Isidro Espinoza Horsemanship

08/07/2024

Every “problem” horse we get has the same story. “Out of the blue….” Insert whatever “bad” behavior the horse did that caused them to reach out to get training.

The thing is, it’s never out of the blue. There are ALWAYS signs. Horses are really amazingly generous and tolerant creatures, until they can’t anymore. They give tons of signs before they begin yelling. We just chose to ignore them for our own gains/desires/wants/needs. And 99.9% of the time it isn’t a training issue but rather a pain issue.

This horse gave this gal ample time to get off safely. The horse obviously didn’t want her up there and told her. The girl just didn’t listen, didn’t want to, she wanted a picture. The horse had to start screaming to be heard.

I don’t know this person so no shade to her. Just a really good example of humans not listening to their equines.

❓What is your horse trying to tell you today❓

08/06/2024

We are currently accepting applications 📝 for training horses at our 🌵 Arizona facility!

🗓️ Booking spots starting October 1st, 2024.

☀️ Excited to be back in Arizona for awhile!!!!!

Specializing in:
✅ C**t Starting
✅ Wild Horses
✅ Problem Horses
✅ Foundation Training
✅ Trail & Endurance Horses

Link to application here: https://www.isidroespinozahorsemanship.com/horse-training

08/06/2024

Anyone wanting a bombproof kids pony that will clean up at the shows, this is your mustang!!!! Ashen is doing an incredible job training her and she just keeps blowing our minds. Her first ride was in the warm up arena at South Point in Las Vegas three weeks ago. Look at her now!!!!! She will be competing at the Mustang Champions - English Classic Kentucky 2024 next month. Sn**ch her up quick! Beautiful 12.3hh (medium pony) sized, well-trained, quiet, fancy mustang ponys don’t come along often.

08/04/2024

Had a fun local show before we got rained out 🌧️!

🐴Introducing all the ponies going to compete at the Horse Park in Lexington, KY next month!

🐴Kira Espinoza with her Twin Peaks filly Canica. They will be competing in the America’s Next Top Youth in-hand competition. They did three in-hand classes today, Canica’s first show ever, and came away with a 🥇 1st in the Showmanship!

🐴Eros Byrne and IEH Pegaso will also be competing in the youth in-hand competition in KY. They did four classes today and won a couple! Pegaso was super focused and listening to Eros with his baby mustang brain. Excited to see what they do next month!

🐴Ashen Antal and CSH Khali did their first show together. Khali just started her training from wild in June and has less than 20 rides on her. She rocked it! Such a cute pony hunter. Anyone looking for a super quiet, talented 12.3hh medium pony hunter???? She is available after she cleans up in KY next month! Check out Ashen at Canyon State Horsemanship, LLC to see how they did today.

🐴🐴I rode IEH Leyenda and IEH Puma. Both have only been in English tack for a couple weekends and have only been jumped a handful of times. Super proud of how well they handled everything. We got so many compliments on how quiet, willing, well-behaved and beautiful they were. We just trotted crossrails and a little cantering over them. First time they have done a course too. These girls are pretty little hunters 🥰.

Excited for the Mustang Champions - English Classic Kentucky 2024!!!

😂Oh and make sure and look at all the pictures so you can see what horse Isidro rode today too. 🦄

We are so grateful to our incredible sponsors who help keep our show horses feeling and looking their best!

Excel Supplements
100X Equine
Bardsley Products
Riding Warehouse
Hay Chix
Redmond Equine
Western Wildling Holistics

08/03/2024

The girls (IEH Puma and IEH Leyenda) have been training English since they came home from the Mustang Champions - Western Challenge Vegas 2024

We found out there was a local western/ranch show down the road and decided to go. So they got one day to get refreshed on western and off we went!

They thoroughly cleaned up!

I only managed to grab some photos of Eros Byrne competing with Leyenda because I was showing her the rest of the time. Zero warmup and Eros has only ridden Leyenda twice before (and once was ba****ck at a walk 😂). They won two classes then came away with the Walk/Jog Reserve Championship title 🏅!

🐴 Leyenda then won a ton more classes and:
🥇 Open Grand Champion
🥇 Green Horse Grand Champion
🥈 Ranch Horse Reserve Champion
🏅Overall Highpoint of the show
She won back all her entry fees plus a ton more. She also won the most difficult class, the Ranch Riding where she threw in her beautiful flying lead change. I’ll post the video 🎥 in the comments 🥰

🐴 Puma and Isidro won
🥈Green Horse Reserve Champion
She won several classes and won back all her entry fees and then some too!

