First Flight Equestrian

06/08/2023

This is one of our neighboring farms, how amazing!!

ELLINGTON, Conn. (WTNH) — An Ellington dairy farm now produces more than just milk. Farmer Seth Bahler is using technology to turn what his cows leave behind into natural gas. The milk that comes o…

04/29/2023

Very fun week of riding on the farm. I’m so proud of all my students working hard to get comfortable riding outside!

01/31/2023

Spent the afternoon passing on my knowledge and soaking in the sunset. I missed grabbing a picture, but we saw a bald eagle sitting in the same tree as another hawk. It was monstrous in comparison! Truly amazing to see. It gave me a chance to explain how the ban on certain pesticides made it possible for us to see hawks here, and also how a food chain works. My equine education always comes with a side of biology!

I have a few select openings for new students of any ages. I’m seeking curious minds with a drive for knowledge. I have endless patience for the “But why…?” folx of the world.

12/07/2022

Really nice to see budget helmets at the top of this list!

The Virgina Tech Helmet Lab has released its much-anticipated equestrian helmet ratings. Taking the top spot in the rankings is the $460 Champion Revolve X-Air MIPS helmet, but in good news for riders who are both frugal and safety conscious, the re...

10/16/2022

Can’t put into words how proud I am of Mud for finishing Top Ten in her first 30 mile ride! We started out about 15 minutes late due to me and my lack of morning up and at em, but it ended up being a blessing in disguise. We had a nice, quiet start riding out in a halter. We used a crupper for the first time and she didn’t bat an eyelash at it. She gave me a wonderful steady trot and was still willing to pick it up even at the finish.

Even though I’ve complained in the past about her loud opinions, her antics during the ride kept me entertained, and my cackling rang out loud enough through the mountains that it was reportedly heard at camp! At one point a falling leaf plopped right between her eyes, and she had to stop dead to throw her head around and flail her front feet at the offending foliage. And while doing some nice extended trotting with another competitor, when she couldn’t quite outpace him, she had to show her rage by throwing in some fancy feet and full swirl head tossing. If she couldn’t pass she was at least going to be stylish.

Lots of thanks go to Justin, for being the absolute best one man crew in the world. Mud and I could not have pulled it off without his help!

And a shout out to Jaime, who was my “did we just become best friends?!?” Moment of the ride. Mud really loves to make one new buddy every time we go out alone, and it was awesome having someone to chat with while leap frogging!

And many thanks to GMHA, the vets, and the volunteers, who were all kind and accommodating!

Can’t wait to see what the future holds for my sassy little pony.

10/10/2022

Super proud of Addison for tackling a tough technical trail with me and taking home a win! Despite the rockiness the trail was beautiful and the two participating barns had some very cool obstacles to play on that we both enjoyed.

10/06/2022

I’ll always be grateful to Dr. Scott Morey, as he was extremely kind and generous during my first emergency with Xena years ago. I’m so saddened to hear of this loss, not only to his family but to the whole large animal community. His legacy lives on in the incredible practice that he and his wife built. He will be deeply missed!!

I’m grateful to have had Dr. Scott Morey in my life. His large physical presence always put me at ease and that smile of his would light up a room. His easy way of being and the care he put into all he did was unmatched. He was simply a wonderful human being and will be so very missed by all who were blessed to know him. Sending much love to his family of staff at Fenton River Veterinary Hospital and his family at home. We and many others are holding you close.

08/15/2022

07/18/2022

Welcome to training, Jiggy! This three year old Off the track Standardbred already has the best personality. I can’t wait to continue working with his owner to develop his talents!

07/16/2022

Being a confident rider includes being comfortable going out of the ring with your horse! Trail riding is an integral part of our horsemanship lesson program. Contact today to join us!

07/15/2022

5 year old Hope is gaining confidence and starting to work on the running walk with Xena!

Rare openings upcoming in our program, contact for details!

07/11/2022

Rare opening available in our horsemanship lesson program in Ellington, CT. Our horses live outside 24/7 in herds, and our lessons are taught both in our indoor ring and outside on the trail to keep things fresh!

Inclusive instruction of all ages from 4 up to adult. Beginners welcome. Teaching is focused on correct biomechanics and fostering an understanding of horse behavior.

06/27/2022

Congratulations to my student Olivia for earning her Gold Award!

06/20/2022

First now onto work. Today was probably the best ride I’ve had with this young man!

06/19/2022

If there was any question that Mares are from Mars and Geldings are from Venus… .marie

06/17/2022

Did I make a bad wardrobe choice? Yes. Do I care? No. .marie

05/25/2022

Rome wasn’t built in a day, but brick by brick 🥰

05/21/2022

Post-lesson tune up for this sweetums. Marie💜

03/18/2022

We got springtime feelings here

03/18/2022

Free lunging around the obstacles apparently was not ✨fun✨ enough for her. Smart ponies make their own entertainment!

03/17/2022

Caught Xena being a horse loaf 🍞 ❤️

03/01/2022

Horses are always mirroring us, so check out your position first when trouble shooting under saddle

02/26/2022

Can’t say we didn’t take full advantage of out here in our little patch of 🏇

02/25/2022

The girls working on canter departures giving me so much ✨joy✨

02/25/2022

All this rain is an ✨opportunity✨ to practice