Dun-Pikin Farm

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Pasadena, MD
Dun-Pikin Farm

Riding Lessons, Pony Parties, Petting Animals, Horse Boarding Dun-Pikin Farm is a small family operated horse boarding and lesson barn in Pasadena, Maryland.

We offer beginner and intermediate riding lessons for children and adults. Horse training. Boarding. Pony Pal program. Pony parties. Pony rides. Stop by and see us some time (visit by appointment only.) We'll see you 'Down on the Farm!"

Dun-Pikin Farm is a Maryland Horse Industry Board Certified Horse Discovery Center.

01/17/2026

Move over horses, Tux is on the clock! 🐾 He’s currently performing a "quality control" taste test on the heated water in the gelding field. It passed the inspection, and he’s happy to report it’s 100% ice-free and delicious.

If you want to hang out with our very dedicated (and very pampered) barn cats, Come Ride With Us!

Cindy🐴

01/16/2026

Things were a bit nippy today and the phone camera never left my pocket, so when I looked to my phone for inspiration, I realized I’d have to turn back the clock a bit. This spider web caught my eye back in October and found its place in my gallery. If you spend any time outdoors—particularly on fall mornings—you’ll find spider webs where you’d least expect them. Actually, it’s more accurate to say the spider webs will find you!

Apparently, there are some scientific reasons for this. I did "Google" it, and feel free to git yerself an edjimication on the topic—it is pretty interesting! One of the reasons you see them more is that spiders and insects are more active with the changing seasons, and those cool nights leave the webs wet with dew, making them much more visible.

Well, that’s your "Ranger Rick" science moment for today. I didn’t see any webs or spiders today, and that’s just fine by me. I did manage to get some field smoothing done in advance of the deep freeze predicted for this coming week. I used the loader bucket to back-drag the mucky paddocks and then finished with the chain harrow for a final sprucing up. I got two of the three paddocks done, and hopefully, when we turn the horses out in the morning, the ground will be frozen solid and much easier for them to navigate. At least, that’s my theory!

Whether we are dodging morning webs or smoothing out the winter muck, there is always something to see and do out here. We’d love to share the view with you.

Come Ride With Us!

Cindy🐴

01/15/2026

This is Betsy. Betsy was the first pony we bought for lessons many years ago. It was very early on, probably 2002 or 2003. She was bought as our second lesson horse/pony. She was just the sweetest pony, but she did have her quirks. She was very stubborn. She preferred to stand still rather than move forward. She also had a nasty habit of grabbing grass while students were taking their lesson. Many a student, slid down her neck as if they were on a sliding board and ended up on the ground. Betsy happily munched on her mouthful of grass totally oblivious to why her rider was on the ground.

Picture here is Lauren riding Betsy in a show. Though it was many years ago and I really don’t remember, I would bet money that Lauren probably ended up falling off. Betsy had the habit of looking like she was going to jump, then suddenly putting on the brakes. More than one rider went over the jump without Betsy. It was never said out loud but many of us took bets on how many jumps she would actually jump before she decided enough was enough. All the riders knew how Betsy was when it came to jumping but few were discouraged. All who rode Betsy were true riders. What a victory it was if they made it around the whole course.

I know I make her sound terrible, but despite her quirks everyone loved Betsy. She did not have a mean bone in her body. She was just a great little lesson pony. It’s ponies like Betsy that make good riders. Even though Besty was just a medium size pony, Katie actually took lessons on her for a period of time after her horse Troy died. Her instructor convinced her every horse or in Betsy’s case pony had something to teach a rider. Though her legs almost touched the ground Katie put Betsy through her paces and vice versa for sure.

I’m not sure when or why we retired Betsy, but she was one of the first ponies we retired down to High Tide. She continued to be her same quirky self, down there. Taking charge of the herd and demanding attention from the humans. She loved treats and was not shy about “asking” for them. She lived happily there for several years, never losing her unique personality.

We’ve had so many special horses and ponies over the years. Betsy was certainly one of them. Years later we still have a barn full of horses ready to make a rider out of you. All you have to do is Come Ride With Us!

Cindy 🐴

01/14/2026

Horses are smart. It’s true some are smarter than others for sure, but in general horses are smart. It always amazes what they notice, how much they remember and how quickly they pick things up. Sometimes that’s a good thing, other times not so much. Recently Charlie and Buffy have proven to us how true this is.

