Hawthorne Ridge

Spring has finally “sprung”! Beautiful morning at HR. ❤️

This......“Farm work doesn’t make you stronger. It doesn’t make you anything. It reveals you.
There’s gym strong and then there’s farm strong. They’re mutually exclusive.
The toughest women you’ll ever meet spend their days on a farm.
There are more uses for twine than you can possibly imagine. You can tie up a hole in a slow feeder, fashion a tail strap for a horse’s blanket, mend a broken fence and use it as a belt.
“Well that certainly didn’t go as planned,” is one thing you’ll say quite a bit.
Control is a mere illusion. The thought that you have any, at any given time, is utterly false.
Sometimes sleep is a luxury. So are lunch and dinner. And brushing your hair.
If you’ve never felt your obliques contract, then you’ve never tried stopping an overly full wheelbarrow of horse manure from tipping over sideways. Trust me, you’ll find muscles that you never knew existed on the human skeleton to prevent this from happening.
When one of the animals is ill, you’ll go to heroic lengths to minimize their discomfort.
Their needs come first. In summer heat and coldest winter days. Clean water, clean bed, and plenty of feed. Before you have your first meal, they all eat.
When you lose one of them, even though you know that day is inevitable, you still feel sadness, angst and emotional pain from the top of your head to the tips of your toes. And it’s a heaviness that lingers even though you must regroup and press on.
You’ll cry a lot. But you’ll never live more fully. You’ll remain present no matter what because you must. There is no other option.
You’ll ask for so many miracles and hold out hope until the very last.
You will, at least once, face-plant in the manure pile.
You’ll find yourself saying things like, “we have maybe twenty minutes of daylight left to git ‘er done” whilst gazing up at a nonspecific place in the sky.
You’ll become weirdly obsessive about the weather.
You’ll go out in public wearing filthy clothes and smelling of dirt, sweat and p**p. People will look at you sideways and krinkle their noses but you won’t care.
Your entire day can derail within ten seconds of the rising sun.
You can wash your coveralls. They won’t look any cleaner, but they will smell much nicer.
Farm work is difficult in its simplicity.
You’ll always notice just how beautiful sunrises and sunsets really are.
Should you ever have the opportunity to work on a farm, take the chance! You will never do anything more satisfying in your entire life.
Well, that about sums it up, folks!” - author unknown

❤️

It's been awhile since we've posted, we are so sorry! Meet Molly, the newest addition to Hawthorne Ridge.

Give your business to the companies that support our industry!! Thank you Waterway!

Very excited to welcome Waterway Carwash as the title sponsor of the $5,000 3' Hunter Derby. What a great addition to our group of sponsors. Thank you for your support!

After making the little girl, God said:

“You’ll need something to lean on. Something with substance that will teach you the value of hard work, perseverance, and to never give up. A thing that won’t cast judgment when you mess up in life. Because you will often, it’s just part of growing up and becoming a decent human."

"You’ll need something whose impressive physical presence must be respected at all times. A being who could break your bones in a whisper but will never break your heart. A creature who will be there for you when you cry for hours after someone you love lets you down. An unspeaking breathing being that will teach you to check all the noise in your head and completely listen to what he is saying."

“Sometimes in life you need to let go and just hang on. I call this trust. The terrifying ability to follow something blindly out of the conviction of only your heart. It will keep you centered and restore your faith when life happens. When you realize that you are forgettable to the world you won’t be to this creature."

"Something that will keep you truly humbled yet teach you how to fly!"

“You need to understand the painful reality of death. Sometimes it’s ok to let go. That kindness will always be rewarded before the use of force. And that courage means trusting him to get you safely to the other side."

“Something to get you out of bed in the trying times. When you feel like you have nothing he will remind you that you are still wanted. Something to give you perspective about what’s really important in life."

“You’ll need a best friend. Do not take this relationship lightly. It just might save your life someday when you see no out. Treasure it always I’m trusting it to you to take care of for a reason."

“A creature who will restore your faith about all of the goodness in the world even when you are so broken down that you cast Me aside."

“In turn with time and healing he will bring you back to Me. Know that your struggle won’t be made alone, and don’t forget to enjoy the ride."

"So I will make a horse.”

So proud of this young lady. She trotted today. No fear, only smiles and giggles. Way to go Kayleigh!! ❤️

We knew this but it's nice to see others agree!!

