The Saddlery, Inc

Ladies Nite - Thursday Aug. 12, 6-8 pm

Fun evening coming up in August. So far we'll have Jan Neuharth signing her latest book, The Kill, new pottery from Frederique Studios, a fashion show with two new lines, snappy Goode Rider clothing, and Fuller Filles - Women's size riding togs, Grand Illusions jewelry, Harbor Sweets chocolates, and wine from a local winery. Top that with some delicious fruit, cheese and other snacks, and of course, great company. Plan to join us, kids included, for Ladies Nite.

National Helmet Awareness Day - July 10 - Thanks!

Great turn out for Courtney King Medical Fund and the Equestrian Aid Foundation, both assisting riders in need of medical help.

Great Falls Parade - Sunday, July 4

Great turn out - thanks to Scott for shoveling again this year. Thanks to Glenn and Jacqui for the photos.

Mock Hunt with Fairfax Hunt at Lenah Farm - Sat. June 19

The Fairtfax Hunt had a good showing for their Mock Hunt, a pleasurable ride, fabulous setting, and an awesome tail gate party afterwards. Join their next event at Turner Farm on July 10. For more information, please contact Paula Michaels, rockstarjump@aol.com or Jen Stewart, jennifer.stewart@pwgsc.gc.ca.

The Saddlery sponsored Local Ponys at Upperville - congrats to all!

Kudos to Kirklen, Sarah and Lily, our champions. These are some shots of the day - send your photos in and we will post them, too - info@thesaddleryinc.com.

Go AA Mets - Saddlery sponsored Little League team - 2010 Champions!

Great win for the championship!

Paint Your Pony - Breyer Fun Day @ The Saddlery - Sat. June 5

Thanks for coming!

Memorial Day Bonus Deals- One day left - Monday, May 31

Thanks for making Memorial Weekend a good one - glad so many took advantage of the bonus deals and tasty snacks!

Pixie had her baby - a fine chestnut colt!

Born Cinco de Mayo, Pixie Dust and Blue Rain are the proud parents of a chestnut colt, 4 high socks and a broad blaze. He's a friendly fellow, and already geting used to us petting him all over. We're taking suggestions on a name, info@thesaddleryinc.com.

Native Plant Sale - 8 am to 1 pm, Sunday, May 9 @ The Grange

Support Riverbend Park's educational programs and summer staff by purchasing indigenous wildflowers, trees, shurbs and ferns. These native plants benefit our watershed, woodlands, birds, butterflies and other wildlife. Enjoy these amazing plants in your own gardens, and woods - the dedicated volunteers will help you select plants that will thrive, even if you are not an expert. Take a look at these native perrenials from last year, in our planter at The Saddlery, in early, then mid-April and May 2 (violas added for early color).

Trail ride with the Fairfax Hunt - Sunday, May 2

Have fun at Rolling Meadow - ride or school on the Hunter Pace course on Sunday, 10 am start. For directions, go to www.fairfaxhuntraces.org/directions.html. More dates thru the summer - June 5, 19 and July 10, 24.

Get Ready @ The Saddlery - Saturday, May 1

Get ready for . . . riding lessons . camp . local hunter shows . A shows . combined tests . dressage clinics . flies . . .

Thanks for coming by! We had a heavy crowd, doing spring restocking, and getting ready for lessons, camp and shows. The donut holes went early, strawberries and grapes next, followed by chocolate chip cookies. Wally helped by slobbering on every customer he could reach, tail wagging nonstop! Good to see new faces, and old friends - glad you all made it!

EcoGold Saddle Pads now available here!

After many years of selling only at horse shows, EcoGold has chosen a few retailers to carry their unique saddle pads. I am delighted to say that our awesome customers recommended us, and we have been chosen! The pads are breathable, light, and look like regular fleece. Your horse will appreciate the comfort, and the saddle will stay where you put it. Great combination! We have some in stock, and can order your favorites in.

