Lonewood Farms LLC

07/30/2024

I am slowly starting a search for a pm barn worker. Pm me for details!

04/02/2024

I’m going to be looking for someone to help work a couple local horse shows this spring/summer. If you think you might be interested, pm me!

03/15/2024

Who needs the perfect 2’6 and under packer? Message me!

03/13/2024

Forever grateful to all the people who are always there jump in and help when needed 💕

Full Board Isn't Full Service

A friend asked me to write this a while ago..and I have been thinking on it for several months. So here is a go.

Full board Isn't full board. The average boarding farm with anywhere from 5 to 40 boarders is so much work. Just the daily grind of getting up, feeding, haying, checking water takes up a significant amount of time. Stalls, another massive chunk, then repeat pm feed.

Then you want the boarding farm to do blankets ( something I refuse to do. I worked for a QH trainer in the 90s and spent hrs every morning and night reblanketing all the horses under lights ...cured me ) , meds, you want night check. You want their weight and physical appearance monitored through their blankets.

Now all the extras : tackroom swept, aisle perfect, walls hosed down, no rodents, cobwebs , working washrack with drain that never clogs...

Then perfectly manacured fields , mowed, fertilized, weedwacking. Fences repairs etc....

Board or bored...when your horse is in the stall more for inclement weather , you need to get there to exercise it and prevent colic ( motion is lotion for guts and joints ! ). Full board doesnt cover checking every single inch of the horse ( though most of us do take a quick look, i have trained myself to look at all 4 legs both side every day ) for bumps, bruises, shoes with sprung heels , mysterious fungus that appears on its flank. Owners need to be present, take responsibility for their own horse, make coming out to groom that retired horse on a schedule....and always always be accessible for emergencies.

When you see something needs done, just do it instead of complaining about it. We have all seen the posts about the costs of boarding and basically, if you are paying less than $1000/ month, someone is subsidizing your board. So pick up a rake, a broom, be present. Run a hose, scrub the tub. Triple check your horse. Check on the horse whose owner is ill ( with their permission ) . Leave things better than they were.
Many barns have a person or 2 that randomly helps with some stalls....I guarantee you the barn owner appreciates that person. I used to have a students father who would clean many stalls while his daughter rode. I know I'll never forget him.

Holidays....most barns have 1 of 2 ways of thinking. 1. Don't come out at all. 2. If you do come out, plan to help with feeding, haying, watering turnout and stalls. I can speak from personal experience...I havent had a holiday off since pre 2001 except for 1 Christmas, an exceptional student did all the work as my gift. I'll never forget that act of kindness. Nurses get double time for major holidays ( and still get to take off a day for Christmas , heck even the local convenience store pays double or time and half on major holidays) , barn owners get nothing, most of the time not even a thank you... I recall a colleague who boarded horses ( and of course taught lessons, trained horses, sold horses and ran shows because boarding doesnt pay the bills ) saying one day she realized her life was like the movie Ground Hog Day....and that she has done the same thing every morning every night for decades. Her farm went up for sale and she now boards her own horses.

Education. Do you know what horses diseases are, understand deworming, know what ailments to watch out for. When should the vet be called ? Can you wrap legs properly, handle an abscess, recognize fungus, spot a colic ? If not, pick up a book, watch some videos. Horse ownership means you love horses and you want to know everything about them.

Anyway...full care isn't day care you drop your "kid " off too and never pick them up from again. Be present. Your horse will appreciate the attention and the barn owner will feel relief that you are watching out for your horse.

3/27/23 update. 212,000 views. 1400 shares. And I have gotten a few nasty comments. I cannot understand the nastiness . Bringing awareness is a good thing. If it doesnt apply to you , then move on. Every barn has boundaries. Apparently some people are mad that I wont do blankets...not sure why, as none of them board with me ! Boundaries are made out of clarity and self respect. Every barn , I hope , has rules and boundaries ! Best wishes to all . Horses are my first and longest love.

( This post was made to bring awareness. At least in my area, boarding barns are becoming fewer to non existent. If we want them to stay, we must change . I have seen mostly positivity come from this...i particularly loved the person who shared it and wrote " I go a bit the other way . I try to help in some way every day that I am at the barn "
I , of course, want all the horses in my care to have good, healthy lives too. I would like to think we all do. )

01/18/2024

Starting our search for a young adults next unicorn. Would like to be able to start at least in 2’6 hunters now and have potential to move into the 3’.

🦄 Under 16.3
🦄 Prefer a mare but not against a nice gelding
🦄 No TBs for this client

Located in Northeastern PA, looking in driving distance for now. Will be in Ocala the end of February and can try while we’re there too. Please pm if you have something!

12/23/2023

Christmas Lesson 😂🤣
Merry Christmas from everyone at Lonewood!

12/11/2023

Let us know if you plan to attend please!

09/05/2023

Hi everyone! We are trying to plan our year end awards banquet. Facebook no longer allows me to make a poll but we would like to get as many peoples opinions as possible. We have two options for locations..

