Horseplay Training at Wonder Pony Farm

10/22/2024

Even for the professionals, some days the dragon wins. I appreciate Mr. Martin’s candid evaluation.

09/14/2024

Truffle the Pony C R U S H I N G her first big-kid oxer (it’s set at 2’).

09/02/2024

Have you been curious about Centered Riding but just haven’t found time to explore it yet? The annual symposium is a fantastic way to learn about Centered Riding and hear from some of our instructors. It is FREE for members. Annual dues are $35 for adults, $25 for juniors. Your membership allows you access to all symposium presentations for an additional 30 days. The symposium itself is worth the membership, but there are many more benefits. Go to centeredriding.org to explore benefits and become a member today.

💥 SAVE THE DATE!! 💥

Saturday November 2nd, 2024
CENTERED RIDING® ONLINE SYMPOSIUM
This year‘s topic: “The Rider at the Center“

Six hours of engaging live presentations with live chat and videos. You will learn from well-known Centered Riding trainers & guest speakers – Interesting for all who want to train both horse and rider in a healthy and positive way.

The Symposium’s content will be available for 30 days with an ADDITIONAL Q&A LIVE EVENT on the 23rd of November.

FREE FOR MEMBERS!!! Not a member? JOIN NOW at www.centeredriding.org/page/joinnow for only $35 from US and Canada ($40 outside North America) and have free access to Centered Riding educational videos and new webinars during the year. The Online Symposium itself is well worth the membership fee! Your subscription will expire on March 2025 - no hidden automatic renewals, but we are sure you will love to remain with us.

Centered Riding® is an international community looking forward to meeting you and sharing the teachings of Sally Swift. All disciplines can benefit from exploring Centered Riding: what are you waiting for? Start right now!

Sneak preview: tensegrity, biomechanics, mindset, rider’s fitness, laterality, groundwork and many more topics that will capture your interest!

Spread the word sharing through your social media and in the real world like at your stable and with your friends: make the horse world every day a bit better promoting a positive way!

The Centered Riding® Online Symposium will be live on Saturday 2nd of November 2024 from 2pm to 8.30pm CET / 9am to 3.30pm EST. The recording of the live presentations and many more educational videos will be available for 30 days after the live opening day. An additional Q&A live event will be held on November, 23rd at 11am EST - 5pm CET

For more info: [email protected]
www.centeredriding.org
Centered Riding, Inc.

06/18/2024

Time to buy stamps!!

Check out what the US Postal Service has rolled out today!

Celebrating the bond between humans and horses.

HORSES
First Day of Issue DateL June 17, 2024
First Day of Issue Location: St. Joseph, MO

In the 1944 movie National Velvet, then-12-year-old Elizabeth Taylor played the character Velvet Brown, who won a horse in a raffle and went on to fulfill racing dreams. Classic books such as My Friend Flicka and Misty of Chincoteague — as well as multitudes of more recent ones — also portray the incredible bond between humans and the horses they love.

Not all horses go on to win races and bring fame to their owners. Many live their entire lives simply as beloved companions. And that’s what art director Derry Noyes wanted to capture in the new release of the Horses Forever® stamps.

https://www.stampsforever.com/stamps/horses

Want to keep apprised of legislation and issues affecting horses at the federal level? Be sure to like and follow our page!

06/05/2024

The things we find around the farm. Found while cleaning stalls this morning. Cecropia moth.

05/09/2024

Happy Birthday to “The Professor”!! We’re so thankful to Faye for sending him our way for the lesson program.

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=25856455380612417&id=100000239261186

04/23/2024

It’s that time of year! Kids are almost out of school for the summer, and you still need an activity for them. All three instructors at WPF have lesson availability. Morning, afternoon and evening times available any day of the week. We welcome all ability levels. Our lesson horses focus on dressage and jumping. If you’d like to haul your own horse in, we work with all disciplines. Priority is given to those who wish to have regular lessons.

Head trainer is a Level II Centered Riding®️ Instructor. Our two assistant trainers are working toward their Centered Riding Level I certification. All instructors are experienced and insured. Please message the page or text Liz to set up a time to visit the farm. We look forward to meeting you!

04/07/2024

”The ultimate goal of Centered Riding is not to be a discipline unto itself. It must go forward in its purest and least complicated form so it may be integrated into all disciplines of riding.” ~ Sally Swift

01/13/2024

This week has been brutal, but we’re getting through. Thankful for the many hands to split up the work, the heaters in the tack room, the snug barn, neighbors who’ve “got a guy” when I need someone to plow NOW, water trough heaters doing their job, people checking in on the crew and bringing boxes of hand and toe warmers to share. We’ve gotten through worse (looking at you, February 2020) and we will get through this. But we will grumble about it in the moment. 😉

Here’s to the owners who are checking waterers for ice.
Here’s to the owners who are constantly outside to monitor their horses health in this weather.
Here’s to the owners who are switching out blankets to keep horses warm. Here’s to the owners who don’t blanket because their horses are staying warm.
Here’s to the owners who worry if their horses are warm.
Here’s to the owners who have frozen fingers but make sure the hose has been thoroughly drained before leaving. And here’s to the owners who have to keep the hose inside their house to make sure it doesn’t freeze.
Here’s to the owners who run a boarding facility and don’t sleep because they are constantly checking on everyone’s horses.
Here’s to owners who board their horses wishing they could have them home during these scary temps.
Here’s to the countless headlamps and heated vests needing charged, wet gloves drying on countertops and duct-taped snow boots trying to make it through one more season.
Here’s to the sewing sessions to repair horse blankets.
Here’s to the gate latch CPR sessions trying to heat it up by breathing on it so it can be opened.
Here’s to the countless bales of hay. Countless flakes tossed. The countless times of asking “where are the scissors?!”.
Here’s to the frozen p**p piles that get tripped over, ankles rolled over, toes stubbed over.
Here’s to the shows being rescheduled, the rehearsed patterns and hours of showmanship practice being put on hold.
Here’s to the layers of pj pants under snow coveralls.

