Blog

November 30th

Oh come all ye horses

Feed time is upon us

They come inside neighing and ready to eat

Lunch on the far-rm is such a happy horsie time

We could eat hay forever

We would eat hay forever

We’d like to eat hay forever

Joy in the barn

(To the tune of O Come All Ye Faithful)

December 1st

♪♫•*¨*•.¸¸♥ ¸¸.•*¨*•♫♪

Wrecked the walls with April’s kicking Fa la la la la la la la la

Need more salt for horsie licking Fa la la la la la la la la

Cleaned the stalls and filled the water Fa la la la la la la la la

Then we fed some horsie fodder Fa la la la la la la la la

(Deck the Halls)

December 2nd

♪♫ Silent barn, frozen barn, all is calm at the farm

Hay and grain to start off our day

If Laura’s too late with them we start to neigh

Eating in contended peace

All our shenanigans cease ♫♪

(Silent Night)

December 3rd

Horses call and I’m listening

On the ground frost is glistening

It’s beautiful white and oh what a sight

Walking to the barn in early morn

Gone away are the ring jumps

In their place are big dirt lumps

When horse hoof prints freeze

Perhaps I’ll get skis

Walking to the barn in early morn

(Walking in a Winter Wonderland)

December 4th

I really need hay

    Baby it’s cold outside

The horses all say

    Really it’s cold outside

And Laura would like to stay in bed

    But she’ll put on her boots instead

While Rufus runs all around me

I trudge uphill to open the door

The horses are glad they’ve found me

I’ll give them just a half a flake more

They really need hay

Cause baby it’s cold outside

Baby it’s cold outside

(Baby It’s Cold Outside)

December 5th

Sophie’s Christmas Carol to Jazzie:

Santa Jazzie, slip some carrots under the fence for  me

I haven’t kicked you all year

Santa Jazzie, let’s play inside the paddock tonight

Santa Jazzie, and fill my bucket with cookies, grain, and mints

I will share with you dear

Santa Jazzie, let’s play inside the paddock tonight

Come and trim my hoofs for me

With sparkly decorations that are fancy

I really do like you, let’s see if you like me too

Santa Jazzie, forgot to mention one little thing

The ring, it really should be an indoor

Santa Jazzie, let’s play inside the paddock tonight.

(Santa Baby)

December 6^th

Parked the trailer for the snow

In case we ever have to go

Jumps are gone, they’re packed away

Waiting for a warmer day

Horses fuzzy for the storms

Buckets heated – water’s warm

Parked the trailer for the snow

We are ready, let winds blow

Parked the trailer for the snow

We are ready, so let’s go!

(To the tune of Hark the Herald)

December 7th

Dashing through the stalls

To clean and start my day

Water and paddocks too

While horses eat their hay

Swept the aisle clean

And set out all my tack

But after I groomed my black horse

I went and rode bareback

Oh winter farm

Can’t get warm

But we love to play

Even though it’s cold outside

We ride around all day

Winter farm

Can’t get warm

But we we still can play

Even if it’s cold outside

We’ll ride around all day

(Jingle Bells)

December 8th

Oh the galloping sounded frightful

That you’re safe is so delightful

I didn’t know where you’d go

Stay at home, stay at home, stay at home

I was safe in my bed when I heard you

And immediately I knew

A horse was loose – on the go

Come back home, come back home, come back home

When I finally got outside

Was relieved to find Gem near the barn

Got some grain and he came inside

No big deal or real cause for alarm

Now my heart has returned to it’s place

And it’s beating at a slow pace

Thanking God Gem is safe and sound

Here at home, here at home, here at home

(Let It Snow)

December 9th

Horses nickering inside the barn

Nibbling at my pockets too

Searching for the treats I’ve hidden inside

Somehow they already knew

Everybody loves a bran mash made for them on Christmas Eve

Helps to make the evening bright

Fuzzy coats and their eyes all aglow

They’ll all sleep quite content tonight

(The Christmas Song)

December 10th

Frost on the ponies

From the newly fallen snow

They kick up their heels

And roll ’round like wheels

As around the fields they go

Now’s time for feeding

And I’ll groom when they are done

With some treats to share

And some riding there

Winter on the farm is fun

(Frosty the Snowman)

December 11th

Oh little barn in Chester

Where all the horses lay

Where Rufus sleeps and Laura keeps

The horses fed all day

While Brian works in the house

We have lessons and play

Come visit us

Have fun with us

We’d love to have you stay

(Oh Little Town of Bethlehem)

December 12th

On the twelfth day of Christmas the horses gave to me…

twelve fuss-free groomings,

eleven heads a-tossing,

ten joyful neighings,

nine backwards steppings,

eight steps of prancing,

seven tails a-swishing,

six circles trotting,

FIVE HORSIE HUGS,

four soft nudges,

three quiet nights,

two playful bucks

and a nicker in hopes of a treat

(12 Days of Christmas)

December 13th

Happy horses all around

As they’re busy eating

Getting low, I’ll throw hay down

So there’s more for feeding

Sophie’s having so much fun

Rolling in the pasture

Grained them when my work was done

Now they’re all begging for more.

