I'm Camri Johnson. I help horses and their humans work together with trust, confidence, and synergy.
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Scooter and I scooped some p**p yesterday! I saw this from JD Steffen years ago, and I loved the idea!
Scooping p**p from my arena on horseback forces me to go one handed and rely more on my legs and outside rein. It also gives Scooter a reason to go where I'm asking her to go, because we have something to do when we get there.
This is the simple, yet meaningful work our horses should be doing as youngsters. ❤️
"Chat with a Horse Trainer" FREE Zoom call is tomorrow. I will present about "Learning your horse's language" and then open up to questions from callers.
Thursday, Aug. 29th at 1:00 MDT.
Comment "CHAT" below if you want the link!
These calls are free for August!
If you would like to join the subscription for these calls in the future, here is the info. They will be on the first and third Thursday of every month at 1:00 MDT.
Click this link to subscribe:
https://www.utahhorsetraining.com/chatwithahorsetrainer
"What is your advice for starting a more whoa than go horse?"
This was one of the questions at last week's "Chat with a Horse Trainer" Zoom call.
I am doing one more of these calls for FREE on August 29th at 1:00 P.M. MST. I will present on "Learning our horse's language" before opening up for questions. To join the call, comment "CHAT" below.
Starting in September, these calls will be on a subscription for only $20 a month!
I hope to see you there!
***Teething horses***
The last few sessions, Roman has gotten increasingly irritable and has been throwing his head and sticking his nose in the air like a llama. If any of you have met Roman, he is a super chill dude, so this was very out of character.
I tried to correct the behavior before reminding myself.... The head tossing is a symptom of something. I needed to track down the cause, not treat the symptom.
I checked his mouth and his upper canines are coming in hot! They are just below the gums, and should be appearing very soon. I apologized to him for trying to correct his misbehavior, when all he was trying to do was tell me his mouth was ouchy.
Realizing that the bit was probably aggravating his sore mouth, I opted to ride him in a halter today. He was so soft and responsive, with 0% llama, and 100% horse.
Here's your friendly reminder to check your horse's mouth, especially if you are feeling resistance to the bit.
Teach 'em young about the importance of hard work.
I love having my kiddos do the "not fun" parts of working with horses. My kids are currently 8 and 9 years old, and they can catch their own horse, tie the knot on the rope halter, pick out their feet, curry them, brush them, saddle them, and bridle them with minimal help from me. They also muck their own horse's stalls.
I love that they learn the importance of all the processes, as well as learn to put in the hard work for the things they love.
Don't underestimate your kids. They can do more than you think.❤️
***Disclaimer: Please make sure your horses are safe for your kids to do these things with. If your horse hangs back, don't put your kid under them!
These black and pink gangstas are little escape artists! 🤣
I'm so glad Zaya is "pig broke"! 😜
Unpopular opinion: Making your horse "wear the tarp" isn't the best way to build curiosity, and can actually create more fear and anxiety in your horse.
Here is a short clip from my "Chat with a Horse Trainer" call today.
If you'd like to join my next call, it will be on Aug. 29th at 1:00 p.m. MST
Did I mention the August calls are FREE?!
PM me "CHAT" with your email address, and I will send you the Zoom link for the next call!
Currently booking long-term clients for 2025.
Are you looking to get your horse fancy broke? And do you also value your horse's longevity, their mental state, and their ability to connect with you?
Then I am the trainer for you!
I am looking to take on clients who want a well-rounded horse that will enjoy everything from western to english, trails to arena, jumping to cow-work, and even tricks and liberty work.
I am a connection-based trainer that balances partnership alongside practicality. I teach your horse to manage real life situations, as well as teach them proper biomechanics so that their body and joints will last for years to come. I won't hammer on your horse to get performance at the expense of their physical or mental state.
I also provide lessons for the owner while the horse is in training (included in the cost of training). I am a firm believer that the human needs just as much training as the horse if the partnership is going to flourish.
Send me a call, text, email, or direct message if you are interested in putting your horse in training with me.
***I no longer take c**t starts. These spots are for finish work only.
Come join me on my unicorn 😉🦄
✨🦄 😜
* * * Poll-high carriage and longitudinal balance * * *
Freya and I have been working on a lot of balance and softness. She is built downhill (bred to be a cutting/reining horse), and I also did some things in her early training to encourage a low head carriage, which made her a bit dumpy in her shoulders. Helping her find a "Sweet Spot" in her movement has been so fun! She now has such a lifted lope-off, and carries her lope with her poll as the highest point when I ask her to. We still do stretching work where she gets to stretch her nose to the ground and elongate her back, and she loves that.
