Hoof It Forward

09/11/2024

"Frustration and Failure are in your future and they are just as important as your successes"- Daniel Stewart

"Stop trying to skip the struggle- that's where
CHARACTER IS BUILT".

Hoof It Forward

09/11/2024

Run like the gate is open!

09/09/2024

We received a donation of a half a load of hay from one of our local hay suppliers.

We are very grateful for the generosity!!

09/09/2024

Most of the current crew of Hoof It Forward team building in the beautiful badlands of ND!

TEAM
-achievement of AMAZING results that no ONE person could ever accomplish alone! Teamwork makes the dream work!

09/07/2024

Even the smallest of the small can be the Greatest of the GREAT!

How is your mindset? When we believe in ourselves and have others believe in us, we can feel mighty, strong, and great! It's all about mindset and perception! That is such a huge challenge when we face adversity. Look up and see that God does not make mistakes, you are mighty and GREAT!

09/03/2024

You are beautiful, smart, resilient, and strong!

Be kind to yourself.

My September planner for this week says: Change the world by being yourself!

09/02/2024

"The devil is sure working hard to keep you from what you know God wants you to do. The devil does everything to stop us from going after our dreams and doing what God wants us to do."

Let them. Let God

09/02/2024

Very proud of my daughters today at the riding they did and the terrain they conquered! Great friends! Had a great meal. Joined a new club! Met new friends! Even the puppy (Cash) is exhausted!

08/30/2024

"No matter how got-it-together someone appears on the outside, every person is walking through, climbing over, or tunneling under some sort of adversity. We've all got something!!"

"What we do with the circumstances we are given- how we talk about them, act because of them, trust or distrust God through them- influences others."

We all have something.

Grateful for the horses who meet us where we are, who are present for us. I think they have wings.

08/30/2024

Explore the new pictures on our updated website and invite your friends to like our page! Share a favorite memory you have a child or growing up, that you may have had with a horse or around horses!!! Have a GREAT FRIDAY!! Please remember to let your light shine through your cracks!!

I am perfectly imperfect, broken, and put back together. I have many cracks. I want my light to shine through them! Remember to Hoof It Forward

Your support and contributions will enable us to meet our goals and fund our program.  All proceeds go to the care for the equines, programing for participants, and facility costs.  

08/29/2024

Two of our volunteers started their senior year yesterday! Rebecca and Kennedy we are blessed to have you at Hoof It Forward! Your smiles, laughter, encouragement, and hours you are putting in to make sure our very small group has the BIGGEST success! I love you!

08/28/2024

Kids are looking good. It got dry FAST!! WEANING SOON! All babies have outstanding homes! I'm only keeping ONE! UGH! maybe that's good or bad. 😩

08/28/2024

Sometimes the billet breaks.

It was her first rodeo. And the billet broke, the saddle came off, and she bit the dust. Literally.

When your ten year old dreams about racing barrels in a real rodeo, you don't tell her she can't enter the hometown roundup when it rolls around.

You might know without a doubt that she'll get last place. You might know that people will laugh at the kid on the mule. You might know that she'll be disappointed when she sees the official timer clock her "run" at close to a full minute, but you don't tell her "no." You don't tell her that because of all those reasons she shouldn't try. And you sure as hell don't tell her she CAN'T.

So when she came out of that gate, I was ready for an exceptionally slow time and I was ready for the possibility that her geriatric mule might deem the situation unsafe and maybe even refuse to proceed, but I wasn't ready for the billet to break.

So when that leather strap snapped in two about ten steps into her run and she bounced off into the arena dust, time stopped, panic gripped me, and my heart broke. But then, then I witnessed something that I'll never forget. My little girl picked herself up, grabbed her hat, and smiled and waved at the crowd. She got back on that old mule ba****ck (that old mule who by now had deemed the situation absolutely and definitely unsafe for him and his girl) and proceeded to try to coax him to try again. A kind pickup man saw the need for a little support and proceeded to lead my girl and her concerned mule through the entire barrel pattern. She smiled. And she waved. And she was so grateful for the help.

