Twin Oaks Farm

10/05/2025

🖤🩶🤍🤎

10/05/2025

No more flooded, muddy stalls!!

Thanks to my wonderful husband, we now have concreted stalls with mats. Just need to size them to the stalls and add shavings. Next will be to finish the back wall of the stalls.

After that, the next project will be tearing down the old tack room, concrete that floor and one more stall, then rebuild a new feed room. Then just to insulate and put walls up in tack room with heat & AC, then finish wall in wash rack.

I’m so excited for the wonderful updates so far and the ones to come!

Stay tuned!!

10/04/2025

"No hour of life is lost that is spent in the saddle." - Winston Churchill

10/04/2025

Day #3:

Luna was once again a good girl! She is starting to relax a bit more while lunging. Today, Stone somehow opened the gate and a bunch of the boys were getting a taste of freedom. While that was going on, she was watching them, but still listening to what was being asked. Very proud of her for not losing her mind.

Got on her today and, with the help of Ally, worked on walking off of leg cues and accepting the bit better. Of course, if Ally wasn’t walking forward neither was Luna. lol!
She started to realize she could move forward on her own and was very responsive to steering.
Each day I set a goal and so far I’ve been able to move a little further past it each time. What I love about her is, right now, she picks up right where we leave off each day. She’s so smart!!

We also had progress of not as much reaction in the wash rack when I walk behind her. She’s very leery of her back end but is slowly starting to understand I’m not going to attack her from behind.

10/02/2025

We have a spot open Sunday afternoon for a beginner rider ages 6-10. We have a pony that needs a job. If you’ve been thinking about it now is the time!
The weather is just about perfect to start.

Okie Dokie is a 13.1hh pony breed. He is about 20 years old now but still has plenty of miles to go.

Lessons are english riding at $40/hr. For beginners, this includes 30 minutes of horsemanship (learning brushing, saddling, pony care, etc) & 30 minutes of riding.
Lessons will be private until we feel it is safe for student to ride with group. All beginner lessons start in our round pen until student is able to safely and confidently control the pony without aid from instructor.

Horse showing is an option but not a requirement to join our program.

If you are interested, or have my questions, please let us know! Big things are happening on the farm and we are looking to grow our barn family.

(* pic of my daughter when she was five at a horseshow on Okie)

10/01/2025

I’m pretty much going to be using FB as riding log for Luna. It will be nice to be able to look back and see her progress.

We are starting from the ground up with round pen work and mounting.

Day #2:
Today, I lunged in the round pen and introduced the lunge whip. Shes doing well responding to voice and whip/arm placement cues. She likes to stop and come to me quite often.
I also completely got on her back and worked on her moving off my leg. It went better than expected. We walked forward and then worked on halting a couple times. I had just planned to dit on her but dince she stayed relaxed we moved on.
Revap of Day #1:
I lunged in the round pen for the first time. We’ve lunged her in the past on a line bc of past traumas. She is handling it very well.
I stepped up into the saddle and laid over the saddle with no issues whatsoever so ever.

*video in the comments. (No sound bc I was talking to her the whole time. 🙂 )

08/30/2025

The barn has come a long way since we first started. Ernest has been hard at work putting water lines to each stall and individual lights with switch and outlets for future fans for each stall. We also have all concrete through barn with a new(bigger) tack room.
We just have a couple of stalls and new feed room to concrete then rebuild feed/laundry room. Then rubber mats through the whole barn. It’s been a dream come true! Hopefully, i can talk him into getting us a covered (or if we are lucky, an indoor) arena in the next couple years. Lol!

08/30/2025

Our indoor wash rack is coming along quite nicely!!

08/15/2025

08/09/2025

Dressage moves aren’t just because they look cool. They actually served a purpose.

07/23/2025

Saving for Mia & Stone!

Training Straightness!

21 Poles
This is a little pattern I’ve used in my Friday small pattern formats. It rides really well but requires the rider to switched on.

The turns come up fast and if you’re not looking ahead for your ride line you won’t stay straight.

The triangles demand you stay straight when aiming to ride through each point.

Trot the exercise off both reins then scale it up by cantering the triangles, practicing accurate straight canter transitions on either side of the straight lines of trot poles.

06/21/2025

Always, always pat your horse. 🐴💖
No matter the ride.
No matter the ribbon.
No matter what the judge did or didn’t see. 👀

Because your horse showed up for you.
Because they don’t know the score.
Because they’re not here for the trophy, they’re here for you. 🏆❤️

The connection matters.
The gratitude matters.
Loving the horse more than the sport always matters. 🙏

From center ring, we notice the riders who stay connected. Who reach down in the lineup and say thank you. Who don’t let a disappointing result erase the effort their horse gave.

Those are the riders you remember — in the best way!🌟