All Around The Horse With Alex

05/22/2024

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Imagine you’re assigned a partner project in school. Only one of you gets to read the directions for the assignment, and then you have to explain it to your partner in a language that is secondary to both of you. You’d expect some miscommunications and misunderstandings, right?

That’s basically what’s happening while riding a horse. Whether in a lesson or a ride of your own direction, you as the rider are the only one who knows the assignment. It’s then your responsibility to relay that information to your horse, speaking through intention and cues that are a second language to both you and your horse. Your horse doesn’t understand what your trainer is saying he’s supposed to do - he’s relying on you to tell him.

Keep this in mind any time you’re riding and you feel like your horse isn’t listening, or you get frustrated with a missed distance or a sloppy transition. Remember that you’re the only member of this team who knows the assignment, and your horse is relying on you to tell him the game plan. Sometimes we make mistakes in our cues or our timing, we start thinking too many steps ahead or we forget to clue him into the next movement in time. Sometimes the horse is a little distracted, or tired, or not feeling it today. But most of the time, he’s doing his best he can with the information you’re giving him!

03/14/2024

Enjoying getting to know such sweet horses, 4yo Groot is a massive sweetheart. Cameron you have such amazing boys!! And thank you Krystal and all of Whispering Miracles for having me always!!!

02/09/2024

02/09/2024

First sit on 3yo Desi and the look in her eyes says she's an old pro. So excited about this sweet girl, nothing but love for the babies!! Thank you Terri for the opportunity to start your sweet girls riding life!

12/25/2023

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!! Thankful to everyone in my life, you all make my world go round. Here's to amazing people and special horses, cheers to more memories made! 💚🎄❤️

11/23/2023

Happy Thanksgiving to all my wonderful clients!! You all make my business go round! Hope everyone had a blessed day with good food and amazing company❤️

10/20/2023

A long time of no posting interrupted by a fantastic video of 2yo Desi! Fifth time in the bridle and second time on the long lines. This girl has a bright future!! So thankful for amazing horses and trusting clients!

07/23/2023

Another successful weekend at the wonderful Whispering Miracles Equestrian Center!! Thank you always to the amazing team and Krystal for providing such a great venue.
Regina and Vido celebrated many milestones on Saturday and won their class. I am truly enjoying watching their progress as a team!
Katie piloted her own horse Charley in fourth level for the first time and stunned us all once again! I am so blessed to be a part of their team. She also rode the lovely and talented Alf in his first ever show. She rode through a tough warm up to produce a solid test, onwards and upwards for them!!
Thank you everyone who helps make our dreams a reality! So proud of everyone!

07/01/2023

Started my Friday with three incredible women and their horses. It has been a pleasure solidifying the team and way forward for Regina & Vido , who you never knew raced at Belmont. Between Regina & Vido they have overcome challenge, injuries, and set backs. Jennifer and Ella , continue to build the most incredible relationship and truly developing as a formidable pair. Hummer & Bailey per usual just seem to grind even harder to achieve their goals ( even allowing me to ride the magnificent moose). I do this because I love watching the relationship of horse & rider, and it is a privilege to teach such great pairs. Seeing my clients succeed and enjoy their time in the saddle is truly priceless!

06/17/2023

Finally getting around to posting about the many successes of my students at Whispering Miracles Dressage last weekend. Regina & Vido received their 2nd score for regionals. Vido fought through some minor set backs and truly gave his all to Regina this weekend, continuing to build both their confidences trotting down centerline. Katie and Charley continue to be the picture of consistency, hard work and grace. Another 65% + both days at 3rd and under tough judging. Katie’s dedication to the sport & her horse reflected in every aspect of her test. Bailey and Hummer knocked off a little rust and had numerous firsts of new levels, showing together , and finally overcoming a huge hurdle. She showed incredible horsemanship and true love for her partner and strengthened their relationship to a new level.

I couldn’t be more proud as a coach to watch each of these pairs prepare & execute. They rode with grace and confidence and truly are incredible horsewomen that I get to guide in their journey♥️

And note to add, thank you IMMENSELY to everyone that helped with Truitt, I have so much love and appreciation towards our big barn family!

06/09/2023

We are looking forward to another show at the beautiful Whispering Miracles Equestrian Center this weekend! We ate incredibly blessed to have a stunning facility in our back door, good luck to everyone competing!!

