Sara & Precious

I have owned Precious since I was 14 years old. She was the best thing I could ever have asked for. I got her for my birthday when I turned 14 in June of 2005. Not only did I gain so much knowledge and a great horse I also gained my best friend Lauren Sickert.

Precious will be 11 years old March 9th 2008. She is a half Arabian with 1/16 of quarterhorse from her mother. We together are apart of Erie Hunt and Saddle Club and also Lost Hounds Pony Club. We joined Pony Club two years ago and I was just recently rated to a basic D2 level. Precious enjoystrail rides more than anything and LOVES the water at Walnut Creek, one of the places we most often ride at.

Over the years Precious has transformed into the most amazing friend and horse I think there could ever be, and she is Gods greatest gift to me as well. Zucks is a great place and Precious is extremely happy out there, I could not ask for a better place to enjoy horse back riding. My mother grew up at Zucks around the same age as me and also had an arabian she enjoyed her days out there just as much as I am, and the group of people out there are just too much fun!

Precious and I have nine ribbons three third one second and five first place, one of which is the Walk/Trot Champion at EHSC. Along with a giant two foot blue ribbon we got a wooden plaque and silver plate with out names engraved.

Bob

Bob is an APHC Appaloosa gelding. His coat is a leopard pattern with blue points and he has a salt & pepper mane and tail. Bob is still young enough to occasionally try to buck off his rider and old enough to know just the right time to make the attempt. Some of his favorite pastimes include: playing in the pasture with his buddies Hershey and Tim, participating in the occasional horse show, trail riding through Elk Creek and (his very favorite thing) - rolling in the mud.

Tim

Tim was Heidi's horse for a large part of her teenage years (we won't say how long ago)! He provided many years of training for Heidi as a jumper, dressage horse, cross country companion, and open jumper. He came to Zucks at the age of 4, and never left! He lived a good, long life in the same barn and pastures, which we like to think provided him with comfort in his late years. Tim sadly passed away last summer as a result of a broken hip at the age of 32.

Poncho

Poncho was the patriarch of Zuck Farms, having lived here almost his entire life. He sadly passed on in February of this year, having lived to a ripe age of 36. He was everyone's friend, and Martin and Poncho were quite a team in the past, and used to pony a lot of Thoroughbreds during the Commodore Downs days. Heidi used Poncho for lessons for many years, most recently for one-time pony rides. He was very popular with young children, having a relaxed, mellow personality his whole life.

He taught all of us what is was to be around a great horse, and he will be greatly missed.

Ben

Ben is one of Zuck's lesson ponies. He came to us from the Therapeutic Riding Equestrian Center where he was used in the therapy program for many years. A stocky, well-built Morgan, we believe Ben to be in his mid-twenties, with many more years of teaching new students the art of horsemanship. Ben is busy most everyday with lessons, and we find that he likes to stay busy and gets bored if he sits around too long! He is very good at his job, and he adjusts his manners to the student he is working with - he will challenge the more experience riders, and be very gentle with the true beginners.

Klondike

Zuck Farms welcomed Klondike into the lesson program in November of 2008. He is a draft pony, only 13.2 heads tall, but well-built and sturdy. He's great with beginners and experienced riders alike, and has been shown competitively. He is blind in his right eye, so riders learn to help him accomodate his surroundings. Heidi has had him harnessed up to her great-grandfathers antique cart and "one-horse open sleigh." Klondike is a special little pony, with quite a personality!

Erica & Talisman (aka Tazz)

Talisman (Tazz) and I have been together for over 10 years! We started out as a 14 year old girl with only a few years of riding lessons, and a 5 year old Thoroughbred 9 months off the race track. We have learned, struggled and celebrated everything together from completing a simple under saddle class in a semi-controlled manner to mastering the tight turns and challenges of a hunter medal course.

We have recently moved to Erie, PA from Ohio and are looking forward to mastering new challenges and just having fun together. We are hoping to try hunter paces or possibly some more cross country schooling this summer. This picture is from the first cross country course Tazz had ever seen last August. He went over everything like a pro and it was such an exciting change of pace from the hunter ring.

Mary & Ebony

Ebony was bought for me as a birthday gift in September 2004 from my boyfriend, Troy. She was a rescue horse and was 2 1/2 years old when we got her. She is a quarter horse cross. Since then we've worked on training her using natural horsemanship methods. She loves her treats and being out in the pasture with her friends.

