TF Performance Horses

10/11/2023

Got to go on a super fun trail ride at Mt. Margaret with Lisa Sherrodd and Gingy with Yasmeen Sands’ gelding, Jamaal, today! It was Jamaal’s first trail ride off property with us, and I’m very happy to say that it looks like we’ve got a new Trail Boss on our hands! Water crossing, hikers, kids, bit of rain, and wind but Jamaal didn’t bat an eye. Gingy did wonderfully, too! He worked the gates, crossed the water, and loped up a hill like an old dude horse. Excited to see what else we can squeeze in with these guys before the weather turns for winter! Thank you to Lisa and Gingy for being the best trail partners for Jamaal and I today!

10/06/2023

With a view like this, who wouldn’t want to come into work?

Photo Credit: Lisa Sherrodd

09/21/2023

Merle doing the dang thing 💪 this dude is super fun. Show him something once and he’s ready to try it on his own. He watched the trap get brought out and I guess he decided he needed to try his hand at it too 😂

08/30/2023

Another fun day working with and her c**ts, Tucker and Gingy! Apparently, Tucker needed to let everyone know just how tuckered out he was after their lesson with Hayden today lol!

08/30/2023

Had an absolute blast popping on Lisa Sherrodd’s little 4yo mustang, Tucker, yesterday! I’m a sucker for tiny bay horses and this little gelding stole my heart yesterday. If she’s not careful, I might steal him and turn him into a Reiner 😉

08/16/2023

I’ve got a thing for spicy little red mares, and I have to say, I’m pretty obsessed with this one. She continually wows me with her work ethic, try, and quickness to pick up on new things. Very grateful for my clients who bring me fun critters like this!

08/03/2023

We are super excited to let you all know that we will be hosting an Intro To Ranch Riding clinic Saturday September 16th at Southwinds Farms! This will be a great opportunity for green horses or riders, anyone interested in the Versatility Ranch Horse and Ranch Riding, or folks who have done it before and want to work on improving their skills. Give us a call or shoot us a message to reserve your spot!

07/01/2023

“I call my horses “divine mirrors” — they reflect back the emotions you put in. If you put in love and respect and kindness and curiosity, the horse will return that,” - Allen Hamilton

Often times I find quotes such as this to be rather cheesy and cliché; but there’s a good bit of truth to it. What you put into a horse is what you get out of it, and sometimes that’s a hard lesson you continually get to learn. It’s a lesson I frequently get reminded of day-to-day by horses, students, clients, and mentors alike. The horses that challenge you as a trainer, a rider, an owner, are the ones that will tell you if you’re putting your all into them or not. Embrace your difficult horses, identify your flaws, listen to the horse, and grow from them. The horse will guide you to success, but only if you set aside pride and let it.

05/17/2023

Chance looking real snazzy and grown up in, what I’m affectionately calling, his baby two rein rig. Grateful to have such a cool little c**t in my program. Ride #6 in the books today and he’s already starting to bridle up, learning body and speed control, picking up on neck reining, moving off the leg nicely, and started the foundation of spinning under saddle. Really proud of his progress so far. I’ve got high hopes for this kid!

**tstarting

04/24/2023

If only all of our Mondays could be this relaxing

04/24/2023

When you desperately need some way to save your back pre-prepping this month’s grain and all you have on hand is a tv tray. If it works it work, I suppose! 😂

04/01/2023

This c**t is so cool. He’s gonna be broke before I ever swing a leg over him. There’s nothing better than a great minded c**t.

03/20/2023

Very first saddling for Chance today! This little c**t has been super fun and lately has been on a roll with how well he’s doing. I’m super proud of him and his owner for the hard work they’ve been putting in the past couple months. It’ll be a while yet before we do anything more than saddle and lunge around since he’s still on the small side, but there’s plenty we can still do on the ground. Good job, Chance!

01/16/2023

In case someone hasn’t told you this before: a fifteen minute ride can be just as valuable as an hour or more ride can be.

A long time ago a mentor of mine told me that a ride under an hour was a waste of time, that you couldn’t train in under an hour long ride, and any trainer worth his salt would never put a ride on a horse if he wasn’t planning on doing so for an hour or more.

So, for a long long time after that, I assumed there was something magical about an hour long ride. Let me save you the trouble in finding out that there is not, in fact, a magical quality to it. An hour is great for lessons, for putting a ride on a young horse who needs lots of breaks in between concepts, for a schooling ride on a broke horse, or for show prep. An hour long ride can be a valuable experience, but it isn’t the only one.

