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: Cadillac (Cadi)
Name: Aria
Name: Lucy
