Farms

Woodbury

by Sally L. Feuerberg

Farm

Frazier Farm Achieving Success

As I look out at the beautiful acreage of Frazier Farm in Woodbury, I’m feeling inspired and hopeful. I’m seeing all the eagerly anticipated signs that spring is slowly emerging. Out in the paddocks, horses are gathered in small groups peacefully nibbling their hay. Some horses are still wearing blankets, while others are perfectly comfortable in what I prefer to call

their own “winter woolly bear” coats. Grassy areas are gradually taking over the once snow- and ice-covered fields, and the sun has begun the long-awaited process of dismantling the wintry carpet that has blanketed the fields.

These are familiar surroundings to me, and they’ve triggered a recollection of many special memories of the horse shows and horse trials I attended there. These memories are vivid with color, sound, and emotion. The first and most prominent is the laughter and the unbridled enthusiasm of those participating, especially the children. I relive those enduring images of the awesome athleticism demonstrated by the horses going through their paces in the show ring and out on the cross-country course. And, of course, the pony hugs and the neck and shoulder rubs given by the riders to their mounts for a job well done. That joyfulness and positive energy is Frazier Farm. This stalwart tradition has prevailed for many years on this historic property and is now in the capable hands of Corinne Gagnon.

Corinne has owned and operated the farm since 2009. Her two sons, Colton (10)

and Weston (6), pitch in whenever possible, keeping that family vibe ever present. It’s a testament to Corinne’s determination that she keeps things running so smoothly and still maintains that relaxed atmosphere that has always endeared me to the place. But Corinne is strong and genuine, so much like Frazier Farm itself.

As I began my farm tour with Corinne, Colton joined us. We started at the main barn, the heart of the farm. Although the exterior has been redone, it’s still quaint and charming. It evokes an aura of yesteryear. Adorned in that iconic, time-honored, deep red paint, the barn houses 20 box stalls, a feed room, and a heated tack room. Colton is precocious and friendly, and he shared some recently discovered history of the prop-

Flatlandsfoto

erty that he and his mom unearthed during a trip to the Town Hall. They found out that the farm dates back to the early 1900s.

CH: Corinne, it looks as though Frazier Farm went through quite a transformation last year. Can you tell us about some of the improvements you made?

Corinne: We’re very pleased with our recent upgrades to the barn itself. For quite some time now, the barn has been in dire need of a paint job. Last year, we were able to completely re-side and paint the entire barn. Elite Painting out of Bethlehem did a great job with it. It was so nice to be able to breathe some life back into the old barn.

FRAZIER FARM OFFERS daily turnout, twice-a-day grain feeding, and hay is provided four times a day. They also offer pasture-board, which includes 24/7 turnout with a group of horses, access to a run-in shed, and constant access to pasture grass and hay, depending on the season. Scheduled routine farrier, vet visits, and night checks are also included for both types of board.

CH: You have some of the most beautiful acreages for eventing, but your farm is open for teaching other disciplines, correct? Can you tell us a little about that aspect of Frazier Farm?

Corinne: We’re very fortunate at Frazier Farm to have the beautiful acreage and property to support our cross-country course. For that reason, our main focus is eventing. We do, however, support various disciplines. Some of our riders prefer to stay in the ring, while for others, a leisurely hack around the fields is their ride of choice. I strongly believe that a formula for good riding and good training is universal and does not discriminate across disciplines, so we are open to helping riders, regardless of what specific route they choose. WITHIN ITS 60 acres is an outdoor ring, a stone-dust arena, a dressage ring, and a grass jumping field. Five fields make up the cross-country course. Rolling hills and flat spaces offer incredible places to hack your horse.

The cross-country course includes natural logs and portable jumps that are appropriate for those new to eventing as well as novice and seasoned riders. There are also great options for schooling in and out of wood lines. Schooling on the crosscountry course for non-boarders is offered.

CH: Your barn, horse shows, and horse trials always attract a wide range of ages and skill sets. How do you manage to accommodate such a diverse mixture of clientele and still maintain Frazier Farm’s friendly and relaxed atmosphere?

