Endeavor Farm

02/12/2025

Mimi says “Nope”…not going outside in this weather!!!

02/09/2025

Great horses, great riders, great learning, great fun.

02/09/2025

Elizabeth Breton, born on December 31, 1924, celebrated her 100th birthday with a horseback ride in Stanton, close to Broadway, on New Year’s Eve.

The mother of two and grandmother of five rode a 16-hand grey horse, enjoying a leisurely walk and trot through the village.

Ms. Breton, who spent her childhood near Lincoln on a rural property with a stable, demonstrated her riding skills at the age of six and had previously ridden on a daily basis.

She paused her riding for three decades during adulthood but resumed the activity at the age of 70 when her son encouraged her to ride his horse.

Ms. Breton attributes her longevity to both her passion for horse riding and her faith, suggesting that riding is beneficial for maintaining youthfulness.

I get more exercise from a ride than I ever would from trying to walk down the village street,” she said.

“I would walk very slowly and it wouldn’t give me much exercise, whereas being on horseback, I’m very accustomed to it.

“If the horse spooks, I stay with it.

02/07/2025

Rain? Wet arena? Horse off?

Have you tried an “un-mounted” lesson? They are a fantastic was to work on your position, talk with your trainer about the when/where/why and HOW of your aids, and set yourself up for clarity on your horse. SOOOO helpful!

Pardon our mess! We are cleaning out our tack room!!!

02/05/2025

01/31/2025

Love this.

01/30/2025

Kelley on Nemo today. If you don’t think there’s magic in dressage, look again. Simply beautiful.

01/22/2025

More from Dr van Schaik, plus other experts, on how to become a good rider:
“The rider should do his utmost to be light on the horse and try to avoid all unnecessary movements. It is evident that the less of a burden the rider is for the horse, the better and the longer the horse will be able to serve his rider. The only way a rider can make himself light on a horse and avoid unnecessary movements is to make himself tall by using the abdominal muscles. This will prevent him from sitting like a sack of grain on the horse.”
https://www.horsemagazine.com/thm/2018/10/the-seat-as-part-of-the-riders-position/

01/16/2025

He is the voice of reason, an advocate for the horses, and his words are gold.

Why you will not see me being spectacular on a young horse:

Klaus Balkenhol explains, "Although breeders have created a better horse, the market has created a demand for a stronger, healthier, more powerful horse. It's easier to sell a horse that looks like a carefully developed eight-year-old, and not like a three- or four-year-old just beginning his career. If you force it, you can get a three-year-old to physically look like a developed eight-year-old. Too many colts remain stallions which, if approved, promise breeders higher prices as three-year-olds. Now 250 to 300 young stallions are presented each year, when only 40 or 50 will be approved.
Few breeders have the sense to geld the yearling stallions and leave them on the pasture to mature naturally. Instead, yearling stallions are brought into a stall, fed too much grain, and at three, look like six- or seven-year-olds. They have muscle mass, but not enough bone structure to support it. They look mature from the outside but aren't . . . and when started to work, degeneration sets in. Competitions also create pressure to push horses too fast as competitions are now scheduled throughout the year without any breaks."
Common Mistakes In Pushing Too Fast
Tightening the noseband: "A horse resists by sticking out his tongue. Tightening the noseband too much puts pressure on the nose and on the poll. If it is necessary to tighten the noseband very tightly, then something has gone very wrong in the basic training of the horse. The horse cannot be relaxed, the first step on the training scale," warns Klaus.
Specializing too early: "Drilling every day in the indoor arena is too intense for the young horse. It's very important, especially in the first two years of training, not to specialize the young horse. Training should include a variety of activities, including trail riding, which is good for the mind as well as building strength with hill work. It should include jumping, either free or low jumps under saddle, including small natural obstacles on the trail, and cavaletti. A variety of work will allow the horse to stay mentally fresh and to enjoy his work. Only when the horse is happy can dressage become art."
Not checking tack frequently: "Saddle and tack need to be checked constantly for proper fit and adjusted as the horse's body changes with growth, and as his fitness improves with the training. If the noseband gets too low, for example, and the skin between the noseband and the bit is rubbed and becomes sore, this causes the horse discomfort and loss of relaxation. Regularly check for sharp edges and bit problems in the horse's mouth and teeth."
Working too long: "The goal of our training is to build the horse's mind and his muscles. Suppleness and relaxation require adequate muscle strength. strengthening requires both contraction and relaxation. Blood flow and oxygenation occur when the muscle relaxes. If the muscle is kept in a constant state of contraction, it loses power and strength, and actually becomes smaller. Frequent rest periods, especially for a young horse at a free walk on a long rein, are necessary. The rest periods are not for a rider's fatigue, but to allow the horse to stretch and relax his muscles. The rest breaks will give you a completely new horse. This is the systematic gymnasticizing of the horse."
Riding when the horseman is tense: "Horses are particularly sensitive to the rider's mood. A rider shouldn't ride if she is under undue stress or doesn't have the time to ride. If the rider has a bad day, give the horse a rest day or go for a relaxing trail ride; don't work in the arena. The horse mirrors the rider's mood."
Not praising the horse enough: "The horse must perform from joy, not subservience. Praising a horse frequently with voice, a gentle pat, or relaxing the reins is very important to keep the horse interested and willing. If the horse offers piaffe, for instance, because he's excited, praise him for it. You shouldn't stop the lesson at that point nor make a big deal out of it. If you don't want piaffe, quietly urge him forward into trot, but you should NEVER punish him for offering the piaffe. - Klaus Blakenhol

