Crooked Creek Ranch

05/08/2025

FREE!! Or happy to take a donation to the ranch.

Manure mixture (horse, cow, goat, pig). DM us to pick some up. We can load ya!

05/07/2025

The cutest things on the ranch 🥰

05/04/2025

At the end of every day, there is gratitude for living this life that we are so privileged to live. We’re thankful for the long days and the good horses that we get to spend them with ♥️

04/29/2025

Pony sorting on this crazy, windy day ☺️

04/24/2025

As much as we struggle through spring mud season, there is no better feeling than seeing horses just being horses. No human imposed goals or achievements, no heavy workloads or expectations. Just the ability to enjoy their biological needs - friends, safety, forage and freedom ♥️

04/23/2025

Spring things 💦

April showers bring…

…the increased risk of your horse developing a skin condition like rain rot, a contagious bacterial skin disease (often mistaken for a fungal condition) called dermatophilosis which is caused by the bacterium "Dermatophilus congolensis.”

How does rain rot happen?
The organism responsible for rain rot lives in the outer layer of the skin; if the skin is compromised by too much moisture or cracks, or if the horse has a weaker immune system, it’s easier for the pathogen to activate and establish an infection that causes from pinpoint to large, crusty scabs (pro tip: Your horse will NOT thank you for picking at them!).

Why should you not mistake rain rot for a fungal disease?
Antifungal medications and topicals have no effect on the bacteria responsible for rain rot, therefore diagnosing the condition correctly is critical! If left untreated, the condition can even progress to a point where it opens the door for more serious, secondary skin infections. It’s also important to note that this organism is contagious and may be passed to other horses by tack, equipment or insects, therefore disinfection of equipment is vital to prevent spread.

If you suspect your horse has rain rot, be sure to consult your veterinarian on the best treatment plan. While there are a million over-the-counter products available, your horse doctor may have cause to prescribe a specific course of action based on the severity of your horse's case.

04/21/2025

We are thrilled to announce that we are open for the season on May 1st, 2025! Accepting reservations for spring, summer and fall now!

04/19/2025

04/17/2025

This 🙌

If there’s one thing I wish more people understood about horses, it’s this: They’re not being difficult. Most of what they're doing is reflective of YOU.

They are giving you a RESPONSE. Not out of defiance. Not out of malice. But because they are wired - biologically, psychologically, instinctively - to respond to the world around them for survival.

So when you step into their space frustrated, disconnected, anxious, or unclear - they feel that. And they respond accordingly.

I see two things all the time…

• A spooky horse is blamed for being naughty, but the rider is nervous, stiff, and barely breathing.
• A horse is labeled stubborn because he doesn’t respond to a cue - but the cue was unclear, poorly communicated - and then the horse is punished for being lazy and unresponsive.

In both cases, the horse isn’t the problem. The human involved, however, is.

There’s a lot of incompetence in the horse world - but instead of accountability, we blame the horse.
We slap on harsher bits, louder aids, more aggressive corrections.We label them bad, lazy, rude, or stubborn… when really, they’re just confused, frightened, or overwhelmed.

Horses cannot be 'bad', they are just horses. People are either bad handlers, riders, or trainers. This seems to be a truth rarely spoken or acknowledged.

Horses literally can't manipulate. They, very simply, reflect what we bring to the conversation.

And that’s the truth people don’t like to talk about:
If your horse isn’t responding well, it might not be about them - it's actually in most cases about you.

So when something feels off in a session, pause and ask yourself:

Am I breathing deeply and feeling compassionate and optimistic?
Am I calm and grounded in my body?
Am I present - or is my mind somewhere else?
Am I feeling scared, under pressure, or frustrated?

✨ Self-awareness is the MOST underrated skill in horsemanship. The more honest we become about what we bring into the space, the more compassionate and connected we become as partners. ✨

Because it’s never about control. It’s about connection.
And that connection? It always starts with you.

