Winsome Farm

07/05/2023

06/21/2023

Lainey Wilson was performing in St. Louis on Saturday when she saw a little girl holding a sign saying her dad would give her a pony if she could get on stage. Lainey brought the girl up and told the dad to pay up!!

06/18/2023

06/16/2023

06/15/2023

The breeding road is one of the hardest roads you’ll ever take in the equine world. The emotional rollercoaster alone that goes into breeding is astronomical. Then you take into account the financial aspect and it is a losing game.

The win comes from the first time that foal makes his or her way into the world. A foal you thought out, made a plan and a goal for. A foal you dreamed of raising and seeing its way into the show pen, or rodeo arena, or ranch. A foal that you put all your blood sweat and tears into for a year of planning, one attempt to breed resulting in an open mare. Two attempts to breed and resulting in an open mare. THREE attempts to breed and resulting in an open mare…….. another 11 months of waiting to meet them once you finally get your “little black dot” then another 6 months of teaching them all the first things a foal learns. Halter breaking, picking up feet, learning to lead, load, tie. Learning to be productive members of society.

It’s a game that those from the outside don’t see how much science and calculation goes into it. How much time researching conformation traits, pedigrees, sires, dams, sale results, show results goes into EACH choice you make when breeding.

Be kind to your vets who are working overtime, your repro specialist who is breeding your mare at 2am, your farm hand that is foaling that mare out at 3am after a full day of work and has to get up at 6 to do it again.

Breeding is HARD. Be kind, we’re all in it for the same reason….the horse.

05/28/2023

Developing Empathy

Frustrated by your horse? Try this---

Go for a run. Yes, you, human rider. Intersperse your run with sets of push-ups. See how long it takes before you lose athletic buoyancy, before you “just can’t.”

Fatigue in a horse, which is pretty much the same thing that you just felt, creates leaning, tripping, stumbling, slow reactions, poor coordination, lugging on the hand, all sorts of what you may be mistaking for “bad behavior.”

The tired horse will feel just like a “disobedient” horse. And then what will happen to that horse if the rider doesn’t tune into the horse’s fatigue? You know exactly what will happen to the horse. It will get drilled on. Drilled on just when the exact opposite should happen.

Trainers who lack the ability to sense what the horse is going through are among the worst drillers, and they create tense, scared, resistant horses, and they then do something even worse, they blame the horse.

Change your mind set. Think how YOU would feel if you had gotten beyond your limits and then got ground on and punished to fix your bad behavior.

You think I’m kidding? You think this isn’t going to happen today, all across the world where people ride and drive horses? That unfit for the task horses won’t be cranked and pressured? Dream on.

The best thing that you can do if your goal is to become a competent trainer is to constantly be aware of your own frustration meter. And stop before you create damage, physical and emotional injury and distress. Get a little and end on that. If even a little seems elusive, DO NOT GRIND. Go walk, try again tomorrow. Don’t add fear and anxiety to the training process.

I will say this one more time---“Don’t add fear and anxiety to the training process.”

Why am I saying this so often? Because if I had learned this decades sooner, I would have been a far better trainer and horse person---That’s why. Learn, if you are capable of doing so, from the mistakes that others have made. Do not drill your horse.

05/25/2023

‘I want to just ride’ - Say this to any seasoned professional in the game and they will look at you like ‘Oh honey’ 😂

You have to learn to be a rider, groom, horseman/women, business owner, lead a team, handle clients and alongside all this you’ve still got to muck out and pick a broom up until you can earn enough money to have someone help you do this whilst you are doing something else to earn this said money.

‘I want to just ride’ doesn’t exist and if you see someone doing that you have no idea how hard they worked to get in that position. So get sweeping my friend ♥️

05/16/2023

Thank you Mary Marcum Orr for this!

