Covenant Stables

07/12/2022

So excited to host (and ride with) this talented trainer!!!!!

Cyril has been working on his book this month as well as putting finishing touches on this year's Palm Equestrian Academy European Journeys and 2023 itineraries. That doesn't mean he's not ready for August's ! Check out the dates and locations and contact Marie-Frances for further details including registration.

Summer's Farm Dressage Principles Clinic August 2-3 Caledonia, MI
This Old Horse, Inc. Claddagh Farm August 5-6 New Richmond, WI
Covenant Stables August 10-11 Osceola, WI
Pine Ridge Equestrian Center, LLC August 14-16 Eagle River, WI
Hippophile Farm on Madeline Island August 18-19 LaPointe, WI

07/12/2022

I know it’s really the food but the morning nickers and excitement to see me each morning are a great way to start the day! 🐴

07/03/2022

BEND EQUALS MENTAL GUIDANCE. Until you have your horse bending in the direction of travel, everything you ask is going to be pretty much a surprise to him.

Why do we ‘bend’ the horse? The usual physical reasons are to allow the horse to work in balance… To equally load all four legs of the horse’s body within each direction change, meaning fewer ‘worn out’ parts… To allow a horse to see where he is going…

To bend him is to keep a horse from leaning… To equally develop both sides of the horse… To establish leadership by teaching the horse to ‘wait’ for the turn… To increase his ability to stay on his feet in all sorts of athletic endeavours... To allow for better, more precise turns and approaches to jumps… To show that where there is flexibility, there is no tension.

Asking our horses to bend should never be difficult. If the rider simply remembers that the hand on the "inside" of the bend, whether it’s a natural or counter arc, is the one carried slightly higher than the "outside" hand, the horse or pony will keep his corresponding shoulder up and will position himself correctly.

This is not easy, or natural, for most of us!

While we can clearly understand that we will ride towards where we are looking, human nature has us collapsing the entire upper body to the inside of a curve. We’ll lean in, which has most riders raising the outside rein, instead. The inside hand drops, allowing the horse to fall in on his turns and circles, aka ‘dropping his shoulder’.

A correct bend requires us to bend our elbows!

I like my horses to bend around the inside leg without me using anything but a softly pulsing energy at the girth. If keeping the correct bend—that is, just seeing the lashes on the inside eye—is hard work, the rider is usually not maintaining the inside hand's position. The outside rein is used with feeling, simply encouraging the horse to stay round and soft.

Keep it light; keep it simple.

Here, young Lauren supports Henry on the correct bend, as they half-pass right in trot, while riding western and using only one hand (with romal reins). The horse shows his relaxation through the poll by keeping his ears and eyes level, all with a lovely step-over mirroring his front-end effort from behind.

It’s not quite so easy as these two make it look!

06/30/2022

Just a girl and a horse playing follow the leader!!!!!! Credit to Carolyn and Pistol!

06/27/2022

Suzie Kiesow showing us how it’s done on Mr Dunkin at the Dawnn Taylor Ranch Clinic this weekend! They made such a great team this weekend!

06/27/2022

All we have to say is Dawnn Taylor completely rocks!!!!!! What an awesome Ranch Clinic we had at Covenant Stables …. Such a great clinician and the absolute best group of riders!!!! So excited for Dawnn to come back in the fall. Still a few spots available but filling fast!

06/07/2022

We still have just two spots left for our Introduction to Ranch Horse Versatility Clinic!!! Contact Kathleen for more information.

05/26/2022

How cool is this!!!

https://fb.watch/dfB0_Ujv5F/?fs=e&s=cl

05/26/2022

Yup…. Most days

🤣🤣🤣
Credit: Tom Cox

05/07/2022

Unfortunately we are going to have to postpone our jumping clinic. Our clinician is sick… stay tuned for our reschedule date

05/05/2022

Looking for a new barn…..visit covenantstables.com/sales

05/05/2022

JE Earthmovers has done all of Covenant Stables site prep, drainage regrading and earthwork from the very beginning… so highly recommend!

Spring is finally starting to show up! Are you in need of a shed pad, driveway re-graded, trees removed, landscape updated? Call JE-EARTHMOVERS (715) 492-0024 for a quote today!

05/04/2022

Private Full Time Turnout Available!!!

05/04/2022

05/03/2022

For those of you looking to buy a horse…. And those of us selling!

