Sand Hill Stable

01/05/2025

A simple tip to help you relax in and out of the saddle. Place the tip of your tongue at the roof of your mouth where it gently touches your front teeth. You'll find that your jaw softens as does your shoulders when you focus on this placement of your tongue. Then, take a few long and deep breaths into a more relaxed state. Hope you have a happy and relaxed Sunday!

01/04/2025

STORYTIME & PONY RIDES!
JANUARY 12TH, 2025 2PM - 3:30PM

Calvin thinks this is something to "smile" about!
In the nice heated farm lounge, we'll be reading from the newly published children's book "A Girl and Her Horse" by L.M. Smith. Then, the kids will get to work on a craft and do their pony rides.
PREREGISTRATION REQUIRED!
COST: $25/CHILD
Contact Betsy at 330-221-8819, FB messenger, or [email protected] to register

01/03/2025

I dare say Clifford was tickled to get his own midweight blanket this evening ❤️. He's just one blanket size smaller than Blue right now, so I've been reluctant to buy new blankets just for him to grow out of. However, Clifford has been asking to come in each time the temperatures have dropped....so hint taken!

01/03/2025

The Devil is in the Mind
*SUPPLEMENTS & MARKETING*

The equine industry has a supplement for almost ANYTHING! And there is very little regulation in regards to the quality and truthfulness of these products. (There are a few that actually have been tested & verified). The supplement industry preys on owners with a lack of nutritional knowledge and who falls for good marketing to buy what will turn into very expensive urine. Just because a product claims to have X, Y, or Z in it does not mean that it is in a bio-available form, meaning your horse's body may not be able to properly break down the chemicals and use them. What the body fails to utilize gets flushed out. Most supplements that seem like they help are really just filling nutritional gaps in a domestic horse's diet. Feed a well-balanced diet and provide free choice salt & minerals and step back to watch your horse sparkle & shine!

Then there is the amazing placebo effect, of which I have a great story to share about this. Years ago, the trainer I was riding with at the time suggested I put my thoroughbred on a joint supplement. I said I would. Well, a few weeks went by, and life was busy, so I hadn't made it out to purchase the supplement. My trainer, unaware that the horse hadn't started the supplement yet, came up to me and told me how much better my horse was doing since he had been on the joint supplement. 😳 It was all in my trainer's mind that my horse was moving better because of an imaginary supplement! That experience makes me think twice, though, about how effective a possible supplement actually is, or am I just falling for good marketing. 🤔

01/02/2025

STORYTIME & PONY RIDES!
JANUARY 12TH, 2025 2PM - 3:30PM

In the nice heated farm lounge, we'll be reading from the newly published children's book "A Girl and Her Horse" by L.M. Smith. Then, the kids will get to work on a craft and do their pony rides.
PREREGISTRATION REQUIRED!
COST: $25/CHILD
Contact Betsy at 330-221-8819, FB messenger, or [email protected] to register

01/01/2025

🌟2025🌟
The year you invest in yourself!!! We have a variety of events and clinics on the calendar, with the possibility of adding a few more.
🐎 Tack Swap ~ March 2nd
🐎 Two Minds, One Mission: Building SAFE and TRUSTING horses with brain-centered horsemanship clinic ~ March 15th
🐎 Working Equitation Clinic with Simply Horsemanship ~ April 5th & 6th (registration will be open by mid-January)
🐣 Easter Egg Hunt ~ April 19th
👢 Concert ~ May 3rd
🐎Tarrin Warren Clinic ~ May 30th - June 2nd (registration will be open by mid-January)
🐎Jec Ballou ~ September 20th & 21st
🐎Gaited Horse Clinic with Ivy Starnes ~ fall date TBA
🐎Working Equitation Clinic with Simply Horsemanship ~ fall date TBA

12/31/2024

Reflecting on this past year of 2024, my mind wanders to the appearance of a white & black pigeon at the farm during the later part of 2023. One pigeon soon became two pigeons and then more. By 2024, it was apparent that they were making the farm their home. They typically hang out on either my house or on the lower barn. It's as if they are observing and guarding the area.
If you delve into spirit animals, pigeons can represent hope, peace, and transformation. Without a doubt, this past year has been a transformational year for me personally. It definitely has been a challenging year, but the gentle nudge to own and follow my intuition has become ever more persistent and, at this point, impossible to ignore. I've been growing, learning, and giving myself a lot of grace as I acknowledge and embrace this power within me and giving it a voice. The groundwork has subtly been constructed over the years by various horsewomen who pushed me to be open-minded to different ideas and challenged the norm in horse care and health, and I have been privy to witness the effectiveness of their different approach. And the more I give my intuitive side a voice, the more I'm discovering a community of support of other intuitive individuals in and out of the horse world. This gives me hope and excitement for what's to come in 2025!

