a fun Treasure Hunt with clues to go to the next station. The kids were divided into 6 teams. They got all the clues with a little ‘help from their friends’…resulting in everyone getting a treasure trove of ice cream from the lovely dairy farm right down the road. After a fun trail ride, they all came back for lunch and to get geared up for the camping trip.
I had a crew of kids that were dying to go on this trip. Due to the threat of thunderstorms and lightening, Kris and I both thought it best to camp nearby instead of up on the mountain. We also checked out our usual site and the gentle little mountain stream over which we cross with all of our stuff, was a raging river. We would have washed whole children down the mountain side if we had gone there!
So, we ended up happily camping on the front lawn of the Homestead. We put up the tents in jig time and moved all our sleeping gear in. The food was ready for us and that too got set up ready for the campfire. We left the farm for our adventure and started by getting afternoon treats at the local little store. We then went to the Wilton Falls, a great big waterfall with fun swimming hole. This is a favorite of all of us ‘locals’ and a spectacular sight when it has rained a lot. Munching our snacks, we then ventured out onto the spray of the rocks in front of the water fall and helped each other cross the rushing water. The kids then jumped off a little rock outcropping and had a fun quick swim across the little pool. It was mighty cold so they didn’t stay in long! Following this little hike and swim, we came back to our camp site and started playing with all the farm animals. The kids brushed, hugged, grazed, and generally loved on the baby donkey, the lambs, the goats and the minis. We didn’t even get to the rabbits they had such fun!
After a long and leisurely time doing this, we started our camp fire and roasting our hotdogs and dinner. Much munching later, everyone was filled to the gills and ready to do the obstacle courses with the animals. They jumped, ran, went over a bridge and generally had a blast with the miniature horses. As darkness descended, we put all the animals away except for the one favorite goat. It was then S’More time…Curiously, the goat that was with us loves graham crackers. I don’t know who ate more of them, the goat or the kids!
Once everyone had eaten her fill, we all sat around the fire and the kids told massive stories, minus any ones filled with Ghosts…I don’t allow ghost stories in the dark!!! You surely have characters for children! They were great stories and well told, complete with accents. Several songs rounded up the night which was finished up with a lovely Good Night Circle with all of us holding hands around the fire and remembering all that we were thankful for in our lives.
Amid shooting stars, the fire flies and quiet whispering, the kids quickly fell asleep. I sat and watched the fire burning and reflected on how lucky I was…I too fell immediately asleep upon hitting my sleeping bag, flanked by staff and dogs!
As it turned out, it was good we were not up on the mountainside. The lightening and thunder struck about 2AM…Luckily, I got all the kids right into the Homestead, my old house, and we all went right back to sleep on the floor and the couches…so, I felt lucky not to be 2 miles away from camp with a bunch of ponies tied to a tree in the dark!
Meanwhile, ‘back at the ranch’ the kids had lessons and horse activities all afternoon and then did barn chores in good order. They had a nice dinner and then played all sorts of games for Cascino Night. This was preceeded by the Chocolate Game which is a fun game with dice, hat and mittens…Each person gets to eat as much chocolate as she can with a fork and knife….until someone else gets doubles on the dice. It is a real camp fav, for obvious reasons.
Today, the kids have done their morning lessons to prepare for their Exhibition for you tomorrow. They have also written their Candlelight message to read around the Bonfire tonight. We will do this with torches burning and as a great way to begin to end our time together. I always look forward to Candlelight as it is sooo sweet how much they come to love each other, their ponies and being here. It makes all the work, planning, care, energy…even sleeping on the hard ground well worth it!
This afternoon, we will be practicing the Specialties for the Exhibition. This will include carriage driving, vaulting, and jumping, lots of jumping….Showers will follow barn chores and our delicious last dinner together will start with all of us dressed up.
We will then greet you with open arms tomorrow, despite wishing our week was just beginning instead of just ending. We will be sad to see our first troopers leave… We really have enjoyed them…However, I would like to mention that we have had a zero minute cancellation from an incoming camper who has gotten “cold feet”. We would like to replace her if one of your kiddos would like to stay on. Let us know by emailing Kris at krisatpf@hotmail.com. Hopes this works out for somebody!
I can’t wait to see you tomorrow. Hurry up and get here with your picnic. We have lots of fun things to show you. I hope you will be impressed. Until then, stay well.
Most warmly,
Boo
Dearest Pony Farm Families…Parents, Grandparents, Sisters, Brothers, Friends….
I smile as I think of you all. I sure hope you read these as I think it helps you be a ‘fly on the wall’ with your kids/sister or granddaughters. We sure are having a great time and love for you to know the happenings at the farm. We also hope you are well and have had a good week yourselves. We all think of you often and miss you…but just a little! It has been non stop action here and let me tell you all about it!
First and foremost, WHAT FANTASTIC KIDS YOU HAVE GIVEN US FOR A WEEK!!!! I swear you have done a fabulous job of raising great kids….not one single tear of homesickness, not one fuss, not one whine, not one complaint…it is a total treat to be with them, to the last one of them. Thank you for making the world a better place because of these children…They will grow up to do great things I know for certain. What an A+ you should get on your parenting report card. We are really going to be sad to say goodbye to the kids that are leaving tomorrow.
Secondly, despite the rainy weather and the mud, we have surprisingly been able to ride every single day and do lots of great outdoorsy, farm things both in the afternoon and the evening. The weather, while not great, has not been a damper on the spirits or the activities. We are grateful for the indoor and a dry bed. I truly don’t know how the tent and canoe camps do it with this kind of weather.
The riding has gone very well. We are excited to have you see the demonstration tomorrow. The kids have all worked really hard learning new skills. I have been so thrilled with the quality of the teaching that has gone on this week. Prior to Staff Orientation week, we hosted a national Certified Horsemanship Certification Clinic here. Five of our riding/teaching staff attended the whole week and became certified. The increase in their lesson planning, task analysis, skill building and teaching is really significant. I am very proud of the teaching that your children have gotten. I hope that you share my feeling when you come tomorrow. I also hope that you enjoy the quality of camp/lesson horses and ponies that we have. We are really proud of our string of mounts for a camp program. We like to think its “top drawer”!
