Pony Farm Blog

May 15th, 2008


Dearest Pony Farmers….Campers, Lesson Folks, Horse Show Friends and Fellow Horse & Pony Lovers,

It always makes my day to write this blog to YOU….It makes me think of camp and lessons and all things “horsey” and “farmy”…my favorite things! I hope that this letter finds you well and having enjoyed this beautiful spring. After the long, hard winter we had, what a relief to see the grass green, the horses shedding and getting slick, the gardens blooming and the gentle breeze blowing warm air filled with the smell of lilacs. I do love the life on the farm. Each season brings such different things. I can not imagine living anywhere else. I guess Pony Farm is stuck with me!!!


What fun it has been seeing the farm come alive this spring after the snow melted. All of you, lesson students, look like you have made such progress. I love watching folks trotting or cantering around the ring, hopping over jumps. I also love seeing the trail rides go out down the road, enjoying the apple blossoms or the pussy willows as they sprout. My darn asthma has made it hard for me to be right there in the barn with you but I am sure there in spirit. I can’t wait to swing a leg over a horse and trot down the road or hop over a jump….It won’t be long now as I am sooo much better, thanks to sooo many people’s support…..I also can’t wait to see you ride in the PF Lesson Horse Show on May 31st. I will be there to cheer you on and see what progress you have made. Rest assured that I have been kept up to speed by Lorna, Jessy, Lisa, Jessy and the rest of the crew….I have had all good reports from them. I hope the lessons have gone as well for you and that you have found your special ‘horse partner’ to love and enjoy!!!!


Speaking of events, I was just so thrilled to be at the Spring Fling Family Weekend in the beginning of May…I adored seeing each and every family….What a special treat it was to see the Hoffman Family…Allison, the mom, came to camp here over 30 years ago….We surely cried when we first saw each other. What a treat it is for me to have people who have loved this farm like I have for that many years. Allison and Charles’ daughter, Isabel, is coming to camp this summer at just the same age as Allison was when she came…..I LOVE second generation campers and staff…It gives me comfort that some things in this big old world are not changing!!!!! The love of horses, the land and the spirit of camp…..those seem to remain constant all these years!

We also had some terrific families from as far away as NY and Ct….we celebrated four birthdays and had a lovely time. Please do take a look at some of the pictures of this fun weekend.

Sadly, I missed the Father Daughter Weekend in April due to my asthma….This is one of my favorite weekends because I love seeing how well the Dads and Daughters get along….I am always so impressed by the parenting and the devotion of the Dads!



However……..best of all….it is nearly time for Pony Farm Summer Camp to begin. Only 31 more days until the first camper arrives!!!! I must fess up to the fact that camp is still what I love the most of all the things that we do here. I guess that is why this is the 37th summer that I have done Pony Farm!!!! I can’t get enough of a good thing….And, Wow, are we ready for you. The lodge is sparkling, the herb garden will be growing for fresh herbs for our food, the staff is spectacular, all the horses are gathered and getting fit and ready, the tack has been checked over and the small animals await your arrival. The pool is soon to be open and the jumps are all in the rings, being touched up along with the ring fences. The stalls in both barns have been redone so everything looks sharp! The Bunkhouse has a new floor, new ceilings and a new roof, making it a great ‘home away from home’. The Cottage has been lovingly lived in this year, so it is all in good shape for your arrival. These houses are such fun for the older kids…and are in great shape to meet the approval of the Moms as well!

Kris, Jessy, Lorna, Kelly and Donnie are all hard at work doing the paperwork portion of the American Camping Association Accreditation visit that will take place in July. Every three years we are re-accredited. This will mark our 10 time….We are striving for a 100% and have a good chance of achieving that goal. With Kris as the Camp Co-Director, Jessy as the Equine Manager, assisted by Lorna as Co-Directors of Riding, Kelly as the Lodge and Food Manager, and Donnie as our Camp nurse managing the health and wellbeing of the campers and staff, we will surely run a tip top operation this summer. Adding such a great team of riding instructors, both Senior Summer Counselors and Counselors-in-Training, we are truly poised to have a great summer. Now, all that we need it YOU!!!!

Speaking of YOU and great campers…I want to highlight two pretty spectacular campers…one a current camper and one an alumnae…I am a most proud Camp Director for sure with these two ladies….Let me tell you why!!!


Shira Hornstein, who just turned 10, and has been a camper for a couple of years and come to several family weekends, had a birthday party recently. On her own, she decided to ask her friends to donate money to Horse Power, our therapeutic riding program here on the farm, instead of giving her presents….That alone made me proud of her….but then, when she raised soooo much money, I was amazed and delighted…..Her parents joined in the venture….We now have the exciting decision to make as to how she wants to have her donation spent….She is probably going to be able to help us buy two raised gardens for our new gardening program…and sponsor two kids for our special needs day camp called Barn Yard Buddies….and help sponsor the chicken flock for two months….Can you imagine doing all of this at 10. We are so very proud of her. I love this picture of her with Gretta….What a kid…What good things will she do for the world when she grows up if this is what she does as she turns 10!


The other former camper is Hadley Warner, who came to camp nearly 15 years ago. She was teeney and bought one of our favorite ponies called Chicklet who was 10.2 hh. She and Chicklet began their career together and it is now culminating in her training with a nationally recognized coach and doing national level Three Day Eventing….Look at her fly…What a position! What confidence. Who would have imagined this when she was hardly tall enough to put the saddle on Chicklet by herself. We are so proud of so many of our camp alumnae who have gone on to high level riding, or being a vet, or become a riding instructor themselves, or even started their own summer riding camp….or therapeutic program….We have such amazing kids come to camp and lessons that it is no wonder they end up to be amazing adults….Congratulations to you Hadley!!!


The Farm Animal program is thriving and will be a big part of the summer camp. We have the four minis, four goats, two sheep and the dear donkey….We are adding some good pasture for them so everyone can have a nice place to stay with good green grass. We also have the
chickens and they are thriving…with three hens setting on eggs, we will have lots of baby chicks and fresh eggs to have you enjoy. We still have the three bunnies and two guinea pigs….all who love to be handled and led around. This summer I want to build a really good obstacle course with campers so that we can do lots of fun games with all the animals….This has been a huge addition to the overall farm and is a program that is here to stay for sure.
In addition, we have really spruced up the existing gardens and window boxes. We have grown over 25 flats of seeds and are about to plant lots of vegetables and flowers, along with the herbs for camp cooking….We will not be able to grow all the food for camp, but we will surely have lots of good veggies for ‘snacking’ as we enjoy being in the gardens…Wait until you see what has been done….and been done by Kindergarteners through 4th graders. We have joined with the Temple Elementary School, thanks to a grant by CVS and two camp families (yippee), to do this program called “Earthkeepers”. In addition to the animals and gardens, they have worked with specialist to do some wildlife work on the farm. They have built and hung over 30 bird houses….created a toad and frog habitat, created a butterfly, humming bird and pollination garden, and generally made the farm a place to ‘sit and rest a spell’. We hope you will plan time to visit these spots and enjoy what has been created to make the world a better and more beautiful place.

With much love and affection, I send my best to you all!

Hugs,

Isabella (Boo) McDaniel, M.Ed.
Founder and Exec Director of Pony Farm
CHA and NARHA Master Instructor