12/30/2024

🌟Team Giselle Update🌟
This past week, Michelle started riding Giselle. Giselle has been doing very well with her groundwork and has been showing much enthusiasm working with both Michelle and her young owner! The pictures are from the 2nd day of riding, and the horse was eagerly waiting at the gate for Michelle to bring her in and work her! ❤️❤️❤️
Great progress!!!

12/29/2024

With each cat at the farm, I have apparently developed a different daily ritual.

Taz - the tabby with a notched ear
Taz lives at the barn. She is the main huntress of the facility. Almost every morning, she will find me & greet me. She'll follow me into the lounge and sit on the table for me to pet her while I wait for my coffee to be ready.

Pudgy - retired barn cat, who now resides at my house
I try to get up early so I have time to sit and read and drink some tea. This gives Pudgy time to cuddle in my lap. He just loves to be held. If he had his way, he'd have someone hold him almost all the time!

Gidget - Calico patches with white
I do not always see Gidget every day. But she loves to follow along with barn chores when she's around (she's the unofficial barn supervisor). She'll seek me out if she needs "safe passage" through the barn to her room (the feed room) as Taz will be mean and chase her. In winter months She'll take to roaming above the stalls. Occasionally, Gidget wants to be held or pet.

What are your daily rituals with your barn or house cats?

12/29/2024

If you want to learn more about authentic horsemanship and explore ancient ways of training and healing horses you really should follow The Balanced Horse Project. I am forever grateful for what Pat & Frank have taught me over the years and continue to teach me!

🚨 Almost There! Help Us Hit 4,000 Followers! 🚨

The Balanced Horse Project is just 46 followers away from reaching a huge milestone: 4,000 followers by 2025! We’re at 3,954 and counting, and with your help, we can cross the finish line together!

If our message of wholistic horsemanship resonates with you, here’s how you can help:
➡️ Invite your friends who love horses to follow us.
➡️ Share this post and spread the word.
➡️ Let’s grow this amazing community before the new year!

Every new follower brings us closer to having a positive impact in the horse world. Let’s finish 2024 as a growing community!

12/28/2024

LIMITING BELIEFS
The horse world is rife with limiting beliefs. A limiting belief is a state of mind that inevitably holds you back. There are so many outdated traditions in taking care of horses and in training horses. Thankfully, a lot of ground is being covered in scientific experiments surrounding various aspects of horse care & training, but it takes such a long time for that knowledge to trickle into the normal day to day routines. Often, it gets met with resistance as it challenges the traditional aspects, and this makes people uncomfortable. Change is uncomfortable. It is stepping into unfamiliar territory, an unfamiliar mindset, the vast unknown. This fear causes some folks to cling to the familiar, the traditional, what they have always known. Unfortunately, our horses are often held captive by our own limited beliefs.
As you wrap up the current year and set your sights on the next year ahead...what limiting beliefs will you challenge yourself to overcome or let go of? What will you open your mind and heart to explore the possibilities of being right? Or of being wrong?

Some will see this hoof picture as being horrible and wrong. It needs to be "cleaned up" and a shoe put on it. And at one point, I would have been apt to agree. However, I've challenged this previous limiting belief of mine and now see this as a hoof that is in the process of healing. I've learned that healing can be slow and messy. There are no quick fixes. This is just one example of many in terms of limiting beliefs and the horse world.

12/27/2024

It's never too early to start teaching a child how to care for a horse. Doing chores builds character and responsibility. It also introduces the concept of empathy, creating awareness of another's needs and emotions. Chores bring a sense of purpose and accomplishment to a person's day. For children, they also help build motor skills and coordination while they learn how to do the tasks.
Children in our spring Lead-Line Lesson Program will be learning basic horse care skills as part of the program. Limited spots are available.