It all started when we noticed Charley and Buffy would pick through the tractor bucket when we were out cleaning the donkey yard. This was a new behavior for them. As soon as we would bring the tractor in they would come running. The whole time we worked they would eat out of the bucket. Yuck! After all, it was filled with soiled hay and manure. What can I say, horses can be gross. Finally, it dawned on me before doing the donkey yard we always cleaned Tic Tok and Lillie’s stall. I remembered Tic always has a little forage left in his bucket. It’s never more than a couple of handfuls. It’s obvious though it’s been in his mouth, and chewed. It’s wet and gross so I always just empty it into the tractor bucket. When the stall is done, the next stop is the donkey yard.

Obviously, Charlie and Buffy realized the ‘already been chewed’ forage was there, and to put it mildly they were delighted. Every day we struggled to put things in the bucket because they were in the way. I finally decided if they were going to eat it anyway, Instead of dumping it into the tractor bucket I would put it in a feed pan and just give it to them. I thought it was pretty gross but since they were determined to eat it, why not. It made them happy and the expensive forage would not be wasted.

Well … we have created monsters. Remember it’s literally only a couple of handfuls of gross wet forage BUT you better not show up without it. As soon as they see the tractor they start calling, both of them, and I mean calling. Now they have us trained, if Tic hasn’t left any forage, we serve up a couple of handfuls anyway. They just won’t leave you alone now until the forage is served up. Buffy and Charley keep us in line.

Who knew such smart critters could have such gross taste in snacks? But that’s the joy of getting to know their individual quirks—even the messy ones. Every day is a reminder that there’s always something new to learn about our herd, and they’re always happy to teach us.

If you’re ready to learn a few things from our smart (and slightly gross) residents, grab your boots and join us.

Come Ride With Us!
Cindy 🐴

01/13/2026

Over the last 26 years I have pretty much done everything around the farm. I’ve fed, turned out, cleaned stalls, met the farrier and the vet. I’ve helped with camps, birthday parties and all kinds of programming. I’ve pretty much done it all EXCEPT anything that involves tools. Tools just are not my thing. There was a time early on when we were building the barn that I helped with fence building. I did finally manage to learn to drive a nail but since then I seem to have lost that skill too. I’m pretty much helpless when it comes to tools,

Today we needed a new hay round put out for the mares. Rick had an issue with his truck tire and was delayed. He promised he would be there as soon as he could, but the mares had eaten and were waiting to go back out. It’s much more difficult to get the hay out with them in the field so the horses were just going to have to wait. Hmmm … Rick usually takes the lead in putting the rounds out, but I am his “right hand”, so why not? I got on the tractor, took the bucket off, put the hay spike on, and uncovered the rounds. I easily grabbed a round. I was very happy with myself. I took it up the hill and put it on the ground.

The next step is to put a pair of vice grips onto the spike to stop the hay hut from sliding all the way down on the spike. I went to put the vise grips on the spike then realized I had no clue how to use them. It’s always my job to take them off but I never put them on. I was really stumped. I finally asked Layla if she had a clue. She said nope but being of her generation said, “I’ll grab my phone and goggle it.” Of course, Why didn’t I think of that? Never ever would I, but google it we did. Soon the vise grips were on. I was so excited. I was going to get this round out after all.

Out I went on the tractor. I grabbed the hut and lifted it up and moved it to make way for the new round. I was thrilled until I realized I now had the tractor stuck in the mud. It was just about then when Rick appeared. He was really nice. He wasn’t mad, he didn’t laugh at me, he just unstuck the tractor, brought the round out and put it down. In no time the round was out, the net cut off, and the hut was back over the new round.

Well, I almost got my first hay round out solo. It just wasn’t meant to be, I guess. On the bright side, I did learn how to use a pair of vice grips. I may not be a master of the vice grips or the mud just yet, but I’ll never stop trying to keep things moving for our girls. Whether we're googling tool tips or pulling tractors out of the muck, there’s never a dull moment here.

Come Ride With Us
Cindy🐴

01/12/2026

Sometimes, taking care of the horses isn't just about feeding, turnout, and monitoring their health. Sometimes, it involves a different kind of horse—horsepower!

Essential to our daily life at Dun-Pikin are the trucks, tractors, and equipment that face the same wear, tear, and aging as everything else on a farm. We actually specialize in caring for "seasoned" horses here, as many of our best equine partners fall into that senior category. As I look around, I realize our power equipment is exactly the same way. In a lot of ways, they need just as much TLC as the horses do.