Dansko and Ariat Shoes - cute spring styles, great for your feet.

Wow - one week later!!

Thanks to Robin for suggesting these native plants - they are coming up by themselves exuberantly!

Happy Spring!

New from Twinkle.

Cash and Carry Sale was great, thanks for coming by.

Here are shots from the first day.

Great Falls Horse Network night at The Brogue - Tues. March 2 @ 6:30

Boy, did we fill up the room - and what a fun group. Many thanks to The Brogue for great food. Plan to come by next time!

White Paws - Chipin Fund raiser

German Shepard rescue group needs us to chipin - donate even a small amount to help take care of some new litters they are fostering. Check out their site http://whitepaws.chipin.com/our-newest-addition-15-puppy-litter.

Valentine's fun on Saturday, Feb. 13

Great soap and Valentines by all.Thanks for braving the snowy streets and celebrating with us!

Horse Seminar at The MARE Center, Middleburg, Jan 28.

Great turn out at the Horse Seminar at the MARE Center in Middleburg. Great talks on mud management, implementing a slow hay feeding strategy for improved horse health, and 4 testimonials from local horse owners. Sarah Kirk spoke about her breeding farm here in Great Falls, and the great help that the No. Va. Soil & Water Conservation District was in getting the farm started, and doing good things for the Potomac River watershed.

Inventory SALE - Sat, Dec 26 to Dec. 31.

Thanks for sharing your after Christmas with us, it helped our inventory out immensely!

Ladies Nite, Thurs, Dec. 3, at The Saddlery

Thanks for coming out on the chilly night. Congrats to Barb for winning the fleece throw!

Breyer Fun Day and Santa's Work Shop - Sat., Nov. 21

Great job on the painting, and congrats to all horse show winners!

Halloween Make a Treat Party, Fri., Oct. 30, and Sat., Oct 31, at The Saddlery

Great costumes, amazing pumpkins and awesome pizzas at the treat bar - thanks for sharing your holiday!

Grand Opening of Turner Farm Park, Sat., Nov. 7 @ 11:30 am

Great turn out at the Grand Opening, thanks to the 12+ ponies/horses and riders who came to celebrate the new ring. All were well behaved and managed to stay on board for the couple of hours that we rode in and around the lovely ring and cross country course. Great crowd on foot as well - probably 50 people enjoying the day and the spectacle.

Barn Dance Fund Raiser @ White Pines Farm Nov. 7

Thanks for the great showing, and for the donations!

Apples for the horses at the Washington International Horse Show, Oct. 20 - 25, from The Saddlery

Congrats to the terrific atheletes at the big show in DC - apples were on us. We also donated a show outfit for the silent auction, including a Charles Owen helmet, Roekel gloves, Elite show jacket, Essex show shirt and Grand Prix breeches. The winner was a junior rider whose helmet mistakenly went home with the horse trailer. She entered 12 classes and did quite well with the Ayr8 helmet right off the mannequin. Thanks for the donation, and great job at the show!

Lift Me Up! Ride on Sat., Oct. 17

Great time in Middleburg to raise money for Lift Me Up! therapeutic riding program.

Anniversary Sale - Sept 12 to Sept 20

Big sale - thanks for making this our best sale ever!

Ladies Nite - Thursday, Aug. 20

Thanks to Rebecca Ray for the purses, Frederique for the pottery, new eyeglass cases and bags, Harbor Sweets for the fine chocolates, Maison du Vin for the wine and Ariat for the free T shirts. Here are some photos, which don't do the party justice - too busy to take many photos during the event!

Great Falls July 4th Parade - 2009

We're still counting the horses, minis and donkey, but we're up to 35 already! Send in your photos to add to our collection. Many thanks to all who came, and especially to the clean up crew, Scott and Brad.

Breyer Fun Day - Sunday, June 14.

What fun on a Sunday afternoon! Thanks to all who came to paint, color and play games.

