http://www.shelteringoakfarms.com/

Sheltering Oak Farms, 3445 Meridian Road, Chico, CA (2024)

09/06/2023

It has been a busy summer with a lot of construction, and exciting changes to Sheltering Oak Farms.
Our new covered riding arena is complete!!!
We still have landscaping and planting to install, but we are using the new arena daily and love the cooler riding area.

09/05/2023

We are so excited to be offering lessons to youth ages 7-12🤠
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Horses quickly pick up on the feelings or tone being communicated from a person and provide a mirror of their partner's communication style. The clearer the communication structure and boundaries, the happier and calmer the horse will be.
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Youth lessons are not new to us, the ability to accommodate young beginner and intermediate youth to ride is the new part✨
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Dm or click the link in bio to schedule a horse experience for your youth🎠
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05/05/2023

Equine Connection is a program that supports leadership skills, confidence, a sense of presence, setting boundaries, and finding your way of communicating effectively. The horses become a vessel to the emotional state of the participant working directly with them. This allows a very clear visual understanding of the way one’s tension, body language, and sense of boundaries affect their ability to clearly communicate.

04/06/2023

Coming along! This is Day 4 of the build. 🛠️

Footers are being dug out and framed for cement. They actually hit our water table in certain spots at only 3 ft down! Horses are adjusting well and do show signs of stress which was to be expected. Hansel snuck a nap in while the machinery wasn’t in use. The kitties have been a little wigged about the whole thing. Now that they’ve had a chance to explore the site with us, they’re a lot more comfortable.

Safety⚠️
The crew used pipe panels to enclose the entire build site. If a horse got loose they’d be restricted from serious danger.
All client horses are stalled in the opposite side of the barn from the construction so no one has to look directly at it and so everyone is enclosed in solid paneling.
Our herd is out at Camp (our pasture with a shelter where they all go together) which is removed enough from the build for them to manage their stress.
Since they border the main arena and are only contained by hot wire/ribbon fencing; we have to restrict turn out in the main arena.
This is a measure to ensure our horses don’t get overly wound up and to prevent another horse from coming in and challenging the pecking order. With 6 horses all together, it can get a little ‘exciting’ out there. For the most part they do great and take turns napping in a very ‘natural’ way.

These are the gist of the measures we’ve taken to keep our business and horses safe while this build continues. By the time the heat comes we will have shade and everything will go back to the usual🤠

03/20/2023

Getting Pearl back on track💪🏻

Just before Thanksgiving, she developed Pigeon Fever. Then that was laminitis, then lymphangitis, then more Pigeon Fever abscesses. The first week of March she was, finally, clear of infection and brought back into the barn. She had been in a solo shelter paddock area so we could minimize the area that would be exposed to the bacteria.
With 4 months of stiffness, soreness, and minimal movement; we are just now getting back to things. Bodywork to help all the stiffness and tension she developed from standing in pain and moving in pain. Lots of walking and Pillar One work with the Balance Through Movement Method just to help her body get back to a balanced baseline. Just 20 minutes of a strong walk has her breathing elevated.
It’s been so hard to watch so much pain and discomfort, as well as, so much muscle and balance melt away with this infection.
My bright-side perspective is this gives an opportunity to take the time to start over more balanced than before. You’d rarely give your horse four months stall rest on purpose. She had areas where she felt physically limited to the point of being habitual. My hope is with patience and time, we will build back better than before. I miss the path we’d been on and the clinics we’d hoped to attend this year.
In a way this has been good for me to connect to riding a different way. I’ve been trail riding Mae, one of our younger horses, and am having so much fun just riding. I’ve been so competitive and on such a path with riding my whole life, that this casual shift is completely new. Pearl is building back balance and I am building back my love for riding as a whole, not just competition.

12/04/2022

Hansel🍬
He has now been with us for two months and it’s so great to see him filling out more. Of course he’s got this amazingly festive winter coat, but you can still see the change in stance and the more filled out hips and flank. First two photos are most recent and the third is from our first time meeting him.