Sometimes You Do Not Get a Ribbon...Catch up with Mary Orr and High Caliber Stables with the Weekly Happenings - https://mailchi.mp/53d4779aca33/weekly-happenings-from-high-caliber-stables-13857429

05/01/2023

Instead of questioning why your kid is not excelling as quickly as others in their riding, maybe look at how much your kid rides. Four lessons a month for example, that’s less than 4 hours per every 30 days on average. 4 hours out of 720 hours a month. Now let’s look at a year. 48 hours total. On average your kid then practices 2 days out of 365 days per year... let that sink in.
…….so before you complaining “my kid isn’t improving fast enough,” truly look at how much she practices. We are very good at what we do, but can’t work miracles.
Let’s be honest with your expectations. 4 hours a month - 48 hours a year - 2 days out of 365..
PFA

04/28/2023

Funny Friday 🤦🏻‍♂️🤷🏻‍♂️😂
Enjoy your weekend ⚒️🐎🧲

04/23/2023

Make Them Carry Their Saddle

A father of a darling girl and I were talking last week and he said that he wanted his daughter to ride more and not have to do the work part of the catching, grooming, and saddling. I smiled as I explained.

Riding horses is a combination of strength, timing, and balance. Kids in this country are physically weak (unless they are actively involved with weight training and physical conditioning 4+ times a week.)

When you walk out to the field, you are clearing your stress from being under fluorescent lights all day; feeling the sun soak into your bones. As your body moves on uneven surfaces, it strengthens your legs and core.

When you groom your horse (especially currying), you are toning your arms and stabilizing your core.

When you carry your saddle, your arms, chest, and back are doing isolated strengthening work.

Being near horses, calms and makes you tune into the splendor of these empathetic animals.

When you ride at a posting trot, it’s equivalent to a slow jog calorie burn wise.

After a lesson, the riders are physically tired and mentally quiet and balanced.

Horses feel your heart beat and mirror your emotions back.

Riding large and somewhat unpredictable animals makes you resilient and pushes your expectations.

Working with horses is so much more than learning how to ride.

So parents, make your children carry their saddles. Don’t do the hard parts for them, as long term it actually hurts them. To advance with their riding, they must get stronger. You can help by doing the high parts.

I love having you all at the farm, and am so grateful to get to share these fascinating animals with you.

Hannah Campbell Zapletal

03/28/2023

“This needs to be shared every day by every rider until everyone has seen it and practices it!!

While crossing the highway and having a car blow right past me it made me think maybe people just don't know what the proper etiquette is for passing a horse.

Here is my PSA.....you are passing an animal! I like to believe I am in full control of this animal. But at the end of the day he/she is 1000lbs and fully capable of spooking or jumping at anytime. You should treat passing a horse just as you would passing a deer. Treat it like you don't know what direction they are going, because you don't. If a deer can total out a car imagine what a horse would do. You could likely kill me, my horse, and yourself. So as kindly as I can possibly say it, slow down!!! If you have a teen driver, please inform them.”

Written by Annette Vanderpool

03/21/2023

I took your old horse
And gave him a home.
Even though long miles
His legs can no longer roam.
I took your old horse
And honored his wisdom.
His scars and his injuries-
No idea where they came from.
I took your old horse
Because you threw him away.
Because his old friend pleaded
He needed a place to stay!
Your horse is honored
For his wounds and his wisdom.
But for many others
This isn't the system.
So think a bit first
Before saying "he's too old".
About what he's done
For his humans, before he's sold.

I took your old horse.
You tossed him aside.
But he's now in children's dreams when they saddle up and ride. ❤️ -Rachel Ann

03/08/2023

True story 😁
credits: Tumblr

03/07/2023

In German, there is a saying: “Reiten lernt man nur durch Fegen”, which translates as “Riding is only learned by sweeping”. I have often thought about this saying.

Wherever there are horses, there is a lot of work to be done: Cleaning, sweeping, brushing, feeding, repairing…It’s not only the fun sides of pushing yourself off the ground and into the saddle. Learning to ride takes commitment and discipline, and we might have to do a lot of things which are not very glorious. Sweeping teaches us humility and keeps us grounded.

For me, this saying is also about apprenticeship. You start at the bottom, you sweep, you get off your high horse and you become open to learn. You admit to yourself that you don’t know everything. Sweeping is good for our ego. If you are an apprentice, the master can afford be honest to you. You don’t pay for lessons and s/he has nothing to loose if s/he scares you off. And that kind of honesty we need if we want to develop.

When we do chores around the barn, we also have the chance to develop a more natural kind of relationship with our horses, or with horses in general. We are not directly focused on them and can observe how they interact and what they are doing.

Sweeping is also my zen practice. Whatever my troubles are, I usually feel better after the morning chores at the barn are done.