Sign a Petition for Barranda Ridge Equestrian Center in Fairfax Station

Sign to support Barranda Ridge in Fairfax Station. They need a special permit to continue their children’s riding school. They operate on 11 acres in Fairfax Station and teach nearly 70 students a week. The lessons are Monday-Friday afternoons and with weekends off. They sponsor pony clubs, scouts and other community activities with horses. The kids compete at local shows, and often with our horses. They love visitors! You can visit the website at www.barrandaridge.com. Also, you can go on youtube.com, type in Barranda Ridge and see the videos that their kids post.Stop in The Saddlery to sign the petition.

Lift Me Up! Benefit Ride - Saturday, May 23 from 10 - 12

What a terrific ride we had at Rolling Meadows to raise money for Lift Me Up! They raised over $6,000 so far. Many thanks for the well marked trail full of arrows and streamers, and our personal guide, Christine. We had a pleasant ride, wading streams, cantering through meadows and even jumping a few logs and coops. Thanks for donations collected at The Saddlery from Sandy Crippen, Grace Handley, Flo Doughtery, Kim Karanik, Lisa Mulville, Rebecca Maples, Melanie Walker, Pam Sbarra, Caitlin Shaw, and Terry Brackett. You can still donate at The Saddlery - thanks to all!

Come out to Play at The Saddlery - May 2 through May 9.

Drawing contest - Congrats to Laura and Katie, who won breeches, half chaps, gloves and socks.

Door prizes and snacks, balloons and more.

Get Ready to Show Day - Saturday, April 25, from 10 - 6.

Thanks for coming, and congrats to Rhonda who won the Charles Owen Helmet, Betsy who won the RJ Classics breeches, and all the rest who won the Charles Owen backpacks, coolers and mugs.

Manure Management Seminar - April 23, 9 am to 2 pm at Gunnell's Run Farm

Thanks to Lucy Masemer and Willie for a terrific program, and to all of the participants. The demonstration facility showed us all a nicely functioning manure facility working hard and producing excellent compost.

Pasture Management Seminar - March 22 2-3:30 at Great Falls Library

Thanks for the community response. We had 20 attendees, who listened and talked with Willie Woode about pastures, soil tesing and more. See the write up about the next seminar in April. Our questionaire indicated interest in Manure management, Cost Sharing programs, Soil testing and site planning. People asked for weekend talks, Sundays preferred, except in beautiful weather. Thanks, again for the community participation.

Joules Nite - What fun! Mar. 6

We had a great time looking at the new Joules collection coming next fall, enjoying wine from Maison de Vin, and each other. Stop in to see the new Spring clothes.

Cash and Carry Sale - Super Saturday February 21.

Training at DogPatch Farm in Warrenton, Va

As a breeder of Welsh-Thoroughbred ponies, I enjoy the early training process. Unfortunately, I am way overcommitted and had no time for Dusty, our 4 year old gelding. I sent him off to my cousin, Sharon Maloney, at DogPatch Farm in Warrenton. Its a beautiful farm on Springs Road, and they have been breaking and training for 30+ years (check out DogPatch Farm). I went down after 6 weeks, and watched him go. It was amazing. Shawn had him walk, trot and cantering in a big grassy pasture, up and down hills. He was in a frame, and looked like he was bending, balanced and moving nicely from the leg. I freaked them out by asking to ride him - I guess that's not a normal request. I hopped on, and he was great - none of the usual awkwardness in a freshly backed fellow. He did serpentines, up and down hills and even picked up both leads after I gave him good signals. Delighted, I kept him there a few more weeks, and asked if Shawn could try getting the auto changes. First time out the changes were there, so one of the anxious moments in training a green pony was easily overcome. So, after 62 days, he was ready to go into spring training for local shows. The cost was reasonable, and I recommend the farm to anyone, whether you are breaking a green one, or need to work through training issues. Sharon is great to work with, and can make sure you get what you want out of the training. Let her know cousin Sarah sent you - she will take care you!

