Category: Riding School

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Join the Enchanted Hollow Stables Saddle Club for discounts, free lessons, and more!

This post was updated on May 21st, 2020 to reflect changes that have occurred due to the COVID-19 outbreak.

Over the past couple years, we’ve seen a really great sense of community and friendship develop at the barn. A lot of the riders that have become good friends through riding at the barn started calling themselves the “Pony Club,” and thus, the idea to start an official organized “Saddle Club” with a variety of benefits was born!

A membership with the Enchanted Hollow Stables Saddle Club includes the following:

  • WSCA Saddle Club Membership – This membership to the official WSCA “Enchanted Hollow Riding & Driving Club” allows you to be eligible to qualify for the WSCA championship show through competition at local WSCA shows in pleasure riding (English and Western) and western gaming. This is valid for 2020 only. ($50 value)
    • COVID-19 NOTE: At this time (as of May 21, 2020) WSCA shows have all been cancelled. We will be organizing schooling shows at the farm to make up for those missed opportunities! Anyone is eligible to participate in schooling shows at the farm but Saddle Club members will receive priority preference when being assigned specific horses.
    • This does not apply to anyone registered for the Saddle Club after May 2020 due to WSCA membership deadlines.
  • One (1) free riding lesson the month of the member’s birthday in the year 2020. If your birthday falls in a winter month with temperatures too cold to ride in, it can be carried over into a warmer month. If you join the saddle club after your birthday month has passed, it can be redeemed at a different time as well. ($40 value)
  • $10 off regularly priced Enchanted Hollow Stables 2020 horse camps – text Sam or Mary for the discount code to use at checkout on the website
  • Eligibility to participate in Saddle Club Days and Weeks. Saddle Club Days are opportunities for veteran riders of our program to join us at the farm for the day and help with different chores, tasks, and projects before they have an opportunity to ride later in the day. The riders will have a list of tasks that must be completed before riding activities occur. It’s similar to a horse camp, and they are still supervised by an instructor, but it is less structured, allows for more independence, and the riders are trusted with more responsibilities. It is essentially a horse camp day but for our advanced riders. This is a cost efficient way for some of our most dedicated riders to enjoy the horses while also being able to contribute and help at the farm that they love.
    • Cost for a Saddle Club Day is only $45. Compare to a one hour lesson at $40 or a one day horse camp which is $95! Typically they will go from 10am to 3pm, but these times may vary.
    • Cost of a Saddle Club Week is only $150 for Monday-Thursday or only $200 for Monday-Friday! These will typically go from 10am-3pm. Due to busy horse camp schedules during the main riding season, it’ll be tough to get these on the schedule, but we will when we can!
    • Participation in Saddle Club Days can also be earned by helping at horse camps as a Camp Leader! Ask Sam or Mary for more info on becoming a Camp Leader.
    • Since they will be expected to help with various tasks around the farm and will operate a little more independently in terms of saddling and riding than during a typical lesson or horse camp, we do ask that riders that participate in Saddle Club Days are at least 10 and have approval from Sam or Mary to participate.
    • In order to join the saddle club you must be able to saddle and bridle a horse independently.
    • Saddle Club Days/Weeks will not be publicly posted on our website, since they are not a service available to the public. They will be organized privately and posted in our Enchanted Hollow Stables Barn Family Private Facebook Group. If you’d like to request that we organize a Saddle Club Day on a specific date that hasn’t been offered, feel free to message Sam or Mary!

Please note that a 2020 Saddle Club Membership is valid until January 1st, 2021.

You must be pre-approved to join the Saddle Club by Sam or Mary. Generally, we ask that you have ridden with us for at least one year before joining the saddle club, but this is at Mary and Sam’s discretion.

Please contact Mary and Sam about joining the saddle club. We no longer allow people to join and pay online.

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What to Wear for Your Winter Riding Lessons

When you don’t have a heated facility to ride in, it can be very tough to figure out how to dress appropriately for the cold weather! Here are some tips and products that we have found to be very useful over many years of riding in Minnesota’s frigid winters.

Dress in layers!

