AUCTION UPDATE

Here is a partial list of some of our horses coming to the auction! We are getting very excited for a fun day with quality horses, tack and equipment. See the auction page for more details.

CHECK BACK – MORE HORSES BEING ADDED

APRIL VACATION MINI CAMP

Come join us during April Vacation – for new or seasoned riders!

Vacation week is a great way to start lessons, get a jump on summer programming or tune up riding after a very long winter. Program lessons are divided by ability, as needed.

April Vacation Riding Program Options –

Tuesday April 19 (Intro to horses and lessons) $150/day
Wednesday April 20 (Intro to horses and lessons) $150/day
Thursday April 21 (Tune up riding & horsemanship skills) $150/day
Friday April 22 (Tune up riding & horsemanship skills) $150/day

All sessions 9 to noon. ** Tuesday/Wednesday for new riders to advanced beginners (WTC), Thursday/Friday for those that participated in Tue/Wed or more advanced riders. You choose – one, two, three or four days… REGISTRATION FORM BELOW OR CLICK HERE.

In addition to the 9 am to noon sessions, we also will hold our afternoon lessons. Riding lessons, leasing and showing are available throughout the summer and year round. Please check out the information on our website (www.bonnielea.com) and text Lisa at 413-four four one 634nine with questions.

Spring is Coming!!

It is hard to believe that spring is coming when it is 12 degrees out right now… but it is officially only 34 days away. That means we really need to know if you are planning to show this spring, summer and/or fall. We are already busy looking at the show schedules for GMHA, Saratoga, PHA, etc. Be sure to speak to Lisa and let you know your goals for the summer. Perhaps you want to try a home show at BLF, or progress to a PHA show or two, or challenge yourself to a new experience (or return to) a multi-day show.

There are QR codes in the barn to join GroupMe texts message groups for general BLF, lessons, showing and boarders. Please download the GroupMe app so we can improve communication and share more information! We hope to hold a zoom meeting soon to share information and answer questions about showing, etc. Think Spring!

GMHA 2021

More riders learned this summer how much fun BLF has at the GMHA Hunter/Jumper shows. These are a few shots from the July show. Ribbons from all the rings – equitation, jumpers and hunters!!!!

Horse Show August 15th!

We are excited to have Ms. Andi Hengen (R) as our judge for the day. Come join us. Details can be found on the horse show page – https://bonnielea.com/blf-horse-show/.

Because of the uptick in COVID and for a much smoother show experience, we are requiring everyone to preregister by 8 PM on the Friday before the show. You can scratch without any penalty but you must preregister to get a number for the show on Sunday. Thanks for understanding.

While we will not have a food booth, there are a number of places to get food not far from us. Hope to see you soon!

SUMMER!!!

We are looking forward to summer. Good weather and a lot of outdoor time will be most welcome after this winter. While we still have strict protocols (masks, distancing, check-in, etc) we know the horses will let us have some normalcy. What are your plans this summer?

Our youth summer programing has its own page. Check it out for details. We are also offering an Adult “Camp” from 6-8pm (Monday – Friday) in early June. Contact us for more details. Summer and year round leasing is also available to those in the lesson program.

Join us as we cheer on the arrival of summer! Stay safe!!

Spring!

We want to remind everyone to continue using the QR code check in at the farm. The summer show schedule is coming out slowly. BLF’s PHA show will be on August 15 this year! As always, all riders are eligible to participate. Speak to your instructor if you are interested in showing this summer. It can be just our one show, local day shows or multi-day shows.

For those of you interested in our summer programs, check out the Summer Program page for the details. The registration forms will be available soon.

Keep in mind spring = mud season. You may want to have mud boots along with riding boots during this time of year!

Need help buying helmets, boots or supplies? Visit our friends at Dover Saddlery in Latham, NY and Whitman’s Feed Store (Poulin) in N. Bennington, VT. Please let them know we sent you.

Keep BLF Safe!

In light of the recent increase in COVID cases in youth programs in Berkshire county, we urge all of our riders to revisit and adhere our protocols including disinfecting your space and tools before and after riding and cleaning shared tack.

It is absolutely essential that anyone with children or siblings that attended any programs with a positive COVID case self quarantine for a minimum of 14 days and get tested prior to returning to BLF. We appreciate your adherence to our protocols and those of the state. We can get through this together if we keep BLF a safe place!

Everyone knows these are unprecedented times. We are all learning as we are going. At the farm we already had some protocols in place but with new state mandates and phased reopening of Western MA, we have expanded the protocol to include the following. Please keep in mind that these guidelines may have to change as we move forward through the summer.

