La Bona Vivo LLC

09/07/2024

Congratulations to the Brunhammer family on the purchase of Noblesse Flush Z, or “Priscilla”! We are so excited for your new addition and can’t wait to watch you shine in the show ring ✨💜

08/21/2024

The best small green gelding is available for lease! Imported Section A Welsh.
Currently jumping courses with lead changes, best personality, and safe for kids.
Please follow sale ad or PM for more info.

https://youtu.be/F4Rwowsy2s4?si=zqEUUwR1wU1yVp1f

https://bigeq.com/horse/listing/mlw-silva-sam-welsh-pony-hunter-40397/

08/09/2024

MLW Silva Sam and Sofia Azzarello with 3 clear rounds in the cross rail jumpers at Lotus! So proud of how much this pony has progressed in the few months he has been with us 💜

08/06/2024

Lincoln being best sport today for the pony campers to learn parts of the horse on 💜

08/03/2024

Let’s get back to business 💪

08/01/2024

Such a fun group of kiddos, ponies and families 💜

07/09/2024

First summer camp week was a success! Looking forward to a full pony camp filled summer ✨✨

05/17/2024

You start dying slowly ;
if you do not travel,
if you do not read,
If you do not listen to the sounds of life,
If you do not appreciate yourself.
You start dying slowly :
When you kill your self-esteem,
When you do not let others help you.
You start dying slowly ;
If you become a slave of your habits,
Walking everyday on the same paths…
If you do not change your routine,
If you do not wear different colours
Or you do not speak to those you don’t know.
You start dying slowly :
If you avoid to feel passion
And their turbulent emotions;
Those which make your eyes glisten
And your heart beat fast.
You start dying slowly :
If you do not risk what is safe for the uncertain
If you do not go after a dream
If you do not allow yourself
At least once in your lifetime
To run away from sensible advice
Don't let yourself die slowly
Do not forget to be happy!

~ Pablo Neruda♡
Chilean poet who was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1971

American Hat Company NHSRA American Quarter Horse Association

03/22/2024

03/12/2024

A bit late congratulations to on her new horse, Oslo 🥳🎉 We’re excited to see where you go in the fox hunting world and beyond!

03/08/2024

Kathy Kusner & Untouchable

03/08/2024

Stay inspired! 🙌🏼

One of reasons to gather pictures, video, songs, writings and mementos that inspire you is so that when you feel low or you need a boost 💥 you can remind yourself to stay psyched, hopeful and excited! There are so many possibilities in life - each day is full of them. 💫

Today’s inspiration is Kathy Kusner - the first woman to ride for the United States Equestrian Team (USET), the first licensed female jockey, and the first American woman to win an Olympic medal in equestrian competition. 🇺🇸

Total rockstar. 🌟

02/26/2024

Congratulations are in order for our IEA team members!

Aislinn Howell, Sofia Bloom, Joy Brunhammer, Sofia Azzarello, and Nora Sullivan all qualified for regionals in their respective divisions after working so hard this season. Go team 🏆🏅💙

02/24/2024

Regionals prep 💪

01/27/2024

All smiles at our last IEA show before Regionals!

01/20/2024

This cold weather has us digging through the archives for warm weather photos 🌞

Pictured:
Aislinn Howell & Irish You Well
Steven Morrissey & Bon Giorno

01/11/2024

“Memories take us back, dreams take us forward.”

Katherine Hoch riding Tremont 💜

12/26/2023

Happy Holidays from ours to yours! 🎄🎊

11/20/2023

The lessons you're really paying for when your daughter (or son) rides horses...

08/30/2023

Our IEA team captains for the 2023-24 season, Aislinn Howell & Sofia Bloom, have been working hard with their horses this summer 💪💕

08/30/2023

I love the word incisive. in·ci·sive - adjective, intelligently analytical and clear-thinking I don't use it often but yesterday Claire Barker made this incisive comment, "I see a lot of "PhD" level horses with elementary school riders, and they are SOOOO shut down." regarding riders not working to achieve unity with their horse. There were also several comments about how sad it is that so many riders never feel that feeling of unity.

Claire's comment on how riders who sit in the saddle with no sense of unity is indeed sad, but the "shut down" part about the horses is even more heartbreaking. It got me thinking again about how money undermines horsemanship and how dangerous that is becoming. Riders are dying and being injured because they have the money to buy a PhD horse and they haven't learned the skills that keep a horse like that awake and agile. They have the money for the best instruction but very often a wealthy person's idea of "the best" means comfort, status or the ability to win without the fundamental skills.

The other side of that coin is that riding instructors need to make living and wealthy students are often not into "no pain, no gain". It is difficult to teach a rider who is entitled by their wealth and sees a trainer as a service vendor. No pain, no gain becomes "here's a big check, I expect gain". I have been there and because I need to live with myself more than make a living (I live very cheaply) I refused to teach students who refused to take the time to do the things that make a rider secure and safe on a horse, which is probably why I learned to live cheaply.

It's simple, a dumbed PhD down horse that starts to phone in their performance is dangerous. A PhD horse, forced into dullness by elementary school riding, gives up on unity and accepts aloneness. Sitting on a horse as if you are a passenger on a bus, makes your horse into a bus, and because your horse has become a bus that has no driver, only has a passenger, it is safe to assume a crash will come. No one seems to be telling the wealthy students that this is the truth of it. Thank you Claire for your incisive comment. It caused me to see the problem more clearly.

Scissors cuts paper, paper covers rock, rock... and money kills truth.

08/14/2023

My assistant trainer yesterday ❤️🐞

08/10/2023

Looking for an IEA team for this upcoming season? Want a warm & friendly atmosphere?There’s still time to join Team Bona Vivo! Grades 4-12 and ability levels from wt-advanced fences welcome! 🏆🏅🐴

08/08/2023

Bona Vivo has 3 wonderful lesson horses/ponies available for on-site half leases. Please reach out to Julia for more information.

(207) 692-3340
[email protected]

08/05/2023

Busy Saturday!!
Juan appreciation post, Joy & Secret making huge strides in their partnership, kittens(!), Mochi, Megan & Valentine, and our beautiful home 🌻💛

08/02/2023

IEA season is right around this corner and Team Bona Vivo is looking to add more riders! Have riding experience anywhere from wt-jumping 2’6” courses? In grades 4-12? Want to join a fun and family-like team of riders ad families? Join Bona Vivo for this upcoming season! 🐴🏆

08/02/2023

It’s a beautiful week to ride horses & ponies in NJ 🌺🤠

07/26/2023

Last chance to sign up for our final session of pony camp! 🦄✨🌞

Call/text Julia: (207) 692-3340
DM: La Bona Vivo LLC
Email: [email protected]

07/07/2023

Deciding to run some last minute summer camp sessions based off of interest! Please let me know if you would sign up for one or both of the weeks below:

7/25-7/29 (9am-3pm)
8/1-8/5 (9am-3pm)

Feel free to share with friends!

Beginner- advanced friendly 🤗

06/18/2023

Congratulations to Sofia Bloom on her half-lease of Trey! We’re so excited that trey gets to stay and play this summer 🦄💜