The best tip we can give is to dress in several layers. Dressing in layers provides better insulation so that you stay warmer, and on the off chance that you do end up feeling overdressed and too warm, it’s very easy to take off a layer so that you can stay comfortable! It is much easier to take off layers than it is to add them once you are already at the barn and riding.

A base layer of a long sleeve shirt and leggings made of fleece or a good wicking fabric is a great start. For example, Under Armour ColdGear Baselayer is a great line of products specifically designed to serve as a base layer in cold weather.

A second layer could be a sweatshirt and sweatpants, or anything made of fleece, wool, or cotton material.

A top layer would be a good waterproof/windproof jacket and snow pants or bib overalls. Yes — you can ride in snow pants!

Wear snow pants or bib overalls.

As mentioned above, you CAN comfortably ride in snow pants or bib overalls. It’s almost necessary for Minnesota’s most frigid temperatures!

When worn over some functional base layers, a good pair of bib overalls or snow pants make for an excellent top layer. If you end up being much warmer than expected, it’s easy to take them off, too!

Carhartt Youth bib overalls are a great option to help your children stay warm while they are at the barn. They also have adult sizes for our adult riders, too!

Get a fleece polar helmet cover.

Sienna Sansevere wearing her polar fleece helmet cover.

All of our lesson students (and any riders that are under the age of 18) at Enchanted Hollow Stables are required to wear ASTM/SEI certified equestrian riding helmet.

Generally, it is hard to wear a hat or headband underneath your helmet — unless it is very thin and low profile, which often means it is not very warm!

Polar fleece helmet covers are designed to fit over your riding helmet and are a great option to keep your head warm for winter riding. The velcro closure used in most designs gives a snug fit around the neck.

Bring two pairs of gloves and mittens to the barn – gloves for when you are riding and mittens for when you are not!

The first parts of your body that will get cold when you’re out in the barn are your hands and your feet. Combining the right gloves and mittens with hand and toe warmers (we will get to those in a moment) usually does the trick!

Mary Sansevere affectionately calls this style of mitten “choppers.” They are her favorite for winter barn work!

The issue is that when it is cold enough, even the best quality gloves are often not quite enough to keep your hands warm for long rides or chores around the barn. Mittens work best for keeping your hands the warmest but are difficult to wear when riding because you need to have individual dexterity with your fingers to perform precise rein cues and keep your horse under control.

The solution: gloves for riding and mittens for general wear around the barn!

There is a huge variety of gloves that are specifically designed for riding, and any quality winter mitten should do the trick when you’re not riding.

Use hand and toe warmers!

We encourage those that ride and work their horses all winter to always have extra hand and toe warmers on hand for the frigid days at the barn.

They can be ordered from Amazon, or found at most stores in the wintertime.

Get a good pair of winter boots and wool (or wool blend) socks!

It is so important to get a good pair of winter boots and combine them with a pair of wool (or wool blend) socks, too. Be sure to not get boots that are too tight — you need a little extra room in your winter boots for thicker socks and some air in between for your feet to stay as warm as possible!

There are great options available for warm winter boots that can also be worn while riding. To be suitable for riding, they must have a pronounced heel and be low profile enough to fit into a standard stirrup.

Our favorite winter boots for adults are the Noble Outfitters Perfect Fit Cold High Boots, but really any waterproof winter boot should work great when combined with a suitable wool sock.

Okay, so you have an idea of what you want to get to prepare for winter riding… But where should you go?

Any specific items named in this article were linked, but you can easily find most of these products through an online search or at Dover Saddlery, Tractor Supply, or Fleet Farm.

Another great option for anyone local to the Twin Cities western suburbs near Enchanted Hollow Stables in Buffalo, Minnesota is Windward Farm Equestrian Consignment Tack & Apparel Store. They are also located just a few minutes away from our facility in Buffalo and are a local family-owned tack and apparel store that keep many of the items mentioned in this article (as well as countless that aren’t) in stock.

Most importantly – be smart!

The most important thing to keep in mind when riding in the winter is to be smart, listen to your body, and keep your horse’s welfare in mind, too. Stop to warm up when you can’t feel your fingers and toes. Don’t push your horse into a strenuous and sweaty workout that they will struggle to recover from in the cold. And of course, remember to dress appropriately!

