York Equestrian Riding School
3328 Bloomington Road L4A 4A2 Stouffville, ON, Canada

Wishing everyone a very Merry Christmas, from our family to yours! May your day be snowy and bright!

Our first session of York Winter Camp 2020 starts tomorrow! We’ve got our toques and long johns on and are ready to go! Campers, make sure you bring your mask, wear layers of warm clothing and get ready to have snow much fun We can’t wait to see you tomorrow!

It’s National Horse Day, also know as, everyday here at York! Our horses and ponies are certified unicorns Just take a look at all they do for us! Whether it’s being bathed by campers, dressed up for Musical Ride, helping our riders achieve their dreams, or being models for parts of the horse and teeth, they take everything in stride! We couldn’t ask for better four-legged friends!

With last night’s fresh snowfall we’re sure winter is here to stay this time! You’ve probably noticed our horses sporting some long coats and new outfits (their blankets) recently at the barn! To prepare for the winter, horses shed their summer coat and grow in a winter coat. Their winter coats are denser and longer than their summer coats, protecting them from the cold and the elements. As an extra layer of protection and warmth on those snowy, cold, windy, wintery days our horses also get blanketed! Blankets can range from a single layer of material (a sheet) to a multi-layered, filled blanket! Doesn’t Trigger look so cute in his blanket?

!Winter Camp Countdown! There is less than 1 month until the first session of our winter riding camp! Spots filled up quickly this year and we couldn’t be more excited to have lots of returning faces. Bring your boot warmers and mittens and get ready to have snow much fun!

In Flanders Fields, the poppies blow Between the crosses, row on row, That mark our place; and in the sky The larks, still bravely singing, fly Scarce heard amid the guns below... -John McCrae Lest we forget the brave men, women and animals that gave their lives for our freedom. We are forever thankful

Clean tack is happy tack! If you’ve ever been a camper at York Camp, you’ve heard that phrase a thousand times. It’s important to clean your tack properly after each ride to remove any dirt or sweat, and to keep it in good condition. Clean tack keeps our horses comfortable along with preventing any skin irritation or possible sores from forming. Thank you to all of our superstar riders for keeping our horses happy and their tack clean!

Barn Staff Spotlight Kate Kate is a familiar face in the barn and our resident redhead! Whether she’s bringing in horses, helping riders tack up or getting herself ready to ride, Kate is always around and ready to help out. She first started riding when she was 6 at York’s very own winter riding camp! Kate rides Remi (remember him from Erika’s spotlight?) and competed with him on the A-circuit this summer and crushed it! Kate is graduating from high school this year and wants to pursue interior design for her post secondary degree. When she’s not studying hard or riding, Kate likes to snowboard, go up to the cottage and of course, hang out with her friends! You’ll definitely see Kate around the barn, be sure to say hello!

Happy Halloween York familyWe wanted to share a few of the fantastic costumes from our annual Halloween Parade yesterday! After pony games, our talented riders dressed themselves and their horses into some unreal costumes! Click to see some of the looks of the night! Thank you to everyone who participated, we can’t wait for next year!

Things are getting spooky in the arena tonight! Can you guess the riders under the costumes? Bonus points if you can name the horses!

Happy Thanksgiving to our entire York family As always, we have lots to be thankful for here at York Equestrian. The amazing horses/ponies, our superstar staff, our incredible instructors and of course, our fantastic clients! These are just a few of the reasons we're so thankful this holiday. We hope you have a lovely day and stay safe! We'll see you Tuesday!

The Halloween Countdown has begun We’re officially 1 week away from Halloween which means our annual Halloween Parade is just around the corner! All of our parade spots have been filled and we are so excited to see what spooky costumes our riders have in store for us and their horses! Keep your eyes peeled as we’ll be sharing our favourite looks from past parades on our story this week

Barn Staff Spotlight Coral Coral is an amazing new edition to the York team! She is bright and friendly and is always around to help out whoever needs a hand. Coral's love for horses started when she was just a 7 year old, riding at summer camp. From there, she took lessons for 6 years before owning her own horses. Coral, like most of us dream to, owns 3 horses Junior, Ginger & Arwyn that live in her backyard! She rides/trains all of her horses from the comfort of he...r own home. We can only imagine! Ginger is her heart horse, Coral raised her from a weanling and now not only does Ginger ride around with Coral, she also stars in weddings! As you can tell from the photos, she has a lot of fun with her horses. Coral aspires to open her own business in animal grooming! Her favourite part of working at York is the people! Look out for her around the barn and don't forget to say hi! See more

Would you believe us if we told you horses have the largest eyes of any land mammal?! It’s true! The placement of their eyes allows horses to have almost 360 degree vision. This means Roman can see you giving treats to Scotty back there!

Just a friendly reminder that lessons are scheduled to run as normal this upcoming Thanksgiving weekend!

Our first course night of the fall is fast approaching! Course nights are an in-house clinic hosted twice a month. They are designed to build upon skills and techniques you learn during your riding lessons using coursework. Course nights are a fantastic way for riders to get some extra time in the saddle and practice what they’ve been learning in a fun and encouraging environment! There is still space available in our October course nights held on the 2nd and 16th. Email the office to sign up, we can’t wait to see you!

Summer might be coming to an end, but we’re still smiling because fall lessons are right around the corner

Sharing secrets...