He has always been well cared for. We have added to his diet to help with his overall health as he debuted in our program. We knew it would be a much higher work load and have seen such a difference with Stable Mix added to his diet. It’s the best complete feed to give horses the vital nutrients they need for all levels of work and lifestyle 🙌🏻
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09/21/2022

These rosettes that hang in our tack room are one of my proudest achievements in my time with horses. They represent countless hours of drilling techniques, performing at qualifying competitions, building a resiliency to losing, and an appreciation of dedication and focus.

I won the title of National Champion three different years and each one felt just as cathartic as the last. The first nationals win was a dream come true that lit a fire to chase that feeling. The second had more pressure since it was in the same division as the previous year. Defending the title back to back years was the most perfect way to graduate from that division. The third win was possibly the most significant due to the journey there.

I was riding a horse I'd only know that year and in a style of riding that was less familiar. That year I trained every weekend drilling the rhythm, balance, and techniques this horse required. I only had 3 opportunities to qualify for nationals. Two local shows, and one regional show where my only chances. This horse was also the most challenging horse I'd ever ridden up to this point. Incredibly sensitive, insanely athletic, and hyper focused personality.

The year of working with him leading up to Nationals expanded my knowledge and technical skills in riding to a whole new level. It was from that year on that I had a thorough enough understanding of pressure cues to train my own horses.

09/19/2022

Turn out🐎
Why you need to prioritize turn out->

Horses are grazing animals and meant to be in motion as much as possible. Even with spacious stalls and attached runs, your horses still need free time to roam, mingle, and nibble.

What turnout can improve:
Muscle tension leading to soreness, calmer mindset, regulate awareness of surroundings confidently, stretching back when grazing, activating thoracic sling use if grazing and walking

The muscles at the base of the neck that activate when the horse is alert and tense have a chance to relax. The muscles that activate when a horse is grazing promote a feeling of calm and security when active for extended periods of time.

If you struggle with a tight and brace-y neck, adding turn out to your horses lifestyle could help release the tension held in those muscles.

09/13/2022

You have to know the rules to break the rules.

This came up in a lesson and it made so much sense to me. I was remarking on the journey of learning to ride with refinement and harmony.

You start a little ignorant and assume things will just work. The more you learn, the more you realize you don't know. You experience doubt in your capabilities along the way and work to refine. With that refinement comes a feeling of rigidity and hard boundaries to adhere to. Now that you're starting to feel a little more confident in your abilities, it's time to pursue harmony. Here's where you realize all the rules and strict guidelines you learned are just tools to access the support you and your horse need for each stride.

You can look back and realize the ease and trust in yourself that you started with is what you now need to truly ride. It gets so simple; just ride.

In order to create your own language and communication with the horse, you have to understand what makes the language work.

09/07/2022

One of the most simple moments of advice I received that hugely impacted my perspective was, “Why are you disciplining him for being scared?”

I had a flighty horse at the time and had grown up with the mentality of spooking being bad behavior or something to discipline. I had never been given the perspective of spookiness being a sign of insecurity. The shift that occurred with that simple advice was the first step down my path of balanced horsemanship and healing communication between horse and rider.

09/07/2022

One of the most simple moments of advice I received that hugely impacted my perspective was, "Why are you disciplining him for being scared?".

I had a flighty horse at the time and had grown up with the mentality of spooking being bad behavior or something to discipline. I had never been given the perspective of spookiness being a sign of insecurity. The shift that occurred with that simple advice was the first step down my path of balanced horsemanship and healing communication between horse and rider.

09/04/2022

For this show season, I had set the goal of moving up a level in Cowboy Dressage as well as becoming a Level 1 Clinician. For the Cowboy Dressage World Finals in October, I set the goal of competing in La Garrocha with a freestyle routine.