Tina & Fireball

I purchased Fireball in 2003 from CANTER of OH, a wonderful OTTB rescue operation. He has been a wonderful horse since I bought him, with a great mind and fun personality. We have done mini-events, dressage shows, hunter shows, trail riding and our favorite-hunter paces! He's adjusted really well into Zuck's schedule and is enjoying every minute of being temporarily retired and a 17 hand 'pony' for my daughter. He is currently available for lease or possible sale.

Heidi & Signal

I purchased Signal in the spring of 2009, with the intent of working him into a event horse. He is an off-the-track thoroughbred, whose career sadly ended with a bowed tendon. He has healed fine, and we have been actively training in dressage and starting some basic jumping. A 17 hand bay, he has a soft eye and a calm personality. I am a slow teacher, and have been bringing him along gradually as my schedule allows. Hunter paces, dressage tests, and horse trials are all on the plate this year!

Jesse and the Plazonys

The Plazony family rescued Jesse in 2007 while living in the Chicago area. She was neglected, but her very 'sweet' and calm personality was still strong and healthy. Now, Jesse, a five year old quarter horse mare, is groomed daily by her family (often 2 or 3 of the kids working on her) and grazing happily for hours. She'll do almost anything we ask of her; english riding, western riding, bareback, lessons (for all the kids plus Mom; even the 6 year old lessons on her), trail riding and even some jumping. For Halloween she was Darth Vador and had to wear a mask, shirt, cape and pants on her front legs..........she was ok with that!! I think her moto is 'whatever.....makes 'you' happy....I'm ok with that'!!!

Owned and loved by the Plazonys: Michele, Ryan, Jake, Caitlin, Will and Erica. (Mike too, he was taking the picture)

Casey

Casey is the latest addition to the lesson horse herd. He's a belgian/quarter horse cross (as near as we can figure!) and is for intermediate and advanced students. Although he is bit older, he still has a LOT of energy and requires a focused rider. He is a great trail horse, and Heidi uses him frequently to pony her smaller students.

Penelope

Penelope is Heidi's latest lesson pony, joining our herd in February of 2011. The smallest of the lesson ponies, but still quite sturdy, Penelope will be used for younger students and ones that may be a bit apprehensive around larger horses. She has a sweet temperment and handles easily.

Jazz Man Coltrane and Rayna

Jazz is my first horse and a dream come true for me. I brought him home to Zucks in October of 2010 and we've had an amazing time together so far. After taking lessons consistently, riding different horses, and even leasing, I finally felt ready to have my own steed. For a thoroughbred, Jazz has a mellow personality and is willing to learn new things. He has settled in at Zucks and LOVES jumping and splashing around in the creek when we go on trail rides. I am very excited to continue his training in eventing and have fun at schooling shows, hunter paces, mini events and anything else that comes our way. I've learned so much at Zucks (thanks to Heidi!) and am ready to learn much more here with Jazz as my partner.

Michelle and Daisy

I found Daisy the summer of 2003 as a 4 year old in a pasture full of cows. She was skinny for a Throughbred and very attached to her pasture buddies, but after a few times of looking at her, I decided this mare with the soft and kind eye was the right partner for me. I started to research her background and found out that her sire was 4th in the 1981 Preakness! Daisy has allowed me to see the kind of speed she has and let me tell you she is very fast when she is galloping in the fields. I also learned quickly that she loved to jump. She loved it so much that at the beginning of our training, she would playfully buck after jumping a fence. Daisy and I have sucessfully competed in mini-trails, hunter paces and dressage shows over the past 8 years of our partnership. Since coming to Zucks, Daisy and I have come into our own and we continue to grow together. I can't wait to see what the future holds for us!

Dani and Caitlin

I purchased Dani in the summer of 2011. As a 13year old off the track thoroughbred, I have hopes of creating an eventing horse. So far I have ridden in clinics, mini events, and hunter paces, and have plans to ride her in the spring Trials. I am currently a D3 in Pony Club, and have jumped higher than 2’7”. I have been continuously taking lessons from Heidi to teach both myself and Dani the framework of eventing. I quickly learned that we both love to jump, and make a great team. Dani also makes a great trail horse, leading the way through the woods and fields, never hesitating when asked to go into the flowing water of Walnut Creek. As a 13 year old girl, I feel like I have found my dream horse.