07/06/2025
Kicking off our very first Client Spotlight is the incredible Toni and her stunning gelding, Ranger! š¤
Toni joined the M4X Horsemanship program with her family in the spring of 2023, and since then, she and Ranger have been working hard, showing up consistently, and making huge stridesāon the ground and in the saddle.
Their journey together is a testament to trust, curiosity, and listening to your gut (youāll see what I mean š). Iām so proud of the work these two have put ināand Iām excited for you to read their story! ā¬ļø
1. How long have you been part of the M4X Horsemanship program with your horse?
I joined this program with my family in spring of 2023. It has completely changed how we view and conduct our horsemanship. We had been using a natural horsemanship curriculum, which was great, but Mackenzie helped us fill holes and level up our understanding of what a true partnership looks like with our particular horses.
2. Tell us a little about your horseāwhatās their name, age, and personality like?
As of this moment, I am currently going through my first training program with Mackenzie alongside my best buddy Ranger! We have had him for almost one year now. He is a purebred black Arabian, and heās 4.5 years old now. He is very playful, super curious, and a very social boy. Heās always doing funny things for us to video.
3. What first drew you to your horse, or how did you two become a team?
So I accidentally discovered Ranger on a day when I wasnāt looking. I saw a thread from an anonymous poster in a horse group, looking for leads on Arabians. I have always loved the look of Arabs, I love how smart and responsive my Arab mare is, and knowing this plus how much my late aunt loved them (her and I were very close) this sparked an interest. So I looked through the different horses in the thread and had to full stop on Ranger. He was identical to my mare. I did what any sensible horse owner does.. I reached out. I went to meet him the very next day. Right away he was meeting me at the fence, and he had the softest kindest eye. The thing that sealed the deal for me was the fact that Iād never felt so strongly in my gut that Iād regret it for the rest of my life if I didnāt bring him home. That gut feeling has actually helped guide me in other areas of my life because I learned through Ranger, how to listen and respond to it.
4. Whatās something you and your horse have really improved on together during your time in the M4X Horsemanship program?
Honestly, everything. Iāve learned how to look for tiny details, Iāve learned how horses think. Iāve learned how he learns best, and Iāve really learned that it doesnāt take a heavy handed approach to build a great horse. It takes a lot more understanding than domination. Partnership on the ground has been the best part for me. I love spending that time with him, which I realized is largely why weāve had such a great training experience so far under saddle.
5. Whatās your favorite exercise, drill, or type of ride to work on as a team?
First and foremost, my favorite thing is slow and relaxed trail rides. It always will be. But one of my favorite things outside of that is sending him through obstacles. I love watching his brain tick as he thinks through it all and figures out where to place his feet. Heās very sure footed, and rarely misses a step. But he loves the challenge and thrives on fun new activities.
6. Whatās one challenge youāve worked through with your horse?
Food aggression. For some reason he gets very angry at feeding time, so itās taken a long time and a lot of consistency to let him know that his behavior is unsafe and unacceptable. Heās so much better.
7. If your horse had a superpower, what would it be and how would they use it?
He would have the ability to fly. With how beautifully this boy can move, itās like watching him fly. He would go on all the adventures!
8. Whatās your 6-month goal for you and your horse, either in the arena or out on the trail?
My goals are based mostly on me. Once I realized that most of our issues involve my own inexperience, I started trying to learn new ways to ask my horse to do things. New ways to communicate. I also look at how my actions teach him to do the exact opposite of what I am asking him to do, so my goals are to refine myself in those areas so I can better teach him what his expectations will be. I primarily desire a trail buddy that will take care of me in the rugged region we live in.
9. Whatās something your horse has taught youāabout riding, patience, or even life?
Honestly, that all I have to do is ask the right way and he is willing to do just about anything for me. That trust is the single most important element. This horse will follow me into literally anything on the ground, so my hope is that continuing to build that trust will translate into the saddle. Heās taught me a lot about trust and partnership.
10. Whatās your favorite part about working with your horse through the M4X program?
My favorite partā¦. All of it. This has been such a rewarding journey. Not every session has been easy, some days are hard, but I leave each time feeling like we built a little more and got a little further. Thatās whatās important. We show up, we try to make time for our homework, and it is paying off!