STARZ Equestrian Center

01/30/2026

Today we had to say goodbye to our sweet Ella, and there really aren’t words that feel big enough for the draft sized space she leaves behind. After not being able to get up earlier this week (which is very serious for horses after only a few hours), I asked her last night to let me know when it was her time….I told her if she wanted to go, I wanted her calm and peaceful (not like how it was Wednesday). Today she let me know she was done and quietly sat with me in the sunshine while I said my goodbyes. Even in her last moments, she made sure to “mother” me and make sure I would be taken care of.

Ella was 23 years old-a big, black Percheron with the softest, kindest eyes. She carried herself with a quiet confidence that never wavered. No matter what was happening around her, she was steady, sure-footed, and calm in a way that made you breathe easier just standing near her. She had lived much of her life working hard with the Amish and was donated by a sweet lady who rescued her for her grandchildren. Thank you to Sandra Davenport Chmiel for entrusting us to be her family.

In our therapeutic riding program, Ella was the ultimate mother type. She took care of everyone with a gentleness that didn’t go unnoticed. She never rushed, never startled, never doubted her path. She walked through everything with patience and grace, giving our riders safety, trust, and comfort when they needed it most. She was truly infallible-the kind of horse you could always count on.

She proudly took Briella to the 4-H horse show this year, and ran her big b***y through the barrels and competed in other speed events, reminding us that even a gentle giant can still have plenty of spark!

She was powerful, dependable, and endlessly kind. The loss of her is deeply felt-not just as a horse, but as a constant, comforting presence we depended on.

Today was not how we planned to say goodbye, but we take comfort in knowing that Ella crossed the rainbow bridge surrounded by love. Saying goodbye has left a space that feels overwhelming. But we find comfort in knowing that Ella has crossed the rainbow bridge, free from weakness and moving forward with that same steady step she always had. We imagine her at peace, watching over us, her work here complete.

Our program is grieving. Our barn feels quieter. And while the weight of this loss is heavy, we are forever changed for the better because of her. Thank you, Ella, for the trust you gave, the lives you touched, and the love you left behind. You will always be part of this program…part of our herd….part of us.

We love you Ella! I know Boots was there to meet you and show you the best places for naps!

01/28/2026

We will be looking for more horses to add to our amazing herd and before people sit back and question “How many horses do they really need?”….let me help you understand why we are always seeking horses for our program!

First and foremost: we ask our horses to do an incredible job. There are ALOT of rodeo horses, jumping horses, dressage horses-but there are not many horses that are suited for being therapy horses. We ask them to “ignore” their genetic instincts of survival in the wild to be calm, peaceful, and trusting with our kiddos! They need to stand like a statue, appreciate being loved on, and not scared of an excited scream! This is not a process we are willing to rush and usually horses come in on a 4 month trial to allow them time to settle, time to learn on the ground, and then time to learn in the saddle about their “new job”.

Second, most of our herd is aging and are donated with some ailments. The typical lifespan of a horse is 20-40 years old. Out of the 16 horses we have on the property-majority of them are over 20 and we have diagnoses spread across the herd of cushings, arthritis, laminitis, navicular, heaves, allergies, chronic sinusitis….these diagnoses don’t scare us because this lighter job and partial retirement is best for their bodies!
Spencer-33
Chief-29
Shocky-26
Ella-25
Monty-25
Cash-23
Lacye-23
Remi-20
Georgina-20

With 3 more in their late teens!

Third, we never want to ignore the needs of our horses to have them do a job they are no longer capable of doing. Our horses don’t do more than 2 lessons a day usually only 1-2 times per week. So many of them are walk or walk/trot only with a weight limit of 100-125 pounds on their back. Our horses have all exquisite veterinary care, farrier care, nutrition, high quality second cutting hay with alfalfa, vitamins and supplements and even extras as needed like massage, chiropractic care, and a PEMF (magnawave) machine onsite for healing and renewal of their bodies. In order to continue allowing our horses the cushy lifestyle they deserve, we need horses to supplement the workload as needed!

If anyone ever has any questions how we manage the farm and our choices for our students, our volunteers, our horses, or our farm…..please let us know! We are an open book and look forward to welcoming some new friends to the farm soon!

01/24/2026

Cold days at the farm! Just because there are no lessons doesn’t mean the work here stops! Preparing for the possibility of a big storm tomorrow!

01/24/2026

We’ve had a lot of people check in on how we are doing on the farm with the -10 degree temperature (feels like -21 at the moment!) and truly we are all doing great!

The sky is clear and the 🌟stars🌟 were out in full force for night check and chores! Each horse had some beautiful crystal eyelashes on!

When Miss Charlotte designed the improvements to the farm, winter ease and exquisite care of our equines was the driving thought behind these expensive upgrades!

