All photos and content Copyright (c) 2005-09 by Innovision Partners, Inc. & BrighterDaze Farm. All rights reserved.
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Our Farm
We are located 60 miles from the Chicago loop, but it feels like we live in another state. When anyone visits our farm they invariably say "I didn't realize Illinois could be so beautiful this close to Chicago." (Click HERE for Map)
Our farm (shown above in color) consists of over 400 acres,
including approximately 100 acres of woods with creeks and ravines, and
miles of trails.
The living quarters are attached to the barn, and a picture
window in our great room overlooks the indoor arena. It is steps away
from the foaling stall. Talk about being raised in a barn!
You buy a safe, properly equipped truck to safely pull a trailer. Don't you want to ride a safe horse? Well trained horses are safe horses. Therefore, from this time on, our horses are ridden 3 to 5 times weekly. We take them out in all kinds of weather, up and down hills, through creeks and woods. Windy days are especially good training days. Some days, we take the horses on organized trail rides and even camp with them--tethered--overnight.
We couldn't be happier with all of the animals on our
farm. They are all part of the BrighterDaze family. Why not
stop by and see for yourself how wonderful life can be?
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We
have many acres of horse-friendly fenced-in pastures with lots of
necessary shelters from the elements. We have a 10-stall, heated barn
with a 60 x 125 indoor arena. Our foaling stall is 12 x 24 and equipped
with a camera so we can observe our mares when they are foaling. (The
facility actually has many cameras located in strategic locations so we
can monitor many areas at the same time.)
Our
horses are provided with top quality care. They are seen regularly by an
equine veterinarian, an equine dentist, and a farrier that specializes in
gaited horses. We use the best feed available, and we grow our own hay. Even though the horses live outside
(and we do believe that's the best
place for them), Rockies are hardy "easy keepers" and can withstand
extreme temperatures. We bring them in daily and at certain times of the
year twice daily not just for feed, but for inspection, handling, and
grooming.
The
foals are "imprinted" at the time they are born and are handled daily
from then on. By the time they are yearlings, they are halter-broke,
they can be led, they will stand tied, and they can be easily loaded. They will pick up their feet
to let you
groom them everywhere, and they even tolerate clippers, fly spray and
paste. When they become two-year-olds, they have nice ground manners and
are ready to start under saddle. Even though Rockies are laid back
horses, they are still horses and 1,000 pound animals can hurt you
unintentionally. Therefore, we have a well trained staff to bring along these
youngsters.
After
they have been started under saddle, it is time to introduce them to the
trail. Our pack of dogs (golden retrievers) usually accompany us so the
horses get used to animals popping in and out of the bushes and running
around us while riding. (The dogs and General, our farm's fearless
swine leader, will also lie around the
horses while they're being groomed and saddled, further familiarizing
the horses to other animals.)