I have almost completed Dressage Naturally with Karen Rohlf-Training, Clinics, Educational Material Sweet Spot of Healthy Biomechanics course, and I highly recommend it! I am using everything I have learned on every client horse that comes in, and am LOVING the results.
The "Chat with a Horse Trainer" Q&A calls are FREE in August!
Calls will be at 1:00 p.m. MST on Aug 15th and 29th.
PM me "CHAT" if you want the link to the August calls.
Tucker was the tack room buddy today while we all rode our horses 🥰
This year I opted out of a client retreat in favor of a family and friends retreat. As much as I love my clients dearly, and appreciate the love and support I get from you all, my soul needed this on so many levels.
Half day rides on great horses, great food, dance parties, exploration, dirty children, laughter, and so much more!
And just in case you are wondering, you have not seen the end of The Connected Horsewoman Retreats! I will be structuring the retreats a bit differently than years past, so stay tuned in the coming months about what you can look forward to for future retreats. ❤️
Exciting announcement!!! I will be offering my new "Chat with a Horse Trainer" live calls for FREE for the month of August!
I will be starting each call with a short discussion topic and then I will open up for questions. These questions can be sent to me beforehand or can be brought up during the call. They can be about training principles in general, or can focus specifically on you and your horse.
These calls will be Aug 15th and August 29th at 1:00 p.m. MST.
Comment "CHAT" below and I will send you a private message to get you signed up for the calls!
***No credit card info needed for the free calls
For anyone who isn't a regular follower and wants to know what type of trainer I am, here is the low-down. I am Camri Johnson, and I am a connection-based horse trainer who blends practicality with partnership. I help horses and their humans work together with trust, confidence, and synergy. I help horse and rider establish solid communication through in-person lessons, virtual lessons, clinics, and full-time training with lessons included.
For more information on me and my programs, please visit
https://www.utahhorsetraining.com/
I am so excited to offer my new live-call subscription to all of you!
"Chat with a Horse Trainer" is designed to build a space for open discussion of training principles and topics in the horse industry, as well as opening up for a Q&A portion where you can talk directly with me (Camri Johnson) to get training advice for you and your horse.
Click here for more info:
https://www.utahhorsetraining.com/chatwithahorsetrainer
Calls begin Aug. 15 and you can cancel your subscription anytime.
Here is one of the moments I enjoyed while I was off of social media. ❤️
My social media break was much needed and helped me break some habits and come back in with a plan to use social media with more intention and with more limits.
I am now working towards creating my "Chat with a Horse Trainer" live calls! If you want to talk horses with me and have a Q&A portion where you get to ask questions specifically about you and your horse, please share a photo of you and your horse below!
I have decided to take a break from social media until further notice. I will still be available via phone and email, but I will not be checking my social media anytime soon.
I will still be riding horses, teaching lessons, and putting on clinics. If you need me, please reach out via email or phone.
I wrote this letter when I was 15 years old, and I still treasure it. My dear grandfather was a master of connecting with people. He knew that connecting with people wasn't always about saying or doing what was logical or realistic. He knew that connection is about being present with another human being without feeling a need to correct or change their behavior.
When everyone else discouraged me with realism or pessimism, he encouraged me to follow my dreams. When he saw a hormonal teenage girl, he didn't tell me to stop being ornery. Instead, he held space for me and made me a milkshake. He filled my need for another human being to care about me without any strings attached.
I spoke about this letter on McKayla and I's last episode of The Horsewoman Project Podcast, Episode 88: How to Connect as Horsewomen: The Power of These 4 Little Words
https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/the-horsewoman-project/episodes/How-to-Connect-as-Horsewomen-The-Power-of-These-4-Little-Words-e2l91ld
In this episode we talk about ways we can connect with our fellow horsewomen and horsemen so that we can have the support, shared knowledge, and lasting friendships that can come from finding your people.
Top left: Fall 2023
Top right: February 2024 - shod for two cycles with 3D caudal support 3° wedge pads
Bottom: June 2024 after a trim and before reapplying a 3D pad and shoe.
Thank you so much, Travis, for helping Lola become more comfortable! ❤️❤️❤️
A good farrier is worth his weight in gold!
Roman standing like a pro for hot shoeing 🔥😍😎
Where will I find the best resources and information about
Side Bone?