2008 Inventory Blow out Sale until December 31 at 3 pm!

Thanks for the turnout at the sale.

Men's Night on Thursday, Dec. 18, 6 - 9 pm

Thanks to Hiddencroft Winery, and Classic Wines for the wine tasting and cigars. Thanks to the brave fellows who came by!

Amigo Blanket Give Away - Candy Cane and Deborah were the winners for October - a beautiful red size 78 blanket! Jackie and Black Ty Affair won the November blanket - a Navy 76 blanket. December Winner - Julia - thanks for making this a success!

What's New Day - Celebrating Breyer Horses and Kids - November 15

Breyer Fun Day was hectic but great. 19 awesome painters came and decorated their model horses, played games and giggled a lot. Many took advantage of the gift giving session, where we helped them select gifts for family and friends, wrapped and tagged the gifts, and stayed within the budgets ($5 to $20 per gift). Due to many special requests, we are extending the offer to help your youngsters shop for families and friends - just ask, and we'll help you out.

Great Falls Horse Network Trail Ride - November 7 @ 10

The weather was gorgeous, and a pleasant ride - join up next time!

Blanket Bonanza - Amigo Blanket Give Aways continue thru December!

Thanks to John, and all of you who came in for the special day. Stay tuned for the Amigo Blanket giveaways - one each month from October to December - stop in and fill out an entry form.

Benefit Trail Ride - The Leukemia and Lymphona Society - Rescheduled for October 25.

There is a Trail ride at Camp Highroad in Middleburg, VA to benefit the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.Please email juliannshockley@aol.com for more information, or there is also an easy online donation at http://pages.hikefordiscovery.org/nca/Smokey108/jshockley.

Anniversary Sale - September 6 to 14 - Thanks for coming!

Big deals - fly spray, masks, sheets, T shirts, tights, all sorts of great finds. Show clothes galore - Big sale specials for purchasing 1, 2 and 3 or more show clothes, including shirts, breeches, jackets.

August 11 - Ladies Night - fun for all

Thanks to all who joined us for the party - it was great to see you. Special thanks to Julie Andrews, the sales rep who measured for tights, and brought the Grand Illusions jewelery and Frederique pottery. Hiddencroft Vineyard had some amazing wines - one favorite was the blackberry wine - a tasty dessert wine - see them every Saturday at the Great Falls Farmers Market. All of The Saddlery ladies looked terrific in their outfits - thanks for being brave. This was definitly an event to repeat.

Trail Ride at Dean Brundage's farm - Fun Report

Many thanks to Mr. Brundage, Theresa, Cindy and Navajo! I had a most pleasant trail ride in and around Great Falls as a guest of the Brundage Farm. Navajo is a paint gelding who carried me for hours in a cheerful and energetic ride. Cindy led me across Leigh Mill Road, down Difficult Run and under Georgetown Pike. We rode through Great Falls and Riverbend Parks down to the Potomac River. We returned to the farm by Carriage Road, crossing the Pike near Ad Hoc Road. I would highly recommend a trip to the Brundage Farm for a voyage into the wonderful natural world we drive through every day. They ride out Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday, with heavier turnout on the weekends. Call to reserve a time - 703-759-2474.

July 4th, 2008- Great Turnout in the Great Falls Parade!

What a spectacle 32+ horses, ponies, donkeys and minis- thanks to everyone who rode, walked and helped. Enjoy the photos and ride with us next year! More photos at the shop.

May 23 - 25 - Sporting Art Show and Sale at Morven Park

May 17 - 23 - Surprise Spring Sale!

We didn't plan this sale - it came upon us -Thanks for coming!

May 18 - Lift Me Up Ride-A-Thon

Rolling Meadows Farm in Loudoun County - start times from 10 - 12 pm. Online registration at liftmeup.com. Help raise money for a great program.

May 4 - Great Falls Spring Festival 11:30 to 4 at the Village Center

What a gorgeous day - here are some shots of the Breyer Horse winner, and the dig through the hay for toys game.