  1. All people arriving and departing must use the mandated, electronic guest book available through the QR codes available at gate and barn entrances. Use your phone to open link to the log. You may also use this link to log in.
  2. Anyone that is sick should stay home. Anyone confirmed to have COVID-19 or a household member with COVID-19 should inform Lisa immediately so state mandated protocols can be followed. ALSO anyone with a household member who has been placed on a post-exposure self-quarantine must notify Lisa immediately and remain home for the duration of the household quarantine.
  3. Riders must come wearing masks and gloves. While riding gloves or work gloves may not keep germs from our skin, it helps to keep us from touching our faces. Hand washing and sanitizing will still be necessary and part of our routine. Masks may be removed while riding in outdoor ring but should be kept in pocket to put on upon dismounting.
  4. Riders will remain at least 6 feet from other people at the farm, both in the barns and outside the barns. Riders that cannot maintain a safe distance from others will be asked to leave until further notice, no refunds will be available.
  5. Wash hands frequently. The main barn has a bathroom with sink and hand soap. Hand sanitizer will be available in all of the barns. Riders are encouraged to carry their own personal hand sanitizer.
  6. Latches, doorknobs, tools and bathroom fixtures will be disinfected multiple times a day.  The chore chart will be updated to include daily disinfectant times by staff. Help is encouraged. Everyone should disinfect what she/he has touched after use. All tack must be wiped down with leather soap after every use.
  7. Only one person at a time will be allowed in a tack room. Do not congregate near grain bin in main barn.
  8. Horses will be groomed and tacked up in the stall or outside, NOT in aisles on cross-ties.
  9. Riders will bring their tools, helmets and gear with them each day. Tack trunks belonging to lesson or lease riders must be taken home until further notice. Backpacks or string bags are plenty big enough for grooming tools.
  10. Each rider will only use her or his own grooming tools. If the rider does not have any, she/he will be assigned a set while at the farm. Any assigned sets will be sprayed with a disinfectant prior to assignment. The rider is responsible for bringing equipment daily.
  11. Helmets will not be shared. Ideally, riders will arrive with helmets and boots. If a rider needs to borrow a helmet or boots from the swap shed, it will be disinfected before use and should be arranged before lesson.  BLF equipment will be the responsibility of the rider for the time at the farm, will be taken home daily and returned to before final departure. For equipment, contact Dover Saddlery, Latham NY [(518) 690-9461] or Whitman’s Feed, North Bennington VT [(802) 442-2851].
  12. Anyone bringing food or drink from home will carry in and carry out so we can avoid having excess touching of garbage can lids and trash floating about the yards.
  13. Because of the need to limit the number of people at the farm at one time, those who own or lease will have very specific times to be at the farm. It is important that everyone sticks to the schedule to ensure safety and accessibility for everyone.
  14. THOSE UNABLE TO FOLLOW PROTOCOL MAY BE SENT HOME WITHOUT REFUNDS.

COVID-19 Protocol at BLF

Everyone knows these are unprecedented times. We are all learning as we are going. At the farm we already had some protocols in place but with new state mandates and phased reopening of Western MA, we have expanded the protocol to include the following. Please keep in mind that these guidelines may have to change as we move forward through the summer.

  1. All people arriving and departing must use the mandated, electronic guest book available through the QR codes available at gate and barn entrances. Use your phone to open link to the log. You may also use this link to log in.
  2. Anyone that is sick should stay home. Anyone confirmed to have COVID-19 or a household member with COVID-19 should inform Lisa immediately so state mandated protocols can be followed.
  3. Riders must come wearing masks and gloves. While riding gloves or work gloves may not keep germs from our skin, it helps to keep us from touching our faces. Hand washing and sanitizing will still be necessary and part of our routine. Masks may be removed while riding in outdoor ring but should be kept in pocket to put on upon dismounting.
  4. Riders will remain at least 6 feet from other people at the farm, both in the barns and outside the barns. Riders that cannot maintain a safe distance from others will be asked to leave until further notice, no refunds will be available.
  5. Wash hands frequently. The main barn has a bathroom with sink and hand soap. Hand sanitizer will be available in all of the barns. Riders are encouraged to carry their own personal hand sanitizer.
  6. Latches, doorknobs, tools and bathroom fixtures will be disinfected multiple times a day.  The chore chart will be updated to include daily disinfectant times by staff. Help is encouraged. Everyone should disinfect what she/he has touched after use. All tack must be wiped down with leather soap after every use.
  7. Only one person at a time will be allowed in a tack room. Do not congregate near grain bin in main barn.
  8. Horses will be groomed and tacked up in the stall or outside, NOT in aisles on cross-ties.
  9. Riders will bring their tools, helmets and gear with them each day. Tack trunks belonging to lesson or lease riders must be taken home until further notice. Backpacks or string bags are plenty big enough for grooming tools.
  10. Each rider will only use her or his own grooming tools. If the rider does not have any, she/he will be assigned a set while at the farm. Any assigned sets will be sprayed with a disinfectant prior to assignment. The rider is responsible for bringing equipment daily.
  11. Helmets will not be shared. Ideally, riders will arrive with helmets and boots. If a rider needs to borrow a helmet or boots from the swap shed, it will be disinfected before use and should be arranged before lesson.  BLF equipment will be the responsibility of the rider for the time at the farm, will be taken home daily and returned to before final departure. For equipment, contact Dover Saddlery, Latham NY [(518) 690-9461] or Whitman’s Feed, North Bennington VT [(802) 442-2851].
  12. Anyone bringing food or drink from home will carry in and carry out so we can avoid having excess touching of garbage can lids and trash floating about the yards.
  13. Because of the need to limit the number of people at the farm at one time, those who own or lease will have very specific times to be at the farm. It is important that everyone sticks to the schedule to ensure safety and accessibility for everyone.
  14. THOSE UNABLE TO FOLLOW PROTOCOL MAY BE SENT HOME WITHOUT REFUNDS.