First Foundations Farm

01/14/2025

Currently have two openings for new students. English, Western, Trail Riding, Working Equitation, Versatility. Very diverse program that is completely adapted to your goals. Contact us for more information.

01/14/2025

Taryn and Milly did some work on lightening the forehand and some light conditioning work. Milly made sure Taryn was working as hard as she was.

01/14/2025

Caroline and Cooter worked really hard on relaxed loose rein and sitting back. Cooter likes to be on his forehand and constantly speed up to keep his balance or use the reins to hold himself up. Caroline even had a beautiful turn on a loose rein with him listening to light leg pressure.

01/14/2025

Don’t let the weather fool you our ring has great footing and ready to be ridden in.

01/08/2025

Add these dates to your calendar!

01/07/2025

Our crew is warm and cozy in blankets with a warm dinner tonight.

01/05/2025

This is why it is required for showing students to ride year round and why I encourage it for all my students.

Outdoor winter lessons build confidence. This picture was taken in what we called the "baby pool" on my farm. I also had a big outdoor arena that was unfenced for a reason and a round pen. The baby pool was approximately 40' (12 meters) x 60' (18 meters) with rounded corners. This student had not yet earned her way out of the baby pool into the large arena, which means she has had 8 to 12 lessons so far. She is in a balanced position with loose reins, doing fine.

This is an old picture, and I am not sure if parents would send their children today to an outdoor lesson like this, but lessons like this offer unique learning opportunities. Riders become stiff in the cold and it is important that they learn early that bracing your body, regardless of the reason, interferes with communication between horse and rider because it violates the primary principle riding of, "Let the horse move you." A stiff braced rider body separates you from your horse as your horse will withdraw from a braced rider. Riders cannot communicate effectively with their horse if they have little or no unity of balance and motion.

My point today is that we should be teaching the so called "advanced" principles of riding like unity from day one and every day after that. I see too many instructors teaching static forms that judges reward early in their lesson programs, but not the true primary elements like unified balance and movement with the horse. For example, ba****ck lunge line lessons are among the best to start a student learning these primary elements, but this once common teaching tool is hardly seen anymore.

This student might as well be on a lunge line because that pony is very well trained. Well trained lesson horses and ponies are absolutely essential for a first rate lesson program that begins with the essentials of horsemanship. You cannot expect a new rider to find sympathetic balance and movement with their mount if they are constantly distracted by flaws in the horse's training.

But with the right horse in the optimal contained area, students of all ages can learn proper horsemanship starting with their first lesson. Additionally, if you continue teaching through all kinds of conditions, students learn from a depth of experience much more powerful than can be found in an indoor arena. Just make sure that the rider is dressed correctly for each ride. We need better lesson programs that do not "teach for the test", meaning how to please a judge and win a ribbon. We need lessons that teach effective riding.

* note - important post for 2025

www.facebook.com/BobWoodHorsesForLife/posts/pfbid02BvFUx5yo9H4vqp2W12UyKmqSjqchTkQftP8SsArtAev5ZBDMRMwHsaEnMqjWX3Gwl

01/04/2025

Layla and Caroline braved the cold and had a lesson today. Not many pictures because I was wearing gloves.

01/03/2025

Beth and Cotton are back at it.

01/03/2025

Caroline had a great ride on Cooter that ended on the bogs.

01/03/2025

Milly and Beth jogging - look at Beth not holding on!

01/03/2025

Beth on Milly riding with no stirrups to find her seat bones in the jog. Huge moment for Beth to not only get on a new horse but also to ride with no stirrups her first time riding her.

01/03/2025

Caroline and Cooter working on collecting and balancing the canter.

01/03/2025

Beth and Cotton jogging. She did lots of jogging this lesson.

01/03/2025

If you ride/train with me here are some things you can expect.

❌I will not let you blame your horse. I will tell you when it’s time to correct a behavior

❌I will not tolerate jerking on your horse’s mouth. This is UNCONDITIONAL!!!

❌I will not let you rely on bandaids and crutches. (The training kind not the medical ones).

❌I will not accept a “bad mood”, I understand everyone has bad days but you’re doing what you love, so pull yourself together for your horse. If you can’t, then get off and brush them instead because we cannot expect to teach our horse anything productive in a negative mind space.

✅I will expect you to treat your horse with kindness and respect

✅I will absolutely listen to any questions you have and try to break things down if you don’t understand . I ask many many times. “Does that make sense”

✅I will push and encourage you until you believe in yourself 💜 I will absolutely push gently when your horse tells me your ready

*copied

12/26/2024

12/25/2024