We’re thrilled to announce that Richard and Tracy have purchased the charismatic pleasure mare ‘Nuttin But a Lady for daughter Tori to show this season. Previously owned and loved by the Cooper family, Frankie’s former person Finn is beyond happy that the beautiful black mare will be staying at Knollwood. Think of all the helpful hints Finn can pass along to Tori!

Tori has grown up a Knollwood kid. She loves all animals, and in fact, Hazel Belle Boxer Matton has play dates at her home.

Tori is a dream of a helper in the barn, showering horses with attention, and always being patient and kind to all the new riders she assists. She gives a great spa treatment to our retired horses as well!

Tori has shown in the academy world for several years, and after riding some higher powered horses with Carol, has decided to fly into the show horse world.  We can’t wait to see this exciting new combination hit the in-gate!

 

 

 

After leasing CH-EQ Royal Tryst for two seasons for son Richie, the Dallens have purchased the equitation queen for Richie to ride in this final season in the junior equitation division.

Formerly owned by the Becker family, and by the Budzinski family before that, queen Sophie and Richie are looking forward to an exciting final year in the 13 and under division.

Having won the UPHA Junior Challenge Cup final in 2020, this year will be hard to top, but we know that Richie, the young man who rides in tee shirts when it’s 10 degrees outside, will find a way.

 

We wish the Dallen family great success in 2021!

Team Knollwood is thrilled to have welcomed many new riders and families to the barn over the last few months. We're so glad you've joined us!

We know horses are new to many of you, so we thought we'd answer some of the most asked questions from our new friends here.

We'll be putting a question box in the lounge as well, so you can drop any queries for the humans, horses, cats or dogs of Knollwood. We promise to answer all of them in upcoming blog posts!

 

Why are some of the lesson horses so slow?

Slow moving horses build confidence for the newest rider. Our perfect beginner horses react slowly to cues and give the rider time to adjust to what is happening. These horses are worth their weight in gold and then some as they slowly, kindly, and patiently teach new riders.

Once a rider has learned the basics of starting, stopping, steering, and trotting on our unicorns, they’re ready to move on to the next level of horses, those who teach ‘follow through.’

 

Why are some of the horses so hard to keep going?

These marvelous lesson horses teach newish riders the importance of providing information to their horse. All.The.Time.

Horses are living, breathing creatures, unlike the keyboards many kids are accustomed to spending time with elsewhere. Because there’s no ‘enter button,’ the rider must keep the communication flowing to the horse so he knows what’s needed.

When the information halts, often, so does the horse.

These horses also teach the importance of following through on directions. A gentle suggestion may not always work, so riders have to in increase the strength of their direction. They learn the progression of direction, and respect for the horse in the process.

By learning how the horse’s mind and body work together, a rider also learns more about themselves.

 

Why are all the lesson horses geldings?

Consistency. Geldings are the same every day, and the drama level in our group of ‘grand geldings’ is amazingly low. If we introduce a mare to the group, all the fellows want to claim her as their girlfriend, and things can get a little too unpredictable for our liking.

 

Do the horses go outside in the winter?

Absolutely.

Imagine a class of 15 year old boys who have been locked up inside and are expected to behave like polite, rational beings. There you have it.

Horses are built to be outside, and need the free play time to stay mentally well. When the temps fall below zero, all of our horses will wear winter coats outside.

While our horses who live in the back of the barn go out every night, our box stall horses enjoy daytime recess.

 

Who are the ‘Red Box Stall Horses,’ and who gets to ride them?

Horses living in the red box stalls are very special. They’re our academy horses who travel to shows with us and compete in the academy division. They’re mostly registered American Saddlebreds, and we’re also fortunate to have 2 registered Morgan Horses.

These horses also love their jobs, and love going to shows. They’re all well versed in the show world, and are experts at teaching our advancing riders patterns.  Some of these boys also participate in our summer invitational camps offered for our academy show riders.