05/28/2023

A simply fabulous weekend here with my Virginia Beach Crew. Spent the weekend at the truly gorgeous Whispering Miracle Equestrian Center, watching my riders & mounts build in harmony and success! So proud of Regina & Vido for surviving and continuing to build their confidence/success in the show ring, and even get one of their qualifying score for regionals! Katie truly wowed the show & me with her grit, determination, and gift as a rider. She took her truly talented American bred and rider trained gelding down centerline at Third Level and walked away with two qualifying scores for regionals and a personal best of 70% ! It truly was a pleasure to spend the weekend with my Ashmor Farm Team and amazing students that trusted me to join their journey.

03/24/2023

Not much makes me happier than hearing things going well after lessons. I strive for teaching my riders tools they can continously use to grow even when I'm not there! Thank you Ellen for the sweet message! I can't wait for the next lesson!!!

10/01/2022

This horse 🥺 just a few months ago I wasn't able to lay a hand on his ears, and now this. Horses are amazing, looking to give you trust when they may be terrified to do so, but when you've given it all you got they see it. Here's to being in the moment and doing what's best our 4 legged partners.

09/24/2022

Yesterday was moving day and while we arrived safely at our new home, I want to say the biggest "thank you" to my clients of eastern North Carolina. You all have been monumental in this step of my life. I came to Jacksonville never being on my own in the horse world, although I always had the privilege to work under amazing people, now it was my time to try something and show what I've pressed myself to learn over the previous years. And you all made it possible. I'm not sure that I've ever felt as confident in myself and my knowledge as I do now. And no this isn't a post about me, it truly is about you all for believing in me and helping me to grow so much. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for trusting me to be a part of you and your horses journey, you are my people, and I will never forget that. SEE YOU SOON❤️

08/31/2022

I keep missing but I'm going to post anyways. Mr Mojo, or Mojito as I call him, has changed so much between these pictures. Not only is he a total hunk with his set of muscles but at this first picture he was anxious going to clinics and not sure of himself. But he has blossomed into a confident, fun ride. Love this horse so very much. His mom Marilyn does an AMAZING job keeping him progressing in every way. I am beyond grateful for great horses and dedicated people❤️❤️❤️

08/23/2022

Just, WOW!!! Thank you so much Hannah Graham for these amazing pictures of my sweet read head. I'm in love!

07/29/2022

The days haven't been easy but they've been worth it. After over two months of just grooming, slow haltering, LOTS of cookies and the help from an extremely horse savvy friend Apollo has made strides that have exceded my expectations.

The last few weeks I've easily been able to place a halter over his ears with NO hesitation and even last weekend he was ridden calmly again and put on a bridle. The bridle was even too small and his ears had to be squeezed in, but he handled it like a champ.

And today, today was a day for the books. I've always passed fly masks in the store and thought it would be a long time before he'd wear one. But today there was one laying on the ground and he sniffed it, showing his interest. So I lifted it up and HE PUT HIS HEAD INTO IT.... TWICE. It even had ears on it🥺🥺🥺 I'm beyond over the moon, being shown again how much I needed to take this extra time with him. The future is bright❤️🐎🌟

07/19/2022

This 🙌🙌🙌

07/08/2022

I'm beginning to see how much we can take for granted from our equine partners. The simple things that you assume a horse knows just because they are of a certain age. We expect that they've been taught everything from the prior owners, only to be let down when we find the holes. I'm learning to check all boxes one by one because not all horses know the little things. Some weren't taught to self soothe or self regulate and some weren't taught to be fly sprayed properly. And unfortunately some don't even accept the simple task of putting a halter on, a step that somehow got skipped when they were taught to be ridden. I've spent almost two months doing nothing but touching Apollo's ears and working on him allowing me to put a halter over his head. I can now tie a rope halter on no problem, but not much up and over his ears. And this is when I find the holes. He has no trust in me or what I'm doing in such a vulnerable spot. If I don't put a bridle on he travels around under saddle as if he's the most broke 20 year old ranch gelding you've ever sat on. But that's not my goal. My goal is for him to truly trust me, trust that I'm not going to put him in a bad situation. And slowly but surely, we are getting there. Two days in a row and he actually puts his head down into the halter. Take the time your horse needs for the "little" things, because to them they are very big. I'm grateful for Warwick Schiller Attuned Horsemanship for opening my eyes to the bigger picture of the smallest details every horse person should acknowledge.