This Summer our business has shifted and so have my goals as a rider and professional in the industry. Our business is growing with Equine Connection Therapeutic Program and the serendipitous way that came about is impossible to overlook.

Growing Equine Connection has allowed me to truly find my niche space in the horse industry. I love coaching and I love riding, I really love connecting with people and improving communication between horse and handler, as well as sharing all the amazing, life-enriching qualities horses have to offer.

My goals have shifted and despite not achieving the goals I started this season with, I have gained far more understanding of what my future in the industry holds.

My goals for the rest of this year, and probably many years following, are:
-Grow Equine Connection and extend the reach of our therapeutic program
-Coach clients through training their own horses
- Manage Sheltering Oak Farms with a reputation for thorough and involved horse care
-Ride for my own ambitions with my own horses and pursue goals without feeling that the success of the business partly depends on that
-Attend and enjoy the Cowboy Dressage World Finals for community and love of competing
-Become a credentialed judge for Cowboy Dressage to stay involved and advocate for the discipline without necessarily competing myself

This Summer has been busy and as things pick back up with school in session, I am so grateful to feel that I have found my place and my true goals here.

08/12/2022

Horses constantly keep you learning! This is our first bruised eye and thank God that’s all it is!

Noticed Pearl’s eye was milky/foggy and googled possible causes and what it can mean; maybe not the best way to ease my mind 😅 Could have been an ulcer, laceration, puncture, conjunctivitis, or a bruise. The vet used a stain to check for harm to the cornea itself and no lacerations or punctures showed🙌🏻

Treatment for the bruise is some medicated eye drops and eye cream to maintain the basic function of the eye as it heals, as well as an anti-inflammatory to manage the swelling of the cornea. Because the tissue itself is damaged, it’s very likely there will be a longterm spot on this eye; residue scar tissue basically.

Thankfully, of all the issues it could have been, this is incredibly benign and simple to treat. Maybe she’ll be a little more protective of her head going forward 🤞🏻
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08/05/2022

Have you ever noticed that young kids seem to get away with anything and everything with their horses? Can you think of something you did as a young rider that you look back on and wonder how you were unscathed? Tell me about it🐎

Horses are present beings and live in the moment. They tether to us as leaders since leading is not in their nature. Young kids often have a very pure presence and intention when it comes to things they wish to do.

When they decide to ride their pony in the pond, they fully believe that it is the best idea and it is pure joy and it will absolutely happen. Often times, that pony may protest a little but will then proceed to go in the water. That intention being so pure and present overrides the anxiety that comes up in the horse and reassures them that the leader knows exactly what they’re doing.

When we grow up and our lives develop a cluttered mind of stress and responsibilities, it becomes difficult to get back to that present state. Not to mention, we’re far more aware of all the dangers in just running your horse into a pond😬

Through communication, working on our ability to be present, and focusing on intention, we can achieve such fulfilling relationships with our horses, like we did as kids.
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.eq

07/24/2022

Have you tested your communication with your horse?

Liberty work is really where it all gets laid out on the table. It puts you in a position where you are unable to manage or force the outcome. It asks patience, consistency, and clarity of you in your relationship with your horse. It is the very best way to check in and see where your relationship really stands.

If you find yourself feeling defeated or frustrated, listen to the feedback of the horse and find where clarity is missing.
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07/22/2022

It was a RIATA party in our barn 🤠

If you have been looking for a fun, comfortable, and stylish accessory to escape the sun; is the answer.

We wear ours daily and they hold up well, keep you shaded, and are extremely comfortable. Definitely a summer essential in this Chico triple digit heat 🥵
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07/05/2022

Happy Independence day to all🫡🇺🇸

Celebrated today with a barefoot ride with Pearl. I don’t think I’d ridden barefoot since I was 12 😳 (I know it’s not formal or necessarily safe)

I’ve been working to reconnect with riding for fun and to enjoy the relationship with my horse. Every time I choose to hop on for a quick 20 min walk, I feel so grounded and am reminded just how impactful riding is for me.

