North Stone Farm

12/05/2024

Snow day? Snow problem! These girls had a blast with their horses!

11/19/2024

Contact Linda Amell directly for more information and to sign up. [email protected]

11/19/2024

'Cover Girl' is looking for her next person! 2'6" to 3" hunter, medals, derbies...always in the ribbons, can be ridden by a junior. In 2023, was Trillium overall 2'6"Children's champion and hack division reserve champ. In 2024, successful gold season in 3' Children's. Contact Linda Amell for more info.

11/18/2024

This advice will NOT be popular with those who want it RIGHT NOW, but nevertheless, here goes---

If the goal is to become two things, a good rider and a good horseman/horsewoman, be willing to think in decades rather than in years.

That first decade, from whatever age you began, will take you only so far, and may even take you to the Olympics, but riding skill alone won’t give you all you need to know and be able to do. The next couple of decades will let three components, your physical skills, your control over your emotions and your knowledge, all intertwined to complement one another.

That’s why many of the best riders and trainers are in their 40s, 50s and in some cases in their 60s, even 70s. They didn’t get those tens of thousands of hours overnight.

There are ever so many riders and trainers who gave up too soon. They just needed to have hung in there another ten years, maybe twenty. Which sounds insane, but actually isn’t.

11/16/2024

The light changes dramatically this time of year but we ride on! 💙🖤🩵

11/12/2024

Trillium team: save the date for all of the Eastern zone shows (marked E) Can't wait!

Missing horse show season? Well, now you can start planning your 2025 Trillium season. Travel the THJA is back for 2025!! You can stick close to home with your home zone or venture out and discover new venues and show hosts while accumulating points towards the 2025 Provincial Championships! More than 25 horse shows across the province and 14 different show hosts.

** Remember that in order to accumulate points towards zone year end awards or Championships, BOTH horse owner and rider must have a 2025 THJA membership prior to the first horse show.

11/01/2024

Beautiful rounds today from Team Northstone! Way to go Fiona and Madeline!

10/20/2024

Join us Nov 1-2 at the The Royal Agricultural Winter Fair to cheer on our qualified pony hunters! Huge congratulations to our dedicated riders Fiona and Madeline. They have worked so hard this season!

🤞Rayne and Cover Girl are first on the waiting list for Children’s Hunter, an amazing achievement in itself. Excellent work!

10/20/2024

What a fantastic night for our Silver/Bronze series riders! 🏆 It’s always fun to dress up with the team and acknowledge all the hard work from the show season 🏆🤗🥰 Well done team!

10/12/2024

A few lucky Northstone riders attended a clinic with Hyde Moffatt today 🙌🤩

Back to Noble Touch tomorrow for more!

09/29/2024

Big Ben & Ian Millar
Big Ben, originally named "Winston", was born at the van Hooydonk Farm in Kalmthout, northern Belgium. Despite his dam being only 15 hands tall, Big Ben grew to an impressive height of 17.3 hands. Canadian equestrian Ian Millar purchased him for $45,000 and brought him to Millar Brooke Farm in Perth, Ontario, Canada. Despite receiving numerous lucrative offers to buy Big Ben, both the ownership group and Ian Millar declined them all due to the strong bond they shared with the magnificent horse.

In 1984, the horse commenced its participation in show jumping competitions, sparking the beginning of a lengthy and prosperous career. Millar, the rider, achieved remarkable success with Big Ben, securing over 40 Grand Prix titles, including six Spruce Meadows Derbys. Additionally, Millar clinched the world cup show jumping championship for two consecutive years. The initial World Cup Final victory took place in Gothenburg, Sweden in 1988, followed by another triumph the following year in Tampa, Florida. In 1989, Millar triumphed in the Grand Prix of Bordeaux, France, and the Grand Prix of Stuttgart, Germany, propelling him to the top spot in the global rankings. Notably, Millar and Big Ben emerged victorious in the du Maurier International twice, in 1987 and 1991, which was the most lucrative grand prix event worldwide at that time.

However, in 1992, Big Ben encountered significant challenges. He battled colic twice and experienced a distressing accident when his horse trailer overturned on a highway due to a head-on collision with a car. Tragically, two other horses lost their lives, while a third horse sustained injuries that rendered it unfit for riding. Furthermore, a fourth horse developed an aversion to entering trailers altogether. Astonishingly, Big Ben defied the odds and triumphed in a Grand Prix a mere two months later. Despite concerns surrounding his accumulating injuries, he went on to secure his sixth Spruce Meadows Derby victory, captivating an audience of 50,000 spectators. This marked his final appearance in the derby.