03/01/2023

Very true!! 🤪🤪🤪

02/26/2023

Great words 😄
credits: Pinterest

02/22/2023

A friend said recently that horses really like a ’Long Hello’. That many horses feel immediately rushed by us, and this can really set us onto a path of misunderstandings and conflicts with the horse. 



Out on a trail ride the other day, my horse carrying me calmly, carefully, steadily, he waded into the river, and splashed his nose in the water, lifted into a Flehman’s Response, then pawed at the water. It made me laugh. The sun was shining. It was perfect weather, cool enough for a jacket, sunny enough to not get cold. I reached down and rubbed his shoulder. My body flooded with all the feel good things I almost always feel around horses.
"Thanks buddy”, I said.

Gratitude. 

I wake up. I go to my horses. I am grateful. Already won. Why?



There are plenty of voices out there telling us, and our horses, that they are not good enough. Not correct enough, fit enough, collected enough, shiny enough, natural enough, healthy enough, calm enough, cooperative enough.



It is enough.



I am grateful before the horse because that is my long goodbye to the horse. We never know when we will have our last moment with our horses. And under normal set of circumstances, we will all outlive our horses, and if we are REALLY lucky, we will be there with them, in gratitude and dignity, at the very end. 



So I stay grateful, so that I do not have to GET grateful. Because that is my long goodbye to my horses. No matter if it was to be today, or in 30 years from now.

There is a training principal that permeates equestrian culture at almost every level and wears many disguises. It is the principal of trying to win. It sets the human against the horse and see's the working relationship with them as something competitive. Who wins, who loses, who gets their way. Who gets what they want.

The reason why I try to steer away from that, and you should to, is that it sets you up on a pathway of diminishing gratitude. That diminishing gratitude will eventually leave you utterly burnt out with horses.

So what to do about it? How to express your gratitude to a horse in a way they understand?



1. When the horse doesn’t give you what you want, try smiling about it. Breathe-in. Wait. You can always repeat the question in a moment. And maybe they didn’t understand you, or can’t do that thing today. Or maybe their lesson for you today is not about you getting what you want, but something else



2. When the horse does give you what you want in two seconds or less, permit yourself to feel joy about that. Smile like a maniac. Don’t be entitled or demanding (Unless in an emergency of safety). Tell that horse, in your language, that it was wonderful what they did. And feel what you say, so that the horse feels you too. 



3. The 1-Minute Ride. Once in a blue moon (For established, hard working saddle horses). Catch, groom, tack, warm up, mount. Sit for one minute quietly. Get off. Finish. Say THANK YOU to the horse and give them some extra hay that day. 



4. When correcting a horse whom has problematic posture, movement issues, or behavioural issues. Remember that it is their body not yours. Maladaptive responses exist for a really good reason and taking those away from a horse too quickly and absolutely could deprive the horse from an important coping strategy that is holding them together. Go slower in your reformation of what you deem incorrect, so that the horse has a chance to contribute to it too. They may not adhere to the rules of the system you are using, so give them a chance to SHOW you, what they need. 



5. Give your horse the absolute best quality of life you can. Try to relocate if your barn doesn’t have good living conditions for your horse. Stop giving money to people who know better, but can’t/won’t do better. It doesn’t have to be perfect. But never give up trying to give your horse a life that they enjoy living, outside of their time with you. Even in the most compromised of conditions, you would be amazed what some creative thinking can do to totally change the environment, improving your horses life outside of training.

https://www.emotionalhorsemanship.com

02/19/2023

S***k your baby horse.

I don’t mean beat them. I don’t mean give them a little tug on the lead rope. I mean a rude horse deserves and understands some rudeness right back at them far better than a sweet whisper in their ear.

I mean, when your c**t or filly is running you over or throwing their ass at you or throwing their feet at you or snatching at you with their teeth, S***K THEM. Their mama would never tolerate that behavior from them. The old babysitter gelding in their pasture would not tolerate that behavior. YOU SHOULDNT TOLERATE IT.