March 24 and on - Great Falls Library - Turner Farm Display

Take a peek at the Turner Farm Park display in the lobby of the Great Falls Library. There has been exciting progress in developing the riding arena and cross country jump course in our own backyard. Join the Friends of Turner Farm to support our local park.

CASH and CARRY Sale - Thanks for coming!

Great to see so many of you at the sale - we had a great week, and appreciate your celebrating spring with us.

Call for Help - Loudoun Animal Shelter rescued horses and need donations!

The 48 rescued horses are in good hands, and donations have poured in. Latest update shows that 22 have been placed. With many left to care for, donations are still needed. For more information, go to www.loudoun.gov/Default.aspx?tabid=2015. We are continuing to collect monetary donations, as the cost of feeding these horses is ongoing.

So far the Saddlery has received $690.91 in donations from: Courtney Beatty, Pat Davis, Madiera School, Mary Sitnik, Atossa Shafali, Paula Michaels, Jacqui Shallberg, Gerrie Torrya, Sarah Kirk, Gianna Lishman, Kathryn Partigan, Nancy Ningard, Pam McDorman, Sally Markowitz, Nancy Mann, Barbara Culbert, Lauren Fellows, Pat Davis, Barbara Hasey, Nancy Stover, Cindy Smith, Katherine Cameron, Wendy Schwartz, Peggy Jean Mooney, Rita Creitz and many anonymous folks.

Thanks, and let's keep the list growing!

February 6, 2008 Thursday - Great Falls Equestrian Association Meeting - 7-9 pm

Good showing at the meeting, with lots of ideas for horses here in Great Falls.

December 26 - December 31, Monday thru Wednesday - - 2007 INVENTORY SALE!

Thanks for a great turnout!

December 6, Thursday - Great Falls Equestrian Association Meeting - 7-9 pm

Great Falls Library from 7 - 9 pm. Updates on the ring at Turner Farm, trails, and a call for new leadership. Let's get behind our community club and work for horses and ponies here in Great Falls.

November 10, Saturday - FALL SALE

Great Deals on tall boots, helmets, breeches, casual clothes and accessories.

October 27, Saturday - Show at Southdown

Hunter Schooling show at Southdown, on Bliss Lane, right here in Great Falls. Seven divisions, with Lead Line, Half Pint, a Costume Class, Pleasure and Hunter Divisions. Support our local barn, and get some cool gift bags from The Saddlery for Champion and Reserve. Prize lists are available at The Saddlery.

October 24 - 28 - USEA Area II Adult Riders Training 3 Day Event at Waredaca, Laytonsville, Md.

Four Divisions running, with gift bags from The Saddlery for the first through 4th place winners. For more information, go to their site, trainingthreedayevent.googlepages.com

October 6, Saturday - Volunteers Needed at Morven Park!

Thanks for your help in manning the fences - the day was perfect!

September 8, Saturday - Celebrate at the Penny Party!

A special event to celebrate the many years that Penny has been the Queen of the Saddlery.

10 - 6 - Chuck Pinnell - Measuring people for custom chaps, belts, etc. Please sign up, or email if you are interested.

10 - 6 Amy Donehower - Mylar bits, and what might work for your mouthy horses and ponies.

10 - 2 - Juli Kirk who will display her paintings, and take orders for horse, dog and people portraits.

1 - 3 - Jan Neuharth, Author of The Hunt and The Chase will sign books.

Thanks to all who came - it was a great day for Penny!

Donations for Northern Virginia Therapeutic Riding Program - bring them to us!

You may have read about the destruction of the barn, tack and supplies for this group. The Saddlery is a collection point for donations, so bring what you have by and we will make sure they get your offering.

Thanks for your donations - for more information go to www.nvtrp.org.

July 4^th Parade – Great Turn Out!

Thanks to everyone who came to ride and walk - 10 horses and ponies this year. Make plans to come in 2008!

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