I hope everyone found some time to enjoy what grounds them over this holiday weekend 🎆

06/22/2022

Ranch projects fill most weekends around here🤠

We had these tubs out in the front garden space empty. .pam had the brilliant idea to move the tubs to the wash-rack as planters. Very fitting for sure!🛁

Although the plants we used aren’t native, they bring a gorgeous pop of color and really liven up that side of the barn. Slowly but surely we continue to landscape and add year ‘round color to the ranch. We choose desert varieties for their bright color and heartiness in our hot climate. We’ve used these specific varieties around the ranch already and they’re super happy here. They’ll bloom all summer and the grasses will bloom in the fall. So great to have varieties with a bloom later than our own spring bloom.
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06/14/2022

As a facility, our primary goal has been to provide great care and a very healthy environment for the horses here. We’ve had horses forever but never lived with them nor took on other’s horses for care prior to . Over the last four years we have learned so much about their nature and tells of communication.

Today we were reflecting on how the boarding side of the horse industry seems to put more emphasis on low costs than the wellbeing of the horse. It’s a funny predicament to have, especially when the primary purpose of a boarded horse is typically competing or some form of athletic use.

Prior to having our own facility, we boarded for years in 12x12 stalls with access to any additional space or care as an add-on. We showed up every day we could and would work the horses, supplement them, and provide the care we wanted them to receive. That was what I grew up with. All the added supplements and sports medicine costs were just standard with that lifestyle.

Once we moved to the ranch, we saw such a change in our horses’ characters. Stiffness and puffy joints weren’t a daily occurrence. Ulcers and back pain seemed to diminish almost entirely. We realized we had far fewer expenses once they were living a lifestyle more true to their nature. Again, why don’t facilities focus on the horses wellbeing more than cramming them in and buying cheaper hay? That leaves boarders paying to make up for the lacking care.

The change of location to more space and greater room to move made a huge impact. The second element that made a huge impact was the security our horses felt with us. Our relationships improved and we learned habits we never would’ve known before living with them. Habits that showed us underlying issues we assumed were just basic sass. Things we were easily able to treat with more pinpointed care and that, in time, fully healed and therefore didn’t need daily treatments.

Moving here has been the most fulfilling journey of education and purpose. As we’ve found our way, we’ve found other horsemen on the same journey, with the same appreciation for the horses’ wellbeing.

Just feeling especially grateful for all of this today. 🖤

06/05/2022

Cowboy Dressage photo round up from Memorial Day weekend🤠

Pearl and I struggled with distractions making us feel disconnected in our first ride. For our second ride, I worked on allowing her to participate more and trust that she’d be as present as I would be. She settled and listened so well in our second ride, confirming what I knew but had trouble implementing in our first ride🙃

I showed Mae in Partnership on the Ground which asks for a series of moves to be shown on a loose lead. The purpose is to exhibit your relationship with your horse and the role you play for them. She was present and matched my stride through the whole test even giving well balanced bend through the 10 m circles. This division allows you to introduce your horse to Cowboy Dressage with very little pressure on them.

When leading your horse, you very literally are leading them and therefore they can follow. In riding, you are the leader but the horse still is most vulnerable as the one first to experience anything. If your horse doesn’t follow well on the ground, they will not confidently except an ask to put themselves out there and experience something. Groundwork defines your partnership undersaddle 🙌🏻
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05/24/2022

There is something so satisfying about a cleaned and organized tack room. Do you clean regularly or is it something you know you should do more?

