Clover Hill Equestrian LLC

09/21/2024

An amazing day at NVF! We had some new pairings in the ring today, and all rose to the occasion! Congratulations to all our clovers who showed today and a huge thank you to our whole team for the endless help and support always ♥️🍀

09/01/2024

🍀 Huge congrats to Charlotte Hess and her Sensation on their 6th place finish today in the RI junior medal final! Charlotte also took home first place in the junior horsemanship challenge 🥇 wouldn’t have been possible without the best team and from .farm 🖤

08/17/2024

Saturdays are for the girlies!🎀
Today’s one day fun day was a blast at the Tack Shack
Sophie Strother & Material Girl rode to 2nd and 5th in the puddle jumpers, then earned great ribbons in the special hunters 🌟
Butterfly Kisses and the Thoin sisters slayed their divisions yet again !
Rayah continued her winning ways earning reserve champion in both the hunter & equitation sections of the short stirrup - plus the pair qualified for MHJ finals !
Juliana also had stunning rides and took TOP ribbons in the walk trot!!!🥇 🥈 🥈
We are SO proud of these hard working young riders♥️🍀
Thanks to .h.eq for all of the ringside help today 🖤

08/10/2024

A one day fun day was HAD today at for the Thoin sisters with their pony Butterfly Kisses! 🦋 all thanks to their amazing clover trainer ♥️Jules had a clean sweep in the walk trot and took home a tri color at only her second show ! Then Rayah went on to put consistently beautiful trips in the short stirrup hunters and equitation, earning champion and reserve, respectively🥇 Congratulations girls! Big thank you to .19 for driving the bus and spending the day in Hunter land for us 🍀🍀

08/06/2024

Another fantastic week long at VSF last week! Congratulations to all of our Clover riders! It’s always time well spent with .farm and 🖤 thank you for everything !!!

07/27/2024

✨QUALIFIED! ✨ Charlotte Hess and her Sensation had a great one day at .showpark and qualified for the NEHC junior medal 🎉

07/24/2024

Still need braider for VSF week 5 (next week) for 6 horses !! Please share

07/14/2024

Our first time at !
Back on the road with our BFFs .farm for another fun week!
🦣 Sensation and Charlotte Hess continued their winning ways with another champion in the Childrens Hunter division 🥇
The duo also had wonderful rounds with the ribbons to show it in all of their equitation medal classes.
☄️ Bella Sutherland snagged a fun catch ride on Leovisto Largo thanks to
The first time duo took reserve champion in the .80s and won the modified classic!! Bella also continued to be the best, most attentive groom for both our team and the Black Rock crew. Our ponies stay pampered on the road thanks to you!! 💅
Now a quick break before VSF 🔜!!! (Swipe for a surprise at the end!)

07/14/2024

Huge congrats to and Annie aka Gold Twist on their debut event today at Azreal Acres ! This pair has been putting in ALL the prep work in all 3 phases and today it showed ! None of it would be possible without our fearless eventing leader .19 for her expert guidance and coaching every step of the way 💫

07/08/2024

Summerfest
Our summer kick off week at summer festival has come to an end! Another great year at one of our favorite shows. Some highlights from the crew ….

🎀Sophie Strother and Material Girl had their first week long show together ! They took home great ribbons in schooling hunters and modified eq. Plus 🥉 and 6th in the puddle jumpers!! And a beautiful 2’6 derby trip missing the cut off by half a point!!

☀️ Bella Sutherland and her Brightside…this brand spanking new duo took champion .60 ushja jumpers and ribbons in the .70 after only 3 weeks together AND at his first horse show EVER. The future is bright for this pair 🌈

🧨 Kacie Babbit and Graf Amadeus took home top ribbons in the open special hunters and a hunter classic!

🦣 Charlotte Hess and her Sensation took champion in the children’s Hunter horse, 4th in 2’9 derby, 3rd in the 3ft classic, plus great ribbons in the junior eq and medals!