Ashen Antal with Canyon State Horsemanship, LLC dusted off her champion mustang Beau to show as well! Check out her results on her page:)

🐎 The girls are headed to an all English show tomorrow to qualify for the Mustang Champions - English Classic Kentucky 2024 and get some jumping practice in.

😮The highlight of the day: The judge came up to us after the show because he wants us to train his horse. He loved how quiet, soft and willing our horses were. That is the real win for us!

07/29/2024

Soooo grateful for these amazing photographs of all the things we love. Can’t wait to share what Lacey has captured with y’all!

07/25/2024

Having fun teaching these girls to jump and going back to my jumper roots. Thanks to for getting us all decked out in style! Leyenda looks so good English. I can’t wait to show these two incredible mares. They both already have a good handle on them and are picking up this jumping stuff fast.

07/23/2024

We would so do it for free if we could 🥺. But don’t call or text for non-emergent things after hours 😂

07/23/2024

Now that we pi**ed off half the internet and “saved” some people from ever having to be traumatized by our posts again 😂, let’s try for some less drama filled posts. All over having an opinion about what trailers we like 🤪.

In these two videos I go over our classes at the first ever Las Vegas Mustang Challenge hosted by Mustang Champions. One video is Puma’s rounds and the other is Leyenda. We hope you find them enjoyable, helpful and less controversial than our last post ☺️.

Puma
https://youtu.be/aebRcfuhEoY?si=g7MJ_hrooUEN_2ra

Leyenda
https://youtu.be/1F_evFsowpU?si=XzMJIZUZy3dTAUc6

In this video I go over each of our classes, what was good, what needs improvement and our experience showing at the first ever event of this kind. We hope i...

07/17/2024

🙄good grief, if you are a rude jerk Im just gonna delete your comment and block you. Just scroll on by and enjoy your trailer 🙂‍↔️

Please don’t cherry 🍒 pick my post or add to it to try and make a convincing argument. If I had a dollar everytime we had to retrain a horse or help load a horse who refused to get on this specific trailer, I could buy myself something nice. We have loaded and hauled thousands of horses. This is meant to be educational and funny.

🔥Two Horse-Straight Load-Ramp Door Trailers Should All Burn In Hell🔥

And that’s not because the name has fifty million adjectives in it. But that isn’t a bad reason either.🤔

🥱Why we hate them, let me count the ways…

1. Butt Happens(I feel like we need a butt emoji 🤷🏻‍♀️):

That stupid little butt bar that is perpetually either too low or too high. Plus the added bonus of rubbing out a section of your horse’s tail in the worst possible spot you can’t cover up. Let’s just filet the skin off the back of your show pony you planned to ride that day or inadvertently teach your big horse to sit. It’ll pinch your fingers too while you frantically try and get it latched or lined up in a hurry. It’s always a good time when your horse decides to back up mid securing so it falls and you have to start all over. Added bonus when they decide that is a good moment to fart or p**p on you.

2. The Damn Ramp:

❓And who do they think we are❓ Olympic dead lifters 🏋🏽‍♀️ to try and lift that thousand pound ramp of pure lead?!?!?! Only time that stupid thing is useful is when the poorly balanced bumper pull hitch pops off as you drive through a bumpy intersection, have to stop your runaway 🏃‍♀️ trailer with your bumper and have several people stand on the ramp to counter weight the trailer enough to get the hitch back on (since the whole ordeal bent your jack to kingdom come).

Yes, yes this has happened to me 🤦🏽‍♀️. Thankfully no horses were in the trailer at the time.

3. The Half-Doors:

🚪 And those doors…..those soul crushing, concussion causing, worse possible height, half doors. If you haven’t had your head sliced open 🔪 by one of those half doors, you haven’t lived. It’s a right of passage. They never stay open and don’t particularly care to stay closed either.

4. The Stocks:

Trying to convince a mustang to get into something that looks like a stock where they got shots 💉 , gelded, freeze branded and hooves trimmed with power tools 🧰 is a whole lotta time and energy I’d rather be doing something else (and I am sure they do to). Trying to convince an OTTB 🏇 getting calmly into something that looks like a starting gate is always a good time too. Why make things harder than they need to be? Horses really hate 😭getting into these and I can’t blame them.

‼️ANY trailer is better than a two horse straight load with a ramp as the door on the back‼️

👉🏼Two horse straight load with doors, already 50% better! If you must have a ramp, then make sure there are doors to close first before the ramp closes.
👉🏼Two horse slant load (man it sure is nice to be able to turn them around if needed!)

