3D Ranch and Training

01/04/2025

This is why I appreciate when I do have to raise board no one fusses. S**t never breaks when it’s 70 and sunny. And no, board is not getting raised lol.

01/03/2025

Players… riders… competitors…

12/28/2024

Who would be interested in bit education lessons? If we have enough we can make it an indoor session. If there are only a few we can work it into your regular lessons. Let me know!

12/12/2024

There is a reason my lessons focus on being able to ride correctly.... you can't run around a pattern at full speed if you can't sit correctly, balanced, and feel your horse under you. I know it has lost me clients and I don't lose sleep over it. Correct before speed applies to more than just your horse. You are either helping your horse or hindering them; you are either training or untraining.

12/02/2024

When your c**t has been a bit spicy and difficult in his youngness.... we have been hauling and tying and grudgingly going into the chaos to get him more exposed... and pastured with mares because, well, they don't let nonsense slide. You wait and you wait and you wait to find the perfect time to start doing time onlys....

We picked...
* A 25 degree morning
* Breakfast in the trailer and on the side of the trailer
* Tacked up in the dark (we have trailer lights on the side but it is still nothing like daylight)
* In the arena before 7 am to see the arena, he has never been in there
* 4 time onlys (alternating trot and lope) with others warming up
* Oh, and let's make those barrels CHRISTMAS TREES!

Did I throw all the things at him at once? Yes. Sometimes you do that to see just where you are at. He earned a gold star and handled it all without incident. With some hesitation and some reluctance going to the far end, he still did all the things that were asked.

And so for your viewing pleasure and entertainment.... Luci's first time only.

11/30/2024

Get asked a lot in your ride, get an extra relaxing cool out.

11/28/2024

Happy Thanksgiving all! I hope you enjoy the day with loved ones!

11/17/2024

It started with 2 random draw tickets and a $1000 mare. 😍🥰😍🥰

Luci with his dam tonight out for a ride.

10/30/2024

Rainy season has arrived and while it was a beautiful day today, we still hauled out to work in “New” places. Steele got to go on a field trip off the property, which I think he appreciated (lots of love and fancy cookies to be had with his friend Nickole), Luci had to work in an arena he’s struggled in in the past and Buttercup, in for training, got to continue his training work.

10/14/2024

I want to let everyone in on a little secret. When you first start out in horses, you should have one goal. Learn to ride. Not learn to barrel race or do gaming or do Grand Prix jumping... you need to learn to ride. Before any discipline work is done, you need to have control at a walk, jog, trot, lope, hand gallop.... you need to know what haunch turns, side passing, rudimentary two-tracking, CORRECT AND CONSISTENT circles, correct stops, and backing are and actually be able to perform all of those things. LEARN TO RIDE FIRST. The mere ability to not fall off the top of a horse is NOT knowing how to ride.

I have had this conversation so many times over the past 18 months and people say they are committed to learning to ride first... but most aren't. They want to run, they want to prove people wrong, they want to, well, do what they want. Which is fine. But let's not be wasting both of our precious minutes in a day discussing how to achieve your goals if you aren't committed to learning to ride first.

The second big key to success? Get strong. Go to the gym. Go on Pinterest and find at home workouts. I can give you at home workouts that don't require equipment to get strong. You cannot ride your best and be weak at the same time. Don't shortchange your goals and success by being weak. There is also so much research that by being strong you will be so much healthier and happier in your old age.

So, fun recap. Commit to excellence by learning to truly ride first. Get strong.

Send a message to learn more

10/13/2024

“But those barrel racers just run the pattern all the time!”

Yup, just out here running our horses into the ground! 🤣

Given Rosa’s reaction today I think she would have rather run the pattern.

Thanks so much hubby for the great gift!

08/27/2024

It’s National Dog Day! Let’s see some pics of your furry friends!!

07/31/2024

Due to our County Fair next week there will be no lessons August 5-13.

Caveat - current lesson riders (regular lesson riders, ie more than 2x a month) needing a lesson before haul-in can message to be scheduled on Monday or Tuesday only.

Good luck to all in all projects!!

06/30/2024

Luci and I are at “sleep away camp” this weekend. Considering he hasn’t been hauled away from home nearly as much as he should by this point, he is being a rock star. One more day of working with Brenda and Lynne Mays and then home to keep hustling and bringing new ideas for lessons! I’m so excited!

06/14/2024

Arena will be closed from 6-8 pm on June 18, July 9, and July 16 to boarders and approved haul-ins. Please plan accordingly.

06/07/2024

Things said to Luci today…. Did you grow AGAIN!?!…. Try and bite my foot again you’re getting kicked in the teeth…. No, just because we’re standing by grass you don’t need to eat….. Luci. LUCI!! Quit eating your rein!…. Luci, no reins…. Don’t bite me…. Could you just not be difficult for one minute?!…..

But also plenty of great boy things said as well. He’s doing so good lately.

06/04/2024

Luci was hoping for a snacky snack before his ride at Midnight Mountain Stables last week.

05/01/2024

"I can't ride, the arena is too wet." Now, I have said this myself. And at times, you just need to haul out. But the down pours stopped about 24 hours ago and yet, the arena is still wet. BUT. You CAN make do, wherever you are. Maybe you still have to haul out for a few days, I don't know each situation, but if you want to, you will find a way.

Luckily, as well, you can ride in my arena even when it is super wet. It doesn't get slick, but I would still not recommend fast turns. Plenty of what we do doesn't involve daily speed, so we are good.

Today I took Classy out and found the dryer of the wet spots. You can see we did trot circles each direction in the center, some circles in the corner and some counter arcs and then weaved the ground poles that are out (at walk, jog, trot and lope). We worked on gait transitions. We worked on haunch turns. We would lope the long side, go up the center, do the ground pole weaves, and then lope a circle in the corner and reverse and do it all over again. She worked on feeling the ground and knowing if she should shorten her stride a bit or be fine how she was.

We were both tired enough to call it quits and count it as a productive day. We cooled out in the driveway, as we often do.

Don't make excuses. Do the hard things.