At Enchanted Hollow Stables, we have a Winter Riding Policy for our riding lesson clients. Click here for more information!

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Winter Riding Policy for Enchanted Hollow Stables

Here at Enchanted Hollow Stables, we are blessed with a 44-stall barn, indoor arena, indoor round pen in a separate shed, an outdoor arena, an outdoor round pen, fields, and trails. We are thankful for what we have and for the program that we are able to operate from our facility.

That being said, we don’t have a heated or insulated riding space. Being located in Minnesota, this can lead to some very cold rides in the wintertime! As a result, for the safety of both the horses and the riders, we do have some restrictions regarding winter weather riding.

Lessons are canceled when temperatures are predicted to be below 20 degrees at the scheduled lesson time 24 hours prior to the lesson. If temperatures are above 20 degrees but there is a severe wind chill, heavy snow, or extremely inclement weather lessons may be canceled. Lessons may also be cancelled if there is any severe weather advisory.

When it’s too cold, our students (especially the majority of which that are children) do not focus well or have fun, and often they want to stop riding early because they are freezing. They’re also at risk of frostbite as well as poor road conditions while traveling to the barn. This means they don’t get their money’s worth AND they are in physical danger.

Here’s our policy for winter riding at Enchanted Hollow Stables:

If lessons are canceled, you will be notified as soon as possible. We do have the right to cancel lessons at any time, but try to give everyone at least 24-hours notice.

REMEMBER: Whether riding lessons or classes are canceled or not, our family is still out in the barn working either way. It’s miserable sometimes, but animals still need to be cared for and horses still need to be trained! We never cancel for our benefit — we are trying to keep our riders and our horses as safe and comfortable as possible.

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Homemade Horse Treats Honoring Bud

Some of our lesson students have been asking how they can help or what they can do to show their respect after our lesson horse Bud’s passing. One thing we are suggesting they could do is make homemade horse treats for the other two horses in Bud’s herd of “old guys,” Chester and Destiny.

Chester and Destiny also escaped from their pasture and were right by Bud when he was hit by a car. These three horses have been together for years and it is very clear to us that Chester and Destiny understand that their friend was hurt and is no longer with us, and they have really been impacted by this terrible tragedy. They have been spending a lot of time in their shelter, and since Bud’s death they haven’t seemed interested in going out into their field to graze. They seem sluggish and sad. They need our love and affection as they adjust to not only losing Bud, but also their fellow herdmate Biscuit just a few weeks ago as well.

Bud’s friend, Destiny.

Bud’s friend, Chester.

By making them some homemade horse treats, you can brighten their day as well as give yourself or your child something to do that you know will help make a positive impact on two horses that were very close to Bud, thus helping both you and his friends. It is a productive and therapeutic  way to pay your respect to Bud’s memory.

Please note, we suggest some modification to any horse treat recipe to make them as soft as possible. Both Chester and Destiny are senior horses (late 20s) that have lost a lot of teeth over the years, so they need soft foods. 

You can come to the farm to bring any homemade treats and feed them to these sweet old horses, or if you live far away, you can also mail them and we will be happy to take a video of us giving them to Chester and Destiny. They will really appreciate the affection and tasty treats.

For inspiration, we found this easy recipe on TanyaDavenport.com/horse-addict-blog/

The Ultimate Horse Cookie Recipe

Ingredients

  • 1 carrot
  • 1 apple
  • 1/2 cup molasses (or honey)
  • 2 cups oats
  • 1/2-3/4 cup flour (or make oat flour by throwing some oats into a blender/food processor)
  • 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil or coconut oil
  • 1 tablespoon water (optional)

Directions

  • Preheat oven to 300-325 degrees
  • Grate the carrot and finely chop the apple
  • Mix together all of the ingredients. Please keep in mind that depending on variations such as: the size/type ofapple, what kind of oats you use (rolled or steel-cut oats don’t absorb as much moisture as quickly as quick oats), whether you use honey or molasses, etc. you may need to tweak the amounts of the ingredients. You should be able to squeeze a ball of dough in your hand and it shouldn’t fall apart.)
  • Roll and press into balls with your hands and place on a greased baking sheet. If dough is too sticky add more flour and/or water
  • Bake for about 28-32 minutes on the middle rack, checking on them often, until golden brown
  • Cool and store in a sealed container and use within a week. They’ll stay the freshest stored in the fridge
Tip: Cut the batch in half for less cookies. A full batch makes about 24 cookies depending on the size you make them.

