Dun-Pikin Farm

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Pasadena, MD
Dun-Pikin Farm

Riding Lessons, Pony Parties, Petting Animals, Horse Boarding Dun-Pikin Farm is a small family operated horse boarding and lesson barn in Pasadena, Maryland.

We offer beginner and intermediate riding lessons for children and adults. Horse training. Boarding. Pony Pal program. Pony parties. Pony rides. Stop by and see us some time (visit by appointment only.) We'll see you 'Down on the Farm!"

Dun-Pikin Farm is a Maryland Horse Industry Board Certified Horse Discovery Center.

06/18/2025

Summer horsemanship camp is in full swing! Our campers are diving into hands-on activities, like grooming and spending time with our adorable mini donkey Buffy and our pony Charlie. It's a week packed with riding, learning, and unforgettable moments. We've been dodging raindrops occasionally, but we're not letting that dampen our spirits. Come Ride With Us!

Cindy 🐴

06/17/2025

It was certainly a wet start to our first week of summer camp. There was an on and off heavy mist most of the day. Thankfully it didn’t seem to dampen anyone's spirit. It’s a good thing I suppose, because it looks like rain is in the forecast on and off for most of the week. Obviously we have no control of the weather so unless thunder and lightning become an issue we’ll be riding in the rain.

I realized tonight I had no camp pictures to share. This year we instituted a cell phone policy. We asked that campers not bring them at all. If they felt they had to bring them they would be collected and put in a secure place until lunch time or other specified times during the day. We didn’t want the distraction or responsibility. Last year we had an incident where a camper took their phone to the barn. They put it on a shelf in the barn aisle. Somehow it was knocked off. It was then stepped on by one of the horses cracking the screen. Obviously, the parent was not happy, not happy at all. I was afraid it was going to turn into a thing, but finally they dropped it.

The kids enjoy taking pictures of the horses. They love sharing their music and making videos. In fact, there have been times we have had them even make safety videos, and how to videos as part of their learning activities. It seems when phones are involved they can get pretty creative and have more fun learning. Phones are now just a part of their everyday life. They just don’t always have a place around the horses.

I did keep my phone with me during the day to use in case of an emergency. It has also saved me a lot of steps in the past. I also wanted to take some pictures. It’s only fair though for me to abide by the same no cell phone rules too. So …. Thankfully we had no emergencies. I walked up to the barn when I needed something, and because I tried so hard to follow the rules, I forgot to take pictures. While my phone stayed tucked away, the fun certainly wasn't! Here's to a week of real-life connections and horse-filled adventures, because that's what we mean when we say, “Come Ride With Us!”

Cindy 🐴

06/16/2025

I wonder what she is saying. Olive was in the barn and heard us talking about preparations for next week's Summer Horsemanship Camp. I bet she's saying Come Ride With Us!

Cindy🐴

06/15/2025

This pic caught my eye and just for a moment I had to get my bearings and a feel for where it was taken. It’s not really a mystery as the nearest building is obviously the corn crib. It’s just that the daylilies in the foreground and the tree and tractor in the background give the picture a unique perspective mostly because of what you don’t see.

Hidden from view between the corncrib in the foreground and the chicken coop back next to the tractor just out of the pic to the left is the pony shed. You can see just a corner of it. Hidden from view to the right is the big mound of sawdust covered by a tarp and the tractor trailer body where our hay is stored.

The farmyard where Katie was standing when she took this picture used to be my 'go to' place for a short break. There always used to be a picnic table there or a couple of chairs. But the area changed a few years ago with the loss of two huge oaks that shaded that part of the yard. Now to enjoy a nice summer sit I have to grab the one chair that migrates around the yard and move it to a shady spot. That whole area is exposed to the sun a good portion of the day.

I really do lament the loss of the shade. Back in our farming days that area was where we stored and sorted and washed the vegetables we grew. And later in the early days of Dun-Pikin it was a great place for lunch or a break or to sit and chat. On a positive note, we’re now able to keep some grass growing there with almost full sun available.