Corinne: This is a great question, and it boils down to one single thing — our passion and love for the horses. We all share it. Many different ages, many different personalities, and walks of life, but we all share that. It’s a powerful thing. You’re a product of your environment and there’s something special about Frazier Farm. So many people tell me that their horses are relaxed here, or that they feel comfortable here. Good vibes are contagious and I take pride in knowing that other people feel that too.

CH: You’ve watched many of your youngest students develop into accomplished young adult riders. As a trainer and an instructor, what do you feel is the most important element to consider when teaching children?

Corinne: I get so much joy from watching training develop, whether it’s watching a rider who has developed from a little, awkward kid to an accomplished rider, or a blank-slate horse that has developed into a cross-country machine. I love it all. Regardless of whether we’re talking about the development of the rider or the horse, the most important thing to instill is a mental game and confidence. Without that, you won’t get far. It can make you or break you. I strongly believe

it’s a trainer’s duty to build that in a rider or in a horse in order to achieve success.

THE LESSON PROGRAM caters to any level of rider. Private, semi-private, and group lessons are available ranging from one to one-and-a-half hours, depending on the group size. Frazier Farm has a few special horses available for on-farm halflease. Lease includes one lesson and two hack rides per week, use of tack, and farm amenities.

Some of the most anticipated events at the farm include summer camps. There’s a Beginner’s Camp, Show Camps in Prep for Horse Shows, and Event Camps that are scheduled for this summer as well as horse shows and horse trials from May through October.

CH: Can you tell us a little about the instructors who work with you?

Corinne: I feel a sense of pride every day when I watch my instructors giving lessons. Both Sarafina Goulet and Callie Switz started off as students of mine when they were young kids several years ago. It’s rewarding to see them now, helping other young kids develop the skills necessary to become good equestrians, passing on their knowledge and enthusiasm to the next generation.

I just hired Abi Webster as full-time barn manager. She’s been a boarder here for about two years. With her degree in business management, coupled with her customer service skills from her previous job at SmartPak, plus life long experience with horses, Abi will be a valuable asset to the team here at Frazier Farm.

CH: What’s the most rewarding part of what you’ve accomplished at Frazier Farm?

Corinne: There are many rewarding aspects of my accomplishments at Frazier Farm. It’s tough to pick one! I’d have to say watching riders achieve success is one of the most rewarding parts for me, whatever the goals are — in a lesson in the ring or bringing home the blue at an event — and anything in between.

If you’ve been to one of our horse tri-

equestrian property specialist

als at Frazier Farm, chances are you’ve seen me running around here and there, keeping everything going smoothly as possible. It’s stressful work running horse shows, especially horse trials, but I notice every smile, every well-turned-out horse. I hear the enthusiasm, and every time some kind rider says, “We had a blast!” or “Thank you so much for hosting,” it really strikes a chord. It makes it so worthwhile for me.

I always spend some time at the start box at our horse trials. It’s a reminder of why I do this. I particularly love it when a rider comes through the finish line — they’re beaming and patting their horse, on this amazing adrenaline high. I know how that feels, and it’s euphoric. I’m so proud and so grateful that I get to provide an opportunity for other horses and riders to have that experience. It’s like no other. y

Sally L. Feuerberg is the president of the Middlebury Bridle Land Association and a longtime resident of Newtown. Trail riding and continuing her lesson programs are her passions, along with the care of her family, horses, and farm. Leah Limone DVM, DAVDC/Eq Kim Allshouse, DVM

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Shelburne Farm

North Eastern Performance Horses

by Alessandra Corbett

On any given day at North Eastern Performance Horses, located in the quaint town of Shelburne Falls, a steady parade of fit, glossy horses

can be seen jogging, loping, spinning, and sliding across a freshly groomed arena. Owner and head trainer Jillian Haas is at the center of it all, training promising young horses, coaching determined riders, and making sure every horse receives excellent care.

Maintaining the balance of equine well-being while achieving peak performance is what North Eastern Performance Horses strives to offer each client. Jillian and her team take exceptional care in making sure that happens, while keeping things fun. “There isn’t a single horse here I don’t look forward to working with,” Jill says, laughing. North Eastern Performance Horses is a lifelong dream

come true for Jill, and she was happy to share all that the farm has to offer riders and horses today.

Jill and Biggie Smalls and Trip.

