Dusty Britches Equestrian

11/19/2024

That barrel horse you see kicking everyone's butts? Or the rider who seems to be able to win on anything you put them on?

There's a lot less "cool" stuff involved behind the scenes, and a lot more of being a master of the basics. You can't write a novel without first learning your ABCs - and a great horse or rider isn't made without a solid foundation.

11/18/2024

Do You Babysit...

I often see people getting caught in the mindset to treat the horse the way they acted once upon a time. This creates a reactivity to what the horse might possibly do today simply based on history.

I'm a firm believer that if we treat our horse or even a child who has been naughty in the past, as if they will always be that way, we will probably be right. I'm sure glad I'm not now judged on how I was at twelve years old. I'm different now. We simply cannot expect failure over and over and get anything but more failure.

Instead, we should always strive to first have the expectation of how we expect the horse to be and them treat them like it. Want a respectful horse (child), show them the expectation and hold them accountable. Most of the time, that's what we will end up with.

Then, we need to consistently show them what we expect and then give them a chance to become it.

Where many get jammed up is when we micro manage everything they do (babysit) and never ask them or certainly never allow them to change and become that trusted partner.

We spend so much time worrying about the wonky tracks they have already made that we don't actually allow them to make fresh new successful tracks.

Now all this is easier said then done no doubt, however it is the only way to not only enjoy our horses. It's the only way they will enjoy us as well. Nobody likes to be micro managed.

How many young c**ts have never developed into trusted horses because they were never allowed to prove that they could be, just that they aren't.

Pc Tracey Buyce Photography

11/17/2024

BE THAT GIRL.

Be that girl who cares more about how she treats people than how she does at the barrel race.

Be that girl who gives her horse a pat on the neck after a bad run instead of ripping on her horses face.

Be that girl who wants to see her friends succeed just as much as she wants to succeed.

Be that girl who smiles at everyone in the warm up pen instead of smiling at just the people she knows.

The barrel racing world is full of people who are jealous, ungrateful and rude. It’s our job as competitors to bring positivity to this sport we all love. We are called as followers of the Lord to speak life and give grace to those around us. Let’s make this industry the best it can be and focus more on being THAT girl.

-Chandler Ritchey

11/13/2024

The world needs more kindness ❤️

🌎💛 Happy World Kindness Day! 💛🌎

Take a moment to pay it forward and spread kindness wherever you go! Hold the door for a stranger, buy someone a coffee, or simply let someone know how much they mean to you. 💐✨

11/12/2024

Want to ride with us?

As we start into our Winter hours, our lesson program has a few openings that will be coming up soon!

Lessons are a monthly tuition of $240 which includes a 1 hour weekly time slot, 4 lessons monthly. Ages 8 and up (we also have our Saddle Tots program for the under 8s!). All skill levels are welcome and no horse needed!

Lessons are Monday through Friday, 4pm to 7pm. Spots are LIMITED! We only have openings a couple of times a year so they are first come-first served!

Don't worry about weather either! We have a wonderful indoor arena to keep us cozy and dry!

So if you've ever wanted to learn to ride, especially western speed events like barrel racing and gymkhana, now is the perfect time to start!

Complete our waitlist form here and we'll reach out with available times!

https://forms.gle/fZVYf77sEd8HksJS8

11/08/2024

Training, whether for yourself or for your horse, is an INVESTMENT. It's something that is going to cost a significant amount if done right - but it pays off significantly in the long term as well.

Trust the process.

HORSES IN TRAINING…

You pay that hefty training bill for the month.

You look to have you horse in training as little as possible so it doesn’t break the bank.

You’re disappointed when after 30 days or 60 days or 90 days, there’s still more work to be done or the goal hasn’t been met. Worse yet, it looks good, you take the horse home and it unravels piece by piece. All that money “wasted”.

When you pay a trainer, that money isn’t paying for a result, it’s paying for someone’s skilled effort.

At least for me, when someone gets unhappy that their horse “isn’t fixed yet”, or comes “untrained” after it’s been home a while, makes the task of training horses for other people, discouraging. Discouraging because the efforts are being made, usually my best efforts that are filled with compassion, determination and lots of ruminating on how to fix complex issues a horse may have. Their disappointment becomes my failure basically. I know that’s not an actual truth but it’s never rewarding when someone is disappointed due to their own expectations.

Training a horse is NOT like being a mechanic on a car. Its not a tune up, it’s not the simple replacement of a part. It’s an animal with thoughts, feelings, emotions, habits, talents, etc. You don’t just program them, tune them up or replace a faulty part and send it back good as new.

You arent paying for results to happen within your timeline, you are paying for the time it takes to reach a desired result. The more complicated the project, the bigger the investment. The more baggage a horse has, the more effort it takes to unravel the mess. The bigger the goal, the greater the investment.

People send their horses to certain trainers because they want the outcome that trainer proves they can achieve. The problem is, people want that result in the shortest time frame possible because time, again, is money. It takes the time it takes to create the vision and time costs money. People who have a diy mentality, value the effort so much more when they themselves invest their own energy into a horse rather than just paying for it. I really feel that those who do it themselves, come to appreciate the efforts it takes far more than those who sign the check.

Be nice to your trainers, they work hard for you and your horse!

Written by: katy Negranti
Katy Negranti Performance Horsemanship

11/05/2024