Hopeful Dreams Farm
Montpelier VA
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Welcome to
Hopeful Dreams Farm
HD Farm is a Christian based, family run horse farm located in Montpelier VA. We are convenient to Richmond, Charlottesville, and Chesterfield. Here at Hopeful Dreams Farm, we take great pride in our horses, students, clients and family. Our facilities include a quaint 4 stall barn, 8 acres of pasture, oak board fencing, 60ft round pen, 100x200 riding arena and ball field lighting for evening riding.
Jessica Pittman is a TWHBEA Certified Riding Instructor. There are only four certified TWHBEA instructors in Virginia and Jessica is the only one in Central and Eastern Virginia. She was a featured gaited horse clinician at the 2008 Virginia Equine Extravaganza. With a background in teaching and a degree in psychology, she enjoys helping people learn about gaited horses and become confident horse & rider teams. There are 4 horses on the farm that lend themselves to the lesson program. All are registered Tennessee Walking Horses and are trained for show and trail. Horse owners are welcomed to haul their horses in to learn on as well.
Hopeful Dreams Farm distributes a monthly newsletter to keep our students and friends updated on our activities.
Lisa and Beamer Allison and Risky
Susan and Magic Jessica and Storm
Susan and Magic Jessica and Storm
Hopeful Dreams Farm is proud to offer:
- Professional Farriery
- Ben Pittman Farrier Service is based out of Hopeful Dreams Farm. A full time, professional farrier Ben prides himself in his work. While he has knowledge in many disciplines, he focuses his business on performance hunter/jumper horses.
- Ben is currently taking on clients that are available haul to the farm.
- Private lessons
- One on one instruction to focus on goals and perfect techniques. This is a great way to learn a deeper seat and feel through lounge lessons. Bring your horse or ride one of our well trained school horses.
- Group lessons
- Between 2-4 riders, enjoy learning with a group of friends. Play games and practice skills while having fun. Classes are grouped by level and each student is instructed according to their abilities. We have mother/daughter teams and many husband/ wife teams that enjoy a weekly opportunity to enjoy each others company and learn at the same time.
- Equitation lessons to improve your confidence for show or pleasure
- Jessica focuses her instruction on educating students in the finer points of equitation. While there are many gimmicks on the market that promise a well gaited horse, there is no substitute for communication, training and horsemanship knowledge.
- Gait training
- Jessica offers gait training to horses belonging to students. Often times, a jump start on a horse's training is a real advantage to a long term relationship. Whether the student has aspirations of entering the show ring or maybe they just want a safe, sane gaited partner for the trails, a "Boot Camp" at HD Farm can really boost confidence in horse and rider.
- Ground work
- Learn how to establish respect and gain communication with your horse. These skills are essential to understanding horses and becoming a team. Done in a natural, resistance free manner, the horses appreciate a clearer understanding of our intentions.
- Saddle fit and bit evaluations
- Many times, ill-fitting tack is the root of a gaited horse that has "fallen" out of gait. Jessica can evaluate saddle fit and help find an appropriately fitting saddle to enable your horse to move freely. Hand in hand with our riding ability, the rider's bit preference can effect proper movement in our gaited horses. Each horse is an individual and each has different bitting needs. At Hopeful Dreams, we have a large selection of bits to try. This is an asset to our students in that they can try before they buy under the eye of a trainer.
- Coaching and transportation to shows
- As students advance in their skills, many enjoy attending horse shows. Jessica offers coaching at shows, both local and away. Hopeful Dreams Farm also offers transportation to the shows in our aluminum goose neck Sundowner 4-horse slant load trailer.
- As students advance in their skills, many enjoy attending horse shows. Jessica offers coaching at shows, both local and away. Hopeful Dreams Farm also offers transportation to the shows in our aluminum goose neck Sundowner 4-horse slant load trailer.
- Hay for Sale
- Take your pick of Orchard Grass/Clover, Timothy/Clover, Orchard Grass/Alfalfa, or mixed grass hay. All small square bales are 50-60 lbs and are excellent quality.
- Take your pick of Orchard Grass/Clover, Timothy/Clover, Orchard Grass/Alfalfa, or mixed grass hay. All small square bales are 50-60 lbs and are excellent quality.