They don’t like you because you’re sweet to them. They “like” food, water and safety.
You want your horse to be fed so you bring them food.
You want your horse to have water so you keep water in front of them.
What do you do when you want them to be safe? You discipline them when they are unsafe. You teach them to respect humans and make good choices. When they don’t respect humans and humans get hurt what happens? THEY ARENT SAFE. They can’t be treated when they are sick. They can’t have their feet cared for. If they are hurt you can’t fix them. If something happens to you? What happens to your sweet dream horse? They aren’t going to be safe. No one wants a disrespectful dangerous horse. I don’t care how pretty they are. I don’t care how much money you paid for it. I don’t care what names are on its papers. If it’s a complete s**t, it’s a complete s**t and the good horse owners? They don’t want it! I don’t want it! You know who does want it? The meat man.

If you love that horse, don’t be afraid to give it a s***k when it’s rude.
Credit to the OG author.

02/14/2023

Happy Valentines Day!

I think we can all relate to this ….💕

02/07/2023

Horses teach us so many “soft” skills like empathy, responsibility, leadership, compassion, determination and organization. That doesn’t even include riding-specific skills.

02/02/2023

So what do horses cost?
By Celeste-Leilani Lazaris

Everything.
They cost everything.
All of it.
Especially your soul.

Your life will never be the same after you experience a bond like that.

Relationships will never be the same-
After you learn to love the balance of being in complete control and complete surrender at the same time.

Time will never be the same -
After you lose it completely, because you learn that it’s not about what the clock says, but what you feel and how to end when it’s “right.”

You learn a language that isn’t spoken, and end up preferring that to every day banter.

You begin to crave the warm breath from their nose and the soft kiss of a muzzle more than any drug.

You become so accepting of who you truly are in your own skin, that you never want to wear a facade again -
Because that’s the only version of you that they will tolerate.

So I suppose it’s not about what they cost, but what you gain.

Everything.
You gain everything.
All of it.
Especially your soul.

Photo by Shirley Puga

01/31/2023

Don’t over complicate it....
There was a time when you were just happy to ride, happy to be in the company of horses. It didn’t matter if you could execute a perfect lead change or jump double clear rounds. You were just happy to have two feet in the stirrups and ears leading the way.

You didn’t care about having the best tack, the coolest boots, or the newest hi-tech breeches. An old ex-racehorse, your favorite, and wearing a worn out pair of jeans with a colourful t-shirt did the job just fine.

You didn’t spend the days between Christmas and New Year planning a heavy schedule of training sessions, clinics and competitions. You threw tinsel round your pony’s neck and went hacking with friends. The new year was just another 365 days to go riding.

Don’t forget that you started this sport because you loved the animal. You loved the rush of galloping across open fields and the serenity of watching horses quietly graze in the sun. You do this because there is nothing on this earth that makes you feel more alive than being on the back of a horse, so don’t overcomplicate it.

Enjoy the little things, because one day you will look back and realize... they weren’t little at all.
~beautifully written by cromwellandlucy

01/26/2023

A repeat for today!
If you enjoy my doodles, check out my coloring book on Amazon! https://bit.ly/3FgMORb

01/23/2023

‘Let your child have a bad ride.
I know you want to protect them from the hardships of this world.
I know you want to give them success and good experiences.
I know you don't want to see them get hurt. To see them fall. To see them fail.
But, hear me out, let your child have a bad ride.
Let them cry the tears of frustration.
Let them shake the sand out from the inside of their riding pants.
Let them face the fear building inside of them.
Let them step back on again.
Yes, let your child have a bad ride.
Let them hate the horse that challenges them.
Let them learn what fight and passion and ambition mean.
Let them realize that when they refuse to quit the horse will take the time to listen.
Grant them the joy of realizing that they are connecting with another living being.
Grant them the joy of realizing that they, although they are small, can be powerful.
Grant them the joy of seeing their hard work pay off, through the days of tears can come a love unspeakable.
Yes, let your child have a bad ride.
Afterall, life will grant us plenty of them.’

By Sarah Crouse

01/19/2023

Do you remember that girl you used to envy way back when? All those years ago when you were a teen and showing horses? The one you thought was so skinny and had the perfect body for hunt seat equitation?

Even though you might not have thought so, your body weight was just fine.

And you do remember that rider who had the perfect equitation? You thought you could never be like her.

Your equitation was pretty stellar, too.

Do you remember wishing you had an unlimited budget to buy the best horse in the world so you could compete at the top levels?

A million-dollar horse doesn't equate to instant success.

And do you remember feeling like an outsider, wondering if you would ever fit in? Maybe your clothes weren't quite right, or your tack wasn't new enough, or you didn't pull up in a fancy truck and trailer.