🥇 The Gold trailer, the absolute premium most versatile, handy little trailer to have…THE THREE HORSE STOCK TRAILER.

Or even three horse semi-stock trailer windows on one side and open on the other). It literally hauls like a 2 horse but with so much more room and ease of loading (horses love to get into these). You will never regret having that extra space, ESPECIALLY, if you subscribe to horse math 🧮.

🙌🏼For more tidbits of wisdom, where we made all the mistakes (or watch others who did) so you don’t have to, hit that follow button so you don’t miss the next time I feel like going on a comical but educational rant.🤪

07/15/2024

🎤 This was such a lovely local reporter at the show. Big thank you to Manny Olague with Big Loop Horsemanship for letting the reporter know about us and calling us to come over for an interview. That’s a true friend and we are so grateful to him!

📰 Really good fair article. We love articles like this!

P.S. DAMN Stacie Perko Zimmerman always looks AMAZING!!! 🔥

At the South Point Casino in Las Vegas, wild horse trainers from near and far vied for a $50,000 grand prize.

07/11/2024

👉🏼Can watch the show live here! https://equinenetwork.video/tabs/home

Starts 9AM Pacific time.

If you want to follow and support Team IEH (trainers we have interned, mentored, etc and of course US!, here they are)

🔥Ranch Riding Order Of Go:
8th Naomi Langdon
16th Isidro Espinoza
19th Ashen Antal
41st Manny Olague
47th Amber Espinoza

3PM PST
🔥Ranch Reining Order Of Go:
4th Manny Olague Big Loop Horsemanship
13th Isidro Espinoza
14th Ashen Antal Canyon State Horsemanship, LLC
32nd Amber Espinoza
42nd Naomi Langdon Naomi Rose Mustangs

07/10/2024

Here is the information for the livestream of the Mustang Challenge we are competing in this week in Las Vegas! Cheer us on and wish us luck! We are so excited to show off our amazing mares!
Isidro riding IEH Puma
Amber on IEH Leyenda, and
Ashen on CSH Tusa (aka Girasol/Sol, she is still looking for her person if you want a tall well broke horse!)

Thank you Tenn Texas Media for the . To read it use this link https://www.tenntexas.com/2024/07/mustang-challenge-livestream-event-hosted-by-the-cowboy-entrepreneur-scott-knudsen/?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR3ninivCE5RQ2cgrmMlJpFIaGyq5NY_mzXE0Yya1T9r9Y6z6a-shn6BJTM_aem_3SiSmeaxvm9oNRjh_lzbkA

American Hat CompanyJustin BootsCINCH JEANSHailey KnudsenCowboy EntrepreneurCowboy Entrepreneur FoundationMustang ChampionsTarleton State UniversityRide TVVisit Las VegasImpact GelSouth Point Casino and Spa in Las Vegas

07/09/2024

Part 2: Luna’s Story - How *listening to my gut* put this at-risk mustang into a fairytale home…

And made her the first BLM mustang to ever set foot in Finland.🥰

🤗As promised! Here is the second half of Luna’s story. To recap, Luna was my 2017 Monroe, WA Extreme Mustang Makeover Mare. The one who really ignited my journey to exploring +R (positive reinforcement/clicker) training.

Sometimes you gotta follow your gut and take a leap a faith. 😇

👉🏼While at the makeover I was contacted by a lady who said she was from Finland and had a friend in Finland who was really wanting to get a mustang. She said she lived in Oregon and was friends with Jasmine Lechner who I knew as a fellow EMM trainer. So that checked out. I asked Jasmine about her and it all seemed fairly legit. She said she her friend was interested in a couple of the EMM mustangs but no one else was willing to work with them. Well that fired up my rebellious side quite a bit and my feelings of wanting to help the outcasted. That makeover ALL the horses were Sale Authority which meant they could leave the country.

I was feeling pretty anxious about the auction in general because Luna needed the right home. I was fully prepared to bring her home and put more training on her before rehoming her. I mean, who would want a little mare who hated saddles and bits and who had less than 20 rides on her?!?! I told this lady all her issues and she was like “ PERFECT! My friend doesn’t ride with bits and rides ba****ck only. She is an advanced rider.”
�😮Seriously?!?!? This was just too weird, too perfect. Had to be a scam. Then she sent me some pictures of her friend in Finland….
Oh, FFS. She looked like Raquel Welch from One Million Years B.C. but on a horse and with a bow and arrow. This was getting more surreal by the moment.

