Grace Farms
76082 Morrison Line RR 1 N0M 1J0 Brucefield, ON, Canada

Grace Farms clothes are ready for pick up!!Grace Farms clothes are ready for pick up!!

A little horse soccer!

In Life and with horses.....

The Fall session starts this week! (Sept 21-Dec 11) There are a few more spots available for lessons- 2 on Thursday at 4:10, one on Tuesdays at 4:10, one on Monday at 6:50. Lessons are for students ages 7 and up. Who wants to come horse around at Grace Farms??? PLEASE SHARE!

Bizzy, Valerie and Willow want to know who is coming to hangout with them this fall? The Fall riding session is just a week away! September 21-December 11. Many lesson times to choose from. Visit GraceFarms.ca or Message jeanette for more info.

As we wrap up our summer, I would like to say a big THANK YOU to all the horse crazy kids who who made summer 2020 fantastic this year!!!

My barn helping crew this morning! New bedding day!

The horses are missing all the love from students this week!! Hang in there we will get through this!

Hi All, In response to the COVID-19 recommendations from our governing body, we are going to postpone the start of our spring session that was set to start March 23rd. It will now start on April 6th and run until June 26th. We will update you all as more information becomes available to us. Stay safe everyone!!

One for the Visual learners

March break horse camp. A few spots available on March 16 and 18. Who wants come come horse around with us??

Great article from Good Horsemanship by Ross Jacobs TRAINING the MIND to be quiet!! Not long ago I was helping a girl whose horse was anxious about being separated from his paddock companion. My student rode her horse to the back gully of her property and I walked along side, while the companion horse was waiting at the gate to the adjacent paddock....Continue reading

What a reactive horse can actually mean and what it doesn't.

Booking now for 2020 Horse camp and Spring lessons! Come horse around with us a Grace Farms!! camp dates. July 13-17, 20-24, Aug 10-14, 17-21. Spring session March 23-June 12.

Words to live by!!

.- - - 2019 GIVEAWAY - - - Over $250 Value! 1/2inch WONpad WONboot Sportboot ... WONboot Tuff Boot LIKE our Facebook Page LIKE and SHARE this POST We’ll even add an extra entry for each person you TAG in the COMMENTS Winner will be drawn Friday at 4pm! Who doesn’t like free stuff!? 2019’was an amazing year for Hayes Cofell Performance Horses and to celebrate the launch of our online shop we wanted to give you guys a chance to win! Value: 1/2 WONpad $175 WONboot Sport Boots $52.50 WONboot Tuff Boot $28.50 Interested in what else we sell? Check out or Facebook shop or visit the shop on our website here: https://hayes-cofell-performance-horses.myshopify.com//all

Sometimes I find it hard to do a blog or post when everything with horses is so dynamic. Every one is an individual, and I find that equal parts challenging and... glorious at the same time. I feel if people thought of their horses more like individuals and less like a grouped together whole species, they would get along with them a little better. Instead, if a horse objects to something, then it’s usually seen as a problem with the horse and something we have to fix. Well I don’t like Brussel Sprouts and there’s no way on earth anyone is going to cure me of that. If you smother them in cheese and hold a gun to my head, sure, I’ll eat them. With the worlds most comical facial expressions and several thousand ways of exacting my revenge running through my mind. I might even learn to tolerate gulping them down, rushing through the process and holding my eyes shut and my nose and imagining they aren’t the most vile thing I’ve ever tasted. No... I don’t like Brussel Sprouts... and that’s ok. Where do you draw the line? Well I don’t like needles but I get my vaccinations and blood tests and take my medication like a good human who values her life. So when it comes to essential equine health then yes, the horse really does need to stand for the farrier, go on the float, be tied up, receive veterinary treatment - etc. These are basic skills that every horse owner has a duty of care to ensure the horse can live in line with basic animal welfare standards. As a kid, I was taught to walk, to communicate, to use the toilet, to shower, brush my teeth, say please and Thankyou, how to use transportation, how to apply for a job- basic, fundamental skills. These are non negotiables and they are non negotiables for the horses too. There’s a zillion different ways of teaching, but the lessons must be taught and learned. The negotiable bits come in with non essential skills. Got a horse that really objects to jumping? Well, you can go ahead and break it down, maybe find some imaginative ways of communicating with the horse to explain the idea and intention, give them some time and experience practicing, maybe check the gear and clarity of the rider, but always keep in mind, this is a non essential skill and perhaps the horse really isn’t in to jumping. And that’s ok. We have all heard the clichés- Horses for courses Fit for purpose Suitable mount Square peg, round hole Bred for (fill in the blank) I think if we thought about how vastly different we all are as humans, how one person can adore something another can’t stand, some are extremely specialised in their fields, others are amazing at grass roots level. No one is wrong - just different. But try to make an artist into an investment banker and it’s not going to end well. It’s us humans who impose purpose onto the horse. The least we can do is try to find something the horses don’t despise. And if they don’t like what we like - we need to change horses or change disciplines. The horses are the ones with the guns to their head. We hold the power to make their lives enjoyable... or not.