These horses are more responsive than our beginner horses, and are faster and stronger. Our academy horses let our riders continue their education on a broad assortment of characters. From our entry level show horses like Dexter to our horses who also show on the ‘B’ circuit like Panic, these horses can take a rider wherever they’d like to go, all the way to the show horse world.

Because these horses are not for riders starting out, they’re reserved for riders showing at the academy level, or for those preparing to do so in the upcoming season.

If you think you might be interested in pursuing academy showing, please talk to your instructor!

 

What’s the benefit to riding bareback?

Strength. Riding bareback helps a rider gain core and leg strength while developing a great feel for what’s going on underneath them. When riding bareback becomes too easy, riders graduate to riding in a saddle without their stirrups.

 

Why does my rider have to ride a horse he or she doesn’t like?

We’re fortunate to have around 25 lesson horses, from the most patient beginner teacher to the show barn lesson horses who test a rider’s skills.

We refer to our collection of horses as ‘the library.’ Each horse has a unique lesson to teach, and skills to master.

When a rider has a lesson to learn, they frequently get frustrated and think that they don’t like the horse that is being used to teach the skill. If a rider only rode the horses they found easy, they wouldn’t progress in their skills.

Usually, after the new skill is mastered, that horse that a rider ‘didn’t like’ becomes a favorite for being such a patient teacher.

 

When do riders learn to canter?

 

Because we want cantering to be a pleasure and not a scary experience, we wait until a rider is comfortable with a series of trotting skills. Mastering the sitting trot, dropping stirrups and picking them up while trotting, trotting without stirrups, and bareback work prepare our riders for a safe, fun experience.

There’s no timeline to when these goals are achieved, as everyone is on their own schedule. Riding as often as you can does, however, speed up the learning.

We have a special group of horses that excel at teaching riders of all ages and sizes how to canter. We are fortunate to have Hooper, Leon, and Picasso in our faculty list.

 

What breeds are the lesson horses?

Let’s face it, the back of the school barn looks like the United Nations of horses.

We have Quarter Horses, Saddlebreds, Morgans, a Pony of unknown origin, a Hafflinger, and the one thing they all have in common is great brains.

We purchase lesson horses for their minds, and we don’t mean their intelligence. We have some pretty simple lesson horses who have beautiful minds.

These horses are kind, forgiving, adaptable to different riders, and patient all day long.

They may not all be beautiful on the outside, but they are on the inside.

 

What do the retired lesson horses do?

Horses who have worked in our lesson program have a wonderful retirement plan.  Currently, Brinkley and Sundance are enjoying their retirement benefits. They stay at Knollwood to live out their days with their friends.

While they no longer give lessons, the retirees hang with their friends enjoying the cuisine and care they’ve grown used to, enjoy daily turnouts, lots of attention from Knollwood Kids, and are used at camps for classroom activities.

Who are 'The Helpers?'

Helpers are Knollwood Kids who have shown responsibility and a good work ethic. Riders who exhibit these traits and who have advanced in their riding skills are invited to be a helper on a trial basis.

Helpers come for a day each week and help prep horses for lessons, take care of them after lessons for the younger kids, perform barn chores, give spa treatments to the retired horses, and act as personal assistants to beginner riders. Helpers must be friendly, kind, patient, and responsible.

If you’re a new rider looking forward to being a helper some day, taking good care of your horse is a great way to start. Summer riding school will teach a lot about horse care, and helping the helpers when you’re at the barn is another great way to learn.

Knollwood Helpers are the best of the Knollwood Kids, and being a member of the group is an achievement in itself.

 

What’s coming up?

 

Saturday, February 6

Deadline for delivery of sale items for our used academy clothing sale the following weekend.

 

 

Saturday, February 13

11 AM – 2 PM

Team Knollwood used academy clothing sale

 

 

Saturday, February 20

Patchwork Pony Road Show

Comfort Suites Johnson Creek Conference Center

8:30 AM – 4:30 PM

Knollwood’s stylist and mom of 2018 Triple Crown Winner Haley will be there from 8:30 to 10:30 to help with your selections. Please let Ann know if you’d like her to meet you there!