She asked for permission for her friend in Finland to reach out to me.

Sure…why not? 🤷🏻‍♀️What could it hurt and it could be incredible.

🧚 Tinja was sweet, kind, respectful and knew what she wanted. I felt immediately at ease. She shared her life and the life Luna would have. She reassured me she was a very experienced horsewoman and takes things slow. Tinja was a dream home for Luna. She expressed she had to stick to a budget with purchasing Luna because of the great cost to ship to Finland. She also expressed she wanted to be respectful of the time and money I put into training Luna. We agreed on a budget and I would bid on Luna up to that price. She would then PayPal me whatever the price was Luna sold for. The price was something I was comfortable with paying in order to bring Luna home anyway so it was a win no matter what. If Tinja didn’t come through and send the money, I would just take Luna home.

🔨 The auction came and Luna sold for the exact price we had agreed to. Literally, mind blown. One of our clients who was there to buy Isidro’s mare decided to pay for Luna as well and told me to keep the money. She said I worked so hard and that was too low a price for her. I was so humbled and over joyed.

Everything worked out exactly as planned and we hauled Luna to Jasmine’s barn in Oregon. Jasmine was to take her to Texas 🚐 on her way to the EMM there. In TX Luna would undergo quarantine, then fly ✈️ to Amsterdam where Tinja would have her trucked 🛻 to their remote place in Finland. It was imperative she get there before the winter snows ❄️ started.

🐴 Luna was perfect. All those strangers handling her, different trailers, an airplane, getting hauled on a truck rather than a trailer, so many new experiences. 💪🏼 All the work I had done to prepare her to handle stress and not be so afraid paid off. It completely set her up for success in her new life.

🎥 All these methods we teach in our Perpetual Training Toolbox and we try and share with the world. https://www.isidroespinozahorsemanship.com/perpetual-training-toolbox

🥰Tinja sends me regular updates on Luna and their adventures together. It is a fairytale life. Even seven years later I still get regular updates. I could not have asked for a better home. 🏠 She has even had a foal 🐎 this year and as much as I am against breeding mustangs I am so happy that Luna got to experience being a mom. She has such a gentle heart. I asked Tinja to write up ✍️ something of her story with Luna and here is what she wrote. Please understand English is not Tinja’s first language so be kind. I have also included some of the photos Tinja has shared with me over the years. I hope you feel inspired and joy from their beautiful story.

❤️“We, Tinja and Alex, live far away from everything except nature. I, Tinja, grow up in wilderness and my passion is still wild animals and nature. From all animals in the world, Luna, is the most amazing and having her living here with us, is like having a real unicorn as a friend, with all the her wisdom and pure heart.
Amber brought Luna to Mustang Makeover and we saw pictures and videos of them showing up themselves. It was first time we used Facebook, our friend told us that it could be the way to learn more about Mustangs who are available to new home. We live off-grid and we spend our days outside in Nature. But by Facebook it was possible to meet Amber and Luna. Magical things just comes to you. And that is how Luna came to front of us. I saw her and immediately I thought she is perfect Horse for me. Amber and Isidro are fantastic talented Horse trainers. And with them, Luna started her journey with people in perfect hands. Amber trained Luna so perfectly that when I finally met Luna here in Northern Finland, Luna was immediately trusting me and following me super softly and willingly. She truly trusted and counted on us. That only comes out of Horses if people treat them correctly, always doing the right thing that is building trust and helps Horses.
Traveling all the way to us didn't bother Luna, she was really good and not that tired. Amber's magic that she put on Luna, holded and still holds strong. Luna never makes mistakes, she is perfect. She is seeing the situation and wants to succeed correctly, relaxed and happily. She don't use power and she control her feelings in all times. That is result of Amber's training, they make the best Horses. I wouldn't buy Horses from any one else any more.
My first ride with Luna was so calm and quiet. Luna was relaxed and perfect. Active when I asked her to show me what she knows but doing everything so softly and easily. I didn't know all the things that Luna knows so I didn't ask much from her, just asking tiny bit and seeing the outcome. I was listening what she knows and says, I was learning to ride her as she likes. That has lead us to ride in all the places of Wilderness, cross the big rivers, climb the Fjells (Nordic mountains) and ride bridleless and ba****ck in all speeds and always so balanced and happy. I have never used saddle or bits with Luna. We don't need those for anything.
Luna is super healthy and super with all other ways too. Handling Horses leaves always sings of people who have handled them. And in Luna, we have only found good things. I am so grateful for Amber and Isidro for all they did with Luna and trusting her to travel to us. Luna is really interested about us and she keeps staring at us. We live here with 12 horses and 60 Huskies, and from all the other things Luna could look at the most, she chose to look and follow us. We don't use treats, only happy clear mind, awareness (not being worried but being aware of all things, responding to small signs and helping when needed), connection and focus. Luna is also so calm and feeling good around all our Huskies, we train often together with Huskies and Luna running together, Alex driving big team of Alaskan huskies (16 Dogs) and I follow with Luna running together. Speed is all the way trotting and it seems that Luna is part of this pack of dogs as she was once part of herd of wild horses. Luna can also be free here in our place (or even in everywhere where we go). During the summer time she can eat grass at the Sled Dog Kennel and she is completely feeling home amongst all the Dogs too. Surely we are always there for her and looking after everything.
Luna is very powerful and strong minded horse when it comes in need, example when we cross big river and Luna is swimming. She cross it so determined and she is so able to do. Never hesitate or mess up. That is so wonderful to see and live next by to.
Having such a great company as Luna is, makes all the difference in life.
Thank you so much Amber and Isidro!
Best regards Tinja, Alex and Luna”

