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Feral Valley Ranch

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Vernon, BC
Feral Valley Ranch

"A great horse will change your life. The truly special ones define it..."
(1)

06/24/2024

Nova

May 2024
As Nova stays with us for the duration of her "brothers" (Winnie & Apollo) training period, she is being brought out for some casual rides and refreshers to ensure she goes home to her loving family in tip-top form. She is such a favourite around here with her soft and quiet demeanor, happily carrying anyone down the trail with confidence. Her laid-back pace is so nice to enjoy while out on a relaxing trail ride.

As a more reserved mare, Nova holds a quiet yet self-secure aura. At first, she was elusive to catch and quite unmotivated to do more than she desired.

It never ceases to amaze me how quickly they come out of their shell when we start hitting the trails and adventuring. Once one always hiding behind everyone else, Nova began to vie for attention and was eager to be haltered and jump into the trailer.

05/15/2024

Nova

April 2024
It's simply not possible to avoid the lake when the weather is this lovely, and it's always such a delight to introduce the client horses for a good splash about!

As a more reserved mare, Nova holds a quiet yet self-secure aura. At first, she was elusive to catch and quite unmotivated to do more than she desired.

It never ceases to amaze me how quickly they come out of their shell when we start hitting the trails and adventuring. Once one to always hide behind everyone else, Nova began to vie for attention and was eager to be haltered and jump into the trailer.

05/02/2024

Nova

April 2024
As a more reserved mare, Nova holds a quiet yet self-secure aura. At first, she was elusive to catch and quite unmotivated to do more than she desired.

It never ceases to amaze me how quickly they come out of their shell when we start hitting the trails and adventuring. Once one to always hide behind everyone else, Nova began to vie for attention and was eager to be haltered and jump into the trailer.

04/12/2024

Martini

March 2014
Sometimes it's a fun journey to take a walk down memory lane.

Things weren't always easy with a quirky horse that had some sort of history before me; she hated arenas, couldn't be tied, kicked trailer doors, and reigned as my Queen B in herd dynamics. I wouldn't change a thing about her though, as I came to experience troubleshooting for different methods of training and handling. If an accident could happen, with Martini it likely would. Every year since bringing her into the family, I've dealt with some sort of medical issue or another with her; abscessing, self-inflicted injury, bone splints/chips, environmental... my First Aid kit has grown exponentially over the years to accommodate!

She taught me to begin to look outside the box when what's being done isn't working. Learning to work within the limits presented by each individual horse, and finding out ways to overcome some obstacles while also accepting some things to be steadfast engraved behaviors.

Acquired through an ad on Kijiji in 2012;
"6yo brown and white horse"
There was something about this mare that had me mesmerized from the start. There hadn't even been a photo to the online ad, and being curious to see if the horse was a paint or pinto, I'd inquired, and this was the photo I'd received back. I was to be her 6th owner in the six years of her life to that point, and I always intended on being her last home.

04/12/2024

Martini

October 2012
Sometimes it's a fun journey to take a walk down memory lane.

We've traveled all over the province of British Columbia together, and she became my ride-or-die girl. From working out at a Substation near Merritt to a new BC Hydro build out in Chetwynd BC, my mare came along with me whenever possible.

She taught me to begin to look outside the box when what's being done isn't working. Learning to work within the limits presented by each individual horse, and finding out ways to overcome some obstacles while also accepting some things to be steadfast engraved behaviors.

Acquired through an ad on Kijiji in 2012;
"6yo brown and white horse"
There was something about this mare that had me mesmerized from the start. There hadn't even been a photo to the online ad, and being curious to see if the horse was a paint or pinto, I'd inquired, and this was the photo I'd received back. I was to be her 6th owner in the six years of her life to that point, and I always intended on being her last home.

04/10/2024

Martini

April 2012
Sometimes it's a fun journey to take a walk down memory lane.

Acquired through an ad on Kijiji in 2012;
"6yo brown and white horse"
There was something about this mare that had me mesmerized from the start. There hadn't even been a photo to the online ad, and being curious to see if the horse was a paint or pinto, I'd inquired, and this was the photo I'd received back. I was to be her 6th owner in the six years of her life to that point, and I always intended on being her last home.