(Good King Wenceslas)

December 14th

The five horses

Are starting their day

With a whinny, a nicker

Their greetings they say

In stalls where they

Have woken from sleep

I enter the barn, all things clean I must keep

No smell, all is well

No smell, all is well

Because I have cleaned all the stalls there’s no smell

(To the tune of The First Noel)

December 15

We three mares

Annoyed with boys are

Baring teeth, we’d kick them so far

When we’re grazing heads are raising

Telling them this is war

Geldings now

Behold we arise

Telling mares where dominance lies

Tried to chase them

Learned our place then

Admit our defeat with sighs

Oh, oh, horses wonderful and bright

Herd behavior what a sight

Games forever

Ceasing never

All day and through the night

(Star of Wonder)

December 16th

Oh cute pony, Oh cute pony

With a Napoleon Complex

Oh cute pony, Oh cute pony

With a Napoleon Complex

You charm them all with your small size

Your pony-tude my patience tries

Chorus

You dismount some with just one buck

It’s like colliding with a truck

Chorus

Because you’re cute, we will forgive

In harmony, we all will live

Chorus

(Oh Christmas Tree)

December 17th

Joy in the barn

The lesson’s done

And now it’s cookie time

We get a treat

For being good

And working hard all day, so kids have fun and play

For working, for working hard all day

We nudge the kids

To hurry up

And give our treats to us

We’d like to make

Our wishes known

By searching pockets too, we’ll even nuzzle you

We’ll even, we’ll even nuzzle you

(Joy to the World)

December 18th

It’s the most wonderful time of the day

When we hear the door open

And Laura is coming to feed us some hay

It’s the most wonderful time of the day

We’re the hap-happiest horses of all

We whinny our greetings about the grain feedings

You hear us all call

We’re the hap-happiest horses of all

(It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year)

December 19th

Mister Bailey

Please be a dream

Let’s have no spooking

We’ll ride as a team

We’ve done our circles

And half halts to calm you

Now figure eights and serpentines we can do

Mister Bailey

Look at your ears

They’re pinned toward the woods

And express your fears

I promise not to

Let anything eat us

Then we could ride

Without a big fuss

Now we’ve found a relaxed spot

Mr. Bailey love you a lot!

(Mister Santa)

December 20th

I’ll be up in the barn

You can count on me

I will go, right down the row

With food for each hors-ey

Winter eves will find me

Dressed to beat the breeze

I’ll be up in the barn

I hope that I don’t freeze.

(I’ll Be Home For Christmas)

December 21st

O come, O come visit the farm

And snuggle horses soft and warm

When you come make sure you wear fleece

And bring some carrots with you please

Come one, come all

We’ll greet you well

And of our great affections tell

Come one, come all

We hope you’ll stay

And share Christmas the Healing Hope Farm way

(O Come, O Come Emmanuel)

December 22

I saw three horses trotting by on lesson day, on lesson day

I saw three horses trotting by on lesson day in the morning

And what was learned with horses three on lesson day, on lesson day

What things did riders try with me on lesson day in the morning

Some serpentines and some circles too on lesson day, on lesson day

Some leg yielding and some halting too on lesson day in the morning

Dressage patterns and some backing there on lesson day, on lesson day

Half seat, no stirrups, and trot in pairs on lesson day in the morning

On lesson day in the morrrrrnnninnng

(I Saw Three Ships)

December 23rd

No hay in the manger

The horses aren’t fed

They call and they whinny

‘Til I leave my bed

I’m off to clean the barn

And hand out the hay

But after that’s over

Where it’s warm I’ll stay

(Away in A Manger)

December 24th

‘Twas the night before Christmas when all through the barn

No horses were stirring, no cause for alarm

The buckets were hung on the stalls with great care

All heated so water would always be there

The horses were nestled all snug in their stalls

No wind to annoy them within these four walls

And Brian and Laura in their bed fast asleep

Were resting quite nicely, not making a peep

When out on the farm there arose such a clatter

They sprang from their bed to see what was the matter

Away to the window they flew like a flash

Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash

The moon on the breast of the new fallen snow

Gave a luster of mid-day to objects below

When what to their wondering eyes did appear

Five horses emerging and dragging some gear

There were Jazzie and April being lively and quick

Gem, Bailey, and Sophie and not one single kick!

Down the hill to the arena the horses all came

They were all very quiet, their purpose the same

Now stepping quite softly, now giving a nicker

They gathered together ’round a basket of wicker

A blanket they placed in the basket with care

And then they all stood ’round the scene they’d placed there

As Brian and Laura in the window stood by

A bright star seemed just to appear in the sky

And soon from the woods other animals too

Amazed they both watched as the small circle grew

They came padding softly, a little aloof

And stood all together on paw, claw, and hoof

As they place leaves and branches and twigs all around

They made their “nativity scene” without sound.

Their eyes how they twinkled, their ears were all high

Their noses all snuffling and they let out a sigh

They began a low calling like music so clear

To celebrate Jesus, God’s son, coming near

As moonlight shone on them and glinted off teeth

A light haze encircled their throng like a wreath

Each pressed nose or paw to their nature-made bed

And each gave a nuzzle or lowered it’s head

Squirrels and chipmunks on horseback as if sitting on shelves

And we smiled when we saw it in spite of ourselves

A blink of an eye and a twist of a head

Invited us to join in with nothing to dread

We spoke not a word but went straight through the throng

And knelt by their manger for what seemed like so long

And suddenly feeling a touch of a nose

We lifted our head and to our feet rose

They all sprang away as if hearing a whistle

Leaving a small basket with the blanket and thistle

But I heard a small voice as they leaped out of sight

“Peace on earth, come Lord Jesus, Merry Christmas, Good night!”

December 25th

You know April and Gem-ba and Bailey and Jazzie

Laura and Brian and Rufus and Sophie

But do you recall, the most important people of all…

YOU

We all want to thank our family

And our friends for being there

We couldn’t live without you

We hope you know how much we care

Hope all of your days are great ones

Christmas Eve and New Year’s too

You are in our thoughts this Christmas

Now you know that we love you

(Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer)