May 22, the trailer was loaded with horses and a mule in the pouring rain and the adventure began. Mary-Ann, Kelly, Bre and Megan went off west to the Manitoba Mountains, for three days of riding and camping fun. After a four hour drive we made it to the campsite (not a soul in sight), set up the tents, got the horses settled in for the night, started a camp fire and sat around talking about the next days adventure late into the night.

Saturday morning came veryearly for those who thought every noise was a bear coming into the camp, for the rest of us, it was a lazy morning waking up, having the morningcoffee and again sitting around the camp fire ( trying to get warm after freezing our butts off in the over night -3 temps). As the morning wore on the horses where fed, groomed and tacked up to the long day ahead.

As the sun crept higher in the sky the horses were fresh and ready to go, and so was the trail guide (patiently waiting...). We hacked out of camp and down to Lake Audy bridge, to Grasshopper valley, to main the junction back along Bison laneto Lake Audy campground and back to camp. The first ride out:5 hours and a ton of laughs.

Sunday morning started out a lot warmer and after a full night sleep, everyone woke with the birds chirping and the sun shining. What a beautiful morning to be in the mountains with great company and your horse or mule. After getting everything ready and the horses tacked we where off again to see what the next trail would bring.

I think every kind of animal was out on Saturday night partying up and down the trails. When we traveled back up Bison lane, we caught sight of the tracks of those night time partiers. Wolf, bear, elk, deer, and moose tracks where on the trail that we came back to camp on the night before (our only sign of wild life, except maybe a far off sighting of elk). The horses had a little bit of an issue going forwarddown the trail but after doing the slowestwalk they could manage with the drunken sailors weave tossed into make the look complete, we finally made it to the main trailand over to Grasshopper camp for lunch.

We now have confirmation that not all horses have a sense of direction, Smurfi was clearly lost and kept looking and trying to go back to camp the wrong direction. Poor girl, she would still be out there wondering around. Happy - the mule, decided bicyclist are from Mars and are not human hence should be watched until out of view.

What a great weekend -I can't wait to do it again. Watch for the next camp out posting and sign up, it's the best experience for you and your horse or mule.

Sunday , May 31 is the next outing. We are heading over to Shilo for the poker derby and trail trials. Trailer leaving at 9: 30

Megan-Rai Ferguson

We've been busy!!

Our CHA Instructor Certification clinic has kept us busy with organizing and cleaning. Nine participants are now new instructors, including 3 that are associated with our barn. Congratulations to Bree-ana,  on achieving her level 1 instructor’s qualifications,Chantel and Robyn for Assistant Intructors level,.

‘Thank you’ - to our boarders who let us use the arena undisturbed for the weekend.

Now we are going to be organizing the up coming horse and tack sale for May 9. We are hoping to re-home several of our under-used horse. They have been hanging around not getting enough attention, Tiny, Norm, Jughead, Whizz, Emma- we hope they will all find loving owners that will use them to their full potential. See our sale page for their attributes. We have also had many enquiries from people looking for beginner appropriate horses and horses that will be used for trail riding, so if any one has horses that will fit these requirements, give us a call, we will put them in the sale. We can even pick them up, if that is an issue. Beauty and Comanche, a couple of our boarders, will also be in the sale.

Now I need to get out and take pictures and update the photo page. Our lake has subsided and the pastures are starting to green up. The horses are itching to get out to eat some grass!!

What a usual week with the weather, the horses have been filled with jumping beans, everyone is dancing around the paddocks. it's spring!!
For most of the horses the big shed (winter coat) is starting. Standing in the paddock giving someone a scratching, leaves a mound of hair on the ground.. except for a Prrrr he has decided that he will hold on to his hair(again), he is just going to start a new trend in the horse world - long hair is in.. at least until June.. or maybe him and his owner(me) should live in a warmer climate - "owner like horse, horse like owner - perfect match"
So get your shedding blades out, and your arm muscles ready, the best way for a nice shiny summer coat is lots of grooming.

Well is has been a big week for Laura, Beejic's owner, she is heading back to Sioux Falls, Ontario. Manitoba just wasn't what she was looking for, Laura is driving back on Saturday, but Beej will be staying with us until she can find a great place for him. Once she does -- ROAD TRIP!! Cec and I will be hauling him back for her. Which we hope will be in a couple of months, because we have to find a new truck before then. Our Dodge was sold on Friday last week, so now we have to find a new one.. yuck! truck shopping!..

We have a couple of new boarders join us at the beginning of the month, Kayla has joined us with her Big Brown TB gelding Flint, Vanessa purchased a new horse, a Big Brown TB gelding, that matches Tiny, Emma, and Q - so now you can say - "I can never tell them TB apart, they all look alike.."
Tanis has joined us with her two horses, Rain - another big bay TB in the mare paddock and Dude another bay TB gelding - but with a big white blaze, you'll be abile to tell him apart.
And Robyn with her new boy a Bay Arab gelding.. No name yet -- come one Robyn we're waiting for a name..
We are very happy you guys have chosen St Andrews Stables, thank you.

There will be a couple of new signs going up in the barn - for arena times ( to clarify what times we hold lessons), barn & arena rules, such so everyone is clear on what we expect from our boarders and visitors. The barn and arena rule sheets come in your boarder package, but we have been advised to have them posted in the barn too, so that's what we will do, ( insurance guys are great... make a sign for that, and this , and that oh and while your at it for this too..) We did want to you to know that a new rule change that has been made that will make a huge impact to some of our boarders, we will no longer allowing any outside dogs on the property due to liability issues. We have all ways allowed our boarders to bring their dogs to the barn as long as the dogs where horse smart. We are no longer able to take the risk that someone either a person, horse or dog might get hurt. Please understand that this is going in place to make it safe for everyone, the horses and dogs. Thank you -we know that this is not and easy rule for some, please let me know if you have any questions, I would be happy to talk about this further in detail.

I think that covers everything from the alleyway. it's a snow moving weekend for me, so we don't end up in a swimming pool as the snow melts - so wave when you go by the skid steer.
New videos and photos this weekend.