We've traveled all over the province of British Columbia together, and she became my ride-or-die girl.

03/21/2024

Brie (aka Blue Cheese)

March 2024
Amid the hectic days of work and chores, making time to play has been a priority. Slowing down to allow my son to experience the world at his speed, and to try to give him similar opportunities as I had growing up.

Although I was 10 years old when we got our first family dog, Oreo, Dawson has grown up with my boys, Miko and Rooster. However, when Brie showed up, they've been a comical pairing. He's always calling her over to give her treats and snuggles, and they're looking like they'll be quite the team.

Her name came about from and Don, calling Dawson and I by the nicknames "Mak and Little Cheese" so it was fitting the the puppy coming from their dogs would be apart of that inside joke. 💙

03/20/2024

Moscato

March 2024
Accidents happen.

That's often just a very real risk of the task when working with horses.

A broken nose, stitches to the eyelid, a hoof-shaped scar to the top of the head and a torn leg muscle, from a wreck with Bellini, serve as the reminder of my mortality. We aren't invincible, no matter how good we may be at "whispering" through the reading of body language and attention to early signals of the horse.

It's coming up on 5 years with my Mosie mare, and although this past year we have achieved goals I never would have dreamed of, my trust in her is paper thin. After how defensively vicious she was in the past, it's tough to put our history behind us, knowing how we can be severely injured by our extremely docile and trustworthy partners, let alone an animal with such a track record as Mosie once had.

May 2024 be the year she and I come together wholeheartedly; she's done her work, and now it's up to me to give her the same respect. 🥰

03/18/2024

Bellini

December 2023
Accidents happen.

The long and short of it; sometimes we get excited by our progress and begin to put the cart before the horse. In Belle's and my case... I tried to put the sleigh before the horse.

Thank goodness for the love and forgiveness of a horse, and I appreciate the experience gained, whether good or bad. A broken nose, stitches to the eyelid, a hoof-shaped scar to the top of the head and a torn leg muscle serve as the reminder.

We look back on situations and KNOW they were dumb decisions made in haste. Most accidents occur like that, and it's just a reminder to keep our head on our shoulders to be as diligent as possible to recognize our mortality.

03/11/2024

Ash

February 2024
Despite the long journey to achieve the progress we did, with yet so much farther to go before he could be awarded the title of a good, solid riding horse, Ash's progress was night and day from start to end of our time together. Such a delightful boy, he could be so full of self-preservation, but also so soft and vulnerable. To have the opportunity to spend time with each horse and get to know them and their idiosyncrasies is such a treat.

Every time Ash was ridden, we worked together to make it enjoyable. Like many other horses, continuous circles in the arena bored him, but weaving barrels, poles, and pattern work kept his brain engaged and his learning curve progressing. His lasting quirk that held him back was the fear of people riding behind him on another horse, so each session would have us lightly exposing him to that, starting with simply having a horse and rider in the middle of the arena standing, then doing their own circling, then following behind us by half an arena, working our way closer to each other.

For being such an interactive and inquisitive character here, Ash maintained an edge of being apprehensive at first, every time he was handled. He really appreciated being given a refresher and basking in a confident and quiet energy. Grounding him proved to be extremely beneficial, but with an assertive yet gentle hand. Extending the request for a task, and allowing for him to seek the answer brought a much faster change in his demeanor from flighty to willing comrade.

03/10/2024

Ash

January 2024
Everyone is different with their approach to training; my thoughts are that each moment spent with a horse is a valuable session. There can always be something gained or improved upon, and to rush things could lead to a backslide in progress. That being said, if you don't jump, you'll never know that you can fly.

Every time Ash was ridden, we worked together to make it enjoyable. Like many other horses, continuous circles in the arena bored him, but weaving barrels, poles, and pattern work kept his brain engaged and his learning curve progressing. His lasting quirk that held him back was the fear of people riding behind him on another horse, so each session would have us lightly exposing him to that, starting with simply having a horse and rider in the middle of the arena standing, then doing their own circling, then following behind us by half an arena, working our way closer to each other.