09/28/2024

Congratulations to our riders at Westar’s Development Series! We love this show series, and ending with a pizza party and awards is the icing on the cake! 🍪🍕🦄

Parents please add some favourite pics and moments below!

09/28/2024

Our riders worked hard all season and will be rewarded with overall season ribbons!

Parents: it’s time to buy tickets to the awards banquet 🏆 See link in this post!

09/19/2024

MY thoughts on children and riding...

When the child walks in the stable for their first riding lessons, it is the beginning of important life lessons. Unlike other sports in general, the equestrian must learn much more than technique in riding skills or team spirit. Horses are perhaps the ultimate teachers of compassion, patience and humility.

One of the very first rules in my barn is that if a horse drops a load before, during or after a lesson, it is the child who picks up the manure. Mom and dad are not allowed to, regardless how young the child is. Learning to take care of their mount is a lesson in responsibility and housekeeping. It might seem gross to have to pick up the p**p, but know there are worst things in life and this simple task is just as important as all of the other aspects of being in the presence of greatness (the horse.) A lesson is not necessarily measured in minutes, but in tasks completed and how well they are completed. This includes grooming before and after a lesson and tacking up and untacking.

I like to build a foundation of balance, strength, and most importantly, teaching my students to see what the horse sees, feel what it feels and better understand their mounts. Instill an appreciation of this living creature they are sharing a bond with. A horse will also humble you with that first fall off, or a toe tread on. Learning to gather courage and go forward are lessons learned here. We learn to never lay blame, where blame isn’t and be mindful and appreciate the power of this animal and fragile connection we have with horses.

A horse will teach your child many things about life in the real world. Your child will learn to listen, sometimes be fearful but know the importance to get back up, take hold and go forward. They will learn how to control emotion, accept losing without frustration and appreciate winning with renewed confidence. It will all come back to that first rule in my barn when your child walks into the stable for their first riding lesson. “If your horse p**ps, you must scoop” accountability and responsibility. (Just to clarify the picture. The student IS NOT standing on the saddle but on a no slip saddle pad and the purpose of this exercise is for balance, trust and confidence in his/her ability to challenge themselves. Not unlike the sport of vaulting, except the horse is standing still and not in motion.)

09/15/2024

We could share all of our pretty ribbon photos from today (there were some big wins!) or we could just put these here 🥺☺️

Love your horse, love your team 🩵

Linda Amell

09/06/2024

Please share your *purchased* photos!

Wondering where to find your photos that one of our Official Photographers captured at Champs? See the links below. And we would like to extend a HUGE thank you to those photographers - they were there first thing in the morning, didn't leave until their assigned ring was done and then went back to their hotel rooms to edit and post your photos. Show them some love by making sure that the photos you purchase from 2024 Champs are taken by our Official Photographers.

Thursday, August 29
Steelcraft Ring: Madeline Ball Photography https://madelineballphotography.pixieset.com/trilliumchamps-dayone/

Creekside: Anneli Tapanila Photography https://annelitapanilaphotography.pixieset.com/trilliumchamps-creeksidering/

Grand Hunter: Madeline Ball Photography https://madelineballphotography.pixieset.com/trilliumchamps-dayone/

Jumper Ring: PACT Inc Photography
https://www.pactincphotography.com/event-albums

Friday
Steelcraft: https://annelitapanilaphotography.pixieset.com/trilliumchamps-steelcraft/
Creekside: https://madelineballphotography.pixieset.com/trilliumchamps-daytwo/
Grand Hunter: https://www.pactincphotography.com/event-albums
Jumper Ring: https://madelineballphotography.pixieset.com/trilliumchamps-daytwo/
Provincial Cup: https://annelitapanilaphotography.pixieset.com/trilliumchamps-provincialcup/

Saturday
Steelcraft: https://madelineballphotography.pixieset.com/trilliumchamps-daythree/
Creekside: https://www.pactincphotography.com/event-albums
Grand Hunter: https://annelitapanilaphotography.pixieset.com/trilliumchamps-grandhunter/
Jumper Ring: https://madelineballphotography.pixieset.com/trilliumchamps-daythree/

Sunday
Steelcraft: https://www.pactincphotography.com/event-albums
Creekside: https://madelineballphotography.pixieset.com/trilliumchamps-dayfour/
Grand Hunter: https://madelineballphotography.pixieset.com/trilliumchamps-dayfour/
Jumper Ring: https://annelitapanilaphotography.pixieset.com/trilliumchamps-allweatherring/
Grass Ring: https://madelineballphotography.pixieset.com/trilliumchamps-dayfour/
https://annelitapanilaphotography.pixieset.com/trilliumchamps-grandprixring

09/04/2024