- Great Strides 4-H Club
- Hopeful Dreams Farm has just begun a new 4-H club. We meet once monthly at the Ashland Library. There is no need to own or lease a horse to be a member . Our 4-H club strives to learn more about horses and understand the responsibility of owning one. We're always looking for new members, so if you'd like to join just let us know.
- Leasing Opportunities
- We offer partial leases on all of our lesson horses. Leasing a horse is a great way to learn what is involved in owning a horse without the initial cost and maintenance. A flat monthly fee is charged and it includes hay and grain, farrier work, routine vet expenses, vaccinations, worming and daily care. Partially leased horse are available to be ridden 3 days a week with the other days being ridden in the lesson program The horses also get one day off. This is a great way to bond with one horse.
Originally
bred as utility horse, the Tennessee Walking Horse is best suited for a
recreational mount due to its smooth, easy ride and its gentle
disposition. A calm, docile temperament, combined with naturally smooth
and easy gaits insure the popularity of the Tennessee Walking Horse as
the "World's Greatest Show, Trail, and Pleasure Horse."
A light horse breed founded in middle Tennessee, this breed is a composition of Standardbred,Thoroughbred,
Morgan, and American Saddlebred stock. Tennessee Walking Horses
generally range from 14.3 to 17 hands and weigh 900 to 1200 pounds. The
modern Tennessee Walking Horse possesses a pretty head with small, well
placed ears. The horse has a long sloping shoulder, a long sloping hip,
a fairly short back and short, strong coupling. The bottom line is
longer than the top line, allowing for a long stride.
Tennessee
Walking Horses come in all colors and a variety of patterns. The
diverse color choices are sure to please any horse enthusiast.
Different colors should not be discriminated against.
The
Tennessee Walking Horse performs three distinct gaits: the flat foot
walk, running walk, and canter. These three are the gaits for which the
Tennessee Walking Horse is famous, with the running walk being an
inherited, natural gait unique to this breed. Many Tennessee Walking
Horses are able to perform the rack, stepping pace, fox-trot,
single-foot and other variations of the famous running walk. While not
desirable in the show ring, the above mentioned gaits are smooth, easy,
trail riding gaits.
The
flat walk is a brisk, long-reaching walk that can cover from four to
eight miles an hour. This is a four cornered gait with each of the
horse's feet hitting the ground separately at regular intervals. The
horse will glide over the track left by the front foot with his hind
foot: right rear over right front, left rear over left front. The
action of the back foot slipping over the front track is known as over
stride. Over stride is unique to the walking horse breed. The hock
should show only forward motion; vertical hock action is highly
undesirable. A Tennessee Walking Horse will nod its head in rhythm with
the cadence of its feet. This nodding head motion, along with
overstride, are two features that are unique to the Tennessee Walking
Horse. This distinctive head motion along with overstride are both
things the judge should take into consideration when judging a
Tennessee Walking Horse.
The
running walk is the gait for which the walking horse is most noted.
This extra-smooth, gliding gait is basically the same as the flat walk
with a noticeable difference in the rate of speed between the two
gaits. Proper form should never be sacrificed for excessive speed in a
good running walk. The breed can travel 10 to 20 miles per hour at this
gait. As the speed is increased, the horse over-steps the front track
with the back by a distance of six to eighteen inches. The more
"stride" the horse has, the better "walker" it is considered to be. It
is this motion that gives the rider a feeling of gliding through the
air as if propelled by some powerful but smooth-running machine. Since
their gaits are easy for them to perform, some walking horses relax
certain muscles while executing the running-walk; they may flop their
ears in rhythm; some may even snap their teeth. The running walk is a
smooth, easy gait for both horse and rider. A true Tennessee Walking
Horse will continue to nod while performing the running walk. Judging
should not influenced by speed, but rather by the true form exhibited.
The
third gait is the canter, which is a collected gallop. The canter is
performed in much the same way as other breeds, but the walking horse
seems to have a more relaxed way of performing this gait. The canter is
a forward movement performed in a diagonal manner to the right or to
the left. On the right lead, the horse should start the gait in this
order: left hind, right hind and left fore together, then right fore.
The footfall for the right lead is right hind, left hind and right
fore, then left fore. When performed in a ring, the animal should lead
his canter with the foreleg to the inside of the ring. In the canter,
the horse gives one the abundance of ease with lots of spring and
rhythm, with proper rise and fall to afford a thrill from sitting in
the saddle. Thus, the canter lifts the front end giving an easy rise
and fall motion much like rocking chair. This is often referred to as
the "rocking-chair" gait.
