Author Archives: ridefireflyfarm

About ridefireflyfarm

We are a boarding and training facility a short bike ride away from MSU. We are on Hagadorn Road. We only accept riders who use helmets and prefer boarders interested in natural horsemanship. We also provide trick-training for horses and horse lessons.

A Twist of Fate

Posted on February 13, 2019 by ridefireflyfarm

“Can you find us a horse for our daughter?”

Every instructor dreads hearing this. Sometimes it’s for a child without experience; rarely it’s for the perfect family who will be a forever home.

This is a forever family. Their daughter is a Home School student of mine and the family planned to move to a farm in Oakland County.

“We have a budget. We’ll pay you to search for a horse for us. We want something safe, sound, and usable for our daughter and us to ride. We want a horse who will go English and Western and will just play with us. Someone like one of your horses–a babysitter. Kind of like Twist.”

Oof. A kick in the gut. Because there’s NOBODY like Twist. Twist is safe and sane; can be used for any and all students from beginners to advanced; is push-button with his aids–walk; trot; canter; lead-changes; does tricks; has been to Meijer Gardens with us; done parades; been a Therapy Horse–he’s done it all.

I rolled the idea around in my mind and came to an uncomfortable conclusion. I wouldn’t trust most horses with their precious, wonderful, talented daughter. She’s the center of their world. What if the horse I found turned out to have hidden problems? What if there was a physical issue or training problem that I didn’t see during the trial ride? Even with a ten day trial, a lot could go wrong.

I couldn’t help them buy a horse.

The next time they came, I broke the news.

“I worry about helping you horse shop. I’ve found horses for other clients and sometimes after they’re delivered we learn they weren’t a good fit. I don’t know if I’d be comfortable putting your daughter on a horse I don’t know inside and out. I don’t want to put you in a bind, but I can’t find what you want.”

My student looked near tears.

“But I know you want someone like Twist. Instead of someone like him, would you like to own Twist?”

The mom cleared her voice. “How much would you want for him?”

“If you take care of Vet costs to have him cleared of lameness and have his shots taken care of, you can have him.”

They happily, tearfully accepted.

Twist is, for the time being, at a facility (ironically) called the Fowler* Center.

If they decide they don’t want him anymore for any reason, he comes right back here, no questions asked, even if it’s on three legs.

I miss him already–but he’s a good boy, and I know he’ll do me proud.

Twist and Bella

Twist’s new saddle-black w/silver

Twist–want a treat?

Close up of Twist’s face and eye

Wanna play ball?

More kisses!

*Sarah Fowler is the name of the Instructor here at Firefly Farm

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Harry Potter at Firefly Farm

Posted on August 23, 2018 by ridefireflyfarm

Would you like to ride a Unicorn? Make a wand? Ride a Zebracorn?

Maybe watch a Magician? Learn about the Care of Magical Creatures?
Take a Potions Class? Learn your future from our Divination Professor?
Take a photo with a pegasus from Madam Maxine’s Beauxbaton’s carriage?
Buy some wizard-themed food? Earn a ribbon at our Broom Agility Course?

Come play at Firefly Farm on the First of September! You can come anytime between 10am and 2:30pm. Our event is the same day The Hogwarts Express leaves Kings Cross Station.

Everyone entering the grounds must have a ticket. Very young children (unable to participate in activities) are the only exception.

You can only pay at the gate or at the door–our apologies!

$10 per person includes all events.

Tommy is our Rideable Pegasus. We’ll also have Rosie, the VERY LARGE Pegasus from Beauxbaton’s Acadamy, in a different area available for photos.

Sidney the Unicorn:

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Guest Post: Patient Relaxation, LLC

Posted on April 18, 2018 by ridefireflyfarm

This guest post appears and was originally published at: https://www.patientrelaxation.com/single-post/2018/04/17/Favorites-Sarah-Fowler-Horsewoman-Teacher-My-Little-Pony-Collector

Author: Kate Prouty, Licensed Massage Therapist 526 South Creyts Road, Lansing

Favorites: Sarah Fowler, Horsewoman, Teacher, My Little Pony Collector

April 17, 2018

Kate

Just off of Jolly Road, just barely in Mason, is a magical spot. The first time I visited, I could barely believe it was so near a highway, a university, and the big, stressful world.

Firefly Farm, presided over by the magnificent Sarah Fowler.

A woman of unexpected talents and mighty depths, she’s a slight blonde with excellent biceps, several horses, a little pony named Cupcake, a couple of smart dogs, chickens, ducks, cats, bunnies, and I think I spotted a couple turkeys. Each is named, each is loved.

There’s a near-constant stream of “minions” who work for her, doing chores around the farm in exchange for lessons and riding privileges. But these aren’t ordinary horseback riding lessons. They are centered around getting people to pay attention to the way a horse thinks and feels and acts. To respect the … humanity? … of the horse.

It’s a lesson in connection, in relationship, in patience.

It’s also terrifically fun. One of the first times I got to meet her horses, a boy horse (please remember I grew up in the suburbs of Chicago, with no horses. The terms I use are the ones in my mind, and possibly not precisely correct. Forgive me) had just learned to unzip and zip zippers with his mouth. I was wearing a long winter coat, and he kept bumping my chest with his nose, and Sarah laughed. “Oh, he’s trying to get to your zipper.” She held out her glove (that had a zipper on the back) to him, and he delicately grasped the tab on the zipper and ZZZZIP, ZIIIP, ZIIIP, ZIIP. He zipped and unzipped with obvious pleasure and, I think, pride. “He’s like a toddler. They learn a new trick and they want to do it all day long.”

