Fall Schedule, programs

Hard to believe it is almost fall!  While we have a few more weeks of summer programs, we are beginning to plan for the fall riding program.  As many folks have noticed, we've been advertising for another part time instructor.  Karrie and Chuck have done several interviews and we are hopeful that we will have a third instructor option for the fall.  If you already know your fall schedule please let Karrie know (whether Brandi is your instructor or even if you are more concerned about the schedule than the instructor) as soon as possible.  Karrie is going to begin making calls later in August and the first week of September and as always, it will be first come first serve for lesson times.  We will once again be offering fully days of lessons on Saturday and Sunday to help with the after-school congestion.

In addition, we know there are many riders who have difficult fall schedules or would like to add some additional riding but can't commit to two lessons per week.  We are introducing a new lesson pack for the fall.  It will be a Four Pack Trail Lesson.  Every week we will have three set times for trail lessons which will be taught by one of our licensed instructors and limited to four students.  The schedule will run with the fall lesson pack or until snow stops us!  For a payment of $150, you can do the package with the flexibility to do some lessons the weeks and days that work for you.  We will finalize the times soon, but it will likely be one session on a weekday afternoon and one session each on Saturday and Sunday.  So, you could do a Saturday in early September, a Sunday in mid-September and two weekdays in October.  While the package will be pre-paid, riders will still have to sign up for each session and can do so well in advance or the day of as long as there are still slots. 

The fall lesson season will run from Monday September 12th - Friday December 2nd.  There will be no lessons the week of Thanksgiving (although make ups may be scheduled based on instructor availability).  The season will include 10 weeks of lessons.

Here is the pricing for the fall lesson season:

Fall Group Lesson package (one hour):                                 $270
Fall Semi-Private Lesson Package (one hour):                      $360
Fall Private Lesson Package (half hour):                               $360
NEW Four Pack Trail Lesson package (one hour):              $150

The Trail Lesson is only available as a package, but you can add on additional lessons at $40 per ride.  And, as always, you can pay as you go for the regular lessons if you choose not to do the package up-front discounted payment.

Enjoy these last days of summer!

Lots of news and pictures on new Facebook Page

One of the many great activities that Emily has undertaken while here is to improve our presence on Facebook.  We now have a "page" which you can join (like) without having to be our friend on FB.  I have been posting pictures and updates on that fairly regularly.  Check it out: 

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Cobble-Hill-Farm/100607736698178

You have to be a Facebook user to get these.  So I'll still be putting pictures here.  Yesterday was the second of our beginner camps and on Monday we participated in the 4th of July parade.  Here are some of the best pictures (hard to choose ... )

Krissy & Emily were up at the barn VERY early painting horses -- doesn't Vixen look great?

Krissy practiced for weeks with Vixen and the flag

Never too early to learn to clean tack (and wear cool boots)

The boys give Herc a bath

Buck Movie Showing in Great Barrington

Check out the press release we just got for anyone interested.