I have tried to get into regular cleaning and it just never seems to stick. Thankfully .eq went through and made all this magic happen and we are going to try our darnedest to keep it this way🙌🏻🤠
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05/19/2022

Some photos from the Garrocha clinic. Such a fun element to incorporate into classical Dressage and Cowboy Dressage training. It creates a very objective aspect to circles, bend, balance, and collection. You’re either hitting all those marks or the pole is dragging or you’re finding yourself pushing into the pole. Such a great way of refining what can otherwise feel boring. I personally never find basic work boring but I’m a total horse geek when it comes to balance and basics🤠

Rudi Laura traveled from New Mexico for this clinic and it was such an amazing experience learning from him. He did a phenomenal job having the rider check in with their tension and energy so not to disrupt the flow of the horse. In order to ride with La Garrocha you must allow good energy flow and not hold tension.

There were 13 participants and sadly the group photo had to be cropped. Everyone was so nice and all the horses were amazing with this new element of the Garrocha.
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04/26/2022

Weekend round up from a gorgeous Sunday hike checking on the soil and any new growth. The property is 100 acres total with two creeks (one seasonal and one year round), a pond, and good amount of grassland. The land was very overgrazed and in the years we’ve been here we’ve worked on healing the soil and creating an inviting environment for native plants. We’re seeing a farm more diverse plant life along the creek and in the field. We have cows grazing on some of the land and they have done an amazing job spreading seeds, fertilizing the soil, and trimming back overgrown bushes and trees. We have some pastures still overgrazed but for the most part the land has healed a lot. Very exciting to enjoy all the new plant life popping up💚🌱🌳🌾
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I’m pretty sure that lavender isn’t native but it’s still great to see the diversity in the soil.
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04/21/2022

Swipe for the before👉🏻
A few weeks ago I had a distance session with for developing Pearl’s thoracic sling to aid in her rotated sternum due to a club foot. In just a matter of weeks of taking a break from cantering and going back to basics with the she is becoming a whole different horse. She had a chiropractic adjustment yesterday and our practitioner was blown away by the drastic change in Pearls balance, movement, and overall frame of mind. I’ve been applying a simple 15-20 min of this work everyday and am seeing such results. In another couple weeks I’ll get back to our regular work and continue to develop with this method at the forefront.
Pairing this work with the right food to allow for such impressive muscle development is all part of the equation. Definitely have to credit for the right formula to set Pearl up for success🙌🏻
So excited to see where this takes all of our horses🤠🎉
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04/08/2022

As gorgeous as the green grass is in Spring, looking back at these October photos remind me of how beautiful the golden grass is as we move into Summer. It’s hard to not be a little bitter about things drying out.

Which look do you prefer? Lush Spring or golden Summer?🌿🌾
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04/06/2022

Who remembers their first time trailering a horse? There is a huge learning curve! 😳
Asking your horse to step into a small, metal, rattling box is very against their nature. Horses are flight animals and need to feel free to flee in order to feel safe. They can also be sound sensitive and I don’t know if you’ve ever ridden in a trailer to see what it’s like, but it is loud, clanky, and definitely not peaceful.

Here are five tips for easing your horse’s worry around trailering:
1. Work on loading without going anywhere.
2. Ask your horse to approach and walk away softly under your direction.
3. Offer times of rest in or around the trailer to create a positive association.
4. Ask to step one foot in and out of the trailer to prevent rushing in or out.
5. Rely on your communication instead of food or treats.
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03/28/2022

A lot goes into having success with your horse. Some of our most important factors are nutrition, proper tack, recovery time, and soundness in training practices.
has made the biggest impact in our horses’ nutrition. We found it hard to consistently source quality alfalfa hay and even with quality hay our horses still needed extra nutritional support. Feeding Stable Mix Senior allowed us to keep more grass hay in stock, satisfied our horses nutritional needs, and guarantees consistent quality of their product.
Providing proper turnout and rest schedules for our horses is also a major factor in our program. Our horses don’t spend more than 2 days stalled without turnout. Since prioritizing movement, the body condition of our horses massively improved. Everyone developed round figures and very shiny coats, as well as less frequent muscle fatigue.
There are many factors that make up a successful horse hut nutrition and proper movement are definitely some of the most impactful factors.
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Sheltering Oak Farms

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