Speaking of the Riding Exhibition and Demo Lesson tomorrow, we would love it if you could try to arrive by 9:30 to 9:45AM. We will have our Community Meeting and review with the kids what they will each be doing. Kris and I will then make some general remarks to you all while the kids are tacking up. We try not to have parents and visiting siblings in the barn while the kids are tacking up as it makes it too crowded. We can show you the week’s schedule and tell you a little about the week. We are also happy to answer any questions you might have. Following this, we invite you to go to see your daughter(s) ride. The Counselors-In-Training will conduct the actual lesson while you gather around the Senior Instructor. She will tell you all about what they have worked on during the week. She can also point out things to look for to parents who might not be ‘horsey’ in their own lives. We think the more you know, the more impressed you will be by the progress your child has made during only one week.
Following the group lessons, the kids will then regroup and do carriage driving, vaulting or jumping in specialty groups. They have had such fun doing the different things of camp that we love to give you a taste of what they have learned other than on the horse! We expect the whole Exhibition to end about noonish. We ask that you bring a picnic lunch to share with your child(ren). We will all have a picnic together on the front lawn, hopefully with sun shining on us! We will provide food for any and all kids staying over for next session so do not worry if you are not coming as we will take good care of your kiddo. (We even plan to have a Pizza Night tomorrow with everyone getting her favorite kind of pizza.) I think it is a safe bet to plan to leave by 1ish….Although, we sure won’t be glad to see you and your daughter leave. It has been such fun!!!
Speaking of fun, the Treasure Hunt/Hunter Pace was very well received by all. I actually was in NYC for a night to help my daughter move from the Upper East Side to Gramercy Park. The troops here set up a fun Treasure Hunt with clues to go to the next station. The kids were divided into 6 teams. They got all the clues with a little ‘help from their friends’…resulting in everyone getting a treasure trove of ice cream from the lovely dairy farm right down the road. After a fun trail ride, they all came back for lunch and to get geared up for the camping trip.
I had a crew of kids that were dying to go on this trip. Due to the threat of thunderstorms and lightening, Kris and I both thought it best to camp nearby instead of up on the mountain. We also checked out our usual site and the gentle little mountain stream over which we cross with all of our stuff, was a raging river. We would have washed whole children down the mountain side if we had gone there!
So, we ended up happily camping on the front lawn of the Homestead. We put up the tents in jig time and moved all our sleeping gear in. The food was ready for us and that too got set up ready for the campfire. We left the farm for our adventure and started by getting afternoon treats at the local little store. We then went to the Wilton Falls, a great big waterfall with fun swimming hole. This is a favorite of all of us ‘locals’ and a spectacular sight when it has rained a lot. Munching our snacks, we then ventured out onto the spray of the rocks in front of the water fall and helped each other cross the rushing water. The kids then jumped off a little rock outcropping and had a fun quick swim across the little pool. It was mighty cold so they didn’t stay in long! Following this little hike and swim, we came back to our camp site and started playing with all the farm animals. The kids brushed, hugged, grazed, and generally loved on the baby donkey, the lambs, the goats and the minis. We didn’t even get to the rabbits they had such fun!
After a long and leisurely time doing this, we started our camp fire and roasting our hotdogs and dinner. Much munching later, everyone was filled to the gills and ready to do the obstacle courses with the animals. They jumped, ran, went over a bridge and generally had a blast with the miniature horses. As darkness descended, we put all the animals away except for the one favorite goat. It was then S’More time…Curiously, the goat that was with us loves graham crackers. I don’t know who ate more of them, the goat or the kids!
Once everyone had eaten her fill, we all sat around the fire and the kids told massive stories, minus any ones filled with Ghosts…I don’t allow ghost stories in the dark!!! You surely have characters for children! They were great stories and well told, complete with accents. Several songs rounded up the night which was finished up with a lovely Good Night Circle with all of us holding hands around the fire and remembering all that we were thankful for in our lives.
Amid shooting stars, the fire flies and quiet whispering, the kids quickly fell asleep. I sat and watched the fire burning and reflected on how lucky I was…I too fell immediately asleep upon hitting my sleeping bag, flanked by staff and dogs!
As it turned out, it was good we were not up on the mountainside. The lightening and thunder struck about 2AM…Luckily, I got all the kids right into the Homestead, my old house, and we all went right back to sleep on the floor and the couches…so, I felt lucky not to be 2 miles away from camp with a bunch of ponies tied to a tree in the dark!
Meanwhile, ‘back at the ranch’ the kids had lessons and horse activities all afternoon and then did barn chores in good order. They had a nice dinner and then played all sorts of games for Cascino Night. This was preceeded by the Chocolate Game which is a fun game with dice, hat and mittens…Each person gets to eat as much chocolate as she can with a fork and knife….until someone else gets doubles on the dice. It is a real camp fav, for obvious reasons.
Today, the kids have done their morning lessons to prepare for their Exhibition for you tomorrow. They have also written their Candlelight message to read around the Bonfire tonight. We will do this with torches burning and as a great way to begin to end our time together. I always look forward to Candlelight as it is sooo sweet how much they come to love each other, their ponies and being here. It makes all the work, planning, care, energy…even sleeping on the hard ground well worth it!
This afternoon, we will be practicing the Specialties for the Exhibition. This will include carriage driving, vaulting, and jumping, lots of jumping….Showers will follow barn chores and our delicious last dinner together will start with all of us dressed up.
We will then greet you with open arms tomorrow, despite wishing our week was just beginning instead of just ending. We will be sad to see our first troopers leave… We really have enjoyed them…However, I would like to mention that we have had a zero minute cancellation from an incoming camper who has gotten “cold feet”. We would like to replace her if one of your kiddos would like to stay on. Let us know by emailing Kris at krisatpf@hotmail.com. Hopes this works out for somebody!
I can’t wait to see you tomorrow. Hurry up and get here with your picnic. We have lots of fun things to show you. I hope you will be impressed. Until then, stay well.
Most warmly,
Boo
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Update From Summer Camp at Pony Farm
Dearest Moms and Dads and PF Families,
Whew………the rain has stopped and all the kids are on the right horse and in the right group. That is a real feat with the puddles and mud! Your kids have been terrific and good spirit abounds at camp. They were such troopers yesterday riding despite the rain that it is a nice reward today to ride under cloudy skies. Tomorrow promises to actually be sunny and bright.
Also, I am happy to report that we have had not one drop of homesickness. Everyone is so spunky and fun. I just went around to each room to check on how everyone was getting along. In every single room (this being rest hour), I saw happy kiddos that were forging good solid friendships. I thought you all would like to know, especially first time parents. Card games, finger knitting, letter writing, listening to music, chatting and gentle reading were the activities at hand during this quiet time in the middle of the day.