Today was a "fix-it" day for one of our hardest-working four-wheeled partners: the John Deere 4002 loader. We depend on this machine for everything—moving mucked bedding to the manure pile, moving the big 5’ round hay bales, and managing the hay huts. It’s also the muscle we use to load up trucks for local gardeners who come for our "farm gold."

Unfortunately, years of moving manure and bedding are incredibly tough on metal. As you can see in the photo, our loader bucket had rusted through, leaving holes that made it pretty inefficient for scooping. (It’s hard to get the job done when you’re leaving a trail behind you!)

Just like our older horses, our beloved John Deere needs more than the occasional check-up. Rick called in a favor today to get that big hole in the side of the bucket welded shut. There are still a few smaller spots to address where the metal is getting thin, but Rick says he has a few ideas to get another year or two out of this bucket. I can only imagine what he’s dreaming up, but he always finds a way!

It seems there is always something old or broken that needs a farmer’s touch. I’ll keep taking care of the four-legged crew, and Rick will keep handling the four-wheeled team. We both work hard to keep the farm ship-shape so you can Come Ride With Us!

Cindy 🐴

01/11/2026

Today the weather here in Pasadena was kinda miserable. Rainy and cool with just enough breeze to make it unpleasant to have to be outside. I’m not complaining though. The rain held off long enough for me to get all my morning chores done. I also got all the manure picked up out of 2 fields. When the rain finally came as predicted I felt like I had earned a break. I went home wrapped up in a blanket, had a cup of tea and watched some mindless tv.

I realized I had another reason to appreciate today’s weather. Katie sent me some pictures that had come up on her Facebook memories. On this day last year there was snow on the ground. I’m not sure if it actually snowed on this day or not, but there was definitely snow. I’m not the biggest fan of snow. It just makes everything harder to do including just walking.

It really doesn’t matter if I like the weather or not. The horses expect me to be there. They expect their feed to be dumped, their hay to be put out, and their water to be filled up. They depend on not only me but all of our Dun-Pikin team to be there for them. I guess those of us that take care of horses are kinda like the post office. We kinda have a similar type of motto. Neither rain nor snow, nor heat or cold can keep us from getting to the barn to keep things running smoothly. Taking care of our horses is a labor of love that doesn’t take a day off, and we wouldn’t have it any other way. We’re hoping for some good riding weather soon, so bundle up and Come Ride With Us!
Cindy 🐴

01/10/2026

Today was dentist day at Dun-Pikin! Marley, Tammy, Lillie, Tic Tok, and Cash all had their teeth floated.

Floating is a routine dental procedure where the sharp points, hooks, and uneven edges are filed down. Because a horse's teeth grow continuously, floating helps create a smooth grinding surface for comfortable chewing. Typically, we do this annually. Signs that it’s time for a checkup include head tossing, bad breath, difficulty chewing, weight loss, or swelling on the jaw. Thankfully, all the work done today was just routine maintenance.

Tic Tok did lose a back molar during his float, which isn’t unusual for his age. It turns out he is already missing five other teeth! Poor guy—no wonder he has a hard time with his hay. The most amazing part was that he didn’t even seem to notice when the tooth came out.

The dentist was working so hard, in fact, that he gave Rick a bit of a scare! Rick backed the truck into the barn to unload a fresh shipment of feed and heard a strange scraping and rattling sound. He thought for sure something was wrong with the truck engine and let it run while he hopped out to investigate. Lo and behold, the "engine trouble" was just the sound of the dentist’s file and speculum echoing from the stall next door! We certainly had a good laugh over that.

Olive was on the schedule too, but she decided to be a bit uncooperative today. She’s been moved to the next visit when we can give her a little sedation to make things safer and less stressful for everyone. Kate, Charlie, and Buffy will join her then. I have to split the visits up because, just like everything else with horses, those dental bills add up quickly!

Going to the dentist is one of my least favorite things to do. Watching the dentist file and listening to the sound of the file going back and forth across the teeth … Well, let’s just say I’m glad it’s not me! I will say though that our equine dentist has a special knack for keeping the horses calm as he works. He constantly talks calmly to them and even sings to them sometimes.

Look for the smiling horses when you Come Ride With Us!

Cindy 🐴

01/09/2026

Throwback Thursday: The Sign That Started It All

They say a farm is built on hard work and dreams, but looking back at this old photo, I’m reminded that Dun-Pikin was also built on a very thick coat of paint!

This original black and white painted sign, which used to hang out on Mountain Road, was a true labor of love. Rick cut the board, and my dad—who never met a surface he couldn’t "spruce up" with his paintbrush—made sure it had the most solid base coat in Maryland history. My friend Debbie, who was there from the very beginning of this crazy dream, did the lettering by hand.

