September 17, 2014
Golden Spike Farm
Farm Horses, Horseback riding
equine, horse, horseback riding, horses, inspiration, lessons, love, riding, therapy
I started reading this article in the Huffington post online had had to share.
There are some great quotes in it:
- “As a sophisticated herd animal, horses immediately begin building relationships with people as members of their herd.” ~Dede Beasley, M.Ed., LPC, an equine therapist
- “One of the many psychological benefits of spending time with horses is the tranquil nature they encourage within us.”
- “A pioneering 2013 study from the University of Kentucky discovered that spending time with horses can help people develop a sense of empathy as well as enhance their social and leadership skills.”
- “A study commissioned by the British Horse Society in 2011 confirmed that regular horse riding and horse riding-related activities like mucking out stalls counts as moderately intense exercise and can help keep a person healthy. Additional research associates equine therapy with lower blood pressure and heart rate, reduced stress, and fewer symptoms of anxiety and depression.”
- “The horse is the perfect mirror, they are very emotional beings; we’re only starting to realise how intelligent they are,” Gabrielle Gardner, a therapy counselor of Shine For Life,
April 21, 2014
Golden Spike Farm
Farm Animals, Farm Horses, Horseback riding
animals, barn cats, equine, farm dog, farm horse, horse farm, horseback, horseback riding, horses, lessons, riding
I am excited that the weather is behaving and the lesson program is starting to ramp up again. I have had a few new inquiries and some new students. I am excited to see my students from last year coming back.
Cuervo gets out for a lesson. It has been a while and some times he can be a big oaf. But this time he seemed to enjoy himself and was good for her.
Can you see her mom saying hello to Warlock in the back ground?
These are my helpers Shadow (dog) and Elvis (cat).
November 8, 2013
Golden Spike Farm
Horseback riding
equine, Fall, farm, farm horse, horse farm, horseback, horseback riding, horses, lessons, nature, pasture, riding, trail ride, trail rides
I still can’t believe and am very grateful for how strong the lesson program is going even though the temperatures are dropping my students are still hanging in there and I am starting new ones almost every week. With it getting dark at 5 pm I am even contemplating having lights installed around the riding arena. BUT lets find out how much it costs first.
I have started doing Gymkhana exercises with some of my lesson girls. They love it! I get on Apple and do it with them. Then I discovered how much Apple loves to do it too. It is a lot of fun and teaches them balance, quick reactions and confidence.
Sometimes at the end of lessons we go on “trail rides”. It is just a walk around the front pasture but the kids love it. They can relax. Not have to go in constant circles and enjoy a bit of nature from the back of a horse. The parents and dogs enjoy the walk as well.
September 18, 2013
Golden Spike Farm
Farm Horses
equine, farm, farm horse, Golden Spike Farm, horse, horseback riding, lesson, lessons, love, rescue, riding, SaveNash
My Handsome Man!
He is such a great horse and a big huge lover. He came to me scared and probably abused. When I cleaned his stall he would quickly move to the far wall with a scared look. That made me think he was hit with the manure fork. Now he comes up to me (well everyone) looking to give a hand a lick or receive a hug. He likes to steal your hat and lick your face in the process.
Recently I have started using him in lessons more. He is great with the beginners and stays right by me when I am walking them around. He is kinda lazy and hard to get going but he always aims to please.
September 9, 2013
Golden Spike Farm
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
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!
40.336767
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August 16, 2013
Golden Spike Farm
Horseback riding
equine, farm, farm horse, Golden Spike Farm, horse farm, horseback, horseback riding, horses, lessons, riding
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
Golden Spike Farm
Farm Horses
donate, equine, farm, farm horse, Golden Spike Farm, horse, horse farm, horseback, horseback riding, horses, riding, SaveNash, surgery, trail rides
Save Nash Fund Raising page
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. 
July 31, 2013
Golden Spike Farm
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
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.
40.441768
-75.341567
July 16, 2013
Golden Spike Farm
Farm Horses, Horseback riding
equine, farm, farm horse, Golden Spike Farm, horse, horse farm, horse training, horseback, horseback riding, horses, nature, riding, SaveNash, trail ride, trail rides
This week during our regularly scheduled Saturday morning trail ride Rachael decided to take Chex on his first trail ride since joining the farm.
He was joined by Apple, Cuervo and Nash.
Chex’s mom joined us on Nash. Her first time on him.
The weather was good to us. It wasn’t too hot and we stuck the the cut part of our neighboring fields. The horse flys and bugs were out and bothering the horses despite being doused in fly spray
April 8, 2013
Golden Spike Farm
Farm Horses, Horseback riding
Easter, horseback, lessons, riding
This Easter I had the privilege to give three beautiful girls their first horseback riding lesson. For two of them it was a complete surprise. You should have seen the look on their faces when they got to the farm and were told they get to have a lesson on a pony. Then the elation turned to nervousness, when they realized their sized compared to the “giant beast” they were going to spend the next hour or so with. After a few walks around and some confidence building we go back to the lesson. Here at the farm the lesson starts with the moment you step through the gate. So the girls learn about cleaning and tacking a horse before they even got on. It was a great day and a true joy to share the farm and the horses with them.
Golden Spike Farm's Plog 
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