Hemlock Hill Farm

05/14/2024

Such a fun week to kick off summer show season!🌞💕 Can’t wait till we get back to Saratoga in a couple of weeks🦄🦄
❤️Rosie and Dante had a great week with many first place ribbons and had a great derby round
😍Brookie made her show debut on Dante ending up champion in the 2’3 hunters/eq
💖Nina and her new partner Jonas made their show debut and got reserve champion in the low children’s.
💜Maya and Finny had an amazing weeking ending 3rd in the non-pro derby
💎Lucy and Neo had a great show debut together in the .80/.85
🦋Jess and Hobbs had a great time in the hunter/Eq rings
😎Barnaby had continued success in the 3’greens
🥳Katie and Iresco were clean in the 1.30 ready to step into the 1.40

03/09/2024

02/06/2024

VET 3 couldn’t have been better🤩
Ivy got 6th in the National derby🦄
Ninja flew to 8th in the grandprix and 9th in the welcome stake🔥
Sebastian raced to 6th in the 1.25 prix and 11th in the Welcome stake🤩
Barnaby had continued success in the 3’ greens🥰
Zeus had top placings in the 3’3 greens and moved up to the adult Eq with Keely🥳
Katie played on Ivy in the adult Eq and then took Iresco in the welcome for 10th💥
Lola and Nina had great rounds in the 2’6 hunters💕
Zazu and Callie were spotted by the paparazzi on their unicorn walks🦄💕🤩
Can’t wait to see what we bring for VET 4

01/24/2024

Kicking off the winter circuit with a bang😍
Can’t wait to see what everyone brings for week two🦄🎉

12/09/2023

Settling in and looking forward to Venice🦄

11/08/2023

🦄🩷CoCo🩷🦄
Super sweet large pony for in barn full or half lease. Very flashy and easy going. Great opportunity for a kid or adult to ride a fancy pony in a good program.
PM for more info

11/01/2023

What a fun Halloween! So fun seeing everyone and their horses dress up🧡🖤🧟‍♀️🧛🕸️

10/23/2023

So proud of these riders this year at New Englands!
kicked off the week with Dancano in the older young adults with great rounds🦄
Izzy did great at her first New Englands with Zoo! So proud of this duo🥰diarys was 8th🎉 in Katie Battison horsemenship out of over 100 riders😍. She also had great rounds throughout the week👏
Such a great show to end off the season. Can’t wait for Flordia✨

09/19/2023

Such a fun week at Saugerties! Everyone rode so well in very competitive classes!🦄🥳

08/17/2023

What a great way to end the summer! So proud of how everyone rode this week🦄

Sebastian won the 1.20 and moved up to the 1.35. He competed in the welcome stake with one rail to end him in 9th🦀🤩
Ninja was 4th in the welcome and competed in the 25k hits prix and the 40k grand prix
Nina and Lola were unstoppable this week taking home champion and reserve champion in there divisions and 6th in the 2’ derby with the high score in the first round💕🦄
Dante and Caroline were in first getting reservation champion in the 3’6 A0’s! They also placed 8th in the National derby😍
Zeus won the New England with Katie and had great rounds in the 2’6 with Keely getting 11th in the 2’6 derby🦄
Zoo and Izzy got 12th in the National derby and 3rd in the children’s hunter classic🎉🤩
Leo placed in the 2’6 derby😍
Fluffy was 2nd with Sophia in a flat class and had some really cute jumps💕
Louie and Annie were reserve in the mini medals🦄
Iresco was champion in the 1.20 with Katie💁‍♀️💎
Barnaby had top placings in the USHJA and baby greens🥰😍
Can’t wait to kick off the fall with everyone at Saugerties🦄🏆

hhf

08/09/2023

such a good first week to kick off VSF! Everyone was on fire🔥
Ninja got 11th in the 10k prix🎉 and put in a solid round in the 40k Grand Prix🐢
Sebastian jumped clean in both 1.20🦀🐟
Louie and Annie got reserve championship in the mini medals, winning the mini Maclay🦄
Lola and Nina were amazing! They were champion in the 2’ Eq and were reserve champions in the 2’hunters😍🎉
Zeus played around with many riders, placing well in the children’s hunters with Rosie, and had a great round in the 2’6 derby with keely!🎊🤩
Dante and Caroline placed well in the AO 3’6 and had a great derby round😍🦥
Iresco had speedy rounds in the 1.20 with Katie💁‍♀️
Leo and Rosie were champion in the Bromley hunters and reserve champions in the 2’6 mod Childrens hunter😊🎊
Zoo and Sophia moved up to the 2’6 and got 8th in the bit o straw 2’6 derby🤩
Fluffy was great for his first show, getting second in his flat class😍
Zazu pranced around the show like the king he is😍😍
George made his show debut with HHF. Placing 4th in the .90s🎉☺️
Chester and Lucy got second in the mod children’s hunter☺️🦄
Can’t wait to see everyone for week 6🦄