This afternoon they have each selected from among 8 activities. The most experienced two groups are having a jumping lesson now that the rings have dried out and been raked. They went on a trail ride this morning to give the lesser experienced kids the drier rings. The other kiddos are going to do the agility course with the farm animals, or vault which is gymnastics on the moving horse, or Natural Horsemanship, or “Time with your Horse”, AKA braiding, trimming, brushing, painting their hooves with glitter, or grazing them with picture taking galore, or a walking trail ride for the littler ones, and finally bareback riding in the ring. Each kiddo has selected her favorite one of these activities and they are soon to be off doing this.
Tonight, the girls are going to do a Fashion Show by Decades. They work very hard to dress up like many of us did in the 60’s. They love this and all are so creative, judging from the Bag Skits of last night.
Wednesday will see more lessons and a whole raft of other activities. They are gearing up to do either a Treasure Hunt or a Hunter Pace (depending on riding levels of experience) on Thursday morning so lots of trail rides will be offered. We also will have the Pony camping trip on Thursday night. We have the menu planned, the tents at the ready, and the kids signed up….and the food bought…S’mores being a definite staple of the food! So, we are gearing up for that and also for the many other things that will be offered here at the farm so that the kids who don’t want to camp are busy and happy!
So, I end as I began, by saying that you have great kids…To the last one of them, they are getting along well…riding well…loving their ponies….hugging their staff and generally having a great week. The time is flying by…Thank you for sending them to us. We are having a blast and even getting over the mud!
Warmly and with a smile, Boo
Whew………the rain has stopped and all the kids are on the right horse and in the right group. That is a real feat with the puddles and mud! Your kids have been terrific and good spirit abounds at camp. They were such troopers yesterday riding despite the rain that it is a nice reward today to ride under cloudy skies. Tomorrow promises to actually be sunny and bright.
Also, I am happy to report that we have had not one drop of homesickness. Everyone is so spunky and fun. I just went around to each room to check on how everyone was getting along. In every single room (this being rest hour), I saw happy kiddos that were forging good solid friendships. I thought you all would like to know, especially first time parents. Card games, finger knitting, letter writing, listening to music, chatting and gentle reading were the activities at hand during this quiet time in the middle of the day.
This afternoon they have each selected from among 8 activities. The most experienced two groups are having a jumping lesson now that the rings have dried out and been raked. They went on a trail ride this morning to give the lesser experienced kids the drier rings. The other kiddos are going to do the agility course with the farm animals, or vault which is gymnastics on the moving horse, or Natural Horsemanship, or “Time with your Horse”, AKA braiding, trimming, brushing, painting their hooves with glitter, or grazing them with picture taking galore, or a walking trail ride for the littler ones, and finally bareback riding in the ring. Each kiddo has selected her favorite one of these activities and they are soon to be off doing this.
Tonight, the girls are going to do a Fashion Show by Decades. They work very hard to dress up like many of us did in the 60’s. They love this and all are so creative, judging from the Bag Skits of last night.
Wednesday will see more lessons and a whole raft of other activities. They are gearing up to do either a Treasure Hunt or a Hunter Pace (depending on riding levels of experience) on Thursday morning so lots of trail rides will be offered. We also will have the Pony camping trip on Thursday night. We have the menu planned, the tents at the ready, and the kids signed up….and the food bought…S’mores being a definite staple of the food! So, we are gearing up for that and also for the many other things that will be offered here at the farm so that the kids who don’t want to camp are busy and happy!
So, I end as I began, by saying that you have great kids…To the last one of them, they are getting along well…riding well…loving their ponies….hugging their staff and generally having a great week. The time is flying by…Thank you for sending them to us. We are having a blast and even getting over the mud!
Warmly and with a smile, Boo
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
First Official First Full Day of Camp!
Dearest Moms and Dads, Family Friends and Extended Family Members,
Big Salutations from all of us on this first day of our 38th year of Pony Farm’s summer camp!!! It gives me great pleasure to write this first Blog of many. I love recounting all the fun things that we do here at the farm. The kids are so great and we surely have a staff to be proud of this summer. It is a Camp Director’s Dream.
First of all, thank you for bequeathing your children to us. They are such a bunch of ‘cutie pies’. It makes our job so easy when they all listen as we tell them about their riding groups or horse care…go to bed when we ask…get up when we ask... and generally just enjoy camp. So far everyone is getting along famously. It is always my job to ask each kiddo how things are going. The last one so far the answer is “Its great here.” Or “Everyone is so nice.” Or “I love my roomies already.” Or “My pony is the greatest.” These are all music to my ears, of course. We tell them that it is our goal to have this be the best week of their summer, if not their year. We are working hard to make it so! Thanks for parenting such good kids.
Last night on Opening Night we started with introductions from all the staff. Hearing how long everyone had been here made me so proud. It is easy to lose track of time but to hear that young people of today have been coming to Pony Farm for 8 year, or 11 years, or even as much as Jamie for 20 years and Kris for 31, sure makes me feel lucky! The kids listened intently as they tried to memorize all the names. We then moved on to how to feed the ponies and horses. Everyone trooped down to the barn with their buckets, boots and sponges. With all the ponies’ dinner in place, the kids then came back to the lodge to meet with Kris and I for a more formal introduction to the day in the life of camp. We talked about everything from dinner time to bed time to how we sorted out the horses. They were good as gold.
Once the staff came up from turn out and quick barn chores, we had dinner together. Staff mixed in with the kids so that everyone had a ‘buddy’ for sure on the first night of camp. We want everyone to feel welcome. After a yummie dinner with the ‘raindrops still falling on our heads’, they played a fun Scavenger Hunt all over the farm. Each room of girls joined with their staff to go on this expedition all over the property. They had to go as quickly as they could while still getting the right answers to all 10 questions and working together. We have found that this is a fun and energetic way to start getting to know each other. Most everyone found the right answers and got to know the farm a lot better. Luckily there was a break in the rain so they didn’t get too wet.
We then gathered and the kids introduced themselves to each other. We stress the importance of getting along and knowing each other, especially all names from the first day forward. We then wrote up a whole list of fun things they were eager to do during this week. They are a gung ho bunch…The list is too long for me to report in detail but you can see the schedule we made for the week when you come on Saturday.
This list making was followed by bedtime routines and ‘what ifs’ for night time. They all seemed genuinely up beat as we started singing songs by candlelight. The counselors in training did Vespers, our quiet reflection time of the day. It is moving to hear why they come back year after year. I think it sets a nice tone for the whole week. Following the singing and Vespers, they tiptoed off to bed. Each set of room counselors ‘tucked’ them in bed…I got to visit each room and ‘sit for a spell’ with them. I love this one on one time with each room. So often I am talking with parents or organizing something that I cherish my time with the girls. It is why I started this, after all!