Feel free to move the chair to a shady corner of the yard, if you can find one, and enjoy a sit when you Come Ride With Us!

Cindy 🐴

06/14/2025

At the end of the month Bay Area Counseling & Consultation, LLC..will be holding a Meditation With Equine Event at Dun-Pikin Farm. Obviously, our Dun-Pikin horses will be part of this unique event. In preparation for this event, they have been practicing their meditation. The horses are turned out in the field while the meditation is read. If you listen closely, you can barely hear someone reading.

Meditation can help calm the mind, reduce stress and hopefully improve overall well-being for people. I’m not exactly sure how meditation might translate to the horses, but Katie reports every time they read the meditation this is how the horses react. Both Cash and Arlo, seen in the video, have walked up to those present and dropped and rolled right in front of them. What does it mean? I have no clue. If you watch the video though, it sure looks like Arlo is feeling pretty good. It is my understanding the human participants in this fascinating program feel pretty good too.

The event for this month is very popular and is already SOLD OUT! Look for future opportunities for meditation, walking with horses, riding horses, grooming horses and other fun activities. In case you wonder, that’s what I mean when I say Come Ride With Us!

Cindy 🐴

06/13/2025

If you’ve ever owned horses, especially lots of horses, you are, I’m sure, aware that the idea of taking a vacation is an elusive dream. Today I opened an email and suddenly that elusive dream didn’t seem so impossible. Here’s the answer, my chance to escape for a time and enjoy some part of life other than the horses.
—------------------------------------------------------------------
Hey there,
Would it be alright if I sent you a quotation to clean Dun-Pikin farm? We do janitorial cleaning for ponies in Pasadena and nearby areas. Floors, windows, carpets, restrooms - everything.
We’ve been doing this for over 65 years. Our team shows up on time.

Want a quick quote for Dun-Pikin farm?
Thanks,
Paul Taylor
—--------------------------------------------------------------------
For a moment I let myself imagine having a professional service come in and give me a day off. Heck, even a week off. Then I started laughing. OMG. Do these people really know what it means to ‘clean ponies.’ I don’t think so. Give me a minute, I’ve got to get this uncontrollable giggle under control. Deep breath.

Do you think this is for real? It appears to come from a legitimate business as there was a letterhead and an address in Maryland. Do you think they know that the pony's restroom is wherever they are standing at the time they feel ‘the urge?’ Do you think their vacuum cleaners could handle a carpet of ‘wood shavings?’ This idea of cleaning the windows has me baffled. Maybe I could get a discount since my windows don’t have glass, just grunge and some cobwebs.

I think I’ll ask them for some references from other ‘ponies.’ What other questions do you think I should ask? The awesome possibility of a vacation is so tempting. Let me know your thoughts in the comments or tap me on the shoulder and tell me what a great opportunity this is when you Come Ride With Us!

Cindy 🐴

06/12/2025

It should be easy enough to fill a water trough, right? Of course … you just hook the hose up to the spigot, stretch it to the trough and pull the spigot handle up, right? Well yes, and I’m sure I over think it, but I’ve become kinda obsessed with the water troughs lately.

I used to just plunk the hose in, pull the handle up and fill it up. I’ve come to realize though how much water I waste and how dirty the troughs get when they’re over filled. It becomes a cycle. The troughs get gross because I don’t want to dump and waste the water. Dumping an excessive amount of water not only makes a lot of mud, but we’re on a well and we need to be aware of our water usage. Wet ground is also a breeding ground for flies this time of year.

Our herds are a little different than they used to be too. They’re much smaller, so there’s no need for a full trough anymore. In fact, I’ve pretty much figured out what each field drinks during the day and at night. I now fill the troughs to try and minimize waste. In fact, after they’ve come in for the day, I empty the little bit of water that’s left, give them a quick rinse and let them sit in the sun empty during the day to let the sun do its thing. They are pretty much algae free these days. It’s the little things on
the farm that give me pleasure. I love seeing the horses come out for the night to clean and clear fresh water.

