Blackjack Lane Equestrian

11/30/2024

Watching the Boyd Martin Clinic at Pine Hill! What a great day!

11/27/2024

Bingo! This has always been our program and we are so proud to have created working students, grooms and assistant trainers with this program! Unmounted lessons are some of the most important lessons!

BY DAPHNE THORNTON OF TWO BIT TRAINING When it comes to riding lessons, I understand that riding is the overwhelming desire, as well as the underlying principle, guiding most participants. However, sometimes riding is not possible, or even advisable. On those days, I am a fan of unmounted lessons.....

11/18/2024

Such a great 2 weeks at Great Southwest Equestrian Center for Autumn Classic and Final Chase! The horses and riders all put in such great rounds and had so much success, even in new divisions and classes! The horsemanship and sportsmanship of these riders is unbeatable!

Congrats to everyone! Some highlights are:

Abby and Zozimus Encore 1st in the 1.0m Jr Power and Speed, 2nd in the Speed round and Reserve Champion in the 1.0m Junior Jumpers! They've only been in this division for 3 shows!

Ava and Chio 2 wins over fences, a 3rd in the undersaddle and a 3rd over fences in the Medium/Long Stirrup! This pair has only been together for 2 months!

Abby and Forgetta Beau It with wonderful ribbons in their debut in the 3'3" Large Junior Hunters, including a 3rd and 5th in a large and competitive group!

Vaeda and Mighty Swell with many 2nds and 3rds in their debut in the 3'3" Small Junior Hunters!

Krissan and Elsa making their re-debut in the jumper ring after spending a year working on her ridability and anxiety, with clear rounds and a blue!

Vaeda and Kortes stepping back into the Large Junior Hunters for the second time and their debut in their first 3'6" Juior Equitation with a 5th!

Krissan and Forgett Beau It with a 2nd and 5th in the USHJA 2'9" OF and 3rd in the undersaddle!

We sure are ready to start the 2025 Show Season in December!!

11/16/2024

Congratulations to Abigail and Forgetta Beau It on the 8th place finish in the THJA Childrens 3' Equitation Finals last night! Just to qualify is a big accomplishment alone and to come away 8th for the year makes me so proud!

11/16/2024

Congratulations Ava and Chio on exceptional rounds this morning!

11/06/2024

Congratulations to our very loved Catherine Zurcher on making it to Nationals for EAP!! We are so proud of you! Your hard work and dedication have paid off and you deserve it! Have a great time!

09/21/2024

Moe and Rory are having a great time at Southwest Showdown! Look at these two smiling faces! 🤣

09/05/2024

It is with much sadness that we share the passing of our sweet Riley yesterday. He was a lesson horse with us for many years, and boy, what a character he was! He had the smoothest trot of any horse out there and the goofiest personality! He battled chronic cellulitis and DLSD in his old age, along with his heart being in the wrong part of his chest, which is absolutely insane, but I think it's because it was too big.

He had the BIGGEST heart, especially when it came to his best friend, Desi. Desi and Riley were the cutest old couple and Riley as always by his side. Desi lost an eye nearly 6 years ago, and from that day forward, Riley promised to be his seeing eye pony and protector. Desi is pushing 30 and I surely thought Riley would be there to celebrate with him at his Dirty Thirty party, but he'll have to watch from the clouds.

Thank you Riley for all the years you put in. For the countless riders you taught. For all the IEA practices and shows you tolerated. For always being a GOOFBALL. For your smooth as cloud trot. For teaching some how to do their first flying change. For teaching riders grit and how to handle a sensitive horse. You were such a good boy and you are so very missed.

Hug those lesson horses you guys. They really are the world. I'm so glad I got to let him fall asleep in his pasture after a day of grazing and peppermints. Love you big boy. I'll keep Desi safe for you!

08/28/2024

We had such cool rainbows last Friday. We even had a double rainbow which is a first for me! Thank you for some cool shots!

08/26/2024

Our little piece of heaven! We have had so many rainbows lately! Thanks for the photo from today!

08/24/2024

The cutest pony group EVER had a great lesson today!

08/17/2024

Absolutely spot on!

A small stab in the heart is what you feel when you put up the day's riding list and you see riders sinking heavily in their shoulders when reading which horse they are assigned for the lesson. A small stab in the heart for that horse that for an hour will carry around a rider who has already decided that he does not like his horse. A small stab in the heart for the horse that did not choose the rider himself but still does his best, lesson after lesson.

Riding is a privilege and something you have chosen to do. If you chose to ride at a riding school, your instructor assumes that you actually want to learn how to ride. The instructor's highest wish is that you get good at it.

Often there is a plan and a thought as to why you are assigned to that exact horse. Before you mount up next time, ask yourself "what can this horse teach me today?" All horses have something to give, a feeling or a new tool in the box.

The art is actually in being able to get a lazy horse to move forward, to get an uncertain horse to gain confidence, a naughty horse to focus or a tense horse to be released. It takes work. If you think a horse is boring, it's more likely that you don't ride the horse as well as you think! It's not easy to be confronted with your own shortcomings, but it is in that very situation that you get the chance to truly grow as a rider.

The excuse that "it's not my kind of horse" is actually a really bad excuse. A good rider can ride any kind of horse. A good rider has trained many hours on different types of horses to become a good rider. A good rider can find and manage the gold nuggets in every horse.

If we absolutely want to ride, it is our duty to strive to do it as best as possible, even if it's only for fun. We owe it to every horse that carries us upon it's back.

Copied and shared with love for all of our horses, ponies and riders 🐎❤🐎

07/19/2024

We are pretty excited about this new sale pony! He's a cutie!

07/15/2024

This is why we love pole work! You don't have to jump big heights to get better over fences. It's about accuracy.

BY ERIN GILMORE Great riders have a way of making what we do seem so simple. It’s how they give us confidence. After watching Olympic gold medalist Will Simpson teach a two-day clinic at Rutledge Farm in Middleburg, Virginia, I was full of confidence as I headed home. I went straight to the arena...

07/08/2024

The horses and ponies are all tucked in safe and sound in the main barn. The hatches are battened down! We hope everyone stays safe tonight!

06/18/2024

So proud of our riders last week during EAP. They all worked hard, learned so much, made great connections and impressed the clinicians. Thank you ladies for representing our program so well! Love you all!

06/07/2024

Here's to the one who changed the trajectory of my whole life. The one and only Blackjack Magic, circa 1999 or so? He's the horse who gave our program a name and made me fall in love with the sport and all that it means. Love you Bo**er. Thanks for giving me the best years in the saddle. I probably won't ever have another like you and I've come to terms with that finally.

Also, how big were my feet back then?! Sheesh!

06/04/2024

Entries are due today for our show this weekend! Please let us know if you plan to participate and call or text 281-515-8282 if you need stalls!