12/26/2024

Looking for extra morning stall cleaning help Monday through Thursday for next few weeks. Perfect gig for a college kid home on winter break. Can be as little as 3 hours or as much as 5 or 6 hours per day, pay will be based on experience. Don't necessarily have to have prior horse experience, just a good work ethic and sense of humor. Message us through fb messenger if interested or can text Betsy at 330-221-8819.

12/24/2024

Wishing everyone a wonderful holiday this season with the warmth and light of loved ones from near and far ❤️

12/23/2024

ALIGNMENT
This word has varied meaning in the horse world. Generally, it conjures images of conformation and how the body is put together, and how smoothly and energetically efficient all the moving parts work. If there is a misalignment in the spine or a limb, the horse can not move in sustainable balance and, over time, will show signs of lameness or other dysfunction.
There is also alignment in straight movement, which is different than alignment on a curve. In a straight line, the spine is straight. The hind feet step into the footprint of the front feet or close to it, depending on how engaged the horse's body is at the moment. In a curve, the spine is supposed to match the arc of the movement, and therefore, the limbs will have a less straight movement pattern to balance the body on the arc.
If you ride, your physical alignment comes into play as well into the dynamics and how well the two bodies of you and your horse can interact and be in balance and in sync with each other.
ALIGNMENT has more meaning than just the physical aspect, though. There is an emotional and spiritual side to this as well. Are you in alignment with your emotions? Are you being honest about how you feel in the moment, or are you ignoring or suppressing things to put on a happy face? The incongruence of your emotions can completely confuse your horse. Your body says one thing, while your mind says something else. This does not make sense to an animal that is constantly assessing his current safety.
Lastly, are you in alignment with your true purpose in life? Do you feel fulfilled with what you do on a daily basis, or are you stuck in a dull repetitive lifestyle with your horse being the highlight? Being in harmony with your emotions and life purpose can create such a different atmosphere and consciousness to interact with your horse. You can have all the technical knowledge of horsemanship and riding and still struggle with your horse until you address your emotions and come into alignment with your life's purpose.

12/21/2024

COMMUNITY
Growing up, I was often the odd one out. Where I lived had been annexed into the city of Kent, but used to be considered Brimfield. So, I lived in Kent but went to Field schools where just about everyone else was from the farming communities of Brimfield or Suffield. I went to church in Kent, where all the other kids from my youth group attended Kent schools. Once again, I was an outsider. When I transferred to a private boarding school for high school, I was in the minority as a day student and didn't live at the school.

Where I finally felt like I belonged was in the barn. I was 13 when I got my first two horses, and I quickly discovered a wonderful community of people of all ages who also LOVED horses! The barn felt like home. I found my tribe. I had people to talk to about horses, I had people to teach me more about horses, and I had people actually including me in things such as trail rides and attending clinics. It was a whole different but very exciting world!

The barn can provide such a supportive and encouraging community to those struggling to find a place to belong. It can provide rewarding moments, many life lessons, and lasting friendships. You will find people cheering you on with your wins and support during tough times. The barn can be a needed sanctuary from a busy school or work life. A place to slow down, breathe, and connect with horses and other people.

Join our barn family by signing yourself or your child up for lessons! We have wonderful lesson opportunities coming up in 2025. We are super excited for the new lead line program for 4 to 6 year olds this spring ~ limited spots are available.

12/20/2024

Something we hear time and time again is how happy and calm children are after having been at the farm for a little bit, whether it is for a lesson, camp, or other event.

Horses have a larger magnetic field generated by their hearts than humans do. I think that being in their presence and within this magnetic heart-field has a huge effect on our own heart rhythms, which in turn helps regulate our emotions. Time around horses brings us into the present moment of just being, not worrying about what's next and forgetting about what is the past. Thoughts slow down and focus on the tasks at hand, heart rate and breathing slow down, bringing us into a healthy, calm, and clear emotional state.

This is all part of the wonderful magic of horses! You or your child can experience this and more in our lesson programs! We are offering a wonderful lead line program next soring for 4 to 6 year olds and we also offer lessons for 6yrs and up (there is no age limit 😉).

12/19/2024

Did you know that being around horses can help build nonverbal communication skills? A huge part of interacting with horses is learning to read and work with their body language. This dynamic also creates an awareness on what our body language communicates to the horse. These skills are valuable far beyond the barn as over 90% of human communication and understanding is nonverbal.

Are you ready to invest in your child's future? We have only a few spots left for our spring lead-line lesson program for 4 to 6 year olds.