Willow & Withers Stables

09/04/2026

Got tack taking up more room than your horse does? 😆

Saddles that don't fit. Blankets your horse has outgrown. Bridles, bits, boots, breeches and all those “I'm definitely going to use that someday” purchases...
It might be time for a tack-room clean-out. 😉

We're opening up the indoor arena at Willow & Withers Stables for a Fall Tack Sale on Saturday, October 17 from 10:30 am–2:30 pm — and our first step is filling the arena with sellers!

🐴 Book a seller spot:
$10 — bring your own table
$15 — we'll provide a table

Bring your new and used tack, riding apparel, blankets, barn gear and other equestrian treasures and turn that tack-room clutter into cash.

Want a spot? Send us a message to reserve your table.
Once we've got our sellers lined up, we'll start spreading the word to buyers across the Valley and beyond.

And yes — you'll be selling indoors, so no standing around at a table wondering what the October weather is going to do. 🍂☔️

📍 Willow & Withers Stables
Sheffield Mills, Annapolis Valley
📅 Saturday, October 17
⏰ 10:30 am–2:30 pm

Message us to book your table — spaces are limited.

09/03/2026

One year ago, on September 3rd, I climbed onto a horse that wasn’t a horse — and made a rather big decision.

I had travelled to Racewood Limited in the UK to test ride one of their advanced equestrian simulators.

I walked. I trotted. I cantered. I watched the data appear on the screen.
And I started to see what was possible.

What fascinated me wasn’t really the technology itself.

It was what the technology could let a rider discover about themselves.
What happens when you take the unpredictability of the horse out of the equation for a moment?

What could we learn about our balance, our hands, our legs and our aids when we could actually see what we were doing?

Somewhere during that visit, curiosity turned into a decision:
I was bringing one home to the Annapolis Valley in Nova Scotia.

At that point, there was no Will-oh! studio.

She didn’t even have a name.

There were no rider assessments, Barn Nights, first canters, physio sessions, or riders coming back to see whether something they’d worked on had actually changed.

Just an idea that I thought could add something genuinely different to the way we learn about our riding.

A year later, that simulator is Will-oh! ❤️

And one of my favourite parts of this whole adventure has been watching riders discover things they couldn’t feel, confirm things they were already doing well, and leave understanding their riding just a little bit better.
It’s rather amazing what can happen in a year.

And funnily enough, next month I’ll be walking through those Racewood doors again.

This time, Will-oh! will be waiting for me back home in Nova Scotia. 🐴❤️

09/02/2026

Well, this is pretty exciting. ❤️🐴

Will-oh! has made her way into the pages of Atlantic Horse & Pony
The September–November Rider Issue includes a wonderful article by Laura Kelland-May, “Invest in yourself to transform your partnership,” all about something I've come to believe even more strongly over the past year:
We spend an enormous amount of time, energy and money trying to help our horses become stronger, more balanced and better at their jobs.

But sometimes the most valuable thing we can do for our horse is work on ourselves.

That's really what Will-oh! is about.

She gives riders a chance to take the horse out of the equation for a little while and become curious about their own riding — their balance, position, aids, habits and feel. Sometimes we find something to work on. Sometimes we discover that something is already working beautifully. And sometimes we finally understand something a coach has been telling us for years.

I especially love that the article shows riders from different disciplines and at different stages, because that's exactly how we use Will-oh! here.

A huge thank you to Laura Kelland-May for telling the story so thoughtfully, and to Atlantic Horse & Pony for giving Will-oh! three whole pages in the Rider Issue.

And, of course, a nod across the pond to Racewood Limited for creating the remarkable technology that made this slightly crazy idea of mine possible. ❤️ Their Dressage Pro is designed to give riders immediate visual feedback on things such as balance, contact and position — exactly the kind of rider-focused learning Laura explores in the article.

Pretty special to see Will-oh! in print. 🥰

09/01/2026

Sometimes the biggest breakthroughs are the ones you can't feel.

When Victoria came for her first session on Will-oh!, she wanted to learn more about her riding biomechanics.

What she discovered surprised her.

She was carrying more weight in one seat bone than the other — something she couldn't feel from the saddle.

