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Mount Pegasus riding school Mount Pegasus
("Fosdick's Funny Farm") provides horse care and riding lessons for
young people age 10 and up. Our students learn to groom and care for a horse, saddle, bridle, do ground work, showmanship, trail ride, vaulting exercises and games on horseback, besides riding at various gaits. Most students prefer to ride Western style, but we do offer English for advanced students. We often end each lesson with a short trail ride on trails cut through the woods at Mt. Pegasus. Riding is normally done in our full size fenced outside arena, but on rainy days we can use our indoor arena if necessary. We offer students the opportunity to show our horses at two local horse shows during the summer. This gives them the opportunity to see what a real show is like. Students come the day before the show to help groom and bathe the horses, polish tack, load the trailer. Our students have done very well at these shows in the past. At the left see our students relaxing at the annual RREC Benefit Show... which is great fund raiser for the Rochester Regional Equestrian Center. (See RREC.INFO.COM) Our
riding lesson season
ends with an All-day Clinic on Saturday followed by an onsite Horse Show on
Sunday afternoon. (In 2011, we will
Birthday Parties and Dream Cases were added options to our Funny Farm Services in 2010. For only $10. per rider, we will provide your birthday child and friends with an hour’s ride at the Funny Farm on our 6 horses, anytime during the year. For those with limited or no riding experience, we will provide someone to lead the horse. We also have picnic tables on site if you choose to hold the entire party here. Just call or email for a date. Dream Cases are a custom designed, one-of-a-kind pillow case with a particular theme: horses, dogs, cats, clowns, sports, hobbies? (Most cases start at $15. and make great gifts for college students, birthdays, holidays, thank you gifts, etc.) The emotional bond students form with their favorite horses often leads them to return during the off-season to get a “horse fix.” We welcome this wholeheartedly, as long as one of us is home. (Just call us to set up the time.) The only “requirements” beyond this offered opportunity is that students put in some time grooming horses and doing ground work with them. Barn chores are always available, and if riders want to put in a couple hours, we will be happy to let them ride subsequently. For safety reasons, we encourage the “buddy system.” In other words, bring another rider along, and make sure that we are present. Giving lessons has been a privilege and joyously rewarding when we see the amazing progress riders make—with horsemanship skill and even more important—personal change. Riding builds confidence and encourages responsibility. Our riders have made lasting friendships and understand completely how important it is to respect and help others, and maintain a “can-do attitude.” We are family at the Funny Farm! Eric & Carol Fosdick |
celebrate 10 years of Fosdick Fall
Family Fun Shows at the Funny Farm!) The clinic consists of games,
lunch, grooming and practicing. The show consists of pleasure and timed
events judged by a local horse personality. Friends and family are welcome
at the Sunday afternoon show. Participants receive ribbons for placing 1st
thru 6th. An overall “High Point Trophy” goes to the rider who
not only does well in the show, but has collected “extra credit points” for
projects and horse-related jobs all summer. Other prizes are often awarded
for most extra credit, most improved rider, most helpful and best attitude.
Demonstrations, Refreshments, Door prizes and a “Music in Motion”
performance on horseback are often additional highlights of our annual
show! In 2010, we even added a Mom and Pop participation class. At past
shows, we have performed original “plays on horseback,” including a takeoff
on “The Wizard of Oz” in 2007. 