 

 

Saturday, February 27

Knollwood’s Virtual Award Banquet

Live from the arena

7:00 PM

Join us as we celebrate our 2020 adventures, and recognize high point award winners.

We have some brilliant ideas to make the virtual experience one to remember, including party boxes to make you feel like you're there.  Check out details in the school barn lounge.

Stay tuned, we're still coming up with creative ideas to make the evening feel like everyone is together. Got an idea? Talk to a Knockout officer or board member!

 

 

 

Saturday, March  6

Academy Kick Off Meeting

7:00 PM in the arena

We’ll go over the finalized academy schedule for 2021, and offer info about the process.

Join us to see demos from some accomplished academy riders, and to ask questions of the riders and their parents.

And, you can set up your personalized meeting with your instructor, too!

 

 

See you at the barn!!

 

 

 

It may be snowy outside, but  Knollwood Summer, 2021 is coming! 

Since announcing camp dates a couple weeks ago, spots have been filling quickly.

Here’s a brief explainer about Knollwood's different camp offerings.  Read on to find the best fit for the rider in your house.

 

Classic Camp

Session dates

June 21 – 25

June 28 – July 2

July 19 – 23

July 26 – 30

 

Classic camp is the perfect introduction to Knollwood. Designed for new horse kids, or for new-ish riders, this camp offers hours of hands-on learning. Safety is our number one priority, and new Knollwood Kids learn how to behave safely around horses from the moment they arrive. Campers spend most of each day with the best lesson horses in the world, learning to groom them, prepare them for lessons, riding each day, and caring for their horses before and after each ride.

Learning takes place both on and off the horses. When not riding, campers will enjoy hands-on learning with our counselors, and through games as well.

 

Our friends from Soul Fire Art Studio join us on Wednesday afternoon to help the riders create horsey crafts to keep for memories of camp.

Each weeklong session finishes with a riding demonstration for parents and friends, followed by a reception where new riders will learn about all the other Knollwood lesson offerings.

Classic camp is $650, and sessions are selling quickly.

 

 

Knollwood Prep Camp

July 12-16

This special week of summer riding school is designed for our current riders preparing for the Knollwood Summer Show on July 17-18.  Riders will learn skills to advance their competitive tools. They’ll learn strategies to use in the ring, to present themselves and their horse at their best and to show how their horse sees the world, all while making new friends and enjoying the company of their horses.

Cost is $650, and is open only to current Knollwood riders. This camp is not available on the website, and your instructor would be happy to enroll your rider.

 

Summer Showcase Camp

August 2-5 and August 13

For our riders who have shown at home and are looking forward to showing in the academy division, we offer a special camp and horse show combination.

Riders will attend camp with Ann at Knollwood August 2-5. On August 13, campers will spend the day at the Ozaukee County Fairgrounds for final preparation for first show. Campers will meet the show horses they are to ride in the arena and prep their horses and tack for the big weekend. Campers will learn all about horse shows as they practice on the horse they’ll show at the ASAW Summer Showcase Horse Show on August 15.

They’ll learn all about patterns, showmanship, and sportsmanship as well as horse and equipment prep for their show ring debut.

This special camp is $750, and entitles riders to a show discount for attending both camp and the show.

 

Advanced Academy Camps

For our riders showing in the academy division, we offer special week long immersions into the horse world. While the emphasis is on patterns, riders also learn all about strategy in the ring, horse psychology, sportsmanship, and FUN.

Invitations will be going out in the next few weeks for our current academy stars.

 

Tiny Tot Camps

 

June 14-16

July 5-7

July 12-14

August 2-4

Always a sell-out, our Tiny Tot camps are designed for riders ages 4-6.  Each three day, three hour session running from 9 AM – noon includes daily rides and horse care time under the watchful eyes of an instructor and individual ‘personal assistants.’

Campers play many games, brush horses a lot, and ride the horse they take care of each day.

