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Bring your love to ride the trails at Brightleaf

February is the month of love! When you book a private trail ride you will receive a special gift!

Special Pricing at $150 per couple

We are gearing up for 2019 Horse Camps and the horses are getting excited!

Spring Break Horse Camp

*April 15-18  *8am-1pm ($220)

Summer Break Horse Camp

*June 17-21 *8am-1pm

*July 8-12 *8am-1pm

*July 22-26 *8am-1pm

*Aug 12-16  *8am-1pm

**Camp sessions are $275 per camper**

Get registered with Heather brightleafstables@gmail 919-949-7386

Come spend a crisp fall day on the farm!

Saturday November 17th , 9a-2p

Cost per camper $100

Camp will start promptly at 9 tacking up to get our ride in early. We will focus on fun fall games on horseback. Campers will enjoy making a fall craft. We will learn the importance of fall time in the barn and with taking care of our horse. Campers will enjoy a harvest lunch.

Fall camp is a riding camp for ages 4-12yrs. All experience levels are welcome! Camp will be rain or shine.

Contact us to get registered as space will be limited.

See ya on the farm!!

Name: Cadillac (Cadi)
Owner: Frachele Scott
Age: 16
Birthday: March 18, 2001
Breed: Paint
Color: Solid Black
Pedigree: Georgia Skips Lady Cheyanne out of PF Golden Eagle and The Right Turn
Brightleaf Resident Since: November 2016
Funny Fact: Cadillac pulled an EPIC April Fools prank on everyone at Brightleaf Stables.  Earlier in March Cadi “bagged up” – meaning her teats enlarged and she started producing milk.  A sure sign that she was with foal!  After plenty of shocked reactions and cheers we made her comfortable and anxiously awaited delivery.  On April 1st the vet came out and checked her through and through and that’s where the joke was on us – the vet confirmed that Cadillac was not pregnant after all!  Silly mare just wanted some extra TLC and special treatment!

“I’ve always driven Ford Mustangs, but the day I found myself riding a Cadillac, everything changed. The first time I mounted Cadi, as she is affectionately known, she took off! I didn’t have a good seat and slipped in my saddle , she rounded a barrel at about 60 mph, and “whoa” was understood as a suggestion, not an instruction. Obviously, she wasn’t actually going that fast, but it felt that way. We made our way back to the mounting block for corrections, but I was hooked. Riding on the back of Cadillac was just as exhilarating as hitting the gas in my Mustang. That first ride was just a few months ago, but I fell for that mare immediately.

Watching her run with her herd is breathtaking; when she shows off in the round pen with trainer Steven Holder, my mouth drops open in awe; and when she is totally relaxed when we have “spa days” and just groom and graze, it’s good for both our souls. The best moments, however, are when she stops grazing in the pasture and just comes to me–no tricks and no treats. She comes because she wants to. Sure, I’ve had a doozy of a time catching this horse in the past, but I’d like to think she knows now she is safe with me. She might even halfway like me; so she comes without complaints.

My girl and I board at Brightleaf Stables. She has a custom – built corner unit called the CadiShack. Her neighbors are young Willow and Corona. Her stable BFF is Nike, but she can be found socializing with everyone in the Brightleaf barn family–from the puppy to the donkey. She’s a big girl, strong and smart, but don’t be intimidated. Her eyes tell you everything you need to know about her.”

The weather was BEAUTIFUL this weekend and we couldn’t have asked for a better day to celebrate National Love Your Pet Day!  We had a wonderful turn out of familiar faces and new friends.

Massage Therapist Jane Templeton taught us all about horse massages, horse anatomy, and pressure points!  Jane shared her knowledge and demonstrated her methodology on Brightleaf’s Princess – we didn’t have to pull her tail to convince her to volunteer!  Jane is a certified practitioner of the Masterson Method – Integrated Equine Performance Bodywork.  She uses this unique, interactive method of equine massage and bodywork to recognize and use the responses of the horse to personal touch for the purpose of finding and releasing accumulated tension.  Thank you Jane for an awesome demonstration and we look forward to having you back on the farm for more massages!

The horses LOVED all of the homemade treats that were made.  A yummy apple dipped in molasses, peppermint, oats, and brown sugar!  Yum-O!

Guests also had an opportunity to take a barn tour and learn all about Brightleaf’s furry residents and see the tack and feed rooms!

Of course it wouldn’t be a Brightleaf Stables event without PONY RIDES!

The Orange County Polocrosse Club which is a local chapter of the American Polocrosse Association came out and gave us an introduction to the fun of Polocrosse!  They taught us all about the games, fielded questions, and showed us how it was done.  Then some of our Brightleaf boarders got the opportunity to try their hand at the game.  And oh what fun they had!  Lots of laughs, great fun, and awesome memories!  Thank you to the entire team of the Orange County Polocrosse Club for a great afternoon!

Check out our Photo Gallery for more pictures from the event!

Brightleaf Stables would like to thank each and every horse lover and the lover of the horse lover for a fabulous first public year! You all are what makes this farm prosper! So thank you for all your support and love! All the horses and (Jack) have enjoyed every minute along the way.

