Well, we know that spring is officially upon us because the ice bergs in the lower pasture have finally melted, the outdoor arena is no longer a lake even though we have ducks in residence, and we now have a mud farm.

We’re looking forward to a busy clinic coming up at Knollwood this weekend. We’re welcoming Cindy and Deveau from Zubrod Stables who will offer their unique perspective to our academy and show riders. We enjoy clinic weekend every year when we welcome expert clinicians who work with our riders in group and private lessons.  We can hardly wait!

Of course, with clinic weekend coming up and the IASPHA Spring Show only a few weeks away, it's time to look back at all we’ve accomplished during the off season. We finished the 2018 show season with a bang with Haley winning the Triple Crown of Saddle Seat Equitation at the Royal. Many of our teams finished strong after a season of great progress, so it was the perfect way to finish the campaign.

We’ve had a lot of adventures during the off season.

 

 

Our riders grew!

We’ve done a lot of stirrup lengthening, and moving kids into bigger saddles over the last few months. At this rate, the industry is going to start making bigger saddles!

In addition to the physical growth, we’ve had a blast watching many of our ‘littles’ grow from thinking like wee ones to thinking and riding like experienced horse people. They’re starting to think like horses!

 

 

We Reorganized Our In Barn Shows!

With our mantra of ‘Evolve or die’ in our heads, we made some changed to our in-barn shows to make them even more inclusive. Starting in 2019, our riders will receive shirts to wear in the show, and will have the chance to compete in fun classes in addition to their traditional equitation and pleasure divisions.

Triple Crown Winner Haley is playing games at the May show, and is welcoming all comers who would like to ride with her!

 

 

New Teams Have Come Together!

The Cooper family purchased Brookhill’s Passion Punch (AKA Leila) for Finn to show in the senior equitation division. Last year’s triple crown winning horse and Finn have bonded over the winter, and are ready to have some fun this spring.

Heather will be showing Impressive Asset (Fergie) in senior Pleasure Equitation, Hanna will be showing CH Fine By Me (Tucker) in her last season in the junior Pleasure Equitation division, and Maria will be showing Irish Victory (Murphy) in the pleasure divisions. Jordan will be showing the one and only CH Freaky Links in show pleasure in her last season before she heads off to the University of Wisconsin.

Richie has made a move with Miss Mheiry Mac and will be showing her in Country Pleasure.  They’re having a blast getting a little more speed going!

 

We Welcomed A Rider From The Arabian World!

New to the Saddlebred show ring this season will be Laney on Rosewood’s Homecoming Dance. Laney has lots of experience in the Arabian world, and has made the move to showing Robert in pleasure equitation with us.

 

 

Two Riders Are Moving Up From Our Academy Program!

McKailey has moved up from the academy division and will be showing Tura Lura Lura (Maddie) in pleasure.

Jeni has supported her kids through their show careers, and now it’s her turn to have some fun. Jeni is leasing Finding Neverland (Michael) to show in the Gaited Pleasure division. We can hardly wait to watch these new teams!

 

 

 

Academy Riders Progress and Impress!

Our academy riders continue to impress us with their hard work and drive.  This upcoming season is bringing lots of promotions from walk and trot up to walk, trot, and canter showing at out of barn shows. At our in-barn shows, we have even more stars making the jump to walk, trot, and canter classes.

 

 

We Found A Blanket For Frank!

So, Big Frank has a history of trashing his winter coats.  In the past, they’ve lasted a month on average.

Thanks to our friends at Dover Saddlery, Frank has worn the same coat since November, and it doesn’t have a mark on it. We apologize that we previously credited our friends at SmartPak with the indestructible coat, but we later discovered it was a Dover coat.

SmartPak, your Piper Jods are still every saddle seat instructor’s favorite!!

 

 

We Spent Quality Time With Our Horses!

So much learning happens off our horses’ backs, and the off season gives us added time to spend in stalls with our equine friends. Lately, We’ve spent LOTS of time with the school horses helping them shed out. Even thick coated Sparky is starting to look like a horse again, and he’s SO grateful for everyone who’s helped him feel better.

 

Forest Is A Media Star.

Again.

Forest has once again has made his way into the media.

National Horseman published an article about everyone’s favorite Fjord in their Junior Exhibitor Issue. Don’t tell him, because his head might get TOO big to manage, but they requested info about Forest because of his social media skills. They pretty much said that

Everyone

Knows

Forest.

 

 

We Learned in Non-Traditional Ways.