I have an equine dentist, Dillon Thatcher, coming to my place tomorrow if anyone would like to join our farm call. Dillon is one of only a handful of certified dentists in the state of Utah. Let me know if you want in!
Kevin the mini mule has some hair that grows differently on his neck. It turns out it is in the shape of a heart 😍
❤️🤍🤎💙💜💚💛
I have to brag on my student, Peyton. He has been working on balancing his horse's turns -- particularly the shoulder -- by using different rein positioning (direct rein vs leading rein). What a difference it makes to be softer with our hands and to use our hands to guide the nose and let the shoulder follow as we stay balanced on our horse.
He has also been helping his horse soften to vertical flexion and build her top line. Her current level of fitness cannot hold that body position very long yet, but she is starting to find it and enjoy it.
This is why I coach! I love helping students and their horses find simple things that make a big impact! The horse feels better when they are in proper balance with softer cues, and the human feels better by being able to do less and get more.
*** R I D I N G I N D I F F E R E N T D I R T ***
Freya and I had an AMAZING show! Not because it was perfect, but because it was not.
We went in with the mantra of, "We are just riding in someone else's dirt today." It helped me remember that when she would brace or resist, I would slow down and help her find clarity instead of pushing harder to stay on pattern.
At one point we were preparing to do a right lead strike off from a halt and I could feel her resist my aids and think backward toward her friends. We walked and halted a couple of times, finding clarity, and then I felt her come back to me and listen to her lateral yields. We did the lope off nicely and the rest of the pattern went very well!
THIS is what showing should be about! Helping our horses dissolve brace. Helping them find clarity even when nerves are high. Helping them stay mentally "with us."
I am so proud of my girl Freya and so pleased with how the day went. I have the most amazing group of friends and students that went with me!! Jade, thank you SO MUCH for the photos, and I can't wait until your horse feels better so you can join us under saddle next time! Gabi, I am SO AMAZED that you used your class time to walk in, halt, and get off, just to help your horse! And Zoey, you ROCKED your downward transitions and spins, just like we practiced! I am so grateful to have all of you in my life!
I'm headed to a Panorama Horse Show Circuit show tomorrow and wanted to get my mare, Freya, focused and connected with me. I decided to school her bridleless with a neck rope and a dressage whip instead of her bridle.
She did absolutely everything that was asked for my Ranch Riding pattern including trotting logs, sidepassing a log, a 1 1/2 spin, a halt to lope transition, a lope to walk transition, and so much more! I have never felt this in-tune with Freya! It feels surreal and I am so grateful for everything Freya has taught me. ❤️
I have been applying techniques and principles from Karen Rohlf's Sweet Spot of Healthy Biomechanics course, and it has been the best money I've ever invested. Not only is it helping me with Freya, but I apply it to my client horses as well with amazing results!
Dressage Naturally with Karen Rohlf-Training, Clinics, Educational Material
172 E. 2200 N
Monroe, UT
84754
| Monday | 7am - 8pm |
| Tuesday | 7am - 8pm |
| Wednesday | 7am - 8pm |
| Thursday | 7am - 8pm |
| Friday | 7am - 8pm |
| Saturday | 7am - 8pm |
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"What is your advice for starting a more whoa than go horse?" This was one of the questions at last week's "Chat with a Horse Trainer" Zoom call. I am doing one more of these calls for FREE on August 29th at 1:00 P.M. MST. I will present on "Learning our horse's language" before opening up for questions. To join the call, comment "CHAT" below. Starting in September, these calls will be on a subscription for only $20 a month! I hope to see you there!
Unpopular opinion: Making your horse "wear the tarp" isn't the best way to build curiosity, and can actually create more fear and anxiety in your horse. Here is a short clip from my "Chat with a Horse Trainer" call today. If you'd like to join my next call, it will be on Aug. 29th at 1:00 p.m. MST Did I mention the August calls are FREE?! PM me "CHAT" with your email address, and I will send you the Zoom link for the next call!
This kid thinks every time I move (or a rope, pad, flag, etc.) he needs to react to it. I have been working on desensitizing and sensitizing. Watch through this video as I put an energetic barrier between he and I so that he knows when my movement isn't directed at him. Then I can open back up that line of communication and direct small amounts of meaningful energy to him and he can respond with more focus and response versus reaction. He's such a goofball! Love this kid! #snootkisses #coltstarting #energyiseverything #woowoo #truewoo
A little Sunday trotting on Mr. Kevin. His transitions are getting better into the trot! He used to be so bouncy and tense that it would bounce Thea off the side 😂. Thea and Tripp can now catch him and pick out his feet all by themselves. 🥰
I've never seen anything like this! It was at my home in Monroe, Utah.
