Stalls Available Now :) Don't Wait- Claim Your Spot!

Reminder: Stalls Available for Boarders!

Southwind Farm has immediate openings for stall boarders of any age, breed or discipline. Come to Southwind and enjoy two outdoor arenas, an indoor arena, a few cross-country schooling fences and trails to enjoy your horse!

Our experienced staff all live on the property and help maintain a routine that keeps our horses happy and healthy.  Not only do we have the facilities you need to train your competition horse, there are also miles of trails for conditioning and pleasure.  All types of riding are welcome, as are your own blacksmith and veterinarian.  We have always emphasized a relaxed atmosphere that is essential to every horse’s well-being regardless of discipline.  Our location in Damascus, Montgomery County, MD provides easy access to I-270 and I-70.

Contact owner Sheri Thornley today to set up your appointment to see the farm and learn more at: www.southwindfarminc.com

Post-winter check in for your horse

Shew! You have made it through another winter with your horse(s)! You are seeing longer hours of sunlight and temperatures are slowly warming with each passing day. That means it's time to plan your horse's spring health program vaccines and examination. No matter what you want to do with your horse this spring, it's important to have a check in with yourself and your vet to address anything from winter moving forward. Here are a few questions to ask yourself & possibly discuss with your vet:

• Has your horse been in work through the winter?
• Describe your horse’s feeding program. Have there been any changes in feed? Is he eating normally or have you noticed any peculiar habits?
• Has there been any weight change? Are you feeding a special diet to control body condition?
• Have there been any respiratory concerns, coughing, or nasal discharge over the winter?
• Have you observed any lameness in your horse? Any lumps or swellings?
• Is your farrier happy with the condition of their feet and/or shoes?
• Is your horse receiving any treatments or medications?

These may seem like a lot of questions to answer but even if you’ve owned your horse for years, things can quietly change over a winter season so it's important to check in! That's why here at Southwind Farm we work tirelessly with each boarder to address any concerns or needs they have for their horse(s). No matter the age or breed we love all of our horses here at Southwind!

We would love a chance to welcome your horse(s) into the herd so email Sheri at: sherithornley@msn.com to learn about our boarding availability! 
www.southwindfarminc.com 

Spring Pasture Maintenance

Spring is right around the corner and with temps slowly rising each week, there is hope for all that green grass and warmer days are close by! If you are like most farm owners and equestrians in Maryland thanks to an unusually-warm winter, your pastures have been transformed into giant mud pits. So what can you do to maximize your spring growth this year?

Thanks to an article from the University of Minnesota Extension program, here are a few spring pasture to-dos which can help you get the best use out of your fields for not only springtime but the rest of the year. (Note: we take our pastures very seriously at Southwind and do everything we can to ensure our horses are happy and healthy year-round! www.southwindfarminc.com)

Take a look at the excerpt from the article below:
Plant seed- "The best time of year to seed a pasture is fall. But, spring is an adequate time if you missed fall seeding. April 1st to May 15th is the best time in the spring to reseed your pastures. Keep horses off newly seeded pastures until the grasses become well established and you’ve mowed two to three times.'

Take soil samples-'Test your soil to see if your pastures need any nutrients. You can take soil samples once the frost is out and the ground is dry.'


Fertilize-'Test your soils before fertilizing, so you know how much you need. Often, pastures only need nitrogen.'

Control weeds- 'Spring is a good time to spray annual weeds to prevent them from establishing. Mowing is usually sufficient for annual weed control, but an herbicide may be needed with large numbers of weeds.'

Check fences- 'Snow and deer can damage fences. Check all fencing before turning out your horses.'

Plan your grazing system- 'Think about your pasture’s health from last year. Did you have enough grass or did the horses turn it into a putting green or mud pit? You may need to provide your horse with hay during certain times of the grazing season, and set aside a sacrifice area when the pasture needs rest.'

'Feed your horse their normal hay diet before turning them out to pasture during the first several grazing events of the year (along with the time restrictions). This will prevent rapid eating of pasture grasses, thus preventing digestive upset and laminitis (Original article here)."

Stalls Available for Spring!

Reminder: Stalls Available for Boarders at Southwind!

We hope that everyone had a wonderful weekend and enjoyed it with friends and family. We wanted to take a quick minute to remind you that there are still a few stall board openings at Southwind for spring! Now is the time to get your stall before spring season starts so you and your horse(s) can settle in and enjoy the many amenities Southwind has to offer!

Our experienced staff live on the property and help maintain a routine that keeps our horses of all ages happy and healthy.  Not only do we have the facilities you need to train your competition horse, there are also trails for conditioning and pleasure.  All types of riding are welcome, as are your own farrier and veterinarian.  We have always emphasized a relaxed atmosphere that is essential to every horse’s well-being regardless of discipline.  Our location in Damascus, Montgomery County, MD provides easy access to I-270 and I-70.

Be sure to check us out and contact owner Sheri Thornley today to set up your appointment to see the farm and learn more today! www.southwindfarminc.com

Save the Date: 4/19 PVDA Schooling Show at Southwind!

Spring is right around the corner and for our dressage boarders the Potomac Valley Dressage Association (PVDA) show circuit is only a few weeks away. This year Southwind Farm will again host a PVDA schooling show, on Sunday April 19th. For more information you can contact the show manager, Carolyn Del Grosso at mandcdelg@aol.com or visit: 

https://pvda.org/page/show_omnibus to see the full list of competitions.

To learn more about why Southwind Farm is the place to be this spring visit: www.southwindfarminc.com!

Reasons to LOVE Southwind Farm!

Southwind Farm is not just any boarding facility. We have a few things that we can say truly makes us unique and reasons why our boarders love being here!

• We LOVE horses of all shapes and sizes and welcome them into the herd! We have NO breed or age restrictions on our boarded horses.

• We LOVE to encourage learning from all types professionals! We have no training or lesson requirement, and our boarders have access to over eight different trainers who regularly come to the farm. OR you can bring your own trainer in for weekly/monthly lessons.

• We LOVE our boarders to have peace of mind by allowing their own vet and farrier at the farm! 
  

• Our owner and manager Sheri Thornley LOVES to live on site so our boarders know someone is always there. 

• We LOVE riders of ALL disciplines! The more the merrier!

• We LOVE our unique group of boarders! We have all the amenities of a bigger barn but a close family feeling and camaraderie among our boarders.

• We LOVE being located in northern Montgomery County and just minutes from three other big counties: Frederick, Howard and Carroll!

What else is there to LOVE about Southwind?? Plenty! 

Come take a look and see for yourself! Contact Sheri today or visit, www.southwindfarminc.com 

Upcoming Events close to Southwind Farm!

Did you know one of the greatest perks about Southwind is our location? The farm is nestled in the heart of Damascus, Maryland in Montgomery County minutes off of I-270, but is also conveniently close to other counties as well! Five minutes up the road and you are in Carroll County with access to I-70. Drive 15 minutes and you can be in Frederick County and 25 minutes puts you in Howard County which makes Southwind perfect for boarders located in any of those areas!

Southwind is also close to many local events of all disciplines! So if you board here and enjoy taking your horse out there are a variety of event options to choose from (including miles of trail riding!). If you are curious about some of the upcoming events close to the farm visit our friends at The Equiery here: http://equiery.horsetrader.com/shows-and-events

If you want to come take a look at Southwind and see why we have boarders that commute from all over the DC & Baltimore metro areas, email Sheri today at:  sherithornley@msn.com or visit: www.southwindfarminc.com!