Misty--She's a 14.2hh chestnut Quarter horse, born 1987, on lease from Molly Power and John Ordway, she's the sweetest soul on the farm. Quiet, calm, willing, and a pro at walk/trot/canter and trail rides, she is an essential member of the Pease Farm school program and in the Vermont Horse-Assisted Therapy therapeutic riding program.

Bonnie--This brown Welch/Shetland cross mare is well over 30, but you'd never know it. Sarah got her from two sisters who outgrew their interest, and she has zoomed around the farm for many years now. She loves cantering on the lunge line and has a well-developed pony sense of humor ("Hey, wouldn't it be fun to lead this little kid where I want to go instead of where she does?") We love her every second except when we are cursing her escape artistry--we use her to test whether our smaller students have the skill they need to ride with an independent seat AND clear intent.

Dublin-- A 15 hh liver chestnut Morgan, born 1994, this guy is a real success story. Sarah got him out of a backyard pasture in Northfield at age 5 when his owners said they knew he was fast "because when we chase him with our ATV he can really go!" Dublin now performs first level dressage, he's a talented jumper, a solid trail horse, and a tribute to the Morgan character: he can do a little bit of everything well. Sound, sane, and athletic, we use Dublin for our higher-level students.

Harja--If you have never met a genuinely sweet Arab, flea-bitten 14.3 Harja is your guy. Now retired, Harja was quiet enough to use in therapeutic riding and seemed to know when he needed to take careful steps with timid or imbalanced riders, or when he could show off his spirit with more advanced ones.

Molly--This 15 hh flea-bitten Connemara mare, born 1997, came to Sarah through a sad story. Her owner in Vermont had just bought her from somewhere in the Midwest when she was diagnosed with cancer, and died before she ever got on her. Molly came to us with a nasty temper, especially when eating. She's become an accomplished dressage horse, though she may be the only Connemara in existence who is terrified of jumping. She's very pretty, and well schooled for lessons, but we still carry a crop to remind her that respect has to go both ways.

Rumor--An Appaloosa-cross PMU rescue, born 2000, Rumor has been with barn manager Susan Mitchell since she was a weanling. Rumor now gives lessons at the farm while she continues her equine education; she now comes "on the bit", canters gracefully, and is starting work over small fences. She's a character, a dominant mare who would love to become boss of the entire herd if Tony didn't already have the mayorship sewn up.

Blue--A 15 hh jet black Morgan gelding, born 1993, Sarah's daughter Mariah got Blue for her 21st birthday when Blue was only five…and not yet weaned from his mother! We call him Crybaby Blue because he still has separation anxiety and hates to be ridden without a buddy. Other than that, he is a charmer: lots of spunk, okay at dressage and low-level jumping but mostly a sure-footed and brave trail horse, and a genuinely kind guy.

Talat--This 15 hh black Morgan, born 1993, is Blue's best buddy and his almost identical twin. He too was late being weaned, so he is rather mouthy, but his friend Andi, who has half-leased him for several years now, has worked hard on his manners and they are much improved. Talat isn't very brave, but he is a willing soul, and looks almost like a Friesian when he comes on the bit. He now does dressage and jumping, loves trail riding, and is a favorite at summer camp.

Gambler—This big rangy chestnut Appendix QH gelding, born around 1998, is lucky owner Halle Robinson's first horse. With his nice white markings, he fancies himself quite the ladies' man and loves to tease the mares over the fence, but he's a gentleman under saddle and seems to love his new lodgings here at Pease Farm.

Gretchen, born 1997, is a 15.2 hh chestnut Belgian/Morgan cross with fancy white stockings. She helps teach some of the larger therapeutic riding students and takes good care of her owner Sarah Slatter.

Bailey--Sarah's daughter Melanie owns Gretchen's pasture mate Bailey, born 1998, a fancy bay QH/Arab mare with a bald face and a lively disposition. Bailey came off the Florida hunter/jumper circuit and now enjoys jumping, dressage, trail riding, and her unblanketed and less stressful life as a furry Pease Farm pony.

Sedge--He was our fanciest boarder, a 16.3 Dutch warmblood gelding, and a true school master who performed at Lake Placid with owner Sherri Allen, and had his semi-retirement at the farm. He gave a few lessons to lucky students and enjoyed herding his pasturemates around in his spare time; he's now laid to rest in our cemetery and greatly missed by one and all.

Willy Wally—Willy was one of our sweetest horses, a gentle leopard Appy owned by Diana McLeod. Willy served for many years as our quietest beginner horse but also loved trail riding and just hanging out. He too rests at peace in our horse hall of honor.

Mindy—This champion 13.3 hh blue roan jumper is on loan to us from Sara Stewart, who won the big classes in Woodstock on Mindy before she sadly outgrew her. Mindy still loves jumping best but is learning to rebalance and relax herself through dressage, and she loves being the boss of the pony herd.

Irish Lace--This 16.2hh TB/Dutch Warmblood cross chestnut mare, 17, is fancy as can be. She came to the farm three years ago when a nearby stable closed its doors and has had some much needed time off to recover her spirit and her emotional equilibrium. She performs first level dressage, is a stupendous jumper, and loves to lick people as if they were candy canes.

Fred—On loan from Sandy England, Fred (real name, "Estair") is a 15.2 bay QH who's become a crowd favorite in his first winter at Pease Farm. Sweet and quiet under saddle (though with an unfortunate compulsion to buck like a demon on a lunge line), he splits his time between dressage and jumping classes with the older students. We will miss him when Sandy takes him back!

Kelly—She's the new girl on the farm, donated in 2010 by Jeannette Cole, a dark chestnut QH mare, born 1987, and a spirited and talented addition to the herd. She's trained through first level dressage and does low-level jumping. Last year she helped lead the annual 4th of July parade in Worcester.

Coffee Cappuchino--Coffee is a dark bay Percheron/TB cross mare, born around 1991. She came to us with a very bad attitude, which included biting and girthyness and even misbehavior under saddle, so we gave her a winter off and are now bringing her back into work carefully and slowly so she doesn't have to revert to grumpiness. She's an excellent jumper and dressage horse, but suitable only for adult, experienced riders; Beth Holtzman has half-leased her a couple summers and reports she's just plain fun on the trail.

Drama—This pretty bay off-the-track TB owned by Samantha Scribner is spending the winter at Pease Farm to continue her retraining as a saddle horse. She's sensitive, maybe even a bit over-sensitive, but with Sam's patient handling and hunter/jumper teacher Chrissy Rohan's expert instruction, she has been relearning her basics and will be ready for sale as a nice eventing prospect in 2011.