📸 I hope you enjoy all these stunning photos Tinja has sent me over the years of their magical life together 🥰

07/05/2024

So grateful to Cross Creek Horse Training LLC in Oklahoma and Christa Smith for their hospitality last night!!! Mustang trainers are the best!

The girls all got gorgeous big stalls and were treated like the 👑 princesses they are 🥰.

We seemed to have brought the rain 🌧️ with us 😳, sorry!

Christa’s Vegas gelding is looking amazing and it was fun to watch them work together last night. Horses seem all ok even with all the fireworks 🎆 last night. So glad they could be in nice big safe pens and stalls. Christa has such a great facility.

Off on the last leg of this part of the trip! Be in Arizona tonight 🥳

07/04/2024

❤️Long awaited update on Heart Mustang IEH Dama! ❤️

She found the most incredible home 🏡 and we can’t be more happy for her! We did a going away photoshoot 📸 of Dama for her new people and wanted to share them with you.

🐎 Dama was walk, trot and loping well under saddle when she went to her new home thanks to Isidro and Ashen (Canyon State Horsemanship, LLC) helping her gain more confidence under saddle.

🥹I already miss this sweet mare. We worked a ton together when I was in NY by myself before Isidro came. She is so smart and tries so hard.

She will be a husband 👨 horse for a man who was in a bad car accident with his wife. It will take a year for him to walk 🦽 again. The wife was injured too but less severe. She is an experienced mustang trainer and they have been looking for a big drafty mare just like Dama for awhile now.

✍️ She has been giving regular updates on how amazing Dama is. She will be working with Dama the next year to get her fully ready for her injured hubby. The joy Dama is bringing him in this hard time is so precious. ☺️We are so happy for all of them. We knew her perfect home would come along at just the right time and it sure did!

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07/03/2024

We had a really good practice yesterday doing the possible patterns for Mustang Challenge. We will have a Ranch Riding Pattern, a Reining Pattern and a Ranch Trail Pattern 😳🤠.

🐴The mares feel really good. Leyenda keeps blowing me away. She doesn’t have very many rides but the more I ask of her the more she gives. We were only doing walk/trot a couple weeks ago and now we are doing flying changes 😍!

Puma has the most stunning extended trot that will take your breath away.

Ashen’s Tusa has a killer walk for ranch classes and extended trot too!

Can’t wait to show in the South Point Arena in Las Vegas!!! On the road today headed west. Will keep y’all updated!

🎥 Hope you enjoy this little highlight reel I put together of our practice session 🤗

06/30/2024

🤩We did an amazing Ranch Riding/Vaquero Horsemanship 🤠clinic yesterday with our Mustang Champions - Western Challenge Vegas 2024 mares!

helped us with extensions, collection, stops, poles, corners, doubling and so much more! We went over some great tips on showing too.

💪🏼The mares are feeling good and we are excited to hit the road this week on our way to Vegas.

🐴Isidro will be showing IEH Puma
🐴I will be showing my mare IEH Leyenda and 🐴Ashen with Canyon State Horsemanship, LLC will be showing her mare CSH Tusa!