The Tennessee Walking Horse is shown under both English and Western tack and attire.
The
flat shod plantation pleasure horse should display brilliance and show
presence while performing true walking gaits. Any tendency to pace,
rack, or trot should be penalized. Form should not be sacrificed for
speed. The horse is to be well mannered and manageable on a light rein.
Manners are paramount for a pleasure horse and should be given serious
consideration in judging. The horse should be well balanced, both fore
and rear. He must back readily on command, and respond to the rider's
signals to perform all gaits without necessity for bumping and pumping
of the reins. The horse shall enter the ring at a flat walk, and when
the gate is closed, the Judge shall call for the running walk, flat
walk, and canter. The head motion of the walking horse is very
important. If he isn't nodding, he isn't walking. Horses shall be
worked both ways of the ring. English tack and attire are mandatory for
this class. Neatness and taste in attire are encouraged and should be a
consideration in the final judging.
In
a model class the horse should be shown in a bridle, led into the ring
and parked for judging. Conformation and condition are paramount.
Horses must stand quietly. Unruly entries must be excused.
Western
pleasure entries shall reflect the suitability of a walking horse as a
western working horse, exhibiting an exceptionally smooth, comfortable
ride without excessive animation. A good western pleasure horse should
have a balanced, flowing motion with a free and easy gait. The horse
should be ridden on a loose rein, and should exhibit a true, four beat
walking gait with cadenced head nod. The head set should be natural,
neither excessively nosed out or over flexed at the poll. The head
should not be high but should exhibit the type of head carriage of a
TWH used as a western working horse. If a western horse does not stand
quietly, he must be penalized. If a western horse has a fast,
uncontrollable canter or requires pumping or bumping, he must be
penalized.
Compiled by Mrs. Sis Osborne for TWHBEA
Conformation
The Tennessee Walking Horse - Head
The
Tennessee Walking Horse's head should be in proportion to the rest of
the animal's body. The head and throatlatch should be refined and
clean-cut, with the facial bones exhibiting a chiseled appearance. The
eyes should show character, being of good size and well placed, with
good width between the eyes. They should be clear and bright. The face
should be straight, rather than convex (Roman-nosed) or concave
(dish-faced). The ears should be well set, medium to small in size, and
they should be carried forward showing attentiveness. The muzzle should
be small, with large, sensitive nostrils. The upper and lower teeth
should meet. The jaw should show bone structure but should not show
excessive thickness.
The Tennessee Walking Horse - Neck
The
head should join the neck at approximately a 45 degree angle, with a
distinct space between the jawbone and neck. The neck should be medium
to long in length, and the head should be carried high. In the adult,
the neck should be slightly arched. The neck should be lean and muscled
and blend smoothly into the shoulders and withers. Excessive arching or
a crested neck is undesirable.
The Tennessee Walking Horse - Balance
A Tennessee Walking Horse should have a balanced appearance.
The Tennessee Walking Horse - Shoulder
The
shoulder should be long and slope forward at an angle of 45 degrees
from the withers to the point of the shoulder. The shoulder should be
smooth, yet well muscled. The withers should be at least as high as the
top of the rump.
The Tennessee Walking Horse - Topline
The
topline of the Tennessee Walking Horse should be level, or slightly
sloping to the hindquarters. The back should be short to medium length,
with a short, strong loin. The croup should be long with good muscling
and a well set tail. The croup should slope moderately from the point
of the hip bone to the point of the buttock.
The Tennessee Walking Horse - Hindquarters
The
hindquarters of the Tennessee Walking Horse should be of moderate
thickness and depth, well muscled when viewed from the side and rear.
The muscling should be evident inside and out on the rear legs. The
hock joint should be fairly wide and deep, with the joint being clean.
The cannon area should be vertical from the hock to the pastern, with
the pastern showing a 45 degree angle with the ground. It is acceptable
for a walking horse to "stand under in the rear slightly" or to be
slightly "cow hocked" or sickle hocked.
Acknowledgement
Heird,
J. C. A Guide For Successful Competitive Horse Judging. Colorado State
University, Animal Reproduction and Biotechnology Laboratory. Bulletin
No. 07. 1992. 