Zion Hill Farm

10/20/2024

Well that’s a wrap. Team Zion Hill Farm had their last banquet of the show season tonight. I’m so damn proud of all our students. Thank you for choosing me to be your trainer. Thank you for letting me lead the way and showing you what true horsemanship is all about. I’m so proud of each of you and the work you put in this year. Win or lose, you guys kept your heads held high. I’m so happy to have you as my barn family. Until next show season!

09/25/2024

Team Zion Hill Farm out for dinner before the Deerfield Fair tomorrow.

09/25/2024

Mulligan is ready for the Deerfield Fair. We looo forward to this every year.

09/12/2024

Happy 14 years with this handsome man we call
Mulligan. He is the backbone of our lesson program and has brought many of our riders to the winners circle. He may be 22 years old but you would never know it.

07/06/2024

06/27/2024

Wally is a 6 year old ASB looking for a one on one home. Would be best suited for an intermediate rider or an advance beginner working with a trainer. He has been ridden by my daughter huntseat last year and saddleseat this year. He took overall champion green horse last year. Photos of him barefoot. Wally is green but will WTC and gets his leads. He loads on the trailer and stands tied. Just needs more miles and refinement. He needs his own person and not a lesson program. We call him the giraffe cause he’s super tall. Haven’t sticked him but he’s at least 16.2-17hh. (Can measure for those truly interested). Located in New Durham, NH. Asking 5, 🥕 🥕🥕🥕 obro. He lives outside in run-in sheds 24/7. We have never stalled him. He is in the middle of a mixed herd. He’s super seeet and loving and is ready to find his own person.

05/11/2024

It’s horse show morning with my trusty side kick, Savanna. Come support team Zion Hill Farm at N Bar H Pleasure show!

05/02/2024

The smile on her face says it all. Practice time on our main man Mulligan. Getting ready for the shows. Practicing diagnose and soft hands in the open field riding up and down hills. Work those leg muscles ❤️

03/02/2024

Our deadline has come and gone. If you are showing with us this year and have not sent in your slip you must do so by tmrw March 3, 2024!

02/19/2024

Such a beautiful load of hay.

02/14/2024

Zion Hill Farm has officially moved to New Durham, NH. We will be working on setting everything up for riding lessons to start April 1st (weather permitting). We are welcoming new students to our lesson program. We also have the opportunity for showing this year with us. Talk with Lesley about getting signed up for lessons and/or showing. We also have on farm lease options available for intermediate to advance riders.

12/01/2023

Yesterday our farm said goodbye to our beloved Thelwell aka Mr T. Many knew him because he was probably the first pony you rode. He was so reliable and so steady. Anyone could ride him. He could always be trusted to take care of his rider.

We got Mr T 9 years ago. After we had lost our beloved Haflinger Peaches, we were on a search to find the most perfect pony. Not too small but not too tall either. I wanted to stick with the Morgan horse breed as that’s what I knew best. I came across this add for two ponies for sale. A Morgan/ Welch cross and a POA. I asked a bunch of questions and set up a time to come meet them. I was frustrated as we had gone to see so many that just were not the right fit. I told our daughter that she was going to get on. I was looking for that special lesson pony I could trust and if she couldn’t ride the pony herself then there was no point in getting it. We pulled in and there was this giant (and I mean giant) cow in with these two ponies. Mr T was this adorable, stocky, black pony that was rollypolly. When the lady came out, we talked more about Thelwell and his adventures of life. We tacked him up. I told her I was just going to have my kid get on him. Because if she couldn’t ride him it would be a no. She told me her two sons did everything with this pony and she would be well taken care of. Well I had heard that before and it didn’t work out. The lady walked Ari around and then just let her go. Mr T listened and did everything she asked of him. He had this cute trot. Not short and choppy like some ponies. Just this perfect smooth gate. He set his head naturally and carried himself with confidence. The lady asked if she wanted to canter. I told her, “she doesn’t canter yet.” The lady assured me he would take care of her. Ari agreed to try it and he just took her cues and cantered around this big outdoor garden. No fence or lines or anything. I said yup, he’s the one. $950 I paid for this boy. He was supposed to be $1000 but I didn’t take in account for tolls so the lady agreed to the $950. The ad said he was 13. His bill of sale said he was 15. A few months of having him and a lady contacted me asking if that was Thelwell. She knew him back when he was a 3 yo camp horse. She told me all about him. I asked her how old he would potentially be. She said he must be well into his 20s by now. She even contacted the lady who still had the papers all these years and it showed he was roughly 3yo when they got him. That was over 20 years ago. Our vet confirmed he had older teeth. More like 25 ish. I didn’t care. If I got 3-4 years with him or even 1 year. He was perfect.

For 9 years Mr T taught kids how to ride. Taught them how to trust a horse. They played games on him, rode him backwards, rode in pairs. You name it, he could do it. He mainly did walk trot lessons but his canter was so cute. Every once in a while he would get this look in his eye, toss his head side to side and give this cute little buck of excitement. You could always tell when he was going to do it. I would look at him and say “Mr T, don’t you do it.” He knew exactly what I meant.

Mr T lived with us for 9 years until it was time to lay him to rest. His 33 ish year old body was getting old. He loved loved loved to work and be ridden. And boy did he have a great final year. He took his little rider to the winner circle so many times. Costume class, inhand class, trail class and under saddle. She did everything with this amazing pony. He was a rockstar and loved every once of it. But besides all the lessons and kids he taught, was an amazing boy I spent 9 1/2 years with. Every day going out to see the horses and spend time with them. Giving them grain and hay and water. Brushing them and caring for them. You fall in love with each one and Mr T was no exception to this. He always wanted a cookie and would check to see if you brought him one. He even asked the vet for a cookie with his little head tilt before we said goodbye. Mr T was one in a million that you don’t just find anywhere. He was that special boy we all loved. To the kids who knew him and rode him- they all loved him. But to me he was more than that. He was my Thelwell pony. My king of herd. My reliable boy I trusted with anyone. But he was my boy who gave me smiles every day. His old age caught up with him in the end. He was having such a hard time keeping weight on and we knew it was time to say goodbye to our beloved pony. Libby misses you so much buddy. She’s been calling for you. You and her loved each other so much. I’ll take care of her now buddy. You go enjoy all the green grass until we meet again. I love you.

10/24/2023

Yesterday, our farm had to make a very hard decision and put our Ms Lucy to sleep. Her old age was catching up to her and her legs were not able to continue to support her. She went out of this world on a beautiful sunny, fall day with her two mommas giving her lots of kiss and hugs. She will forever be missed. She was loved by so very many. Run pain free on all those beaches Lucy. Momma and I love you so so much.

09/15/2023

Just a heads up: we sold our house in Lebanon. We have been made aware, someone is pretending to be our farm and pose as me and “rent” out the property to try to scam people into giving them money for an application fee. This is NOT me or Pam. Please report the ad if you see anything. I’m sorry for anyone truly looking for a place. It is a complete scam!

09/02/2023

Our kids are SO CLOSE to their goal. Help by donating today! These girls only need $1,400 more to reach their fun raising goal so they can compete in their last horse show of the 2023 season. You can donate via Venmo, PayPal or in person at Zion Hill Kennel in New Durham, NH. Help these girls make their dreams come true.