Seven Pines Riding

08/30/2024

Is your horse squat proof? 🤣

08/25/2024

Java the aspiring lesson donkey killing it with the Bluetooth cross ties 😂

08/13/2024

Ooooh 👀
Catch us spending money we don't have on things we don't need 😅
Did you know we're part of Millbrook Tack 's trainer rewards program? If you haven't gotten your voucher from me, let me know and you can score even BETTER deals this weekend! We won't tell your hubby 😉

🌟 JUST 3 DAYS AWAY, OUR BIGGEST SALE OF THE YEAR! 🌟

📍 Where: 510 68th St. SW Grand Rapids, MI 49548
⏰ Hours: Thursday, Friday, Saturday 10am-7pm; Sunday 12pm-5pm
🎪 We are hosting indoors this year, but not to worry...the tent still stands!
🐴 You'll find sales on ALL departments! Men's, Women's, Youth, English, Western, and Horse Supplies!

💲The Details: The majority of our Tent Sale is "Dutch auction style". Meaning each item included in the Tent Sale will have a color marked on the tag. The promo associated with that tag changes with each day of the sale...and yes, each day will be a surprise!

🎫 The Golden Ticket! We're doing a fun add-on to the sale this year, known as the Golden Ticket! The ticket will be hidden in a new spot in the store each day during the sale. The first customer to find the golden ticket will win a $15 gift certificate to Millbrook Tack! Eligible to be used beginning 08/19/2024.

08/10/2024

The loss of little Snickers leaves a huge gap In horse choice for my beginners, so we're getting a little unconventional and busting CJ out of retirement and breaking Mr. Java to ride while we hunt for another solid medium pony or small horse. I'm glad the boys are such good sports!

07/22/2024

2024 Fair English Day!

We're proud to bring home Reserve Champion Pony (Bria Johnson and Mighty Expensive, the homebred grandson of my very first pony!) and over 56" mare (Maci Ellison and Hollywood Boulevard), as well as Grand Champion over 56" Gelding (Lyla Maust and Imagine Miracles "Poncho") and Mare and Foal (Gwyn Wood and Jippy and Nik) as well as a bunch of individual placings in both halter and ridden classes! We had a horse in all but three classes today, and placed in all of them! I'm so proud of our kids and horses!

And Lyla's dad, who's a champion in our hearts 💕 😂 Champion photo bomber maybe?

07/20/2024

Farrier visit ✅️
Chiropractor ✅️
Magnawave ✅️
Massage ✅️

Trailers are loaded, horses are feeling good, and we'll see you at the Elkhart County 4-h Fair! Check out the banners on our kid's stalls!

We couldn't do it without our amazing support team! Huge shout out to:
Graphic design and literally my right hand: Clockwork Creations & Equine
Massage: Happy Appy Equine Therapy Services
Magnawave: Double S Wave Therapy
Farrier: BS Farrier Service

07/20/2024

Hey! That's my sister! We're so proud of Rebecca Brewer on being crowned the 2024 Elkhart County Fair Queen!

Congratulations to Rebecca Brewer, our 2024 Fair Queen.

1st Runner Up - Savannah Gregg
2nd Runner Up - Hannah Templeton
3rd Runner Up - Kylee Sark
4th Runner Up - Sage Risser

07/18/2024

Hey guys! Go vote for our friend Krista Johnson of Krista Johnson Horsemanship LLC and for the ATFO Fan favorite! Theo is such a wonderful guy and Krista has done an amazing job with him!

Vote for your favorite trainer and help them win Fan Favorite

https://s.surveyplanet.com/9xk9t475

07/15/2024

We had the pleasure of taking Theodore to a show at the Buchanan Westerners Riding Club with us a couple weeks ago, and he is SUCH a delight to be around! Whoever adopts this lovely little guy is going to be one lucky person!

