Freedom Acres Farms

06/28/2025

Freedom Acres Farms has multiple opportunities for those wishing to participate in the equestrian community!

Whether you’re looking to lease a horse and compete, take lessons to grow your skill set, board at a barn with a drama free atmosphere and top notch equine care, or just drop in occasionally to ride in a laid back environment, we have something for everyone!

Offering
🐴Boarding
🐴Training
🐴Leasing
🐴Lessons
🐴Drop in riding
🐴Special events
🐴Trail rides

And more!! Come check out our farm and get to know our amazing horses. Our passion is sharing the joy of equine agriculture with our community, one horse and rider at a time.

Located in Metamora. PM for prices and details. Schedule a free tour with us today to discuss your next equine adventure!

06/28/2025

Gotta be a team game 🏇🏻

06/26/2025

A horse cannot go to the hand if the hand comes to the horse.

The rider’s goal should be to maintain a soft, following contact—a feeling that is forward and slightly giving. In order for the horse to reach into the contact, there must be something for them to reach toward. If you ride on the buckle all the time (though it certainly has its place), there’s no consistent point of connection for the horse to seek.

The reins should be just short enough to allow connection when the horse is moving forward, pushing from the hindquarters, and moving through their body correctly. As the horse begins to engage from behind, the neck will naturally lengthen, and that energy will carry forward into the rider’s soft, receptive hands.

This process takes time, repetition, and feel—and it’s one of the most common and challenging concepts riders face.

Always remember: good hands come from a good seat. Without stability and balance in the saddle, true softness in the hand is impossible.

06/21/2025

☀️ 𝐄𝐱𝐞𝐫𝐜𝐢𝐬𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐭: 𝐌𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐈𝐧𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐞𝐝 𝐃𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐇𝐨𝐫𝐬𝐞

A significant heat wave is on the way, and it’s more than just uncomfortable, it poses a real threat to horse (and human) health. When both temperature and humidity climb, a horse’s ability to cool itself becomes compromised. The signs of heat stress can be easy to miss until they become dangerous, which is why it’s critical to go into these hot days with a science-based plan. Knowing how to reduce risk through smart management, recognizing the early signs of trouble, and understanding how to respond quickly and effectively can make all the difference. Prevention is always easier than treatment, so let’s stay ahead of the heat.

The first thing to consider is when it is acceptable to work your horse. There are two heat indexes commonly used: one was developed by the American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) and takes the sum of the temperature (°F) and relative humidity (%). The other was developed by the National Weather Service (NWS) and uses a more comprehensive formula. Considering the NWS guidelines are more conservative, I tend to follow their recommendations out of an abundance of caution.

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐥 𝐠𝐮𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬 𝐛𝐚𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐍𝐖𝐒 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐱 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰𝐬:
🟢 125: Use extreme caution and avoid any exercise or activity while implementing preventive and vigorous cooling measures.

While these recommendations can guide your decisions, remember that many individual factors may influence heat tolerance, including fitness level, age, hydration, ride intensity, and acclimation.

𝐈𝐧 𝐚𝐝𝐝𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐨 𝐚𝐝𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐞𝐱𝐞𝐫𝐜𝐢𝐬𝐞, 𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐤𝐞𝐲 𝐰𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐩 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐭-𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬:
💧 Provide unrestricted access to clean, plain water ideally between 59–77°F (15–25°C)
🌳 Ensure shade is available
🧂 Add salt or electrolytes to the feed per manufacturer’s recommendations

𝐈𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐝𝐨 𝐫𝐢𝐝𝐞:
🌅 Restrict activity to early morning or late evening hours
⬇️ Reduce ride intensity
🚿 Cool horses by continuously applying cold or cool water, do not scrape it off

⚠️ 𝐄𝐯𝐞𝐧 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭, 𝐢𝐭'𝐬 𝐜𝐫𝐮𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐲 𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐫𝐭 — 𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐤𝐞𝐲 𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐧𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐭 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐰𝐚𝐭𝐜𝐡 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐬𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐚𝐜𝐭 𝐪𝐮𝐢𝐜𝐤𝐥𝐲 𝐢𝐟 𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐞𝐬.
• Panting or flared nostrils
• Rapid or labored breathing at rest
• Elevated heart rate that doesn’t recover after exercise
• Lethargy, dullness, or unwillingness to move
• Dry, tacky, or dark gums
• Muscle tremors or incoordination
• Increased re**al temperature

If you see any of these signs, act immediately, move the horse to shade, apply cool water continuously, and call your veterinarian if the symptoms persist.

Let’s be proactive, not reactive, and make sure our horses stay safe and supported during this extreme heat.

Stay cool everyone!
Dr. DeBoer

06/17/2025

Sometimes it’s too hot for a traditional lesson so we do some fun chores instead! Everyone needs a way to beat the heat!

06/06/2025

Shop small and support local businesses for all your agricultural needs! Check out this awesome feeder and all the other great products Kritter Kribs has to offer!

06/03/2025

It’s wonderful what some loving care can do 💜

As we mark 6 days since Manga Man's arrival in our care, the transformative power of compassion and kindness is already on full display. With a safe and comfortable living space, a limitless supply of hay and water, and an abundance of love and attention, he is rapidly regaining his vitality. The spark has returned to his eyes, and his entire demeanor now radiates a profound sense of relief. As a war horse of class and dignity, Manga Man's inherent nobility has remained unwavering, even in the face of unimaginable hardship. This serves as a powerful reminder that we must strive to do better – that we must prioritize the welfare and well-being of horses like Manga Man, and seek help without fear of judgment, lest we condemn them to a life of unmitigated suffering.

Managa Man is undergoing a series of medicated baths to alleviate the rain rot affecting most of his body. Today, a noticeable improvement in his coat is evident, and although the treatment is painful, his sighs of relief indicate gratitude. As trust builds, most of his wounds are healing, and he now permits touch on the large lump on the inside of his right front leg. His tangled mane and tail have been trimmed, and further updates will follow Dr. Naylor's assessment this week.

We are deeply grateful for the support of the OTTB/TB community and the equine community as a whole, which has been instrumental in helping us thus far. This outpouring of assistance has restored our faith after a distressing and disappointing situation. We are still in need of donations and would like to extend our sincere appreciation to those who have already contributed. Every donation, regardless of the amount, is invaluable in ensuring Manga Man receives the necessary care and rehabilitation. If you prefer to donate supplies, supplements, feed, or bedding instead of a monetary donation, please do not hesitate to contact us!

Donations can be made via:
Venmo to -Ondercin-SHS, CashApp to $AmyOndercinSHS, or PayPal to Emily Szczepanski.

**There is a fake Venmo account floating around so please be mindful in correct spelling to send to the legitimate account we have listed above**