01/15/2025

Please share 🙏🔥ℹ️

01/14/2025

FOR LEASE: STEADY, SAFE and SOUND…this Belgian/TB cross mare is looking for a rider. 16.2, ~15 years old, working happily at First Level and more than willing to the trail riding job too. Off site lease available to the best of situations, this mare has been shown in the past and is ready to head down centerline if that is your wish. PM, call or text for more info. 919.880.7295

01/14/2025

This. 👍

The Importance of Contact with Dr H L M van Schaik:
“During the schooling period, in which we want the horse to come under with the hindquarter, there will be times that we need to apply a lot of contact. At this time the horse has to learn that when we create more impulsion and increase the resistance, the horse should not try to go faster and become longer, but he should try to get his hindquarters under.Once the horse has learned to do this, he will carry himself. The more he carries himself, the more he understands what the rider wants from him, the lighter the contact will become.” Pic is Rodrigo Torres.
https://www.horsemagazine.com/thm/2022/01/contact-or-no-contact-that-is-the-question/

01/11/2025

Just a bit of snow is enough to inspire the boys into full play mode! What fun they are having!

01/11/2025

“Everyone in this industry needs to know they can text 2USEF to report. It is an anonymous report.”

I’m ashamed to say I didn’t know this.

I have personally witnessed, and have heard first hand accounts of abuse…not training seeking an outcome, not correction, but abuse and have not reported it. Much of this has been the actions of “well known” trainers, in a variety of disciplines.

I have personally made incorrect choices in the past. And I resolve to do better, be better and to remember that if I do not speak out, if I do not “ name names” then I am complicit in the abuse continuing.

The horses need us to report every single instance of abuse. They depend on us and we are the only ones who can advocate for them. Don’t be silent.

We all think we know what is going on in the industry we love, but after serving as the chair of the U.S. Hunter Jumper Association Horse Welfare Commission for the past year, now I do know, and I can’t un-ring that bell. I was sickened, as anyone would be, to hear of some of the atrocities commit...

01/05/2025

12/15/2024

Merry Christmas & Happy Holidays! We have GIFTS for you! Please PM me if you need/want any of the following items!

Shipping boots! I have 4-5 pairs!
Oversized dressage bridles…schooling quality
Hunter bridles average horse size…schooling quality
Leadropes
Several size 78 sheets. Will trade for 80’s medium turnout
Huge size 87 turnout blanket
Soaking boots, great for abscesses.
First aid supplies, especially gauze pads!
Leg wraps with bandages 2
Curb reins, black dressage
Kimberwick bits!!!
Paddock boots…size 7-7.5
Koenig Tall dressage boots…size 7.5
Protective leg boots, SMB’s and others
Pony size bell boots
Hay bags
And some other stuff I’m pretty sure that is lurking around here!

🎄♥️🤶

11/30/2024

I’ve been recommending this book ever since my son Cody Maltais shared it with me. It is a superb explanation of how we learn techniques and learn to use them in our performance. Highly recommended!

“When through painstaking refinement of a small movement I had the improved feeling, I could translate it onto other parts of the form, and suddenly everything would start flowing at a higher level. The key was to recognize that the principles making one simple technique tick were the same fundamentals that fueled the whole expansive system of Tai Chi Chuan.”
-The Art of Learning, Josh Waitzkin

If you want to be a great rider, not just a passenger that pushes buttons, you must work on refining the most basic aids and the smallest requests. That is when you and the horse become one in harmonious flow.

*The Art of Learning is a fantastic read. It’s a wonderful exploration into how Josh became a 21 National Championship title holder and 7 World Championship title holder in both chess and Tai Chi Chuan.

11/25/2024

Whip skills. Know how…