Factum Equine

11/29/2025

If you're partaking in the seasonal shopping deals, our 501c3 charitable organization (and of course the horses) would love to be considered for a holiday gift 🥰 Items can be mailed to the farm: Factum Equine c/o Chelsea Bourn 175 Honey Hill Road East Haddam CT 06423

We do also have an Amazon Wishlist: https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/29MV695YO80I9?ref_=wl_share

And, since our gator will be paid off by Spring, we are saving for our next big purchase...a zero turn lawn mower! Monetary donations to support this large purchase are graciously accepted via cash, check, or Venmo to @ FactumEquine 🦄

11/27/2025

On this beautiful thanksgiving I’m endlessly grateful for our special community! I broke my arm on Sunday and I haven’t had to worry once about covering care of the herd. My non horsey husband was all prepared to do paddocks today, but we arrived to find a crew of boarders and volunteers had already basically finished… my heart is full 💜

And, if that joy wasn’t enough, sweet summie is already comfy enough at the farm to take a snoozle 😍

11/22/2025

Today we welcomed 2013 OTTB gelding Summer by the Lake (Summie) to the farm 😍 we are so excited for Kaitlyn on this new journey and Jack, Mav, and Jackson are especially happy to have another bay ottb gelding for their crew 😆 we may or may not have a type….

11/21/2025

A lot of changes are happening at the farm, some planned and some not. Being flexible is a valuable skill, one that I am still working on mastering. I feel most comfortable knowing all relevant determinants so I can weigh pros and cons effectively before making a choice that I feel confident in.

Alas, the world doesn’t always work within the confines of my preferred structure so today I got to practice my flexibility muscles 🙃

Our lovely Mariposa moved to a new farm (a change I knew about) and Cutter informed us with extraordinary (perhaps unnecessary?) theatrics that he would like to live next to Winnie (unplanned).

Spice got to move into Cutters paddock, Winnie moved into Mari’s paddock, and Cutter is now neighbors with Winnie and baby Cinnamon. If you feel like it’s a whirlwind cup game, that’s because it is 😆 Spice is thrilled to have more social neighbors and Cutter and Mav are both smitten with Winnie. Cinnamon hasn’t left her hay long enough to notice any changes… but Cutter will be a good role model to her I’m sure.

Believe it or not, this is just the beginning of the changes! January will be a big month too- stay tuned 🤪

11/16/2025

The trees in fall remind us how lovely it is to let things go 🍁

Featuring Cutter and my most favorite tree 💜

11/16/2025

This afternoon, we hosted a small group of moms from Brian Dagle Foundation and Brian's Healing Hearts Center for Hope & Healing… three were return guests who hadn’t been out for over a year. It was so lovely for them to notice the difference in Freya during the time that they were away. At their last visit, Freya was shut down, disinterested in engaging with humans and generally wary of novel circumstances. Today, Freya was quietly bold. She marched right over to them bright eyed and ready to investigate. They identified the difference easily and we talked about what it took to get there.

There was no grand switch, no quick fix answer or checklist to complete. We (including Freya) showed up authentically on good days and hard ones. We went slowly. We asked for her participation and we let her say no. She learned that it was ok to outwardly express emotions and, perhaps most importantly she became versed in requesting (demanding) boobie scratchers.

Sometimes when you do something daily, it’s easy to lose sight of how far you come- we focus instead on how far there is left to go. Today we appreciated how far weve come.

It doesn’t just apply to horses, it turns out 💜

11/13/2025

Baby horse snoozing in the leaves almost makes up for the arctic tundra that has been CT for the last couple days 🙃

Winter is coming!

11/12/2025

Everyday, but today especially, we are grateful to the military service members who choose the tremendous responsibility of service ❤️🤍💙

11/10/2025

To the Horse Who Wouldn’t Yield

You frustrated me once.
I called you stubborn.
I thought you were challenging my authority—
when all along, you were challenging my blindness.

I see it now.

You were the mirror I didn’t know I needed.
Refusing to bend where my will was rigid,
you showed me the edge of my own misunderstanding.
You said “no” when I couldn’t yet hear it,
and in that “no,” you gave me the chance to grow.

Back then, I believed harmony meant obedience.
Now I know true harmony only exists when both beings are free to choose it.

You held your ground,
and because of that, I was forced to find mine—
not through dominance,
but through awareness.

You were my greatest mercy in disguise.
And now, every time a horse resists me,
I listen first.
Because resistance might just be wisdom
wrapped in courage.

From The Path of the Horse, who put into beautiful words the gift of having a horse like my Jack, who has not only changed my life but also the lives of all the horses I’ve met after him. Thanks for teaching me to listen, bud 💜 may we all be open to learning the wisdom that horses have to teach us.

11/08/2025

We are teaching Cinnamon young that gator hay is superior to hay box hay 😆

#

11/08/2025

Did you know I teach in the psychology department at CT State- Tunxis? I have for the last 11 years🤓 The nerd in me loves to see the Milgram Experiment referenced in the horse world, but the horsewoman in me wishes it didn’t have to be.

It’s our job to be our horses advocate- sometimes this means uncomfortably questioning authority for their benefit. Any professional who makes you think your questions are dumb or your feelings are invalid doesn’t need to be an authority figure on your team 🤷🏼‍♀️

The Milgram Experiment and Obedience in Everyday Training

Did you know one of the most famous psychology experiments helps explain why good people sometimes follow questionable advice from “experts” when it comes to training animals?

What Was the Milgram Experiment?

In the 1960s, psychologist Stanley Milgram discovered that ordinary people would administer what they believed were painful electric shocks to others—simply because an authority figure in a lab coat told them to. The lesson? Humans are wired to obey perceived authority, even when it means going against their own values or instincts.

What Does This Have To Do with Animal Training?

In training barns, clinics, or dog classes, the “authority figure” might be a trainer, instructor, or so-called expert. If that expert says, “You must use this tool,” “You have to use pressure or punishment to get respect,” or, “It’s okay, all the professionals do it”—many of us will comply, even if it feels wrong in our gut.

Maybe you’ve witnessed a harsh technique, or seen someone push a horse past what felt safe, and stayed silent because “the trainer knows best.” That’s Milgram’s obedience at work—not a lack of compassion, but a normal human response to authority.

Why Does It Matter?

Recognizing this can empower us to pause and reflect:

Am I following instructions just because someone said so?
Does this align with my ethics and what I know about animal welfare?
How does the horse appear to feel in this situation?

A Different Way Forward:

True leadership in horsemanship is about understanding, not blind obedience. We can—and should—ask questions, trust our intuition, and seek out humane, science-based methods. When in doubt, listen to your horse as much as the human “authority.”

Let’s remember: The real authority in any relationship is compassion, respect, and a willingness to question what doesn’t feel right. Horses depend on our courage to speak up and choose better—no matter who’s watching.

Learn more at https://stormymay.com

11/07/2025

We had a great day at Equine Affaire, Inc. (Official) yesterday! We started the day with a presentation on neck issues (loved to see sure foot pads recommended for rehab) , enjoyed some shopping, met Canadian Horse Raven at their demo, and gave scratchers to lots of horses in c barn!

We love a day of learning 💜