Coaches need lessons too. Our goal to develop future horse riders that are attuned to their horses, compassionate and educated also applies to us. That is why I am personally taking on a challenge to improve my jumping skills. I have traditionally been a western rider and I know that is one area I need work. I hope that my students with find comfort and patience with the horses and themselves in seeing that even coaches need coaching. Good horsemanship is a life long journey and totally worth it. This is my starting video. Let’s hope I improve in 28 days! 😂
27 degrees snow and ice. Welfare check on the horses this morning. I apologize for my narrative. I baby talk to all my horses. 🤪
Blue Horse Farm Riding Academy 2023… Thanks for the memories!! 🐎🥰🐎🎉
The horses celebrate #nationaldayofthehorse at the farm. Thank you to all those who support our small business.
🎉Congratulations to Elsa and Siobhan for completing the 🌹Red Horsemanship Level 🐎!Very proud of you girls you have done so well! 🎉
Who’s got this on your bucket list?
Blue Horse Farms offical wranglers
One more camp video.
We had to wait for the ground to dry out but we had a great day as we resumed day 4 horse camp!
I let the herd in the grass field today in honor of St. Patty’s day. They were very excited!
Merry Christmas everyone!!
Merry Christmas to alll my friends and clients. May this cold snap bring you close to someone to keep you warm and comforted.
#mocha not worried about a tarp or a tent or a tunnel.
Belle got back 😂
Belle can get a little pushy when it’s time to go to her stall, so she learned how to back in, now she does it all by herself.
Out for a evening ride at Blakely State Park. Mocha did great! We even did a bit of cantering in the battlefield. #blakleystatepark #trailriding
Rule #1. Always close the gate… I promise her stall was closed. But she figured out how to open it. Naughty but clever Mocha.
Mocha… always into everything
For the past month or so I have been using a new training technique taught by Warwick Schiller. When I was first watching this style it challenged my old way of thinking, that the horse was something to be told what to do and should listen vs a creature of God that has a right to have a say in it’s life.
I also and began to see that this style builds a relationship with the horse, something I have been wanting forever. I’m not saying there are not times when you ask a horse to do something it’s doesn’t want to do. But the way I look at it now is its more of a conversation, like that with our children.
This is mocha. When I got her she pinned her ears and refused to move when I got on. I thought about forcing her, but.. instead I got off and I listened to her and established a connection on the ground. Now she comes to me and lets me get on. It’s slow going because I have to change what she has come to know about people. But now I have a horse who is genuinely curious about me and what we are going to do, verses resentful. It’s a beautiful thing!
#warwickschiller
#markrashidhorsemanship
#julieripley
Put the feed in the bucket!
When it’s this hot, sometime the only fun horse time I get is at feed time. Mocha is one of my best communicators… but she is not always the most patient.
Making some progress with Phoniex the Mardi Gras horse. Ride 3.