CH: How did you grow North Eastern Performance Horses into the business it is today?

Jillian: I started riding when I was four, and I always knew I wanted to be a horse trainer. Growing up in Sunderland I had the opportunity to work alongside a skilled trainer who taught me a lot about riding and training reining horses. Once

I graduated from college, I started a side business training horses. It all started with one mare I trained for free, and now I have 32 horses in my program here at North Eastern Performance Horses.

We’ve grown a lot in a short amount of time. When I first started out, I leased six stalls from a facility and trained a handful of horses. That lasted about a year before I found we needed more space, so I moved on to leasing a 15-stall barn. In 2020, my fiancé and I began looking for a farm of our own and purchased our cur-

rent facility in Shelburne Falls. It’s been everything I could have ever dreamed of.

Jill and Playin in Rio at the 2021 Quarter Horse Congress. Jill and Sugar Spangled Whiz at the 2021 Eastern Pennsylvania Reining Horse Association Show.

CH: Tell us a little about your facility and the services you offer.

Jillian: Our farm has 26 stalls set on 26 acres and offers all the space and amenities we need to run a full training program. We’re focused on performance horses here, but we offer custom training for all kinds of horses and coaching for riders of all abilities. We also love connecting horses we’ve trained with the right riders, and regularly offer horses for sale.

At any given point, we have about 15 horses with us for training. I keep about five of my own horses here, and the rest are boarders who are clients of mine or take lessons with me. It’s a nice community we’ve built where everyone feels very involved and connected. Jillian: I work with a lot of reining horses, but my goal is to develop sound, welltrained horses regardless of discipline. So, in addition to the reiners, I’m working with cow horses, ranch horses, and barrel horses, plus we do some western dressage and lower-level English dressage.

When training a horse, I want to give them a well-rounded education that will keep them happy and allow them to enjoy a long-term career. I never push or rush — it’s important to stay patient and move

at the pace of each individual horse as we work toward reaching their full potential. The horse comes first, and the training follows from there.

An important part of that philosophy is giving the horse time and space to just be a horse. For reining horses in particular, a lot of trainers feel it’s too big a risk to turn them out. The happiness of the horse has always been top priority for me, so we built special paddocks that allow all our horses to go out safely, get fresh air and sunshine, and then come back in and focus on their jobs. We all benefit from that.

CH: What sets your training program apart from others?

Jillian: This horse-first approach is a big differentiator for us. It’s what we do here — the well-being of every horse comes first no matter what.

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Another quality that sets North Eastern Performance Horses apart is the kind of relationships we’re looking to build with clients. These relationships are based on honesty and total transparency. I want my clients to feel they can always come to me with anything and that they can call on me anytime. When a person puts their trust in me, especially when it comes to training their horse, I take that as a big honor. It’s something I don’t take lightly.

We’re also very fortunate to have an incredible team that helps make that sort of trust possible. Our barn manager is my best friend and has been by my side since our very first horse. My fiancé and all the people who help at the farm are the best support system I could ask for, and our clients benefit from their dedication too. It goes all the way to our farriers and veterinarians too. Having the right care, people, and team is so important, and I feel we have that perfect combination right now.

CH: Can you tell us about a time you really saw your training program work well?

Jillian: Actually, that very first horse I worked with when I was just out of college stands out to me as a big success. Dove was a 16-year-old broodmare from British Columbia that had never been handled. She’d been through some significant trauma too — she was pregnant on her way down from Canada, and unfortunately aborted the foal. By the time she got to me for training, it felt like a very big job. Dove was scary to me in a lot of ways. I had been riding horses for a long time at that point, and this was the first real fear I had felt. I knew that if I could conquer this fear, I could carry that experience with me, and be able to do anything I set my mind to.

Dove couldn’t be caught or even haltered, so I really had to start from the ground up, as if she were a weanling. The first step was just getting her to trust me. The more she trusted me, the more she would allow me to show her new things, and step-by-step we made progress. It

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took some time, but she came around and became very docile. After our work together, she was sold to a woman in her sixties as a trail horse; she was that woman’s very first horse.

Working with Dove taught me a lot about patience and believing in myself, and that experience will always be one of my most important successes. Horse shows, competitions, and titles are one kind of success, but moments of progress like these are the real accomplishments to me. I keep that at the center of all of my training here at North Eastern Performance Horses.