🍬 Annie Childs and her Evermore took home great ribbons in competitive modified hunters, equitation and their outreach classes ! This tried and true team just keeps getting better 💚

Cece Andre and Spring Hill Caitlin’s moved up to the pre children’s and took top ribbons and the 2ft outreach equitation. This duo also took two thirds in the ushja .60 jumpers !! Cece also won her flat with a surprise, fun catch ride on Charlotte Hess’ Sensation 🥇

This year we were lucky enough to be joined by of .farm and with one of their youngsters BRF Grand Sonata, who took top ribbons in the baby greens 💚 we love our besties 👯

As always- thank you to all the staff at Fieldstone Show Park for your hard work and support for every rider that walks in the ring. We love you all so much ♥️♥️

07/04/2024

Our first weeklong of 2024 is always best started at .showpark for Summerfest! We are so excited for a great week 💚💐

06/29/2024

somewhere in time’s own space
there must be some sweet pastured place.

Where creeks sing on and tall trees grow
some Paradise where horses go.

For by the love that guides my pen
I know great horses live again.

Today we said goodbye to a legend. Tonka, you will live forever in all of our hearts. Thank you for spending your time on earth with all of us ♥️

06/22/2024

ISO : barn help 7/31-8/4. Berlin, MA Wednesday - Sunday. About 25 hours mostly feed, turn out and 12-18 stalls, will have helpers to get stalls done ! Must have experience & references. Pm for details

06/20/2024

Have a young horse ready to get started under saddle? Or a horse needing to come back into work after time off, injury, lay up?

Black Rock Farm has stalls available in Lebanon CT. Options for all!

We take pride in our slow and steady development of horses for the hunter/jumper show ring. From first time wearing a bridle to first steps In the show ring, at BRF we are ready to make you your dream horse!

BRF at The Hill in Lebanon:
☀️ Hunter/Jumper focused young horse training and development
☀️ Restarting after time off, injury/lay up (including OTTBs)
☀️Large indoor and outdoor ring, courses In both rings
☀️Ship in lessons and training
☀️ Full board stalls available
☀️ Retirement board options available through The Hill at Graywall Farms

Message us today and see how we can help you and your horse!

❤️🐴Horse first, sport second❤️🐴

06/19/2024

STILL NEED shipping for 4 horses home from fieldstone to Berlin ma on 7/7!!!

05/25/2024

What a fun clinic today with Brooke Markowitz 🩵 so many new tools for our tool boxes going into show season! Huge thank you to Brooke & for organizing !

05/21/2024

Go Chloe Smith & Cruze !! 🩵

Holy Moly! That was a long day of shooting Course Brook Farm Schooling Event. I finished on XC just before 6 pm when the light ran out! All files downloaded and imported into LR. Now starting the naming process tho I am fading fast! Be sure to pre-register to be emailed once proofs are posted at the link below! https://www.flatlandsfoto.com/proofs/2024-competition-proofs/course-brook-farm-schooling-event-519/

05/14/2024

We ❤️ F & S Farms Inc. ! Look how great our outdoor looks, even after the rain last week!

05/11/2024

05/04/2024

We love a one day fun day at Next venture !!
🍬 Annie Childs and her Evermore took reserve champion in the low children’s Hunter division
🎀 Sophie Strother and Material Girl moved up to the 2’6 😃 the pair cruised around beautifully and even snagged some ribbons in a HUGE and competitive division !
🚀 Tori Mackenzie and the Last Jedi made their show ring debut with two firsts in the open pleasure
🦣 Charlotte Hess and her Sensation made their junior debut and took home fabulous ribbons in a very competitive field. The pair qualified for Rhode Island finals 😍
👑 Cece Andre and the spectacular Spring Hills Caitlin took top ribbons in the short stirrup equitation. This pair is just a match made in heaven!
Huge thank you to our clover team for making this day run smoothly and ALL the NVF staff for making every show day so much fun. Congrats to all our riders ♥️

