Strides Equine Academy at Juniper Trails

11/13/2024

10/02/2024

We have a couple of Strides students again this season that leveled up to Top Gun Horsemanship! Way to go! Look how far you have come! Great job to everyone!
Special thanks to Vspurs and all the parents and family that make it happen!

The first V Spurs gymkhana of the season was a huge success! Here is Pt. 1 of our show recap:

Hunter rode her horse Ember. This was the first time Ember has competed in over a year. They did great! Ember hauled well and stayed calm, cool, and collected during her runs. Great job!

Liz rode her horse Denver running in the FC division. This team is so much more confident than last year. The difference is amazing! It’s going to be a great year for them.

Tyler rode Buddy the lesson horse. Buddy is new to the program so Tyler kept it slow and steady in the beginning. They added some speed towards the end, but kept it in the FC. Great job Tyler! You and Buddy looked great out there.

Ava rode Sampson the lesson horse in her first ever competition! They did amazing running 3 A times and 3 FC times. You would’ve never guessed it was their first competition together. Great work!

Cana rode Opie the lesson horse running times all over the board. Cana was working on finding the go vs whoa button this show, but they got it figured out by the end. Good job being brave and strong Cana. You and Opie are going to make a great team once you get in sync.

Cynthia rode Peppy the lesson horse. Unfortunately Peppy injured herself in her stall in the spring. We’ve been slowly bringing her back so they didn’t go full out. That being said they put together some smooth and beautiful runs getting some FC and A times!

Monica rode Stormy putting together some good runs. They are determined to win a nice jacket by the end of the year. They are well on their way to meeting that goal. Good job Monica and Stormy!

Huge thank you to everyone who made today possible. Stay tuned for pt. 2 of our gymkhana recap where we announce our big winners of the day 🔥🎉

09/24/2024

Part 2 of the V Spurs year end award banquet! It was such a great year. Here’s the rest of our winners:

Cynthia rode Peppy the lesson horse to place 6th in the 16 and older A division winning a beautiful customized buckle with Peppy’s name on it. This was a great surprise that they placed so well considering Peppy missed the last few gymkhanas due to an injury. Great job you two!

Bella rode her horse Mocha to win 4th in the 15 and under FC division! They got a buckle and a beautiful pocket knife both customized to her and Mocha! Amazing job 🔥

The Guess horse won 3rd in FC 16 and older for the year end. We got teal splint boots and matching bell boots. Her sister Dottie might have to steal those 😂 We also got an insulated tote bag!

Gabbi rode Mak the lesson horse to the Year End Reserve Champion of the 15 and under FC division! 🎉🎉 Go Mak and Gabbi!! They earned a buckle, a matching breast collar and headstall set, and a beautiful halter.

Reagan Harrington rode her horse Farley to the Year End Reserve Champion of the 16 and older A division 🔥🔥 They’ve worked hard for this win! They earned a buckle, fly sheet, and fly mask in their chosen green color.

Our biggest winner of the year goes to Reagan Mullins on our lesson horse Max! They are officially the 2024 Year End Champion of the AA division! 🎉🔥 They are one custom saddle richer! Amazing job Reagan!

The most touching award of the day went to Reagan Mullins and Sophia who both rode Mr. Ed. Reagan rode him for the entire 2023 season before Sophia took over for the 2024 season. Although Mr. Ed’s age was unknown it was obvious he was up there in years. Losing him was hard on the kiddos, but we knew he had a long life with an amazing semi retirement gig in the lesson program thanks to his wonderful owner who shared him with us. Both kids received the SHASTA award dedicated to Ed. They each got a photo of them with Ed on a beautiful plaque 🖤🖤😭

Thank you to everyone at V Spurs for making these gymkhanas run smoothly and putting together such wonderful awards. Thank you friends and family for supporting all of our riders and horses. The awards banquet was a wonderful close to the 2024 season 🖤🎉

09/24/2024

Look how far they have all come!! Well done!!
A few of theses students started off beginners in the Strides Equine Academy, working their way to the Top Gun Horsemanship gymkhana group. A couple students have gotten their own horses and a few ride our lesson horses, but everyone works hard and encourages each other like team!
So proud of each and every student!