“The horse market will never be the same. Welcome to the new normal. It has become a luxury again to be a horse owner. The great ones are going above $40k. One in MT brought $100k. A Gypsy Vanner brought $500k last week. The average cost of a decent and safe family horse that is well broke, nice looking, not lame and not old is over $10k now. If you want a cheap horse you have to be ok with green or old or some lameness. If you are waiting for the market to come down I personally do not think it will. We are in new territory. The audience that can be reached now for horse sales has no limit due to the world wide web. Horse auctions that use to only have buyers sitting in the seats in front of them now go live online and have bidders from all over the US and beyond. When you view one of these sales you will hear the auctioneer say "sold online!" Over and over and over. You may think that an auction in Montana or Texas has nothing to do with local private sale prices but it absolutely does. The internet has also made it possible for Private sellers to have a wider audience. We went from hanging up a "horse for sale" sign on telephone poles to online horse groups with thousands of members in such a short time. Now shoppers are willing to travel and some willing to buy and have the horse shipped just from viewing videos. Buying the horse is only the start. Everything else about horse ownership has gone up. Gas prices effect every bale of hay, bag of grain, dewormer and suppliment. Now we cannot even get our own penicillin. Equine Vet prices are triple what is charged for dogs or cats. I don't sell very many horses anymore because people are still expecting to get a great one for $3500. I cannot even get one for that price right now but IF I DID then I would need to tune up, vet up, feed up, haul around and experience up, farrier up, dental up, pay teen riders to test and test and test up to make sure it's safe for anyone AND then be able to price it so that I am covering all those expenses and still have good profit. Most people who enjoy improving a horse even if it's just to resale have invested their heart too. How can you not love them after all that time spent but you still have to come out ahead financially. The horse is only part of it. Sellers have to deal with hundreds of people. The just curious, just looking, just want a thousand questions answered on text and then ghost you without even a thank you, the not in my price range even though I knew the price before coming, the rode your horse for two hours then say I don't have all the money, the bring my trainer and my 3 friends and all of them ride your horse for 3 hours and then say we have 10 more to look at before deciding, the people who say they can ride then do not know how to get on, the know it all with attitude, the rude, the lonely who just like to test ride all over the state and talk for hours,, the loose kids running all around your property, the ones you coach and give free lessons to for hours and then say they do not plan to buy until next month, the can I make payments?, and the ones who just do not show up after you have bathed, groomed and braided the horse. And in my case I do it ALL with a smile and kind words because I like people. If you encounter a less patient seller keep all this in mind. They go through a lot 😅😅 The moral of this story is save up and increase your budget before shopping but still ...you only live once! Buy the horse!”

Written by Donna Gardner-Hale

04/25/2022

We still have just a few spots open for this great opportunity! Both private and group lesson available! Contact Kathleen at (715) 808-1006 if interested.

04/15/2022

Friday Funny! Hats off to a great weekend.

04/13/2022

Due to the weather making back yard mussy and frost that still needs to come out of ground we are not allowing horses to ride from or to our facility at this time Sorry but we mow the area and it’s all ready rutted up from earlier riding. Also once riding begins there will be a charge to park trailers in back this year. Thank you and we look forward seeing you all soon.

04/12/2022

Little tattle tail spilled the beans. Thank you to Kathleen Hite Covenant Stables. We appreciate it.

04/11/2022

Thank you to everyone who participated in our open house raffle last Saturday! Due to everyone’s generosity we are able to donate $400 to Quarter Moon Acres Therapy Riding Program

04/11/2022

This is along the lines of what Jackie Ross shared with us during her talk at the Open House last Saturday…. So important!!! Worth the read

How aware are you when you touch your horse?

You don't just touch with your hands (physically). Most often, the intention/energy behind your touch is more important.

Have you noticed that your horse will often respond to your presence, your energy, your movement? Maybe they change their posture, their facial expression, or even move their body/feet. In this way, we "touch" our horse with our energy and intention... whether we like it (or mean it) or not, before we are even close enough to physically touch them.

When you physically touch your horse... are you aware of that energetic/intentional presence in your touch? Or are you just "blindly" touching your horse.

When you are at a distance that is too far for physical touch, are you aware of your energy and intention in that interaction?

One thing we can be certain of: there is no such thing as "no energy" when we touch or interact with our horse (or anything else, for that matter). But there is often "unintentional energy" in our interactions if we aren't aware of our intention or energy.

