High Meadow Equine Center

01/14/2025

Humphrey and Finch's half brother.

Congratulations to 𝐀𝐋𝐋𝐎𝐂𝐀𝐓𝐄 𝐘𝐎𝐔𝐑 𝐀𝐒𝐒𝐄𝐓𝐒 on being inducted into the 𝗡𝗦𝗕𝗔 𝗛𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗼𝗳 𝗙𝗮𝗺𝗲!

“Al,” a 2000 AQHA stallion, made his mark as a show horse and later as a million-dollar sire.

His progeny have earned:
🏅 29,664 AQHA Points
🏆 33 AQHA World Championships
🥈 20 AQHA Reserve Championships

Al’s remarkable contributions include producing NSBA Horse of the Year COUTURE BLUE GENES and other stars like PRETTY ASSETS and BLAMEITONTHE ALCOHOL.

𝙇𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙣 𝙢𝙤𝙧𝙚 about Al at bit.ly/42aFdka and join us in celebrating his impact at the NSBA Honors Banquet on August 10 in Tulsa, OK!

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01/06/2025

More EXCITING NEWS!
Mark Lyon Lyon Horsemanship
Will be here May 23rd -May 26th!
We are finalizing the details.
Classes we are considering are Ranch Riding, Ranch Trail, In hand Trail/Yearling Fundamentals, Cattle/sorting, C**t Starting.
Stay tuned for updates. These classes fill FAST!

01/06/2025

So much truth to this! I had to share...

01/05/2025

🤣

01/05/2025

Pretty true I think. 😁

01/01/2025

High Meadow Equine Center is pleased to announce the upcoming addition of two new team members. After conducting a thorough search for individuals possessing the perfect blend of KNOWLEDGE, EXPERIENCE, TALENT, and MOTIVATION, we met with numerous impressive candidates. However, we found it impossible to choose between two exceptional individuals, whom we are confident will bring significant expertise and diversity to our center. In the near future, we will begin accepting horses for training, offering a broad spectrum of services spanning from basic training to advanced disciplines. As our DREAM TEAM grows, our lesson program will also commence in the spring. We requested that Anna and Cheyenne provide brief bios to introduce themselves...

12/16/2024

Sunday morning musings….

I saw a post recently where someone said they charged less for c**t starting because there is no detail work involved.

I about spit my coffee.

They said the detail work is in teaching the horse “the pattern”.

I'll also often hear people say, I need someone to put some "buttons" on my horse.

Full STOP.

The idea that “detail” work and “buttons” is more than c**t starting is asinine to me.

*C**t starting IS THE DETAILS.* It is THE foundation upon which your horse’s career will be begin.

I often charge $1500 or more for restarts because they’re a lot more work. In most of those cases the c**t starter either didn’t know or wasn’t concerned with “details”. This goes hand in hand with the idea that RIDEABLE doesn’t equal EDUCATED.

The foundation starts on THE GROUND, and is carried into the rides.

I will say again: rideable doesn't equate to educated.

Lots of gentle horses will let you put a leg on both sides, but they don't know how to move the parts of their body independently, they can't yield to the bit, they don't understand speed control from my seat, or how to shape up off my legs.

It takes a lot of time to go back and re-write that program - especially on horses with a year or more of poor education. Me putting Ninety days days on those horses is a drop in the bucket.

If your horse comes back from the trainer and isn’t soft and reaching for you, can’t sort out how to separate the parts of their body, the “detail” work was missed. Unless they’re absolutely dog gentle by nature, a dull, non-responsive horse isn’t safe.

NOW- let’s get something clear your horse isn’t a machine.

If you own a horse, you are also responsible for educating yourself.

Horses aren't machines, and we shouldn’t want them to be.

I am responsible for growing myself and my skill set to better communicate with the horse.

The horse will always ride better for the trainer — unless you the owner/rider will take the time to do the things necessary to help broaden your understanding and education and communication. That, friends, is a lifelong commitment.

So, next time you hear, “it’s just c**t starting”, remember it is more than that. If the details like softness, roundness, correctness, thoughtfulness are overlooked, you or someone else is likely going to be struggling later.

The details absolutely matter.

12/14/2024

Very similar to my approach. I take untouched, sometimes WILD, weanlings, yearling, sometimes 2 yr. Olds and go through the steps, very specific things I'm looking for, and have them leading, not perfect, but with understanding of forward motion and giving to pressure, and having control of their feet within a few days. Then you can build and refine on that foundation.
I use a special rope with a "stop", so it does choke them down and has good release.

12/08/2024

Written by Amy Skinner "When you pay for a lesson or training, you aren’t buying an hour of my time. You’re paying for thousands of hours of sweat, struggle, success and tears. You’re buying injuries, mistakes, and revelations. You’re buying nights awake thinking about a horse or student I need to help more, thinking about what could be bothering a certain horse. Searching on the internet about possible medical causes for certain behaviours. You’re paying for the time i spend updating owners late at night about how their horse is doing. For the emotional toll it sometimes takes on a trainer when an owner is dealing with big emotions. You’re buying hours of hauling hay, mucking stalls and grooming, of carefully checking your horse over like It was my own. You’re paying for my further education, because i still take lessons as frequently as possible. You’re paying for my care, concern, over dinner conversation, and you inevitably become a central part of my life.
You can’t put a price on education, or personal development, or the bliss of finally being “with” a horse. Thank you for sharing with me, teaching me, and letting me teach you, while I put food on my table and hay in my barn with the most fulfilling job ever. "❤️

12/04/2024

Great news! Hannah is heading to Georgia! Congratulations to her new owner. She will be a GREAT trail partner!! I'm so happy that Hannah has a wonderful life ahead of her!

12/01/2024

He's growing up! What a c**t!
💛🖤Hawkeye🖤💛

11/26/2024

11/19/2024

Jordan is ready for Christmas 🎄

11/11/2024

Wish there was stuff like this when I was in school!

Equine Blast is Dec. 7th. https://www.extension.iastate.edu/equine/equine-blast

11/10/2024

I had a client say to me once; "I don't lunge horses and I don't want one around that I have to."

I was like, well then you miss out on a lot of great horses that just need a bit of foreplay before you climb on and ride.

Blunt, but I think I made my point. 🤷

Lunging your uncomfortable, defensive or simply 'feeling bitchy horse,' before you ride them has absolutely nothing to do with whether they are a bronc or not. I often call it a systems check, or warming up their want to. And some horses need that extra attention paid to them, that gesture of respect and understanding, to smooth over the rough edges of their worry. To re-awaken their trust in even the most familiar situation or handler. It's kind of the equine version of, "Don't talk to me before I've had my coffee."

I've been training horses for a very long time, and the one thing I've learned is that my fragile human ego is not allowed to lay down any ground rules when it comes to vibing well with a multitude of equine partners. I have learned that it is easier on everyone, both horse and human, if I meet them where they are, not where I expect they should be. If that takes a few minutes of moving their feet around and settling their mind, then no harm, no foul.

Have a good day folks! 😊

Pictured below; Hombre, the horse that has most taught me the benefits of lunging...he really doesn't like to be spoken to before coffee! 😉