Windy Willow Equestrian

01/01/2025

Hello 2025! We can’t wait to see what this year has in store for us. The New Year is a time for new hope, new goals & challenges, new equine connections, renewing your mindset. We’d love to help you achieve big reaches, or small ones!

2024 can’t go without mention. We are incredibly grateful for the students and their families that we’ve gotten to know and the relationships have developed between horse and riders. We watched students show for the that time, move up to more challenging mounts, learn to jump, come off the lunge line to ride independently and celebrated each victory. We’ve celebrated those big “a-ha” moments with students as jump heights went up.

🌟 Some other 2024 highlights 🌟

🌟 Cornelia joined us from Prague, Czech Republic, this summer as our Working Student. She was such an asset to the barn and quickly became a friend to all. We couldn’t have asked for a better person and would love for her to come back!

🌟 Stewart joined the WWE and went to his first show as a 3 year old, pinning in each of his classes and conducting himself flawlessly.

🌟 Journey was successfully backed after his 2nd birthday and it was seriously UNeventful!

🌟 We installed fiber footing and upgraded both arenas in June under a hot 97 degree sky (bless those who helped!)

🌟 Arena lights were added in November ‘24

🌟 Sunstone returned from a lease and has fit seamlessly back into our program as a dressage mount. We are grateful to the school who leased her and the children there who taught her how to jump!

🌟 Sweet pony Penelope was retired from our lesson program and is being enjoyed by the sweetest little 6 year old girl and her family.

I’m sure we are leaving out a ton of mentions so feel free to chime in. We are so just grateful for a successful 2024 and cannot wait to top 2025!

12/31/2024

🐴🐴🐴 MOTIVATED SELLER!🐴🐴🐴

Who is looking for a flashy young QH that’s been in a professional program, is quiet, is versatile, can be led around by your children, works cows, rides bridleless, rides willingly in the arena and out on trails?

This family-friendly horse is ready to go to his new family. He is the type of horse everyone wants but can’t find. And he’s so darn handsome!

~> 2019 Palomino QH gelding
~> just shy of 15h
~> professional training
~> barefoot
~> no maintenance and UTD
~> versatile, family type horse that you can take in any direction
~> Safe, great brained gelding
~> great around young children
~> kind in turnout, stalls well too

This youngster has all the foundation you’d want in a young horse. Send a PM if interested in setting up a time to see him.

12/30/2024

We just absolutely love hearing from happy clients, especially when they send us photos like this! Thrilled that we were able to match this family with their heart horse.

12/29/2024

☀️☀️☀️Almost 60 degrees at the end of December! ☀️☀️☀️ What a great day to ride. Long stretchy trots, pole work, working on leg yield was the focus for today.

12/10/2024

Still need the perfect holiday gift for your favorite person? 🎁🎄🎁🎄🎁🎄. Give the experience of riding a horse! 🐴🐴🐴.

Gift certificates are now available on our website:

www.windywillowequine.com

Click on the gift certificate tab in the menu.

Lessons- Trail Rides- Pony Experince….so something for everyone!

Happy Holidays!

Where Riding Dreams Take Flight: Step into the World of Windy Willow Equestrian! Embark on an Equine Adventure and Book Your Intro Lesson Today.

12/07/2024

Windy Willow Equestrian students, staff and barn family lit up the streets of Berryville today with a ton of cheer and festivity! Such a fun day out in our community. Thank you to the Town of Berryville and to all of the volunteers who gave their time to make this parade happen!

Come ride with us!

🎄🐴🎄🐴🎄🐴🎄🐴🎄🐴🎄🐴🎄🐴🎄🐴🎄

12/07/2024

Friday night parade prepping! See you all tomorrow at the Berryville 🎄 Christmas parade.

12/02/2024

What’s better than riding horses in the snow? Riding horses at a horse show while it’s snowing! ❄️ ❄️. Seriously, the frigid temperatures didn’t stop us from getting our jumping on. We’re so very proud of our students for laying down beautiful rounds today. Thank you to Red Gate Farm for putting on a super fun show “indoors”. The arena looked so festive!

