Willow Creek Horsemanship Center

Attention Pony Camp Volunteers!
Volunteer orientation is this Saturday, June 26th at 1:00 p.m. Please let us know if you are able to make it! We are looking forward to an awesome summer full of ponies!

SOLD OUT!!!

Pony Campers!
We are very excited to announce that Premier Ford has announced Summer Camps for children WILL RUN!

We have already established strict COVID protocols, which will be enforced daily, such as a pre-screening for parents and a temperature check upon entry to the program.

This year our program is only three weeks and each week specializes in different skill sets. We are happy to host a week for Beginners, Novice and Advanced students. More details can be found on our website http://www.willowcreekhc.com/camp.html, or by speaking with Nicole, Anna or Michelle. Spaces are limited and are booking fast, If you have previously enquired, but did not confirm with a non-refundable deposit, a spot cannot be held for you.

Beginner Level July 5th-9th - 4 Spaces remaining

Novice Level July 26th - 30th - 7 Spaces remaining

Advanced Level August 16th - 20th - 6 Spaces remaining

We are very much looking forward to a pony filled summer!

It takes someone brave to be a Mother, someone strong to raise a child and someone special to love someone more than herself.

Happy Mother's Day to all our Barn Mom's! May your coffee or tea be warm, your soul rested and your heart full. Enjoy your day!

Barn Family,

We are pleased to hear that Lanark County will be moving to the Green Zone, under the provinces reopening framework.

This means that we will be welcoming back our advanced students on February 16th for regularly scheduled lessons. Please check in with Anna, Nicole or Michelle for changes regarding the lesson schedule, as some changes have been made.

We politely request that only one parent or guardian attend lessons at this time. Viewing lounge is still off limits, so dress appropriately. Please conduct a self screen (available on the Ottawa Public Health and Lanark Public Health Website) before entering the premesis, if you are displaying symptoms, please do not come on the property. Hands MUST be santized before entering the building and the ring. Sanitizer stations will be available. Please remember to sanitize your spot and crossties before heading into the ring as another rider will be tacking up after you. All touch points must also be santized after your lesson has finished. Riders must provide your own sanitizing wipes or spray and paper towels. Masks MUST be worn while grooming and tacking up, they can be removed while mounted. Riders please keep your masks in your pocket and do not hand them off to your parent/guardian, as you MUST don your mask before dismounting. In order to keep a safe social distance, coach will enter the ring once all students have mounted up. Coaches WILL NOT be mounting and schooling fresh horses or ponies during the lesson slots. For safety reasons, you may be excused from the ring.
We will be booking boarders and leasee's in groups of no more than three on Sunday's. Weekdays can also be accommodated so long as they do not interfere with lesson times.

Due to the fact that there is documented cases of Neurological EVH1 in the Ottawa area, we are proactively enacting strict biosecurity measures. All patrons will be required to thoroughly clean their boots in a bleach bath which will be stationed at the main entrance. If you are coming from another barn, we politely request that you change your clothing and outerwear before arriving and refrain from using tools that have been in contact with equines from another barn. If you must use the same tools, please disinfect thoroughly. All visitors must be approved by Anna, Michelle or Nicole. Any new equine arrivals will be subject to a mandatory 30 day quarantine. This includes no access to the indoor ring, the main barn and hacking trails. No exceptions.

If you are interested in participating in our Sweetheart's Dance 💕 Dressage Show, being Judged by Melissa Bayer - Lester, please contact Anna, Nicole or Michelle. Entries will be limited and will be given a ticketed time slot. Keep your eyes out for the announcement of the appropriate tests.

Thank you for your attention and diligence in these matters as we negotiate another re-opening. Any questions, please feel free to reach out.

Management.

Dear Barn Family,
With the recent annoucement regarding the lifting of restrictions, we will be hard at work ensuring strict protocols are in place to welcome back students, parents and staff in a safe and socially distanced environment next week (fingers crossed for a firm opening date, we are still awaiting some clarification).

Please note, that for the immediate future, we will NOT be holding lessons for children enrolled in the young riders program, nor recreational students in our regular program who are not independent enough to fetch their mount from the paddocks, groom and tack up, mount and ride on their own. This is to ensure proper social distancing can be maintained for both the student's and staff's safety.