Rules to ride by!!

We are sad to have to say good bye to our sweet Penny! Run free big girl!

The girls first attempt at a pinwheel!

Remembering all those, human and animal who made sacrifices so we can live in freedom.

P.A Day Camp Friday, November 8th. Who wants to come horse around for the day! 9-3:30. pack a lunch, $60 including HST.

Road to the Horse 2020 Wild Card Wylene Davis - Extreme Wylene

Fall lesson registration open NOW !! Fall session starts September 16-Dec 6th. Spots are filling up fast!!

Another wonderful summer of camp has ended! Lots was learned and many memories were made! Thank you all for allowing me to have the best job in the world!!

Ok, FB friends looking for someone who does repairs to coverall tarps. who knows someone?Ok, FB friends looking for someone who does repairs to coverall tarps. who knows someone?

Last-minute cancellation for Camp this coming week August 12-16th! Who wants to come horse around for the week!Last-minute cancellation for Camp this coming week August 12-16th! Who wants to come horse around for the week!

"We have to be willing to fail, to be wrong, to start over again with lessons learned." Watch the full TED Talk here: http://t.ted.com/SO9H1aA

Yes! So much yes!

"Breed organizations and competitive disciplines are telling us their numbers are shrinking. This is bad news for the horse industry in the long term. Ramificat...ions of a dwindling support base go far beyond the viability of certain shows. What can be done?" asks the Western Horse Review. Three years ago, I attended a judges' symposium in Oklahoma, hosted by the AQHA, APHA, ApHC, IAHA and the AMHA. That's the 'big five' in North America: Quarter Horses, Paints, Appaloosas, Arabians and Morgans. Across the board, they agreed that today's most pressing breed issue has been dwindling membership and show entries in the junior ranks. That's 18 and under, across the five major Western breeds. Up 'n' coming kids, to me, are the grassroots in this industry. Focusing on amateur adults is like closing the barn door after the horse has left. If the youngest riders aren't 'buying into' the horse business, then it--as we now know it--is doomed. This is in both the US and Canada. The British Horse Society has run a parallel poll that shows the involvement of boys and horses is at a critical state. We know that outside of rodeo, girls outnumber boys something like twenty-to-one. That means that in one more generation, we won't have men riding, training or teaching in much of horse sport! If we listen to today's kids, particularly to boys, they are telling us that much of horse showing is irrelevant to them. In my locality, numbers have been sliding since the days of the open show, probably in the early '90s. The death knell of the open show was the breed show and discipline-specific competitions because people couldn't do it all. What did family-friendly local open shows offer us that these others can't? Well, there was something for everyone. No matter your tax bracket, the breed or value of your horse. If you did your homework, you could probably shine at even just. one. point. during the day. Showmanship, Western Eq and Pleasure, Trail, Reining... English Eq and Pleasure, some jumping... then games like Barrels, Poles, Bareback Dollar Bill, Toilet Paper Pairs, Egg & Spoon. High Point meant you and your horse were versatile, if nothing else. You might well laugh, but a lot of us in the industry got our early life lessons with horses in this environment. Many of us remember those shows with fondness. They were held in every other small town in the country. Mum and Dad could haul the family in any old rig, horse the children safely and pay the entries without mortgaging the house. So, we've grown away from all-around fun and enjoyment that segues into each kid finding that one place where he or she shines. We know for a fact that unless a teenager has grown accomplished at riding, he or she will drop out. Teens do not want to be 'also rans', even at a top level. An example is the hunter/jumper world, particularly the top pony hunters, where a child needs a $50,000 pony to compete... and a $150,000 one to stand any chance of winning. Who lives like that?! We've grown far from being able to enjoy and compete with ordinary horses, even in 4H. We've raised our kids to judge their own horsemanship by what they've won, rather than by what they've learned and whether they're capable of training and schooling their own horses. We've removed much of the 'ride by the seat of your pants' mentality, which drives so many teen boys, substituting this with rules, patterns and perfectionism... even in basic horsemanship classes. Bottom line? We've turned the show horse industry into an elitist past-time that pressures everyone from the kids taking part, to the parents trying to pay for it. The big competitions, where everyone aspires to be, are not just hours, but days apart. While there are many amateur riders keeping the horse industry going, along with brilliant trainers in every endeavour in my part of the world, we've lost touch with our kids, plain 'n' simple. If you asked many of them for an honest answer, they would tell us they've stopped having fun. We can ask ourselves whether change is possible at this stage of the game... or even if we really want it. Many of us like it just the way it is. But think. 1) If we don't have as many young people coming in as we have older ones leaving, the horse industry is in trouble. 2) Kids aren't barn rats anymore. They're not developing their skills and life-long passion in what is a difficult lifestyle and demanding sport. 3) By dividing ourselves into so many fractured/specialized groups, we have weakened the whole. 4) Is this a natural fall-out from an increasingly urbanized population? Do we need to promote our disciplines with incentives as early as Pony Club and 4H? Do we need more mentorship for the youth whose parents aren't horsey? 5) In my lifetime, I've seen horses go from farm animals and backyard friends, to luxury lifestyle perks. Is this the way of the future? Folks, our tribe is shrinking. Among all these societal pressures, we need to reach more kids. Chris Hoddinott Photography. Keystone pony, Johnny Cash, carries that rare specimen, a boy rider, into the ranks.

