2007 - 2009 Archived News

8/7/09: New feature: We have added a new feature called Happiness is... to the website.

7/29/09: Two new Satellite Barns: We have added two new Satellite Barns. Both of these barns strive against perfection on a daily basis and they deserve to be recognized for their work.

7/28/09: Updates coming soon and we've moved: Many people have commented that we haven't updated the website in a while. We just wanted to assure our fans that we do have some updates that we will be posting soon. But here at Hillbilly Farms we don't like to think of our website as being out of date. Instead, we like to think that our content is timeless. So while you are waiting for the updates to be posted, feel free to peruse the older content. Also, some of you may have noticed that the website has moved, again. Don't forget that you can always access the website through www.hillbillyfarms.org.

12/18/08: New Jumping Clinic: A new jumping clinic has been posted.

12/13/08: Third annual I-can't-believe-I-didn't-fall-off photo sequence: Once a year, at Woodbrook's Opening Weekend, we here at Hillbilly Farms get all dressed up and actually groom our horses for a weekend of showing and hunting. And every year one particular Hillbilly Farmer has a spectacular, well-documented near fall. This year's near fall had the added bonus of multiple camera angles! The entire 2008 photo sequence can be seen on our Photos page. This Hillbilly Farmer's New Year's resolution is to spend more time in the saddle and less time in front of it.

9/24/08: Updates: Fresh from London, we have some new Celebrity Endorsement photos. We have also updated our Hillbilly Farms Merchandise for Sale page. Now with our cafepress stores you can order Hillbilly Farms t-shirts, thongs, bumperstickers, religious ornaments, and much more.

8/13/08: Old emails: While reading through old emails for our FAQ page, we ran across these emails that were just too funny not to share:

Dear Hillbilly Farmers,
I haven't laughed so much at my computer since I last perused the "horses for sale" sites. What a hoot. I hope you will be updating your show info and photos on a regular basis. We often use Old Country Buffet as a place to shore up our sagging spirits after a competition, but have never thought about approaching them for a sponsorship. We will discuss our plan to solicit them over the next six-pack of wine coolers that we drink while waiting for our horses to decide to climb into the trailer...
Sincerely, A Fan Who Never Wins Nuthin'

Hello Hillbillies,
I hope to be a Hillbilly myself someday. I have a good start, bought a large pony mare on impulse, took her home, no one could ride her. She'd run off, buck, spin, leap and rub kids off on the nearest tree, fence, barn, bystander, horse. She cleared a 4 foot fence to get away from me (during a natural horsemanship session) but stopped dead when we tried to trot her over her first cavaletti. She's a Hillbilly for sure!
Giddy-Up, [name deleted to protect the innocent]

Dear Hillbilly Farms,
I just came in from bathing my two mudbound, pasture-kept horses, and after a tortuous session of sheath cleaning, felt I needed a little pick-me-up from others who are attempting to maintain world-class standards on two acres of mud... What can I say. Your site gives me renewed hope that we are all created equal. As a matter of fact, I might just load my loudly spotted, feather-legged trail horse into my 1979 Hartman bumper-pull trailer (handpainted in the charcoal and black color scheme favored in my Amish-influenced part of the world) and tool off to a local hunter pace this weekend. Who cares that it is held in the neighboring county, home of Bruce Davidson, Jane Sleeper, Louise Serio etc.--My half-draft and I are equal to anyone likely to be there! And at least I know his sheath will be as clean as theirs!
Warmly, [name deleted]

6/30/08: Frequently Asked Questions: We have just added a new FAQ page to the website, where we answer actual emails from people who read our website (some of them obviously didn't read it very closely).

6/21/08: Celebrity Endorsements: We are currently seeking endorsement photos from successful riders and horsemen. Your mission: get photos of top riders wearing or unwittingly standing near the Hillbilly Farms logo. Bonus points (and our undying admiration) for anything involving George Morris and/or the Hillbilly Farms thong. Our new Celebrity Endorsements page includes our current celebrity endorsements as well as some strategies that have proved successful in the past.

6/20/08: New Jumping clinics: Two new jumping clinics have been posted.

3/28/08: Hillbilly Farms is expanding! We are opening Satellite Barns all over the world. If you think you have what it takes to be a Hillbilly, then send us an email detailing your accomplishments (including photos, if possible). If you have previously emailed us a request to open a satellite barn, please resend. Many of the emails we receive get lost in a sea of offers for personal enhancement products, lucrative business opportunities, and emails from the humor-impaired.

3/26/08: Horse update: Peter Rabbit's nickname is no longer St. Peter.

1/22/08: USERL Fundraiser: The United States Equine Rescue League is participating in America's Giving Challenge. This challenge raises money from individual donors and then awards additional money to the charities that have the most donors (donating $10 or more) or the most donations in the challenge. So donate to the USERL for this challenge and help them help equines. We have a foster pony through the USERL and can vouch for the fact that they do great work. The Challenge ends on January 31, 2008 at 3pm EST.

1/20/08 Updates: Two new Jumping Clinics.

11/24/07 Just in time for the holidays: We finally have our Cafepress site up and running. Now you can purchase all of the official Hillbilly Farms merchandise. We have various products from T-shirts to beer steins to thongs, featuring our world famous logo and our motto, "Winning the Battle Against Perfection." These items will make the perfect gift for that hard to shop for horse friend who has everything but talent. (Let us know if you would like us to add any products or how you like the products that you buy.)

7/24/07 Foxhunting in New Zealand: Read our new feature, Foxhunting in New Zealand.

7/14/07 Finally some updates: Well, we haven't updated the website lately because we have been too busy having fun. Here are some photos of recent events. And because we haven't written much lately, here is a short summer reading list to keep you busy:

   Mr. Sponge's Sporting Tour by Robert Smith Surtees - Brilliant satire. Foxhunting in England in the 1800's.

   Some Experiences of an Irish R.M. by Edith Somerville and Martin Ross - Don't judge a book by its title. This is a very funny book, full of stories about hunting in Ireland in the late 1800's.

   Don't Trample the Dogs by Michael Sinclair-Smith - Humorous book about modern foxhunting in Ireland.

   Riders by Jilly Cooper - As one reviewer succinctly put it 'Sex and horses: who could ask for more?'.

If you have any other funny or bawdy books to add, send us an email.

1/14/07 New critiques: Two new jumping clinics have been added.