The crowd cheered her on around every turn. They shouted her name and they clapped and whistled their support. When she made her way back to the stands, the neighborhood kids greeted her with hugs and congratulations. Adult friends and strangers alike encouraged her with kind words and admiration of her grit. And as I watched it all, I realized that I was learning a great lesson, and I hope that my daughter was learning it too.

Sometimes the billet breaks.

Sometimes you don't make the team, you don't get the job, or you miss the chance. Sometimes you get cancer, Grandpa dies, a marriage fails. Sometimes you fall short of your potential. Sometimes mental illness brings you to your breaking point. Sometimes people let you down, mistreat you, or abuse you. Sometimes the basement floods, and the power goes out and the car won't start. Sometimes in life you are met with heartbreaking disappointment. Sometimes, the billet breaks, and it is up to you, to all of us, to choose what we will do.

Do we choose to get up, get back on, accept help and keep trying? Do we seek out and accept the grace and love from others? Do we try to keep smiling and waving through the challenge?

And then, then when it's through, do we choose to cheer on, uplift, love and encourage others who might be down or breaking? Do we wrap our arms around them and tell them what's good? Do we give them grace and admire their grit and cheer them on?

I won't forget that I have that choice and I hope my little girl remembers that too.
...

I'd never say that I'm glad that old billet broke, but I will say that I'm grateful for the lesson.Sometimes the billet breaks.

It was her first rodeo. And the billet broke, the saddle came off, and she bit the dust. Literally.

When your ten year old dreams about racing barrels in a real rodeo, you don't tell her she can't enter the hometown roundup when it rolls around.

You might know without a doubt that she'll get last place. You might know that people will laugh at the kid on the mule. You might know that she'll be disappointed when she sees the official timer clock her "run" at close to a full minute, but you don't tell her "no." You don't tell her that because of all those reasons she shouldn't try. And you sure as hell don't tell her she CAN'T.

So when she came out of that gate, I was ready for an exceptionally slow time and I was ready for the possibility that her geriatric mule might deem the situation unsafe and maybe even refuse to proceed, but I wasn't ready for the billet to break.

So when that leather strap snapped in two about ten steps into her run and she bounced off into the arena dust, time stopped, panic gripped me, and my heart broke. But then, then I witnessed something that I'll never forget. My little girl picked herself up, grabbed her hat, and smiled and waved at the crowd. She got back on that old mule ba****ck (that old mule who by now had deemed the situation absolutely and definitely unsafe for him and his girl) and proceeded to try to coax him to try again. A kind pickup man saw the need for a little support and proceeded to lead my girl and her concerned mule through the entire barrel pattern. She smiled. And she waved. And she was so grateful for the help.

The crowd cheered her on around every turn. They shouted her name and they clapped and whistled their support. When she made her way back to the stands, the neighborhood kids greeted her with hugs and congratulations. Adult friends and strangers alike encouraged her with kind words and admiration of her grit. And as I watched it all, I realized that I was learning a great lesson, and I hope that my daughter was learning it too.

Sometimes the billet breaks.

Sometimes you don't make the team, you don't get the job, or you miss the chance. Sometimes you get cancer, Grandpa dies, a marriage fails. Sometimes you fall short of your potential. Sometimes mental illness brings you to your breaking point. Sometimes people let you down, mistreat you, or abuse you. Sometimes the basement floods, and the power goes out and the car won't start. Sometimes in life you are met with heartbreaking disappointment. Sometimes, the billet breaks, and it is up to you, to all of us, to choose what we will do.

Do we choose to get up, get back on, accept help and keep trying? Do we seek out and accept the grace and love from others? Do we try to keep smiling and waving through the challenge?

And then, then when it's through, do we choose to cheer on, uplift, love and encourage others who might be down or breaking? Do we wrap our arms around them and tell them what's good? Do we give them grace and admire their grit and cheer them on?

I won't forget that I have that choice and I hope my little girl remembers that too.
...