This time last year, and maybe this very day, Steven and I said, “This will be the last addition to the barn!” Well we ate those words!!  We are building on three more stalls as we speak! With growth of marvelous people, there is no way we couldn’t make room for just one more.

This year, like all other years, has been made up of moments that remind us why we do what we do.  We watched as Brightleaf’s baby Willow grew into a beautiful yearling!  We showed love and compassion to two horses that had been very scared and worked to regain their trust.  We traveled for camping and trails in Uwharrie, we hit the show ring for the very first time, and we celebrated big throughout the year!

We’ve said teary farewells to boarders that moved on but will always be a part of our Brightleaf Family.  And in turn we have said warm welcoming hello’s to new additions that have taken empty stalls and filled spots in our hearts!  Along the way we have built gardens, stretched through yoga, created fun crafts, fostered lasting deep friendships, and loved and cherished our furry friends.

I am never more amazed that I am able to teach horse lovers young and old what I have been taught over the years. In the quiet moments as the day breaks with the soft glow of sun against each blade of grass I am humbled at what this Brightleaf life has brought me.  In the quiet time I spend feeding as the world wakes or when I visit the herd very late at night with just the stars glittering the sky, I am overwhelmed with the gratitude, joy and love that these beautiful creatures naturally provide. Every person that steps on this farm has been touched by these gentle giants and I hope they continue to nuzzle the hearts of many more through the years to come.

We have been honored to share our little slice of heaven here on the Brightleaf farm.  We have come so far in just a year.  Our success is purely because of our community, our family, and our horses.  To our lessons and trail blazers we cherish each and every one of you.  Seeing how far each of you has come as you continue to learn and grow fills my heart with such joy and I am honored to be a part of that journey.  To our boarders, you are the foundation of our farm and we are humbled you have chosen us to care for and love your equine family members as we do our own.  To our horses, the heart of all that we do here at Brightleaf Stables – we continually learn from you and cherish the trust you put in us.  And finally to my family, a brilliant grill chef/handyman husband & father, a lawn-mower-driving teenage angst farm boy, and a blond headed princess with a heart of gold – you put the “bright” in Brightleaf and you light up this farm (sometimes literally!)

So with us gearing up for 2017 may this message find you with a horse that will know when you are happy, comfortable, and confident and may he find your pockets always full of carrots!!

Have a Happy Brightleaf Year!!

See ya on the farm!

~Brightleaf Family

Name: Aria
Owner: Leeanna Brandt
Age: 5
Breed: Appendix Mare
Brightleaf Boarder Since: September 2016
Favorite Treats: carrots, apples, anything tasty!
Random Fact: Aria loads right into a horse trailer, but unlike most horses she does not want to unload.  She is working on conquering this fear with the guidance of Brightleaf’s very own “horse whisperer,” Steven Holder.

Brightleaf Stables has been busy welcoming several new additions the last couple of months!  December’s Spotlight introduces you to one of the new boarders, Aria.  Aria’s owner, Leeanna, wanted a sweet, fun, easygoing companion for trail riding and found all that (and more!) with Aria.

Although working through a few “challenge” areas that are new experiences for Aria, she is settling into her new life at Brightleaf Stables quite well and is loving the ample grazing and attention she gets from the Brightleaf family.  Leeanna is loving her newest ‘baby’ and looks forward to continuing to bond with sweet Aria.

Check out our Photo Gallery for more pictures of Aria!  Stay tuned for upcoming spotlights on our “oldies but goodies” and new additions to the gang!

In October we loaded up the trailers and headed out to Uwharrie National Park for a weekend of camping and trail riding!

We met up with our friends from our sister barn Sly Fox Stables  and enjoyed a weekend of campfires, fellowship, and fun!

Uwharrie has some of the most amazing trails and you are sure to run in to fellow trail riders while out exploring.

With close to 15 hours of riding for the weekend we sure had our share of fun!

Even the non riders had a good time.  We geeked out playing games like Carcassone, Firefly, Telestration, Coup, and more!

Check out our Photo Gallery for more pics from our trip to Uwharrie!

Name:  Lucy
Registered Name: Irish Fantasy
Owner: Sharesa Spiker
Age: 20
Breed: Registered Irish Draft Sporthorse
Brightleaf Boarder Since: September 2016
Favorite Treats: Carrots, mints, and more CARROTS!
Barn Nickname: Lucy, or if she has misbehaved “Lucille”

   

Payton turned 3 this past weekend and boy did we celebrate!  Friends from all over came to party with Payton on her special day!

The sound of laughter filled the air as Payton and her friends jumped high in the trampoline.

The horses were all ready to take the Birthday girl and her passengers on a fun pony ride!

Of course it isn’t a party without food!  Steven grilled hot dogs & hamburgers and after lunch the kiddos got to make their own Ice Cream Sundaes!!!

We hope you had a wonderful birthday party Payton, we surely did enjoy  celebrating with you!

If you would like to schedule your child’s party here at Brightleaf Stables check out our Pony Parties page for more information and to reserve your special event today!

Check out the Photo Gallery for more pictures of Payton’s Pony Party!