My system isn’t perfect. I do get distracted sometimes and over fill the water troughs. I have though gotten into the habit of setting the alarm on my phone to remind me the water is running. My best efforts are sometimes ambushed too when the geldings dunk their feed bags in the clean water. Our old horses with bad or no teeth also tend to leave floating wads of hay behind after taking a drink. Finally … There's a certain horse AKA Finnigan whose biggest goal in life is to get the hose out of the trough. You can be right there, and he will literally grab the hose out of your hand.

Clean water and plenty of it is essential for healthy horses. We do our best to keep our horses happy and healthy, so they’ll be ready when you Come Ride With Us!

Cindy 🐴

06/11/2025

It’s obvious that the Dun-Pikin horses have gotten their hooves on a copy of this book. Just recently they have managed to:

Break the fences in 2 different fields requiring several new boards to be put up.

Olive developed an abscess requiring not only a vet visit but is likely also going to get her out of our first summer camp. Being both expensive and inconvenient.

Arlo managed to break the strap on his feed bag.

Finnigan chewed a hole in the tractor seat while I was working in the field.

Marley and Shine are slowly modifying their slow feed hay net by chewing large holes in it.

Finnigan took the hose out of the water trough when I turned my back. When I came back, instead of having a filled water trough I had a huge puddle instead.

It took two people to hold Buffy for the vet.

The mares pick through their hay to the point where there’s probably as much hay on the ground as they eat. Once it’s on the ground evidently, it’s inedible. Guess who gets to pick up the wasted hay?

Well, I guess you get the idea. I could go on and on. When I look at even this small list I wonder why I do what I do. Somedays I am just so aggravated. The only way I can explain it, is that I'm a “Horse Person.” We’re just kinda wired differently. We fix what they break, make excuses for and forgive difficult behavior, and we constantly juggle funds. What can I say? Maybe, just maybe one day I’ll write my own book, and maybe I’ll title it “Come Ride With Us!”

Cindy 🐴

06/10/2025

This is Cash. What a handsome boy he is too. Technically he’s a large pony. He’s been with us now for 8 years. I think we paid a dollar for him. At the time we were looking for a pony to take to the Renaissance Festival. He was very loved by the person we got him from, but at the time he was not doing anything but standing in a field. I think she felt he needed a job. We promised at the time to offer him back to her if we ever decided we didn’t want him anymore.

Cash found his place in the herd right away. It’s always been at the bottom. No matter what horses came or went Cash has always seemed content at the bottom. He ducks and weaves and runs if necessary. Cash knows his place.

Cash has done many things at Dun-Pikin except what we bought him for. Neither Rick or I can remember what happened anymore, but Cash did not work out at the Renaissance Festival. We don’t remember what he did, but I do remember one night when he was unloaded off the trailer Rick said he wasn’t going back.

Cash has, though, excelled at doing Pony Pals and Pony rides at home. He’s done some lessons, been used in summer camps and has participated in Walking With Horses. He’s a favorite in our Equine Assisted Therapy Program too. Cash has a lot of fans.

We don’t ride Cash anymore because of some physical issues, but Cash is still a valued horse in our program. He’s a perfect example of how even an unrideable horse can contribute.

Cash loves attention. He loves to be hand grazed, brushed and loved on. Cash will always have a home with us so I’m sure you’ll see him when you Come Ride With Us!

Cindy 🐴

06/09/2025

When you have a barn full of horses there is always something to worry about. Should I put them out even though there’s a chance of storms? Is Olive’s lameness caused by an abscess or laminitis? Am I gonna have enough money to buy hay? Why is Lillie unhappy in her herd? The issues are endless, but this week an issue arose that I never expected. This week we had a scary encounter with coyotes.