Those other girls felt like misfits, too. But trust me when I say this, you were all wrong.

Dear younger me, when you look back at those days and remember that you never felt pretty enough or good enough or had a horse that could compete at the top levels, you will realize that you were always where you needed to be. Those days of working hard and making the best out of what you had would serve you well in life. They would teach you what it meant to set goals and to work toward your dreams. They would teach you not to quit.

Older me recognizes there will always be times when you feel like you're the odd man, er, woman out. And that is all those times you forced yourself to be friendly at horse shows or talk to someone on the rail, you were learning how to get out of your comfort zone, something that would serve you well.

Sometimes it's not that people are unfriendly. Sometimes they're just as introverted as you are. They don't return a smile because your smile makes them uncomfortable. Because they're shy. It's easy to judge from a distance. Far harder to give someone grace until you truly get to know them.

Remember, you are always enough. Speak kindly to yourself (because those inner monologues can be brutal sometimes.) And on the days when comparisons threaten to steal your joy, remind yourself of your success. Got a tough problem? That's OK; you've conquered many challenges before. You can do this.

Don't lose faith in yourself. Sometimes the difference between winning and losing is the confidence you exude. Hold your head just a little higher than your competition. That spark in your eyes tells the judges you're someone to be reckoned with. Always walk with confidence, because people notice.

𝘿𝙚𝙖𝙧 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙣𝙜𝙚𝙧 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙤𝙡𝙙𝙚𝙧 𝙢𝙚, 𝙢𝙖𝙮 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙥𝙨 𝙖𝙡𝙬𝙖𝙮𝙨 𝙗𝙚 𝙗𝙤𝙡𝙙. 𝙈𝙖𝙮 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙖𝙡𝙬𝙖𝙮𝙨 𝙝𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙘𝙤𝙣𝙛𝙞𝙙𝙚𝙣𝙘𝙚 𝙞𝙣 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧𝙨𝙚𝙡𝙛. 𝙈𝙤𝙨𝙩 𝙞𝙢𝙥𝙤𝙧𝙩𝙖𝙣𝙩𝙡𝙮, 𝙢𝙖𝙮 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙖𝙡𝙬𝙖𝙮𝙨 𝙗𝙚 𝙖 𝙗𝙚𝙖𝙘𝙤𝙣 𝙤𝙛 𝙡𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩 𝙞𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙝𝙤𝙧𝙨𝙚-𝙨𝙝𝙤𝙬 𝙞𝙣𝙙𝙪𝙨𝙩𝙧𝙮.

Pamela Britton-Baer's humor column focuses on the ups and downs of horse ownership. To get a message to her, write to [email protected].

01/15/2023

True story, I’ve learnt to live with the mess 😂😂

11/24/2022

Happy Thanksgiving 🍁🦃🍽

11/23/2022

“There’s something different about the way a good mare connects with her rider. It’s special. Like an unspoken agreement. Once a mare chooses you as her person, it’s like she has an instinct to protect you, to fight for you. It’s almost as if she takes ownership of you.

I believe the good mares have a deep sense of intuition. They can read your mind. They know what you’re thinking even before you do. The good mares I know breathe fire in the face of challenge and then somehow, miraculously, know to quiet themselves when a timid child is plopped on their back for a pony ride.

They are clever, cunning and calculated, which can be your greatest enemy or your saving grace. The good mares I know do not tolerate egotistical riding. They do not tolerate force. They demand tact, finesse and emotional control. But once you have won a mare’s heart, you have won all of her. In exchange for your best—and nothing less—she will give you everything.”

Written by: Lindsay Paulsen

Some of my favorite mares 🥰

11/14/2022

7 life lessons…

1. Hard times, pain and tough lessons will one day be your strength.
2. Don’t expect honestly from people who lie to themselves.
3. You’ll never be able to help someone who doesn’t see a problem with their actions.
4. Explain to those who care and are determined to understand you. Give silence to those who are determined to misunderstand you.
5. Your life is too short to be unhappy.
6. Don’t worry about what others think about you, most likely, they don’t think about you as often as you think they do.
7. Life is meant to be lived at the speed of nature. Slow down and enjoy the ride.

❤️ Cara

11/10/2022

Lmao!!!! I know theses people