December Newsletter

Merry Christmas from Orchid Hill Stables!

We truly hope that your Thanksgiving was wonderful! The day was bitter-sweet as we remembered spending last Thanksgiving in the Orlando Florida Hospital’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit with our daughter Chloe Lynn. We continue to remember how each of you assisted our family through gifts, gas cards, and cash which we used to pay for tolls, parking, and food. Most of all we are thankful to each of you who continue to pray for our family as we experience our first Christmas season without our precious baby girl. The Lord has given us strength and we have chosen to dwell on the happy memories of the eight weeks He blessed us with a little heavenly angel.

For everyone wondering, we are expecting another baby girl in March! What an exciting time! Join our family in the coming months as we continue to host holiday camps, trail ride, show, and manage a fun filled New Year!

The Sebring Christmas Parade is this Friday the 4th at 7 P.M. If you’d like to walk with us or ride on our float, call 655-1582 or email orchidhillstables@hotmail.com A.S.A.P. We are also hoping to participate in the Lake Placid Parade on December 12th. Call for more details!

Christmas Camp is coming up soon! December 21, 22, 23, & 24th. December 28, 29, 30, and 31st. Cost $75 per day (OHS student price). Treasure Hunts, Mounted Games, Horsemanship patterns, and Trail Rides. Do you remember when we took stockings and had to fill them with treasure hunt items? Let’s do it again it was so much fun!

I’d love to plan another cool trail ride at a park too; send your suggestion dates and we will make it happen. Camping in January or February could be a lot of fun too; again date suggestions are all we need to put the plans in motion.

SHOW New Smyrna Beach January 23 & 24. This is an “A” rated show, anyone wishing to attend Region 12 in Perry, GA this year needs to show at this competition! Please inquire about our very inexpensive lease program so you can ride the horse you are competing with any time!

Leasing a lesson horse is a great way to tune up on riding skills without extra riding lessons. For less than the cost of board you can ride your favorite horse anytime you want! A lease contract is available to anyone interested in this special program.

As we wrap up Prematurity Awareness Month we would like to thank everyone in Highlands County who attended the March of Dimes Chefs Auction where $27,000 was raised to support the research that continues to save the lives of premature babies! A special dedication to Chloe Lynn was made at this event and the Orchids, donated in her honor, brought a very special $1,000 donation from the Crutchfield family.

Thank you and God bless each of you as we continue to do what we can to support families with babies in NICUs across the country especially during the holidays.

Sincerely,
Sarah and Lawerence Holton

November Newsletter

There are many activities taking place at orchid hill Stables this month as well as around Highlands County. Take your time reading this newsletter; many of these events are listed in the paragraphs below. You can also keep track of important dates by checking out our Calendar at www.orchidhillstables.com

Buddy graced the cover of the Heartland Sun Times last week! Buddy and Sparky the Fire Dog were promoting this weekend’s Home Show and Green Living Expo held at Lakeshore Mall, November 7^th & 8^th. Orchid Hill Stables will be giving pony rides for $5 and taking photos for $2. Pony rides, bounce houses, Alpacas, and more will be located in the grass area behind lakeshore Mall. In preparation for the holiday season many businesses are offering great sales, you never know what deals you might find for your home

This morning’s inside page of the News Sun newspaper displays a photo of Chloe Lynn Holton, her story is shared as we prepare for the 11^th Annual March of Dimes Chef’s Auction. Much of the research conducted to help treat premature babies and prevent infant mortality is funded by the money raised through March of Dimes functions. On November 12^th, beginning at 6 P.M., restaurants from around our community will serve samples of their finest dishes at the Four Points by Sheraton Sebring Chateau Elan. Mingle with friends as you bid on over 60 silent auction items ranging from spa treatments and hotel packages to gift baskets full of goodies you can wrap up for Christmas! The silent auction will be followed by the big ticket live auction. Included in this auction are AirTran Airways tickets, Disney tickets, Sony 32" TV, a week of Horsemanship Day Camp, and much more! All purchases made with your MasterCard will be matched by MasterCard! I have tickets to the auction, cost is $35 per person, or you can purchase them online at www.marchofdimes.com

Trail riders... it is finally cool and we are planning ahead for a bar-b-q/trail ride on November 21^st. Lease a lesson horse for this 3 hour excursion through beautiful hammock and prairie landscape for $150, and for those prone to saddle sores a 1 hour lease is available at $75. Please call ahead so that we can plan your trail route. (863) 655-1582 or (863) 381-7719

We will be attending the largest Arabian horse show in the state of Florida on Saturday November 28! The Thanksgiving Arabian Horse Show, held at the Tampa fairgrounds, is a display of the finest Arabian and Half/Arabian horses. This year we will be watching and learning in hopes of competing at this event in 2010. We’d love for your family to join us for this special day of great entertainment! Call Orchid Hill Stables for more information or visit the event website at http://www.ahaflorida.org/

CAMP Dates: Thanksgiving Camp November 23, 24, 25, & 27. All day horsing around begins at 8:30 A.M. and commences at 3:30 P.M. Cost: $75 per day.

Christmas is coming and here are the dates for this very special camp: December 21, 22, 23, & 24^th. December 28, 29, 30, and 31^st. Cost $75 per day. Treasure Hunts, Mounted Games, Horsemanship patterns, Trail Rides, and tons of FUN!!!

Next Horse Show: January 23-24 2010 New Smyrna Beach, this is a USEF Arabian Horse Show. If you are wanting to show at the “A” level, or qualify for the 2010 Region 12 Arabian Horse Show in Perry, GA, this is a qualifying point show! I have been told that this show is very similar to the Amateur Arabian show we attended in Ocala last March. We are very familiar with the Silver Sands show arena in New Smyrna Beach and are really looking forward to competing in January! Prize list will be available soon at http://www.companionarabians.com/

I hope to hear from everyone, especially if you have any questions about these wonderful upcoming events! Please contact me via Orchid Hill Stables at (863) 655-1582 or on my cell phone at (863) 381-7719 If you choose to email me at orchidhillstables@hotmail.com please call one of our phone numbers if I do not reply to your email within 24 hours. Also please CALL if you are cancelling or scheduling a riding lesson.

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Sincerely,

Sarah Holton