After extensive parties in both the barn and the pasture, the best lesson horses in the world have decided to share their dreams for the new year.  In alphabetical order to avoid conflicts, here are their wishes for 2020.

 

Baxter

 He wishes for more academy shows in 2020,  many, many mints from the nice ladies in the arena, and for his next door neighbor to stop kicking the walls and disturbing his beauty sleep.

 

Big Frank

Wishes for the invention of silent blow driers so they’re not so scary, wishes for signs in the barn so he always knows which way to go when he comes in, (oh wait, large Frank just remembered he can’t read OR interpret pictures, so scratch that…) and for his stall mats to go away so he can dig to his hearts content.

 

Brinkley

As a contented retired fellow, Brinkley wishes for another year of spa treatments, lazy days spent with his BFF Willy, and well, maybe a few lessons where he gets to demonstrate once again his famous cloud canter.

 

Cashew

 Thoroughly contented Cashew wishes for a year of walk and trot academy stardom, recesses with the grand geldings club, and trips with his friends.  Oh, and he’d also appreciate a try at pattern camp!

 

Dexter

Mr. Unsung Hero would like to be recognized for all the riders he’s brought up,  and for the scary faces he can make right before his ears pop up and he asks for treats. If his wishes all come true, he'll promise to try to cut down on all the slurpy noises he makes while eating his daily hot mush.

 

Dudley

Dudley wishes someone would invent two things for him.  First, he’d like a dryer similar to the ones used in car washes, but MUCH QUIETER, PLEASE.  He’d enjoy doing 7:30 pm groups, but with his fluffy coat, and due to his, um, aversion to body clipping, he usually has to sit it out during the winter.

Secondly, he’d like one of you rocket scientists to invent a spray that will prevent mud from sticking to him.  Dudley greatly enjoys rolling in all types of ‘mud,’ but doesn’t like the residue it leaves behind.  Neither does his grooming team…

 

Duke wishes for walk only classes with very little turning.  Kind of like the Miss America pageant, but without the talent portion.

 

Eddie

Equitation horse extraordinaire wishes for pattern classes every day.  He also wishes for a cure to ear fungus, and to have the option to avert his eyes in pattern classes when other teams aren’t making their circles round.

Oh, and he's dreaming of the Nobel Prize in Mathematics for his stride counting skills in patterns.

 

Fred

Fred wishes that someone would remove his overhead light to make continuous napping easier, wishes for multiple round bales on all occasions so he can recline in one while he eats the other, and wishes people would stop referring to him as fat.  He’s fluffy.

 

 

 Heist

Heist dreams of patterns being outlawed, daily trail rides being routine, and of Laura visiting him every day.

 

Hooper

Hooper wishes for a lifetime supply of 10 and under riders that he can teach to canter, dreams of clothes that close in the front, and of googly eyes like his to come back in style.

 

Hugo

Hugo has a million dreams because he sleeps so much. He wishes for the end of all pattern camps, a new next door neighbor, as Picasso has objected to some of his personal habits, and for a competitive athletic league in the pasture with events like hind leg battles, mud rolling, and round bale eating.

 

Joey

Joey believes in dreaming big.

He’d like to meditate more so he can relax his way into summer camp, would like to work on walk trot days at shows,  but would still like to accept himself as he is.

Therefore, he’ll sit camp out, work for a select few at horse shows, and struggle to figure out which stall is his.

 

Klem

Klem wishes for the end of flies who make it very difficult for him to concentrate on his lessons, dreams of doing more ladies nights AND being invited to the after party, and, of course, for his own personal round bale.  He promises he’ll clean up every last bit.

 

Mac

Mr. Contentment wishes for summer camp every day, countless little girls to brush him, and to become a Knollwood pro so he doesn’t have to tell the instructor when the lesson is over.

 

Mark

So, we tried to explain the concept of ‘wishes,’ and Mark just had that look on his face.  You all know the look.

We think he wishes for lots of mushy food, lots of new beginners who have personal assistants, and hours of meaningful conversation with the elder statesmen at the round bale.

 

Murphy

Murphy wishes for  a wall of mirrors in his stall so he can admire himself.  All.the.time.

 

Panic

Panic wishes for Holly (the person) to visit him every day, for small effective riders who enjoy being ‘Panic-ed,’ for many victory passes to showcase his extra gears, and for world peace.  Of course.

 

Picasso 

Picasso wishes for Hugo to move far away, maybe into a slip stall where he can’t be such a bad neighbor, for another horse to pick up some of the pattern teaching slack,  and for more game days!!!

 

Pony Frank

Small Frank dreams of more horses wearing winter coats so everyone stops picking on him about his clothes, would like everyone to stop calling him Little Frank because it makes him feel so small, and for Carol to install a silent arena heater for his sensitive ears.

 

Sadie

Sadie thinks life is pretty grand, being the only mare in the lesson program. She would like Picasso to stop making those faces at her, dreams of her debut in the walk and trot division, and of pulling her personal grain container into her stall and binging on it.  All at once. (Would anyone care to share their Netflix login info with her?)

 

Sparky

Sparky is pretty content in his world.  He does wish for daily Tiny Tots, more vegetable treats as he watches his waistline,  and long sessions of grooming.  As long as there are no blow driers involved, that is. He also wishes for peace in the pasture.

 

Sundance

Sundance wishes for the young whippersnappers to stop questioning his authority as master of the pasture. (You know who you are, Vaughn!) He dreams of some quiet evenings in the pasture so he can discuss current USEF issues with his advisers. He also wishes for an end to shadows in the arena.

 

Thomas

Thomas wishes to continue his education and hopes one day to be an academy master like his mentor Sundance.  He also hopes to pass on his knowledge to newbie Vaughn.

 

Tony

Tony dreams of a Caribbean cruise, but if that won’t work, he wishes to remain a loyal adviser and enforcer to Sundance.  He also would like to open a speech school for horses who can learn his extensive vocabulary for getting attention and treats. Bengal will serve as instructor for any felines who may like to enroll.

 

Vaughn

As a wee three year old, Vaughn was nervous in his first interview.  We figured out that he’d like everyone to stop picking on him in the pasture.  He honestly didn’t know that he was supposed to come in LAST, not first ahead of Sundance.  He won’t forget that one any time soon.

He dreams of just being ‘one of the boys,’ and of learning from all the mentors around him, even the weird ones.

 

Willis

Willis is another newbie who dreams of traveling to more academy shows, learning more lessons, and teaching more lessons, too. He dreams about his pretty neighbor Sadie, even though she’s a bit older. Is Sadie a cougar?

 

Willy

Willy dreams of enjoying his 32^nd trip around the sun.  He has nothing to prove,  and just wants to enjoy the coming year with some lessons, some quality time with his retired friends Zeus and Brinkley, and lots of time with the wee ones.  Please, no aerosol sprays to ruin his zen moments, and no negative thoughts.

 

Team Knollwood has enjoyed another fantastic year.

We'd like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who contributed to the adventures and fun of the last year.  From our smallest tiny tot to our most accomplished show rider, we've enjoyed every minute of 2019.  Almost.

Best wishes to all of our friends for a new year full of health, happiness, and horses.

 

 Tradition.

Honor.

Passion.

And a whole lot of fun.