07/25/2023

It was with heavy hearts we said our final goodbyes to Mystic on Sunday. Mystic had a long happy life, she wore many hats in her lifetime and has been a favorite in our lesson program for several years now. Lesson horses share a special place in so many hearts and are irreplaceable, hug your ponies a little tighter 💔

07/13/2023

✨Hunter/EQ highlights of the week✨

Caroline and Dante didn’t skip a beat this week and had amazing ribbons in the 3’6 AO’s😍 They also rocked the derby ring🦄

Annie and Louie were amazing this week moving up to the 3’6 jr hunters and placing 5th in the jr hunter classic✨🤩

Nina and Lola were better than ever✨ Taking on their first derby and placing 2nd and 3rd in some big classes😍

Barnaby was great this week! He placed in all his babygreens and did his first division with a nonpro. Mary also had a great time in the flat classes☺️🦄

Zeus was amazing this week! Walking into his first medal class with Sloane and had great ribbons with Keely in the 2’9🦄✨

Leo and Rosie was great winning one of the Vermont children’s hunter rounds🤩🔥

Brûlée land Grace were on fire for their first A show together! They had great rounds ribboning in almost every class✨🦄

Zoo was so cute with Sophia in the 2’ USHJA, Zoo then stepped up to do the mini medals with Izzy, getting second in the mini hits🤩🦄

Lastly Pretty Boy Zazu was fabulous all week for his unicorn walk with Callie☺️❤️

Can’t wait for next VSF in August☺️🦄

07/12/2023

What an amazing week for all our horses at VSF🔥
✨jumper highlights of the week✨
Ninja was on fire this week🔥 He started his week off with the $5000 1.40 welcome and ended his week off with the $40000 1.40/1.45 grandprix. He also 3rd in the 1.30🔥🤩

Sebastian didn’t disappoint with a champion in the 1.30 division💥 Can’t wait to do it again🦄

Hobbs and Jess had a great week moving up to the 1m❤️‍🔥 They were on fire getting 3rd in the $1000 jumper derby😍✨

Iresco came ready for action✨ and they moved up to the medium jr/am🔥

Can’t wait for these horse to get back in the ring in Augest🔥🤩

06/21/2023

What an amazing 2 weeks at Saratoga! So proud of how everyone rode!🦄

✨Pre-show Highlights✨
Sebastian was 2nd in the 1.25 classic and 2nd in the $500 1.25/1.30 open jumper🔥🦀

Ninja felt great getting 8th in the 1.25 classic and 3rd in the $500 1.25/1.30 open jumper🥷🐢🤩

Dante and Caroline continued to own the AO’s and the derby ring! Having great ribbons 3’6 AO’s and 6th in the Jr/AO classic🦥🤩

Lola and Nina looked amazing this week! They were reserve champion in the maiden Eq and moved up to the 2’3🦄👑

Mary got back into the show ring for the first time this year with her new partner Barnaby! They did amazing getting 2nd in one of their flat classes🤩🎊

Zeus moved up to the 3’ greens and did his first National derby! He had great rounds getting good ribbons in the greens. He also took on the non-pro derby with Keely placing 4th!🦄✨

Zazu was champion in the WTC poles with Sophia and Callie had many unicorn walks around the show🦄🦄✨✨🎊🎊🎊

✨Saratoga Classic Week 1 highlights✨

Sebastian was amazing again and moved up to the 1.30🤩

Iresco and Katie placed in the low jr/am classes👑✨

Zeus and Sloane had great rounds placing 12th in the children’s hunter classic🦄✨

Barnaby moved up to 2’9 and was reserve champion in the local hunter!😍🔥

Chester and Lucy did amazing! They were reserve champion in the Southbound hunters and placed 8th in the non-pro derby✨🤩

Can’t wait for everyone to shine again at VSF✨

06/08/2023

Happy 2nd Birthday Luci!