We are happy to report that not one kiddo was homesick or worried on the first night. Bedtime went smoothly and without incident. I was here until about 10:15 and then tottled down to my little Cottage where I, too, slept soundly!!! The kids all slumbered through the night, and were up and ready to start their exciting first day when I got to camp at 8AM. The drizzle does not daunt these darlings!!!
The riders were each grouped in four biggish groups for their Evaluation Ride. We take a good deal of time and effort to match the right kiddo on the right horse and in the right group. Several staff went around to see each larger group and decide how to split them into smaller units of 4 to 6 children. We mostly made good matches but did do some switching. After lunch and rest hour, the girls will be told what groups they are in and what horse/pony they will ride. This afternoon we will then try the final matches and groups to make sure we did it right. Even after today, the kids can still change if the kiddo or the staff feels it is appropriate. We are committed to making sure that the kids are correctly and safely mounted, as well as placed in the appropriate group so they each learn a lot without being over faced or bored.
They will then learn how to do barn chores, take nice warm showers and have dinner together. We will then enjoy an all camp favorite… Bag Skits…a silly skit game where each room gets 6 items together and puts them in a bag. These bags are then spread around to other rooms, each of which needs to create a skit using all 6 items. For some reason unbeknown to me, they adore this game…It does get the rooms collaborating and creative, so its all good with me. I love seeing the results. Tonight, Rooms 1 and 2 will do their vespers and then we will end with more new songs. “Good Night Circle” will follow where the kids remember all the good things that happened during the day. It is a sweet and peaceful way to end the day.
The kids voted to go on a camping trip with the ponies on Thursday night…and to have the Hunter Pace too as the big main events. We have tons of other activities but they most wanted to do this so, Please push the right weather buttons so this can happen. I especially love the pony camping trips…
Mostly, I thank you for trusting us with your treasurers….We are all working hard to make this a most memorable time. Will write more tomorrow but knew you would want to know how the first day was going…Until then, stay well and enjoy some fun yourself!!!
Warmly, Boo
Big Salutations from all of us on this first day of our 38th year of Pony Farm’s summer camp!!! It gives me great pleasure to write this first Blog of many. I love recounting all the fun things that we do here at the farm. The kids are so great and we surely have a staff to be proud of this summer. It is a Camp Director’s Dream.
First of all, thank you for bequeathing your children to us. They are such a bunch of ‘cutie pies’. It makes our job so easy when they all listen as we tell them about their riding groups or horse care…go to bed when we ask…get up when we ask... and generally just enjoy camp. So far everyone is getting along famously. It is always my job to ask each kiddo how things are going. The last one so far the answer is “Its great here.” Or “Everyone is so nice.” Or “I love my roomies already.” Or “My pony is the greatest.” These are all music to my ears, of course. We tell them that it is our goal to have this be the best week of their summer, if not their year. We are working hard to make it so! Thanks for parenting such good kids.
Last night on Opening Night we started with introductions from all the staff. Hearing how long everyone had been here made me so proud. It is easy to lose track of time but to hear that young people of today have been coming to Pony Farm for 8 year, or 11 years, or even as much as Jamie for 20 years and Kris for 31, sure makes me feel lucky! The kids listened intently as they tried to memorize all the names. We then moved on to how to feed the ponies and horses. Everyone trooped down to the barn with their buckets, boots and sponges. With all the ponies’ dinner in place, the kids then came back to the lodge to meet with Kris and I for a more formal introduction to the day in the life of camp. We talked about everything from dinner time to bed time to how we sorted out the horses. They were good as gold.
Once the staff came up from turn out and quick barn chores, we had dinner together. Staff mixed in with the kids so that everyone had a ‘buddy’ for sure on the first night of camp. We want everyone to feel welcome. After a yummie dinner with the ‘raindrops still falling on our heads’, they played a fun Scavenger Hunt all over the farm. Each room of girls joined with their staff to go on this expedition all over the property. They had to go as quickly as they could while still getting the right answers to all 10 questions and working together. We have found that this is a fun and energetic way to start getting to know each other. Most everyone found the right answers and got to know the farm a lot better. Luckily there was a break in the rain so they didn’t get too wet.
We then gathered and the kids introduced themselves to each other. We stress the importance of getting along and knowing each other, especially all names from the first day forward. We then wrote up a whole list of fun things they were eager to do during this week. They are a gung ho bunch…The list is too long for me to report in detail but you can see the schedule we made for the week when you come on Saturday.
This list making was followed by bedtime routines and ‘what ifs’ for night time. They all seemed genuinely up beat as we started singing songs by candlelight. The counselors in training did Vespers, our quiet reflection time of the day. It is moving to hear why they come back year after year. I think it sets a nice tone for the whole week. Following the singing and Vespers, they tiptoed off to bed. Each set of room counselors ‘tucked’ them in bed…I got to visit each room and ‘sit for a spell’ with them. I love this one on one time with each room. So often I am talking with parents or organizing something that I cherish my time with the girls. It is why I started this, after all!
We are happy to report that not one kiddo was homesick or worried on the first night. Bedtime went smoothly and without incident. I was here until about 10:15 and then tottled down to my little Cottage where I, too, slept soundly!!! The kids all slumbered through the night, and were up and ready to start their exciting first day when I got to camp at 8AM. The drizzle does not daunt these darlings!!!
The riders were each grouped in four biggish groups for their Evaluation Ride. We take a good deal of time and effort to match the right kiddo on the right horse and in the right group. Several staff went around to see each larger group and decide how to split them into smaller units of 4 to 6 children. We mostly made good matches but did do some switching. After lunch and rest hour, the girls will be told what groups they are in and what horse/pony they will ride. This afternoon we will then try the final matches and groups to make sure we did it right. Even after today, the kids can still change if the kiddo or the staff feels it is appropriate. We are committed to making sure that the kids are correctly and safely mounted, as well as placed in the appropriate group so they each learn a lot without being over faced or bored.
They will then learn how to do barn chores, take nice warm showers and have dinner together. We will then enjoy an all camp favorite… Bag Skits…a silly skit game where each room gets 6 items together and puts them in a bag. These bags are then spread around to other rooms, each of which needs to create a skit using all 6 items. For some reason unbeknown to me, they adore this game…It does get the rooms collaborating and creative, so its all good with me. I love seeing the results. Tonight, Rooms 1 and 2 will do their vespers and then we will end with more new songs. “Good Night Circle” will follow where the kids remember all the good things that happened during the day. It is a sweet and peaceful way to end the day.
