Chestnut Creek Farm

01/15/2025

Please let me know if you can help! Thank you!

01/13/2025

Hay is getting delivered MONDAY 1/20 between 8:00 and 9:00 am. We will need some muscle to help unload. Please let me know! Thanks

01/12/2025

After some cold and not so nice weather~Makeup Lesson Availability: 1/13-1/18
Monday: 1:00, 2:00, 5:30
Tuesday am slots, 11:00, 12:00, 3:00
Wednesday: 4:00
Thursday 3:00, 6:00
Friday: open times all day
Saturday: 2:00 or later

01/10/2025

I feel like I’ve said many of these things…..

Things your riding instructor wants you to know:
1. This sport is hard. You don't get to bypass the hard…..every good rider has gone through it. You make progress, then you don't, and then you make progress again. Your riding instructor can coach you through it, but they cannot make it easy.

2. You're going to ride horses you don't want to ride. If you're teachable, you will learn from every horse you ride. Each horse in the barn can teach you if you let them. IF YOU LET THEM. Which leads me to…

3. You MUST be teachable to succeed in this sport. You must be teachable to succeed at anything, but that is another conversation. Being teachable often means going back to basics time and time and time again. If you find basics boring, then your not looking at them as an opportunity to learn. Which brings me to…..

4. This sport is a COMMITMENT. Read that, then read it again. Every sport is a commitment, but in this sport your teammate weighs 1200 lbs and speaks a different language. Good riders don't get good by riding every once in awhile….they improve because they make riding a priority and give themsevles opportunity to practice.

5. EVERY RIDE IS AN OPPORTUNITY. Even the walk ones. Even the hard ones. Every. Single. Ride. Remember when you just wished someone would lead you around on a horse? Find the happiness in just being able to RIDE. If you make every ride about what your AREN'T doing, you take the fun out of the experience for yourself, your horse, and your instructor. Just enjoy the process. Which brings me to...

6. Riding should be fun. It is work. and work isn't always fun.....but if you (or your rider) are consistently choosing other activities or find yourself not looking forward to lessons, it's time to take a break. The horses already know you don't want to be here, and you set yourself up for failure if you are already dreading the lesson before you get here.

7. You'll learn more about horses from the ground than you ever will while riding. That's why ground lessons are important, too. If you're skipping ground lessons (or the part of your lesson that takes place on the ground), you're missing out on the most important parts of the lesson. You spend far more time on the ground with horses than you do in the saddle.

8. Ask questions and communicate. If you're wondering why your coach is having you ride a particular horse or do an exercise, ask them. Then listen to their answer and refer to #3 above.

9. We are human beings. We make decisions (some of them life and death ones) every day. We balance learning for students with workloads for horses and carry the bulk of this business on our shoulders. A little courtesy goes a long way.

Of all the sports your child will try through their school years, riding is one of 3 that they may continue regularly as adults (golf and skiing are the others). People who coach riding spend the better part of their free time and much of their disposable income trying to improve their own riding and caring for the horses who help teach your child. They love this sport and teaching others…..but they all have their limits. Not all good riders are good coaches, but all good coaches will tell you that the process to get good is not an easy one.

*thank you to whoever wrote this! Not my words, but certainly a shared sentiment!

01/09/2025

Wind across the farm definitely makes it 🥶 to ride this week! We have opened Mondays, Fridays and Saturday afternoons to accommodate the 🥶 days with a more fluid schedule.

01/07/2025

The Ponies say “Thank you all SO much for our gifts and treats! We’re excited for our new girths and saddle pads! ……but mostly for the treats!”

