Thanksgiving & Christmas Camp

Thanksgiving and Christmas Camp Fun 2010

In Thanksgiving and Christmas’s past we have played mounted games, hunted for hidden Christmas ornaments, practiced for horse shows, and hacked along the cattle pastures. This year how about getting your Christmas shopping done at camp! No not you grown ups; kids I can’t give too many details, but we have some gift ideas planned for your lunch time project hour.

With 8 lesson horses in our program there are plenty of equines to go around. Whether you are learning the basics of riding or the beginnings of under saddle horse training your camp experience will be tailored to make your equestrian dreams come true! Don’t worry about sitting around waiting to ride your FAVORITE horse, because the Christmas gift project will keep you entertained when you’re not on a horse’s back. You just don’t know what Miss Sarah has up her sleeve for you this Holiday season!

Thanksgiving Camp November 22, 23, 24, and 26; 8:30-3:30, extended hours available on Black Friday for Mom’s extended shopping spree! Lessons and trail riding available Saturday November 27^th. Lunch, snacks, and water provided to campers. Camp is $75 per day, pick and choose your dates!

Christmas Camp December 17^th ½ day only $40! Full day camps December 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, $75 per day, you pick your dates! Food, crafts, riding, hours of horsemanship fun all provided at Orchid Hill Stables Christmas Camps!

We can’t wait to hear from you!

Sincerely,

Miss Sarah, Mr. Lawerence, Harper Lynn, Valentino, Vic, Missy, Ali, Buddy, Tony Pony, Rio, Mr. Kool, (Angel, & Jody, guests of OHS), JJ, 0Clarisse, Vicious, Jill, Brownie, and Biggie.

www.orchidhillstables.com 863-655-1582 orchidhillstables@hotmail.com

Thanksgiving Camp & Half Day Camps

Thanksgiving Camp is coming up quickly! Monday, November 22, 23, 24, & 26 8:30am – 3:30pm

This camp is for beginner to advanced riders! $75 per day for OHS students! Ask about extended hours on black Friday so you can shop till you drop, while your kids horse around!

Half Day Camps every early release Wednesday 1pm – 4pm at Orchid Hill Stables.

Enjoy a half/day of camp for just $40! Arrive at 1 P.M. for 3 hours of riding and horse fun!
Please sign up in advance! Check the Calendar at www.orchidhillstables.com for early release camp dates!

Come out and enjoy the cool riding weather!

Fun Show Weekend!

Hi everyone, we had a fabulous weekend at the Arabian Community Horse Show in Clarcona this past Saturday! Tarryn Paterson and Angel were amazing to watch; they performed in Show Hack, proving to be a wonderful pair to exhibit this very difficult class. This team gives encouragement to any riders working toward a goal. It has taken three hard years of practice and now these two are often winning their under saddle classes! Katie Noon also proved that she has been practicing hard with Rio as the two won numerous classes in walk/trot/canter hunter under saddle. Megan Rae Bowers and Rio were also a winning combination in Western Horsemanship walk/trot; this class included a difficult figure eight pattern which Megan aced! Sabrina Land and Buddy entered the open (non-Arab) classes and won both the grooming and conditioning class and showmanship! Buddy still has tons of energy for a 21 year old horse, and Sabrina had to slow him down a few times! Great riding girls!

The second day of the show was an open fun show and we had two exhibitors showing for their very first time! Katelynn Painter was up on Buddy in walk/trot, winning two of her classes and taking two seconds! Amazing! Also competing for her first time was Julia Cook riding Rio in walk/trot hunter under saddle; Julia and Rio also won two classes and took home two seconds! The Orchid Hill Stables team was really taking home the blues this weekend! An additional compliment to Tarryn Paterson who, with her total of five years show experience, took Beyond Ali into his first classes at a horse show! She worked very hard to make certain that Ali was calm and attentive to her signals. What a proud weekend for all of the parents, the exhibitors, and of course this trainer!

Our next horse show is scheduled for January and will be an A rated Region 12 qualifying show. Everyone getting ready for Regionals in May needs to start practicing for this show!

Hope I’m not overwhelming anyone with this long email, but I also need to mention that we will be giving pony rides at the Spring Lake Homeowners Association Annual Bar-B-Q this Saturday from 10:30 – 2 P.M. If you can come and promote Orchid Hill Stables by passing out business cards, and helping with the horses please let me know. I do have new t-shirts if you need one to wear for the pony rides.

Ok, have a wonderful week and look for more updates on our newsletter blog at http://www.orchidhillstables.com/newsletter.html You can even post comments!