(Sometimes, some horses learn to completely ignore this if they spend enough time around humans that are unaware or rude with their energy, while some others may even get offended/defensive... and these learned compensations bring on entirely new challenges).

Much like a meditation, each time we are around our horses, we should start every interaction with setting our energetic intention. Even if that intention is just "to be" with our horse. Be intentional with everything we do. Because it will always affect our horses... whether we are aware or not.

Veritas Saddles * Flexible Fit Equestrian USA. * Bemer Group USA * Pilates & Horses

04/10/2022

Wow…What a day!!! First off I want to give a shout out to some of the people and businesses that donated to our Raffle.. Stillwater Equine Veterinary Services and Dr. Jon Engstrom, Danielle Koeppen, Center Stage Dog Grooming and Allison Stage, JLR Photography and Jennifer Raddatz, Gentle Touch Equine and Aly Cress, Northern Lights Chiropractic and Brian Gray, and Center Stage Shoeing and Ben Stage. It was an amazing Day.

Drumroll Please. We had some really great raffle prizes donated and we would love to announce the winners. You will all be contacted individually.

Full Equine photography Session - Ashley Anderson
Equine Beamer PEMF treatment - Patti Anderson
Covenant Stables Swag Bag - Gail Fox
Covenant Stables Haul in Card - Shannon Schact
Grooming Tote Bucket - Karen Johnson
Flag Work Lesson with Aly Cress - Natalie Anderson and Carolyn Crum
Northern Lights Coupon for 50% off Chiropractic Sesson - Colleen Morgan and Gail Fox
Center Stage Dog Grooming $50.00 Gift Certificate - Mary Sandberg
Center Stage Shoeing - $50.00 Gift Certificate - Kristy Warndahl
50% off Aaron Wilson Clinic* - Val Sevelin
Equine First Aid Kit - Diane Morel

04/09/2022

Hope you can join us for any or part of this beautiful day!!!! Raffle tickets are $5 ea or 6 for $20! Chiropractor Brian gray will be presenting at 10! Jackie Ross and quarter moon acres will be at 11am. Danielle Koeppen will be doing her demonstration of PEMF Therapy at noon, with dr. Jon Engstrom at 1pm and body condition scoring and nutrition at 2pm

04/08/2022

We are so looking forward to seeing all of you tomorrow. The weather looks perfect! So many great raffle prizes have been donated! Gift Certificates for Equine Chiropractic, Farrier, Dog Grooming, and Equestrian Photgraphic Session, as well as Covenant Stables Swag, an Equine First Aid Kit, Grooming Tote, and a 5 punch Haul in Card for Covenant Stables. There may even be a few surprises in store. This is a completely free educational event. A Donation will go to Quarter Moon Acres Therapy Riding Program from the raffle. You do not need to be present to win! Raffle drawings will be between 1:45-2:15 pm. Free Cookies and (of course) coffee. fb://event/?id=1027558521523045

To allow the bond between a horse and human to become a covenant relationship!

04/08/2022

A great opportunity to learn how to help remove braces from your horse as we work with them on the ground and in the saddle…. This clinic is for those just starting a young horse and those that want to understand how better to communicate and work with an older equine partner. https://fb.me/e/347tMHyp9

04/06/2022

ANOTHER AMAZING RAFFLE prize just added!
Jennifer Radaatz of JLR portrait studio is donating a full equestrian photography session for you and your horse!!! (A $350 value). You do not need to be present to win but why would you want to miss all the fun? https://www.jlrportraitstudio.com/

https://www.facebook.com/825605977545195/posts/4646237328815355/

Turtle Lake's Premier Portrait Photographer offering a full service studio or on-location experience. "You'll get much more than a bunch of photos on a flash drive. Jennifer offers prints, books, and creates real Art of the photos she takes. And, best part, we only bought what we loved, and we get t...

04/06/2022

Don’t forget to join us for a great day!!!! Weather looks perfect. We have some additional raffle prizes donated too. Center stage Dog grooming is offering a gift certificate for a free groom! And farrier Ben stage has donated a gift certificate for a free trim! Raffle tickets are 6 for $20 or $5 each…. A Donation will go to Quarter Moon Acres Therapy Riding Program.

04/06/2022

We are so excited to host NRHA judge and Professional Horseman Dawnn Taylor for this two day clinic….for those who want to learn what Ranch Horse versatility is all about or those who just want help reaching their goals! https://fb.me/e/1rDHizDM3