Debbie Lewis Riding Lessons

15/10/2024

13/10/2024

My Champion Horse. He looks like a horse in an old war painting.

20/08/2024

Look at my beautiful boy, Udacio. He turned 18 this summer. What an honor to get to be in his presence.

02/08/2024

Highlights from yesterday’s barn activities.

03/06/2024

"Horses don’t think the same as humans.
Something that’s most unique about the horse, that I love, is not what he possesses but what he doesn’t possess..........and that is greed, spite, hate, jealousy, envy or prejudice.
The horse doesn’t possess any of those things.
If you think about people, the least desirable people to be around usually possess some or all of those things.
And the way God made the horse, he left that out." - Buck Brannaman.

Image of Buck is by Heather Kessler - https://www.facebook.com/kesslerphoto

13/01/2024

"Battan down the hatches" my North Texas peops. Here it comes! I got horsey fun this morning till about 2:00, then the cold wind hit me and off to the fireplace I went!

11/12/2023

Hi, Y'all. I can take on a few new students at my new location. I have some new great lesson horses available to me.

I teach Natural Horsemanship western or english riding lessons using dressage principles. It's very important to me for my students to have an independent seat and not use the reins for balance. During the lesson we will regard the horse assuring that we are not riding him in a way (biomechanically) that will harm him mentally or physically.

I also teach students that own their own horse.

I'm happy to put you on my schedule. Message or call me at 214-679-5172.

05/12/2023

Lesson tonight.

01/12/2023

28/11/2023

At sunset after a lesson last night. So fun!

20/11/2023

This article depicts my reason for training using dressage principles. If it’s done properly, it strengthens the horse and it can heal a horse from injury. Amazing Stallion.

MEET THE ACCOMPLISHED DRESSAGE STALLION “HUGIN”, AGE 29, BLIND FOR 15 YEARS AND A SURVIVOR OF THREE BROKEN LEGS:

When Danish dressage trainer Bent Branderup first met the 2-year-old Knabstrupper stallion named Hugin in 1988, he recognized something special in him. Together they trained in classical dressage and in 1991, Hugin proved Bent correct in his assessment when the horse was named Premium Champion Stallion of the Year in Denmark.

Then catastrophe struck … Hugin was critically injured in a breeding accident, fracturing both rear femurs and a front splint bone. Most owners would have accepted the veterinarian’s recommendation of humane euthanasia, but not Bent Branderup. He worked through the many years of healing with Hugin, gradually introducing dressage work to stretch and build muscle to support the injured bones. Against all odds, Hugin made a complete recovery, and back to full-time dressage training they went.

Almost unbelievably, tragedy struck yet again in 1996 when Hugin lost his vision completely, in both eyes. But, as you may have already guessed, Bent did not give up on the stallion. They continued training, using dressage to rebuild Hugin’s confidence in himself and the world he could no longer see … and to this day Hugin and Bent still enjoy their dressage work, always perfecting movements and working toward an ever-higher goal.

Hugin never recovered his sight, but with the eyes of his companion Bent guiding the way, the horse has surpassed all expectations of living a fulfilled life. By anyone’s standards, Hugin has accomplished the impossible dream. And Hugin is not the only one fulfilled by the experience. Bent says “Through Hugin, I learned not to use the horse for dressage, but to use dressage for the horse.”

09/11/2023

Little Cutie at Sunset.

14/10/2023

Udacio sides up to me wherever I am. He’s such a good boy. This is his first time to be mounted at our new barn.

13/10/2023

Taught a fun lesson this morning at our new barn home. Glad for this weather! I have a few slots open for a couple of more students. We have 2 round pens, an obstacle course an outdoor arena and a new covered arena soon. Lots of horsey fun to be had!

24/09/2023

Great trail teaching!

18/05/2023

This is brilliantly written and so true.

I was talking to my students that every horse and rider are unique, but the one thing that is consistent throughout every lesson is that learning cannot occur without relaxation. Without relaxation, there is no point in attempting to train. Horses are prey animals and are programmed to be concerned about their own safety. A tense horse is worried they are not safe. We have to understand this. The horse may be afraid of his surroundings, or separation from their herd, or maybe they are in pain and it isn’t obvious to their rider yet. Anything that makes the horse uncomfortable will make them concerned about their safety, and no learning can pe*****te that fear. A relaxed mind can learn. A tense one cannot.
In my book "Dressage in Harmony", on page 12, I write that muscles are found in extensor-flexor pairs. A tense horse tends to contract both extensor and flexor muscles at the same time, thereby tightening and stiffening the joints through the action of the opposing forces. A truly relaxed horse will have every muscle relaxed from the poll to the tail, moving in regular rhythm and responding easily to all the aids, and the hoofprints are light. The rider can take up the reins or give the reins, and the horse will maintain his rhythm without running away. This must be true of all three gaits. A relaxed horse is not stiff, nor tight or frightened. Only when relaxed will the horse show brilliance in the movement.
If a horse is tense, you may have to dedicate the entire ride to achieve a relaxation. Some horses are more prone to tension than others. If your horse has an extremely high sense of self preservation, it takes enormous patience by the rider. Horses are programmed to be concerned about their own safety, and are hoping you will show them the way to a more secure state of mind. With repetition, the horse begins to believe in their rider. They begin to learn there is a better feeling out there that the rider will help them get to. The time it takes to get to a relaxed state becomes shorter over time.
When the horse is spooking, do not get too close to the scary thing and "give" to help unwind the tension. This can take great courage on the rider's part, but holding a tense horse tight creates even more tension. The "give" helps the horse's neck to soften and lengthen, and relaxation eventually start to migrate through the horse’s body. The horse recognizes the rider will not "trap" him and will not force scary things upon him. That builds trust, and trust creates relaxation.

16/03/2023

Cute little student yesterday learning to post the trot. OMG.

01/03/2023

Playing with my beautiful boy today. My 4 year old, Brio did this today, too. I just didn’t get it videoed.

30/01/2023

23/01/2023

Can’t resist posting one more video of Brio. Look at that bridleless back-up!!!

19/01/2023

I am on cloud 9 today after my lesson with Patrick and Avery. Avery gave me profound teaching and many compliments regarding liberty. Patrick rode my horse bridleless - which I needed so much! He also gave me so much encouragement regarding Brio's training. I needed this lesson so bad! Thank you, Patrick and Avery.

New to this arena but still calm and so easy to ride that he can be ridden bridleless! What a horse. He will be 5 in July. What a great future I have wi...