School Horse Spotlight: Lilly Lilly is a recent edition to the York family. She arrived last summer with Daisy, and has since become a great addition to the team. She is a shining star in our camp program, as she excels with our new riders. That being said, Lilly came from a program where she was a show pony, and she loves to canter and jump. Many of our little riders enjoy lessoning on her as she provides a welcome break from the chubby and slow rides that Tee and Scotty bring (although they love those too). When not being ridden, Lilly spends her days frolicking in the paddocks with her BFF Coco, and on occasion her boyfriend Trigger

School Horse Spotlight: Jones Jones joined the York pony squad a mere two years ago. However, in those two years, he has made his presence known. He has quickly become a favourite to our littlest riders, and many of our taller riders hope that they might get assigned him on the off chance they are playing pony games. Prior to coming to York, Jones was owned by a professional in the industry. In her program, Jones taught many little kids how to ride, including most rece...ntly being a rockstar short stirrup pony for two sisters. When one of our instructors learned Jones was for sale, we quickly purchased him, knowing what a valuable addition he would be to our riding school. Just as we suspected, Jones has fit right into our heard. He has been used in a number of programs, from Musical Ride to Show Camp, and everything in between. When he is not being pampered by our students, you can find Jones out with his buddies: Casper, Roman, Frosty, Dallas, and Trigger! They are kind of an odd group, but we think it’s safe to say that the littles of the paddock (Jones and Trigger) rule the roost! See more

School Horse Spotlight: Roman Roman is truly a jack of all trades. If you’re a new rider wanting to learn the ropes, or a more seasoned rider wanting to jump a course, Roman can do it all. He’s especially talented at teaching his favourite riders teeny tiny new riders- because in these lessons he’s allowed to go at his favourite pace (slow!). Qualities like these make him an easy favourite among instructors and riders alike. His carefree attitude also makes him perfect for anything that typical horses may find spooky, such as the Halloween Parade, Musical Ride, and pony games. When Roman is not being ridden he loves hanging out with his paddock mates. In total he has five buddies that he goes out with, but Casper is definitely his BFF.

School Horse Spotlight: Cohen Although Cohen is a new addition to the riding school, he has been a member of the York team for over ten years! Cohen is owned by one of the Skey’s longtime clients, who showed him in the Children’s Hunters ten years ago. During that time, he competed at the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair, winning a class, as well as ending up as the Reserve Champion. More recently, Cohen has been dominating the Short Stirrup division with a number of riders. ...In fact, in 2019, he finished second overall for the year in shorties! Next summer we are hoping Cohen will continue his winning streak with our Show Team riders! When Cohen is not being ridden he loves making grumpy faces at anyone who walks by his stall. Don’t tell him we told you this, but that’s really just his way of saying hi and begging for treats! Don’t let his expressions scare you away, he really is a sweetheart and a fabulous addition to the school. See more

School Horse Spotlight: Dexter Dexter is a relatively new addition to the York herd- he arrived in the fall of 2019. Prior to coming to York, Dexter competed on the Ontario ‘A’ circuit with a variety of riders under his show name: Dexterity. His horse show experience has made him a great addition to our riding school, particularly for our more advanced riders, many of whom were hoping to ride him in our year end schooling show or Show Camp. Unfortunately, due to COVID-19..., that is going to have to wait until next year! However, Dexter will still be extremely valuable in our lesson and rider level programs throughout the summer. When Dexter is not being ridden, he enjoys spending his time begging for treats of any kind. He will literally eat anything offered to him, from apples to oranges to bananas and of course mints. As well, he loves watching the sunset with his buddies Atticus and Trader. They are a super photogenic trio, and will often pose for pictures at the fence line. See more

School Horse Spotlight: Tee Comfortable, cute, small, and round Tee is definitely one of the most adorable ponies we’ve ever had! Before Tee came to York he was a show pony. Back then he was a little darker and a little slimmer, but just as cute! Once he retired from the show ring he came to York and has been the perfect edition to the riding school. Tee is an excellent teacher both in and out of the ring. He always keeps his riders on their toes and reminds them to keep... their toes away from his! Many of Tee’s riders can attest to the facts that this loveable food motivated pony is known primarily for tap dancing onto riders toes. He is also know and loved for his amazingly smooth gaits and love for jumping. He is perfect for riders learning any new skill, whether it be posting trot or learning to canter. When he’s not being ridden, Tee spends his time with his crew in the Pony Paddock. He is a big softy when it comes to his BFF Eddie- they are nearly inseparable and always call for each other when they’re apart. See more

Nights like these

School Horse Spotlight: Fresco Known for her colouring and comfy canter, Fresco is definitely a favourite amongst both staff and riders at York! Fresco, lovingly known as Freshi by many at York, is one of the original 3328 Bloomington Road horses. She was originally bought by Barb and JT of Cornerstone Farm to be a school horse. Even as a youngster she was teaching people how to ride and how to stay on. In her hay day Fresco was a little spirited, testing riders and ...instructors alike with spooks. As the years passed Fresco mellowed out and turned into a real school master; teaching riders of all levels the ins and outs of riding. She is a staple in our jumping lessons, always showing off her classic ‘Superman jump in every photo, reminding people that she’s always around to save the day! While Freshi is always up for jumping a course, she is versatile and is also used in anything from walk/trot lessons to learn to canter lessons. Her build and comfy gates make her perfect for our taller riders and adult riders. During her downtime Fresco enjoys grazing in the paddock with her gal pals Fancy and Kitzi. See more