Capstone Farm

10/16/2026

There’s nothing better than a gorgeous fall day to watch this pattern ship grow 😊 Jillian Sommer

10/14/2026

We need to evolve our practices as we learn more. Years ago we stopped wrapping after every jump school, no matter what. We stopped wrapping to ship in most cases, and we stopped washing the legs daily. We still do all those things on a case-by-case basis, but it just made sense that there was no sense in doing them indiscriminately. We also don’t feed a bran mash 😜

10/13/2026

Capstone Farm in Mansfield MA is hiring!! Full time and part time positions available. Weekday and weekend shifts. We are looking to bring on 2 people, and days and times can be flexible.

Weekend Barn Manager (One day or both)
Weekday Barn Assistant
Saturday Riding Instructor (must be MA licensed)

The horses are easy - they’re all older lesson horses & show horses. The people are lovely. The environment is laid back and positive. We treat people with respect and we work as a team.

The jobs consist of most normal barn things, with minimal stalls to clean. W2 Employee with paid time off!

We are looking for reliable people with solid horse experience, who can work independently.

If this sounds like you, and you want money for your horse fund, please message me.

10/10/2026

My kid and their pony 💜 that magical moment you realize you have a real connection with your horse is one you’ll never forget. It’s so hard to fine tune to slow down, so we don’t get to play like this very often, but I have absolutely no regrets about making the time today.

10/09/2026

CONGRATULATIONS to Jill on your lease renewal with ODYSSEY! We absolutely love this partnership and love watching you reach new heights! Jillian Sommer

10/08/2026

One of my favorite things is to step back and allow the space for kids to figure it out.

Looking down the barn aisle at SWF, you will often see kids figuring it out on their own when they can’t do something.

It’s our job to make sure they’re in in a safe environment with appropriate ponies. After that, they can take a few trips to be able to carry all their tack out, they can take ten minutes to figure out how to put the bridle on their way when a pony is moving their head around, they can figure out how to catch the pony who would rather be napping, they can practice their clipping on ponies not showing for a little while, and they can figure out their own style, how their bodies work in concert with a pony, and how to troubleshoot what comes up in any given moment between themselves and their lesson. This all takes time to learn, a space and environment where the long road is the short road, and the expectation that kids, even little kids, are very competent at appropriate tasks for their age. Your 9 year old can tack up all by themselves. We promise.

10/07/2026

Lately we’ve been using the box exercise to learn to how straighten our horses off the outside aids and support with the inside aids. Tonight we leveled up and added the jump. Is amazing how the horses jump so nicely out of stride when they are straight 🤔 Great job, girls!
Caitlin Slaney ❀ Kim ❀ Jillian Sommer

10/01/2026

Saying yes is easy. I love saying yes. Saying yes can mean feelings are spared. Saying yes can mean a relationship seems preserved. Saying yes can mean more dollars in my pocket. But it’s not always the right answer. Saying yes can mean that a rider does something beyond their ability and loses confidence, or gets hurt. Saying yes can mean a horse picks up a bad habit because the rider did more than they were ready for, and the horse is no longer suitable for its job. And saying yes can lead to a plateau or setback of a riders skills.
Saying no is hard. It’s hard to know that I may hurt someone’s feelings who thinks they are (or should be) farther along in their riding. It’s hard to say no when I know it might sour a relationship, if the rider doesn’t agree. It’s hard to say no when I know there’s a chance doing will lose me a client, because someone else might say yes.
But it’s my job to know when say no. It’s my job to keep every rider safe and help them build skills and confidence without sacrificing any of those things. And sometimes, saying no is the best way to do that. No, you’re not ready to canter yet. No, you’re not ready to jump higher yet. No, you’re not ready to jump an oxer yet.
Yet… the most important part. Yet is where we build the skills. Yet is where the fundamentals come in. Yet is what can feel tedious and slow, when riders want yes and now.
Riders (and parents) have the difficult job of having to trust the process without having the advantage that I do - I know how the story goes. I know that yes and no have alternate endings. Often times with horses, the slowest way is the fastest way to learn. Time, correct repetition, and the time it takes to learn to repeat it all correctly.
I promise, I have the best interest of every rider in mind.
I hate it every time I have to say no. But I hate it more when a rider gets scared, when a rider gets hurt, or when a horse is compromised.
Just because yes is easy, and enticing, doesn’t mean it’s the best or right choice.

So I say no. And then I say yet…

09/25/2026

When you’ve been working on leg yields and it’s all starting to click 👏👏👏
Sienna & Gilligan have been crushing it!
Laura Weinberg sienna