Winter 2025 Newsletter

Greetings from Free Horse Farm,

Welcome to the first edition of our semi-annual newsletter, where we’ll be keeping in touch about goings-on at the farm. 

For upcoming events, highlights of the past year, and occasional reflections on horsemanship, please scroll down.

“Underneath the shelter of the stable stand the quiet ones.”

—Morning Song, Dave McGraw & Mandy Fer

Written at the Farm

Upcoming Events

Exploration in Horsemanship

June 21st, 10:00-12:00 am

Would you like to feel more at ease and safe around horses, or develop more meaningful relationships with them?  Are you considering horse ownership, for you or your family?

Come spend a morning with horses, delving into understanding them and considering the fundamental elements of horsemanship, from the horse’s point of view.

Sound Bath with Gentle Yoga

June 28th, 5:00-6:30 pm

Join Inga Rouches from Rivertree Yoga for a deeply restorative experience combining gentle yoga and a soothing sound bath.

Horsemanship on the Trail

July 19th, 9:00-4:00 pm

Come build on your foundation for safety and connection with your horse in a trail and herd environment.

Morning session at Free Horse Farm.  Afternoon session at Roche Harbor Watershed Preserve. With Sus Kellogg.

Equine Health and Emergency Rescue

August 9th, 10 am

Join John Madigan DVM, Distinguished Professor Emeritus from UC Davis, for a presentation for horse owners, barn managers, veterinarians and emergency responders.  John will show how to use the LOOP system to easily and safely lift a horse or other large animal with the LOOP bands, a hoist, small tractor or other common place equipment.  Cassie Torhorst DVM will also offer an Equine First Aid presentation. 

Training

Do you have a young horse ready to be started or an adult horse needing a restart or ready for a higher level training? Are you unsure of how to address challenging behaviors and progress from where you and your horse are safely?

Sus Kellogg offers horse-centered training at Free Horse Farm for horses of all backgrounds and levels, bringing nearly 40 years of horse training experience and integrity to her work.

Individual lessons also offered.

Reflections on Horsemanship

What is horsemanship? What can a human and a horse offer one another? Under the surface, it comes down to connection. The process of horsemanship is the unwinding of knots of conditioning, trauma, and instincts of fight or flight. Together. It is having faith in the horse, and in ourselves.  It is visiting all the uncomfortable places—fear, hurt, confusion—with compassion and patience. It is movement and rest, and the softness and solidness that comes with the release of fear. Ultimately the instinct for connection, security, and love is stronger and deeper than instinct for fight or flight.  Horsemanship is coming to a place that is old, grounded, and true.  Horsemanship is coming home.

Highlights from the 2024 Season

• Solar panels on the barn, generating renewable energy

• An abundant hay harvest with no equipment breakdowns

• A healthy brood of bantam chicks hatched

• First crop of peaches from our orchard

• The Cedar Studio now open for yoga, meditation, and personal practice

• New and renewed friendships with farm stay visitors

• First annual Slow Farm Goods Holiday Sale, with Catkin Horticultural and Fiber Arts, Honeycomb Farm, and Wilde Bloom Designs.

Did you know?

Free Horse Farm offers farms stays and personal retreats.