1. Have the banquet in Bloomsburg the weekend of the next show (Nov. 25-26).

2. Have the banquet at the Beaumont School in Beaumont (near Dallas/Tunkhannock) another weekend not yet determined.

Please comment or private message us with your preferences!

09/05/2023

Another Colonial Classic horse show in the books! To say that I am proud of everyone is an understatement. I couldn’t be happier with my horses or riders for how well they did this year! So many great ribbons as well as great rides/experiences. Thank you everyone for making it yet another successful horse show!

08/14/2023

Hi everyone! I have had a lot of people reaching out to me for lessons and board. If you have reached out and I haven’t gotten back to you, I apologize but things have been crazy busy and won’t slow down until mid September. If you are still interested in board or lessons and haven’t heard back from me, please send the page a message after September 17th. That is when things slow down and I should be able to read/respond !
Thank you.

08/11/2023

Lonehill Colonial Qualifiers: Low Child/Adult Jumper: Windfield’s Black Velvet Antares Child/Adult Jumpers: Irish Pirate Prelim Jumpers: Bewitching Itty Bitty Jumpers: All Hands on Deck My Journey Tropical Cyclone 3.) Pippi Longstocking 3’ Adult Hunter Horse: Forever Coasting Irish P...

07/14/2023

Only a week late…
State College Series Horse Shows had its ups and downs for us this year but in the end, everyone was successful and had a blast as usual!
Congratulations to everyone on doing very well in some extremely competitive classes. I am so proud of all my horses and riders 💕

06/30/2023

Camden Bannan & Steel the Moment 💕

05/23/2023

Our favorite lesson pony, Lily McPhee crossed the rainbow bridge yesterday 💕 Lily, you were the sweetest, kindest, most humbling lesson pony I could’ve ever asked for. She taught so many little kids as well as adults in all different disciplines. I will surely miss your nickering and grunting every time someone walks by. It was 10+ years ago that I went to pick you up in a snow storm in the Adirondack because Aunt Jane had to have you. I hope you are up in heaven trail riding and keeping Aunt Jane company.

05/03/2023

Congratulations to Caroline Keifer and family Kristin Albertson Keifer on the purchase of Nifty. We can’t wait to see what the future holds for these two 🥰 special thank you to Ariel DuMond for helping us make this match so easily!

04/15/2023

The Lonewood Crew had a great day at the Two Bit Farm Spring Derby Day!
Thank you so much for a great show and we even beat the storms!

🦄 Devon Lewis Martin and Little Miss Coaster had great rounds in the x rails
🦄 Caroline Keifer and Midnight Masquerade 3rd in the warm up and had an unfortunate rail in the derby round of the 2’
🦄 Michele Kalinosky and Don Falco were 10th overall in the 2’ derby
🦄 Kristen Czwalina Forster and her new mount Badge of Honeur had a great learning day in the 2’6 for their first show together
🦄 Camden Bannan and Steel the Moment 4th in the 2’6 warmup
🦄 Avery Czapla and Versailles 6th in the warm up and 4th overall in the 2’6 derby
🦄 Cove Bear and Argo Z 2nd in the warmup and 5th in the 3’ derby
🦄 Maci Iddings and Alistair 1st in the warmup and 1st in the 3’ derby

04/11/2023

Show Season is fast approaching!! Mark your calendars and come on out!

03/21/2023

Another Congratulations goes to Caroline Sordoni on her new horse Castle..we can’t wait to see this lovely pair showing this upcoming season!

03/21/2023

Congratulations to Kristen Czwalina Forster on the purchase of her new horse Badger! He’s so lovely and we can’t wait to see what the future holds for you guys!

02/06/2023

Our clothing store is open! You can order up until next Monday the 13th 😊 some kids sizes available as well!

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01/16/2023

14 horses, 16 riders and some amazing family members made for a successful weekend at the Ridge Road horse show. There were lots of ribbons won and lots of lessons learned. Thanks everyone for a great weekend as usual!

11/24/2022

HAPPY THANKSGIVING 🍁🦃🍽
We are so thankful and blessed to have our wonderful clients/barn family 💕

10/27/2022

Does anyone have any ponies or small horses that they are looking to lease out or sell cheap? Just need them to be safe enough for a good riding kid.

10/25/2022

Epsom - 16.2 2009 Grey Dutch Warmblood gelding. Great ground manners and is kind. Very knowledgeable flat horse. Not for a beginner as he has a motor of his own. Looking for someone that enjoys to hack around and occasionally jump 2’6” or less. Needs to see jumps, he is not a confident packer and will stop. Has maintenance. Low 🖐🏻‘s. PM for more information. Videos in comments.

09/05/2022

After a long couple days, we are home from another successful Colonial Classic Finals. I couldn’t have asked for my clients and horses to be any better. You guys have put a lot of work into your horses and riding and it shows. Thank you so much to the horse show crew for making it such a well run, enjoyable horse show to attend. Your efforts do not go unnoticed.

07/11/2022

That’s a wrap for State College Series Horse Shows 2022! All of us had a blast while earning great ribbons and making lots of memories. Thank you so much to all of my clients for making the last two weeks enjoyable and for all of your help in making it a successful horse show.