11/28/2024

Happy Thanksgiving! We are grateful to be able to share our love of horses another year, grateful for our wonderful barn community and wishing all who touch our lives a very blessed Thanksgiving Day.

11/12/2024

We love our tiny equestrians! This little girl was such a delight to work with today. She’s just 2 1/2 years old and loves coming to the barn to see Lulu.

11/06/2024

Nothing like an 83 degree November day for our barns to get a new splash of barn red ❤️🐴❤️. Thank you Tony Ramirez for making our barns more beautiful!

10/31/2024

Wishing all of our students a safe and spooky Halloween filled with fun! 🎃 👻 🕷️

10/27/2024

What a perfect day we had for our Fall Fest Event 🍁🐴 🍎 at the barn. Students & guests enjoyed horse time, horse-themed games, a costume horse parade and festive treats! We just love how creative these kids got with their costumes! From an inflatable King Kong (loved this one!) to Super Woman & her super hero horse, a cowboy and a cowgirl, a dinosaur, Hermione Granger, Wednesday, and more! So creative and so much fun! 🎃 👻

This definitely going to be a repeat event next year!

10/13/2024

🐴⭐️🐴⭐️🐴⭐️🐴⭐️🐴⭐️🐴⭐️🐴⭐️🐴

WE ARE HIRING!

Windy Willow Equestrian’s team is growing! We are eager to add an enthusiastic, talented rock star riding instructor to our already amazing team. If you have a passion for teaching, creating inspiration within your students and enjoy working with great people, we want to talk with you!

Job Title: Riding Instructor

Location: Windy Willow Equestrian, Millwood, VA

Position Type: Part-time, Flexible Hours

Job Summary

We are seeking a skilled and passionate Riding Instructor to join our team. The ideal candidate will have a strong background in equestrian training and teaching, with the ability to instruct riders of varying skill levels and ages. The Riding Instructor will provide lessons, manage the safety of students and horses, and promote a positive, encouraging learning environment.

Responsibilities

• Plan and conduct riding lessons for students of all ages and skill levels.
• Teach a range of disciplines, including (dressage, hunt seat, eventing)
• Assess and monitor student progress, providing constructive feedback and setting individual goals.
• Ensure the safety and well-being of students and horses at all times.
• Manage and maintain tack, equipment, and facility in accordance with safety and cleanliness standards.
• Prepare horses for lessons, including tacking up, and ensuring their proper care post-lesson.
• Communicate effectively with students, parents, and team members regarding schedules, progress, and any issues that arise.
• Organize and participate in horse shows, clinics, and other equestrian events as required.

Qualifications

• Certification from a recognized equestrian organization (encouraged but not necessary) such as ARIA, CHA, PATH Intl., BHS, or USHJA) is preferred.
• Proven experience as a riding instructor or similar role.
• Strong understanding of horse care, behavior, and stable management.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to adapt teaching methods to suit different learning styles and age groups.

Benefits

* Competitive weekly pay based on experience and qualifications.
* Paid Training program
* Opportunities for professional development and certification.
* Bonuses available
* Riding Opportunities

How to Apply

Please send your resume, cover letter, and references to [email protected]. We look forward to hearing from you!

10/13/2024

What a great day we had showing at the Clarke/Frederick Open Horse Show! Bryleigh, Danica, Emma and Jade all showed in their very first horse show and were BRILLIANT! Ava & Heather showed for the second time and really showcased their horses nicely. We couldn’t be more proud of all the hard work these young ladies put into getting ready for this show and bringing the Halloween 🎃 spirit out today with their creative costumes. Our horses were rock stars, too- beautifully turned out and took such good care of our students.

Congratulations to all today on a very successful show day!

Thank you to Gabi for helping coach today and for all of our amazing parents & family members who support our youngsters on show days and beyond!

10/05/2024

10/05/2024

Just a great group of students enjoying a perfect early Autumn 🍂 evening in the arena. So proud of everyone’s efforts tonight to partner with their horse. Way to go!

10/04/2024

This horse & rider just keep better by the ride. Lovely, solid work ethic happening right here.