But that wasn't the only discovery.

She was also delighted to learn that her rein contact was already beautifully even.

Sometimes it's just as valuable to discover what doesn't need fixing as it is to identify what does.

Victoria left with one clear focus: create a more even seat.

A few weeks later, she came back.

This time the data showed:

✔ Her seat imbalance had been corrected.
✔ Her rein contact was still beautifully even.
✔ And her lower back was feeling better too.

That's what I love about being able to measure.

It's not about chasing perfection. It's about understanding what's actually happening, choosing something meaningful to work on, and then being able to come back and see whether it changed.

Victoria has already booked session number three.

Great riders never stop learning. ❤️

And we have a feeling Amazing Grace appreciates that too.

09/01/2026

We get asked a lot if we offer horse riding lessons beyond lessons on Will-oh! the simulator. We do not, but our almost neighbors do, check out Touchstone Farm just around the corner from us. We are hearing great things and so happy to have them in our community!

We're working on our fall schedule! We've got a few spots open for leadline riders, beginners, and more established riders too. Come join a fun, welcoming and supportive barn family...with some pretty spectacular horses and ponies to share. We've got a horseshow coming in October, fun activity nights and we're building a Show Team program too. Send us a message if you're interested in info!

08/31/2026

August certainly knew how to make an exit.

One last spectacular sunset over Willow & Withers to close out the month.

Goodnight, August. You were a beauty.

08/31/2026

If you could actually see your riding, what would you want to know?

Are you sitting evenly?

Is one rein doing more work than the other?

Is one leg quieter?

Does something change between left and right?

Or maybe the thing you've been worrying about isn't actually a problem at all.
That's one of my favourite things about Will-oh! You don't have to arrive with something to “fix.”

Sometimes you discover something to work on.

Sometimes you confirm that something is already working beautifully.
And almost always, you leave knowing a little more about how you ride.
So I'm curious: if you could ask Will-oh! one question about your riding, what would it be? 👇

08/29/2026

🐴 Welllll… we found a little more room! 👀

After selling out in a wild FOUR HOURS, working our way through the waitlist, a few scratches and a little creative horse-show Tetris… we’ve managed to free up space for a few more horses & riders for September! 🎉

So if you missed the original entry stampede, changed your mind, found another test you want to ride, or just decided you want to come play dressage with us — here’s your chance! 🐴

We’ve got a little wiggle room on both days and would love to squeeze in a few more familiar (or new!) faces before we officially close the books.

Entries are open on Compete Easy — come snag a spot! 💕

08/28/2026

Two spots just opened up for Equestrian Physiotherapy on Will-oh! 🐴

On Friday, September 11th, Jessica Bergevin, PT, Registered Physiotherapist with Remedia Health Clinic , will be back in the Will-oh! studio — and we have two appointments available.

These sessions bring together Jessica’s physiotherapy expertise with the unique feedback we can get from Will-oh!.

It’s an opportunity to look at you, the rider — your mobility, symmetry, balance and movement — and then explore how those things may be showing up in the saddle.

What I especially love about these sessions is that we don’t have to guess.

Will-oh! can give us objective feedback on things like seat balance and rein contact, while Jessica can bring the physiotherapist’s eye to what may be contributing to what we’re seeing.

It can be particularly interesting if you’ve ever wondered:
Why do I always feel stronger on one side?
Why does one direction feel easier than the other?
Is something in my own body affecting my position?
What happens to my riding if we make a small change?

And you certainly don’t need to have an injury or a “problem” to benefit. Sometimes the most useful discovery is simply understanding your body — and your riding — a little better.
Friday, September 11th
Two spots available

Book Directly with Remedia https://hubs.ly/Q04vHp170

08/25/2026

There really isn't one kind of Will-oh! rider. ❤️
Some come because they're working on the tiniest details in their riding. Some want to feel more balanced or secure. Some are getting back in the saddle after time away. Some come with their barn, their coach or a riding buddy.
And some are simply curious about what on earth you can learn from riding a horse that doesn't actually go anywhere. 😂
That's one of my favourite things about Will-oh! — the session can look completely different depending on the rider sitting in the saddle.
So I'm curious…
What would YOU want to find out about your riding?