The V Spurs Awards Banquet was a blast! They gave out amazing prizes! I love how they always customize every award to every horse and rider team with their requested colors and names. Here’s pt. 1 of our award winners for this season:

Hannah rode her horse Goof. They improved a ton over the season which did not do them great in points since they ran in several speed divisions, but the improvement is what matters most. They still managed to place 11th in the 15 and under A division winning a fabulous pink halter with Goof’s name on it. Great work you two!

Molly rode her baby horse Hank in their very first gymkhana season. Molly and Hank’s first official big prize is a pocket knife customized with their names which they received for placing 6th in the 15 and under FC division 🎉

Cana rode Dexter the lesson horse to 11th place in 15 and under FC earning a customized buckle. They also received the most improved youth rider award 🎉 Awesome job Cana!

Miya rode LeeRoy the lesson pony this season. They ran times all over the board! From AA to FC depending on the run. Even with that they still placed 9th in the A division earning a fancy water bottle in their chosen color etched with their names on it. Good job Miya!

Sophia mostly rode our lesson horse Annie. She started out on Mr. Ed then had to switch horses after his unexpected passing. She handled it all like a champ jumping on Annie to win 7th in 15 and under FC earning a buckle. Great job Sophia!

Brixton rode Crunch the lesson horse winning a customized buckle for 7th in the A division. Great job Brixton! Crunch is still a somewhat green horse, but Brixton handled everything she threw at her with grace and patience. Amazing job!

Beth rode her horse Belle to win 6th in the 16 and older FC division earning a customized pocket knife. They also received the most improved adult rider award 🎉

Thank you V Spurs for another great season! We are so excited to start the new one. Thank you to all the friends and family that supports all of our riders and horses. We appreciate all of you! It definitely takes a village. Stay tuned for Part 2 of our year end placings!

07/22/2024

We love being able to provide our students with their first jobs. This is built into our program, for this exact reason. Riding horses aside… The work ethic and care it takes to keep them in top physical shape and mentally healthy is instrumental in building self confidence, and self reliance.

05/17/2024

Part 2 of the V Spurs gymkhana recap!

Miya rode LeeRoy the lesson pony running A and AA times. LeeRoy can turn on the speed when he wants to that’s for sure! That speed won them some jackpot money. Great riding Miya!

Hannah rode her horse Goof. They had a good day running times in the A and AA divisions. Hannah, you’ve done such a great job with Goof. He has come a long way since I first met you guys. That’s your hard work paying off!

Guess had ALL the fun at the gymkhana. She ran 3 FC times and 2 A times. She wanted to go faster, but her pesky rider made her do things correctly instead (I’m the pesky rider if you didn’t figure that one out 😂). We did win some jackpot money though! 💰💰

Now for the big prize winners of the day!!! 🎉🎉

Reagan H rode her horse Farley to the 5th place win in AA 16 and older division receiving a halter. They won some good money in the jackpot as well! You two had a great day! Keep up the hard work 💪

Sophia rode Annie the lesson horse. They ended up in 2nd place overall for the FC 15 and under division earning them a hay bag. Great job Sophia! You’ve worked hard for this win 🏆

Monica rode the Stormy horse to win 2nd overall in FC 16 and older. They reviewed a hay bag as well. Great job Monica! You two are looking great 🎉

Brixton rode the Crunch horse. They won 2nd overall in the A 15 and under division. This team had some major break throughs half way through the day. I am so excited to see where they go from here!

Reagan M rode Max the lesson horse earning a hay bag for their overall 2nd place win in the AA 15 and under division. Great job Reagan! You have ridden so well the past few shows.

Our biggest win of the day went to Molly and her baby horse Hank!! They won first in the FC 16 and older division. Molly has put a lot of time and effort into Hank. She has really slowed herself down to his level so they could build their skills and confidence up together. All that time is paying off. Good job Molly and Hank!! 🥇🏆

Thank you everyone who makes these gymkhanas run smoothly! We appreciate all of you so very much! Thank you parents, friends, and family for all the support you show our crew 🖤🖤

05/17/2024

Here’s part one of the gymkhana recap!

Cana rode Dexter the lesson horse in their second ever competition together! Cana rode awesome and after a few tweaks to their equipment Dexter turned into a good boy by the last few runs. Great job bringing him along Cana!

Beth rode her horse Belle in every event this time around! Belle was very well behaved and they got some great cantering in. Good job you two 🎉

Gabbi rode Mak the lesson horse. This gymkhana they got too fast breaking into the A division on a few runs. Great job!! You can see the improvement and confidence build every competition and your times are starting to reflect that!

