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Synod Lord Percival and jeff,

win Preliminary single Pony at the Laurel's

you tube video's

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tfBQqNhr5Lc

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oU2c5Q8fh-0&feature=related

RELHOK BOOT CAMP 2010

My name is Colin Joseph Rossi, and I am 16 years old. I sat waiting for the last bell in my last class of the last day of my sophomore year, and wondered what the Summer would bring. My sort of brief (4 year) relationship with horses was riding at local hunter barns. I was lucky to be able to ride and show many nice ponies. It never occurred to me that I didn’t have much experience with horses beyond riding. Earlier in the Spring I had met Jeff Kohler through a former “hunter person” that lived nearby, and was now a client of Jeff’s. I was invited to Jeff’s farm, rode a pony, one thing led to another, and I was offered a position as a working student. Jeff’s concentration is with ponies and driving. I had ten minutes of driving experience under my belt before I accepted the position.

I packed my duffel bags, my riding gear, some easy-to-make meals and moved from New York into the apartment at Relhok Farm in Barrie, Ontario. I never imagined that the next several weeks would bring so many different experiences – from working with the ponies to life lessons. My first morning I was sure to be on time, and I reported for work in my breeches, boots and oxford shirt, the classic hunter rider. I was handed a manure fork. I guess this is where the “working” fit into “working student”. Well at least I looked good cleaning stalls! I was quickly reminded of the last barn I rode at and their full staff of grooms and maintenance workers. Jeff’s barn has 18 stalls, and the barn was full. You do the math. While Jeff may run the farm and is the trainer, he also worked right along side me –maybe so he could take pictures of me working and send them to mutual friends for entertainment.

By the end of the first week, I earned that my recently purchased “hog farmer” boots had a purpose and there was nothing wrong with jeans, t-shirts and a baseball cap. I was realizing how much work it took to keep a farm running – from cleaning stalls, to clearing fields, to the excitement of a new outdoor ring turning to the not-so-exciting job of rock removal. But I can’t forget the ponies. Each one more spectacular than the last. The stallions TC and Austin, to Diva, Sprite, Honor, Hennessy, to name a few, and all the ponies in for training.

Jeff was training a new pair, and at an earlier visit I had asked what the “extra” seat at the back of the vehicle was. I was told it was a “dickey seat” and that is where I would be sitting. He wasn’t kidding. I spent hours in the dickey seat at home and at shows while the pair learned the ropes. I don’t even know how or when it happened, but at some point my name had changed from Colin to Dickey. I was introduced to people as Dickey. I even answered to “hey Dickey”. I think there are people out there they don’t realize my name is NOT Dickey.

I tried to learn the ins and outs of driving, from harnessing to cleaning. I saw how many hours are put into the ponies with training, grooming, and assembling the proper turnout, and the importance of having a sense of humor. That is not to say that things were not taken seriously, but there was always time for a laugh – mostly at my expense! Heck, I am entertaining! I learned more than just things about the farm, driving and ponies, but as Jeff says, “life lessons” - like if you are around clients, there is no time to be in a bad mood; there is no excuse for poor grammar; there is no such thing as doing things half-way (and getting away with it); anything worth doing is worth doing right; first impressions are important; and there is NEVER nothing to do.

Some other lessons I learned:

1) I wonder, Jeff ponders;

2) Always be nice to friends and family, because you’ll need them to help get hay in;

3) Knowing two Portuguese words does not qualify as knowing a foreign language;

4) Never make jokes about stranger danger at a border crossing;

5) Making rice is harder than you think;

6) Jeff is the only one that can pack a trailer correctly;

7) Mice can climb onto a coffee table;

8) Jeff’s laugh can be heard for miles;

9) You can’t argue with a border guard even if they call you ignorant;

10) Brass. Enough said.

11) Never challenge Jeff to a speed walking or cartwheel competition and think you’ll win;

12) “Prolly” isn’t really a word;

13) Ponies aren’t born “made”;

14) Manure forks cause calluses, I guarantee it;

15) 173 text messages in one day is considered excessive by some people;

14) When you burry a dead cat, you have to make sure you dig a REALLY deep hole.

It seems as though summer flew by – we traveled to Massachusetts, Michigan, New York and had ponies competing at 6 shows. I’m back home, looking at the calendar and realizing I head back to school in a week. I am grateful for my experiences this summer, but mostly for Jeff taking me under his wing and sharing his experience, knowledge, humor, family and friends with me. I came home with new friends – Bernice, Herb and their children, Marsha, Amy, Peter, Molly, Eve, Heather, Jordan, Vicki, the Zube, and Judy- and an appreciation for the time, attention, hard work, dedication and passion it takes to not only run a successful farm, but train and compete some pretty amazing animals.

Thank you, Jeff

jeff and TC - Participated in the "Equi-Challenge"

a university of Guelph fund raiser, representing combined driving

Walnut Hill 2010!

Synod Lord Percival - wins EVERY Class entered!!!!!!!

finishing up with Overall gentleman Champion, Large single Pony B section champion, Best gentleman's turnout on the Presentation drive and High Point welsh Pony!!