Each weeklong session will finish with a demonstration for parents and friends.

These sessions are $350 each, are available on our website, and are selling really fast.

 

Summer riding schools create memories for a lifetime.

Be sure to get your Knollwood Kid enrolled before they’re sold out!

 

 

Coming Up Fast!

In-House Consignment Sale

February 13

11:00 AM – 2:00 PM

Show Barn Lounge

Academy parents, here’s your chance to sell the show clothes your rider has outgrown, and to purchase new outfits from fellow Knollwood academy stars.

If you have items to sell, please bring them to the barn with contact info, pricing, and payment options (cash, PayPal, Venmo) attached. We’ll need the items in hand by Saturday, February 6.

We’re also looking for parents to help with set up and to act as fashion consultants for our newest show riders. Please talk to Ann if you’d like to help.

 

Patchwork Pony Road Show

February 20

 

8:30 AM  - 4:30 PM

Comfort Suites Conference Center

Johnson Creek

Shop a huge  assortment of academy attire, and enjoy great customer service as well!

Our instructors will at at home teaching, but Sue Berget will be at the event to help Knollwood Kids with their shopping. We'll update soon with the hours Sue will be there acting as the Knollwood stylist!

 

 

Knollwood Knockout Virtual Banquet

February 27

7:00 PM

Join us on Facebook Live!

We may not be together at Bristlecone Pines as in past years, but the annual celebration of all things Knollwood is still ON!  We'll celebrate virtually into your computers live from the arena via Facebook Live instead.

We’ll present high point awards, announce the school horse of the year, hear Scott’s annual ‘State of the Farm ‘ address, and premiere the annual slide show. You won’t want to miss it!

 

 

Academy Kick Off Meeting

March 6

 

7:00 PM

Join us in the arena for a socially distanced kick off to the 2021 academy show season.  Perfect for riders and their parents, we’ll feature demos and schedule info for our upcoming  adventures. Please sign up in the school barn if you’d like to join us!

 

 

 

Spring IASPHA Show

April 17-18

 

Beyond Stable Farm, Woodstock, IL

Join us for the first academy show of 2021!

 

 

Knollwood Spring Show

May 22-23

 

Join us in the great outdoors!

Our walk, trot, canter riders will show with the 11 and over walk trot stars on Saturday, while the 10 and under, ‘Green’ riders, and our lead liners will show in the little outdoor ring on Sunday.

 

 

See you at the barn!

 

Riders of all ages  start out thinking we’re going to take riding lessons. Sure, we learn to ride horses, but we learn so much more from these wonderful giants. Horses teach lessons that make our lives happier and more enjoyable than they’d be without them.

Here are just 10 lessons that horses excel at teaching all of us who are fortunate enough to enjoy their company.

 

 

 

Appreciation

After you’ve ridden for a little while, you figure out that it’s not as easy as experienced and professional riders make it look.  Watching the skilled amateurs and the pros, you appreciate the training needed to reach that level of expertise.

Riders also learn to appreciate great horses of all disciplines. A great horse is a great horse, no matter his job or the style of his person’s chosen discipline.

 

 

Compassion

Horses teach compassion in spades.

Like humans, horses have good days and bad. They sometimes fall ill, or injure themselves. Horses require our help constantly, and teach us to care for those who cannot care for themselves.

Horses age, and not always gracefully. Our senior horses require patience and care more than the young and well.  Care and human companionship keep them comfortable and happy in their old age, and Knollwood Kids learn this lesson well.

Horses die. While we give them the best care possible, all horses will die. Riders will show compassion to their friends who were most attached to the lost horse, as well as all their fellow horse kids who knew the horse.

 

Confidence

Riding gives kids confidence they carry into other aspects of their lives. Once a new rider realizes that they can control a big animal, they start to realize how much power they have. These kids often see improvement in their school work, and even behavior.

 

Creativity

Riding teaches kids to be creative to solve problems.

Can’t reach the bridle on the wall? Go get a ladder.

Can’t get the giant beginner to trot using your voice? Try your leg, body, or crop.