For example, this mare in the photo is a classic anxiety case. She’s reactive, flighty, insecure in herself and her rider, and has a tendency to bolt first, ask questions later. Today, we tackled a massive issue for her in 20 minutes. One of this horse’s biggest triggers is our outdoor arena. We’re right off of a busy highway; there’s heavy traffic, motorcycles, semis, honking, etc. It’s a lot of stimuli for any horse to handle, let alone one with as much anxiety as she can have. Her issues in this arena have been large and sometimes even explosive in the past. Today, we managed a walk/trot/lope ride with minimal anxiety in the outdoor. Was she perfect? No. Was she consistent in the bridle? Also no. Was she still tense and spooked a few times? Absolutely. But the work we’ve put in teaching her to regulate her own nervous system and by spending time getting her confident in her riders inside the indoor arena and the round pen kept everyone safe and much less anxious than she’s ever been in this ring before.

All of this is to say, don’t be afraid to stop a ride if you’ve tackled something huge. Why run the risk of turning a ride sour when you just made huge progress with something you’re working on? If your horse is struggling with his leads, why continue to push if he’s given you a correct lead departure?

12/25/2022

Happy holidays, TFPH Family! We hope you’ve had a wonderful holiday season surrounded by friends and family!

12/22/2022

Good morning TFPH Family,

Just wanted to give everyone an update this morning. All the horses are doing well and are staying warm. With the temperature approaching -35° plus wind chill today, everyone will be receiving a hot bran mash, lots of salt and electrolytes, and checks every few hours, in addition to normal supplements and free hay. All horses have been double blanketed for their comfort and any horses who need additional warmth or care will be moved inside. Currently everyone is happy as can be, will keep you all updated as needed! Makeup days for training will be planned later on. Feel free to reach out to myself or Hayden if you have any questions!

Stay warm everyone!

11/10/2022

Rant:

I swear every time I click on a trainer page this time of year and see a video of them riding a yearling under saddle, I want to vomit. Seriously, does it really take 2 years to make a futurity horse? Stop riding them as yearlings then complaining that they are:

Lame
Broke down
Mentally fatigued
Burned out
Have ulcers

I love, love, love what I am blessed to do for a living but part of this industry, literally breaks my heart.

I ride for the outcome, not the income!

*sequel: I had someone ask me about my sons roan filly Jewel. GREAT example, she’s the most talented horse I’ve saddled. We started her spring of her two year old year, got maybe 5 rides on her and she wasn’t ready. She started acting like she had ulcers and just too stressed, she was too mentally immature. Physically she was rock solid, talent wise and skill wise, she was ahead horses double her age, but instead we turned her back out. I’d jump on her ba****ck in a halter on days I felt like testing my fate, lol, maybe once a month and walk the property for 10 minutes but she was never saddled or worked. We’ve only just brought her back in to saddle last week, she’ll get a ride a week (maybe, lol, let’s face it, the trainers horses always get ridden last or pushed off) and we will let her tell us if she’s ready. She’s here for the long haul not one haul! ♥️

10/19/2022

Spooky Season is here! Which means it’s the perfect time to do some desensitisation with your horses! Correctly working on desensitising horses (not flooding them) to new, scary, or uncommon objects is a great way to build trust in a handler, work on conquering fears, and to build emotional regulation in a horse. How would your horses react to a ghostie inflatable or a scarecrow?

10/13/2022

We’re very pleased to see AQHA making the strides and effort into creating a healthier and more welfare oriented show environment for our horses. Performance Alteration isn’t necessary nor should the lives of our horses be valued less than aesthetics. A great day to be we aren’t perfect, but I hope this sparks needed and necessary association-wise change for the betterment of our horses’ welfare and lives!

In an effort to continue protecting the welfare of the American Quarter Horse, the American Quarter Horse Association is enhancing an industry-leading performance alteration testing program at the 2022 Farnam AQHA and Adequan® Select World Championship Show. Read more here ➡ www.aqha.com/-/performance-alteration-testing-procedures

10/13/2022

Big day and big steps for this filly! Thrilled that we have the opportunity to work with horses like this one.

Paris (7yo, Friesian x TB x QH) came to us with a lot of behavioral issues stemming from pretty severe anxiety issues. She was a chronic bronc, bolt, and rearer when she came in earlier this year and has had 5 other trainers before us, her owner was incredibly frustrated about the lack of progress made with almost three years of accumulated professional training.

The photo below was taken the very first day this mare has ever been ridden in a training fork (very similar to a running martingale). Because of Paris’s extreme anxiety issues and her upright conformation, she tends to get very tense through her neck and extensor muscles, which causes her to have a very upright neck position, hollow out her back, and sometimes even block her own windpipe. The training fork gives us a bit of a helping hand by providing a lower point of leverage on the bit, providing instant haptic feedback into our hands, and providing instant release to the horse when she brings her head down even the slightest bit. In this photo, Hayden (TFPH co-owner & trainer), is asking the mare to reach down with her head and stretch over her back. By achieving this, we get this mare to engage her abdomen, her hind end, her extensor and flexor muscles, and her brain all at once. Over the next few months, she’ll need the training fork less and less as she continues to build the strength and fitness needed to correctly carry herself.