07/04/2024

All our ponies got their kinks worked out today to get ready for fair in just a couple weeks! We worked on 16 horses, and while everyone has their imbalances and little issues, it's amazing just how much less maintenance we've had to do this year on the horses that have been in our program for a year or more. By taking care of small issues that pop up here and there, and training to balance out our horse's natural weakness, we spend less money on supplements, injections and adjustments long term! I'll absolutely use a tool to fix a problem- be it magnawave, massage, chiropractic, pharmaceuticals, etc as my very close relationship (*CoughCoughVenti* 😅) with my vet, farrier, and other professionals recommend, but I find we're having to use them less and less as the horses get better at their jobs. Of the 16 horses we worked on today, the only one that needs further therapy has only been in my program since mid-may. That's pretty amazing to me, considering last year we were doing so much bodywork and supplementing trying to get everyone dialed in, and man can you tell 😍

We're here to help you achieve your goals with your horse by finding your problems and FIXING them. Not slap a bandaid on it and send you on your way. We want to get to the bottom of it, remedy your issue, and build back up to the athletic partnership you and your horse can be ❤️ DM us to schedule some pre-fair fine tuning! We have some limited availability!

07/01/2024

What a beautiful day for a horse show! We ventured out to the Buchanan Westerners Riding Club show today with Krista Johnson Horsemanship LLC and to strut our stuff! Pumpkin was an angel per usual and Theo absolutely knocked it out of the park! He's still a green bean, but he's got all the makings to be a fantastic kid's 4h horse! Someone is going to be very lucky to adopt him this fall!

06/22/2024

Did you know we're a part of Millbrook Tack 's trainer rewards program? We are! So what does that mean for you? Ask us for a gift certificate for $25 off a $30 purchase and we'll hook you up! Last minute shopping trip before fair anyone? 😍

P.S. We're also pros with Schneider’s Saddlery if you don't have time to run up north! Ask us for a discount code to use online!

06/17/2024

Mister Poncho says "it's hot and you're making me run?!"

It's going to be a toasty one this week, folks! No big deal, it's summertime and this happens every year 🙂 Make sure that you and your horses are drinking plenty of water and we'll get through just fine. Lessons will be getting moved to early morning and late evening to avoid the hottest parts of the day, but with only a few weeks left to fair, we'll still be riding! Stay cool! 😎

05/12/2024

Wishing a Happy Mother's Day to all the show moms out there on this sun shiny day! All show moms rock, but we have the best ones around 🥰

Pictured is parent showmanship from the 2023 camp out!

05/09/2024

And to add, just because your horse will do it for me, does not mean you will immediately have the same results. I have spent countless hours learning these skills and thousands of dollars trying to get my body as straight, supple, even, and strong and I can- and I still have imbalances. We all do! But, to get that quiet, relaxed, imperceptible cue, I need a horse that will listen when I rotate my inside thigh and look to the left and squeeze my calf. Do you have the control over your own body to be able to present your horse the request in the manner he's been taught? Quietly, and invisible to the judge in the center of the pen? You have to put in the work to be able to speak the same language he learned. You will need lessons to learn the language your horse was taught, or he will revert back to how you speak to him.

Additionally, if your horse rides better for you than he'll go for me, why did you even bother to pay me to ride him?

The problem with horse training is that society is set up to believe that you can buy a service and have things the way you want in a certain time frame. People look at horse training as if they're spending their money on a product. And yet even the best horse trainers will tell you the horse takes its own time, and no one can guarantee a horse will be doing what you want from it when you want from it.

The other problem is that even if your trainer can get it done with your horse, it doesn't necessarily mean that you will be able to. Getting a horse right takes an amount of commitment on the owners part to develop the same type of relationship that the trainer has, otherwise how can you expect from your horse for yourself what your trainer gets, when it's they who have put in the hours, the and sweat, the patience and the desire to get along with that horse? You aren't spending money on a tune up for your car that you can take home and drive.

The fact that money is involved leads people to believe they deserve something for what they paid, and they do, but, it happens in the animals time, not the humans. I think any good trainer would say they would do this for free if they could, just to help horses and people. And yet, we all have to eat...

Edited to add Author… Amy Skinner Horsemanship

05/09/2024

Order forms are LIVE!

