Still Point Farm was built for true horsepeople. We are really proud of our group, and proud of the way everyone is all-in for their horse. Everything is designed to support a horse-first mentality. From the superior arena footing, to the open-air barn, to making sure we have the best quality feed and have we can possibly provide, we are always making sure we are doing the absolute best we can for our horses. Below, some of the ways we live up to this commitment on a daily basis:
“The Still Point”
The name, “Still Point Farm,” is something of which people often ask the origin. Out on a Texas plain, it certainly isn’t a commentary on a lack of a breeze (or stong wind)! It actually comes from a poem by T.S. Elliot:
At the still point of the turning world. Neither flesh nor fleshless;
Neither from nor towards; at the still point, there the dance is,
But neither arrest nor movement. And do not call it fixity,
Where past and future are gathered. Neither movement from nor towards,
Neither ascent nor decline. Except for the point, the still point,
There would be no dance, and there is only the dance.
— T. S. Eliot, “Burnt Norton,” in Four Quartets, 15–16
There are no shortage of interpretations of this poem, read in passing during long-ago college course, but the idea of “the still point of the turning world,” really stuck with us. What was our personal ‘still point?’ What was a steady presence, around which the rest of our lives sort of could change, adapt, but at the ‘still point’ would always be true, and a source of peace and constancy? For this group, clearly it is horses. The responsibility, the dedication, the relationship, the ongoing learning. Even the struggle. That, for us, is the Still Point of the turning world.
Barn Design
There are several elements in the way we’ve arranged the barn that prioritize the horses’ health and wellness.
Open-Air
Rather than a more typical design of stalls on either side of an enclosed aisle, our main barn is 10 stalls, five on each side, arranged back-to back. The aisle then surrounds the entire barn. Each stall is open to the outside, with an overhang to provide shade and rain coverage. The open-air design allows the horses to get more sunlight, more fresh air, and more social interaction amongst them.
Even though they are open-air, the inside of the stalls actually stay pretty warm in the winter due to the spray-foam insulated ceiling- it makes a huge difference. Our horses stay very comfortable, even when just outside the stalls is quite cold. And of course in the summer, the open-air, along with high-quality fans in each stall, makes sure the horses don’t get too hot.
In our secondary addition, which has four stalls, the horses are able to have access to sun and light with Euro-style stall fronts. Additionally, they have doors in the back of the stall with open up to personal runs, which they love.
Stall Mats
Each of the stalls has custom-cut mats as a base. This allows for less pressure on their joints as they stand in the stall, and increased comfort when they are laying down. Stall mats are also placed throughout the aisle, and in the crossties, for comfort, traction, and safety for horses, riders, and staff.
Turnout
Whenever the weather allows, we make sure each horse gets to go outside for hours every day. Some horses prefer shorter stints of a couple horses, some are happy to be out all day. Turnout is customized for each horse for maximum benefit. We have some paddocks with grass, some with dirt, some are smaller and some are bigger. This is to accommodate the needs and safety of every individual animal.
Theraplate
Of course, there are times when we have heavy rain and can’t safely turn the horses out. We deal with this by hand-walking the horses, but we also have a great asset in our Theraplate. Not only does it help when turnout isn’t an option, but it is a great tool to use before and after workouts to mitigate injuries and increase blood flow. Many of the horse are noticeably calmer and more settled after sessions.
Another benefit to the Theraplate is the colic setting, which uses strong vibrations to encourage digestive system stimulation. It’s a great first step when you have a horse you are worried about, or when waiting to hear back from the vet.
Feed & Hay
A major focus for Lindsey, as she designed the program and lifestyle of the horses at Still Point Farm, has been the feed regimen. The horses have a truly high-quality, robust diet, consisting of the best hay, feed, and supplemental forage we can offer, along with SmartPaks for many.
Tifton 85 Hay, which is the only type of hay we feed, is a Bermuda grass hybrid, and has a 13-16% protein content, which is high. Also, it has the lowest sugar content of any grass hay. Veterinarians recommend Tifton 85 as ideal for performance horses as well as those who require low sugar diets.
Alfalfa is a great supplement to the hay, and with every hay feeding, the horses get a light to heavy handful on top of the hay. This increased the palatability of the hay, and allows them to get the benefit of the additional benefits from the alfalfa.
Triple Crown Gold (both in the Senior as well as Performance varieties, depending on the horse’s individual energy requirements) are the feeds we use. We actually did a 60-day experiment, comparing Triple Crown with Cavalor, another high-quality feed. We took photos and noted the horse’s performance during that time, and after comparing the data, we found that the the majority of the horses seemed to have better coats and body condition, as well as more consistent and manageable energy levels, with the Triple Crown products.
A special lunch mix is fed daily, consisting of Triple Crown Senior Gold, Timothy Grass pellets, Organic Alfalfa pellets, beet pulp, and electrolytes. It soaks in water for over an hour to become fully saturated before feeding. This is almost like a bran mash, in that it gets the horses to consume extra water and roughage, but is even more beneficial as it is passed more easily.
Staffing
Lindsey lives on site and just a stone’s throw from the barn. This means she hears everything- which isn’t necessarily good as far as her sleep schedule, but it’s great for the horses. Lindsey is already a hyper-vigilant advocate for the horses, and to have her so close and able to monitor the horses 24/7 is a huge benefit to them. Because of this proximity, she has been able to catch a number of conditions early-on and get them caught and treated early.
Each staff member is thoroughly trained to make the horses, and their health and safety, their highest priority at all times. As a result, each and every staff member, to our great pride, has played a part in catching issues with the horses early. Additonally, they have brought feed issues or barn issues, or solutions, to our attention.
The result is a team, a collaborative effort to keep our horses happy, safe, and healthy. This results in increased program productivity.
Training
Our training program might be considered conservative by some standards; but when you look closer, it is horse-driven. We make sure to go at the pace that best suites each horse, and allows them to develop confidence as well as avoid trauma or injury.
Therefore the horses, as well as horse-and-rider partnerships, that have a strong foundation and sense of trust. These partnerships last a long time, and don’t suffer the breakdowns that , more rushed partnerships can experience.
Our training also incorporates a significant amount of ground work, and focus on ground manners. We want to encourage a constant conversation, and way of relating to the horse and allowing them to relate to us, with trust, but also healthy boundaries. This means the horses are safer and more pleasant not just on the ground, but it also carries over when riding.
A Consistent Way to Answer Questions
When it comes to horses, they will always keep you on your toes. Every day is different, and every training session is different. Solutions are not one-size-fits-all. But knowing that we always want to keep the horses best interests at heart makes the decisions easier. We don’t risk their soundness, physically or mentally, in the pursuit of our own ambition. Because of this, we’ve developed a culture in which not only are our horses are happy and healthy, but our clients- of all ages- are conscientious, watchful, caring stewards of our animals. We could not be more proud of them.