06/28/2024

So excited to do this Vaquero Horsemanship & Ranch Horse Clinic w/ 𝘼𝙌𝙃𝘼 𝙋𝙧𝙤𝙛𝙚𝙨𝙨𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙖𝙡 𝙃𝙤𝙧𝙨𝙚𝙢𝙖𝙣, Johnny Flores!!! We will all be riding our Mustang Champions - Western Challenge Vegas 2024 mares! Isidro, me and Ashen with Canyon State Horsemanship, LLC!

06/27/2024

Dates of screenings announced!

We will be screening across the country at selected in-person events throughout the summer and fall as part of the Mustang Summit series and additional showcases put on by the EQUUS Film & Arts Fest.

For more information on how to attend each event and screening, make sure to visit http://www.equusfilmfestival.net/equus.html and give them a follow for updates and screening times.

The main festival will be held in Albuquerque, New Mexico from November 14 – 17, and we will continue to update with our involvement for that weekend.

06/26/2024

Update! Beyond the Herd

Exciting news! We are an official selection for the monthly "Best Of-Finalist" Award via the Animalis Fabula Film Festival put on by World Animal Awareness Society - WA2S.Org & WA2S Films

If chosen as this month's "Best" winner in the short category, we will have the opportunity to screen at the AMC Theatres RiverCenter in Downtown San Antonio on the Riverwalk during AniFab weekend at the end of November through the Animalis Fabula Film Festival!

Stay tuned for updates on this festival, as well as other screening announcements being made this week.

06/25/2024

Mustang Heritage Foundation Spectacular Extreme Mustang Makeover recap 🤗

❤️Huge thank you to the judges. This was the most accurate and fair judging of any makeover we have ever done. Have such accomplished and versatile judges I think made all the difference.

I already posted about the first two classes so will update on the last two.

Trail: Verano felt a little tired and needed me to ride him a bit more forward. I knew we were so far ahead in points that we just needed to get around trail and still make Top Ten. I did want a shot at the Horsemanship Championship though (highest score of preliminary classes). We were leading by like 7pts going into trail. I felt him baulk at the fluorescent white trot poles and he slow walked over them 😂. The gate he nailed like a pro. Then we had to lope off and when I asked him to lope, I had no horse left. Not worth it to make a big deal about it. If he had it in him he would have given it. He got a few strides of the wrong lead and that was that. Trot serpentine was next and he sailed through that. Then there was the “bridge”. I was the only competitor who was unaware that was going to be the bridge in the class. I thought it was weird when I saw a bunch of other trainers practicing over it. I thought it was someone’s freestyle prop. It was a checker board piece of plywood. Verano was worried and took a step, it made the whole thing move and he was like “nope”. That’s fair. We hadn’t practiced over any bridge that moved before because I did not anticipate there would be one in an EMM. I know he would have been fine with it if we had the chance to practice it like everyone else did. After being frazzled about the “bridge” I only managed to get a couple of strides of counter canter out of him for the canter into the box. The box he did perfectly. So half perfect and half gotten through but not perfect. We ended up fifth in trail. Still in Top Ten even if we lost the Horsemanship Championship.

Freestyle: I had no freestyle planned until about two weeks before the show. I didn’t know what to do. So on the drive to PA to pick up for the IA, Julia Tar, Ashen Antal and Eros Byrne helped me come up with a theme and freestyle (plus music) that played to Verano’s strengths….ground tying like a champ 😂. It was a fun theme and music.

Verano was tired and I had to drag him into the arena but once he was in the arena he was dialed in. I am still processing why I made the decision to leave his bridle one. I was worried we didn’t have enough time for me to take it off (we had plenty), I was worried he wouldn’t move, I don’t know. But he does get on the pedestal at liberty and lay down at liberty very well. I should have trusted him. When I asked him to lay down and he wouldn’t, I was stumped. He always lays down and quite fast. When I left the arena Isidro said “you forgot to put the reins over his head”. OMG! I totally did! He won’t lay down if the reins are on his neck because he can’t put his head down 🤦🏽‍♀️. We discovered that in practice and I totally forgot. It would have been a non-issue if I had just taken his bridle off in the first place. Ah well, lessoned learned and it wasn’t our time. Couldn’t be happier with my friend Mandy winning instead. She worked so hard and it was sooo well deserved!!!

We ended up third in the freestyle and we also won Fan Favorite 😍

Auction post coming tomorrow…..

Last photo is Verano wearing his draw number from when we picked horses back in February. The US Forrestry gave us these halter/bridle tags and he wore his throughout the whole show. I know it gave us luck 🍀!