07/01/2022

💝Appreciation post💝
The relationship between vets, farriers, owners and trainers can sometimes be tricky. But nothing satisfies me more when these people join together for the benefit of the horse being spoken about. Now most of the time when this group of people works together it's due to a problem, which is never what any of us want, but it happens. I am so grateful to be a part of a community where everyone is trying their best to take care of the important ones, the horses. THANK YOU to the vets at Eastern Equine Associates and the multiple farriers you have worked with and most of all for allowing me to be a part as the solution, even if I just listen to your plans. It takes a village❤️

06/30/2022

This 🙌🙌🙌 I am going through exactly this with my sweet boy. He's dealt with a lot in the past, and I'm trying harder than ever to show him that I am with him. And I'm going to make his world a better place, without fail.

They don’t get it. And you know what? Maybe they never will.⁣
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When you have a highly sensitive or traumatized horse, you hear so much about how she needs to be pushed, exposed, forced, and never coddled.⁣
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You hear about how you’re being too meek, too soft, not enough of a leader to her.⁣
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But… you’ve seen the terror in her eyes. You know she needs time, compassion, and space to heal as she tries to survive the human world. Not more pressure, more constriction, more force, more projection.⁣
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It’s not that you’re too soft. It’s that you have this soul-deep empathy for your equine partner you cannot ignore, no matter how intense outside pressure becomes.⁣
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People misinterpret your kind heart for weakness.⁣
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In reality, the strongest thing you can possibly do is hold true to your values, not conform to the harsh norms around you, therefore facing shaming and rejection from community.⁣
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The pain of both you and your horse being so fundamentally misunderstood by those around you can be indescribable.⁣
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But… over time, you will be able to see yourself as you are, regardless of what the people around you say. You will come to know yourself so deeply that when someone tells you you’re being weak, it feels laughable. When people say your horse is being stubborn, sassy, disrespectful, etc… you can know, without a shadow of a doubt, that she’s just a pure animal soul trying to make it through in the only ways she knows how.⁣
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When you stand so firmly in your own values, you will begin to draw in people who understand you. Who understand your sensitive horse. Who value compassion in the same way you do.⁣
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You are strong.⁣
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We commend you. We respect you. We see you.⁣
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Keep going. The world needs so much more of you ♥️

06/18/2022

Flashback Friday to the memories with my sweet Louie Lou Bear. I learned SO MUCH from this big boy and Trixi who made it possible for me to experience everything with this amazing horse🦄❤️

06/04/2022

What a Saturday! Everyone knows I love ALL of my clients but a big shout out to my OG's, my first three clients in this area all had super, SUPER rides today! I am so blessed to be a part of your success Lisa, Cathy and Carolyn!! Here's to more great progress!

06/01/2022

Love everything about these animals that cost us lots, but give us so much more than words can describe❤️

“Horses are so expensive”
I agree, they cost me a lot every day.

Horses cost you your selfishness.
Having horses means every day you are alive you must consider someone’s needs before your own, multiple times a day. Even when you’re away from them arrangements must be made, this builds character and gives us self-worth.

Horses cost you your ego.
Right when you think you have it figured out, you will undoubtedly be presented with a humbling experience either in the arena or out. They will force you to reach out for help when your expertise is maxed out. If you are wise, you will realize life is like this too. Maybe we should reach out for help more frequently and we would get further.

Horses cost you your laziness.
You will never progress with an equine partner by leaving it turned out, just as you will never progress by staying checked out. Do the work and you will get somewhere.

Horses cost you your heart.
They never fail to find a way to touch us deep within even (and especially) when we are feeling cold to the ways of the world. There’s something special about getting to interact with a being that becomes softer when we soften. We should learn to respond to one another similarly.

Yes, horses are so expensive. But everything they’ve ever cost me has also made me 👏🏻

Thank you to whoever wrote this!
Author unknown

05/08/2022

Happy Mother's Day to all the amazing moms out there! But an incredibly special shout out to all of my amazing clients. Most of you were already moms before you met me but I am grateful for the way you've taken me and my sweet boy in. Every single one of you are like another set of grandparents to Truitt and I cannot be more thankful and blessed that he gets to grow up surrounded by so much love. THANK YOU ALL❤️❤️

05/06/2022

Some of my clients will recognize this! Especially the bungee chord 😝 love it!! Happy riding!