💧Automatic waterers mean fresh water all of the time without having to deal with hoses or heaters (minus one spoiled little mini pony!). 🥦Selecting horses who can be on continuous round bales and purchasing high quality hay with alfalfa (high in protein) means their furnace is always burning!
🌱Special extra expensive sprout pellets (that don’t need soaking) are supplied continuously to our oldies who don’t have good enough teeth for the hay!
⚡️Each horse received a bedtime snack coated with electrolytes to keep them hydrated in these cold temps which is vital for their health and safety!
🏠Sheds in each pasture means that horses can frolic when they want and rest when they want (but they have all chosen to be out of the loafing sheds!)

Even though it’s cold, we are taking the time to be grateful for the privilege of serving these wonderful animals who depend on us all year long! We couldn’t do our amazing work without them!

Stay warm everyone! Spring (mud season) will be here before you know it!

01/17/2026

As Miss Charlotte takes the day to go wedding dress shopping with superstar volunteer, Miss Jocelyn, the barn is bopping with all sorts of vendors, tack resellers, and equine education seminars at the Barn Bazaar hosted by Equine Laundry!

Check out our booth! (Definitely missing my mom who is in charge of all the decor but I think I held my own!)

Selling special “pinky out” equestrian mittens for $10 a pair as our winter fundraiser (Generously Donated By Linda Ryan) with all proceeds going to our rider scholarship fund!

01/14/2026

Pro-tip: schedule events at the farm that require you to tidy up things like Christmas decorations and the last remainder of stuff from the fundraiser and such so you have a goal to work toward and force you to finish it!

ADHD hacks for the win!

01/05/2026

Tonight was our appreciation dinner to our Starz “Core Four” volunteers to say a big Thank You for all of their help with weekly feedings and chores and especially during the holidays while Miss Charlotte was away visiting her sister in Boston! To say we are grateful for these ladies is an understatement, but we sure are glad to have them as part of our team!

Thank you Miss Jocelyn, Miss Nikki, Miss Amanda, and Miss Maria! 🌟

01/03/2026

We aren’t sure what this is implying because our bay gelding, Chief, and chestnut mare, Libby are both amazing therapy horses! 😂

For those non-horse people-bay geldings have a stereotypical reputation of being soft, calm, and kind while chestnut mares are spirited, fiery, dramatic, and temperamental!

12/31/2025

A HUGE horsey hug to our friends and volunteers for updating and restocking our helmet collection for those visiting the barn. Did you know helmets expire and at about $70 each that is a huge expense for our prgram? Former Volunteer Erika Anderson and now veterinarian wanted to spread the holiday cheer and sent 8 helmets off of our wishlist and volunteer Pam Martin donated 2 helmets as well!

Thank you!!!!!

12/30/2025

They say 2026 is the year of the horse-everybody start lunging!
😂🐴

12/29/2025

Our horses are so incredibly special because not only do they feel our emotions, but they aren’t quite so reactive and help us work through our emotions and find a level ground. Our herd is special and I wouldn’t trade any one of them!

✨ New Research: Your Emotions Don’t Stop at the Arena Gate ✨

A new study just confirmed what many horse people have long suspected — horses don’t just read our emotions… they catch them.

Researchers showed horses videos of humans expressing fear, joy, or neutral emotions and measured the horses’ reactions through:

Facial expressions

Heart rate

Eye temperature (a stress indicator)

Posture

Which eye they used to look (linked to emotional processing)

What happened?

🐴 Joyful humans = positive reactions
Horses looked longer with their right eye (associated with positive emotion) and showed more relaxed but engaged facial expressions.

🐴 Fearful humans = stress responses
Horses showed more alert postures, increased ear movement, blowing, eye‑wrinkling, higher heart rates, and greater changes in eye temperature — all signs of emotional tension.

In short: horses mirrored the emotional tone of the humans they watched.

💡 Takeaway for riders, handlers, and trainers:
Your emotional state matters. Horses are incredibly attuned to us — not just our body language, but our expressions, tone, and even physiological cues we don’t realize we’re giving off.

If you’re anxious, they feel it.
If you’re joyful, they feel that too.

Be the calm, confident presence your horse can trust.

Study: Jardat et al., Scientific Reports (2025)
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-025-98794-3

12/29/2025

This winter has been so rough on our equine friends and volunteers! So many thanks to our “core 4” (Jocelyn Abbott, Amanda Martin, Nicole Winningham, Maria Haigh) who are busting their butts keeping the babies safe and happy! Even though our horses prefer to be outside 24/7, I can’t imagine not having access to stalls for them to keep them safe and dry during weather like this! Thanking our lucky starz and hoping all this crazy weather turns soon!