Wondering if you should get her that pony, wonder no more!
Riding families have always known horses are good for kids, but now research is proving it. One study, sponsored by the American Youth Horse Council, found that equestrian activities do indeed enhance a range of life skills in children. The study looked at youngsters involved in 4-H, Pony Club, the American Quarter Horse Youth Association, or the National High School Rodeo Association in one eastern and one western state. Results of the study, published in February 2006, found a significant positive relationship between horsemanship skills and life skills.

“If your child likes animals and you’re concerned about that child’s problem solving, goal-setting, or decision-making skills, then definitely get him or her involved with horses,” says Ann Swinker, Ph.D., a professor in Animal Science at Penn State University and one of the study’s co-authors.
Photo by Larson Performance Horses

ed being very naughty

Sadly, we had to cancel lessons yesterday so we thought maybe watching Ed, the Naughty Pony's video might help ease the pain. We hope the girls enjoy it! =)

ed being very naughty PLEASE NOTE..... THESE CLIPS WERE TAKEN OVER A PERIOD OF 18 MONTHS.... ED WAS A VERY GOOD BOY MOST OF THE TIME.... I HAVE HOURS AND HOURS AND HOURS OF FILM O...

Our young equestrians hard at work.

Night Check

Every night.

Night Check I just came back up to the house after putting my horses to bed, and I lingered a few extra minutes to feed a few carrots and take in the night air. For some reason, my thoughts took me back to a night some years ago, when I had just finished building my barn and Continued

American Royal fulfills final wish of 89-year-old trick horse rider in Kansas City hospice

One of the many reasons we love this sport. What a wonderful tribute to this young lady!

American Royal fulfills final wish of 89-year-old trick horse rider in Kansas City hospice KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- A woman in hospice care in Kansas City voiced one of her final wishes; she wanted to go to the American Royal. On Sunday, the right people came together to make it happen for her. Arlene Lamar, 89, spent her life with horses. She was a trick-horse rider in her youth. She saved up...

Addison and Kayleigh rocked their second lesson today. Good job girls!

There are no words meaningful enough to show how much we love and appreciate our horses. I'd like to think they feel the same. This just makes my heart swell. ❤️

Yes❤️

FROM A PARENT:
One of my friends asked "Why do you pay so much money for your kids to ride horses?" Well I have a confession to make, I don't pay for my kids to ride horses. Personally, I couldn't care less about the horses.

So, if I am not paying for them to ride, what am I paying for?

- I pay for those moments when my kids become so tired they want to quit but don't.

- I pay for those days when my kids come home from school and are "too tired" to go the barn but go anyway.

- I pay for my kids to learn to be disciplined.

- I pay for my kids to learn to take care of their body.

- I pay for my kids to learn to work with others and to be good team mates.

- I pay for my kids to learn to deal with disappointment, when they don't get that score they'd hoped for, but still have to work hard in the grading.

- I pay for my kids to learn to make and accomplish goals.

- I pay for my kids to learn that it takes hours and hours and hours and hours of hard work and practice to create a champion, and that success does not happen overnight.

- I pay for the opportunity my kids have and will have to make life-long friendships.

- I pay so that my kids can be in the arena instead of in front of a screen...

..I could go on but, to be short, I don't pay for horse riding, I pay for the opportunities that horse riding provides my kids with to develop attributes that will serve them well throughout their lives and give them the opportunity to bless the lives of others. From what I have seen so far I think it is a great investment!

Lesson Sunday!!! Welcome Kayleigh to Hawthorne Ridge!

Beautiful day today!!

That's right. 😁. Come visit us (call first!) and introduce your children to the wonders of horses.

www.youtube.com

www.youtube.com Why Are We Different From Other Breeds. Exclusively on Equestrian Life, The Learn to Ride and Drive in Style program is an exciting way for you to get involv...

WCHS17 Class 164 Honey Badger

Not much to say about this....I think Matt said it all.

WCHS17 Class 164 Honey Badger Matt Shiflet and Honey Badger win the Five Gaited Gelding Stake at the 2017 World's Championship Horse Show

Barn kitty at HR!! Looks like we may have more in the way.

Photos from Hawthorne Ridge's post

The Miracle Of Vicki Reed

Love this. Looking forward to watching the show online this year. There's nothing like this show!

The Miracle Of Vicki Reed Wednesday, August 16 2017 10:25 Category: Profiles Written by Allie Layos Print Email The Miracle Of Vicki Reed Throughout her 30 years in the business, Vicki Reed rose from a Saddlebred novice to one of the premiere owners, amateur exhibitors and even breeders of the day. From World’s Champions to…