She runs lessons all year round, and in the summer and a few other times of the year, she has horse camps and horse courses for kids. She welcomes children of all levels of experience to work with the horses, get to know them, and to ride. They build their own obstacle courses, learn how to put on all the saddle-type things (remember, I’m not a horse person), and how to brush and generally make life wonderful for the horses. And apparently they decorate them!

But the most lovely thing is that her farm, her horses, her teaching, they are only one facet of her sparkling self. Do yourself a favor and meander over there sometime. You’ll like her.

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“I Went to Get Hay and a Pony.”

Posted on April 4, 2018 by ridefireflyfarm

(The Husband comes down to the barn looking for me.)
The Husband: “Where have you been? I got a little worried when I came home. Both you and Princess Winnifred (my truck) were gone.”
Me: “Falcon (my dear friend) and I went to go get hay and a pony.”
The Husband: “Fantastic! How much was it per bale? Wait a minute—did you say you also got a pony?!”
Me: “Yup.”
The Husband: “Where?!”
Me: “He’s here in the aisle, why?”
The Husband: “I want to meet him! I got a pony!”

My friend Stephanie’s son, Hani, and I used to play-fight over Flower.

“My pony!” I’d say.

“MY pony!” he’d say.

We had such fun. Back and forth, forth and back. Then, the unthinkable happened and I had to make a decision every horse owner dreads.

Flower’s gone. The hurt we feel is only because all the love we have for Flower has nowhere to go.

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Hani’s birthday is today. He asked me if I could get him a horse to jump out of a cake. He said he’d eat the frosting even after it touched a horse.

I can’t give him a cake like that. It’s just not realistic. It’s shedding season so there would be horsehair everywhere. I also don’t have an oven that big. Then there’s “which horse would be fine in the oven at 375F for 30-40 minutes?” When I asked my herd, I didn’t have a single taker. They all rode off into the sunset.

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So I can’t get Hani a horse that jumps out of a cake.

But I did buy a pony and I named him Cupcake.

Happy Birthday, Hani. You are loved. Happy Gotcha day, Cupcake. You will be more loved than you ever dreamed.

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The Disappearing Bun

Posted on February 7, 2018 by ridefireflyfarm

The cage meowed.

“That’s quite a trick,” I said. “Bunnies don’t meow. When did you learn how to talk fluent cat, you little magician?”

No little grey and white bunny appeared.

“Sir Hops A Lot Freight Train The First?” I asked. “Bunny boy? Where are you?”

I gasped as Rue kitty sped from the open enclosure. The whole front of the cage was open, and there was no bunny.

“BUN!” I yelled. “Sir Hops A Lot–where are you?”

No blood. No tracks. No bun.

No Bun.

I wandered, searching for paw prints in the snow. No tracks.

But also–no blood.

“Where’s my little boy?” I thought. “I need a magic wand to make him reappear.”

I left the cage door open as I went in to lunch.

I ate, relaxed, and then came out to the barn in the evening.

Sir Hops A Lot Freight Train The First huddled in his enclosure in his nest.

“Did you hop away from home?” I asked him. “Where have you been, you goofball?! You gave me a heart attack.”

He twitched his nose, but otherwise, stayed curled in a little bunny-ball. I imagine he replied, “I apologize. I heard ‘Abracadabra’ and was called to appear from a Magician’s hat–but otherwise, I promise that I came right back.”

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Horse Courses

Posted on December 16, 2017 by ridefireflyfarm

Horse Courses:

*Horse Course(s) MUST be pre-registered and pre-paid in order to guarantee that the student will have a horse to ride or use and that we have enough seats for auditors.

*Cost: $50 for Students to use a barn horse when participating in each individual horse course. Every course requires a separate fee and you must secure the horse you wish to use. First come, first served with horses.

*$10 to audit (Audit: sit and watch in a chair on the side)

January 3, 2-4pm –Horse Course: Jumping – Students will be riding the entire time (we mount up at 2pm–the horses are pre-tacked) and riders will be given tips about proper form over jumps and will be jumping items no higher than a hay bale.

January 4, 2-4pm-Horse Course: Horse Handling/Showmanship – Students will be learning how to properly handle horses from the ground, including pivots, backing up, complete stops, squaring up all hooves, balancing the horses, jogging in tempo, making your horse appealing/eye catching, showing that you’re capable of more than riding a horse.

Payment: Check or Cash – $50

OR pay immediately ($55 because of fees) with PayPal here:

Horse Course *Deposit Only*

Horse Course students can pay the deposit for summer 2018 horse courses here. The rest is due the morning of the horse course. When you buy through PayPal, please specify in the notes which course you would like and which horse(s) you would prefer to use in numerical order. Some horses may already be taken–please email, call, or check in person with me to guarantee your horse. Unfortunately, PayPal removes some of the money from this transaction so I have to pass the fee onto you.

$80.00

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Gift Certificates

Posted on December 10, 2017 by ridefireflyfarm

Gift Certificates Available for Holiday Gifts:

*A Certificate–set of four lessons for $100*

*A single lesson Certificate for $30*

Will be sent to you through the mail if you send a check to Firefly Farm, LLC.

Firefly Farm, LLC

3180 Hagadorn Road

Mason, MI 48854

Brenlie and Twist

Sarah, Thunder, Brenlie

Sidney and Mariah

Brenlie and Thunder

Jorja and Melody

Jorja and Thunder

Twist and Bella

Mustang Camp 1

Honey and Zoe

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How’s this sales pitch to drum up business?

Posted on September 19, 2017 by ridefireflyfarm

Horse lessons on fall evenings at Firefly Farm come with background music, graciously {and unknowingly) provided by the Okemos High School marching band.

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