Bonus Tip: Some readers swear by blending all the ingredients together in a blender/food processor before cooking. I don’t do this but if you try this let me know if you prefer this method in the comments below!

Bonus Bonus Tip: These treats can be enjoyed by humans and dogs too!

The Good Stuff

Now here’s the fun part. Consider the above your base recipes, perfectly fine on their own but even better when you add one or more of the following:

  • Low sugar: Use cooked sweet potato instead of apples, and a little flaxseed and egg instead of molasses
  • Reader favorite: Peppermints – crushed and added to the dough or place a whole one on top (perfect for the holidays)
  • Raisins
  • Add chopped up dates in the dough
  • Add some bran
  • A few coconut flakes on top
  • Sugar cubes (go easy here – too much sugar isn’t good for your horses health or figure!)
  • Blackberries
  • Banana can be used as a substitute for the apple
  • Reader favorite: Applesauce (try replacing part of the molasses with applesauce to lower the sugar, or if you can use in place of the apple)
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2018 Spring Break Horse Camps – Teen Days, Little Rider Days, and more!

APRIL 2-6 2018: We are very excited to offer a few different options for spring break horse camps this year! These camps have been planned according to the Buffalo/Hanover/Montrose Spring Break dates.

To start off the week on Monday, April 2nd, we are offering a day camp for teenagers 13-18. The next day on Tuesday, April 3rd we are offering a special day camp just for our youngest riders that are ages 3-7. The rest of the week (April 4th, 5th, 6th) is our three day camp for ages 7-12. If you child is borderline in age and you think they would be a better fit for a younger or older group day, just contact us and we can discuss options for your child.

Register by going to our Horse Camp page, linked here!

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ARCHIVED: Seeking Chore Help in Exchange for Lessons

This is an old post from early 2018. We are no longer offering an exchange program like this – however, we are considering a robust volunteer program that through developed relationships can lead to riding and working with horses as well, so please do not hesitate to reach out if this is something that may interest you. — Samantha Sansevere, Aug. 2019

We are seeking a couple young, able bodied people interested in exchanging hours doing chores at the farm for lesson time. Chores will be credited at a rate of $10/hour which can be applied toward lessons, camps, and certificates.

This is an excellent opportunity for anyone interested in horseback riding while also providing an education on the care that goes into owning horses and work that goes into operating a boarding facility in addition to being a great workout, all while being extremely cost efficient!

Below are our requirements.

  • Must be under 18.
  • Must be physically able to perform tasks such as cleaning stalls and dumping heavy wheelbarrows.
  • Must have a good attitude and a good work ethic.

Helpers are expected to commit to at least one 4 hour shift on an assigned day each week and will be able to participate in one group lesson at a specified day/time that will be determined after helpers are assigned. Helpers that can commit to more than one shift will work with Sam individually to schedule more lessons, ride time, etc. that will compensate them fairly for their time.

Would be helping clean stalls, sweep aisles, organize the barns, perform maintenance around the farm, feed animals, etc. This could open the door to further opportunities at the barn in the future such as assisting with training horses, competing, and more.

Applicants that are accepted for these positions (we are seeking 2-4 individuals) would commit to at least one day per week for a minimum of a 4 hour shift, and would participate in a small weekly group lesson at a specified day and time that will be determined after the positions are filled (most likely a weekday evening). Anyone that can commit to more than 4 hours per week will work with Sam individually to figure out a schedule that can account for additional lessons or riding time.

Please fill out the form below and we will contact accepted applicants by Sunday, March 4th!

 

[contact-form-7 id=”720″ title=”Chore Help Application”]

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2017 MEA Horse Camp

REGISTER BY CLICKING HERE

Enchanted Hollow Stables is offering a mini horse & pony camp over the MEA break (October 19th and 20th, 2017). It is open to beginners to intermediate riders of all ages. Participants will be broken into age, size and ability groups and will have the option of working with either a miniature horse, pony or a full-size horse depending on what is appropriate and safest for them depending on their age, size and experience level so that they get the most out of their camp experience. 

Each camper will be paired up, taught, guided by and mentored throughout the day by several experienced riders or trainers here at our barn. Most have been riding, driving & working with ponies and horses their whole lives and have won multiple national championships in both driving & riding.

Each small group will work on age-appropriate farm chores, riding skills, games, equine nutrition and care. Not only will each camper get the opportunity to ride, learn, and have fun, but they will also be able to simply enjoy spending a fun day on a farm that is home to many horses, ponies, goats, chickens, ducks, a bunny, and a potbelly pig!

 

EQUINE EDUCATION: will cover equine feed and nutrition, how much hay and other types of food horses eat and need.

FARM CHORES: They will learn about about cleaning horse stalls top to bottom, re-filling water buckets, re-filling hay nets and preparing grain and supplements for each horse and pony for the next feeding.

ARTS AND CRAFTS: They will have the opportunity to do a fun crafting activity related to horses. This usually means decorating horse shoes (that they will be able to take home and keep as a memento), painting a pony, and more!

GROOMING: They will learn to properly use each grooming tool and groom a horse top to bottom.

MASSAGE & TOUCH THERAPY: They will learn the basics of how to stretch and massage horses and create a bond and friendship with them during this process.

RIDING EDUCATION:

  • They will learn how to tack up those horse or pony. Learn about getting on and off your horse safely.
  • Asking your horse or pony to stop, go, turn and back up.
  • Learning an “emergency stop” and the situations that may require it.
  • Working on the gait transitions. Walk, trot, canter (if ready) and whoa.
  • Going over/through obstacles, or depending on ability and experience, working over small jumps.
  • Fun obstacles will also be set up to ride over and through in order to challenge their hand and eye coordination and bond more with their horse or pony.
  • We will also play some team games on horse back.

If everybody is doing well on there horse or pony the instructors may take them on a short trail ride through our beautiful trails and woods at the end of the day, weather permitting.

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The ENCHANTED HOLLOW STABLES MEA HORSE CAMP is being offered  Thursday, October 19th & Friday October 20th, 2017. From 9:00AM – 3:00PM.

If notified in advance we can be flexible about an earlier or later drop of and pick up of children in order to accommodate parents work schedules, but an additional fee may be incurred.

You can sign up for 1 or both days of MEA PONY CAMP.

[su_heading size=”14″]One Day: $90          Two Days: $165[/su_heading]

REGISTER BY CLICKING HERE

For safety and for being able to work one-on-one as much as possible with each camper, SPACE IS LIMITED. Please message, call or text 612-386-0279 to see what days we still have spots and instructors available and to confirm your child’s spot. You can pay via check, cash or PayPal. A barn liability waiver must also be signed prior to participation and it can be emailed to you in advance if you provide an email to us in order for you to read and sign it it in advance.

WHAT TO BRING:

  • Sturdy boot or shoe with a heel to ride in
  • Rain boots or muck boots
  • Old jeans or riding pants that you don’t mind getting dirty!
  • Extra layers (sweatshirt, jacket, extra socks, light-weight gloves, etc.)
  • Riding or biking helmet (we have some on hand, but this is very limited and we cannot gaurantee that we will have one for your child. They MUST wear a helmet in order to ride.)
  • Lunch
  • Water Bottle
  • Snack
  • A good attitude!
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Trail rides, pony painting, and more at the MEA Weekend Camp!

Enchanted Hollow Stables just wrapped up Day #2 of our MEA HORSE & PONY DAY CAMP with a fun pony painting competition.

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What a whirlwind the last couple of days have been. Day #3, which starts later today, is going to be the biggest group we’ve had and the busiest day yet!