We’ve known for a while that we have coyotes in our area. In fact, we see them on our cameras on a regular basis. The pic here is from my son’s game camera. He lives on the southeast corner of the farm. I worry all the time because of all the animals we have on the farm. Our poultry, pig, rabbits and goats are likely targets I know, but never in a million years did I think I would have to worry about the horses.

The other night Tycen heard coyotes in the distance. It wasn’t long and he realized he was hearing them out back on the farm. When he went outside to investigate, he saw 6 coyotes running Finnigan, Arlo and Cash in the bottom field. He said it looked like they were working to separate one of the horses from all the others. When Tycen made his presence known they ran but …

Every night just before dark I make my rounds at the farm shutting the chickens up. I double check that all the latches are secure on all the gates and animal enclosures. I also check one more time to be sure that the horses look well. Only then do I leave for the night. Now, I’ve lost the confidence that I used to have that they are all tucked in safely for the night.

Many nights I wake up at night wondering what the horses are doing. Are they at the hay round munching away or are they lined up along the fence snoozing. Never did it occur to me they could be running from coyotes. Like I said there’s never a lack of something to worry about. You can bet we’re now on coyote alert. I realize coyotes are just another creature that is a part of nature. They are also a part of the rich tapestry of farm life. We’re working on strengthening our defenses and staying vigilant. This is just another hurdle we'll clear together, ensuring Dun-Pikin remains a safe place for all the farm critters. Come Ride With Us!

Cindy 🐴

06/08/2025

Ever wonder how horses pick their snacks in the pasture? 🐴🌿

If you've watched horses graze, you've probably noticed they don't just eat everything! They're actually quite selective, and it's not by accident.

Horses are masters of finding the good stuff! They use their sense of smell and touch (those sensitive lips!) to identify plants that are nutritious, tasty and digestible.

You might also notice them skipping over certain plants. This is often because those plants are unpalatable, less nutritious, or potentially toxic. Horses have an amazing instinct to avoid plants that could make them sick, even if they've never encountered them before!

So, next time you see the horses wandering with purpose, know that they're on a mission for the best bites in the field, using their natural instincts to stay healthy and happy. See the happy horses when you Come Ride With Us!

Cindy 🐴

06/07/2025

When I was a kid I belonged to a book club. Every month a new book would arrive. I always loved reading and looked forward to my book arriving. One month a book arrived that I never tired of reading. My mom would groan when I would again pick that book to read, over and over and over again. Often over the years I’ve thought about that book. I remembered the story but could not remember the title or author. Thanks to Facebook I found not only the author and title but found a used copy of the book on Amazon. To say I was thrilled is an understatement.

Tonight, I was happy to sit on the couch with my 2 grandsons and have one of them read to me my favorite childhood book "Little Black, A Pony." It’s probably been over 60 years since I last heard the story. My grandsons are really way too old to have really enjoyed the book, but they could tell how special it was to me. Oliver read and Levi listened politely while I was taken back to a time when my passion for horses was just beginning.

There are many things that can trigger an interest in horses – a horse in a field down the road, a horse in a movie or on tv, a book or maybe even riding a pony right here at Dun-Pikin Farm. Aha! Now there is a great idea! Come Ride With Us!

Cindy 🐴

Address

4808 Mountain Road
Pasadena, MD
21122

Website

http://www.dun-pikin.com/, https://www.rickholt.net/discover/

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Dun-Pikin Farm is a small family operated horse boarding and lesson barn in Pasadena, Maryland. We offer beginner and intermediate riding lessons for children and adults. Horse training. Boarding. Pony Pal program. Pony parties. Pony rides. Stop by and see us some time (visit by appointment only.) We'll see you 'Down on the Farm!" Dun-Pikin Farm is a Maryland Horse Industry Board Certified Horse Discovery Center.