01/05/2025

ISO- Looking for 2️⃣. We are located near Wilmington NC.
1. Beginner Type-
Adult looking for first horse-Safe, Sound, Sane a must.
Western- w/t/c trail.
Age: will consider 6yrs and up
Height: 15.2- 16.3
Thick build preferably so drafty cross or QH
Temperament: super chill.
Must be steady at mounting block. No Vices. Light maintenance ok. Great home-quality care.
Budget mid 4’s

2. Step Up Horse
Hunter/Jumper Type for Kid
Safe, Sane, Sound
~Been there done that type preferred. Capable of jumping to 2’6”. Open to older horse looking to step-down.
No Greenies or hot-heads
Age: no preference- older considered.
Height: 15.2h and above.
Color: No color preference but bay or gray would win hearts.
Good manners a must. No Vices
Some maintenance ok.
Budget low 5’s

(Pic for attention)

01/05/2025

Are you:
-feeling frustrated with your riding.
-Feeling stuck.
-Looking to improve the horse rider relationship.
-Wanting more of the ‘why’ behind what you do.
-Looking to compliment your current program.

Chestnut Creek Farm in Castle Hayne has limited openings for new riders- Beginner through Advanced.

Current Openings: Tuesday 7pm, Thursday 6pm, Saturday 1pm or later, some mornings.

In our Program: 1st lessons always cover Safety, handling, grooming and tacking(as it pertains to our program) and riding basics. It lasts just over an hour.
👉🏼If you have experience- we find out what you know, what you don’t know and what your goals are. From there we set up a program that helps work for those goals.

👉🏼If you have no or limited experience- we cover the basics(grooming/tacking/riding basics) as part of the lesson until you can do it on your own.

Lessons offered in Horsemanship, Balanced Seat, Dressage and Hunter/Jumper on safe quiet horses.

Small Groups or Private
Onsite leases available
Ship Ins Always Welcome.

01/05/2025

Just want to say THANK YOU!
To all my clients for pushing me to take time off and to Trista and Lailah for giving me 3 full days of not having to think about the barn. We are back to regular programming!

01/04/2025

***Update- he’s home! ***
Has anyone on farm seen this cat?
It’s my neighbors.
I usually just see him as he passes through or hanging around the chicken coop but honestly don’t really notice him anymore. He’s been missing for almost a week.

01/01/2025

Happy Birthday to all our OTTB’s!
Stash, Lime, Cosmo, Phinn, Peanut, Eli, Moon and Boarders Rocky and Miso

01/01/2025

Happy New Year to all our friends and families!
May you achieve your riding goals for 2025!

12/28/2024

New Year is almost here~ Have you set your goals for 2025?
If you are:
-feeling frustrated with your riding.
-Feeling stuck.
-Looking to improve the horse rider relationship.
-Wanting more of the ‘why’ behind what you do.
-Looking to compliment your current program.

Chestnut Creek Farm in Castle Hayne has limited openings for new riders- Beginner through Advanced.

In our Program: 1st lessons always cover Safety, handling, grooming and tacking(as it pertains to our program) and riding basics. It lasts just over an hour.
👉🏼If you have experience- we find out what you know, what you don’t know and what your goals are. From there we set up a program that helps work for those goals.

👉🏼If you have no or limited experience- we cover the basics(grooming/tacking/riding basics) as part of the lesson until you can do it on your own.

Lessons offered in Horsemanship, Balanced Seat, Dressage and Hunter/Jumper on safe quiet horses.

Small Groups or Private
Onsite leases available
Ship Ins Always Welcome.

12/27/2024

Available Ride times 12/28-12/31
12/28 1:00
12/30 9:00, 10:00, 11:00 3:00, 4:00, 5:00
12/31 1:00
Independent Rides Available all week- contact to schedule.

12/25/2024

Merry Christmas!
Happy Hanukkah!
To all our Farm Family and Friends- we hope you have a great day!

12/21/2024

Thank you to everyone who came out to our annual Christmas Party!
Blossom the Elf and Philly the Reindeer enjoyed meeting new people and old friends.
The Vortex feels magical- especially at night!
If you missed it- please grab this years ornament from the barn tree.
MERRY CHRISTMAS!

12/19/2024

Reminder: Get your makeup lessons scheduled!
2024 lessons DO NOT transfer to 2025.