Got a global pandemic on your hands? Spread out in the great outdoors and invite a Morgan to lunch.

 

 

Discipline

Horses are creatures of habit, and have completed years of training to get them where they are today. As a result, horses need things done in a way they’ve been trained to understand.

Riders must learn to communicate in the way their horse has been taught. If you don’t do them in the right order, or skip a step, the result is a confused horse wondering what is being asked of them.

Discipline also keeps riders safe around horses. Making sure your horse is safely secured in his stall, making sure your saddle and bridle are adjusted correctly, and many other details require discipline to keep you safe.

 

 

Prioritization

Horses teach students to prioritize constantly.  Here at Knollwood, we have a saying, ‘Horses first, the rest later.’

It means that after a ride, you care for your horse first. Before your tack, before your wraps, and before you take care of yourself.

Horses teach us to prioritize our schedules so we have time to take care of them, to schedule vacation time, so we can spend time with them, and to be willing to make sacrifices when we need to for them.

 

 

Resilience

Oh boy, horses are the best teachers of resilience…..

We’re all learning, and a riding education is a winding journey. Some rides will be near perfect, and will leave you feeling like you can do no wrong, while others will leave you wondering how you got this far. Horses keep us humble, and teach us to pick ourselves up and move on.

Riders fall off. Stay with this wonderful sport long enough, and it’s a certainty.

When you show, you’ll have classes when everything is beautiful, and classes that you’d like to forget.

A love of the animal and of the sport will always bring you back wanting to master new skills, and connect with your horse in a better way.

 

 

Respect

Horses teach us respect for their size, strength, and for their instincts. They also teach us to respect their calm quietness in their stalls, and the comfort they can bring us.

Horses could kill us with their size and strength if they wanted to. Instead, they choose to partner with us for companionship and lots of fun.

 

 

Responsibility

Horses are pretty helpless without human assistance, so they teach us responsibility. Humans  are responsible for providing food, shelter, vet and farrier care.

Riders quickly learn how to care for horses before and after each ride, how to care for horses when they are unwell or injured, and to keep their behavior in line so horses can remain happy.

 

 

Sportsmanship

Life isn’t fair.   It’s just not.

Horses teach us that anything can happen in competition. You may win, you may not. Your horse may be well, he may be injured and unable to take part. The judge may see your brilliance, or he may not. The judge may see the other rider crash into you, of she may just see the aftermath of the blow. You may remember and execute your pattern in a near perfect way, or your horse may decide it’s not the day, you may blank on the pattern, or someone may make a loud noise and blow your or your horses’ concentration.

It’s all part of life, horses teach us to accept it all and learn from it.

 

Horses are wonderful teachers of so much more than riding. We're all grateful that we get to spend so much time with them, for all they teach us on their backs and in the barn.

 

 

 

 

What’s Coming Up?

Saddle Rentals Are Due for 2021

Riders enjoying the use of upgrade saddles, please be sure to pay your annual fee to the saddle’s owner.

 

 

 

Patchwork Pony Road Show

Saturday, February 20

8:30 AM – 4:30 PM

Comfort Suites Convention Center, Johnson Creek

 

 

 

Knockouts Virtual Banquet

Saturday, February 27

7:00 PM

Live online from the arena

 

 

Final Academy Show Meeting

Saturday, March 6

7:00 PM

Indoor Arena

 

 

Team Knollwood is looking forward to 2021, and we're thrilled to announce our Summer Riding School and Academy show schedules.

You just can't beat summertime spent with horses, or weekends spent at horse shows. There's nothing better.

 

Summer Riding Schools

Summer Riding School dates are out, and weeks of our popular summer program can now be purchased on our website.

Classic Camp

For riders aged 7-17, session dates are:

• June 21-25

• June 28 – July 2

• July 26 – 30

• August 16 – 20

Summer riding school is perfect for new riders, or those who have ridden a little bit. It’s a real ‘hands-on’ week with most of the time spent in the barn or in the arena. Riders learn to behave safely around horses, learn to groom and prep them to ride, and will ride twice a day every day except Wednesday when we’re joined by our friends from Soul Fire Art Studio for horse crafting afternoon.