For being such an interactive and inquisitive character here, Ash maintained an edge of being apprehensive at first, every time he was handled. He really appreciated being given a refresher and basking in a confident and quiet energy. Grounding him proved to be extremely beneficial, but with an assertive yet gentle hand. Extending the request for a task, and allowing for him to seek the answer brought a much faster change in his demeanor from flighty to willing comrade.

Obstacles and thought provoking exercises are great opportunities to build their self-worth and ability to lead themselves rather than require constant badgering. Horses with initiative and the understanding of desired outcomes are much better partners for their riders and handlers.

03/09/2024

Ash

January 2024
For being such an interactive and inquisitive character here, Ash maintained an edge of being apprehensive at first, every time he was handled. He really appreciated being given a refresher and basking in a confident and quiet energy. Grounding him proved to be extremely beneficial, but with an assertive yet gentle hand. Extending the request for a task, and allowing for him to seek the answer brought a much faster change in his demeanor from flighty to willing comrade.

Obstacles and thought provoking exercises are great opportunities to build their self-worth and ability to lead themselves rather than require constant badgering. Horses with initiative and the understanding of desired outcomes are much better partners for their riders and handlers.

03/08/2024

Captain

February 2024
As my close friend has said to me in the past; some horses just aren't calendar horses. That being said, just because they didn't come around in 30, 60, or 90 days doesn't mean they don't want to or won't, because like humans, trauma and past experiences can take a lot of time to unpack. Focusing on the weak areas constantly is not often the answer, but rather building up the stronger qualities can help overcome the lacking confidence in other areas.

By getting Captain out and exposed to more relaxed time on the trail, he really began to enjoy the adventures. He became more eager to be brought in, saddled and loaded up into the trailer; finding fulfillment in being apart of something. ❤

One of Captain's quirks has been to bolt at the lope with a rider, which is one of the trickier habits to work through. Some horses can be joined up with another horse where if they do go to bolt, they don't want to leave their buddy. However, Captain is more of a lone-wolf sort of personality, so some typical interventions were quickly ruled out.

Due to safety precautions, we went back to breaking things down further by working on learning to lunge on a lead more willingly and with consistent gaits. Going back to the basics with flags, tarps, and dummies, working our way up to having a rider on lead at a lope. Unfortunately this continues to be a sticking point with the big guy, and it's something that may certainly take a lot more time to work through.

A soft yet authoritative figure in the herd, Captain's presence ebbs and flows depending on his connection. During the month of December and the beginning of January when training was put on the backburner due to other life things, he became quick to resort back to his shy and mysterious ways. This is very common with the horses that seek human validation and to be chosen as important. Some horses beg for the attention while others become more reclusive if it is withheld.

03/07/2024

Captain

January 2024
Captain's ability to release tension and anxiety has been such a main focus, with little things such as having a corrective farrier out to fine-tune hooves, osteopathic work (), and specialized dentistry all working together to alleviate potential stress points.

One of Captain's quirks has been to bolt at the lope with a rider, which is one of the trickier habits to work through. Some horses can be joined up with another horse where if they do go to bolt, they don't want to leave their buddy. However, Captain is more of a lone-wolf sort of personality, so some typical interventions were quickly ruled out.

Due to safety precautions, we went back to breaking things down further by working on learning to lunge on a lead more willingly and with consistent gaits. Going back to the basics with flags, tarps, and dummies, working our way up to having a rider (thanks !) on lead at a lope. Unfortunately this continues to be a sticking point with the big guy, and it's something that may certainly take a lot more time to work through.

A soft yet authoritative figure in the herd, Captain's presence ebbs and flows depending on his connection. During the month of December and the beginning of January when training was put on the backburner due to other life things, he became quick to resort back to his shy and mysterious ways. This is very common with the horses that seek human validation and to be chosen as important. Some horses beg for the attention while others become more reclusive if it is withheld.

03/06/2024

Captain

December 2023
A soft yet authoritative figure in the herd, Captain's presence ebbs and flows depending on his connection. During the month of December and the beginning of January when training was put on the backburner due to other life things, he became quick to resort back to his shy and mysterious ways. This is very common with the horses that seek human validation and to be chosen as important. Some horses beg for the attention while others become more reclusive if it is withheld.