The kids voted to go on a camping trip with the ponies on Thursday night…and to have the Hunter Pace too as the big main events. We have tons of other activities but they most wanted to do this so, Please push the right weather buttons so this can happen. I especially love the pony camping trips…
Mostly, I thank you for trusting us with your treasurers….We are all working hard to make this a most memorable time. Will write more tomorrow but knew you would want to know how the first day was going…Until then, stay well and enjoy some fun yourself!!!
Warmly, Boo
Thursday, April 9, 2009
HAPPY EASTER!!!!
Dear Friend of Pony Farm,
It is with great joy and happiness that I send this PF Blog to YOU!!! I adore letting you know about all the many exciting and creative things happening at Pony Farm, Horse Power and the Lodge. Mostly, I love to welcome YOU to come and visit…sit a spell or join us for one or more of the fun things that are happening here at the farm. It is alive with activity!!!
Our Pony Farm and Horse Power Spring Lesson series are well underway. The rings have nicely dried out and have been carefully raked for excellent spring riding classes. With over 100 students riding each week, it is a busy and happy place. The staff has worked long and hard to get just the right horses and ponies to mount the littlest to the oldest rider, regardless of ability. Everyone is welcome here at the farm to share our love of horses. It is my greatest delight to see each ring busy with good learning, whether teachers are working with riders on an obstacle course, a complicated dressage move, a jumping grid or simply learning how to trot. I am most proud of our instructors and the caliber of our lesson mounts. With certification for our instructors and accreditations for our various programs, we feel we offer one of the finest lesson programs in the country. If you are not already part of the “Farm Family, come visit anytime and see us in action. You are especially welcome to join us for our Spring Lesson Horse Show on Saturday May 9th. This horse show will offer three rings, lots of ribbons and good judges to showcase all of our riders. Come help us pass out some ribbons to our winners….We think you will like what you see!!!
Happily, our Horse Power Instructor Training School is also in full swing. We have three Instructor Candidates working on their national certification as therapeutic riding instructors. Each of these bright, hard working and talented people will return to their home state and will make the world a better place for people with challenges in their lives. We are immensely proud of the work these folks are doing and thank them for their deep commitment to bring the joy and health of horsemanship to people in need.
The summer camp staff for both the residential Pony Farm residential camp and the Barn Yard Buddies day camp are hard at work getting ready to receive their campers. We hope that Pony Farm and Horse Power will always be a great opportunity for children of all ages and abilities to enjoy being outside in the fresh air, learning new things and reveling in the love of all kinds of animals. The vegetable and flower gardens should add to their enjoyment, as will the swimming pool. During the summer months, it is hard to come to the farm and not catch the spirit of joy and fun that abounds in every corner of the barn, the woods trails or country lanes. Join us and catch this spirit!!!
We are also enjoying a terrific year at the Lodge at Pony Farm. We have had many different types of successful gatherings at the lodge. From Family weekends to Mother or Father Daughter Camp Weekends, to alumnae or family reunions, special Anniversary events, to Gardening Classes, to workshops on Soil Enrichment or Spiritual Awakening or Yoga, we have have enjoyed rich variety of meaningful events that have enlivened and awakened our thinking. We are even about to celebrate a Blessing of the Farm on Saturday evening May 9th. A real Shamen who is a true Native American and will be dressed in ceremonial attire will be leading this unique event. This is most exciting because it is strongly believed that the lodge used to be the site of a Temple hundreds of years ago. Honoring the true spirit and strength of the land will be a pleasure indeed.
Prior to the Lesson Horse Show, the Blessing of the Farm and the start of our summer camps, we invite one and all to come to our Farm Clean Up Day and Cookout on Saturday April 25th. This is a great day of celebration of the beauty of the farm, with many hands making light work. We will paint fences and jumps, wash windows, build a new ring, work on the new Farm Store and finish cleaning up the yards and plant some of the gardens. We will offer a great big yummie cook out and lots of time to chat and join together as a Farm Family. With your help, we can continue to make the farm beautiful and safe for all people and horses. Join us!
This farm clean up day is also geared to our upcoming celebration of Horse Power’s 20th Anniversary to be held on Saturday June 6th. Again, this day will be dedicated to the hard working board, staff, volunteers and horses of Horse Power, our therapeutic riding program. It is hard to believe that Horse Power is 20 years old…but it is indeed true. We are also wanting to honor the wonderful donors who have made Horse Power possible. The plans are coming together nicely for this most joyous of events.
In addition to the ongoing programs and special events, we have lots of other exciting news to share with you. This has truly been a time of expansion and new resolve. We have added several new programs that we are proud to share with you. It is our hope that you might become inspired to help out with one or more of these programs.
• “Gardening for Good”….joining with two wonderful local schools (RSEC Academy and Summit High School) we are creating or enhancing eight existing gardens to grow fresh vegetables, herbs, flowers and fruit. We will not only be feeding the folks who come to stay with us for camp or lodge events, but we will be selling our produce to the local community. These kids will learn everything from farming skills, to marketing and communication, to keeping a check book. A third of the profit will go to the kids, a third to the program for next year and a third to the world famous Heifer Project International. Instilling a work ethic mixed with entrepreneurship and philanthropy is all a good thing in this day and age.
• “Animal Ambassadors”…joining with Temple Elementary School second graders, an Antioch/New England Intern and a wonderful group of parents, we are in the process of a three month program with the kids and the farm animals. In March, each student selected his or her favorite animal from the sheep, miniature horses, goats, and rabbits. They then researched their animal, making journals, displays, written projects and verbal presentations. Following this, they have come to the farm to get practice in handling their animal and taking it through a training/agility course. They are also learning how to meet and be with elderly folks, some of whom may have hearing or sight challenges. In May, we will bring all the Animal Ambassadors, two and four footed to area Assisted Living and Nursing Homes for visits. We cannot wait to share our love of animals with older people, all the while being Ambassadors of goodness and happiness.
• “Horses for Heroes”…joining with the National Guard, the Veterans Victory Farm and Monadnock Family Services, we will be sharing our love of the farm, horses, gardens and farm animals with men and women who have served our country. It is our sincere hope to thank them for their service and make them feel welcome back from the war and to their lives. We will be offering riding, driving, employment opportunities and family activities. Again, we welcome you to help!
