Today we’d like to introduce you to Denise & William Southerly.
Hi Denise & William , thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
My husband retired from the Army and we moved here from Germany in 2022.
I am a midwife and have been riding horses for over 35 years
When we bought our ranch in Kempner Texas I started getting horses out of less than optimal situations and started rehabbing and training them.
To offset some of the cost that ensures their well being, feed, vet and farrier bills, we decided to open “Once Upon a Pony LLC”.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
We are always building and improving the space for our horses.
Some came with behavioral problems.
Sometimes they get hurt and vet bills can add up quickly.
We weren’t experienced in the ranch life, but we are learning by doing.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
Our business is veteran and family run and owned.
Once Upon a Pony LLC, your premier destination for horse-related experiences; located in Kempner, Texas.
Whether you’re seeking a memorable pony birthday party for your little one, nurturing your passion for horsemanship through riding lessons, horse familiarization classes, or simply longing for a connection with these majestic creatures, Once Upon a Pony LLC has something for everyone.
Immerse yourself in the serenity of our ranch, where you can enjoy custom photo shoots, pony painting sessions, pony-times, birthday parties and even transform one of our ponies into a magical unicorn for a truly unforgettable experience.
Once Upon a Pony LLC can even help to train your horse at a location of your choice or at our ranch with our on site trainer!”
We bring ponies and horses directly to your home or party location or you can have your party at our ranch, which offers shade trees, lots of room to roam and play, a creek to cool off in and so much more.
We have different “dress up options” that are always included in our party packages (unicorns, Batman, Spiderman, Pirate). We also always have a decoration table with brushes, hair bows, necklaces, stickers, feather boas, etc which the kids can use to decorate the ponies.
We always try to give our customers the best experience possible.
We pay attention to detail and are easy to work with. Our ponies always come with at least one handler each.
Our riding lessons are tailored to the needs and abilities of every student.
We teach everything from basic horsemanship, groundwork. horse care, saddling and riding. We usually start on a lunge line in our round pen. The student learns how to ride in the round pen by themselves. Once the riding skills improve, we move on to our sand arena. In between the arena and round pen sessions, the students get to ride on the ranch. On our ranch, we have hills, flat and rocky terrain or we take them on a ride outside of the property on a quiet country road with some very nice scenery. We can also tour the local neighborhood.
We also have an obstacle course to teach both horse and rider how to navigate minor to more difficult obstacles. We have various sizes of ponies and horses for different skill levels and ages.
Lesson disciplines:
Horsemanship, Beginner lessons, English Riding, Obstacles, Trail Riding, Liberty/Trick training.
We DO NOT train barrel racing, roping, reigning or cutting.
Since May we are also offering boarding (full board only) for 4 horses.
We currently still have openings.
Every boarding spot includes a stall with a run, herd turn out on our 16acres (if possible), 24/7 hay, 2x daily feeding, putting on/taking off blankets and fly masks, a big open concept barn with 2 round bales and the use of our amenities (obstacle course, sand arena, big sand round pen, etc)
Our animals are our family and are treated as such, their well being is our utmost priority. No matter where they came from, they will stay with us forever. They are beyond gentle and love the attention that these activities provide for them.
We’d love to hear about any fond memories you have from when you were growing up?
Being around and riding horses
Pricing:
- For pricing please go to our website www.southerlywindsranch.com
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.southerlywindsranch.com
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/17fy3rgjRY/
