LWF Sport Horses - New Farm

We decided it was time to grow. Actually we have been growing and are busting at the seams. Some of my horses have been boarded with trainers while others were at my home farm in Highland, Michigan. I have owned it for 10 years and we have made lots of improvements on the house and built the barn, arena, and put up all the fencing. It is only 10 acres with probably only 1/2 of that for the horses. My husband and I have no desire to move from here, and I thought it would be nice not to have to deal with the day to day care of the horses 24/7. My daughter was anxious to take over.

So, after almost 2 years of looking we found a 54 acre farm with 29 stalls about 35 minutes from here that had almost everything we wanted and it wasn't 30 years old! We moved all the horses (12) in at the end of February along with Melissa and her son, Chaise. Yesterday her friend arrived to help and live there with them. We decided to take some boarders that were hunter, jumper, or dressage riders, as well as broodmares, weanlings and young horses. We will offer foal and young horse training and foaling services, things that are not offered at very many boarding facilities around here. as well as the typical hunter/jumper and dressage training. The farm is set up perfectly for this with several small private paddocks and several large pastures, all with automatic waterers and run-ins. It also has two indoor arenas and two outdoor arenas and a trail around the entire farm. We already have a few boarders and are planning an open house in June. Everyone who has been to the new farm is impressed. I feel a little overwhelmed, but optimistic that this will be a success.

I go to the farm 4-5 days a week to ride and do whatever else I can fit in. So far, I am working more than I was when I had horses here. A lot of it however is paperwork. Contracts, insurance, show entries, ads, etc. I am setting up another office out there so that I have information on the horses at both farms. There is still a lot to do to get everything up an running the way I want, but at least everything is all in one place.

I might want to move some mares back here in the future, especially if we get a lot of boarders, but now this barn is empty. On one hand it is nice not to have to get up early every morning to feed and turn-out and do barn chores, and then be here in the afternoon to bring them in and feed. It's like when your kids grow up a move away - freedom! But sometimes looking out at my empty paddocks and barn I feel very sad. I know I still have my horses, but they are no longer here. Some of them will probably have to move back - but probably not in the winter!