Groundwork is about every interaction that you have on the ground with your horse, not just during a training session. It starts the moment your horse can sen...se you - which means from pretty far away! I encourage you to remember that you are always teaching your horse something whether you intend to or not. Horses learn from release of pressure and we are always applying and releasing pressure whether we realize it or not. Don’t fall into the belief that you are only teaching your horse something when you think you are - as I’ve said before, The good news is that your horse notices everything you do. The bad news is that your horse notices everything you do. #groundwork #yourhorsenoticeseverything #learnsfromreleaseofpressure #horses #horsesofinstagram #warwickschillerperformancehorsemanship #horsemanship #horsemanshipjourney #journeyon #warwickschiller Kimes Ranch Jeans Weaver Leather EquiFUSE Arenus Animal Health Total Saddle Fit

March Break Camp, Spring session and Summer Camp!

Food for thought.....horses and humans!

There are still spots available for day camps on January 3rd and 4th!! Who wants to come horse around??

We are now registering for 2019 Winter session, Spring session and Summer camps!! Check us out at www.gracefarms.ca Winter session - Jan 7- March 7 Spring session March 18- June 7 Summer camps - July 15-19, 22-26, August 12-16, 19-23 We also have Gift cards for those looking for last minute gift ideas!

Horsey Friends will appreciate!

Sounds about right!

I always try to be quick.... just never works out that way! :)

FALL RIDING SESSION September 17 - Dec7, 2018 Contact Jeanette for more info or to register! More info at www.gracefarms.ca

Thank you so much for another fantastic Summer of camps and lessons!!!! The horse are on a much needed 2 week vacation after this very hot summer!!!!!

I often get asked how horses can go sore. From my experience a horse does not wake up one morning and go 'I'm going to be naughty today'. I am sure we have al...l had instances where we have misread the situation and pushed out horses to work through the 'behavioural issue' and disciplined it. He may have pulled back, slipped over in the paddock, been kicked by his paddock mate, travelled badly, got cast in his box, stumbled when riding, a paddock accident, rolled the wrong way, thrown his head up under a rail, the list goes on. Many of these events happen when you the owner are not around, adding to the mystery of why your horse has suddenly gone sore. It's important to listen to what your horse is telling you. A saying I use is 'It's important to find the solution and not punish the symptoms'

Hmmm, Interesting!

The problem with horse training is that society is set up to believe that you can buy a service and have things the way you want in a certain time frame. People... look at horse training as if they're spending their money on a product. And yet even the best horse trainers will tell you the horse takes its own time, and no one can guarantee a horse will be doing what you want from it when you want from it. The other problem is that even if your trainer can get t done with your horse, it doesn't necessarily mean that you will be able to. Getting a horse right takes an amount of commitment on the owners part to develop the same type of relationship that the trainer has, otherwise how can you expect from your horse for yourself what your trainer gets, when it's they who have put in the hours, the sweat, the patience and the desire to get Along with that horse? You aren't spending money on a tune up for your car that you can take home and drive. The fact that money is involved leads people to believe they deserve something for what they paid, and they do, but, it happens in the animals time, not the humans. I think any good trainer would say they would do this for free if they could, just to help horses and people. And yet, we all have to eat. -words by Amy Skinner Photo is of Ray Hunt. See more

Great day at Exeter saddle club on Sunday! So nice to see my children enjoy the horses as much as i do!