The off season gives everyone a chance to think outside the box as we enjoy a little more time at home.

So, we re-energized Friday nights and added Pattern Classes, Show Strategy Classes, an Invitational Tiny Tot group of hard riding 5 and 6 year olds, and the most popular of them all, Ladies Nights.  We’re adding game nights later in the year!

We’ve enjoyed the off season in our regular scheduled classes as well.  Our more advanced riders and our helpers live the ‘no stirrup lifestyle’ while leaning from the lesson horses in creative ways. We’ve practiced getting on and off on the right side,  and experimented with emergency dismounts.

Games? You bet.

We don’t know if the horses or the riders enjoy them more. We’ve had some spirited games of Steal the Crop, and Musical Feedsacks, rode some creative pairs patterns, and of course played games of skill like ‘slowest trot’ and ‘slowest canter.’

Did we learn a lot while we laughed and tried to only get off at appropriate times? Yes. Yes, we did.

 

 

We hope you had as much fun as we did during the off season.

See you soon at the in-gate! 

 

 

 

 

 

We made it!

It’s officially the first day of spring, the start of the new season of mud and shedding horses.  While the water levels are down in the pastures and the lesson horses are no longer talking of opening a horse swimming school, the icebergs are still in place in the lower pasture. We expect boats to be launched there soon.

But really, the arrival of spring means that we can officially look forward to the start of show season and all the excitement it brings. Here are some events you won’t want to miss!

 

Our show barn riders and experienced academy stars are welcoming guest trainers from Zubrod stables on March 29, 30, and 31. We will not be holding lessons on those three days. Please contact your instructor if you’d like to schedule a make up lesson. We’ll add the missed lesson to the end of your current package.

 

Entries for the Knollwood spring show close on Monday, April 1. Our shirt order goes in that day, so we can’t make exceptions.  We’re looking forward to our exciting new format, including a game division that our show barn customers can join, and hope that everyone will be joining us for our in barn kickoff show!

 

As part of our popular Friday passport series, we’re hosting an academy WTC strategy session at 6:30 on April 5.  Academy stars showing in the WTC division are welcome to join this class to strengthen their show ring skills.

 

 

Our hard working youth group, the Knollwood Knockouts , is hosting their spring meeting in the show barn lounge at 4:30 on Saturday April 6. Come meet your 2019 officers, board members, and make some new friends. Officers always have some entertaining activities planned, so come join the fun!

 

 

Our first out of barn academy show of 2019 is coming up April 12-14 at  IASPHA Spring  in Gurnee, Illinois. Always one of our favorite shows, the IASPHA series is held in an all enclosed facility with plenty of hospitality and good sportsmanship to enjoy. Scott and Carol are making the trip with some of their new teams for 2019 as well!

Our academy stars head off to Woodstock, Illinois for the UPHA Spring Show on April 26-28.

 

The big Knollwood Spring Show takes place on May 4-5, and we can hardly wait. The show features classes for all riders from leadliners to our experienced show horse riders competing in a fun gaming division.

It’s a major fundraiser for the Knockouts as well.

You’ll have a chance to donate to gift baskets, volunteer for a shift or 2 at the concession stand, or assist with set-up and take down. Here’s the link for concession stand staffing!

 

 

Our annual food drive also starts on May 4. We’re collecting food kits for the Food Pantry of Waukesha County through June 8. Every rider who donates a minimum of 5 food kits by Friday, May 31 is eligible to join a team for our special scavenger hunt on Saturday, June 8. Teams are formed based on the day of week each participant rides, and we’re looking forward to collecting a LOT of food, having a blast with the hunt, and enjoying a pot luck food feast to celebrate.

 

The Knockouts are cleaning up Oakwood and Nagawicka Roads on Saturday, May 11 at 1:00 PM. It’s a perfect way to get your club service hours in for the year, and to enjoy a beautiful spring day. Sign ups will be up soon in the school barn, and available here!

 

 

 

Our popular Mom’s Day Ride returns on Saturday, May 11 at 5:30. 

Knollwood Kids can be their mom’s helper for a fun group lesson when the current riders show the new riders why they love riding so much. It’s only $45 and includes refreshments with the fun. You can sign up in the school barn lounge.

 

Friday Night passports continue on May 17 with another Walk and Trot show strategy session at 6:30. Whether you’re just starting your show career, or would like a refresher, it’s guaranteed to be an enlightening class!

