White Bridge Stables

08/14/2023

Usually their beautiful heads are hanging out... no ro's this morning

Goofy girl 🤣

07/31/2023

So true!!! CORRECT basics are hard but once you get them it all makes sense and you can then fly 😎
Upper level movements are just enhancing the basics

👏👏👏

06/11/2023

Consistency is key! 🙌🏼

05/28/2023

We know we feel more at peace when we are around our ponies, but when science backs it up…..

No wonder they are so good for our souls and so very useful in Equine Assisted Therapy Sessions or your weekly riding lesson…..and breathe 🦄🐴🥰

Recent studies conducted by the Institute of Heart-Math provide a clue to explain the two-way ′′healing′′ that occurs when we're close to horses.

According to researchers, the heart has an electromagnetic field larger than the brain: a magnetometer can measure the energy field of the heart that radiates from 2.4 meters to 3 meters around the human body.

While this is certainly significant, perhaps more impressive than the electromagnetic field projected by the heart of a horse is five times larger than that of a human being (imagine an electromagnetic sphere around the horse) and it can influence straight into our own heart rate.
Horses are also likely to have what science has identified as a "coherent′′ heart rate (heart rate pattern) that explains why we can feel better when we're close to them. Studies have found a coherent heart pattern or HRV to be a solid measure of well-being and consistent with emotional states of calm and joy-that is, we exhibit such patterns when we feel positive emotions.

A coherent heart pattern is indicative of a system that can recover and adapt to stressful situations very efficiently. Many times, we just need to be in the presence of horses to feel a sense of well-being and peace.

In fact, research shows that people experience many physiological benefits by interacting with horses, including lower blood pressure and heart rate, higher beta-endorphins (neurotransmitters acting as pain suppressors), decreased stress levels, decreased feelings of anger, hostility, tension and anxiety, better social working; and greater feelings of empowerment, confidence, patience and self-efficacy.

By: Alejandro Pascual Puig
CEO en E&C CONSULTING CEO en E&C CONSULTING
The artist is Valerie Eric. The copyright holder is Sarah Barnes, HeartMath certified practitioner. The image was inspired following a riding lesson on heart connection.

04/18/2023

Yes!

In an effort to be kind to the horse, many people forfeit the one thing the horse needs most: LEADERSHIP. It is your leadership that keeps him safe, provides for his needs, and sets healthy boundaries.

We all like to make decisions for the horse that improve his wellbeing - we steer him away from the barbed wire on the trail, provide farrier and medical care that he may not want, and set fences up around his pasture so he doesn’t wander into traffic. Then when it comes to boundaries that affect personal safety, I have seen some folks neglect that very same leadership role, thinking they are being “bossy” or “mean” to the horse.

The truth is, in order to continue to provide for your horse’s needs and make the decisions that are best for his wellbeing, you have to establish leadership. In his mind, in your herd of two, either YOU are the leader, or HE is. Those are the only two options.

The fear many people face is that they will lose connection with the horse if they establish leadership. Nothing could be further from the truth. When you communicate with the horse in a way he understands, and you do it consistently and fairly, you don’t sacrifice relationship - you STRENGTHEN it.
…………………………………..

Stay tuned for my newest video release: “Teaching Your Horse Ground Manners.”

04/11/2023

03/05/2023

01/30/2023

A good visual - I see so many times riders using the "easy" way to fake engagement and collection where it can look somewhat pretty still but is not healthy or correct for the horse

01/24/2023

01/08/2023

First we are going to help you to improve the left-right balance (‘straightness’) of the horse, with the consequence that the horse gets equal in the hand. This means that the horse is also more willing to accept the softer rein. This is very important, because when your horse distributes his we...

12/30/2022

Basics basics basics
Once those are truly established the "harder fancier" stuff becomes easy and more on building muscle and making enhancements then feeling like your teaching something completely new

All day. Every day. If you don’t continuously practice the basics, everything else is just tricks.

12/25/2022

Have a fabulous day full of love and joy

12/23/2022

Rotten weather here in our neck o' the woods. But... horses.

12/15/2022

Just a little bit of snow.... thats a water trough

12/14/2022

Always national day of the horse around here!
Happy horse day to all my spoiled loves ... and many more un pictured.

12/07/2022

Virginia tech in association with our equestrian governing bodies just cam out with their most recent helmet ranking list - saftey not style 😉

https://www.helmet.beam.vt.edu/equestrian-helmet-ratings.html

11/23/2022

Love our vet care team!

11/21/2022

Hiring

We are looking for a person to help with WEEKDAY morning chores 2-4 days a week

7-10:30am

Reach out if interested or find us on indeed!

11/07/2022

The horses sure are thinking this 🤣

10/31/2022

When your horse gets his teeth done on halloween he becomes a bumblebee

10/30/2022

Once again we will be participating in no stirrup November.... at least a protion of your lesson

November starts on Tuesday—Are you ready for No Stirrup November? The benefits of riding without stirrups include strong legs, suppleness, and a more secure and independent seat. Check out this blog for some great exercises without stirrups for beginners.
bit.ly/no-stirrup-november-for-beginners

10/25/2022

We all have our own journey- its ours not someone elses' enjoy it!

It’s okay to not compete.

I have a student that only rides her horse at the walk. In her lessons, we work on accurate figures, correctly sized circles, body position and lateral work. We talk about terminology, arena rules, the history of dressage and more.

I have a student that never canters. We work on transitions, geometry, suppleness and more. We have lunge line lesson days where we focus on rider balance and exercises.

I have a student that has no desire to compete. We work on correct basics, different movements, work over ground poles and more. We practice dressage tests as a way to mark progress and to set goals.

Other riders ask these students… Why don’t you trot? Why don’t you canter? When is your next show? All of these are valid questions and I believe it’s important to challenge yourself, to push yourself outside of your comfort zone to learn more and become a better rider.

However.

There is beauty and value in simplicity. If you find peace, happiness and fulfillment in only walking or only brushing your horse right now, that is okay. Give yourself permission without feeling guilty or bad for not doing what other equestrians are doing. You can do those other things, if you want, when you are ready. Everyone has their own individual journey to follow, their own thoughts, feelings, reasons, insecurities and desires and that is okay.

- Copied and pasted from Deana Corby

10/15/2022

So cool! Just a reminder of how important it is to have an educated and skilled farrier

10/11/2022

Absolutely 💯