CR Horsemanship - Training & Lessons

01/08/2026

You can buy the best-bred c**t in the country and still ruin him in the first 60 days.

Right now the horse world is hotter than it’s been in a long time. Big money, big shows, big expectations. Everybody wants a young horse that’s broke, quiet, and ready to go to work.

What folks are running out of isn’t horses.

It’s people who know how to start one right.

C**t starting isn’t about speed or shortcuts. It’s about timing, feel, and knowing when to ask — and when to leave one alone. The first rides set the tone. Get them wrong and you’ll spend years patching holes, if the horse even stays usable.

Some c**ts catch on fast. Some need miles, patience, and a steady hand. That’s not a fault — that’s just a horse being a horse. Real horsemen adjust. They don’t force a calendar.

If a c**t starter is booked out, that ought to tell you something. Good ones usually are. Ask who they trust, get on the list, and wait your turn. Cheap and rushed work always sends the bill later.

Give a c**t time. Be clear, be fair, and be consistent. Ninety to one-twenty days is where good ones start to last.

And here’s the truth people don’t like hearing:

Pay your c**t starter.

Paying right up front is a whole lot cheaper than fixing wreckage down the road.

Because those first rides don’t just break a horse —
they build one.

01/07/2026

Deep down, we all have that little girl that started just for the love of the horse 🙌🏼 you can do all the things or not do all the things. We will be competing with some of our crew this year, mountains and cross training for others. Our only plan is to have fun doing it 🥰

“When I hear someone say, "My horse deserves a better rider" it breaks my heart a little bit.

Because you know what?

Recreational riders are the BEST thing that has happened to horses worldwide.

DON'T feel bad for not competing, or working your horse everyday, or that so-and-so is riding at a higher level than you are.

DON'T feel guilty if you don't want to show.
Or jump higher.
Or jump at all.
Or canter.
Or even ride!

What matters TO YOUR HORSE is that their physical needs are met and their mental and emotional well-being is cared for.

And caring is what most amateur owners can do better than ANYONE else.

Most horses don't NEED or WANT to be ridden at a professional or competitive level. With few exceptions, most horses left to their own devices just want to hang out in the field with their friends eating.

It's great to want to improve your communication and riding skills.

And If your goal is to do more athletic and difficult things, then yes, you owe it to your horse to learn to be a good dance partner and pilot for him

AT THAT LEVEL, BUT...
.. No one sets that level but you. And you CAN be good for your horse at ANY level.

No shame, backyard horse owners!

You shall inherit the earth.”

By: Kendra DeKay

01/04/2026

Hot take: I don’t think taking out a loan for a horse is any different than taking out a loan for a snowmobile, quad, or boat.

A snowmobile is guaranteed to depreciate the second it leaves the lot. A horse? If managed, trained, and marketed correctly, a horse can hold value or even increase in value. Yet somehow, financing a horse is frowned upon while financing toys is completely normalized.
If you insure your horse, manage your risk, and budget responsibly, why is a loan suddenly “irresponsible”?

We are first-generation. We weren’t handed horses, land, or unlimited cash. We took out loans on some of our horses because that’s what made sense for us at the time — and I don’t regret it for a second. It allowed us to build, learn, and move forward instead of waiting around for a day that may never come.

People finance quads, boats, campers, trucks, and side-by-sides every single day without a second thought. But bring up financing a horse and suddenly everyone expects you to be independently wealthy or you “shouldn’t be in horses.”

Let’s be real: horses are expensive. Always have been. Always will be. Pretending otherwise doesn’t help anyone. Not everyone has family money, and that shouldn’t be a barrier to entry.

I think it’s time we set more realistic expectations around what it actually costs to own and compete with horses — and stop shaming people for using the same financial tools that are completely accepted everywhere else.

Smart decisions look different for different people. Progress rarely comes without risk.

01/04/2026

When your students quote your literal words. I said what I said.

01/02/2026

I have known and preached this all my life. Finally, someone took some much better photos than mine! 🤣

It's the "little" things you do to help your horse that makes them happy and enjoy their time with you. Pulling your saddle pad up into the pommel can take a bit of practice to remember every ride, but your horse will appreciate it.
When the saddle is cinched, the pad presses down on the withers, potentially (probably) causing discomfort. With the pad pulled up into the pommel, the withers have room to move and there's no pressure point.

Don't believe it? Next time, you ride, put your fingers between the pad and your horse's withers while walking or trotting. Once you feel that pinch, you'll become a believer and start giving them some extra room. Your horse will thank you!

Credit: Running T Horsemanship, Dana Lovell

01/01/2026

From 2025…. Moving forward to 2026 🙌🏼
There was so much to learn, gain and grow from 2025. We are so excited for what the future holds 🥰

Thank you, to our clients, new and old, who continue to trust us and ride our journey together! We appreciate you!!

We had many of our rider pairs, purchase first and second horses this year, with the excitement of a new partnership- some of them having waited their entire childhood to feel ready to take the leap!

Ultimately, the move has allowed us to restructure with Celine managing Mystic Meadows…

*We adjusted our show team. Strengthened and adapted. Had some great shows in 2025- planning for our best year yet in 2026!

*Kept our recreational & pleasure riders that continue to love all aspects of the horsemanship and learning- we will always continue to welcome everyone to our group- no matter discipline or goals ☺️

*Offering board- private, group and semi private options, adjustable for feed needs, daily grain and blanketing accordingly.

*Full time training and teaching is now on the books again. Selective c**t starting, mileage, showing, young horse development.

*Developed more of a lease program and downsized our school program. We have limited lesson hours to keep the arena open for our boarders and allow for room to enjoy.

2026, we are looking forward to horse showing again- back to Hunter/jumper, with some dressage and open shows in the works this time as we have quite a variety!

We have a varying team of coaches- Renee, NCCP dressage, Stacey, CHA western, Celine, EC Comp coach, and Hailey, beginner/privates that we are excited to continue to grow!

We will be looking for a c**t starter interested in working with Celine as a second person- opportunities to be discussed!

Happy New Year and see you in 2026!!

12/31/2025

Cold snaps suck for the baby horses but time to get them going steady again while the weathers nice… this gals been sticky to lope without a second person but today we broke through that and what a good girl 🙌🏼

12/31/2025

Let's have some lesson program real talk. There is a common misconception in the equine industry that the "lesson" begins when your foot hits the stirrup and ends when your feet hit the ground.
​Riding is only about 20% of owning/handling a horse. If a student cannot groom, check for injuries, tack up properly, and cool a horse down safely, they are not a horseman; they are a passenger. We are selling an education in horsemanship, and that education happens on the ground just as much as in the saddle.
​Tacking up isn't a chore. It’s a safety check. It’s seeing if the horse is sore, checking if the equipment fits, and asking the horse to work that day.
Cooling down isn't just walking. It’s gratitude. It’s ensuring the animal that just gave you their heart is returned to their stall comfortable, with a normal heart rate and cool legs.
​If we only taught you how to steer, we would be failing you. And more importantly, we would be failing the horse.
​We are raising partners, not passengers. Thank you to all our students who put in the work, before and after the ride! ❤️