04/16/2025

❤️

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐫𝐨𝐬𝐬𝐫𝐨𝐚𝐝𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐇𝐨𝐫𝐬𝐞𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩, 𝐇𝐨𝐥𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐎𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐚 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝

It’s hard not to feel like we’re at a turning point in the horse world.

Looking back, there was a time when riding and horsemanship came with a strong set of standards. Riders were taught to earn their place, to build solid foundations, and to respect the process. You didn’t rush a young horse. You didn’t skip steps. Care was hands-on, detailed, and taken seriously not just by professionals, but by everyday riders. There was structure, patience, and a sense of pride in doing things the right way, not the fast way.

Now, things feel different.

In many corners of the industry, we’ve lost a lot of that grounding. Young horses are often pushed to perform far too early. Riders sometimes expect results before they’ve learned the basics. The pressure to be seen, to compete, to win or simply to look the part has grown. Social media has brought visibility, but it’s also fuelled a culture of shortcuts and surface-level success.

It feels like the standard has dropped not just in riding, but in stable management, training ethics, and even in the way we talk about progress. There’s less time given to the process, and more focus on the product. And in the middle of it all, the horse can become an accessory to the rider’s goals, rather than a partner in the journey.

But here’s the other side of the story and it matters just as much.

While the world has sped up and some old-school standards have slipped, equine welfare has grown by leaps and bounds. We now understand far more about what horses need to live comfortably, happily, and pain-free. The 3Fs freedom, forage, and friends are no longer “nice ideas” but essential pillars of care. Research into behaviour, biomechanics, pain responses, and saddle fit has opened our eyes to issues that once went unnoticed or ignored.

We’re starting to listen to our horses more to recognise when they’re uncomfortable, mentally stressed, or physically pushed too hard. That awareness is changing the way we feed, shoe, train, and manage our horses for the better.

So now we find ourselves at a crossroads.

Because while welfare has improved, standards in many areas of horsemanship have fallen away. And we need both.

We need the knowledge and compassion of today to be paired with the discipline and depth of yesterday. We need to bring back the pride in doing things properly not just kindly, but correctly. Not just with heart, but with skill.

This is the future we should be striving for:

A riding culture where the horse’s
wellbeing is paramount, but the rider’s education is never rushed.

Where slow, solid training is respected again.

Where riders take responsibility not only for how they ride, but for how they care.

Where horses aren’t just physically well they’re mentally and emotionally understood too.

And where standards rise with welfare, not in place of it.

We can’t change the whole world. But we can choose which values we carry forward. We can protect the best parts of the past and combine them with the most compassionate parts of the present to create something better than either alone.

For me, this is where I’m stuck at a crossroads between appreciation and frustration. I’m truly grateful for how far we’ve come in caring for the horse as a living, feeling being. But I deeply miss the standards that once shaped good riding and real horsemanship. I feel like the world is moving too fast, skipping too many steps, and forgetting the foundation that makes all of this work time, patience, understanding, and respect for the process.

I don’t want to go back, but I do want to carry those values forward. I want a horse world where the welfare of today meets the wisdom of yesterday where standards rise again, not for the sake of tradition, but for the sake of the horse.

04/15/2025

A breed that’s not just featured weekly here, but daily. We sure love our resident standies ♥️

🐴✨ Breed of the Week: The Standardbred! ✨🐴

Say hello to the Standardbred — the ultimate combination of speed, stamina, and a sweet personality! 🏇💨

Known for their smooth trot or pace, these horses were bred for the track but shine just as brightly off of it. 🌟 Whether it's riding, driving, or just being a lovable barn buddy, the Standardbred does it all! ❤️🐎

With their calm nature and willingness to please, it's no wonder they’re fan favorites in and out of the harness racing world 🏁. Plus, with proper care and nutrition 🥕🌾, they can live long, healthy, and happy lives!

🔗 Learn more about this amazing breed below:
CA: https://madbarn.ca/standardbred-horse-breed-profile/
US: https://madbarn.com/standardbred-horse-breed-profile/

04/12/2025

Here is the registration link for summer camp!

https://form.jotform.com/250318468217054