I'd never say that I'm glad that old billet broke, but I will say that I'm grateful for the lesson.

08/22/2024

Relationship and connection.

Two fundamental needs we all need to heal whatever hurts we have. Holly, the mare lost her baby. Phoenix, the baby, lost her mama. The two bonded and built a connection and relationships. Can you see the love?

"Sometimes the heart sees what is invisible to the eye"

Kindness is free.

If you would like to set up a lesson contact us. Time is limited due to weather.

If you would like to donate to support scholarships for lessons, help with special feed for lesson horses, farrier care for lesson horses, supplies for lessons, or hay for the upcoming winter for the lesson horses we would greatly appreciate it.

We currently have 4 participants and 7 lesson horses being used for Hoof It Forward.

PayPal [email protected]

08/20/2024

Joy is on the Horizon

08/19/2024

"Everything that has happened to you was also happening for you. And all that time, in all of those moments, you were building strength. Strength x strength x strength= POWER!".

Guard your heart.

08/17/2024

Today is the big day!

"I was made for more"

"Find joy in the journey"

"I know what I am Doing"-God

This song, picture in my house, and message from God have kept me going to this very moment! I'm taking my CTRI certification test today. "The only impossible journey is the one you never begin". I am determined to be posting great news today and thanking so many people!

08/16/2024

"Don't be discouraged if I am making you wait. I will make it happen when the time is right."

This week I am thankful that each day is a new day! That every day there is a new chance to start over, try again, all we need to do is keep going and believing.

Even the little ones become mighty! ❤️. Be courageous and strong!

08/15/2024

One thing is certain, life is full of obstacles.

Be grateful for ALL the obstacles in your life. They strengthen you as you walk in your journey.

08/12/2024

08/11/2024

Watch Made Local tonight at 8pm on BEK tv.

08/10/2024

"Don't handle the emotion, experience it"- I cannot remember the person who said this, but I wrote it and carried it with me.

Life is full of emotions, trials, and unknowns. It's ok not to have the answers, and there may not be a solution.

Feeling and experiencing, most importantly learning from our journey, and having faith to keep going, breathe.....

08/04/2024

Kennedy loves her pigs!

08/04/2024

Rodeo Time!

08/03/2024

Soon I will be taking the final exam to complete the PATH certification!! Prayers are appreciated!!

Looking back the journey has been long and hard! But it has been worth every single step!

08/02/2024

Another great night at Hoof It Forward!!

Taffy girl got in on the fun! First time ever off our place. Kennedy the professional!

What a great night! Family's building greater relationships! I love that they want to learn and try new experiences together!

Charlie - the palomino was an amazing support and encouragement tonight! Thanks Charlie!

08/01/2024

This was about 8 years ago or so. (Picture by Renae Schmidt) I kind of feel like this was the beginning and I had no idea what God had planned for me. That beautiful filly was one of the very first born on our place and those tiny girls were one of the first I got to share my true love and passion of horses with. They are all grown up now, so is that filly. All off in the big world doing wonderful things. Looking at these pictures, you can see the peace, calm, joy, beauty, relationship and how present the horses were for us. It was such an amazing feeling. Just seeing these pictures, I can still feel it. I can feel that release, to be centered again. How everyone was "one", so connected.
Hoof It Forward

I have it all planned out, plans to take care of you, not abandon you, plans to Give you the future you hope for. Jeremiah 29:11

07/30/2024

Keep an eye out for Hoof It Forward featured on:

MADE LOCAL on August 11th at 8pm and Saturday. August 17th at 5 pm!!

https://www.bektv.plus/

https://www.bek.tv

07/30/2024

Meet Diamond! She is a mare of many talents! She is one from our very own herd like we breed! She gets pulled out of the pasture to go to family reunions and let anyone get on, rides the trails, loves scratches, and helps with lessons! She is definitely a 💎!!

If you would like to donate to help with lessons, feed, supplies, or start up costs for the program, we will not be able to do this without the support of our community!!

PayPal: [email protected]