03/02/2024

Molson

February 2023
As something that has come up time and time again, the key to difficult -or just in general, most- horses psych is simply being chosen. Making the horse a priority. Not making excuses for their behaviors, but always looking to find the root cause for issues or reactions and being patient while overcoming the little things. It's well known that big things are often made up of so many smaller components.

When chose Molson, it certainly wasn't due to his stellar manners. He is busy. He's a bit of a scatterbrain, going in all different directions. By slowing things down, without dwelling too long on any one thing, his mind has quieted so much with consistency and positive reinforcement. Being loved on and not passed over for another horse has also validated him as a horse. He loves being out on adventures and enjoys the changes of scenery, even participating as our Joker in the local parade after just 2 months under saddle!

In just the short few months she's been making him her main focus, his attention span has improved, he stands quietly when tied, he has finally stopped making faces when being mounted, his protests to being asked for more than a walk have disappeared, and his confidence in himself simply glows both in the arena and out on the trails.

There just aren't enough words in the dictionary to describe a horse like Molson. His personality is sweet, sensitive, snuggly, yet infuriating and annoyingly belligerent at times. At times, he embodies that naughty little pony a lot of us grew up with. That being said, he is the ultimate mirror; his energy and attitude is directly correlated to what he experiences from his handler.

03/01/2024

Molson

January 2023
Being an older horse to start under saddle, at around 14 or 15 years old, does admittedly come with challenges. I've been saying for years that it isn't impossible, but I'll admit that in the past I have asserted that I hadn't noticed that much of a difference between ages. This rings true for me when dealing with a lot of unhandled horses, as they're all at about the same level after the age of 3 or 4, and I personally don't start anything younger under saddle. However, working with more of a "barn baby" personality on an older horse has been a task.

Molson is busy. He's a bit of a scatterbrain, going in all different directions. By slowing things down, but not dwelling too long on any one thing, his mind has quieted so much with consistency and positive reinforcement with .

In just the short few months she's been making him her main focus, his attention span has improved, he stands quietly when tied, he has finally stopped making faces when being mounted, his protests to being asked for more than a walk have disappeared, and his confidence in himself simply glows both in the arena and out on the trails.

There just aren't enough words in the dictionary to describe a horse like Molson. His personality is sweet, sensitive, snuggly, yet infuriating and annoyingly belligerent at times. At times, he embodies that naughty little pony a lot of us grew up with. That being said, he is the ultimate mirror; his energy and attitude is directly correlated to what he experiences from his handler.

02/29/2024

Molson

October 2023
There just aren't enough words in the dictionary to describe a horse like Molson. His personality is sweet, sensitive, snuggly, yet infuriating and annoyingly belligerent at times. At times, he embodies that naughty little pony a lot of us grew up with.

That being said, he is the ultimate mirror; his energy and attitude is directly correlated to what he experiences from his handler.

When Molson had initially come here, I was pregnant at the time and had planned to let him live and be, just in my herd until I had the time for him. Unfortunately he had some health issues that seemed to nag him, despite free feed, up to date vaccines, teeth and deworming. He struggled to keep weight and he always seemed to have a runny nose. For a year and a half, we had taken blood work and f***l samples, and was even going to be doing a nasal swab of the specimen, when I changed his supplements over ( & )

It was a complete change!

So when came to stay here and I gave her the choice between my projects to take on as her own, she fell in love with this handsome boy. His quirks were endearing, and it's been a joyful journey to watch his physical appearance blossom again.

02/28/2024

Ash

February 2024
It broke Ash's little heart when we had to get out of the water and leave the beach.

We got to cross a wooden bridge, ride past running quads dragging trees, and had some excitement when an off-leash dog tried to give chase. It's always nice to be able to pony horses out for the exposure and chance to see new things without also having the uncertainty of carrying a rider, too.

Things and people changing eyes, crossing over his back and going from one field of vision in one eye to the other continues to still be a sticky point at times for Ash. Being ponied from a solid and confident horse certainly has eased his nerves about the ongoings behind him, but Ash has struggled to really relinquish his job of keeping an eye out for potential dangers. Most horses are thrilled to be able to relax and have someone else take over protecting them from that natural concern.