Cynthia was a great sport this time around riding Lady the lesson horse after Peppy came up a little off on her hind end the week before. There was a ton of learning and growing pains. Jump riding a new horse at a competition is not easy. But you did it getting some FC and even a couple A times!

Liz rode her horse Denver in their best competition to date!! The confidence is building and the training is finally there for the Denver horse. Amazing job!!

Bella rode her Mocha horse. She has worked hard this year to keep Mocha going and feeling good. You can really see the bond these two have. I don’t fully understand it, but it’s very obvious in everything they do. This gymkhana was no different with them laying down some great runs! Great job Bella. You should be proud of all the work you put in this year 🖤

There will be more parts to this recap in the near future! Thank you V Spurs volunteers for everything you do. Thank you parents, friends, and family of all our people that support us in every competition we do. Thank you CRC for a great facility to ride at. We always have so much fun at these events.

04/27/2024

Yay! Great job!

It’s finally time for the spotlight to be on our big winners from the past weekend! 🎉🏆

Brixton and Crunch the lesson horse won 5th place in the A division earning themselves a whip. Great job Brixton! Crunch is still a bit on the greener side, but you handle everything she throws at you like a champ!

My Guessy horse won 4th in the FC division getting us a cute saddle sack. Guess is perfect!

Reagan and her horse Farley won 4th place in the A division winning them a saddle sack as well! You guys are looking good. Keep up the hard work!

Jazzy won 4th place in the AA division with her horse Zach. They got… you guessed it. A saddle sack! Amazing job!

Julia rode Miss Mareica winning 3rd in the FC division earning a hay bag. Julia you are an impressive kid! You have not been riding very long and yet you’re not only keeping up with everyone, but winning! Keep it up!

Now for our buckle winners!! 🏆🏆🏆

Gabbi rode Mak the lesson horse winning reserve champion in the FC division!! Great job Gabbi, you’ve worked hard for it 🎉🎉

As you may recall in part 1, I mentioned that there was a dad’s barrel race Saturday evening. Well I’m so very excited to announce that Juniper Trail’s very own maintenance man (also known as Jazzy’s dad) won it on the Zach horse with a AA time!! They get their very own CHAMPION belt buckle like all the real cowboys out there 🏆🏆🏆

As always thank you so much to all the parents, coaches, and volunteers that make these competitions happen.

04/23/2024

What a great “Strides” all of our Top Gun Horsemanship students made!

Part 2 of our weekend at the Krogh Family Ranch!

Jazzy rode her horse Dunn-It. Being that Dunn-It is new to the family Jazzy was taking it slow at first. This weekend she decided she felt comfortable and confident enough to see what Dunn-It could do. They did amazing! There were some small mistakes here and there that come with running a new horse, but once they get it ironed out and find their groove they will be unstoppable! Great job Jazzy!

Cynthia rode Peppy the lesson horse running in the A division with a couple times that snuck into the AA division. So much improvement since the beginning of the season. Great job!

Beth rode her horse Belle in the FC division. They have not competed much until this past season and are handling it all well. Great job you two!

Colbie rode her horse Snickers in the FC division running several A times as well. Great job Colbie and Snicks!

Capri rode her horse Shorty in the A division. They are getting more confident every show. Great job Capri!

Kailey rode the Prizey pony in the FC division. They were super solid all weekend! Prizey and Kailey are a great match!

Katelyn rode Scooter in the AA division. These two only get better and better. I love watching their confidence and trust in each other grow.

You guys are rocking it! Keep at it the rewards will come with time and consistency. Stay tuned for the final part of our recap where we announce all our big Winner Winners! 🏆🏆

04/22/2024

We had a very full weekend at the Krogh Family Ranch in Warner Springs with the crew! Friday night was glow barrels; Saturday we ran 7 events in the gymkhana then there was a dad’s race, stick horse race, and three legged race; Sunday we ran 6 events then had awards. There was a big turnout and our riders had so much fun. Here’s Part 1 of the Weekend Recap!

Bella rode her horse Mocha running all over the board. She got FC, A, and a AA time. Great job Bella! It’s so great to see you and Mocha back at it!!

Miya rode LeeRoy the lesson pony. They mostly got A times with a couple AA times and even an AAA time in poles 1!! Great job Miya. You’re doing awesome!