Remembering Jack

It was quiet in the barn this morning, the yapping of our old Mr. Jack was silenced Monday morning. I won’t go into details of how his four legged life ended, but he was with Lawerence and I as he took his last breath.

Most people will remember Jack dog as the Jack Russell Terrier that always seemed to be antagonizing a horse or barking at a squirrel, but for Lawerence and I Jack will always be remembered as our first little buddy. We had only been married 5 months when we got the call that a 1 year old Jack Russell pup needed a new home. The first time I saw his big brown eyes, he nearly jumped into my lap, and I knew we were adopting our first pup as a couple. Jack would soon be seen everywhere with Lawerence on new construction sights around Highlands County. It is quite possible you live in a house that Jack helped build. Work stress melted on the jobs where Jack would be found lying on a cold slab of concrete, or underneath the work truck. On cold winter days Jack had to have his coat and rarely left the warmth of the truck seat. In our own home a stocking hung in the doorway with bones and toys, and was opened on Christmas morning by a happy Jack.

Every vacation we took included Jack. He loved to go fishing with us on Sanibel Island, where he’d nearly come unglued when someone caught a fish for him. Our very first ocean fishing experience was in the Outer Banks (OBX) of North Carolina. We rented a three story house with a pool just for Jack and by that time Jill too. Those two played in that pool for hours. Jill would run around the side and jump on Jack’s head, pushing him under water. It was a game that lasted until their bladders could not hold anymore pool h2o!

All of these wonderful memories are gifts from God! Those sweet newlywed years made even sweeter by our first pup, Mr. Jack. Rest in peace little buddy.

Happy 4th of July!

Wow! June is already over and 3 weeks of summer camp have gone by! Orchid Hill Stable's summer is off to a fabulous start; with kids ranging in age from 5 to 17 having attended our summer day camp! Getting ready for the June horse show was a blast; that week was filled with our 6 show exhibitors practicing with their horses, grooming them, and learning the art of clipping a horse's coat for a show.

Rachel Wolf and Erin Lamb gave us a huge surprise when they presented our stables with a check for $250! Through a program at Hill-Gustat Middle School the girls raised money for feed through "Hats for Horses". Kids payed one dollar to where a hat to school and the proceeds went to benefit a local stables. This year the girls received approval to raise the money for Orchid Hill Stables. It was so cool, the day they presented the stables with the check was also the day that the hay and feed truck came! What appropriate timing! I am so proud of Erin and Rachel for their hard work in raising these funds; there are so many wonderful programs in Highlands County that you can support, these girls are off to a grand start at becoming a positive influence in their community!

Orlando Arabian Horse Club held their annual Arabian Community Horse Show in New Smyrna Beach on June 26. The weather was fabulously hot, but not rainy. This is the first year that we did not experience some type of precipitation. With Eric Wolfe judging our girls took home several prestigious awards! Tarryn Paterson and her horse, Charlies Angel EQ, won halter class after halter class. Erin Lamb and WDF Valentino also won many halter classes and most significantly they took home the Liberty class award Saturday night. Liberty is a class where the horse is set free in the show arena and dances around to music; this class is just thrilling to watch!

First time showman, Savannah Durrance was awarded the Grooming and Conditioning title on Sunday with her miniature horse, Jody's Baron. She also won reserve high point in the walk/trot division on Sunday's fun show with Buddy I Am. Taking the grand high point award was Megan Rae Bowers and Hot Diamond Rio. Hot Diamond Rio and Katie Noonon won the Arabian & Half Arabian Hunter Under Saddle class on Sunday placing first over 11 other entries! Sydnee Crow and Hot Midnight Kisses won multiple ribbons in several Hunter Under Saddle classes as well.
It was a fun weekend and we can't wait until the fall Arabian Community Horse Show at the Clarcona Horseman's Park October 16, 2010.

Thank you to everyone who attended our bar-b-q for Harper Lynn Holton on May 22. It was a beautiful day and the kids thoroughly enjoyed the water slide we rented from Homemade Creation (www.homemadecreation.com). These slides are awesome and worth every penny to rent for your party!

Camp is still on for the rest of the summer! Call to set up a day of riding!
Have a great summer everyone!
Miss Sarah
(863) 655-1582

orchidhillstables@hotmail.com

www.orchidhillstables.com

Bar-B-Q for Harper Lynn Holton May 22, 2010

Come celebrate the arrival of our little girl, Harper Lynn Holton! Lawerence will be barbecuing chicken for all of our guests to enjoy! Water Slide for the kids, so bring clothes you can get wet in! Great time for everyone! May 22, 10:30am-1:30pm, just stop in when you can! Orchid Hill Stables, 419 Ranchero Dr. Sebring, FL 33876; for more details call Sarah at (863) 655-1582

Invite a friend and show them around your favorite riding stables! There are lots of beautiful Orchids blooming too! Chuck Jabas (our wonderful handyman) has been working on the barn and in the tack room, check out all the new improvements!