It’s amazing what time, patience, consistency, and a firm but always gentle hand can do with a horse. She’s made leaps and bounds in the last few weeks alone, but overall she’s become an entirely different horse than she was when she came in. Look for us in the show ring next year with her! You can’t miss a giant Friesian X in the Ranch Riding!

10/10/2022

Bit of a photo dump from Hayden and I’s ride up to Eagles’ Nest today! So many fun things to do up there and so little time to try and do it all! Grateful for these rockstar horses, thankful for the training opportunities that come along on the trail, and so very appreciative of my wonderful business and life partner who was able to set this ride + picnic lunch up today.

Not pictured, is getting to play around on some obstacles and big rocks (because naturally when you’re trying to video horses they don’t do the thing until the camera is gone 🤦🏻), both horses did phenomenal today though and I couldn’t be happier (or more tired lol!)

09/11/2022

To live life from between your horses’ ears, is to live with a sense of adventure.

To live life through your horses’ eyes, is to consider perspectives you would have never thought of otherwise.

To live life by the tempo of your horses’ hoofbeats, is to take your time and enjoy the small things about this life we lead.

We are honoured to have such amazing clients that are always down for an adventure and to have some fun! We took a group of three out today, two youngsters and an older gelding, and did about a 15 mile ride today!

All the horses did wonderful, climbing up some pretty steep rock, lots of up and down hills, and handling mountain bikers, deer, hikers, kids, etc. Trail riding is such a great way to connect with your horse outside the arena, encounter new objects, find holes in your training, and just have fun!

09/10/2022

09/06/2022

Say “cheese”! Rej hopes you all are having a great start to your 4 day week!

09/01/2022

A horse trainers heart:

Yesterday was bittersweet. I loaded a horse onto a trailer. It wasn’t even my own but I kissed that horse's nose, just like it was, and told him to behave himself. Not that he was going someplace bad. I actually didn't know where he'd end up. Do we ever? I told him to behave because any decent horseman or woman will respect that quality and treat that horse well. I don't know if he will get that respect. But I know he will behave. I put my heart into his manners and respect, I pray future owners appreciate that and it earns him a place in their heart.

Yesterday, I touched a horse for the last time. He had only lived a year. I stayed with him during his very first 24 hours. I put on his first halter, laughed at his attempts to stand. I watched him run with the yearlings, then I swayed in anguish as colic took his spirit and his life. So I kissed his neck and told him to go run and play, to the greener pastures in the sky.

Yesterday, I held a horse in the Winner's Circle. I smiled as we collected a check. A win photo for my wall. The world could see his success and I had helped him. It was just one day, a few minutes really, but one of our best runs and I was proud. So I patted his neck and said "good boy". It was a good day to love a horse.

Yesterday, I walked into the barn. I kiss a few muzzles but not everyone tolerates the nonsense of a late breakfast so I quickly get the grain. Their voices are music to my ears. My cares for the moment untraceable, no Facebook, no internet, just “us”. My heart is happy. I scoop grain.

Yesterday I waited, my whole heart hurting as you stood in the field with a broken leg. When the vet finally showed, he drove straight down to where you stood shaking and immediately started grabbing needles and pulling pink liquid. I held your head and told you that soon you wouldn't hurt anymore. I let go and then fell to my knees to lay across your neck. One final kiss as your soul gallops away and mine shatters.

There are pieces of my heart out there. When it's cold, I pray that you have enough hay to eat. I hope that someone cares enough to give you water and exercise and a pat on the neck. Are your feet trimmed? Did you get your spring shots? Do they know you don’t like nylon boots? Do they remember your supplements? Do they stretch your stiff stifle out before they spin you? Did they read the notes I sent home with you? Do they care like I care? I worry.

I still see you in my barn. I can still see you in my mind, your naughty snort at the blanket, your sigh when I brushed you, but every day when I walk past your stall, there is another horse there. The door revolves. My heart restores. Repeat.

I will give my best to him too. I owe you that. And the ones before you.

My name might not be on your horses papers but my heart is.

Most trainers don’t do this for the money, the glory, the saddles, the win pics or even the owners. We do it for the horses, the horses that hold our heart.