Reagan rode Max the lesson horse. They did amazing this weekend running several AAA and AA times. I think this weekend might’ve been the best I’ve ever seen Reagan ride. They also did very well in the jackpots winning themselves some good money 💰 Great job!

Sophia rode Annie the lesson horse in the FC division. They are improving so much. Great job Sophia and Annie!

Cana had to do a last minute switch from Moose to Dexter early in the week. She handled the change like a champ and rocked it on Dexter in the FC division. Amazing work Cana!

Molly rode her young OTTB Hank in the FC division. Molly did a great job of knowing where Hank’s threshold for the weekend was and backing off when necessary to give him a good experience. Good job Molly!

As the season progresses our riders are really starting to sneak into those faster times. It doesn’t do well for prizes, but I’m so proud of them for trying their best and focusing on the improvement of them and their horse over what they can win. Great job guys! The consistency in the faster divisions will come with time 🎉🐴

There will be 2 more parts to our weekend recap so stay tuned! Thank you parents and volunteers for all you do to make the show run smoothly! We appreciate all of you.

03/12/2024

So proud of all of our Top Gun kids! Many of these kids started with our Strides beginner coaches before moving up to Coach Talena of Top Gun Horsemanship to begin their competition journey. Message us to start your horsey journey!

Here’s part ✌️of the V Spurs gymkhana recap featuring out big winners of the day!

Kaitlyn rode Scooter running several AA times bumming them from the A division into AA. Great job you two!

Beth rode her horse Belle to win 5th in the FC division! They got a sweat scraper for their efforts 🎉

Hannah and her horse Goof won 5th in the FC 16 yr & under division also earning a prize. Great job!

Cynthia rode Peppy the lesson horse in the A division winning 5th place for the day. You two are consistent!

Miya rode LeeRoy the lesson pony. They got 3rd in the A 16 yr & under division winning themselves a prize. Way to go Miya! You had a fabulous day!

Bella and her horse Mocha are back at it! Mocha had to take a break from the last two gymkhanas due to an injury. This was their first one back and they took home 2nd in the FC 16 yr & under division. Good job Bella and Mocha!

Reagan rode her horse Farley to the 2nd place win in the A division earning a halter. You two have improved so much this year. Keep it up!

Gabbi and Mak the lesson horse were our big WINNER WINNERS! They got 1st in the FC 16 yr & under division earning themselves some bell boots. Great job! 🎉

Lastly, I rode Miss Guess. Guess was amazing considering it was only her 4th ride back since cutting her leg in December. We won 2nd in the FC division. I love my girl! 🖤

Thank you to all the parents, family members, and friends who support horse kids. Thank you to all the volunteers that make this organization happen. Next one up is the two day show in April. Let’s go!

03/11/2024

Always a fun day! I love hearing our students shout out encouragement to each other! What a great group of humans and horses!

We had a fabulous day at the V Spurs gymkhana on Sunday. Here’s part one of the recap!

Sophia rode Annie the lesson horse in the FC division. They did great! It’s so nice to see Sophia and Annie getting their groove and really coming together as a team.

Reagan rode Max the lesson horse running in the AA division. They had a bit of a rough start to the day, but got it figured out finishing strong in the last three events.

Molly rode her baby horse Hank. They are really coming along in their confidence and teamwork. It’s just the beginning for these two!

Capri rode her horse Shorty running in the A division. They had a great day running consistent times. Shorty isn’t always the easiest to ride, but Capri sure makes it look effortless!

Cana rode Moose the lesson horse in the FC division. It was their first gymkhana doing all the events by themselves. We’ve got a few things to work out, but Cana stuck with it and handled everything like a pro!

Colbie rode her horse Snickers in the FC division. They did great as always! Snickers is a rock star and Colbie rides him like they’ve been competing together for years.

Liz rode her horse Denver in the FC division. They’ve settled into a great team especially considering where Denver started from. He used to be a nervous wreck anytime he hauled. Now he’s calm and cool no matter what gets thrown his way. Great job Liz!

Be on the look out for part 2 of the recap where we announce the big winners of the day! Great job everyone. Thank you to the family and friends who support these kiddos in everything that they do. It wouldn’t be possible without you!

Thank you to all the volunteers that make the V Spurs gymkhanas happen. We appreciate all of you! We cannot wait for the next one 🐎

03/09/2024

We have some openings in our new Tiny Tot group! Over the years we have noticed the necessity of a tiny tot class that includes multiple kiddos, fun games, and interactive learning to help the littles develop their love and passion for horses in a safe environment. Thus the Kinder E-Cademy program was created! We have some wonderful junior coaches ready to give your kiddo the one-on-one coaching they need while still being in a group setting and learning with others. All overseen by our wonderful Coach Isabella.