That sign saw us through the early days of "Stalls Available" and the start of our journey. While we eventually replaced it with our colorful new banner out front, the original is still hanging tough in the farmyard. Every time I see it, I think of the hands that made it and how far we’ve come in 25 years.

Eventually, our signs evolved along with the farm. Rick even created the new sign on our entrance gate to help everyone navigate the automatic opener. He made sure to put our favorite phrase right at the top in bold letters, so you know exactly what to do when you pull up to the gate.

The signs may change, but the heart of the farm stays the same. Whether you’re looking at the original wood sign in the yard or the instructions at the front gate, the message remains the same.

Just follow the signs and Come Ride With Us!

Cindy🐴

01/08/2026

I noticed them "napping" together this afternoon and this made me realize that sometimes, the best friendships are the ones you don't see coming.

Lily (on the left) and Tic Toc are our newest "field buddies," but their path to this peaceful moment wasn't exactly traditional. After we lost Dublin recently, Tic Toc was left feeling a bit lost and alone. We looked around the farm for a good match among the other geldings, but nobody quite fit the bill.

Then there was Lily. Lily is a bit of an independent spirit. For her own reasons, she always seemed to scorn the company of the other mares; while the rest of the herd was busy doing "mare things," Lily would just stand by the gate, looking like she’d much rather be in her stall.

Since Tic Toc needed a friend and Lily wasn't happy with her own herd, we decided to see if these two might click. Fortunately, there were no fireworks! They settled into a comfortable tolerance that has now blossomed into a genuine bond.

It just goes to show that everyone—even a "loner" mare—needs a partner to watch their back while they snooze in the sun. It’s wonderful to see them so content.

Whether you're looking for a quiet moment or a new adventure, we'd love to have you visit.

Come Ride With Us!

Cindy 🐴

01/07/2026

*** VOLUNTEER EQUINE TRAINING OPPORTUNITY UPDATE***
Interest was high for our volunteer training opportunity and we've temporarily paused the recruiting. Those who have expressed an interest will be contacted. Stand by for future updates.

Come Ride With Us!

01/07/2026

This is Shine. He’s our worrier here at Dun-Pikin. Shine is a horse that knows the routine, and more importantly, he loves his routine. He notices immediately when something changes, like when a horse is taken out of their stall outside of turnout time. He’ll usually call out to them, seemingly expressing his concern. Shine is the one horse at Dun-Pikin who is always watching.

Poor Shine—this afternoon was tough on him. I decided I wanted to drag the fields, so I dumped feed and brought Shine and Marley in first. It was only about 10 minutes earlier than usual, and at first, Shine seemed happy enough. After all, dinner was waiting and his buddy was right across the aisle. However, because I left the rest of the herd out while I started on the tractor, Shine wasn't happy. He was looking for the girls. Once Layla and Stella finally brought the rest of the horses in, you could see Shine relax immediately.

But it didn’t last long!

Because Shine and Marley finished eating first, they were put back out while the others stayed in. Shine was distraught. Where were the girls? He kept looking and looking. He started pacing and calling, never even stopping for a mouthful of hay. He didn't settle until he saw Olive being brought out, followed by the rest of the mares. Life was good again... until Layla took Marley out to hose his legs off.

Shine became anxious all over again. You might think he’d be fine since the spigot is right on the other side of the fence—Shine could literally touch him—but the issue was that Marley was on the "wrong" side of the fence! Things escalated when Marley went up to the barn for a lesson. Even though Shine could see everyone, there had just been too many changes to his routine today.

I guess we all thrive on a bit of routine. I know I do, though I think I handle change just a little bit better than Shine! We’d love for you to become a part of our daily routine here at the farm.

Come Ride With Us!

Cindy🐴

Address

4808 Mountain Road
Pasadena, MD
21122

Website

http://www.dun-pikin.com/, https://www.rickholt.net/discover/

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Our Story

Dun-Pikin Farm is a small family operated horse boarding and lesson barn in Pasadena, Maryland. We offer beginner and intermediate riding lessons for children and adults. Horse training. Boarding. Pony Pal program. Pony parties. Pony rides. Stop by and see us some time (visit by appointment only.) We'll see you 'Down on the Farm!" Dun-Pikin Farm is a Maryland Horse Industry Board Certified Horse Discovery Center.

01/17/2026

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01/14/2026

01/13/2026

01/12/2026

01/11/2026

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01/07/2026

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