Press Release

The Triplex Cinema announces BUCK opening July 1, 2011

Great Barrington, Mass. June 23, 2011 - The Triplex Cinema announced today that it will be showing the inspiring documentary film, BUCK, which opens on Friday, July 1, 2011
BUCK is a story about the power of non-violence, as master horse trainer Buck Brannaman uses the principles of life, respect and trust to tame horses and inspire their human counterparts.  “The Horse Whisperer” may be the stuff of Hollywood legend, but the charismatic horseman who inspired the novel and the film is very real.  For Buck Brannaman – a true cowboy who is also part guru and part philosopher – horses are a mirror of the human soul.  BUCK, a richly textured and visually stunning film, follows Brannaman from his abusive childhood to his unusual approach to horse-training.  Eschewing the violence of his past, he teaches people to communicate with horses through instinct, not punishment.  He possesses near magical abilities as he dramatically transforms horses – and people – with his understanding, compassion and respect.  In the film, the animal-human relationship becomes a perfect metaphor for meeting the challenges of daily life.  A truly American story about an unsung hero: an ordinary man who has made an extraordinary life despite tremendous odds.
BUCK, which won the Audience Award at this year’s Sundance Film Festival, was the opening night film at The Beacon Cinema, Pittsfield, Mass. and the closing night film at the Mahaiwe Theater, Great Barrington, Mass. for the 6^th Annual Berkshire International Film Festival and was widely received by horse enthusiast and lay person alike. 
"We have always planned on bringing Buck to The Triplex Cinema, we are happy to bring this entertaining and inspiring film to those who were unable to see it during the festival,” said John Valente, General Manager for The Triplex Cinema and The Beacon Cinema. 
The Triplex Cinema is a four-screen independent theater showing art house, independent, foreign and blockbuster films. Adult tickets are $9 for evening films. Matinee showings and senior tickets (62 and older) are $6.50. Children’s tickets (up to 12 years old) are also $6.50. The theater is located at 70 Railroad Street in downtown Great Barrington.
BUCK opens, Friday, July 1, 2011 at The Triplex Cinema in Great Barrington, Mass.  For more information and to purchase tickets on line, visit The Triplex website at www.thetriplex.com. For more information or to ask about group rates, contact the theater at (413) 528-8886 extension 201.

Back by Popular Demand: one week of "Life on a Farm"

Many parents and riders who did last year's Life on a Farm program have asked us to do a week this year.  So (drumroll .....) Emily has agreed to run the program for her last week here!  Details:

August 1st - 5th/ 9 am - 3 pm daily/ $325 for the week

Program will be limited to 6 riders ONLY (and we have already filled two of the spots).

Riders will get a one hour group lesson each day and participate in barn and horse management activities each of the other days.   Riders should bring their own lunch.  This is the perfect program for a rider who has some experience but is not yet old enough or accomplished enough to lease a horse.

Please email the farm (info@cobblehillfarm.com) or call the barn (413-458-0037) if you'd like to reserve one of the spots!

Busy Week coming up!

Our first beginner riding program of the summer starts next week and I feel like we are more organized than ever ... until ten new riders descend!  We have built permanent wood cubbies and they got painted by the lone Full Access Lease participant this week -- color coded!  We'll have a Red, Yellow and Blue group each with its own instructor.  Each rider will rotate through a riding lesson (of course!), grooming and barn chores, and crafts/activities.  We've had lots of interest from experienced riders who will be helping these newer ones.

Also, with most schools finishing up, our full access lease program will be humming.  The weekly trail lesson will be on Wednesday morning and Karrie & Emily have come up with lots of great ideas for work projects around the barn and property.  If you are participating, make sure to bring clothes that can get dirty or paint on them!  And, we decided this year to add a fun craft project (just one for now) each week.  First up -- TYE DYE!

Emily has brought not only a lot of energy to the barn but also some great ideas from her 'home' barn.

And, Pony Club swings into action in a major way a week from Sunday (the 26th) with another un-mounted meeting followed by a week of Pony Club programming.  All who are signed up or interested should be aware of the ratings test session on July 1st!  This first session is free to all PC members.

Lastly, we've developed a Fan Page for Cobble Hill on Facebook.  If you are a 'friend' of Cobble Hill Farm, please also join the fan page.  It will have more tools, more posts (at least while Emily is around), more pictures and more interactive features.

Trail Riding

Krissy took me and several friends out on a trail ride yesterday.  Even though it was hot and humid, it was still a great time.  I rode Nellie who has clearly benefited from the work Emily has been doing with her.  My friends from Boston rode Zeus and Hercules who were equally good.  Jackie came along and rode Logan and her son rode Bam.  Of course, Krissy was on Vixen.

The mosquitoes are out in full force and the black flies are getting there.  We remembered to put fly spray on the horses, but forgot it for the humans.  I had bought some the other day -- need to put it in the barn.

Brandi, who is newly licensed, is planning to do a long trail lesson to and from her farm in mid-June -- watch for the sign up sheet in the barn.  And we are going to start soon with our weekly trail lesson program -- thinking about Tuesday mornings for the younger set and Thursday late afternoon for adults.