Your trainer,

Jen Bulger

*adapted and altered from an anonymous poem

08/19/2022

Yay Starlight! This little mini is an absolute superstar. I’m so pleased about her training progress. Today we decided to slip the cart shafts into her harness and let her feel the weight of it and practice turning with it. She’s still a wee bit apprehensive about the whole deal, so we didn’t connect the tugs just yet. We’re not on a timeline and just trying to take things slow and steady with her, she’s only 3 after-all. I think it’ll only be a few more weeks before she’s hitched up like an old pro. So proud of this lil munchkin!

07/29/2022

“The horse is a mirror to your soul and sometimes you might not like what you see in that mirror. It’s up to you to fix it.” - Buck Brannaman

Sometimes you get that one horse on your string that drives you absolutely up the wall. Sometimes you get a horse you regret ever taking on because they do this that and another. We all know those horses. But sometimes, those horses teach us the most and give us the biggest ego check of our careers. That’s this mare for me.

I can’t tell you how many times she’s put my butt in the dirt at this point. How many times she’s put my ego back where it belongs. How many times she’s told me to shut the hell up and just ride. I’ll forever be grateful that this horse and I have crossed paths because she’s taught me more in a year than I’ve ever learned before.

Embrace your challenge horses. Meet their expectations and exceed them. Listen to them, hear them out, and fix the ugly when you see it in the mirror. We will never be perfect, the horses or us, but we’re two halves of a whole team and there’s no limit on what we can do with our horses if we just listen a little more and talk at them a little less.

07/28/2022

My tiniest and one of my most fun client horses, Starlight, is preparing for her debut hitching to a buggy in the next few days. Making sure she’s adequately prepared for the questions I’ll be asking her is exceptionally important. So we pulled out the dreaded feed bag!

Over the course of our session today I gradually added several pounds of rocks to the feed bag whilst asking her for various manoeuvres; walking forwards, moving her shoulders over, trotting off, stopping and backing, etc, and she absolutely nailed it today. This little mare is a rockstar!

07/13/2022

If any of my friends and followers on here have hard to catch horses, I strongly suggest looking into the way Warwick Schiller works with these horses. I’ve seen incredible improvement lately in adjusting my techniques from his teachings.

Warwick stresses that in order to reach a good connection with our horses, they need to “feel seen, feel heard, feel felt, and get gotten”. It is a philosophy I have to admit I thought ridiculous when I first heard it. I felt like my hard to catch horses were just simply disrespecting my authority, trying to get out of work, or any other excuse I could come up with to place the blame on them rather than myself. Then a good friend of mine asked me why I believed that, and I couldn’t come up with a justifiable answer.

In our discussion, they told me something that rang a bell in my mind and made me circle back to that quote from Warwick: “When a horse turns his back to you and walks away from you, have you ever considered that you’re the one who told him to do so?”

Well, no, obviously. I don’t want him to walk away from me. Why would I tell him to do so??

A horse is not a rationally thinking animal, no matter how much we want to personify them. We teach them to respond to pressure and then we act surprised when they take our presence as pressure itself. So when we, as humans and as a predatory species, go to catch our horses and they run away from us, should we really be surprised??

After that conversation, I dug into Warwick’s online training videos and took countless pages of notes. Breaking down everything he was doing, taking note of his horses’ expressions and reactions, and finding myself very curious about how to put his methods into daily practice in my own string. So I decided I would give this a shot on one of my training horses who is a *nightmare* to catch for one month and if I didn’t see anything change then I would scrap this crazy idea and move on.

But lo and behold, within days I have a horse who previously would not come within 100’ of you in the pen, coming up to me on her own, engaging, and asking me to show her the correct answer. She was never disrespectful, or a raging bitch, or a bad horse. It was me, my energy, and my mental state reflecting onto her and creating the horse I “knew” her to be in my head. By not taking the time to let her be seen, be heard, feel felt, and get got, I created my own problem and continued to make it worse by amplifying the pressure, not checking my emotions, and placing the blame onto her. After a month of slowing myself down, reigning in my emotions and basically telling her “this is your show, you tell me how I can help you be comfortable and how we can work together, and I won’t push you for more than you can give me right in this moment”, I have a horse who perks up and trots right over to me when I go to get her in the pen.

Give it a shot and let me know how it goes!

“You know, when you recognise they’re getting concerned, that’s that attunement piece. That’s that sense of being seen, being heard, feeling felt, and getting gotten. That in and of itself is what gets that nervous system to relax.” - Warwick Schiller, “The Journey On Podcast” Ep27 27:00-29:00

07/11/2022

A new mare in my string this month. “Cinnabar” is a varnish Appaloosa in for a basic under saddle tune up and to possibly see if she wants to be a Ranch Versatility/Ranch Reining pony. Isn’t she a cutie?