Riding Journey

08/24/2024

Riding Journey will be opening up for training at the new location beginning September 1st!

08/23/2024

Setting up the new tack room. All I can say is the boys have done some things

07/28/2024

We’ve moved!!

Riding Journey is returning! I will have openings for starting horses and endurance conditioning.

07/24/2024

A huge congratulations to Win McLaughlin and Sammy (Major) on their first 25 mile LD completion at Bandit Springs!!

07/02/2024

Diesel would like to thank his sponsors for Thunderbird!!

Paula Rasler
Paul Johnson
Stephanie Frank
Kathy Flynn
Blair Wilkinson
Cindy Wilson

And thank you to Christus Farms!

07/01/2024

Our .90 Classic round

06/29/2024

Our .90 speed round from today

06/28/2024

Power and speed today

06/27/2024

06/26/2024

Our first .90 round!
Thank you Patti for videoing!

06/20/2024

We leave Monday for Canada and Thunderbird!
This is an excerpt from the June ATAA newsletter.
If you are interested in sponsoring us for our show this year there is still time.
Venmo
PayPal

05/30/2024

Diesel turns 15 today!

05/29/2024

As we head towards our rated show this year, up at Thunderbird Horse Park, I would once again like to thank our sponsors from last year, including but not limited to:

Badlands Equine
Kathleen Jepsom
Stephenie Frank
Linda Powers Spear
Suzy Zurcher-Tompkins
Paul Johnson
Paula Rasler

If you are interested in sponsoring us for this show season, shoot me a message!

05/24/2024

What horse related topics interest you? If you could go to a presentation about a topic what t would those topics be?

04/30/2024

It is looking like I will have 2 training spots available and 2 boarding spots available June 1st.

Training focuses on starting youngsters, quiet and calm basics. As well as conditioning for endurance horses.

04/19/2024

I’m curious if there is any interest in training, conditioning or starting under saddle

02/28/2024

https://www.patreon.com/RidingJourney?utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator

What topics would you like to see discussed?

02/25/2024

https://patreon.com/RidingJourney?utm_medium=unknown&utm_source=join_link&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=copyLink

I have started a Patreon!

10/02/2023

The end of June this mare’s world completely changed. Her and another mare were rescued from where they had been living in a field for 5 years. weight gain, hooves trimmed and teeth floated.
Beginning of August she came here to see what she could do under saddle.
She was terrified of the goats and the barn.

She went to her first show last weekend after barely two months being back under saddle. Who know the last time she was ridden before coming here.

Today she had her graduation ride in the sunset. We went up the field and back down.

Little Miss MaryAnne is ready to take on the world.

09/24/2023

08/27/2023

Third ride on miss MaryAnne is in the books.
This girl is ready to hit the trials

It is very likely she has been ridden before, and that she has just sat for a minimum of 5 years if I understand correctly.

07/02/2023

For your consideration- Major

Major is a teenaged grade Quarter Horse x Arabian type gelding. He is a sweet guy who is looking to find his forever home and new career.
He moves nicely off of seat and leg pressure. He enjoys following on trail rides and went to his first schooling show and trotted over cross rails.
He could go any direction, and seems to have had some western training in the past. I am hoping to take him to play with cows in the near future.
He has the potential to be a school horse, or a juniors horse. He would do best with a confident rider or someone in a program.

🥕,🥕🥕🥕

06/25/2023

Major at his first show
Trot a pole and trot an x

05/04/2023

It isn’t cool anymore 😑⁣
⁣
Let’s let the sparkly-eyed wonder toward this die off:⁣
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“Training” horses at a rapid pace ⚡️ you know, like starting a c**t to ride in a couple hours, then standing on his back to crack a bullwhip.⁣
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There’s this sense of wonder, amazement and respect toward trainers who can get things done FAST…⁣
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Meanwhile, the horse is showing every sign of stress (even while doing the desired behavior), like triangulation of the eye, head held high, tension in the body, flared nostrils, snorting, standing frozen, or eyes glazed over.⁣
⁣
Sure, the trainer is loping him around dragging a tarp today…⁣
⁣
But that doesn’t mean this will be safe or possible in a week.⁣
⁣
Because right now?⁣
⁣
That horse doesn’t feel safe. He isn’t accepting and relaxed… ⁣
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***He’s in a freeze response*** waiting to explode when the moment is right—usually when a less experienced person handles him (or, with extended forceful training, he may shut down long-term, those eyes remaining lifeless and dull).⁣
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❌ Don’t be fooled by quick, flashy training⁣
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✅ Do understand both the obvious and subtle signs of distress (otherwise known as calming signals)⁣
⁣
Speed isn’t impressive. What’s admirable to us is:⁣
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🌱 Being *thorough* rather than fast⁣
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🌱 Staying below the fear threshold⁣
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🌱 The horse feeling relaxed and enthusiastic throughout the session⁣
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🌱 Training results last long-term, rather than producing flashy yet fleeting outcomes⁣
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🌱 The horse is excited to train again the next day⁣
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Training fast (i.e. using force and flooding) is a skill, to be sure… but, we believe it’s less of a skill than training ethically, which requires keen observational skills, enormous amounts of education, empathy, patience, and compassion, at the very least.⁣
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Ethical trainers make it look like they just have an “easy” horse. The session won’t have you on the edge of your seat; it’ll be gradual. Peaceful. Relaxed.⁣
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And the horse will happily participate ♥️ with an unguarded presence, excitement for what’s next, and a sparkle in his eye ✨⁣
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Which do you prefer?⁣
⁣
— written by the MM team 💫

12/11/2022

There is a potential for two training spots to open up in the Spring.
If you are interested, let me know.

09/06/2022

Lucky says that relearning to use your body is difficult.

09/02/2022

Sometimes all you can say is you are a damn good horse.

I got on and as we were walking around the arena there was a deer eating right on the other side. We startled it, and of course that startled Lucky. I was like oh no this is gonna get bad quick.
But no, he backed up a few steps, eyes wide but that was it. And not even super fast backing up.
I told him he was a good boy.

08/31/2022

Little miss V***n lost her battle with uveitis today.
Her flare up started in March and multiple vet visits later we thought we had a handle on it with new drugs. However this Sunday she had an even worse flare up with complete vision loss, and the decision was made to humanely euthanize her.

08/15/2022

8 years ago Quick and I were teaching this guy how to lead. Now Mister is cantering small jumps.

08/15/2022

I am pleased how Lucky is learning to stretch through his body.