We’ll finish the week with a demo for parents and friends on Friday and some refreshment time to learn more about our extensive lesson program.

These action-packed sessions are only $650, and sell out every summer. 

 

 

 Tiny Tot Camp

For ages 4-6, session dates are:

• June 14 – 16

• July  5 – 7

• July 12 – 14

• August 2 – 4

Our mini summer riding school is the perfect introduction for the smallest of Knollwood Kids. Our 4 to 6 year-olds will spend three hours a day at the farm for three days. Each camper will enjoy their horse introduction with their very own personal assistant. They’ll learn horse safety, grooming, and riding all under the watchful eyes of experienced riders as personal assistant and their instructor.

These sessions are $350 and fill up fast. We only take six riders per session, so be sure to purchase your session soon!

 

 

 

Specialty Camps

Knollwood Prep Camp

We’re offering a special week July 12 - 16 for our riders gearing up to participate in our summer show on July 17 and 18. Our advanced beginner and intermediate riders will spend their week learning more about horse showing and horse prep while spending time with their barn friends.

This camp is also $650, and is open to any rider showing at the July show. Not available on the website, please talk to your instructor to sign up for this special week.

 

 

 

Showcase Prep Camp

Our second special week of camp will prepare riders to compete at their first show, the ASAW Summer Showcase at the Ozaukee County Fairgrounds on August 15.

Riders will attend camp at Knollwood on August 2-5 where they’ll learn all about academy showing while learning more about their horse for the show.  They’ll practice the pattern they’ll perform at the show, and spend just about every second with their horses.

On Friday, August 13, the campers will travel to the Ozaukee County Fairgrounds where they’ll enjoy a day on the show grounds. Knollwood Kids will ride in their show arena and give their horses a final prep for the show.

Please talk to your instructor if you might be interested in this opportunity.

 

 

 

 

Academy Show Schedule

Our 2021 academy show schedule is out, including our three in-barn shows, and is available here on our website.

We’re hosting Knollwood shows outside on May 22-23, July 17-18, and October 9-10. These shows are relaxed ways to enjoy entry-level showing with other Knollwood Kids on the best lesson horses in the world.

We offer classes for all levels of riders, from our new riders in the ‘green’ division to our most experienced riders competing in pattern classes and the Knollwood Challenge classes.  There’s plenty of fun for everyone.

A major fundraiser for the Knollwood Knockouts, the shows also feature a pre-order concession stand, gift baskets, and silent auctions.

 

 

 

 

Our out of barn schedule remains fairly similar to previous years with a few date and venue changes.

We can hardly wait to begin a full season of showing with friends both human and equine. 

 

 

 

 

 

Academy Seminar

Think you might be interested in academy showing, or are you an experienced show star? Please join us for an evening of demos and information on Saturday, March 6. We’ll gather in the arena where we can distance and enjoy demos from some academy riders. In addition to instructors, experienced show riders and their parents will be available to answer questions.

 

Please sign up in the school barn. We hope to see you there!

 

Other News?

Virtual Banquet

We won’t let the pandemic stop the celebration of Team Knollwood’s 2020 accomplishments. The Knockouts will be broadcasting on Facebook Live at 7:00 PM on Saturday, February 27.

Please tune in as we present high point awards, announce the lesson horse of the year, watch a slide show, and, of course, listen to Scott’s ‘state of the farm’ address.

We have plenty of fun banquet ideas, and we’d love to hear yours as well. Please talk to a Knockout officer or board member with your brilliant ideas!

 

 

 

Saddle Rentals

A reminder that saddle rentals are due for 2021.  If you rent an 'upgrade' saddle, please talk to your instructor about your $250 payment to the saddle owner.

 

We're looking forward to many new adventures in 2021, and we hope you can join us!

See you at the barn.