Valkyrie Ranch

07/04/2025

This girl is ready for her own person! Will excel is jumping, sport horse, hunter, fox hunting, or endurance.
Check out Stellas google drive file for more pictures & video!
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1WV9h4-7O-gTqOVaSmsYpZnhmXYoMmnf3?usp=drive_link

06/30/2025

🇺🇸🐔 As we approach the 4th of July, we’re proud to honor our commitment to service — from serving our country during past deployments to now serving our customers with high-quality, USA-made Black Soldier Fly Larvae.

🎉 To celebrate, we’re giving away a limited-edition T-shirt featuring the image below (a community favorite!) with every order placed on our website between June 30 and July 6. Get started here: https://eggbrigade.com/

Thank you for supporting our mission — and Happy Fourth of July! 🇺🇸

06/28/2025

06/26/2025

06/18/2025

Come out to support the 4H Bit & Bridle Club!

06/16/2025

The Bit & Bridle 4H Club is in need of used horse shoes for a project! Any farms or farriers local that would be willing to donate to the club?
Can pick up around Orange/ Fredericksburg/ Culpeper area, possibly could arrange pick up on the Palmyra/ Charlottesville area depending on being able to coordinate timing.

06/09/2025

06/02/2025

*Edit: Don't forget about 4H on the 13th!* 🍀
June is open for booking! I have been SO impressed watching our new instructor Sage working with the kids this last month! She is so kind & attentive with them while sharing her knowledge & experience. I would encourage any possible new riders and/or previous students who are looking to get back into it to book a lesson with her, you won't regret it!
Please note there is a little bit of an adjustment in the times Sage is available for the first 2 weeks of June. Also, there are 5 Mondays this month so keep that in mind as you are tracking your lessons & purchasing packages.
Please do all scheduling and buying lessons through our Vagaro app here: https://www.vagaro.com/valkyrieranchllc/memberships
If you have questions or need help please reach out to me at [email protected] or text Lauren at 951 566-7217

05/29/2025

02/07/2025

01/31/2025

We'd like to re-introduce you to Debbie Romero and Optimal Posture:

Debbie offers Alexander technique to people at True North by appointment and can be heard on the podcast Horse Geeks with fellow host Kirsten Nelson.
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLATIAoytMZD0RzFelef8V2dAJ_haRVpF1

Contact us for an appointment or to schedule a 4-6 person clinic at your barn!

01/30/2025

The knowledge is SO important but it can never replace feel. Always keep studying but don't let yourself get so bogged down with books & theories that you're afraid to actually do something. Go ride that horse!

In a recent conversation with my friend Jim Groesbeck Horsemanship about the current state of horse training, he came up with an analogy that perfectly describes today's new horse training process. Jim is one of the most educated and experienced horsemen I know. This insight of his is so sadly true.

Jim's analogy parallels a hypothetical way of teaching an art student how to paint a picture. The analogy begins with a requirement that before the student can start painting a picture, they have to completely understand the chemistry of paint.

Prior to painting a picture students have to study all the scientific elements of paint that include the pigments, binders, solvents, additives and the other ingredients of paint. Art students must understand all the science of how the chemicals interact, how they facilitate the flow of the paint on the paintbrush and how the combination of these chemical elements determine colors.

Only after this complete study of the science, can a student be prepared to dip their brush into the paint and put the brush to canvas.

I totally get Jim's analogy because I read so many posts and comments from young horse trainers who go on and on about the biomechanics of the horse, the horse thoracic sling and the science of behavior and pain. These scientific horse trainers seem to have replaced the skill or experience involved in training horses, gained from many years working many horses, with a concept of "relationship training" combined with their focus on science.

This "do the chemistry lab work first" approach to horse training lacks the feel for movement and balance in a horse. There is no mention of the use of mutual balance in training to open up all the possibilities of shared movement. Science based horse training is based on intellectual understanding instead.

Jim's summary was, "At some point we have to just get on the horse and teach it something useful." Call me stupid, but that is what I too have always thought training horses is about, getting on the horse and discovering its unique movement and balance, then improving it. Horse training is not at all about a science lab.

Please Click on the brief SURVEY link and complete the survey! Your answers will help all of us.
https://forms.gle/pxNXgDGisSNNR58JA