What an exciting time to be a student at Orchid Hill Stables!

3 Hour Trail Ride

Hello everyone! It has been a very long time since Orchid Hill Stables ventured out on one of our 12 mile trail rides at a scenic location. Well, get ready! On May 8th we will be taking the lesson horses out for our first bar-b-q and trail ride since last autumn!

Bar-B-Q lunch is served around Noon. We will have one group riding before this fabulous meal and one group riding after. Horses are transported to the trail head, saddled, and ready for you to ride. Your guide, Sarah Holton, knows how to make sure everyone has a wonderful time.

We do recommend that you take one lesson or a one hour trail ride at Orchid Hill Stables before you venture out on our 3 hour ride. Our horses are experts at taking good care of their riders and are capable of handling riders from ages 5 to 75! Don't miss out on this unique adventure!

Space is very limited, so reserve your horse as soon as possible!

Reservations are $150 per person and includes lunch for rider and family members joining us at the park (riding or not).

Visit www.orchidhillstables.com for more information or email Sarah at orchidhillstables@hotmail.com

Baby & Spring Break

Orchid Hill Stables, Inc.

This is a quick update on Harper Lynn Holton, while she is down for a nap! Our visit to the cardiologist yesterday went very well and I am more than excited to say that Miss Harper has a PERFECT HEART!!! Her sleep apnea monitor records her heart rate and each month her Dr. will read these recordings. Harper's respiratory rate is also recorded. This is just precautionary because they do not know exactly what caused SIDS in Chloe.

So, Lawerence and I have been resting up and are slowly returning to work. Orchid Hill Stables will be hosting spring break camp next week. There are plenty of openings for campers, as well as for any adults who would like to volunteer to assist me out in the field. Sitters for Harper Lynn have been scheduled, although I will be making frequent trips into the house for feedings.

I am very excited to get outside and breath in some fresh air. Please feel free to call me at 863-655-1582 for more information about camps and/or to set up riding lessons.

Sincerely,

Sarah Holton

March Newsletter

With JJ & Brownie curled up beside me on the couch, I read “Bubba and Beau Best Friends”. This tale of a baby and his pup seemed appropriate for a child who will grow up surrounded by farm animals. Baby Girl enjoyed it very much, her little hands felt like they were reaching for the puppies that she’ll soon be meeting. Call it nesting, although Lawerence keeps telling me I’m not a bird, but then he also says I’m fixing to hatch. I’m confused, but then I did put the milk in the cupboard and the cereal in the refrigerator yesterday, so it probably doesn’t take too much to get me these days. Anyway, the house is ready for the baby and this email is reaching you so that I can get the horses ready for baby too.

A detailed feed list has been posted on the refrigerator in the barn. If there is a particular day and time of the week that is good for you to volunteer for feed and mucking duties please let me know. Also, if you have never done any of these chores please call me to set up a time that I can go over the routine with you!

Lessons are still being scheduled for this Saturday, February 27, email or call me to set up a ride time. Private and group lessons are available. Anyone, scheduling a lesson for Saturday or any day next week, please reply to this email with the best phone number to reach you at, in case we have to cancel. My doctor says to just keep to my normal routine, but that it is not going to be much longer before the baby arrives.

Thank you so much for your help and support. I only plan on taking 5-7 days off after the baby is born. We are planning for an Amature Arabian Horse Show March 20-21 (entries close March 11), and Spring Break Camp is scheduled for the last week of March. Details for both of these events are listed at www.orchidhillstables.com

Call me at 655-1582 or email orchidhillstables@hotmail.com for more information about upcoming events and riding lessons. Sincerely, Miss Sarah

Spring Break Camp

Sign up now for our Spring Break Day Camp! March 29-April 1, 2010, 8:30 A.M. to 3:30 P.M.

Get more details about our Horsemanship Camps at www.orchidhillstables.com visit Camps!

Or call Sarah Holton at 863-655-1582

Feb. 19 CAMP DAY

February 19, 2010 we will be holding a day camp for children ages 6-16 from 8:30 A.M. to 3:30 P.M. For more details on day camps at Orchid Hill Stables visit our Camps page or contact Sarah Holton at 863-655-1582.