In Stride Equestrian

15/07/2025

“Good” training doesn’t lose its potency as time passes. Good training becomes a part of the horse with no need of reminders for the basics. Good training is something we can call upon and trust rather than coax and beg.

As time passes and I work with more and more horses, something that may seem so complex becomes more and more simple. Training through trust, building confidence and educating from day one, always nurtures a horse into their best version of themselves. It develops horses who know the work and know it well. They become proud, confident and look forward to their sessions with their rider.

It has been almost two months since I’ve ridden Manny, hell it’s been almost two months since I’ve even worked him. Between the heat and getting a bunch of other things done I just couldn’t fit regular sessions in with him that I felt would be productive. As my days opened up, we got back to a routine. I worked with him twice on the ground. One day was with target training, and the other was basic lunging with all his tack on. Both sessions were no more than 20 min and almost a week apart. The next time I worked him, we did two circles each direction. One at a walk and one at the trot. Then I got on. And aside from being a bit more wiggly (which i figured would be the case and had more to do with his fitness), he was the same horse I had the last time I rode him.

I was not worried about him being reactive or silly, my main concern was to keep our ride short and sweet since he was not as fit and needed more fitness before we did anything more. But we did a little bit of everything we had already done and he was wonderful. I could trust that I had a horse that was emotionally rounded because of our work and he trusted that I would not push him past his level of education or fitness. He already has a solid foundation that can be further built up so beautifully. And I am beyond proud to have developed such a lovely young stallion ❤️

13/07/2025

10/07/2025

The beauty in classical work is the improvement of the horse and rider in connection of mind to body. No matter the breed, no matter the discipline… classical training only seeks to continually improve through continuous building up of the foundation of a horse’s potential with a rider.

I am so incredibly proud of just how far Flo Shmo and her horse Sarge have come in their lessons. Almost two months in and we are now seeing glimpses of his ability as a true sport horse. In unlocking his body and building him up to help him truly be able to lift his rider, he is starting to tap into his power and put his former race horse engine to work in a different way!

Can you follow the sequence of the first three images and what they were working on?

And I just had to add a comparison of where they started in their first lesson to their most recent lesson because 😍 (and yes I know he is btv, that is something that is being worked on and he hardly goes there anymore but I wanted as similar of a pic for both the before and after for comparison sake 🙃)

25/06/2025

I have availability for two full care boarders on our track system as well as lessons with Ollie on Monday mornings!

Why a track? The benefits of movement over different terrain and surfaces while also being in the shade during our hot summers down here have proven to be beneficial for horses in so many different ways. Especially horses who are easy keepers and or teetering on the cusp of being or becoming metabolic.

I’ve had horses on track systems at multiple farms that I’ve been at, ranging from small rehab tracks to large 10 acre systems, to now this lovely wooded track with grazing rotation. What I love so much about this current track is that the trails have been made by the horses, with some help from me clearing out small trees and other plants to make them more accessible. These were paths that the horses chose to make on their own. These trail systems include hills, gravel, concrete, sandy rolling areas, plentiful native plants for foraging, obstacles…. And lots and lots of shade!

I am looking to add two full care boarders to my track herd! There is also the option to take weekly lessons with your horse/s 😊

Please pm for more information!

17/06/2025

Luna is on to her next adventure ❤️. I am so happy and grateful that Luna has found her new partner! Congratulations to Janet Heeke on this new journey you will be taking with a very special horse. It is very bittersweet to see my girl go, but she couldn’t have gone to a more perfect person and place! I very much so will look forward to seeing your partnership grow and all of the fun you will have together ❤️

13/06/2025

This week has been filled with lots of growth for both my horse and human students. Growth in taking steps forward, understanding philosophy, connection and getting back in a routine. While I love riding and nothing beats the feeling of having the privilege of connecting with a horse in that way… teaching really ignites a fire in me. I love being able to share the knowledge I’ve gained and see how it empowers horses and riders alike. Being able to help them and be a part of their journey is so gratifying and truly makes me happy 🥰.

13/06/2025

Currently have one partial training spot and one full care boarder spot available as well as Monday and every other Friday lessons with Ollie available!

11/06/2025

Training Tip Tuesday. Shoulder ins with a figure 8. This challenging little exercise really tests the rider's ability to be accurate. As always, the shoulder in really helps the horse to bend around the inside leg and increase the carrying capacity of the inside hind, while improve the shoulder mobility of the inside front leg.

When ridden correctly, the horse will be properly connected to the outside rein. The use of the Figure 8 in the middle helps the rider to prepare the horse for the new shoulder in because the bend of the horse should remain the same when riding the volte and the shoulder in. The rider can add the volte in the corner prior to beginning the shoulder in if needed to help prepare the horse for the appropriate bend to initiate the shoulder in.

Be careful not to allow the horse to deviate from the line of travel or merely fall through the outside shoulder. Remember, your head and shoulders should be in alignment with the horse's head and shoulders - otherwise you may cause the horse to become unbalanced. The inside rein does not bring the shoulders off the track. If you overuse the inside rein in this exercise, you will block the inside hind leg, cause the horse to fall through the outside shoulder and create tension in the neck and back.

If you want to add variety and see the result of the inside hindleg engagement, you can also add a lengthening down the long side. This will help you to see how the shoulder in helps increase the horse's impulsion and carrying capacity. You may also find that the horse lifts the shoulders more willingly in this lengthening because of the engagement created in the shoulder in.

For those with horses that are not quite doing shoulder in yet, you might thinking about riding a 10 meter volte in the corner and riding a little shoulder fore out of the volte. You will ride a full 10 meter of the rail and the continue the 10 meter on to the centerline. Think that you are going to continue the circle back to the rail, but instead apply the inside leg and outside rein to encourage the horse to travel down the centerline for a few strides. Then straighten the horse and begin the figure 8 sequence at X before trying a few steps of shoulder fore in the new direction.

06/06/2025

What an amazingly lovely pair 😍

06/06/2025

The foundational principles of dressage should know no one singular discipline. The classical foundational principles are there to help bring out the best in every horse and rider. To prepare them for anything they may choose to do.

It should be free from restraint, restriction and manipulation. Instead it should offer guidance through clear communication, an ability to adjust and be dynamic and to allow through setting a horse up to figure it out on their own. And in their own self discovery, the rider will be able to reap in the rewards of their patience and trust in the process of the horse’s artistry.

These photos are just one week apart from 3 weekly lessons with Flo and her lovely ottb gelding Sarge. In just 3 weeks they have made such amazing progress through taking the exercises and work I give them seriously and waiting on Sarge to figure out freeing up his body. I am so proud of them both for the wonderful progress they have made in a few weeks!