His sweet demeanor shows that he's trying to trust, but it's been a long journey, where some days he's more confident than others. He's learned to trust dogs and people on foot passing behind him, and it's just a matter of persistence to prove to him that he can enjoy time off-duty where us humans can be his protector and he is allowed to relax.

02/27/2024

Ash

November 2023
Every horse has idiosyncrasies, and part of the fun of my job is figuring them out and either finding a way to work with the behaviors or overcome them. Some characteristics, such as being shy with their ears or picking up hind feet, is fairly easily worked through by consistency and patience, without overdoing it. Ash became comfortable with his ears and neck being handled within a month or two of gentle massaging and rewarding him with release and space after short periods of time allowing touch. The same sort of approach with his fiery back legs; once used as a defense against predators out in the wild, the understanding and trust to have them touched at all took time.

Things and people changing eyes, crossing over his back and going from one field of vision in one eye to the other, was another huge hurdle, and continues to still be a sticky point at times for Ash. Being ponied from a solid and confident horse certainly has eased his nerves about the ongoings behind him, but Ash has struggled to really relinquish his job of keeping an eye out for potential dangers. Most horses are thrilled to be able to relax and have someone else take over protecting them from that natural concern.

His sweet demeanor shows that he's trying to trust, but it's been a long journey, where some days he's more confident than others. He's learned to trust dogs and people on foot passing behind him, and it's just a matter of persistence to prove to him that he can enjoy time off-duty where us humans can be his protector and he is allowed to relax.

The story with Ash has continued with having trust building at the forefront. His powerhouse of a hind end was often wielded by him as a shield, and he has had very deeply ingrained tendencies that gave him the nickname of "lieutenant" back at the Flying L Ranch. Building confidence around his body and the respectful behaviors required during human interaction has been a tedious one that continues to be ongoing. His sweet and gentle nature comes out in full force when he is allowed to let his guard down and be safe, but at the sense of urgency he snaps back to attention.

02/26/2024

Ash

October 2023
The story with Ash has continued with having trust building at the forefront. His powerhouse of a hind end was often wielded by him as a shield, and he has had very deeply ingrained tendencies that gave him the nickname of "lieutenant" back at the Flying L Ranch. Building confidence around his body and the respectful behaviors required during human interaction has been a tedious one that continues to be ongoing. Overcoming each hurdle has brought a new quirk forward with him for us to focus on and bring ease to. His sweet and gentle nature comes out in full force when he is allowed to let his guard down and be safe, but at the sense of urgency he snaps back to attention.

His being deemed the Lieutenant is so apt for him!

02/25/2024

Athena

January 2024
It's always so heartwarming to reflect on the journey each horse has embarked during their time here. Every horse has their own unique quirks to understand and analyze, to see if they are behaviors that can be worked with or if new emotional and physical outlets need to be developed. Athena vehemently despised things over top of her, and being touched on her off side. By breaking things down into little steps, from simply being able to pet her with a stick and string while standing still, to brushing down her spine and rubbing her with the flag while she was in motion, these reactive behaviors are slowly dealt with, through compassion and trust. It doesn't happen overnight, and most (not all) horses will backslide with lack of refreshing upon skills. When they're so green and new to concepts, any amount of time off can have them backtrack, but the time it takes to move their needle forward again is shortened and improved upon with more repetition.

Although very expressive with her opinions, Athena quickly begins to try to make sense of situations. Often quick to want to flee or rear up, she initially had dramatic responses to new concepts such as being massaged by the stick & string or flag. Just as we seemed to work through one thing or another, the next task or tool would have her questioning everything again. Staying calm and quiet in the face of all the excitement plays such a crucial role in the horses generally seeking that mindspace for themselves. It hadn't taken long for Athena to look forward to being chosen for training sessions, enjoying the grooming, grain, and the connection with people. She's now become such a shadow when spending time together!

At first, although smitten with cookies and grain, Athena had some opinions about being caught and having to go to work. More of a whimsical, dreamy sort of girl, she really just wanted her hair brushed and to be told that she was oh so pretty. She would get tense about ropes and flags, even demonstrating some of those aerial acrobatics that some horses are so natural at.