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CH: What’s ahead for North Eastern Performance Horses? What are some goals you have for the future?

Jillian: My goals are never ending! Mostly, I just really want to create a reputable business and continue to grow the program. I want to breed horses, raise them, train them, and compete with them at a high level. I’d like North Eastern Performance Horses to be sought out in this region as a

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trusted place to come and find a prospect, whether it be a show-ready horse or a promising youngster. We want to be a complete resource for our clients.

But day to day, our goal is always about creating partnerships between horse and rider. You know when you go to a horse show, and you see that one pair that is just perfectly in tune? That’s what we’re always striving for. I want all my riders to experience that kind of partnership with their horses and be recognized for it. I want them to tune-up with that horse, understand that horse, and reach the highest level of success they can together. If we can keep making that happen, we’re achieving our goals.

CH: What is your favorite part about North Eastern Performance Horses?

Jillian: I truly love what I do. It’s hard work, but even on the hardest days, you find the reward — there’s always a silver lining. I love seeing the little daily successes accumulate and turn into big successes. There’s no better feeling than that moment in training a horse when you see it all click: the horse understands what you’re asking of him, and he genuinely wants to do it. I love that moment, and I love when my clients get to enjoy that moment with their horses too. y

Alessandra Corbett is a freelance writer and designer in Wilbraham. She enjoys spending time with the horses on her family’s farm, especially riding her Quarter Horse, JoJo. To see more of her work, visit thehomegrownstudio.com.

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Farm

Middlebury

Hollow Hill Equestrian Center

by Kara Noble

Hollow Hill Equestrian Center is a family-owned riding facility in Middlebury. The farm’s services include riding instruction in multiple disciplines for all ages and abilities, horse training, horse shows, homeschool programs, riding camps, a small breeding program, and boarding. Britt Heggland, owner and instructor at Hollow Hill, recognizes the value of spending time with horses, and she strives to put horses

within the reach of everyone who wants to learn to ride. Britt recently spoke to Community Horse about the farm and its programs.

CH: How long have you been involved with horses and how did you get started with them?

Britt: My mother rode endurance on an Appaloosa named Bo, and their last ride was the Vermont 100 — which she couldn’t quite finish because she was pregnant with me at the time. I’ve always been involved with horses.

I grew up in Wilton, where I had a saint of a pony — a fat, fluffy mishmash of Welsh Mountain Pony, Quarter Horse, and Appaloosa that packed me all over. I got a Morgan when I became interested in hunters. My father grew up riding too. He was into halter and roping and I shifted to showing on the Quarter Horse horse circuit when I was about nine.

In my teens, I showed with Jim and Lisa Farrell of Greyledge Farm, and they invested a lot of time helping me and sharing their knowledge. They were great

mentors for me. In my early twenties, I got interested in training and did an internship with Toby Tyler in Massachusetts.

After my parents divorced, my mom moved, and a property in Bethel popped up. “It’s got a barn,” she said. She bought the place with some help from my uncle, and I started my own business there on July 1, 2002 with two horses and $1,800 in my pocket. I was 20 years old.

CH: What was your main goal when you started your own horse business?

Britt: At Hollow Hill, our philosophy has always been that horses should be available to everyone, and we’ve worked hard

to keep our prices low without sacrificing any of the care. We have working-student programs, and we’re in the process of creating a 501(c)(3) scholarship program because there are still some students who can’t afford lessons no matter how low we keep prices.

Twenty years into the business, we’ve built a nice little community at Hollow Hill. We’re up to 42 horses and 60 students. We offer lessons, boarding, homeschool programs, camps, and a show schedule.

CH: You recently opened a new, bigger Hollow Hill. How did you get where you are now?

Britt: After starting at that eight-stall barn in Bethel, I managed a larger facility in Easton, and leased a place in Newtown for about eight years. The whole time I kept looking for the right place.

When I walked through the door of this farm in Middlebury it felt like home. It’s an old 1827 farmhouse with its original floors and red oak beams that were harvested off the property. There are more than 17 acres, and my husband, Travis, and I cleared about 12 acres ourselves. We started work Thanksgiving weekend of 2019, had an Amish company come out and build the barn, and we moved into that barn on June 15, 2020.

