October 30, 2013
Farm Horses, Horseback riding equine, Fall, Golden Spike Farm, horseback, horseback riding, horses, lessons, nature, trail ride, trail rides Leave a comment
This is the only season we can see those 2 words in a statement with out thinking: Oh No!
It sure is beautiful though. The fresh crisp air, the beautiful colors all around you. Even the horses like it and have a spring in their step.
Yes another shot of me while riding. Trying to capture my trial mate and myself.
I can’t believe I am still gaining new lessons. This is our first mother daughter team!
October 7, 2013
Farm Horses, Horseback riding Autumn, equine, Fall, farm, horseback, horseback riding, horses, nature, trail ride, trail rides Leave a comment
Autumn is truly beautiful here. I am trying to enjoy it with out thinking of the impending doom of winter.
It was a great weekend for road rides. Since it is hunting season we are back to using the roads for our rides but my horses are “bomb proof”. Nothing seems to bother or spook them, well except for the falling leaves.
It was surprisingly warm on Saturday but Sunday evening was cool. Well, cold when we got caught in the passing rain shower.
October 1, 2013
Farm Animals, Farm Horses donate, equine, farm horse, horse, horse farm, horseback, mare, pony rides, SaveNash Leave a comment
This past weekend our favorite photographer, Judy Reinford, arranged a holiday photo shoot at the farm with her clients. She asked if Heather could be used in the family’s photos on location at Golden Spike Farm. In return the family made a contribution to the Nash fund raising campaign. It was a wonderful afternoon. The weather was perfect. Heather who loves kids was a super star. She stood, posed and did not move a muscle for 2 hours. Such a great pony!
Heather is a Welsh Pony used in the my lesson program. She is getting up there in years, mid to late twenties, but still enjoys having the kids on her back. She is so patient with them and knows their ability level. She will not do anything until they are ready for it. Since she is a white color, she is starting to show signs of skin cancer. “Melanomas are most common in older grey or white horses; as many as 80% of grey horses will develop them at some point during their lives.” See Common Equine Tumors. They don’t bother her at all so the vet is just keeping an eye on them for size and spreading.
I got to know Judy when she volunteered her time and services to the Nash Campaign. Check out the post from May of this year. She is an amazing photographer who’s pictures make everything seem magical and enchanting.
September 30, 2013
Horseback riding horse training, horseback, horseback riding, lessons Leave a comment
Post by a fellow blogger. I think most of my students can relate to this.
September 9, 2013
Farm Activities, Farm Animals, Horseback riding animals, equine, farm, farm dog, farm horse, horse farm, horseback, horseback riding, horses, lessons, nature, riding, trail ride, trail rides 1 Comment
The weather is saying yes. The days are cooler the nights are cold. The Calendar is saying yes. It is September! Where did the summer go? It has been non stop and I am truly grateful for that. I am still getting inquiries from new students wanting lessons. Below you will see Nash doing a great job with one of the newbies. He is so patient and gentle, he makes the best first timer experience.
But it is not all about work. Labor day weekend we made it to green lane again. This time we had a tag team group. 2 horses (Apple and Casey), 6 friends , and 4 dogs. When we weren’t riding we were hanging out at the picnic table on the edge of the trail overlooking the lake. It made for a very relaxing day out!
So the dog days of summer are over but you have to admit they have the life here at the farm!
August 25, 2013
Horseback riding equine, farm horse, Golden Spike Farm, horseback, horseback riding, nature, trail ride, trail rides Leave a comment
We recently discovered dirt bike trails and paths in the farm’s neighboring woods and fields. Before we could only do road rides and not all the horses are road safe. Now we all can enjoy the great outdoors on the back of a horse.
