The Red Horse Farm

03/11/2024

Shout out to a fantastic tack shop down south!

Great selection and prices, new and used
Emily took amazing care of us!

4.9 ★ · Tack shop

02/06/2024

𝔸𝕟𝕒𝕥𝕠𝕞𝕚𝕔𝕒𝕝 𝔾𝕣𝕠𝕠𝕞𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕎𝕠𝕣𝕜𝕤𝕙𝕠𝕡
For those who were not able to make the first one, I am hosting another Anatomical Workshop at Pacific Northwest Equestrian Center! There will be a presentation, going over anatomy and simple additions to your grooming routine that will help your horse stay limber and release some tension.

PS. I would love to share this workshop with other barns. If you are interested in hosting one, shoot me a message!

𝚁̰𝙴̰𝙶̰𝙸̰𝚂̰𝚃̰𝙴̰𝚁̰ 𝙷̰𝙴̰𝚁̰𝙴̰ for the workshop on February 24th at 4pm:

https://forms.gle/VLp1QxMFjH4Rex196

12/21/2023

Not only are some of us too quick to give up on schooling our aged horses—you know, “they’re too set in their ways, too long abused, it’s time to start something new”—some of us are too quick to give up on ourselves.

I don’t know about you but always, my horsemanship mirrors my life.

There will be bad days among the good. I will make the wrong decisions. I will unwittingly hurt someone I love and then, I will need to apologize. I will try and many times, fail. Sometimes, I may even disgrace myself.

What was once easy may be feeling far beyond me. Doubt begins to creep in. We wonder if we can keep up with this constant defeat… I mean, learning life’s hard lessons. Still, at our age. Even now.

The trick, if there is one, is in convincing ourselves to simply start one more time than we quit.

Photo: Mike McLean.

12/07/2023

To maintain a correct upper body position in the corners…
Imagine you are balancing on an exercise ball. If you lean your torso into a turn, your seat bones will push the ball (horse) in the opposite direction (below right). To help the horse balance, keep your spine straight and use your shoulders to turn. Your seat bones will follow. Try it on a ball, it works!—Jane Kelly

Kelly is a USDF gold, silver and bronze medalist, “L” Education Program graduate and associate instructor.

🎨: Sandy Rabinowitz

09/06/2023

TACK SALE!!

At a friend’s barn local to us in Edgewood, Wa
This Saturday 😃

09/05/2023

This coming weekend! Stop by and shop for tack, blankets, and more.

09/05/2023

“Manners”

You can tell much about the level of someone’s basic horsemanship by the way their horses lead.

A horse should stay next to you, not pull you or be dragged by you. A horse should respect your space, and not crowd against you, maybe step on your feet.

This is known as “having manners.” A horse that won’t lead is like a dog that jumps up onto furniture, it hasn’t been taught right from wrong.

I recently read something by a well respected western clinician. He said, “People want their horses to love them so much that they think they are being mean if they create boundaries.”

Horses weigh half a ton. They can easily hurt a puny human if they lack manners and boundaries, Heck, they can easily hurt us if they DO have manners.

People who treat horses as though they were some sort of fuzzy pets can create animals that can do a lot of damage. Creating boundaries doesn’t mean whipping and beating, but it does require that when you say “no” you mean “no.”

Standing at the mounting block, standing for the farrier, picking up its hooves, letting itself get bridled, so many basics that make the difference between a mannerly horse and one that shoves you around.

As the clinician said, “letting a horse walk all over you won’t make him love you more.”

09/02/2023

09/02/2023

It is recommended that you replace your helmet at least every 5 years, even if it hasn’t been involved in a fall. The 5-year replacement guideline for equestrian helmets begins from the date of purchase, not the date of manufacture. Normal wear and tear, hair spray, cosmetics, exposure to sunlight and heat, certain types of cleaning agents, and sweat are some of the many factors that can contribute to the slow degradation of a helmet, all of which begin to occur from the time the helmet is first worn. Join us in store April 15th-16th for our complimentary helmet fitting event! Save 20% off any new Tipperary helmet, this weekend only.

09/02/2023

Bill Steinkraus told THM in 1983: “I cannot stress too much the vital importance of restoring all aids to their normal state as soon as the horse has complied with them. Once the horse has gone forward, ease up on your driving aids; once it has shortened, open your fingers again enough to reward. It is very common to see exactly the opposite: the rider gets the horse to come back once, but never releases his closed fingers again, and spends the rest of the hour hanging in the horse’s mouth, or, having gotten the horse to go forward, spends the rest of the day with his legs stuck halfway through the horse. The reason you want your aids to be effective is so that you can teach the horse to respond to them more and more sensitively – and so that you can use them less and less."
https://www.horsemagazine.com/thm/2021/08/four-showjumping-masters-part-2-william-steinkraus/

08/11/2023

I really like this evolution of how riders develop into correct and secure postions.

07/21/2023

06/14/2023

ARENA GROOMING PATTERNS 🚜

Horse arena footing doesn't stay in prime condition without consistent maintenance. Regularly grooming your arena will keep sand and additives well mixed, and will keep your surface level. Here are some suggested grooming patterns. Change up the pattern each day so that your tractor doesn't create compaction.

LEARN MORE ABOUT ARENA MAINTENANCE 👇
https://premierequestrian.com/horse-arena-maintenance/maintenance-101/

06/14/2023

06/12/2023

https://youtube.com/shorts/kQu5JwNFa8c?feature=share

06/11/2023

We have just started to accept students in to our Driving Program.

After 24 hours we only have two opening remaining. Both are on Tuesday afternoons. If you are interested in starting in our Pony Driving Program please let us know by either texting or leaving a voice mail on our buisness line at (253)245-9005.

Driving can offer a great compliment or replacement to horse riding lessons and/or horse ownership.

Although we are not a breed or style specific program our main focus in on developing the skill needed for Combined Driving, a FEI recognized sport where horses and drivers compete in one, two, and four-horse teams (for our lessons we will stick with one or two horse teams). We teach our students to perform arena-based dressage class’ where accuracy and control are highlighted, also a cross-country/marathon skill set that focuses on fitness and endurance, as well as what is need for proper ex*****on of obstacle courses.

06/11/2023

😂😂😂

04/14/2023

Good morning!

Just a reminder. The grooming stalls will be closed all day Saturday to prepare for and host a clinic.

The external saddling area and tack rooms will still be available. Thank you.