Windover Equestrian

01/16/2026

Spring Break Saddle Up Kids Camp

ONLY A FEW SPOTS REMAINING 🐎🐎

March 23rd,24th,25th,26th,27th, 2026
9:00am to 1:00pm
Maximum of 12 kids per camp
Our spring Break camp sells out each year, we encourage you to register early 🐎🎉

* Kids ride everyday
*Arena Games
* Trail Adventures

So much fun 🐎🐎

01/14/2026

That sunset though 👌

01/12/2026

https://www.facebook.com/share/1H7NWUph8W/?mibextid=wwXIfr

“Train the horse in front of you.” — Carl Hester

I thought I understood this quote… until Sonney politely (and sometimes not so politely) proved me wrong.

I arrived with plans, Sonney arrived with opinions and guess which one usually won? 😅

Some days he felt like a future Grand Prix superstar. Other days he showed up saying, absolutely not, but thank you for asking 😅 and every time I tried to ride the horse I had in my head instead of the one under me, Sonney made sure I knew about it, usually by unravelling the whole session in under five minutes.

The real lesson came when I stopped blaming the exercise, the arena, or our environment… and started listening to him.

Once I accepted that Sonney doesn’t read my training plan and frankly doesn’t care about them, everything got better. When I adjust to how he feels that day, he tries harder. He relaxes and yes, sometimes the big goal gets replaced with we achieved and both stayed smiling, and that counts.

Sonney taught me that progress isn’t linear, perfection is overrated, and partnership beats pressure every single time. This quote now feels less like dressage wisdom and more like a daily reminder to check my ego at the mounting block.

💬 Over to you:
What’s the one quote that you have etched into your mind, that quote that just won’t go away and you wouldn’t want it to.
Do you have a horse who’s taught you a life lesson (whether you asked for it or not)?
Drop it in the comments—I’m ready to laugh, relate, and reshare 🤍


Trot Into 2026

01/11/2026

What sort of thing do you do for fun on a Saturday night? Well….. arena work of course!

01/10/2026

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/14Lp4bUDcVt/?mibextid=wwXIfr

In a sport that rewards ambition, speed, and visible progress, “going slow” can feel counterintuitive. But for Jimmy and Danielle Torano, patience isn’t hesitation. It’s a strategy.

Across decades at the top of the sport, the Toranos have learned that whether you’re developing a young horse or a promising rider, there is one mistake you almost never make: taking your time. “You will never make a mistake going too slow,” Jimmy said. “You’ll never make a mistake going too slow with a rider. And you’ll never make a mistake going too slow with a horse.”

When new horses enter the Toranos’ program, they don’t debut at the highest level they’re capable of jumping. Even when a horse is age-appropriate for young horse classes or technically ready for a bigger division, they start lower.

“We probably start them a division or two below where they should be,” Jimmy explained. That decision is about building confidence, both for the horse and the rider. Letting a horse settle, understand their job, and feel successful creates a foundation that holds when the questions get harder.

Especially when young riders are developing horses, the Toranos see patience as protection. “We want to make sure everything goes right—or as right as it can go,” Jimmy said.

One audience member at the live podcast summed it up simply: success breeds success. Jimmy agreed.

“The minute you overface a horse is when you get into trouble,” he said.

The same principle applies to riders. Moving someone forward before they’re truly ready—physically or mentally—can undermine confidence far faster than it builds experience. Going slower allows skills, confidence, and decision-making to develop together.

For the Toranos, patience is intentional. It’s paying attention to how a horse responds. It’s listening to what a rider needs on a given day. And it’s resisting the urge to rush simply because the calendar suggests it’s time.

📎 Continue reading this article at https://www.theplaidhorse.com/2026/01/10/you-will-never-make-a-mistake-going-too-slow-a-training-philosophy-for-horses-and-riders/
📸 © The Plaid Horse

01/10/2026

This genuine young lady has come to ride with us 1xs to 2xs every year since she was 5 years old! We are always thrilled to see her each year! She is so passionate about the horses and keen to learn! We love it!

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01/10/2026

A little behind on posts, but we sure enjoy these juniors lessons and the festive outfits!

01/10/2026

We love our free jump days! This one was early December, So fun having all ages and levels of horses join in the fun! 🐎🐎🐎

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01/10/2026

Always enjoy watching these juniors 🐎👌

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01/10/2026

This VERY special boy will be 20 in a few months and sometimes it makes me teary when I think to much about it. He has been with me since he was 2.5 💕

His job looks a little different now, ponying the young horses, he is the boss man pasture mate to our young stallion ( he does a great job keeping him in line) eating lots of carrots and trail rides. It’s different work than before, but he’s happy and sound. 💕💕💕💕

A few Things we do for him, even with his light work load. In shoes, joint injections, and Adequan. Lots of great feed, love and so many carrots.

💕 .wik27