This group starts on March 17th and will run every Sunday at 10am. Fit for kids age 3 1/2 to 7. Message us for more information or to get your child signed up! It’s going to be a lot of fun and a positive environment to introduce young kids to the world of horses. Feel free to share this info!

03/05/2024

Introducing Coach Morgan! She grew up on an avocado farm where she gained her passion for helping animals and the desire to become a veterinarian. She is currently a senior pursuing her biology degree with the goal of going to veterinary school. She grew up riding horses and participating in high school rodeo where she competed in barrels and pole bending. She currently has her WPRA permit to compete in barrel racing at professional rodeo level. Coach Morgan loves to work with children to help them grow and advance in sports. In addition to giving horse riding lessons, she excels as a soccer coach for children 3 to 17. She absolutely loves to see children develop a passion for horses and sports that will last a lifetime.

02/28/2024

Part 2 of our V Spurs gymkhana recap!

Cynthia rode Peppy the lesson horse to the overall win in the A division. They had a great day warning them a custom buckle to be picked up next show. Great job you two!

Our next big winner was Colbie on her horse Snickers! They won 1st place overall in the FC division. Good work Colbie, you guys looked awesome!

Thank you to everyone in our crew that came out to help, watch, and support. We appreciate all of you! Thank you parents and family members who help make our rider’s dreams a reality. And of course thank you to all the volunteers that run this club. We always have so much fun attending the shows.

02/27/2024

Another great gymkhana in the books! Last Sunday our team competed at CRC in the V Spurs gymkhana.

Sophia rode Annie the lesson horse and Gabbi rode Mak, another lesson horse. Both girls did amazing and were super consistent throughout the entire show.

Reagan rode our lesson horse Max winning 2nd overall for the day in the AA division. They got to take home a billet set as their prize for the day. Great job! 👏

Brixton rode our lesson horse Crunch laying down some great runs in the A and AA division. You guys are a great team!

Miya rode LeeRoy the lesson pony. They ran several A times and even a AA time! They have officially bumped up from FC to A. Good job you two!

Molly rode her horse Hank while her mom Beth rode her horse Belle. They both did great! Baby Hank is definitely coming along and getting more used to the competition environment.

Bella rode Lady in their second ever gymkhana as a team. Bella is having to learn a completely different running style, but she’s handling it like a champ!

Monica rode Stormy showing great improvement from the last show they did. This is the first show season for horse and rider in this team. They are doing great and learning a lot along the way!

Jazzy rode both her horses Zach and Dunn It. Zach won 3rd overall in AA getting them a halter and lead rope. Dunn It qualified in the FC division winning 2nd overall earning them a billet set. Great job!

Denver the lesson horse tagged along to see some sights winning the hearts of many friends and being a buddy to those who needed it 😂

Cana brought lesson horse Moose to his first ever competition. They had a rocky start, but ended the day having fun and running in the leadline division for the last three events. Great job being patient and sticking with Moose Cana!

Capri rode her horse Shorty and Katelyn rode Scooter the lesson horse. Both teams ran some competitive times in the A and AA division. You two rock! Keep it up!

In the next post I will reveal who are BIG WINNERS from this show are! As always thank you to the volunteers that make this association happen. Thank you parents and horse owners for playing your part in our riders’ success. We appreciate you!

02/14/2024

Meet Coach Talena! She has been competing in rodeo her entire life. She has competed in everything from gymkhanas to barrel races to Arizona High School Rodeo to the Grand Canyon Pro Rodeo circuit. She has learned from some of the best horseman in the business such as Becky Mahoney and Ed Wright. She is also a Professional Kennel Huntsman for the Santa Fe West Hills Foxhunting Club. Whether you are looking to learn a new event, perfect your technique, or pursue your passion for horses, Talena can help you reach your horse riding goals.

02/09/2024

Introducing Coach Isabella! Isabella started her horse journey at 8 years old in the English riding world. A few years later she switched over to western. She soon began competing in gymkhana for the next 5 years winning several prizes, a championship, and a reserve championship. Her favorite thing about teaching lessons is helping kids grow their skills as well as their love for horses just as her coaches did for her at the beginning of her own journey.