Ascension Day Farm

02/01/2024

Toby
This sweet and affectionate boy is looking for a new home through no fault of his own.
Toby, is a stocky 15.1hh 12 y/o Quarter Horse Gelding. He is barefoot (stands nicely for the farrier but sometimes just needs company to talk to him), UTD on farrier, dental (needs sedation) and all vaccinations. He is an easy keeper and does not require any maintenance.

Toby came to us in 2020 from a home where his lifelong companion had died, and he was severely depressed with separation issues. We sent him for 3 months of professional training, where he was restarted and was able to regain his ground manners and confidence. He was used intermittently in our beginner/advanced beginner lesson program, where he was calm, quiet, and obedient, but just didn’t seem happy with that job. We realized that being a lesson horse is not for him, as he really needs one person to love him and be his human. He has the silliest personality and loves to stand and snuggle. He LOVES everything water related and will happily stand under a hose on a hot day (turning around occasionally to get the spots you missed) or play in a creek.

Toby’s Strengths:
Toby is amazing on trails and a saint in the arena. He loves to slowly jog around and occasionally go over a few poles. He crosses water, goes over bridges, goes up and down steep ledges, and is honest to a fault. You can leave him weeks without being ridden and he is the same horse every time. He stops on a dime, backs up and can be ridden English, western, or ba****ck. He is small enough for a child, but also stocky enough that he is an appropriate size for an adult (think “child/parent horse”). He can also be led on a lead-line with a child.

Toby’s Weaknesses:
Toby was bred to be very stocky, so his left front leg got caught in his dam’s womb; causing him to be permanently toed in. He is 100% sound and never has taken a wrong step, but it is recommended that he should not canter/lope under saddle because it may be unsafe for the rider (possible tripping issue). He can however, canter and gallop with absolutely no issues.

Toby’s Ideal Partner:
Toby would be best with a confident advanced beginner, or beginner who is working with a trainer. He never tries anything naughty; he just needs to be guided in the right direction and can have a mind of his own if he senses that you aren’t confident. He is perfect for a rider who wants to do trail riding, obstacles, hacking around, groundwork, or even just as a companion horse. He must go to a home with at least one other horse. He tends to be a “middle of the herd” kind of guy but would do better with geldings as he tends to be a bit overprotective with mares.

Toby comes with all appropriate records and will go to an approved home only. Our family adores this horse, and would keep him forever, but we are downsizing our herd and our farm-life. He can be seen and ridden at our farm by appointment only.

Toby is priced at very low four figures, starting with a 2. Shipping available locally.

Located in Middletown, MD

Please PM with any questions or to set-up an appointment.

Videos:

https://youtu.be/IxSNtIjra7Q

https://photos.google.com/search/horse/photo/AF1QipNgXVh_KKDPX9BcR-kCSCP_KDjo-xxLwWiDpyuq

https://photos.google.com/search/horse/photo/AF1QipPxjIFevEZEfpZORTRRebeLUzUmXv_iTIG3nX2S

11/02/2023

It is with a heavy heart that we have decided to end our lesson program effective 11/9. This was an extremely difficult decision, as we love our students and farm families dearly and you have brought so much joy to our farm. However, our own kids are growing quickly and we feel strongly that we need more time to focus on them and enjoy them while they are still here! We know that you understand, but please know how much all of you will be missed. We hope that you keep riding and please come visit us anytime!

07/13/2023

Camp #2 photo dump! We are having a great week!

06/29/2023

Camp Day 2 & 3 - Our campers have been working hard to learn their very first dressage test, and cross country course for our end-of-week show! We spent some quality time grooming and jumping with Elvis and Peanut, learned games on horseback, painted some horseshoes, and ended with a high-stakes game of musical chairs that required mounting and dismounting their horses each time. These kids are so much fun!

06/26/2023

Camp Day 1 was HOT! But our campers are tough and were all in! We didn't waste any time and started working on Friday's show. At the end of the day, we rewarded ourselves with some creek time. Creek time will always be my favorite part of camp (sorry, not sorry to my 🐎 🐴 🎠 🏇)!

05/15/2023

We have opened another beginner lesson on Monday's at 6:30! Riders can start tonight! Email [email protected] if you would like to sign-up.

04/02/2023

**RIDING LESSONS** It's time to make some new friends and see old ones! Our lessons are mostly FULL, but please inquire if you would like to be placed on our waiting list, or if you would like to schedule a private lesson.

2023 Lesson Days :
Mondays - reserved for private lessons
Wednesday's & Thursday's - group lessons at 3:30, 5:00, and 6:15pm
**We can offer earlier lessons for homeschoolers - please inquire for more info**

We are a licensed and insured lesson barn and teach foundational riding skills according to the US Pony Club.

Inquire at [email protected] for more information.

03/27/2023

Last night of Pony School 102 means it's skill-a-thon time! We had a blast with these kiddos!

02/14/2023

First night of Pony School 102! The kids had a great time learning different braiding techniques and the horses loved the extra attention!

01/21/2023

Anyone need eggs? I've got about 6 dozen from our free range girls (except during hawk season)! Porch pick-up in Middletown, $5.00/dozen.

01/13/2023

We are so excited to announce our next class, Pony School 101! This is an unmounted class that teaches the student how to understand, care for, and work with horses. Students will be working with our horses in the barn or on the ground. Each week we will cover a different horse related topic, starting with the most basic and moving up to more advanced concepts. Students will learn about horse behavior, safety around horses, grooming & tacking, anatomy, first aid, and so much more. We will hold a fun QuizBowl competition at our last class, so students can see how much they have learned! Whether you have never ridden a horse, or you have been taking lessons for some time, there is something here to learn for everyone. This is the perfect segway into spring riding lessons!