Phoebe just went home after 5 months with me, and she will be missed! This filly taught me so much, and I am so grateful to her owner, Emily, for trusting me with her! Phoebe came to me an extreme ADHD case 😂. I couldn't keep her focus for more than 15 seconds without having "squirrrel" moments. She definitely tested my patience a time or two! 😉 Phoebe left my program with focus, drive, lightness in her body and face, confidence with obstacles and cows, and a moldable body and mind. She could do haunches in, haunches out, shoulder in, and shoulder out, she could do a lope departure from a standstill, stop hard on her booty, bring her brain back to me if she got concerned, and so much more! This filly gave me so much of her, and I truly loved working with her! She is one of those horses that will always have a piece of my heart. Thank you Phoebe and Emily! I can't wait to see your future adventures together!
This is the first time I've ever asked Freya to sit down with me on her back. She didn't even hesitate! 🥰 I love my girl!
What a handsome, sweet, and gentle horse J.R. is! He has been an interesting horse for me to work with. He has been such a gracious boy and is always attentive and sweet! He is built extremely downhill, and came to me pretty overweight. He has been one of the hardest horses I have worked with to get him to use his hind end in his stops, as well as spin properly, which is partially due to his conformation, and partially due to his temperament. He doesn't get in too much of a hurry to do anything, haha. We have been working on alot of correctness in our slow work, and have done a "giddy up" exercise to help teach him how to prepare himself for quick transitions (although with this exercise, we do lose some of our correctness, so we need to balance that with slowing back down and making sure we stay balanced, soft, and correct). I have found myself getting frustrated with him at times, as I haven't struggled this hard to get correctness in stops in quite some time, but I have appreciated everything J.R. has taught me. He has pushed me to up my skillset and dive into better ways to help him. I hope J.R. can go home a successful horse who can get up and go when needed, slow down and find correctness when asked, be a rockstar on the trails, push a cow, handle a rope, and ride out alone on the highway. Thanks to his owner, Stacey, for letting me work on getting this kid educated and handy.
Hercules is back into roping shape! First time turning a steer in a few months and this is how he comes back! 😎 He sure knows his job! ✅ Quiet in the box ✅ Rates well ✅ Handles the steer smoothly ✅ Faces well This gelding is available!! PM me for more info!
Hercules is on the market! He is a blue roan finished head horse and breakaway prospect. He rates the slow steers, gets after the quick ones (he is FAST when you open him up!), and makes you look good while you're doing it! He is coming off a break from a few months, and is in continued training to be legged-up again and put back into full work. His price will only go up as we continue to put time on him. He has a royal pedigree, with Corona Cartel, Sun Frost, Ivory James, and more! For more questions, contact Camri Johnson with J Family Equine. If you want to see videos of him last year when in great shape and roping full time, jump to 4:20 of the YouTube video linked below. All footage from 0:00 to 4:20 is him last week. https://youtu.be/bEKpGYDJcbU?si=6z5tvQGMIktuJaZ6
Kevin the mini-mule enjoyed his first group turnout today, and met me at the gate to be caught 🥰
I like 'em big.... I like 'em chunky! J.R. is lovingly nicknamed Moto Moto for this reason! 🤣
Piece of advice for those who love Redmond Equine rock salt licks: When you are filling your water troughs, spray off the dirt and dust from your salt rocks👌
Kevin the mini-mule wants to be a cow chaser 😜
Haulin' hay ☀️🛻🚜
I love having so many ways to help horses! Years ago I would've pushed a horse like her through her pain and told her to stop being a brat, being completely unaware that her behavior indicated soreness or pain. Today I can see her behaviors in a way that shows me what she needs so I can help her more. I used ground driving, lunging with a cowboy-cavesson, ground cavalettis, uneven cavalettis, poll releases, TMJ releases, shoulder stretches, and percussion massages to help this mare feel better about doing what was asked.
This was such a cool moment for all 6 horses to stand ground tied at my clinic over the weekend. 5 year old horses all the way up to 20 years old. Even our high anxiety horses figured it out easily 🥰
Less is more with pressure, and this filly, Piper, is thriving in my program! She is a 2 year old Quarter Horse, and has had 33 sessions with me since she got here a month and a half ago. #coltstarting #grandmeadowssupplements #redmondequine #highqualitysaddlesllc
Shawnkara Australian Shepherds & Mini America
N Meadow Lark Lane