August 16, 2013
Horseback riding equine, farm, farm horse, Golden Spike Farm, horse farm, horseback, horseback riding, horses, lessons, riding 1 Comment
Someone asked me this week why don’t I advertise on craigslist. My answer is because I don’t want to. I have had a busy enough summer as it is, I don’t need to do 3 lessons every evening on top of that. You see I work a full time job that pays for all the rest of the bills. I am fortunate to be in a place where the farm pays for itself; between boarding fees, lessons and trial rides.
Don’t get me wrong I do advertise. I have a beautiful sign on the side of the road created by a award winning sign maker and friend of the farm. I have a website and I am on Google places (or is it Local? can’t keep up); I have set up the farm to be on the short list of farms if someone happened to be Googling horses in the area.
The lessons are challenging, fun, invigorating and fulfilling all at once for me. I love teaching beginners, watching their confidence grow and their fears subside. Then things start clicking: I can control this magnificent beast; I am in charge; I can post the the rhythm of the trot.
I am including pictures of my recent lessons everyone from my youngest at the age of 3 to some newbies to a couple of returns from last summer.
August 14, 2013
Farm Horses donate, equine, farm, farm horse, Golden Spike Farm, horse, horse farm, horseback, horseback riding, horses, riding, SaveNash, surgery, trail rides Leave a comment
What a busy summer the farm is having! Sorry I haven’t updated you on Nash in a while but I wanted to let you know that the fund raising campaign is still on going. I would like to extend a special thanks to my lesson kids. They have jumped on board and are helping raise funds this summer. They have done lemonade stands and put cans in local pet supply stores and Vet office.
In the spring we delivered compost (aged horse manure) to local farms and residents. I asked that all they pay was for gas. If the truck did not need gas at that time the extra cash went to Nash.
So today I am going to deposit $188 in cash to the Nash bank account.
Please continue to spread the word and help anyway you can.
Thank you!
Nash is doing great. He is enjoying his summer doing trail rides and lesson. All very light activity nothing more than a running walk. His hernia seems to have become a little larger. There is an additional half moon bulge to the left but he is not bothered by it. Fortunately we are not at the point of extreme concern yet. 
August 2, 2013
Horseback riding equine, horse, horseback, horseback riding, horses, lessons, nature, trail ride, trail rides Leave a comment
The link above is a post by a fellow equine blogger. I enjoyed reading it and it got me thinking of riding in my youth.
After a couple years of lessons I got my own horse (Lilly of the fields). She was a beautiful chestnut mare. I had friends in the area and we would go trail riding. During the summer it would be all day trail rides to the park or convenience store. We didn’t wear helmets and we had 100% trust in our horses. We never fell off even when we race around the avocado groves. We were young and free but not careless or risk takers.
July 31, 2013
Farm Animals, Farm Horses boarder, equine, farm, farm horse, field, Golden Spike Farm, grass, horse, horse farm, horseback, horseback riding, horses, lessons, pasture, rescue, riding, SaveNash 1 Comment
Usually she rides Casey but during this lesson we decided to try something new: Cuervo. He is one of my rescues and best described as an ornery old man. He is great, loves trails but not a big fan of the ring. In fact he isn’t really a big fan of being told to turn. BUT he looks good! 
We finally got the roof of the barn painted.
Nice pic of Chex’s beautiful colors
The Donkeys… I haven’t posted about them in a while. They spent some time up in the front pasture with the goats because Izzy kicked them out of their stall. This week with the weather so nice I brought them back to hang out with the horses. They seem much happier here, even though they don’ have their stall any more.
The walk to the front pasture. The 8 barn horses (my 4 plus 4 boarders) are hand walked up the front pasture for grazing. This time when I was following 2 Chestnut butts (Izzy and Sunbun) they decided the would spook at the new tarp. But Rachael had it under control!
I got a new tractor last week. Yup after having my first Ford for less than 2 years it decides to die on me the Mechanic said that the repairs would cost more than it is worth. So sorry credit card but farm comes first. I didn’t take any pics of it because it looks the same only bigger than my last sexy beast. but you can see it in the background here.
Golden Spike Farm's Plog 
What others are saying: