Van Vixen Farm, LLC.

02/29/2024

Sign up now. We will fill before summer with a wait list.

02/26/2024

ISO mini jack to breed to my mini. Ideally good conformation, strong hind end and refined look like our Fiona. Live cover or AI.

12/24/2023

Happy Christmas Eve Birthday to my sister Holly Heider Chapple, the internationally known florist who teaches design all over the world. Here is an older video with P Allen Smith, of Holly decorating with this famous designer. Have a great birthday. Your family is so proud of all you do and have overcome Cheeers to one more trip around till next year. This is going to be an amazing ing year for you!
See link

https://youtu.be/Hy7_FtEiOXU?si=ikAiXJfy8XG4TVXO (https://youtu.be/Hy7_FtEiOXU?si=ikAiXJfy8XG4TVXO)

In a new, first ever holiday collaboration with Arkansas PBS, television host, author and lifestyle expert P. Allen Smith and floral creative designer Holly ...

08/15/2023

It takes time and hunt field mileage to learn all of the ins and outs of foxhunting, but many rules are kept in place to not only help us enjoy a sporting day, but also to keep ourselves, our horses, and hounds safe! Here are 12 easy rules to follow to help you become a “Proper” hunter that don’t include having “perfect” turnout🦊

1. Arrive to the meet EARLY. Not on time, not late, EARLY. Tacking up at home will ensure that you have not forgotten your tack and you will have plenty of time to warm up and get your horse mentally prepared for the day ahead. When you’re late, there is a chance you can ruin the day of hunting when trying to play catch up with the field.

2. Say good morning to staff, masters, field masters, and especially landowners that may be at the meet to see the hunt off.

3. Make way for staff and hounds quickly. Make sure the riders ahead of you are aware that they need through. The hounds and staff need to be able to quickly and safely make their way through the field of riders if need be. Turn your horse’s hind end away from passing hounds and staff. I guarantee you, there is no worse hunting sin than to kick a hound.

4. Allow the horse in front of you enough space to safely do their job and not have to reprimand your horse for getting too close. Horses have legs, they can kick. Do not expect someone to tolerate you running into their mount. If you cannot hold your horse, work on that at home with your trainer and evaluate your bit choice. Don’t be afraid to speak up if the rider behind you is not respecting your horse’s space!

5. Call out potential dangers to riders in front and behind you loudly enough to be heard, but not so loudly you interfere with the hounds. Holes, low branches, loose horses, bees, etc should be made known to fellow riders.

6. Keep the conversations to a minimum. Wait until you are back at the hunt tea to discuss vacation plans, your awful coworker, etc. Unnecessary talking is distracting to the hounds and staff and is just plain irritating to field members that want to hear the hounds work.

7. Stop to fix any rails or jumps you may have broken. Close any gates you go through. Alert someone immediately if something needs fixed that cannot be done by hand so that it can be fixed after the hunting day has concluded. This is incredibly important when riding through/around fields that hold livestock.

8. Make sure you say thank you, smile, and wave to any car followers who stop to help the hounds and field cross roads safely. When you are crossing said road, do so quickly and wave, smile, and say thank you to cars that are being held up on the road as you cross. Wave, smile, and say thank you/good morning to landowners who are outside while you cross their property.

9. DO NOT ride on crops. Stay to the headlands.

10. If you notice your horse is tired, take them in before they are exhausted or drop back to a non-jumping/slower field. Use your best horsemanship and save your horse for the rest of the season. Always ask your field master before hacking in or dropping back a field. Someone else may be ready to hack in with you if you’re vocal about needing to head back to the meet.

11. If you arrive back at the meet before the rest of the hunt, make sure that you leave enough coffee and snacks for those who have stayed out the entire day. Do not take things you did not bring to the tea back home with you if nobody else has returned!

12. TAKE YOUR MANURE HOME WITH YOU! Do not clean out your trailer at the meet. Bring a muck tub or wait until you are home to clean out your trailer. If you do not want your manure and shavings, the landowner certainly does not!

06/15/2022

Happy 5th grade graduation to my Little Lord Van Pelt. Thank you to all the staff at Banneker Elementary. Clayton has made some fantastic friends and had wonderful teachers.

05/12/2022

Van V***n Farm in the heart of Virginia horse country on 100 acres is seeking an applicant for a full-time position for riding instructor with assistant barn manager duties to assist owner/trainer at h/j and fox hunting barn. Ideally this person would like to ride as well with an opportunity to school babies, fox hunt and locally show, but riding is not a deal breaker but preferred. Position includes housing, all expenses paid including Wi-Fi, electric etc., one-week paid vacation after a year employment with additional time off when requested. If you are looking for a position with a supportive management and professional environment mixed with friendly and great people to work with, we may be a fit for you. As we have to say goodbye to our current barn manager and will miss her greatly, we are in no rush to fill this position until we find the ideal candidate. Most importantly we are looking for a mature, seasoned and experienced rider/instructor that enjoys engaging with eager children and lovely adults that find joy in the saddle. Our facility is professional, yet relaxed and provides its clients and boarders with an emphasis on quality care, turn out, instruction, and we strive to meet our riders goals in training, hunting, showing and improving each ride. We have many past employees that have moved on in different directions that are happy to share with you the supportive nature of our management team.

Daily activities include managing and teaching our lesson program of students ages ranging from 5 to 75. Responsibilities include assisting in scheduling lessons, handling horses, Blanketing, training and prepping sales horses, servicing boarder needs, feeding, record keeping, social media management is desirable and ideally a strong management style. Van V***n Farm has three full time employees helping manage the farm and cleaning stalls, so very little cleaning of stalls is expected, but if need be, that is the type of person we are looking for to jump in and help just like the owner will.

Van V***n Farm has a reputation of high standards of sportsmanship and horsemanship. Each day, the candidate will receive riding instruction in the ring schooling young, green, and made horses. Salary package is highly competitive with many bonuses such as fox hunting subscriptions, lessons, ability to to show depending on level of riding, participate in off farm trail rides, hunter paces, shows, and the opportunity to ride very nice horses and work with the best team. Bonus if candidate can drive truck and trailer. Please note we are a drama free, drug free environment but if bringing your fur babies supports you, they are more than welcome.

Interviewing starting 5/1/22. Position available immediately, but again we are waiting for the quality candidate that will be with us for years and will wait for the right person. Please send all resume’s to [email protected]. Farm is located at 20022 Trappe Road, Bluemont Va. 20135.