If you're interested in sporting some fabulous merch, please send us a DM and we'll hook you up! Not pictured (because they're HOT off the press!)- Stanley's! Cups are painted in house by our supplier and can be annnnny color combo you can dream up! 😍

05/02/2024

I can't get over how shiny he is 😍
Have your horse's shedded out yet? I bet they feel so much better with this warm weather! Drop a pic in the comments of your shiny springtime pony! 🥰

04/30/2024

Calling all swag enthusiasts! 👀 We're excited to announce that our 2024 merchandise will be available soon! Keep an eye out for the order forms, which will be released shortly. In the meantime, we thought we'd sweeten the deal with a little giveaway. Leave us a review and be entered into a drawing to win a free hat! 🤠

04/29/2024

Pumpkin and I went showing solo today up at the Buchanan Westerners Riding Club and brought her lifetime earnings up to $83 😂 It shaped up to be a beautiful day and I'm excited to have a show season again with my main squeeze after a few year hiatus!

04/19/2024

Show season is nigh 😅 Hope you're ready! If not, give us a call!

Show season is 9 days away!

Few reminders;
🐴 bring a negative coggins from last 12 months
🐴 pattern books will be available
($15 printed or $20 binder)
🐴 read Show Clothes Optional rules!
🐴 want a stall? Please reserve them!!

💥 Show Clothes Optional:
‧ At these shows exhibitors may choose show clothes optional attire, however it must be appropriate and safe for riding.
‧ Appropriate foot wear and tack must be worn for each respective discipline, including gaming. This includes jeans for Western and breeches for English. You may not mismatch tack/apparel, wearing Western boots for English classes, you may not use a Western saddle in English classes, etc. NO tank tops, NO leggings, etc!
‧ NO training equipment such as tie downs, cavessons, forks or draw reins, etc allowed in Pleasure arena.

All regular show weekends are "show clothes" weekends.
Gaming will still offer a $5 tshirt buy out (NO tank tops).

💥 Stall Reservation Form:

If you have any questions please message the page for more info.

04/18/2024

Weekend where art thou? This week is dragging its feet! Guess who doesn't though? Mr. Venti still has openings in his schedule to meet your lovely lady 😉 If you're looking to add style and quiet, friendly, trainable personalities to your mares, he's your guy. Our first baby by him is due in the next few weeks and we couldn't be more excited!

Already got a baby on the ground? We wanna see! Drop a picture in the comments! 😍

04/10/2024

Take your horse breeding program to new heights by selecting none other than PM The Inventor as your go-to sire! With his unmatched heritage and flawless demeanor, he is sure to produce nothing but premium Arabian and Half-Arabian offspring. With a pedigree to die for and looks to kill, his quiet, easy to get along with, trainable, goofy personality really sets this horse above the others. Standing Live Cover in Edwardsburg, MI at only $550 for his introductory season with special considerations to 4-H members looking to better their project mares! With his temperament and trainability, I anticipate "Venti" to be a superior sire of honest, kind, kid's horses- which in our book here at Seven Pines Riding, is the highest honor.

04/04/2024

Someone explain why I look taller on a horse that's 15.2h than Miss Pumpkin, who is 13h with shoes on 😅

Kiddos on spring break means lots of training rides this week! The weather has been not great and I definitely appreciated Woosh's indoor last night!

Show season for us is only SIX weeks away! Are you ready? Let us know what you need pointers on in the comments! ⬇️

03/24/2024

Well I think he'll fit right in ☺️

Welcome to the crew, Woosh! ❤️

03/22/2024

I am THE WORST at remembering to take photos, but huge shout out to the parents that came out tonight for old people showmanship practice! It was so much fun getting to learn a new skill without the kiddos around and I'm very excited for the parents to get to participate in some of the open shows this year! I'm really looking forward to the next one! Hopefully I'll remember to take pictures 😁

03/14/2024

Gee, I wish my herd wasn't so standoffish! 😂

Just Trying to take advantage of the nice weather and clean pastures but my help seems to be adding to the problem. Geldings 🙄😂

03/10/2024

I get so busy yelling at kids and working everyone else's horse's all the time, poor Pumpkin gets left on the back burner. A lot. This year though, I fully intend to get back in the show pen with her and enjoy my own horse! Neither one of us are getting any younger and we can't let the kids have all the fun 😁

03/07/2024

Shout out to one of our OG's Gwyneth Wood and our partner-in-(sometimes literal but only like a warning 😂) crime, Clockwork Creations & Equine! Y'all are KILLING it on the modeling game! Maybe we'll just have to employ a couple kiddos to model the merch we have coming our soon? Stay tuned 👀