 

 

June will start with Friday Passports’s Walk and Trot Pattern class on June 7 at 6:30. We’ll work on some beginning walk trot patterns for our newer show riders, and build confidence in new skills!

 

Tiny Tot Camp starts June 10, and Summer Riding School starts on June 17.  Sessions are filling up fast, and the July sessions of Tiny Tot Camp are already sold out. Be sure to get your registrations in soon!

 

We hope you can join us for all the fun we have in store.

See you soon at the barn!

 

 

Happy Sunday, everyone. 

Sundance, master of the pasture and wellness guru to the best lesson horses in the world here.

While the humans around Knollwood have been struggling of late with colds and influenza, we equines remain healthy as, well, horses.

We all got together and decided to let you sorry people in on our successful wellness regimen.  You may not agree with all of it, but none of us is coughing, shaking, or down with ‘mansickness.’

 

Drink Water. Lots of It.

We horses enjoy gallons of water everyday. When we’re out on chilly night, we enjoy it really warm while room temperature is the recipe inside.

And yes, when outside, we even share from the same tank.

 

Exercise With Friends.

 

What’s better than a fitness class with friends? Group lessons help keep our immune systems working while we joke with each other about what’s going on in the class. (Just in case you didn’t know.)

And lessons while the arena heater is on? Think of all those hot yoga classes you pay for.

We get them every day.

Included with our salary.

 

Preventative Health Care.

We have the best.

Even though some of my employees get a little dramatic about their immunizations, there are no anti-vaxxers here. Our imposing vet makes even the most namby pamby horse agree that shots are in their best interest.

 

Enjoy A Busy Social Life.

We herd horses enjoy evening fellowship every evening at the round bale. We can discuss the events of the day, solve the problems of our small world, and eat our hearts out.

Box stall boys enjoy recess several days a week in the sunshine. They play games, roll in mud, bother the broodmares, and taunt the ponies. What could be better?

 

Rest

Yes, we all enjoy plenty of nap time.

From Fred to Klem, all the boys enjoy a good lay down. While Fred may at times appear dead, he’s still quite alive, as his snoring will attest.

Naps are deepest after a good hot bran mash on a cold day.

 

 

Get Dirty.

We live in a dirty horse world. No hand sanitizer here. 

Our immune systems are well exercised, with lots of fresh air, great food, fun work, and wonderful group of cats, dogs, horses, and people to count as friends.

Hope you silly humans have gotten some useful information from the best lesson horses in the world.

 

Just like the humans at Knollwood, we love what we do.

Stay healthy, humans!

 

Hi Everyone, Forest Here.

I’m a Norwegian Fjord, and even I am sick of winter 2019.

  Don’t tell anyone, but I was actually born in Beloit, and as long as we’re sharing secrets, I’m living under an assumed name.  That’s enough secrets for now.

 

Here are my top reasons for being done with this whole winter thing:

Sleep Deprivation

  Have you ever tried to sleep on cold icy ground? I thought not.

It’s not very comfortable unless you sleep on the hay, but hay is for eating, people.

 

The Arena Heater Dilemma

So, all the fancy saddlebred ‘academy show horses’ get to work in the arena when the heater is on.  I however, do groups, and am usually accompanied by my best friend and bodyguard, Frank the Pony. He has an unnatural fear of the arena heater and thinks he should run away whenever it turns on.  Hence, groups are done with the heater off.

I am suffering.

 

The Ice = Seasonal Weight Gain

How am I supposed to continue my strenuous fitness routine when my pasture is icy? I’ve been doing my best just to stay upright while eating. A lot.

And don’t tell me to eat less and exercize more.  I’m starving here!

 

Clothing

I hate wearing clothes, but they’re necessary when trying to ward off the wind. I feel like a failure as a Norwegian when I have to don my thinsulate jacket.

 

Personal Hygiene Suffers

I need a bath!

I’m longing for warm summer days when I get to enjoy warm baths after work.  Plus, I really enjoy drinking my bathwater, too!

 

I’m Trapped Inside for Lessons

This time of year, all of our lessons are done inside.  I have to be extra creative being naughty in lessons, as there aren’t as many distractions.  Thanks to Frank, I can’t even use the heater as an excuse.

 

Those Darn Broodmares In The Next Pasture

So, they don’t have foals yet, they’re just two ornery fat mares at the moment. They bicker ALL THE TIME, and fight over food. I can’t wait until they have foals and they can change the topic to ‘I have a  prettier baby!’

 

But of course, being a Norwegian at heart, I try to embrace the spirit of Hygge, or coziness for the season.

