Halfmoon Creek Farm, LLC

25/06/2025

Proud to support the State College Series Horse Shows!

A small introduction to our 2025 sponsors!! We thank you ALL for the continued support to help make this show the best it can be for all of our exhibitors! 🤩

21/06/2025

20/06/2025

16/06/2025

It’s that time of year again….graduation season.

Each year we see colleges & universities sending newly minted graduates off into the world in search of jobs & career opportunities….& then the posts begin.

“Looking for a position on a farm, I have a degree in XYZ, not looking to clean stalls.”

Sigh.
The horse industry is a funny one for a few reasons: the horses don’t care if you have a degree, the messes still have to be cleaned up, & the more important you become, the more hours you will have to work. Doesn’t seem fair, does it? You know the next part of that statement: life isn’t fair. If you want to own a business, there are a lot of steps between graduation & your final form as a farm owner. Then comes the dirty little secret….

If you’ve made the conscious decision to join the equine industry, there’s a good chance that you’ll end up with a pitchfork in your hand at some point. Nobody is too good to clean stalls, nobody is too educated to clean stalls.

I own the farm, I run the business, I breed & train horses. My degrees are still in the envelope that the University of Kentucky mailed them to me in…15 years ago. They’re not hanging on my wall…but these brand new DuraForks are!

So pick your favorite, & jump in, there’s plenty of work to be done. I call a turquoise one.

15/06/2025

Author is believed to be a William Steinkraus
Read , let it sink in, then read again :

“No. 1. Get your tack and equipment just right, and then forget about it and concentrate on the horse.

No. 2. The horse is bigger than you are, and it should carry you. The quieter you sit, the easier this will be for the horse.

No. 3. The horse's engine is in the rear. Thus, you must ride your horse from behind, and not focus on the forehand simply because you can see it.

No. 4. It takes two to pull. Don't pull. Push.

No. 5. For your horse to be keen but submissive, it must be calm, straight and forward.

No. 6. When the horse isn`t straight, the hollow side is the difficult side.

No. 7. The inside rein controls the bending, the outside rein controls the speed.

No. 8. Never rest your hands on the horse's mouth. You make a contract with it: "You carry your head and I'll carry my hands."

No. 10. Once you've used an aid, put it back.

No. 11. You can exaggerate every virtue into a defect.

No. 12. Always carry a stick, then you will seldom need it.

No. 13. If you`ve given something a fair trial, and it still doesn't work, try something else—even the opposite.

No. 14. Know when to start and when to stop. Know when to resist and when to reward.

No. 15. If you're going to have a fight, you pick the time and place.

No. 16. What you can't accomplish in an hour should usually be put off until tomorrow.

No. 17. You can think your way out of many problems faster than you can ride your way out of them.

No. 18. When the horse jumps, you go with it, not the other way around.

No. 19. Don`t let over-jumping or dull routine erode the horse's desire to jump cleanly. It's hard to jump clear rounds if the horse isn't trying.

No. 20. Never give up until the rail hits the ground.

No. 21. Young horses are like children—give them a lot of love, but don't let them get away with anything.

No. 22. In practice, do things as perfectly as you can; in competition, do what you have to do.

No. 23. Never fight the oats.

No. 24. The harder you work, the luckier you get."

Credit believed to be William Steinkraus

28/05/2025

This!!!!!

There’s a reason they call him Captain Canada. 🫡 🇨🇦

With a record-breaking 10 Olympic appearances and a lifetime at the top of the sport, Ian Millar of Team Millar has profoundly shaped modern show jumping — and on NF+, his timeless approach is broken down into two in-depth Masterclasses. Foundations of Success for All Equestrians and Body Control & Feel unpack the key principles that define great riding: balance, consistency, thoughtful repetition, and a deep understanding of the horse underneath you.

Across 26 lessons and over 5 hours of video content, you’ll learn how to sharpen your aids, build real body awareness, and develop the kind of feel that creates lasting progress from Ian himself. Whether you’re jumping 2’6” or the Grand Prix, his no-nonsense approach will change the way you think in the tack and beyond it.

Now streaming only on noellefloydplus.com!

25/05/2025

19/05/2025

What is the real risk to horse teeth and overall horse health from wearing a grazing muzzle? How does it compare to an at-risk (laminitic, obese, or metabolic) horse not wearing a grazing muzzle at all?

Most grazing muzzles don't have any negative effects on your horse's teeth. However, metal muzzles or slow feeders may cause damage in addition to excessive wear, chips, or fractures. There are also a few brands of grazing muzzles on the market made from a thick, hard plastic that can cause abnormal wear to the incisors. Many of the hard plastic grazing muzzles now offer softer inserts to minimize this type of damage.

The attrition that we appreciate to the incisors does have the potential to result in an exposed pulp, which could then result in pulpits or a tooth root infection. However, this is rarely the case. Generally, the teeth are able to repair themselves, by sealing off any exposed pulp, at a rate equal to or more rapid than the wearing process. This ultimately means that most of the cases that we see of abnormal wear to incisors from grazing muzzles is primarily cosmetic.

The risk of laminitis, on the other hand, is very real and the results can be catastrophic. Not wearing a grazing muzzle for even a few hours for a horse with EMS (equine metabolic syndrome) or PPID (Cushing's) can be problematic. Always follow your veterinarian's recommendations when managing your horse's metabolic issues, as these can and sometimes do have deadly complications.

If you have questions or concerns on if your equine should be wearing a grazing muzzle, contact your veterinarian.

Thank you to the Horse Owner Education Committee for providing this information.

18/05/2025

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17/05/2025

“If you trust your barn, stop nitpicking every little thing. You’ll drive yourself and everyone else nuts. And if you are concerned? Communicate! Give the staff a chance to explain or address anything that’s worrying you.”

By JAMIE SINDELL There was a time when I boarded my horse and got heated. I’m talking full-blown righteous fury over what I saw as egregious examples of poor care. Mistakes that made me seethe with rage. But now? I own my own farm. I’ve spent almost three years caring for my own horses. And […...