Bie-Lancntor Farming, Saturday, March 26,1994
Tuck-A
MIRIAM WERT
Juniata Co. Correspondent
MIFFLINTOWN (Juniata Co.)
When speaking with Twila
Pellman, wife of Greg and mother
of eight-month-old Seth, it would
be easy to mistake her for one of
the girls she is instructing in
horseback riding at TUCK-A
WAY Farm. She retains the
youthful beauty that was hers
when competing in 4-H riding on
the local level and in the state
competition in production some
years ago.
When atked how she got started
with horses, Twila replied, “Our
parents had a couple of steers and
some chickens. Although my sis
ter, Teresa, and I had 22 rabbits,
our real desire was to have horses.
I was seven years old when we
started asking for a pony,” she
condinued, “but we had to agree to
give up our 22 rabbits first.
“We got Clover, a little Shet
land pony, and that is when we
really got interested in horses.
When I was eight years old, our
grandfather bought us a quarter
horse Morgan cross, which we
named Thunder. He was about
four years old. I joined a 4-H Club
when I was nine and rode Thun
der. Teresa still had Clover.”
Thunder learned really well,
and the first show season he and
Twila went undefeated in trail
class (in 4-H and open shows).
Through the years they won many
awards, but Thunder is now 25
Tuck-A-Way Farm.
Twlla instructs two students while the horse trailer stands ready to transport
horses to the next show.
Way Farm: Hidden Haven For Horses
and can no longer be ridden
because he has ringbone, which is
calification of the bone around the
upper part of the hoof and is very
painful. He has been retired to
another farm where he can be
company for another older horse.
After having had Thunder for 21
years, it is like losing one of the
family, Twila said.
The girls had various horses
through the years that did not
work out. Then Twila got Casey, a
horse for production competition
which includes weanlings, year
lings, and two-year-olds. Wean
ings and foals just weaned from
their mothers. Yearlings are one
year-olds. They can be shown in
4-H and so can the two-year-olds.
Casey was a yearling, and Twila
won third with him in state com
petition in production. She con
tinued to train him to age two
when she broke him to ride and
then sold him.
In 1982, Twila’s sister Teresa
won a Bob Evans quarter horse by
filling out forms as to why she
wanted one, etc. This horse was
named Precious, and both girls
enjoyed riding her. She has been
excellent in competing in Western
Classes, and the girls won num
bers of times with her.
When Tila and her sister were
growing up, they did not have the
opportunity to get paid lessons,
and so basically they were self
taught by watching shows, read
ing books and studying exper
-#r‘ * '*4^
This Is a typical winter scene at Tuck-A-Way Farm near Licking Creek.
ienced riders. This is why it is a
real thrill for Twile to have child
ren and youth come to her now so
that she may teach them for her
many years of experience.
Twila started to teach while liv
ing at home on the farm of her
parents. Larry and Linda Whistler,
and continued teaching there for
two years after her marriage,
because the place that she and her
husband Greg rented had no place
to keep or train horses. Then they
moved to their present farm as ten
ants, and it is ideally suited for
raising, boarding, and training
horses, as well as for Twila to
teach young people to ride and get
ready for 4-H and other
competition.
Twil and Greg both expressed
that their landlord, George, from
Lancaster County is a real bless
ing and an answer to prayer. When
Greg first met Twila, she told him
that one of her prayers was to be
able some day to be part of a prog
ram like she has now, where she
can have horses, be in competi
tion, and be with the 4-H kids and
other youth whom she trains.
Because of her hopes and prayers
for this, it became a part of Greg’s
prayers and desire also as they
married.
Then they met George who had
the farm for rent, but someone else
was to come the next week to see
about renting it. However, since
Pellmans made a definite decision
first, they became the renters.
They mentioned to George that
they wanted to clean out the bam
enough to place three horses, and
Twila would give lessons in the
pasture. George became interested
and started buying horses and
became excited and more
involved. He had fences built, put
up an outside riding/training are
na, built nine stalls in the bam, and
everything was go! (Eventually he
even had a large indoor riding are
na constsructed, thus fulfilling
Twila’s dream in an even greater
way than she had ever expected).
During their first year at
TUCK-A-Way, Twila found that
she was overextending herself in
wanting to fulfill her dreams. She
was giving 2S lessons each week
and was riding and training eight
horses a day with Teresa’s help.
She had to cut back on her sche
dule and now rides and trains five
each day, in addition to riding her
own game horse every day as he
needs to remain in shape. The
number will increase from five to
seven this spring which means an
increase in riding hours from the
five she now spends each day. She
also gives three lessons three
evenings a week in winter and on
rainy days, the indoor riding arena
is very important to riding and
giving lessons. Of course there is
always the feeding, cleaning
stalls, and other duties to be done,
all of which shows that horseback
riding is not all glamour by any
means.
Twila readily admits that she
could not have her fulfilled dream
without the help of her husband
Greg who gets up to help with the
chores before leaving for work
and after returning. He also helps
Patchwork Festival
INTERCOURSE (Lancaster
Co.) Kitchen Kettle Village
will celebrate the rich heritage of
quilting during the Special Patch
work Festival, April Ist through
9th. The event is part of the Lan
caster County Quilt Festival and
will feature an array of quilts, wall
hangings, quilted pillows and
other items. There will also be
quilting demonstrations, exhibits
Baby Walker Dangers
Last year, over 27,000 baby
walker injuries were treated in
U.S. hospitals, most of which
were caused by falling down
stairs. Prevent baby walker acci
dents by blocking off access to
during the weekends and is sup
portive of Twila as she does much
of her competing on weekends.
Twila stayed in 4-H for 10
years, winning many prizes in loc
al and district 4-H and in open
competition. She continues to win
in open adult competition with her
game horse named JJ. She also
shows horses owned by George
and others and has won ribbons
for all-around championships as
well as challenge trophies which
are kept for three years.
In the bam at the time of the
interview was a two-month-old
foal named Reo. Twila advised
that all new-boms are called foals
until the first of the year following
their birth. After the first of the
year following a horse’s birth, it
becomes a yearling a filly if
female or a colt if male. The Pell
mans try to have the mares bred to
foal in January or February so they
are much larger when they take
them into the show ring than are
the ones bom in later months of
the year but are classified as the
same age as those bom in earlier
months.
The Pellmans are thankful for
good neighbors and for their
church family and physical family
- parents, sister and brother - who
have been of so much help. They
are thankful that they have been
able to use the farm for youth and
other church activities.
The couple shared a dream and
it has come true on TUCK-A
WAY farm located down a sec
luded lane from what is known
locally as Licking Creek road, just
a few miles from Mifflin.
of art work featuring quilts, and
music presented by a barbershop
quartet.
Food-lovers will savor the
quilt-inspired treats, including
quilt-decorated cookies.
Admission is free and there is
plenty of free parking. At Kitchen
Kettle Village, Route 340,
Intercourse.
stairs, exit doorways, areas with
uneven carpet or flooring, stoves,
space heaters and fireplaces (Con
sumer Product Safety Commis
sion).