How do I remain positive?

 

Coolers!

I get to wear coolers after removing my hellish blanket and enjoying a thorough grooming.  Nap time in my cooler also gives me extra time to practice my escape plans, for which I’m famous. I can appear to be napping while I slither under my butt chain and eat at will after out of my slip stall.

 

Dreaming…

While napping, I dream of show season and camps.

The instructors are taking entries for the Knollwood spring show which is happening on May 4 and 5.  I, of course, am a star that weekend. Be sure to get your entry in soon so you have a chance of riding me, a real celebrity at the show.

 

Parents, if you'd like to volunteer some time at the show, you can do it here.

 

I love summer camp! We have some openings for camp, so be sure to check our our website, www.knollwoodfarmltd.com for  availability.  Of course, you can always talk to Ann or Nancy at 262-367-2391, or stop by for a look around!

 

This Weekend is Busy!

Scott and Carol may in Texas conducting a clinic, but Knollwood will be in full swing. 

We’re even holding a meeting for parents who would like to become more involved with the Knockouts. You can sign up to come in the school barn lounge, and you’ll enjoy meeting other parents, enjoy a tasty lunch, and learn how you can help some great kids.

 

 

If there are any left overs, you know who would enjoy them, and you know where to find me.

 

See you at the barn!

 

 

We're in winter denial.

Scott and Carol just returned from a tropical vacation, so we've decided that it's officially spring at Knollwood.

With show season coming up, we've designed some really fun events for everyone to enjoy, and to help them think spring.  Here’s your guide to all the events we’ve planned for Team Knollwood

 

Walk Trot Canter Pattern Class

Friday, March 8 at 6:30

Join us for a fun pattern class just for out walk, trot, and canter riders. We’ll practice skills, and maybe even work on the Spring IASPHA pattern.

Remember to buy your Friday passport to take advantage of all the exciting Friday classes coming up!

 

Parents Meeting

Saturday, March 9 at noon

Join us in the show barn lounge for lunch and to meet with Knockout leaders and other parents to find out how you can become more involved with our award winning youth group. We’d love to see some new faces support the kids at barn events, horse shows, and charitable events. You’ll meet all sorts of great parents and kids!

 

Patchwork Pony Road Show

 

Saturday, March 16.

9 AM - 4 PM

Hilton Garden Inn, Oconomowoc, WI

The Patchwork Pony is bringing their inventory to the Midwest for the first time. They have a deep selection of academy and show attire available. It’s the perfect place to get set for show season 2019.

 

How to Make the Perfect Bun!

Saturday, March 16

6:00 PM

Come join us in the show barn lounge to learn from the best. Laura and Sue will be there to teach you how to make a classic bun for riders who wear hats and those who don’t. Please bring your daughter so someone can practice on her hair. Of course, snacks and beverages will be provided.  Please sign up in the school barn lounge so we can prepare the refreshments.

 

Spring Clinic

Saturday, March 30 and Sunday, March 31

Our show barn riders and our experienced academy riders will enjoy a weekend with guest instructors from Zubrod Stables in Kentucky.  

We will not be conducting any lessons on the 30th or 31st while our show riders get energized for the 2019 campaign.

 

Knockout Meeting

Saturday, April 6

4:30

Come meet your Knockout officers, board members, and your fellow members.  We’ll finish  up the spring show, and make plans for Knollwood summer 2019.

 

 

 

IASPHA Spring Show

April 13-14

Fields and Fences Equestrian Center, Gurnee, IL

It’s our first academy show of the season!

With WTC classes on Saturday, and WT classes on Sunday, this series of shows is one of our favorites. New this year- the Green walk trot rider division. Riders can ride in this division for the entire first season they’re showing. It’s a great way to keep our newest show riders competing on a level playing field.

Out of barn entry blanks are available in the school barn lounge!

 

Knollwood Spring Show

May 4-5

We’re excited about our revamped in-barn show series.

New this year is a relaxed dress code. Riders will all be competing in long sleeved tees designed for the show.   Riders will select their shirt size on their entry blank, and  will pick it up on the day of the show.

Because  of the shirt order, entries will close April 1.

We’ve also added games to the end of Saturday’s performance, and show barn riders are eligible to participate in this section.

In an attempt to simplify the entry process, we’re offering show packages and pricing as well.  Let’s keep this easy!

We hope to have entry blanks ready by the end of this week.

 

 

Hope you can join us for all the exciting events at Knollwood.

See you at the barn!