Raising The Standards

02/11/2024

Merlin: Green 10 year old 13.3h Welsh pony cross. 2’6” and under. Has a lead change but not auto. Flowing rein push ride. Very brave, zero stop. Can take a joke and jump from anywhere. Hauls great. Hauls out to ride on the beach and trail.

02/08/2024

Sold: 2018 16h KWPN mare by the famous PopeyeK. Jumping 2’ with an auto lead change. Eye catching, good mover, jumps fill, Hunter Derby prospect. Started slow & correct. Available due to life changes.

12/18/2022

.lace and her new 🦄 👏🏻🙌🏻

10/07/2022

Zoe & Stately training for Show Jump Rally

06/13/2022

2019 16.2h KWPN gelding Overture RTS by Amazing

⭐️Hunter derby prospect
⭐️ Ready to be backed
⭐️groundwork ✅: lunges in tack, drives, bathes, ties, has been trimmed every month since weaning, has been sat on

Ferndale, CA

04/15/2022

Poppi Ride 62 after 2 months off. She turned 4 so now planning to ride her more consistently as her body and mind are more mature 🤍.

04/02/2022

🌀🌀💙

Ancient horse cultures made much of the study of hair whorls and it’s something that’s gaining ground within today’s scientific community. Studies are showing that the old wive's tail—now called Whorlology—is grounded in fact. We know now that the patterns of a horse's coat are formed within the womb and follow the neurological pathways that are developed in a growing fetus.

Those of you who pooh-pooh this notion can chew on that!

Those of us raised among old time horsemen were simply brought up with mystical tales of what to look for and what to avoid when it came to the patterns of the lay on any horse’s hair coat. I admit to looking for matching whorls on each side of the horse’s body, to the point of avoiding horses who are unevenly marked from side to side, particularly along the neck.

We were also taught that the profile of a horse's head, the shape and carriage of its ears and muzzle, will determine the degree to which a horse exhibits its personal quirks. I also pay attention to the mane fall for clues as to a horse's right or left 'handedness' when it comes to schooling.

Here, my gloved finger is pointing towards the spot where I search for my favourite single forehead whorl, when it comes to ease of trainability and uncomplications. Centred directly between the eyes, one clearly defined whorl almost always marks an honest horse with a minimum of surprises or complexities.

Generally, the higher the forehead whorl, the more sensitive the horse. I have found that of my horses, those few with unusually low face whorls are people-oriented to the extreme, almost like dogs.

Rockabilly sports a double whorl, 'the mark of two masters'. While such a horse or pony is absolutely 100% trainable, we know that he will never be the easiest one in the barn. Such horses are always listening to that other little voice inside their head. Those with double whorls stacked one atop the other, often fall under the heading of the lazy/sensitive horse; either sleeping or really riled up, often within the same five seconds.

While ALL horses rise to their best in 'feely', compassionate and educated hands, it is worth noting that double and triple-whorl horses will not tolerate the 'manhandling' that many more stoic single-whorl horses will. These horses seemingly need more mindfulness from us than average, requiring regular riding with one person who is determined, more suggestive than demanding and who is very clear about the rules.

I have found that multiple-whorled horses shine with a rider who knows how to take a joke, one who can smile and calmly continue on without fuss. Those of us who adore working with the more complex, quirky personalities in the equine world, get along like gangbusters with double-whorl horses.

Those among us who don't enjoy or endeavour to understand such horses, will often end up with a worried, unrideable mess.

03/11/2022

😍

03/09/2022

Cintra & Oakley bit-less navigating outdoor gymnastics. Trot poles to X then 1 stride, pole to a 6 stride.

03/09/2022

Oliver dealing with my umbrella ☂ shenanigans

01/29/2022

Ozzlo ❤️

01/29/2022

Poppi cantering her first cross rail!

01/29/2022

Poppi’s 2nd time jumping and 1st time jumping outside. Ride 55.

01/28/2022

Oakley enjoying the nice day coursing outside

01/28/2022

Oakley doing some hill work on our cool down

01/28/2022

Poppi canter pole on the diagonal & lead change

01/28/2022

Oakley & Cintra; trot poles to bounce grid

01/27/2022

Oakley being the overachiever 🌟 that he is jumping the pole like he’s doing 2’6” 🦄

01/27/2022

Oakley feeling extra happy and Cintra doing a great job convincing him to stay slow and adjustable

01/24/2022

Leona & Vergil Swedish oxer

01/24/2022

Leona & Vergil nailing consistency of stride length & rhythm

01/24/2022

Emma & Romeo; trot jump landing the correct lead to a roll back

01/24/2022

Emma & Romeo working on maintaining organized consistent strides in the line

01/24/2022

Cora & Bear 🐻 no stirrups 🙌🏻. A little grid; Trot poles to a bounce

01/24/2022

Emma & Romeo, Cora & Bear 🐻, Leona & Vergil