Founder's Letter

It is with great joy and excitement that I look around the farm this spring. I adore seeing people, young and old, loving the horses and learning how to ride and drive. Seeing the energy and organization of the teaching staff is a real treat for me. I also love seeing the new Instructors in Training, both for Pony Farm and Horse Power, working so hard to be excellent teachers and follow in the footsteps of their mentors! Everyone is a learner around this farm…not to mention, animal lover!

I also love seeing all the farm animals. Having such a great group of horses is made even better by having the other Yankee farm animals, from chickens laying eggs, to Animal Ambassadors going to visit nursing homes, to people enjoying the baby lambs and donkey. The attention and love that these animals get on a daily basis just makes my heart glad!

My soul is also glad that all the devastation caused by the ice storm in December is gone! Thanks to many hours of back breaking work done by the farm staff, and countless volunteer hours donated by community members, we are finally shining again. Seeing the new growth on the trees and the gardens coming to life is a real thrill. The farm is back to looking great, thanks to many hands.

It has also been terrific to have so many people coming to workshops and weekends at the lodge. We have enjoyed having people from all over the world come to visit the lodge. With its new carpeting, upgraded food and hospitality, it is a real treat to see the lodge in full swing again.

As the busy season of summer comes, I can’t wait to welcome all our campers, families and staff for Pony Farm, Barn Yard Buddies and summer riding students. It surely is a happy place around here. Do come to visit and see all the exciting fun that we are having. Do stop in our brand new Farm Store and buy a tee shirt or fresh vegetable from the garden. Stop in for an hour or a day. You will be most welcome! Stay well and thank you for being such an important part of Pony Farm, Horse Power and the Lodge.

Warmly,

Isabella (Boo) McDaniel, Founder

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Hi, My name is Lucky

I am a Conemarra-Arabian cross pony and am 13.2 hands high. It seems like I am bigger because I like to carry my head up high! I am 21 years old. Some people think that is old, but I feel as young as ever.

I was donated to Horse Power by the Murdoch family after I helped raise their children. My friend Velvet and I taught the Murdoch children how to ride. Now I am happy with my new job at Horse Power. I teach some people who can’t ride without using my legs, and I know to be very calm and careful around them. I teach some people who have trouble communicating with other people but we do just fine communicating. I teach some people who need help developing their muscles and my bouncy stride is just what they need.

I am very proud of the work I do at Horse Power which must be part of the reason I carry my head so high!!

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Horse Power Rider in the Spotlight!!

Former professional jockey Reino Tavara is the spotlighted rider in this edition of our newsletter. Reino was critically injured during a race in 2006 and diagnosed with a TBI (traumatic brain injury) He’s worked hard in physical therapy to regain strength on his left side. Another part of his recovery has been to start working around, and eventually riding, horses again. Reino began at Horse Power by grooming a pony named Maggie. Based on that success, his next step was to get back in the saddle! Reino’s very first time back on a horse was at Horse Power on September 23rd, 2008! Riding Annie, it was very clear to everyone that this jockey had not lost his touch! Judging by his wide smile, we think he enjoyed riding again as much as Terri Devlin, Program Director for Horse Power, enjoyed teaching him.

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Happy Spring from Lorna, General Manager

Despite a muddy start, our spring lesson series was a giant success!! Over 70 riders ranging in age from barely 3 years old to 70 years old enjoyed themselves with their favorite horse or pony. Both Pony Farm and Horse Power had full classes, lots of fun, no injuries and a lot of learning. Instructors this season were Jessy, Lauren, Terri, Kathy,Lisa,Jack, Boo, and me. Our Lesson Horse Show was held on May 9th and was truly a 3-Ring Circus with riders going in all three of our outdoor rings. Judging by the smiles, I'd say it was a success!!

This year we are offering a Summer Series of lessons...please call me at the farm to sign up for either Pony Farm or Horse Power...space is limited.

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Gardening For Good

Horse Power and Pony Farm have joined forces with The Academy and Summit High School, both schools under the Regional Services and Educational Center of Amherst, NH to begin a brand new program called Gardening for Good. The students, about 25 in total, have worked with their teachers and the farm staff to start about 1200 seedlings with grow lights. These seedlings and other plants will soon be placed in one of the nine flower and vegetable gardens around the farm. The herbs, vegetables, fruit and flowers produced will be featured in our new Farm Store. The students will be running the cash register and the bank account — with a third of the money going to their school field trips, a third toward a new green house at the farm — and a third to Heifer International. An exciting new partnership with Heifer International is being created.

More about this exciting development to come so stay tuned.

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Pony Farmer in the Spotlight!

We treasure every single rider but have chosen Breanna Lester as our spotlighted rider for this edition of the newsletter. Breanna rides Tucker in a Level 4 class with Jessy. Tucker is an adorable Welsh pony whose best feature are his little ears! Breanna rides Tucker beautifully! She is working on getting better at cantering and jumping. Breanna does a wonderful job of getting Tucker to do just about anything Jessy asks them to do — not an easy feat for a young girl!! And she does it all with a big smile and a great attitude!

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Animal Ambassadors

Imagine being in an Assisted Living or Nursing Home and having a beautiful group of children come to visit you, complete with entourage of farm animals. The Temple Elementary 2nd grade has spent three months to become Animal Ambassadors. After researching their animal of choice, and then training it to go upstairs, into buildings, load in a trailer and to do an agility course, off they go to visit Nursing Homes in Peterborough. Goats, bunnies, lambs, chickens, bunnies and minis complete the visit, with everyone ‘dressed’ in Animal Ambassador shirts, bandannas and blankets. It is a highlight of our week! This program has got to expand into other Nursing Homes in the Monadnock area.

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Star and Louise Retire

We did decide to "retire" Star and Louise over the winter, both wonderful horses have given so many people lots of joy and confidence for years, but they are our senior citizens and deserve to live out their old age in peace and quiet. Feel free to hug them!

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Horses for Heroes; Veterans at the Farm

The Pony Farm Advisory Council and the Horse Power Board of Directors join with the Founder in a sincere desire to offer the farm to Veterans to thank them and their families for their valiant serve to our country. Veterans will soon be riding at the farm in collaboration with Monadnock Family Services of Keene. Other veterans will be helping to build the newest riding arena and area for summer lessons. Still other veterans will be attending a Farm Family Day with their spouses and children before they are being deployed overseas. In short, veterans are welcome and honored here at the farm. Using all of the farm’s resources, we hope in some small measure to thank them and their families.

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Pony Farm Summer Camp Update

Kris Young, camp director, is thrilled to report that Pony Farm’s residential girls’ summer camp is nearly filled — 38 years and going strong!!

Starting June 21st, we welcome up to 48 girls, ages 8-14. Session one and session 5 still have some room left if your rider is interested! You can check out www.ponyfarm.com for a slide show and more info. These girls will have a blast riding twice a day, carriage driving, vaulting, all-day trail rides, camp-outs, field trips, playing with the minis, and more. Kris can be reached directly at krisatpf@hotmail.com if this sounds like something you want to do!

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Summer Day Camp

Terri is once again running the hugely successful Barnyard Buddies Day Camp, this summer there are weeks geared towards both challenged folks as well as Pony Farmers wanting a day camp experience. Camp runs from 10-3, M-F and each week celebrates a particular theme like Circus or Pirate Week. Campers will ride, vault, do arts and crafts and have a blast in the sunshine!! Call Terri to register.

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NEW PARENTS AT THE FARM