Here’s to the part of horse ownership that isn’t so glamorous. Thank you for all YOU are doing for the safety and wellbeing of your horses during this time. ❄️💙

12/30/2023

New offerings coming in 2024!!

- VIDEO FEEDBACK LESSONS: No way to haul in for a lesson? No instructors close to you? Just having some trouble with a certain piece in your riding/training? Submit up to 20 minutes of video of your riding/training, I’ll review it ahead of our session, and then we set up a one-hour online meeting for your questions and my feedback.

- LEARNING TO P.A.U.S.E
These sessions can be individual or in small groups. Let People And Uniquely Supportive Equines remind you how to live life in the slow lane. Everything we do is a habit. The way we move, the way we think, the way we react are all patterns of behavior. Learning to PAUSE is an effective way to reshape or remap your patterns. Horses will call us out on our patterns without judgement, and absolutely tell us when we have made a positive change.

- CLINICS: Contact me if you’d like to host one of these clinics at your facility. Custom clinics are also available.

HOW TO HORSE SHOW: what skills does the rider need?; what is appropriate attire?; how do I fill out an entry form?; safely navigating the warm-up area; how do I get my horse ready?; What are the overall costs? (Entry fees, coaching, horse transportation)

RIDING MADE EASIER: Do you ever feel like you’re working your tail off and not seeing the results you want? Explore options for more efficient and effective use of yourself, which will lead to clearer communication with your horse, and greater understanding of what you teach them.

THE HORSE-HUMAN CONNECTION: We’ve all heard that the horse is a reflection of the rider. Do you know that there is s PHYSICAL reflection as well? Not just dropping a shoulder through a turn. Maybe the horse struggles with straightness because of tension you carry from an old injury. Perhaps picking up a particular lead doesn’t go well because of a subtle imbalance or crookedness habit in the rider. A horse that is compensating in its body can talk a rider into being out of balance. We’ll use equine and human body work to uncover excess tension, create mindfulness, and explore new options of working within your skill set.

09/07/2023

Six months ago, on March 7, I was heading into my second, invasive, and risky spinal cord surgery. I had been in the hospital for three weeks, unable to walk, with almost no grip strength. Today, I’ve been walking independently again for about 4 months. My grip and other strength continues to improve, with frequent obvious changes. Yesterday’s small victory was being able to wield a fuel pump entirely with my right hand. It has been taking both hands to turn it on and lock it into place.

It is absolutely unbelievable how much I went through, and how much I have healed. It has been the longest six months of my life, and at the same time, the shortest. I’d say I’ve exceeded everyone’s expectations, but we all tried very hard not to have any. We were just so thankful that I was alive. I now know that my surgery team questioned my future ability to walk. I am thrilled to have answered that question for them.

The sheer number of people involved in this time has been staggering. From family, to medical professionals, to clients, to literal strangers. Every one of you has made a profound difference in my life, and I can never thank you enough. It’s a horrible way to re-examine your life perspective, but it is helpful to have more clarity about what is truly important.

I plan to end this fundraiser at the end of September. The outpouring of generosity has reduced my stress levels immensely. Please know that when you struggle, it will get better. In the moment it feels impossible, like you will never see progress, or heal. You can. You will. And people will be there to help. When you get to the other side of each hurdle, you will look back with a different perspective, and marvel at how far you have come. Give yourself time and grace. Keep going.

Winter on a horse farm in Lawrence, Kansas, is hard for a number … Karen Dudgeon needs your support for Help Liz and Horseplay Training @ WonderPony Farm

09/06/2023

Every pony deserves a kid like this.

Occurred on April 17, 2021 / Adamstown, Maryland, USA : Keira was at a Horse Competition on April 17, 2021, at Loch Moy Farm in Adamstown Maryland. She strapped on her helmet cam for the ride with her little pony Flower. She navigates through a very difficult Show Jumping and Cross Country Jumping C...

08/31/2023

We still have a little bit of room on the lesson schedule! Come and experience a whole new awareness with horses. We can help you reach your goals no matter your age, experience, or discipline. Your horse or ours. We look forward to meeting you soon!

Centered Riding helps people function better next to the horse, behind the horse and on the horse.

Many Centered Riding instructors apply these "basics" throughout their daily lives.
Centered Riding instructors integrate skills from Alexander Technique, Feldenkrais, Tai Chi and the Franklin method, but most instructors also regularly educate themselves in biomechanics, rider preferences / action types or the functioning of the horse.

In addition to practice on and next to the horse, many exercises can be done on the ground, on a gymnastic ball, or trampoline during Open Clinics or instructor training which have a direct relationship with the basics. Centered Riding instructors have many options to help you!
Unnecessary muscle tension, pain during horseback riding or physical hard work on a horse should not be necessary.

Written by; Jeanine van der Zijden level II Centered Riding instructor in the Netherlands.

08/17/2023

We have one stall and one pasture (mare) spot available for boarding. South of Clinton Lake, near Lone Star. Stalls are cleaned daily, with grass turnout for 8-14 hours a day (round bales provided in winter). Pasture board can include feedings for an additional cost. $240-$490 depending on level of care. Indoor arena, outdoor dressage arena, outdoor jumping arena, climate controlled tack room, hot /cold wash stall, ride to the Clinton Lake trails, three instructors available, training available, stellar barn manager, owner lives on site. Message the page or call/text the business number to schedule a visit and see if we’re a good fit for you!