We will be in touch next week with our plans moving forward and our modified schedule. Thank you for your patience. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to reach out.

Stay safe and healthy.

Willow Creek Family,
Given the recent news of the provincial shut down, we have had to make necessary changes in order to comply with provincial mandates.
The changes are as follows and must be followed to the letter.
All recreational riding lessons are cancelled from December 24th until further notice.
Only one parent or guardian per household is permitted in accordance with indoor capacity limits. Viewing room is off limits. Proper sanitization and masking must occur before entering and while leaving the barn, including handwashing, disinfecting all touch points, sweeping your spots and abiding by your time slots.

We will be in touch regarding lessons and leisure times for boarders and leasee's individually. Please be patient.
Leisure rides must be booked in advance and are now given an hour and a half time slots each. This time MUST be adhered to, failure to do so will result in suspension of all riding abilities. Jump times and heights can be booked with either Anna or Nicole in advance for leisure rides. Coach MUST be present for jump times during leisure rides. The course set in the arena is the course for the week, do not touch or rearrange please. Instruction will not occur during leisure rides. Anna or Nicole do reserve the right to deny jump times and heights pending scheduling.

No new lease requests will be considered at this time. Dogs must stay home.

Any questions please contact management.

As we come into the Holiday Season, please note that Anna and Nicole will be taking holidays on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, Boxing Day, New Years Eve and New Years Day. All lessons on those days are cancelled. The barn is CLOSED on Christmas Day.
The barn is open to boarders for rides during the school holidays, COVID protocols are still in place and casual rides will not be scheduled during regular lesson times. Please contact Anna, Michelle or Nicole to book your time slots.

Willow Creek Riders, Boarders and Leasers.
We are hosting a mandatory Ground Manners clinic on Sunday November 1st. Please message Nicole, Anna or Michelle your time slot preferences. You will be booked into small groups of 5.
Ground manners have been lacking as of late and this needs to be rectified immediately.

Appy Thanksgiving 🍂🍁 Barn Family.

Lessons are cancelled for Holiday Monday.

Firm Reminder that masks are MANDATORY while in the Barn. No exceptions.

October is going to be Halloween Month here at Willow Creek. While we are saddened that we cannot run our annual Spooktacular show, we are excited to announce some Spooky Festivities 🦇🎃
Prizes and candy to be won during EVERY lesson!
Bonus, if you show up in a costume, your name will be put onto a ballot for a draw on Halloween. The more costumes you wear, the more entries you get!
Wishing you a Spooky Month!

Willow Creek Barn Family, as of Monday, all patrons will be required to wear a mask while tacking up indoors. If lessons are conducted indoors due to inclement weather, spectators will be required to wear masks. If you do not have a mask, we politely request that you remain outside or in your car.

Willow Creek's Summer Camp
Riders must be at least 7 years old as of Jan. 1, 2020. Campers will be assigned their "own equine" for the week which they will ride daily and learn to take care of for the week. Camp days include Riding Instruction, Games, Crafts, Horsemanship Activities & more. The last day of camp (Friday) includes a special demonstration of skills for family and friends! All activities are highly supervised by staff. All activities are conducted in a safe environment. ​

Dates:

Offering 4 weeks of camp for the 2020 summer season and a maximum of 10 campers per week. We will be splitting the campers into two smaller groups.

July 6th -10th, 2020 - 9:00 a.m.- 3:30 p.m
*1 SPOT LEFT*

July 13th -17th, 2020 - 9:00 a.m.- 3:30 p.m
*1 SPOT LEFT*

July 27th-31st, 2020 - 9:00 a.m. - 3:30 p.m
*4 SPOTS LEFT*

August 10th - 14th - 9:00 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.
*Sold out*

​Before care (8:30a.m.) and after care (4:30p.m.) is available at a rate of $10 for either before OR after or $15 for both. ​

​ 4 day camp - $300.00, 5 day camp - $360.00. Please contact Nicole, Anna or visit our website www.willowcreekhc.com for more information.
** Please note that the dates and some information on our website DOES NOT currently reflect our new Health and Security protocols, please bear with us while we update this.