Windkist Equestrian Centre

08/28/2024

08/28/2024

Talking about whisker clipping is a really great litmus test to get an idea of how much of competition is human centred.

It’s a far more controversial topic than it should be.

In FEI classes, whisker clipping was banned recently and this caused a major uproar.

But in lower level classes and many other show organizations, it’s perfectly legal.

Regardless of anyone’s personal preferences, a simple fact remains — whiskers are a sensory organ for horses.

Each individual whisker even has its own blood supply.

The debate of how much they help with sensation is still ongoing but what is fact is that we know they’re used for sensory input by the horse.

It really isn’t up to us to argue to what extent they are used when that argument is only being used to justify us clipping them off for totally shallow reasons.

The only “benefit” humans get from whisker clipping is a “cleaner look” that they’ve been conditioned to like better.

There’s no other incentive, it’s all aesthetic based.

So, the fact that this is still as controversial of a debate as it is when it’s rooted in shallow human preferences really speaks for how much competition centres around human desires.

Because WHY are we enabling ourselves in promoting mindsets that flippantly take away protection and sensory output from the horse, with no care of the impact, just because we like they look better?

Whiskers are cute, for one.

For two, you can’t even see them in the show ring, only close up.

And then third, and most obviously, THEY ARE A SENSORY ORGAN.

Competiton can be done ethically, in my opinion.

But we will struggle to get to the destination of ethical competition so long as human desires are centred to the extent they currently are.

08/25/2024

Memories from 4 years ago

08/23/2024

Sleeping Horse Flower Bed

08/23/2024

We concluded our summer program with an “Out Of This World” theme. Riders enjoyed creating beautiful planets under the guidance of our resident artist Darienne. Other activities included caring for our small animals, learning to ride Western and English, vaulting and tye dying. Thank you to all the working students who made this summers program a great success. See you next year!

08/21/2024

Emily Daly - home from New Zealand (with partner) - and Devon Sorrentino stopped by the barn to reminisce. Happy times!

08/19/2024

Kate and Dari kept their chins up following disappointing rides at the show today.

08/17/2024

Unicorns and rainbows was the theme this week. Riders enjoyed playing with the minis, donkeys, goats and meeting our new piglet Penelope. They rode Western , English , ba****ck and vaulted on GiGi. Crafts with Lucille and dying Mini Cooper were also on the list

08/17/2024

Unicorns and rainbows was the theme this week. Riders enjoyed playing with the minis, donkeys, goats and meeting our new piglet Penelope. They rode Weatern , English , ba****ck and vaulted on GiGi. Crafts with Lucille and dying Mini Cooper were also on the list

08/11/2024

Congratulations to all the riders yesterday at the August N Bar H Pleasure show! It was a great way to wrap up the last show of the summer and celebrate some amazing wins and lots of ribbons!

08/10/2024

Western was this weeks summer program theme. Riders vaulted on GiGi, barrel raced, made dream catchers, painted horse heads and horseshoes. We welcomed Penelope a 10 week old Kune Kune piglet to family

08/09/2024

Windkist welcomes Penelope to the farm family. Penelope is a Kune Kune piglet who is 10 weeks old

08/08/2024

NBarH show this Saturday, August 10 is a GO!

08/02/2024

Hawaiian was the theme this week at WINDKIST summer program. Riders had fun vaulting, riding western, playing limbo and hula hoop games. Time was spent with our little animals. A big thanks to Lucille for providing a great craft activity

07/31/2024

Great job today at Seacoast show. Congratulations to all our riders

07/27/2024

I want to thank the working students for all their help with the summer program, it is because of them our summer is so successful

07/27/2024

Christmas in July was our theme this week Riders learned to ride English, Western, and vaulted. They had fun with crafts and reindeer games and the horses received peppermint popsicles thanks to the campers

07/24/2024

Ryan is so happy riding Sweetie

07/23/2024

Great show at West Newbury Riding Driving Club (WNRDC)! Thank you for having us and congratualtions to all the riders!

07/21/2024

Great riding today at Cutter Farm. Good support from everyone and Christian cheered everyone. Thanks to everyone for a positive experience

07/20/2024

A great week at Windkist Summer program. Everyone enjoyed caring for the lambs and goats, learning to tack horses , muck stalls, vault on GiGi, and ride both English and Western.

07/17/2024

Still got it!

07/14/2024

Some great photos from the July N Bar H Pleasure Show yesterday! The team worked hard despite the heat! Thank you to all!

07/13/2024

Congratulations to all the riders, Audrina,Ava,Alexis,Niyla,Sinead,Claire and Jaimie. Big thank you to instructors Nicola,Katie, Catherine. Also thanks to Abby for all her help with the riders and also Chris our driver

07/13/2024

A great week at WINDKIST Summer Horsemanship Program. Riders had opportunities to cuddle with our lambs, ride outside, vaulting on GiGi our Belgian Draft, barn chores and crafts and much more.

07/13/2024

Windkist welcomes "Rusty" - its newest addition to the herd.

07/07/2024

4 months old! Daisy and Dalilah are such sweet lambs

07/07/2024

The Flint Memorial Library would like to give a huge shoutout to each of our generous sponsors for this year's Summer Reading program, "Galaxy of Readers!" 🪐☄🌟

We are absolutely blown away by the outpour of support from our community and it wouldn't be possible without you!

Thank you to:
- Friends of the Flint Memorial Library
- Andreas House of Pizza North Reading
- The Big Dipper Ice Cream Stand
- Boda Borg Boston
- Boston Duck Tours
- Boston Flower Market
- Burtons Grill & Bar, Lynnfield
- The Butterfly Place
- Cervizzi's Martial Arts Academy - North Reading
- China Cuisine
- Cowabunga's Indoor Kids Play & Party Center - North Reading
- The Dancing School
- Discovery Museum
- Fuddruckers
- Ginger Gourmet
- The Hornets Nest Sub Shop
- Horseshoe Grille
- Kitty's Restaurant & Lounge
- Lobster Claw
- Market Basket
- Mario's Ristorante
- Nan's Cafe
- Nick's Place North Reading
- Polished Nails
- Ryer's Country Store
- Salon 77
- Stop & Shop, North Reading
- Topsfield Fair
- Walmart North Reading
- Wamesit Lanes
- Whitelam Books
- Windkist Equestrian Centre
- XtremeCraze

If you are interested in becoming a sponsor for next year, please contact Kim Lambert at [email protected]. Learn more about our Summer Reading program at flintmemoriallibrary.org/summer-reading

07/04/2024

Happy 4th of July from Axle and Cyndie along with the rest of us here at Windkist 🎇🎆🇺🇸