• Farm Store Opens….We will be expanding our usual summer camp store to a new ‘venue’…the Loft overlooking the parking lot. With this new space, we will be offering the usual fun summer time clothing, farm hats and water bottles. In addition we will be selling fresh produce, flowers and local products. This will be a fun addition to our farm while giving kids an opportunity to learn to run a business.
Perhaps most exciting of all is the renovation and refurbishing of the yellow farm house, formerly my house where I grew up and raised my own children. This lovely home was built in 1754 and deserves to be carefully and loving restored. We are very excited to be working with a well respected local historian to restore it. With lots of painting, polishing, waxing and upgrading of the bathrooms, this will be a wonderful new feature of the farm. During the summer months, it will house the oldest campers and half of the camp staff. During the rest of the year, it will serve as the lodging for the Instructor Training School and Interns. We will also be bringing school groups to the farm and having the house be an educational reenactment of an old Colonial Farm. With so much history behind it, and such a bright future ahead of it, the house is going to be an upcoming feature of the whole farm. So, as you can tell, we are busy and happy and working hard. We welcome you to join us for any of the activities or programs that might be of interest to you and your family. You will get a warm welcome and a friendly tour. We love having visitors and will enjoy showing you what is happening on that day. Until then, stay well and enjoy the coming of spring.
Warmly and with enthusiasm,
Isabella (Boo) Martin, M.Ed.
Founder and Executive Director
NARHA & CHA Master Instructor
ACA Certified Camp Director
It is with great joy and happiness that I send this PF Blog to YOU!!! I adore letting you know about all the many exciting and creative things happening at Pony Farm, Horse Power and the Lodge. Mostly, I love to welcome YOU to come and visit…sit a spell or join us for one or more of the fun things that are happening here at the farm. It is alive with activity!!!
Our Pony Farm and Horse Power Spring Lesson series are well underway. The rings have nicely dried out and have been carefully raked for excellent spring riding classes. With over 100 students riding each week, it is a busy and happy place. The staff has worked long and hard to get just the right horses and ponies to mount the littlest to the oldest rider, regardless of ability. Everyone is welcome here at the farm to share our love of horses. It is my greatest delight to see each ring busy with good learning, whether teachers are working with riders on an obstacle course, a complicated dressage move, a jumping grid or simply learning how to trot. I am most proud of our instructors and the caliber of our lesson mounts. With certification for our instructors and accreditations for our various programs, we feel we offer one of the finest lesson programs in the country. If you are not already part of the “Farm Family, come visit anytime and see us in action. You are especially welcome to join us for our Spring Lesson Horse Show on Saturday May 9th. This horse show will offer three rings, lots of ribbons and good judges to showcase all of our riders. Come help us pass out some ribbons to our winners….We think you will like what you see!!!
Happily, our Horse Power Instructor Training School is also in full swing. We have three Instructor Candidates working on their national certification as therapeutic riding instructors. Each of these bright, hard working and talented people will return to their home state and will make the world a better place for people with challenges in their lives. We are immensely proud of the work these folks are doing and thank them for their deep commitment to bring the joy and health of horsemanship to people in need.
The summer camp staff for both the residential Pony Farm residential camp and the Barn Yard Buddies day camp are hard at work getting ready to receive their campers. We hope that Pony Farm and Horse Power will always be a great opportunity for children of all ages and abilities to enjoy being outside in the fresh air, learning new things and reveling in the love of all kinds of animals. The vegetable and flower gardens should add to their enjoyment, as will the swimming pool. During the summer months, it is hard to come to the farm and not catch the spirit of joy and fun that abounds in every corner of the barn, the woods trails or country lanes. Join us and catch this spirit!!!
We are also enjoying a terrific year at the Lodge at Pony Farm. We have had many different types of successful gatherings at the lodge. From Family weekends to Mother or Father Daughter Camp Weekends, to alumnae or family reunions, special Anniversary events, to Gardening Classes, to workshops on Soil Enrichment or Spiritual Awakening or Yoga, we have have enjoyed rich variety of meaningful events that have enlivened and awakened our thinking. We are even about to celebrate a Blessing of the Farm on Saturday evening May 9th. A real Shamen who is a true Native American and will be dressed in ceremonial attire will be leading this unique event. This is most exciting because it is strongly believed that the lodge used to be the site of a Temple hundreds of years ago. Honoring the true spirit and strength of the land will be a pleasure indeed.
Prior to the Lesson Horse Show, the Blessing of the Farm and the start of our summer camps, we invite one and all to come to our Farm Clean Up Day and Cookout on Saturday April 25th. This is a great day of celebration of the beauty of the farm, with many hands making light work. We will paint fences and jumps, wash windows, build a new ring, work on the new Farm Store and finish cleaning up the yards and plant some of the gardens. We will offer a great big yummie cook out and lots of time to chat and join together as a Farm Family. With your help, we can continue to make the farm beautiful and safe for all people and horses. Join us!
This farm clean up day is also geared to our upcoming celebration of Horse Power’s 20th Anniversary to be held on Saturday June 6th. Again, this day will be dedicated to the hard working board, staff, volunteers and horses of Horse Power, our therapeutic riding program. It is hard to believe that Horse Power is 20 years old…but it is indeed true. We are also wanting to honor the wonderful donors who have made Horse Power possible. The plans are coming together nicely for this most joyous of events.
In addition to the ongoing programs and special events, we have lots of other exciting news to share with you. This has truly been a time of expansion and new resolve. We have added several new programs that we are proud to share with you. It is our hope that you might become inspired to help out with one or more of these programs.
• “Gardening for Good”….joining with two wonderful local schools (RSEC Academy and Summit High School) we are creating or enhancing eight existing gardens to grow fresh vegetables, herbs, flowers and fruit. We will not only be feeding the folks who come to stay with us for camp or lodge events, but we will be selling our produce to the local community. These kids will learn everything from farming skills, to marketing and communication, to keeping a check book. A third of the profit will go to the kids, a third to the program for next year and a third to the world famous Heifer Project International. Instilling a work ethic mixed with entrepreneurship and philanthropy is all a good thing in this day and age.
• “Animal Ambassadors”…joining with Temple Elementary School second graders, an Antioch/New England Intern and a wonderful group of parents, we are in the process of a three month program with the kids and the farm animals. In March, each student selected his or her favorite animal from the sheep, miniature horses, goats, and rabbits. They then researched their animal, making journals, displays, written projects and verbal presentations. Following this, they have come to the farm to get practice in handling their animal and taking it through a training/agility course. They are also learning how to meet and be with elderly folks, some of whom may have hearing or sight challenges. In May, we will bring all the Animal Ambassadors, two and four footed to area Assisted Living and Nursing Homes for visits. We cannot wait to share our love of animals with older people, all the while being Ambassadors of goodness and happiness.