02/24/2024

Athena

November 2023
Although very expressive with her opinions, Athena quickly begins to try to make sense of situations. Often quick to want to flee or rear up, she initially had dramatic responses to new concepts such as being massaged by the stick & string or flag. Just as we seemed to work through one thing or another, the next task or tool would have her questioning everything again. Staying calm and quiet in the face of all the excitement plays such a crucial role in the horses generally seeking that mindspace for themselves. It hadn't taken long for Athena to look forward to being chosen for training sessions, enjoying the grooming, grain, and the connection with people. She's now become such a shadow when spending time together!

At first, although smitten with cookies and grain, Athena had some opinions about being caught and having to go to work. More of a whimsical, dreamy sort of girl, she really just wanted her hair brushed and to be told that she was oh so pretty. She would get tense about ropes and flags, even demonstrating some of those aerial acrobatics that some horses are so natural at.

02/23/2024

Athena

December 2023
When the ever stunning Athena came in the Fall, her journey began with a little detour adventure. As a side story from focusing on the horse; our address does not always come up correctly on map apps, so often sends people to a location nearly 3hrs away. In our excitement of finally meeting, unfortunately there was a miscommunication, and the new friends along with Athena traveled to the alter-address. Thankfully it was quickly sorted out, but not after a fair bit of extra driving. Athena is a traveling champ!

At first, although smitten with cookies and grain, Athena had some opinions about being caught and having to go to work. More of a whimsical, dreamy sort of girl, she really just wanted her hair brushed and to be told that she was oh so pretty. She would get tense about ropes and flags, even demonstrating some of those aerial acrobatics that some horses are so natural at.

Her curious and calm demeanor at liberty made for great photos when we had a snowfall and Kovu the feline equine trainer came out to supervise.

02/22/2024

Mezcal

February 2024
Just brush their legs.
Sometimes when time is tight, or we're feeling drained after working with so many horses, there becomes such a barrier around getting work done with the personal "projects". The motivation is low, and that feeling of guilt runs deep for the inconsistency of their own progress. I try to pick a goal; for the more anxiety-ridden horses, this can be just a quiet grooming session. For the ones who weren't good with their legs being handled, I focus on making their legs as clean as possible while brushing and currying at their pace. The horses that are nervous about their ears being handled get their manes played with, scratches behind the ears and gentle massages around their poll.
To me, training isn't just building enough trust to get on the horse's back; it's taking the time to build a connection to show them the purpose of why a partnership is desirable. By acknowledging and easing their concerns about body sensitivities, fear responses, and situational awareness, we can create a solid foundation. This can often take more time than anticipated, which is all just part of the journey. ❤

Every horse has a completely different learning curve. Sometimes they can be worked sporadically and make leaps and bounds each session. Some horses require daily handling and engagement to keep moving that needle. Then there are also those that play the long game, where it's a "two steps forward, one step back" sort of a dance. Mezcal hasn't been worked with consistently, but because of the inconsistent and passing handling, he seeks out attention. Most horses don't have the luxury of that kind of time when there are expectations to be met.

Cal was acquired back in August with a lower level of training and exposure than anticipated. It should also be noted that the understanding was that he was to be a stocky boy over 15hh, which turned into a surprise when he offloaded the trailer at only a chunky 14.1hh. Striking nonetheless, it was determined that he had a longer journey with me than originally expected, so potential homes that had been interested in him were sidelined until further assessments could be made.

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V0E1W1

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Videos

Miko October 2023 Doggo kisses for the kiddo.

Just another day in the life of a farm kid... trolleying to the mailbox in the saddle! It's not much horsepower; just a lotta mompower.

Said goodbye to Pippa last night; her month of Summer Camp came to an end. So much learning went on, and she was such a sweetheart to have around! She also went on the weekend's wine tasting expedition with great success. The best part about returning these guys is seeing the difference between the first and last day. Pips was a trooper with loading into the trailer at the beginning of the month, but now she loads herself when directed! If she had any qualms about the state of the trailer floor mess after such a fun and busy weekend, she kept it to herself 😅