Serendipity Stables LLC

08/16/2024

Warm greetings to Elzi Bunten and her magnificent horse, Sweet. We look forward to getting to know you both! 🦄

08/16/2024

Most sincere congratulations to Melissa Clary on her purchase of Blue Label! We are so excited for you to have your dream horse and look forward to watching the partnership grow!

08/02/2024

🥈

07/27/2024

Two for two on the baby horses today😇 4 year old Honey is taking on his second career with an open mind and a great attitude🥰

Saddlers Row
Voltaire Design USA & Canada

07/27/2024

Baby Darby is having the time of her life learning how to jump 🥰

Thank you to our sponsors for always keeping us fit so well between horse and rider attire 😇
Voltaire Design USA & Canada
Saddlers Row

07/13/2024

This💯

“I can’t find any good places to board where they put horses first-“

This is a huge problem. In just about every consult I have where we are seeking a solution for a behavior problem, i ask about husbandry and we almost always find a major problem there. Not to blame the owner- often it is near impossible to find a good place to board where horses get the kind of care they need

To me, it’s non negotiable that horses live outside, in herds, with forage. Yes they’ll be dirty, be in the elements, and interact with horses. This is what they were perfectly designed for -

But I’d like to offer you some perspective from someone who has cared for other people’s horses for fifteen years in some capacity -

For the entire time I’ve been caring for horses where I’m in charge and able to make these choices for their needs and putting them first, I have-

-had clients pull their horses out of training when the first superficial scratch happens (I have had people cuss me out as they load their horse in tears with one very small scratch on their coats from socializing )

-fielded texts from worry stricken owners at ten pm, midnight, 3 am, 5 am, you get the idea… panicking over a light rain, a minor drop in temps, a little heat, some bugs etc. You never get to be “off duty” because at any hour someone’s concern over their horses minor discomfort means your great discomfort

-play musical pastures trying to placate every owner so they can all have the ideal pasture set up (for their desires, not the horses) and just about p**s off everyone in the barn

-had clients livid I didn’t put the horses in stalls for every minor weather event

-had plenty of drama between owners over who’s horse they don’t like for “bullying” their horse in the pasture when it’s usually simply herd dynamics at work

You get the idea. I’m sure every boarding barn owner can back me up on this

I’ve had excellent clients so this is in no way generalizing ALL of them. The excellent ones took me forever to find and I will seriously miss them, but - But the ones I’ve had that were a headache were a SERIOUS headache, the kind that can make you miserable living in your own home.

When I worked at other barns and we had all horses in stalls or in private, tiny paddocks I had barely a husbandry related complaint (plenty about behavior though). Everyone was happy to have their horses “tucked in safely.”

So my point is - doing it right for the horse is not profitable, a huge pain in the rear and a ton of stress (hope you love texts at 3 am), and a giant liability.

I don’t agree with keeping horses separate or confined but I totally get it from a business perspective

So what’s the solution?

We live in a worry stricken, obsessive, results driven, and very litigious society. We’re losing land quickly , losing touch with animal sense, and good places are just harder to come by every day. Everyone is pressed from all angles and there’s no clear villain or hero here -

I think everybody could get a little chiller, personally. But maybe we’re looking at a total societal overhaul. Again, one of those things I don’t see a simple solution for.

07/10/2024

Serendipity Stables offers a unique opportunity to join our boutique, family-oriented program, with limited stalls available. Our training emphasizes building a strong foundation in riding and horsemanship, with personalized lessons designed to meet each individual's needs and goals. From understanding the psychological aspects of riding to competing at a competitive level, our experienced instructor can help you reach your objectives. Located at Independence Farm in Libertyville, with easy access from 94, we invite you to join our team and experience the many advantages of our facility and program.

Learn more at
Serendipity-stables.com

07/09/2024

Tomorrow is the day!!!

Don't miss the Saddlers Row Moving Sale! Starting July 9, 2024, enjoy 20% - 75% off everything. Join us at 20066 N. Rand Road, Palatine, IL for the biggest sale ever! Follow us for updates. Everything must go!

07/03/2024

Pablo has a fan club🤗 all of our horses just love this little fire cracker🎇 .farm

07/02/2024

06/22/2024

🚨🚨I need a horse to go from Libertyville, IL to Rochester, New York!! Does any one have trips going that way or know of any shippers that will go? Need this horse there before July 1. 🚨🚨

06/20/2024

We are thrilled to announce the addition of Krista Zumbrink and her exceptional horse Tag to the SS team! 😊

06/20/2024

Serendipity Stables extends a warm welcome to Amy Barcroft Murphy and her two magnificent horses, Darby and Honey, to our esteemed family of equine enthusiasts. We look forward to collaborating with you😊

06/19/2024

Because one Voltaire is just never enough!! 🤩

Thank you Cassie Buntin Voltaire for fitting me perfectly to my new Palm Beach.

🩵🤎🤎🩵

06/17/2024

Friendly reminder, sometimes hot for us is TOO hot for them! 🥵

06/17/2024

Last week was nothing short of extraordinary! Our riders and horses soared to new heights, achieving countless firsts and pushing their limits. We witnessed riders progressing to higher divisions, new horses making their debut in the states, and fresh horse-and-rider partnerships. The triumphs were truly inspiring! I am beyond proud of all our SS riders and their equine companions. They came, they saw, and they conquered with flying colors!

Huge thank you to Justina Schwartz for holding down the fort while we were away as well!!! Couldn’t have left for this show without having someone I trust home with everyone! Words will never suffice how appreciative we all are!

Saddlers Row Voltaire Design USA & Canada

06/14/2024

Hey Leo👋🏻 the jumps are a foot below you 😂

Thank you Alison Hartwell Photography for the lovely photos! And to Saddlers Row and Voltaire Design USA & Canada

06/14/2024

Basking in the sunshine and enjoying the gentle breeze, a perfect day here at HITS Chicago! 🤗🌞

Saddlers Row
Voltaire Design USA & Canada

06/13/2024

Whoa, our fountain's looking more magical than a unicorn's kiss! 😅

Voltaire Design USA & Canada
Saddlers Row

06/12/2024

It’s golden hour here at HITS Chicago during night check 😇

05/23/2024

Warmest congratulations to Melissa Clary on her lease of Blue Label, also known as Blue. I am excited to see her flourish with this exceptional young gelding.

05/04/2024

“Did we just become best friends?!?” 🤪

05/03/2024

Carter and I always putting our best foot forward 😉

04/26/2024

Thank you, Voltaire Design USA & Canada for the beautiful flowers! We are feeling the love today
🤎🩵🩵🤎

04/10/2024

🗣️LOUDER for the people who believe in jumping their horses every day

Polework is such a powerful training aid – even simple exercise, when done correctly will improve a horse’s way of going. There are so benefits of using polework, but most of all they encourage the horse to think for himself and to make changes to his posture or way of going naturally – there....