• “Horses for Heroes”…joining with the National Guard, the Veterans Victory Farm and Monadnock Family Services, we will be sharing our love of the farm, horses, gardens and farm animals with men and women who have served our country. It is our sincere hope to thank them for their service and make them feel welcome back from the war and to their lives. We will be offering riding, driving, employment opportunities and family activities. Again, we welcome you to help!
• Farm Store Opens….We will be expanding our usual summer camp store to a new ‘venue’…the Loft overlooking the parking lot. With this new space, we will be offering the usual fun summer time clothing, farm hats and water bottles. In addition we will be selling fresh produce, flowers and local products. This will be a fun addition to our farm while giving kids an opportunity to learn to run a business.
Perhaps most exciting of all is the renovation and refurbishing of the yellow farm house, formerly my house where I grew up and raised my own children. This lovely home was built in 1754 and deserves to be carefully and loving restored. We are very excited to be working with a well respected local historian to restore it. With lots of painting, polishing, waxing and upgrading of the bathrooms, this will be a wonderful new feature of the farm. During the summer months, it will house the oldest campers and half of the camp staff. During the rest of the year, it will serve as the lodging for the Instructor Training School and Interns. We will also be bringing school groups to the farm and having the house be an educational reenactment of an old Colonial Farm. With so much history behind it, and such a bright future ahead of it, the house is going to be an upcoming feature of the whole farm. So, as you can tell, we are busy and happy and working hard. We welcome you to join us for any of the activities or programs that might be of interest to you and your family. You will get a warm welcome and a friendly tour. We love having visitors and will enjoy showing you what is happening on that day. Until then, stay well and enjoy the coming of spring.
Warmly and with enthusiasm,
Isabella (Boo) Martin, M.Ed.
Founder and Executive Director
NARHA & CHA Master Instructor
ACA Certified Camp Director
Monday, February 9, 2009
PONY FARM LESSON PROGRAM & SUMMER CAMP BLOG
Happy Valentine’s Day to YOU All!!! I hope you are happy and well this winter. The horses and staff all join me in sending you our best. I love Valentine’s Day because I enjoy telling people how much I love them, whether they are near or far! We love having you here and our farm would not be the same without YOU!!! So, hurry up and come back to visit.
Winter here at Pony Farm has been a great one, despite the amount of snow and cold. All the horses are furry and fat. The snow is so deep in the Small Animal Barn that the minis keep jumping out to come see us. They, and all the bigger horses, miss having you around to pet and love them. We did have a sadness though as we lost Lexus to colic. She was one of our wonderful Quarter horses. We worked for two full days to try and save her but she had a twisted intestine. It made us all so sad. I want to assure you that she did not suffer and had someone by her side the whole time. She is missed but never forgotten!
Lots of good progress has been made this winter. We have nearly completed an All Farm Recycling Program, including the building of brand new recycling stations and a trailer for all the separated material to be taken to the local Recycling Center. Wait until you see the new Grain Bin in the downstairs barn….Not only will the farm look neater and cleaner, but we will help keep our world GREEN!!! We will not waste anything!
Next on our list of things to accomplish is to start Composting….everything from the food at the lodge to the manure in the barn! We just went to a workshop on composting horse manure…What an eye opener that was. We produce 80 tons of manure a year with our horses. Can you imagine if all of that was turned into terrific organic fertilizer for the area gardens and greenhouses…Again, we would be helping our world while taking care of any and all pollution from run-off into the streams…You will be hearing much more about this as the year unfolds but we are most excited to work on this new important project. If you have any expertise or know of anyone who does, please email me and let me know. The more good brains working on this, the better!
We are also excited to be upgrading the bathroom in the barn with a sink, washing machine and composting toilet to replace the unsightly and expensive portopotties. We hope to have that project completed by the start of our Spring Lesson Program. We want to be able to welcome our favorite lesson students back with a nice new bathroom!!!
Speaking of lessons, our Spring Lesson Open House will be on Saturday March 14th from 1 to 4PM. We welcome all of you, new or former students, to come and visit us. We would love to catch up with you and tell you about all the exciting classes that will be taking place this spring. Lorna will continue on as the head of Pony Farm lessons for both kiddos and adults…She is always eager to speak to you on the phone so call her at 603-654-6308.
Perhaps the most exciting thing that we are planning this spring are a Pony Farm Clinic Series….We hope that fellow horse owners, neighbors, summer campers and lesson students will want to come to one or more of these clinics. We want to have both unmounted horsemanship clinics like learning how to lunge and long line, as well as how to better partner with your horse in February and March. We are working on hosting a riding clinic with our favorite Joe Lombard in April and will let you know that date. We are then working on hosting a Parelli clinic this spring and next fall. In addition, we will be having a Certified Horsemanship Clinic in June to help our lesson and camp staff teach even better….We will wrap up the year with a Pony Boy Clinic…Again, as the snow falls, we are organizing all of these great educational clinics so that we can all learn more about the amazing world of horses. We hope you will want to join us for one or more clinics! Lauren will have all the updated information on the clinics so call at 603-654-6308.
We definitely have our spring weekends on the calendar, with several of them already full. We invite you to join us for the Father Daughter Weekend or the Mother Daughter Weekend that had to be rescheduled due to the ice storm in December. We will also have an Adult Riding and Driving Weekend in May….So, there is just lots of fun going on at the farm. Come and enjoy things with us! Call Lauren at the office to find out more….603-654-6308!
Last but by no means least is SUMMER CAMP AT PONY FARM!!! The Pony Farm residential summer camp is nearly full for 2009…We do have a few openings in our one week sessions at the beginning and end of the summer. Take a look at all the fun that we have on the camp part of our website….It is just a spectacular way to spend a week or two of your summer here at Pony Farm. This will be our 38th year of camp. We already have most of our staff !!! It will be nearly 100% returning staff….We are gathering horses now, too…so we will surely be ready. Kris and I only wish it started tomorrow! Confirmations go out this week for those already registered…Also, don’t forget that if you refer a friend who ends up signing up for a session at Pony Farm, you receive a $50 gift certificate for clothes at the camp store…So, tell all your friends about those first and last week session this summer! Call Kris if you have questions about your session at 603-654-6308.