Never gets old! :)

BAYFIELD HORSE SHOW Starts 9:00am Saturday August 19th! Come out for a great day with great prizes!!!! Class list: Adult Showmanship... Youth Showmanship Adult Down and Back Youth Down and Back Lead Line 7 years and under(may not show in any other class other than showmanship Walk, Jog, Trot -May not show in any other class other than showmanship Open English Equitation Open English Pleasure Open Hunter Hack (cross rail jump) Open Trail Adult Barrels Youth Barrels Adult Western Pleasure Youth Western Pleasure Open Flag Open Command Adult Polebending Youth Polebending Adult Horsemanship Youth Horsemanship Adult Keyhole Youth Keyhole Open Fun class See more

Another fantastic week of camp done! Wonderful kids having a blast and making great memories. Gotta love it!!!!

And, because so many riders will not ride horses within the limits of their capabilities, this leads to the horror show of drugging, lunging to death, tying hea...ds to girths, harsh bitting, draw reins, leverage devices, all the submission based strategies that make modern competing the place so often to avoid if you are a real horse person. Leaving those places to become, increasingly, the realms of those who are fundamentally abusive, because if they were not, they would fix it, and they don't. It is hard to understand what pleasure riders derive from getting ribbons based on abusive tactics. Either they know, and don't care, or they don't know, and it is hard to say which is worse. If any horse sport condones practices which have the innate potential to cause injury or undue stress to the horses, then those within the sport need to fix the problems, and if they are unwilling to do so, that is a sport to avoid if you think of yourself as a horse person.

I am still amazed by how many people don't know what a good foot is supposed to look like. I am still amazed by how many hoof care professionals are apparently... NOT telling their clients the horse they are trimming/shoeing has crappy feet. Then I come in, and start talking about lack of nutrition, hoof walls that lack integrity and strength, frogs being contracted and weak... and the owners just look at me with confusion because in all the years they've owned the horse and had it trimmed and maybe shod - NO ONE told them these things. It isn't that these things are unknown. ANY hoof care professional should know how to resolve these things. And to be honest, I'm getting bloody damn tired of seeing contracted frogs and walls falling apart. These are things that are, in the scheme of things, really easy to treat, to resolve, to prevent. And yet, it seems like every darn time I take over a new client's horse.. *boom* there it is. Contracted heels. Walls stretched and unbalanced. Wall that has so little integrity left it can't even hold a shoe anymore. Happened again today. And I don't blame the owners. They are listening to the professionals they pay to take care of their horses' feet. How can they research a problem they don't even realize exists? I can't tell you how many times I've heard a new client tell me (after I talk to them about the contracted heels and thrush) that their hoof care professional said their horse was just built that way. That it was totally normal. And maybe they'd add that that's why this horse needs shoes, because of those pinched frogs. And I can feel my face getting that thousand yard stare. I've heard it so. many. times. So here we go. Bad foot. Good foot. If your horse's foot looks like the first picture, get help. Really. Please. Find someone who knows what they are doing, because if your horse's foot looks like this, the person trimming it doesn't know what they're doing. Just sayin.

Grace Farms is having a P.A day camp on Monday May 8th! Bring a lunch and come horse around for they day.9:00-3:30. Riding lesson in the morning and bareback in the afternoon!

Our new welcoming committee! Rosie and Bobbi!

Wonderful story of lesson horses. I share it in memory of the many amazing lesson horses I had the privilege of sharing my life and work with.

"We don't expect the child to write his name the first day or two in school. As soon as he learns to sit down in class and listen to the teacher, he is not imme...diately expected to write his name.....but we expect immediate learning from a horse. We expect the horse to go from kindergarten to the eighth grade, to high school, to college without enough time, preparation, or consideration for his thoughts and feelings. We often don't even get him into a learning frame-of-mind before we begin to train him. We don't even have him relaxed and confident, where he can sit down in class and just listen. We skip all that preparation because we are so superior, or neglectful, or lazy. Because we haven't prepared ourselves to recognize the horse's feelings." - Ray Hunt Photo of Ray by Eclectic Horseman Magazine.

Grace Farms is having a March Break Camp - March 15th and 16th. Bring a lunch and come horse around!!! $55/day. For more info talk to Jeanette at 51-233-3165 or Email- [email protected]