Emily is getting up to speed on the website and our current marketing practices so watch for vast improvements and give her all the credit.

Building Confidence

About a week ago I had a work emergency -- my entire hard drive on my work computer melted down.  While my company gets me a new laptop and a local tech genius worked to recover my files, I've relocated my home office.  What does that have to do with the farm?

Usually, I am looking out the front of the house, so while I am working at home I can see instructors, riders, farriers and the vet coming and going up the driveway -- and at this time of year, the horses grazing in the lower pasture.  But, unless I can get away from my desk, I don't see much riding.

These last few days, however, I have used the kids computer which sits near the kitchen and looks out over the outdoor riding ring.  It was that view that brought me to today's post.  Yesterday I was privileged to see a private lesson happening out of the corner of my eye.  There was nothing particularly noteworthy about the lesson.  Hercules was being a great boy and navigating a four or five jump sequence.  Except then I recognized the parent observing the lesson and I did a double take.  Because I hadn't seen this particular rider in a while, I was flabbergasted by her progress.

The accomplishments this youngster has made is so rewarding.  The confident way which she carried herself around the ring and the joy on her face as she conquered each jump made my day.

When Chuck decided to start this business, that was what he had in mind.  We have certainly learned a lot in the last several years and like any business, it isn't all roses.  But seeing Chuck's vision play out with riders who are here makes it all worthwhile!

Not quite worth losing my hard drive over, but a nice consolation.

Welcome Emily!

As some of you may know we are lucky enough to have a college intern from Cazenovia living on the farm this summer.  Cazenovia offers a degree in Equine Business Management and as part of that degree program, students are required to complete an internship.  Thanks to the Shanley family who connected us to the intern coordinator, we were approved as hosts for this internship.

Emily is a Massachusetts licensed instructor and has spent many years teaching and riding as well as working at summer riding programs.  We are excited to have her help and energy here at Cobble Hill for the next several months.

The objectives of Emily's time here are to help us better market and promote our programs, particularly through improvements and updates to the website. Besides just bringing the content up to date, I expect you will see Emily blogging here, and I've really been wanting to get more video on this site so watch for that!

Her second objective is to better understand the care and management of our horses so she will be working with Krissy and Chuck and hopefully meeting Dr. Dowd soon.  Lots to do every day to keep our school horses healthy, but we also hope she will be another hand to school some of our beginner horses who tend to pick up bad habits during the summer with multiple new riders.

Lastly, she hopes ot learn more about the management of our lessons and summer program.  One project I am hoping she will tackle early on is to take her love of trail riding and to help us develop a 'prepare for trails' lesson sequence for newer riders.  Watch for promotions and announcements on that!  She will also be instrumental in helping Karrie get Pony Club riders ready for upcoming test sessions.

Please say hello and introduce yourself to Emily when you are next here at the barn!

OAK HOLLOW SPRING SHOW IS MAY 1st!

I know it doesn't feel like spring or May this morning ..... but the Oak Hollow Show is upon us!  This is traditionally a wonderful event for our school riders to participate in.  As a reminder:  There will be a sign up sheet in the barn for HORSE USAGE from Cobble Hill.  You must get instructor permission/sign-off for the horse choice you make (many horses act very differently in a show than they do in the ring for a lesson -- Jay and Dixie come to mind).  There is a $25 fee for horse usage (this implies you are sharing a horse -- most horses will be ridden by multiple riders).  You are also responsible for registering to enter with Equus -- Sandy tells me the entries are available in the barn.

If patterns are given out early, we will post those in the barn as well.

Also, for first timers -- there is absolutely no dress code for this show.  (You will see that in the pictures)

I know many riders have not ridden as much this winter or spring as they would have liked.  If you are planning to add in any one-off lease rides over the next 10 days to get ready, you must schedule those.  If you just show up, it is very possible that the ring and/or the horse won't be available.

Patty and I both had our teeth worked on this week .....

Patty is growing up!!!  Dr. Dowd came today for her first ever dentist appointment.  I am on another nomadic journey, but Krissy sent these.  Intense.  I will never complain about going to the dentist again!