It was quite an undertaking, especially because I was pregnant at the time. Our son, Connor, was born on March 18, 2020, and he joined us, our son, Ryan, our daughter, Casey, and all the Amish workers who stayed with us during construction. It was quite an experience!

CH: Were you involved in designing the barn?

Britt: Yes. I wanted the barn to be functional and efficient. It has two aisles of 21-stalls each, with the mares in one aisle and the geldings in the other. The aisles connect directly to our 70' × 140' indoor arena, which has sand footing that works for the many different types of riders here —dressage, hunter, reining, and ranch.

There are two 10' × 24' tack rooms, one for boarders and one for students, plus a round pen and a 90' × 180' outdoor ring. Along one side of the barn are individual paddocks, roughly 50' × 50' for horses that go out by themselves, and on the back side of the barn we have larger 100' × 75' paddocks for horses that go out in groups of two or three.

CH: You must have a great barn community to maintain a facility that size.

Britt: We do have a great community at Hollow Hill, and we work well together. I take care of the first half of the barn myself, and I have a couple of high school and college students who take care of the stalls and water buckets in the other half. My husband, who also comes from a horse family and spent two years in the equine management program at SUNY Morrisville, manages the property. We also have a small breeding program, and he handles the babies until it’s time for them to start being ridden.

Our kids range in age from 3 to 14. I homeschool them, and they help me with turnout in the morning and feeding in the evening. We definitely live a farm family life.

CH: Do your kids ride?

Britt: At 14, Ryan is one of the most natural riders I’ve ever seen. He can ride anything. Our daughter, Casey, is 11 and she loves anything that moves. She'll do anything with any horse — which sometimes puts gray hair on my head! Our youngest, Connor, is two and just did his first lead line class last summer.

CH: Tell us about your educational programs at Hollow Hill?

Britt: I teach up to 60 lessons a week, mostly kids between the ages of eight and fourteen. There’s also about a dozen women who ride and a handful of young men. We take students ages five and up, although I will consider a younger child on a case-by-case basis. There’s an ebb

and flow with disciplines in the lessons, but right now I have about 50/50 English and western riders.

I teach all the lessons myself. With the exception of the summer programs and homeschool programs, I only do halfhour private lessons. I firmly believe you get the most out of the rider and the horse by putting a lot of intense work into 30 minutes.

I have 12 lesson horses and I pride myself on their longevity. Some of them are 25 now and they’ve been with me since they were two. They are all sound and look great with hardly any maintenance because they have a good balance between work and lots of rest. They even have a chiropractor and a masseuse. I try to instill in my students the importance of taking good care of the horses.

This year we did a winter break program, and we offer nine weeks of summer programs from June through August. I also have a six-week homeschool program in the fall and in the spring.

CH: What is the most important lesson your students learn and how do you teach it?

Britt: I’d say the most important thing they all learn is how to be a leader. I start with basic safety rules, then I teach by example. As they learn, the students start teaching things to the next generation. Kids who started with me at six years old are now in college; they mentor the younger kids, and all the kids support each other. That builds a great community and teaches them to be strong as well as how to be gentle, aware, and empathetic.

CH: You also train horses. How does that fit in with everything else happening at Hollow Hill?

Britt: Most of the training I do is with youth and amateur horses for the Quarter Horse circuit. I help new horse owners, and I have horses that come in for regular tune-ups. I’m training seven horses now, which is a good number for me. I work them five days a week. My philosophy for show horses is to put more pressure on them at home so they can relax at the show. When problem horses come in for retraining, I do a lot of groundwork, getting into their head before I start under saddle. In all my training, I always keep in mind who’s going to be riding the horse when I’m done training.

CH: What is the most important thing for people to know about Hollow Hill?

Britt: I want the farm — and horses — to be accessible to everybody. Horses are a very positive influence to have in your life, and I want to open up that opportunity to more people.y

Kara Noble is a writer and editor who lives on a hobby farm in Montgomery, Massachusetts, with her husband, Jerry, an Icelandic mare, a Shetland pony, and a pair of very opinionated miniature donkeys.

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