05/02/2024

🍀 Huge congratulations to Charlotte Hess on her acceptance to the 2024 USHJA Emerging Athletes Program. We are so proud of Charlotte and excited for this wonderful opportunity ♥️

05/01/2024

Why trainers PUSH horses TOO FAST

Klaus Balkenhol explains, "Although breeders have created a better horse, the market has created a demand for a stronger, healthier, more powerful horse. It's easier to sell a horse that looks
like a carefully developed eight-year-old, and not like a three- or four-year-old just beginning his career. If you force it, you can get a three-year-old to physically look like a developed eight-year-old. Too many colts remain stallions which, if approved, promise breeders higher prices as three-year-olds. Now 250 to 300 young stallions are presented each year, when only 40 or 50 will be approved.
Few breeders have the sense to geld the yearling stallions and leave them on the pasture to mature naturally. Instead, yearling stallions are brought into a stall, fed too much grain, and at three, look like six- or seven-year-olds. They have muscle mass, but not enough bone structure to support it. They look mature from the outside but aren't . . . and when started to work, degeneration sets in. Competitions also create pressure to push horses too fast as competitions are now scheduled throughout the year without any breaks."

Common Mistakes In Pushing Too Fast
Tightening the noseband: "A horse resists by sticking out his tongue. Tightening the noseband too much puts pressure on the nose and on the poll. If it is necessary to tighten the noseband very tightly, then something has gone very wrong in the basic training of the horse. The horse cannot be relaxed, the first step on the training scale," warns Klaus.

Specializing too early: "Drilling every day in the indoor arena is too intense for the young horse. It's very important, especially in the first two years of training, not to specialize the young horse. Training should include a variety of activities, including trail riding, which is good for the mind as well as building strength with hill work. It should include jumping, either free or low jumps under saddle, including small natural obstacles on the trail, and cavaletti. A variety of work will allow the horse to stay mentally fresh and to enjoy his work. Only when the horse is happy can dressage become art."

Not checking tack frequently: "Saddle and tack need to be checked constantly for proper fit and adjusted as the horse's body changes with growth, and as his fitness improves with the
training. If the noseband gets too low, for example, and the skin between the noseband and the bit is rubbed and becomes sore, this causes the horse discomfort and loss of relaxation.
Regularly check for sharp edges and bit problems in the horse's mouth and teeth."

Working too long: "The goal of our training is to build the horse's mind and his muscles. Suppleness and relaxation require adequate muscle strength. strengthening requires both contraction and relaxation. Blood flow and oxygenation occur when the muscle relaxes. If the muscle is kept in a constant state of contraction, it loses power and strength, and actually becomes smaller.
Frequent rest periods, especially for a young horse at a free walk on a long rein, are necessary. The rest periods are not for a rider's fatigue, but to allow the horse to stretch and relax his muscles. The rest breaks will give you a completely new horse. This is the systematic gymnasticizing of the horse."

Riding when the horseman is tense: "Horses are particularly sensitive to the rider's mood. A rider shouldn't ride if she is under undue stress or doesn't have the time to ride. If the rider has a bad day, give the horse a rest day or go for a relaxing trail ride; don't work in the arena. The horse mirrors the rider's mood."

Not praising the horse enough: "The horse must perform from joy, not subservience. Praising a horse frequently with voice, a gentle pat, or relaxing the reins is very important to keep the horse interested and willing. If the horse offers piaffe, for instance, because he's excited, praise him for it. You shouldn't stop the lesson at that point nor make a big deal out of it. If you don't want piaffe, quietly urge him forward into trot, but you should NEVER
punish him for offering the piaffe.

05/01/2024

Nothing quite as special as a trusty barn cat ♥️ 🐈‍⬛

04/21/2024

1 full board stall available at Clover Hill Equestrian in Berlin, MA. All day turn out, free choice hay, indoor & outdoor rings.
Training & show program available but not required. We offer Top quality, individualized care for every horse and a fun, supportive atmosphere for all horse lovers. Come join the fun!
Email [email protected]