Samantha, Spencer, Shane, Alaina, Brynn, Aubrey, Ann and Kaden have been so great. They’ve all pitched in and helped out in so many ways and made these days a success – either in the barn – or one-on-one helping the riders and their horses. The kids also had fun meeting Alaina’s new draft horse and donkey, our pig, goats, chickens, ducks, cats and dog.

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Best of all…. by popular request … they’ve spent most of their days riding. They started the morning helping with feeding and grooming and taking horses out. Shane brought some minis in and showed the kids how to jump and do in-hand obstacles with them. Then they helped tack up their assigned horse or pony and worked on their riding skills – first in the indoor arena – and then they went out trail riding & exploring our woods and fields. We could barely get them off their horses long enough to eat their lunch today – and then we had to bribe them again with promises of finger paint and painted ponies.

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If you are interested in organizing for your child to attend a day camp or mentoring day, please contact Samantha Sansevere at samanthasansevere@yahoo.com.

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MEA Weekend Horse & Pony Day Camp

Enchanted Hollow Stables is offering a mini horse & pony camp over the MEA weekend. It is open to beginners to intermediate riders of all ages. Participants will be broken into age, size and ability groups and will have the option of working with either a miniature horse, pony or a full-size horse depending on what is appropriate and safest for them depending on their age, size and experience level so that they get the most out of their camp experience. 

Each camper will be paired up, taught, guided by and mentored throughout the day by several experienced teenagers here at our barn that been riding, driving & working with ponies and horses their whole lives and have won multiple national championships in both driving & riding.

Each small group will work on age-appropriate farm chores, riding skills, games, equine nutrition and care with their mentor time during lunch break to make a fun horse-theme craft they will get to take home along with handouts about what they’ve learned during the day.

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EQUINE EDUCATION: will cover equine feed and nutrition, how much hay and other types of food horses eat and need.

FARM CHORES: They will learn about about cleaning horse stalls top to bottom, re-filling water buckets, re-filling hay nets and preparing grain and supplements for each horse and pony for the next feeding.

GROOMING: They will learn to properly use each grooming tool and groom a horse top to bottom.

MASSAGE & TOUCH THERAPY: They will learn the basics of how to stretch and massage horses and create a bond and friendship with them during this process.

RIDING EDUCATION:
They will learn how to tack up those horse or pony. Learn about getting on and off your horse safely.
Asking your horse or pony to stop, go, turn and back up.
Learning an “emergency stop” and the situations that may require it.
Working on the gait transitions. Walk, trot, canter (if ready) and whoa.
Riders will get to work their horse or pony over ground poles and small jumps if they are able to do this independently. Otherwise they will be assisted and supervised by their assigned mentor on a lead line) Fun obstacles will also be set up to ride over and through in order to challenge their hand and eye coordination and bond more with their horse or pony. We will also play some team games on horse back. If everybody is doing well on there horse or pony the instructors may take them on a short trail ride though our beautiful trails and woods at the end of the day.

12143195_513113168846961_4885879076763783519_n 11146510_473638006127811_8287073679838513927_n

The ENCHANTED HOLLOW STABLES MEA HORSE CAMP is being offered Wednesday, October 19th, Thursday, October 20th & Friday October 21st. From 930AM – 230PM. (Yes it starts tomorrow)

If notified in advance we can be flexible about an earlier or later drop of and pick up of children in order to accommodate parents work schedules.

You can sign up for 1, 2 or all three days of MEA PONY CAMP.

[su_heading size=”14″]One Day: $90          Two Days: $165          Three Days: $250[/su_heading]

For safety and for being able to work one-on-one as much as possible with the kids we are limiting each day to no more than 4-5 camp participants. Please message, call or text 612-386-0279 to see what days we still have spots and instructors available and to confirm your child’s spot. You can pay via check, cash or PayPal. A barn liability waiver must also be signed prior to participation and it can be emailed to you in advance if you provide an email to us in order for you to read and sign it it in advance.

Participants should wear a sturdy boot or shoe preferably with a heel, old jeans and dressed for the weather. Layers are best. A shirt, sweatshirt, hoodie and jacket that they can take off if warm. A light-weight pair of gloves are a good idea to have along as well. If they have a riding helmet please bring it – if not we have several here. They should also pack their own lunch, water bottle and a snack.