Fast First Farm

10/10/2024

07/28/2024

Can't wait to swim with my boy! No swimming during chemo. :(

07/08/2024

On point.

07/04/2024

Please be considerate of the animals!!

07/02/2024

On the money!

Things your riding instructor wants you to know:
1. This sport is hard. You don't get to bypass the hard…..every good rider has gone through it. You make progress, then you don't, and then you make progress again. Your riding instructor can coach you through it, but they cannot make it easy.

2. You're going to ride horses you don't want to ride. If you're teachable, you will learn from every horse you ride. Each horse in the barn can teach you if you let them. IF YOU LET THEM. Which leads me to…

3. You MUST be teachable to succeed in this sport. You must be teachable to succeed at anything, but that is another conversation. Being teachable often means going back to basics time and time and time again. If you find basics boring, then your not looking at them as an opportunity to learn. Which brings me to…..

4. This sport is a COMMITMENT. Read that, then read it again. Every sport is a commitment, but in this sport your teammate weighs 1200 lbs and speaks a different language. Good riders don't get good by riding every once in awhile….they improve because they make riding a priority and give themsevles opportunity to practice.

5. EVERY RIDE IS AN OPPORTUNITY. Even the walk ones. Even the hard ones. Every. Single. Ride. Remember when you just wished someone would lead you around on a horse? Find the happiness in just being able to RIDE. If you make every ride about what your AREN'T doing, you take the fun out of the experience for yourself, your horse, and your instructor. Just enjoy the process. Which brings me to...

6. Riding should be fun. It is work. and work isn't always fun.....but if you (or your rider) are consistently choosing other activities or find yourself not looking forward to lessons, it's time to take a break. The horses already know you don't want to be here, and you set yourself up for failure if you are already dreading the lesson before you get here.

7. You'll learn more about horses from the ground than you ever will while riding. That's why ground lessons are important, too. If you're skipping ground lessons (or the part of your lesson that takes place on the ground), you're missing out on the most important parts of the lesson. You spend far more time on the ground with horses than you do in the saddle.

8. Ask questions and communicate. If you're wondering why your coach is having you ride a particular horse or do an exercise, ask them. Then listen to their answer and refer to #3 above.

9. We are human beings. We make decisions (some of them life and death ones) every day. We balance learning for students with workloads for horses and carry the bulk of this business on our shoulders. A little courtesy goes a long way.

Of all the sports your child will try through their school years, riding is one of 3 that they may continue regularly as adults (golf and skiing are the others). People who coach riding spend the better part of their free time and much of their disposable income trying to improve their own riding and caring for the horses who help teach your child. They love this sport and teaching others…..but they all have their limits. Not all good riders are good coaches, but all good coaches will tell you that the process to get good is not an easy one.

📝 Kimberley Reynolds

📸 Max & Maxwell: Equestrian Photography

06/13/2024

I would appreciate any support. I am a single barn owner and times will be tough for me for a while.

05/30/2024

LINK TO REGISTER:https://portofinoequestrian.com/events/jumper-show/
SCHOOLING JUMPER HORSE SHOW: June 8th

Great opportunity to get off property and practice jumping at our beautiful facility. Come join us for the day!

Pre-Registration is encouraged. Pre-Registration will open Wednesday, May 29th and can be accessed by clicking the link below.

https://portofinoequestrian.com/events-clinics-shows/

Classes ($20/class) or $60 for each division

a. Open Warm Up to start at 7:30AM

Covered Arena: 9AM Start

1. Beginner poles - Optimum Time
2. Beginner poles - Optimum Time course
3. Beginner poles - Power Speed

Outdoor Ring #4 - 9AM Start

4. Starter Cross rails 18” II 2 b (Jump-off)
5. Starter Cross rails 18” II 2 c (Power Speed)
6. Starter Cross rails 18” Optimum Time

7. Low Jumper 2’ II 2 b (Jump-off)
8. Low Jumper 2’ II 2 c (Power Speed)
9. Low Jumper 2’ Optimum Time

20 min break for 2’3” and above schooling.
Schooling Jumpers will not begin before 11am.

10. Schooling Jumper 2’3” II 2 b (Jump-off)
11. Schooling Jumper 2’3” II 2 c (Power Speed)
12. Schooling Jumper 2’3” Optimum Time

13. Training Jumper 2’6” II 2 b (Jump-off)
14. Training Jumper 2’6” II 2 c (Power Speed)
15. Training Jumper 2’6”’ Optimum Time

16. Performance Jumper 2’9”+ II 2 b (Jump-off) -
name your height
17. Performance Jumper 2’9”+ II 2 c (Power
Speed) - name your height
18. Performance Jumper 2’9”+ Optimum Time -
name your height

Please see our webpage for a complete list of rules and division descriptions:

https://portofinoequestrian.com/events-clinics-shows/

To reserve a grassy paddock for the day, please call the barn office at 919-359-9090.

We look forward to seeing you on June 8th!