We will also be hosting three weeks of PONY FARM SUMMER DAY CAMP. Due to popular demand, we will be offering a riding day camp for the first time ever. We will be building a new ring and small barn in front of the indoor arena. This will not only beautify the area but it will surely give both day and resident campers all the facilities that they will need to have a great time without bumping into each other. We will reserve four horses for day camp so there will be daily riding using the new ring. The PF Day Campers will have their own club house and tack room out there too. We just miss our lesson kids too much to say goodbye all summer long…Call Terri to find out more….603-654-6308.
So, as you can see, things are hopping at Pony Farm. We are about to fill up the Small Animal barns with baby chicks and ducks, Bantums, two new lambs and a new mini donkey. Springtime is one of my favorites here on the farm as we get in the new babies…and start planting the seeds for the gardens. I love all the seasons on a farm….I adore spring with lessons and the farming part…then summer with the campers….Fall is terrific with the harvesting of the crops and the pumpkins straight out of the gardens…Then winter for sleigh riding and snow showing and skiing….In short, I guess I just love the farm…and having YOU here.
I really do have the best job of all because I just get to enjoy being with you! Please do email me with any of your ideas for the farm….or recycling or the clinics or the camp or the gardens or the composting or the horses. I love hearing from you, almost as much as I love having you come to visit…So, don’t be a stranger here at Pony Farm. On this Valentine’s Day, know that you and your family are indeed in my heart and makin’ me smile.
Gleefully,
Boo McDaniel,
Founder and Executive Director &
Biggest Horse & Animal Lover of ALL!
Beautiful Words from a Camper
Dearest Pony Farmers,
One of our fabulous campers, Mikaela, wrote this touching tribute to her experience last summer. I wanted to share it with all of you....
My Second Home
Imagine a place filled with ponies and horses and a smiling face wherever youlook. You know who everyone is and are friends with pretty much all of them..This is Pony Farm, my camp, the place where I am my best self and one of theonly places I feel entirely relaxed and comfortable. It’s a place where I feel completely undisturbed and totally at home. I have a really special horse and friends who are ready for me to lean on them at any time.
Pony Farm has the most remarkable people and the best friends I could ever have. Everyone is a friend with everyone and no one is ever mean. I rememberafter the horse show I thought I did really badly and my friends cheered me up completely. They explained you could not be perfect every time, and made me feelbetter. My friends talked and talked with me for three days about this until I was feeling all better. They were never negative, and always had something good to say. All my friends, especially Annie, were fun to be around. I felt like I could be completely myself. Best friends are one community, and my barn family is another. My room is just one more group of closely-knit people, and everyone is family. It made me feel like there was no one who would be mean. It was such an open community of forty-eight kids. Pony Farm would not be the same without my friends, because they make up part of the experience.
My barn was a really special part of camp. I spent more then half my day there, and it was where no one bothered me. Spending time with my horse was a stillness that was relaxing. Everyone was working there but no one made me do their jobs. However, if I needed help, they were there in a second. It always smelled like fresh hay. I loved the way that when we had to scrub water buckets, my friends and I would carry them together. It was teamwork without one person taking over. This showed me what it was really like to work as a group; you are all in it together. I loved how we always had music playing in the barn. Blasting music in the barn made me want to do more work when I was done.
My horse at camp, Alhana, is incredible. When I went in to her stall she would look up from her hay and would nuzzle with me pulling the treat out of my pocket. While riding her I had a soaring sensation. I would get off of her and give her a hug. She was more then a horse, she was my best friend. If I wanted to talk to someone and didn’t have time to find my friends, I would just talk to her, which was not weird because I knew she was listening. I would do anything for Alhana. When she peed in the aisle I would clean it up with out a single complaint. After riding her I would cool her down and this was the perfect time. I would talk to her and she would nuzzle me and we would just walk and talk until she was cool. My horse was like having a best friend who always was with me.
Here at tranquil Pony Farm I am my finest self. It is my Querencia. I have unique friends, an extraordinary horse, and a new family. Without it I wouldn’t have something to look forward to in the summer. I know I will always have a place at Pony Farm. I constantly think about going back. The limited time I spend there makes when I am there so special.
From Mikaela
One of our fabulous campers, Mikaela, wrote this touching tribute to her experience last summer. I wanted to share it with all of you....
My Second Home
Imagine a place filled with ponies and horses and a smiling face wherever youlook. You know who everyone is and are friends with pretty much all of them..This is Pony Farm, my camp, the place where I am my best self and one of theonly places I feel entirely relaxed and comfortable. It’s a place where I feel completely undisturbed and totally at home. I have a really special horse and friends who are ready for me to lean on them at any time.
Pony Farm has the most remarkable people and the best friends I could ever have. Everyone is a friend with everyone and no one is ever mean. I rememberafter the horse show I thought I did really badly and my friends cheered me up completely. They explained you could not be perfect every time, and made me feelbetter. My friends talked and talked with me for three days about this until I was feeling all better. They were never negative, and always had something good to say. All my friends, especially Annie, were fun to be around. I felt like I could be completely myself. Best friends are one community, and my barn family is another. My room is just one more group of closely-knit people, and everyone is family. It made me feel like there was no one who would be mean. It was such an open community of forty-eight kids. Pony Farm would not be the same without my friends, because they make up part of the experience.
My barn was a really special part of camp. I spent more then half my day there, and it was where no one bothered me. Spending time with my horse was a stillness that was relaxing. Everyone was working there but no one made me do their jobs. However, if I needed help, they were there in a second. It always smelled like fresh hay. I loved the way that when we had to scrub water buckets, my friends and I would carry them together. It was teamwork without one person taking over. This showed me what it was really like to work as a group; you are all in it together. I loved how we always had music playing in the barn. Blasting music in the barn made me want to do more work when I was done.
My horse at camp, Alhana, is incredible. When I went in to her stall she would look up from her hay and would nuzzle with me pulling the treat out of my pocket. While riding her I had a soaring sensation. I would get off of her and give her a hug. She was more then a horse, she was my best friend. If I wanted to talk to someone and didn’t have time to find my friends, I would just talk to her, which was not weird because I knew she was listening. I would do anything for Alhana. When she peed in the aisle I would clean it up with out a single complaint. After riding her I would cool her down and this was the perfect time. I would talk to her and she would nuzzle me and we would just walk and talk until she was cool. My horse was like having a best friend who always was with me.
Here at tranquil Pony Farm I am my finest self. It is my Querencia. I have unique friends, an extraordinary horse, and a new family. Without it I wouldn’t have something to look forward to in the summer. I know I will always have a place at Pony Farm. I constantly think about going back. The limited time I spend there makes when I am there so special.
From Mikaela
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