Thanks for taking such good care of this special boy 🥰😈🦄

05/23/2023

What a great way to kick off the show season! So proud of how everyone did this week!
✨Highlights of the week✨
Sebastian felt amazing, winning the 1.20 and the Grandprix! So excited for the future for this young horse!🏆🥳🦀
Ninja was on 🔥 this week! Getting 2nd in the 1.20, 5th in the welcome, and 8th in the grandprix! Going all clean all week, can’t wait for the rest of the season🔥🐢
Caroline and Dante were owning the hunter and derby ring perusal ✨ Getting 6th in the open 3’derby and ribboned in every round of the A/O’s!🦄🤩
Lola and Nina looked beautiful during their first show together! Nina and Lola ribboned in the Eq! Lola was champion in the special hunter, getting 2nd in the hack out of 35! So excited to see this pair grow this season!😍🦄✨
Zeus made his US show debut ribboning in the baby greens, placing 3rd in the open 2’9 derby out of 27, and also taking Keely around her first derby! Can’t wait to see what a horse he becomes this season✨🦄
Barnaby was fantastic all week in the babygreens! So excited for this horse’s future✨🤩
Hobbs and Jess looked great all week! They were on fire in the jumper ring taking home 10th in the $1000 .90 jumper classic! They also stepped into the the Eq ring and did not disappoint!🔥🤩

Last but not least Zazu! Callie and Zazu were all the talk at the show this week, ready to take on leadline🦄🥰🤩

Can’t wait for Saratoga✨😊

04/13/2023

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.

*thank you to whoever wrote this! Not my words, but certainly a shared sentiment!

03/29/2023

What a way to end the winter circuit!
All the horses did amazing the past 2 weeks at WEC!
Caroline and Dante moved up the 3’6 AO had had some beautiful rounds earning ribbons in large classes
Katie and Iresco had fun in the stadium doing 1.20
Casey and Lino had great rounds placing in the 1.0+ 1.10
Sebastian made his US show debut with flawless rounds in the 1.15 and 1.20 rings
Ninja felt great and took on the Futures Prix both weeks

Can’t wait to get back to Vermont and tackle the summer show season!

03/16/2023

The last two weeks of Venice were amazing:

Ninja and Alice places 6th in the welcome stake

Caroline and Dante got an 87 in the first round of the 10,000 Derby

Katie and Iresco jumped around the high Jr/Am ring beautifully

Louie and Annie walked right into the 3'3 large juniors and took on the night Derby week 7

Lino went clear in the 1.20 Level 2 classic ending 4th

Slaone stepped into the jumper ring for the first time on Zuma, placing 5th .95 mini prix and 3rd Coquina classic

03/03/2023

Venice Equestrian Tour recap:
Week IV - VI

Ninja and Alice - have been continuing to do the grand prix and welcome stake

Dante and Caroline - placed 3rd in the National Derby week VI

Lino - stepped into the 1.25 prix pinning 9th

Iresco and Katie - took on the high child/adult jumpers together

Meme and Nina - were amazing in the pony ring together

Louie - received champion in the 2’6 with his leaser

Kocu - placed 2nd in both his 2’6 classes

Can’t wait to see Pete the pony enter the show ring

Eldo is the barn spokesperson saying hello to everyone

Swipe to the end and comment if you know who it is…

02/26/2023

Congratulations Caroline on some fantastic riding this week in the $5,000 National Derby, you’ve been working hard this winter and totally earned it

Thank you for this special horse we love him

02/22/2023

Just like that 12 years have gone by! Couldn’t do any of it without the great team behind me! ❤️ 💜 ♥️ Bring on year 13!

#2011

Additionally it’s been 6 magical winters of HHF South, and the biggest thank you to Rachelle Dykema the most amazing manager of HHF North making sure everything runs smoothly back home.

02/06/2023

Venice Equestrian Tour recap:

Ninja and Alice - started off the show with the Welcome stake and ended Week III with the Grand Prix

Dante and Caroline - pinned 4th in AO/Jr classic and took on the Night Derby Week I and III

Lino - won the mini prix Week I, Casey got third in the Back to the Beach and moved Lino up to the 1.10

Buddy and Casey - scored an 87 in the night derby making it to the second round

Louie - had a great first week with Lucy showing in the 2'6 and Alice got champion in the seahorse 3'

Iresco, Pete and Kocu are looking forward to getting into the show ring

Eldo is enjoying walking around the show and frequently being caught in action by the paparazzi (aka the show photographers)