All ages are welcome, but content is geared towards students who are at least at the 3rd grade level. Adult students are also welcome!

Dates: Thursday's; 2/16/23 - 3/30/23
Time: 5:30-7:00pm
Cost:
$250.00 ($50.00 deposit + $200.00 cash or check)
$265.00 ($55.00 deposit + $210.00 if paying via PayPal or Venmo)
PayPal: [email protected]
Venmo:
The deposit holds your spot, with the balance due by the 1st class on 2/16. A minimum of 4 students are required to run the class, and deposits will be refunded if the class does not run.

If you email me to say that the check is in the mail, that is sufficient!

Make-ups: Students can make-up a particular class in the next session (which may not be for several weeks). There will also be opportunities to learn the material in our upcoming summer camps (details coming soon!).

Our teaching follows the US Pony Club Standards, so you can be assured that what you are learning is accepted as an industry standard. Additionally, our farm is licensed by the Maryland Horse Industry Board ( -2134).

This is a great way to transition into Spring Lessons which start in April!

To Register For Pony School:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfyE3NPT8ZkbUVCIo60LHnWUymP6wF4lISVbMkVECx3ExwShg/viewform?usp=sf_link

Hope to see everyone soon!

12/06/2022

Tonight we learned how to take vital signs on the mini ponies, Elvis and Peanut - but of course I forgot to take a picture :(. A special thank you to "Lucy", Miss Laurie's lesson pony, who is still helping us learn, just in a different way. It was an awesome learning opportunity and our students loved it!

11/29/2022

We had a great class tonight learning about blanketing, boots, and bandaging!

11/13/2022

**Tomorrow's Horse & Pony Class will cover grooming, equine anatomy and our slip-knot race!** Class starts at 5:30pm, email info@ascensiondayfarm to register. Space is limited!

11/06/2022

We are so excited about the response for our new Horse & Pony Class! Reminder: If you have not emailed [email protected] to register, then you do not yet have a spot in the Monday 11/7 class. We are just about full, so don't wait!

**New in November**
Horse & Pony School will cover a wide variety of equine related topic(s) during each class. Examples of topics to be covered are: riding disciplines, equine tack/saddles parts, blanketing, equine feeding/nutrition, equine first aid, equine body anatomy, breeds, and hoof care, and equine related jobs, just to name a few.
We’ll play games, host guest speakers, have live demonstrations and much more! We will also do our best to tailor the content to the experience level and interest of our students.
When: Monday’s 5:30-7:00pm

Where: Ascension Day Farm, 2902 Bennies Hill Road, Middletown, MD 21769 (Class will be held in our heated Carriage House or in the barn if working with the horses)

Cost: $23.00 per class. Space is limited and seats must be reserved (1) week prior to the class being held.
**CASH/CHECK DISCOUNT – 20.00 PER CLASS**

General Age Group: 3rd grade through high school but adults are
welcome too!

To Register: Email: [email protected] with students name and age.

Payment: For PayPal, [email protected] or mail check to Ascension Day Farm, 2902 Bennies Hill Road, Middletown, MD 21769.

07/29/2022

That's a wrap!! What an awesome week. Our volunteers put on a show for the kiddos today, then they got to out one on for their parents!

07/28/2022

Camp Day 3 - Another fabulous day of riding, learning about showmanship, bathing horses, painting rocks and creeking. We could not do this without our amazing volunteers and the kiddos love them!

07/26/2022

Horse Camp Day 1 - We had an awesome day and love our campers! We tie-dyed our camp shirts, had a grooming lesson, made horse treats, and went on a trail ride all before lunch (had to beat the heat)! Our group leaders even got to have some extreme hilarity in the creek

07/23/2022

When it's so hot, you need help just holding up your head....

06/15/2022

Camp Day 2 - We made treats for the animals, rode a few horses, went on a scavenger hunt through the woods, broke out the water slide, and did a little creek tubing! For STEM, we had a competition to see who could make the longest paper chain with ONE piece of paper. The winners chain was over 10 feet long!

06/14/2022

Camp Day 1 - Egg drop competition, painting, water games, and of course creek swimming! Can't wait until tomorrow!

05/23/2022

All smiles!

05/22/2022

Wishing a very happy birthday to one of our super special students, Kaelyn! It was the perfect excuse to celebrate with some creek time on Doc and Finley!

05/17/2022

Read This...

Imagine you’re pregnant, moving is a little more labored and you've just slowly made your way to a big comfy couch that you want to relax on and hang out until it's go time. That couch is so close you can hear it calling your name...then someone recognizes you and thinks you're better off somewhere else and takes you away as you longingly look back at that couch and think of the effort it took to get there. How would you feel?

Snapping turtles are on the move, some are heading to build nests for when they lay eggs. Since they spend much of their time in and around water, well meaning people are moving them back to water. That snapper likely traveled a long way to get where she was going. Help a turtle out and let her carry on her way.

If you see a snapping turtle crossing the road, and it is safe to assist, check out this helpful video from the Toronto Zoo: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lgd_B6iKPxU A turtle's tail is part of their vertebrae, so it's best not to hold them by their tail to prevent damage to their spine.

Photo by: Foxman, Flickr CC by ND 2.0.

04/30/2022

Cousins!