Pioneer Horsemanship

08/10/2024

Great day of lessons!

08/09/2024

📣ATTN LOUISBURG KS 📣

Are you tired of fighting with your horse? Do you wish there was a better way?

Trailer loading well represents a well-built partnership between horse and human!

Let’s get you on your way to a better relationship with your horse!

🔵 what: trailer loading demo
🔸 come watch Ashley work through various trailer loading and unloading issues with three different horses and trailers.
🔸 learn about horse behavior
🔸 learn about positive and negative pressure
🔸 learn when to ask for more and when to wait
🔸 learn how to read your horse more accurately
🔸 learn how to manage your emotions and expectations
🔸 learn how to build a better relationship with your horse on the ground

🔵 when: August 9th 6:00 pm

🔵 where: 30504 metcalf rd Louisburg, KS 66053

🔻 event link in the comments!

08/09/2024

Hey all reminder about my event tonight! Come hang out with us and talk about horse behavior!

This is a demo only so just bring you and a notebook - the demo horses will be provided for you to watch and learn some different loading techniques.

We will also have three different types on trailers to load in as well.

See you there! (Link to event in the comments)

08/05/2024

Lessons on sat!

07/30/2024

🔶🔶🔶 Caption this!

07/30/2024

Rainbow!

07/24/2024

🔶🔶 Go get your goals!!

07/23/2024

Fun trail practice. Thanks for the course Brittany Harpool!

07/19/2024

Click on the link to RSVP!

https://www.facebook.com/share/mhBvFL7ew1sGAthH/

07/18/2024

☀️ Good morning!!! ☀️

"Lose an hour in the morning, and you will spend all day looking for it" —Richard Whately

07/17/2024

🌟 Cultivating self-confidence starts with embracing who we are! 🌟

Brené Brown beautifully puts it: 'Believing that you are enough is what gives you the courage to be authentic.'

Let's nurture our self-confidence by accepting ourselves fully and believing in our worth.

You have something uniquely special to offer the world that no one else can do in your place!

What’s one thing you LOVE about yourself?

I’ll go first! I love how delighted I am by the small beautiful things in life! (Also there are no small things)

💪 "

07/07/2024

07/06/2024

🔶Reaching Goals through Relaxation🔶

🔶Throughout the process of becoming a skilled horseman, we often adopt various concepts, methods, and approaches. We tend to focus on what is effective for a particular horse in a specific situation at that moment. Put simply, when we possess a certain degree of self-awareness, we keep what is effective and discard what is not. This is a natural part of the learning and exploration process. The challenge arises when circumstances, the horse, or the environment change. What may be a successful approach with one horse may not work for another, and our capacity to adapt is not only beneficial but crucial for maintaining a healthy relationship with our horses.

🔶I tell you all of this to say that I had that moment with my mare, Aspen, today. I had been experiencing an increased level of tension in her with each ride. She was becoming more reactive and spooky and less manageable (i.e., harder to steer in the arena or on the trail). She had certain areas where she would go and wouldn't go, and it even seemed specific to me riding her because when I had other people ride her, she was less worried.

🔶So, what was going on and how could I go about uncovering it without taking it personally? Well, it certainly wasn't a perfect process, but I reminded myself that horses generally spook because they don't want to be where they are. In other words, they spook either outside of their comfort zone or when a change has occurred within their comfort zone. In this case, the arena itself was outside of Aspen's comfort zone, and my previous tactics of trying to bully her through pressure and release had not worked at all in building her confidence and had instead lowered her confidence in me as a leader.

🔶You can't intimidate a horse into confidence. You can intimidate them into obedience, but not into confidence. I want confidence that leads to teamwork, not obedience through intimidation. I used to train through intimidation, and sometimes my old ways creep back in and get the better of me.

🔶So what did I do? I kept it very simple. I'll share the process with you not the actual exercises so you can apply it using your own plan.

🔶Approach the corner
🔷Wait for change
(wide eyes, head up, ears forward etc...)
🔶STOP.
🔷Wait for change - don't rush this part
(lick and chew, sigh, yawning, blowing out)
🔶RETREAT from corner
🔷Leave, go anywhere else
🔶Repeat!

🔶It's that simple. A little good old approach and retreat. I spent about fifteen minutes on it, and the rest of the ride we were able to work on my plan without the distraction of the scary corner! I had put off doing this for a SIX MONTHS because in my mind, it wasn't the "correct" thing to do and it's not always practical. Sheesh - us horse trainers really get in our heads sometimes. If this had been someone else's horse, I would have done this last fall. But because it was MY horse, I had a bunch of "should" statements in my head 💭 that limited my ability to problem-solve. There is a downside to every technique; this one takes a little extra time, but think about all the time I could have saved myself in the long run!

🔶 Always learning, forever humbled,

- Ashley Purdin

06/25/2024

Name this horse!

05/28/2024

Class tonight 5/28 cancelled

05/27/2024

Don’t forget our sale, use code MEM24 at checkout for free shipping on the entire website!

05/27/2024

Love you Aspen the Mustang!

05/25/2024

Due to unforeseen circumstances we are cancelling today’s class!! We apologize for the inconvenience!

05/21/2024

Weech says hi!

05/21/2024

We are cancelling class tonight due to the weather forecast! Have a great night!

05/15/2024

My day job is pretty rough 😂

Equine Mechanix
R Bar B
Ashley Purdin Art - 1194 Designs
Ortho Equine
Horse Lovers Outlet
Equus Curito Equine Center

05/15/2024

He is a good boy!

05/08/2024

So privileged to train on this girl!