MK Horsemanship

06/18/2025

Let go for dear life!

We often hear "hang on for dear life" but when it comes to horses the more we hang on the more we put ourselves in a dangerous situation. The more we pull on the reins, grip with our legs, and hold the horse back the more a horse will get anxious, frustrated or shut down.

If we want to be safe around horses we have to be brave enough to let go and let the horse be all that he is. Our reins are met for guidance and direction, not balancing off of and using for manipulation. Our legs are for direction and guidance too, legs are not for gripping for balance or kicking a horse into submission.

When we are scared or unsure we will pull on the reins, or the lead rope. We will also grip or kick with our legs. This makes it so difficult for the horse to do what we are asking because we are shutting down the very things that allow a horse to do the horse things we are asking it to do. If we don't guide and direct a horse to do things in a way that he is physically and comfortably able to, we will cause a dangerous horse.

It's scary letting go and helping a horse to respond in the way that it's made to... but it's the safest way to handle a horse. Sooo... let go for your dear life and guide that thing!🥰

06/16/2025

When the baby wants to pushed around in the stroller we work on ground tying 🤣😅.
More often than not the obstacles we encounter are actually great training tools!

06/15/2025

Happy father's day to all the dads out there!
We appreciate all that you do!

06/13/2025

This this this 🙌

This 🙌🏽

06/09/2025

I look at life as a tornado and I see myself standing in the center of it.
I see it swirling around me, and within it are insecurities, wrong doings, people, and problems.

As I watch these things fly past me I have a choice.
I can grab on to one of those negative things and be whisked away into the swirl...
Or I can let it fly by me and and I can stay grounded and balanced in the center.

Sometimes I won't have the strength to stay balanced, and I will grab on to something as it flies by... but if I don't let go after the first or second rotation with the storm, I will find myself getting more and more lost with each rotation.

In the end I must get comfortable watching the storm from a grounded and balanced position.
Otherwise I will become exhausted and risk being pulled into the storm, never to return.

Our horses are like tornados. We can chose to stay in balance or we can be whisked away by every little problem and feeling.
We need to be grounded and balanced before we can offer them any sort of comfort or guidance.

06/03/2025

Having another trainer to collaborate with makes a world of difference for me. Nicole Shoup Horsemanship gives me a safe place to ponder and bounce ideas off of, gives validation where it's due and does a beautiful job offering constructive feedback that validates my thoughts but pushes me to dig deeper and do better.

If you are looking for a horsemanship page that shares important information in a fun and easy to understand way give Nicole a follow! 😀

From one trainer to another- do you have other trainers supporting you? People to collaborate with?

I am fortunate enough to talk to MK Horsemanship every single week. She speaks sense into me when I feel confused and is an important part of my training. Her page is filled with wisdom and thought provoking posts.

Give her a follow and enjoy what you will gain!

06/02/2025

Two months ago on the 25th of March we welcomed Renae Ann into the world 🥰. Our lives changed the second we found out we were expecting and with that we have learned a lot about how precious life is and that the strength needed to live in this world lives inside us if we are brave enough to believe it.

Something that continues to amaze me is that every comment about our baby's features whether it be from friends, family, or strangers is expressed in awe, everything about her seems to be perfect to everyone. As I listen to the comments I realize that many of my own features that I struggle with and have had negative comments on, are the very features that are admired in our baby.

All of this has made me realize that after we hit a certain age the world loses respect and admiration for life itself. We are expected to be a certain weight, look a certain way, and make a certain amount of money. Life itself is no longer valuable or enough… instead it is something to hide from. It seems like every baby is perfect to everyone… until they hit a certain age.

Why is it that life is so miraculous at a young age, but after we hit a certain age the things once admired are now being judged?

Along with the judgement of the outside world, we learn to judge ourselves, to be harsh with ourselves, and to be embarrassed. This judgment leaves us feeling frustrated and robs us of joy and the ability to learn and grow. It limits our strengths and fuels our weaknesses.

Like every other part of the world, the horse world can sometimes be about appearance, money, and fitting in, giving the student a false reality to strive for.
This causes a fear of making mistakes, and also believing that the ones that hide the struggle don't really struggle at all.
WE ALL STRUGGLE PERIOD.

What if we looked at ourselves and peers with the same awe that we look at babies with? What if instead of hating on the way our hands handle the reins, we looked at them with admiration for trying so hard?
What if we smiled when we watch videos of ourselves riding and trying our hearts out? What if we looked at our bodies with pride because they are helping us achieve our goals and making things happen?

My goal this year is to appreciate just how capable my body is, and just how capable I am. We should be proud of what we are capable of, proud of our dedication, and proud of the results we create. Yes, we need to push ourselves to grow… but we can't grow if we don't love the very things that make growth possible.

05/27/2025

"In the misty morning before the sun begins to rise the world seems at peace with itself right before our eyes. No raised voices to spoil our waking day, just a sheltered silence and the world seems a million miles away."
~David Harris

05/26/2025

Wishing everyone a peaceful Memorial Day as we honour those who gave their all for our freedom.

05/23/2025

05/22/2025

Experiences

We can all experience the same thing, yet have a completely different experience.
In each experience we gain strengths and weaknesses that are personal to us.

When teaching students I try to take time to understand what their experiences mean to them, how we can build on their strengths and find inspiration in their weaknesses. The horses mirror our hearts, so we must find ways to accept, love, and grow from our experiences.