Geronimo proves that rain is nothing but another opportunity to train 🌦️
I hear people say all the time, “I can’t ride today - it rained and the ground is wet!” This is super fair…for certain types of rides. Lord knows I have cancelled a lesson before due to wet ground! But if we remember that riding can be more than just circles in a technical space, we can actually use wet ground to our advantage.
This is more than just a chance to practice puddles (although for some horses that in and of itself is enough of a challenge). I use moving out, transitioning down, and even backing in uneven terrain with water up to the horse’s fetlock to put to work a practical concept that otherwise often goes unpracticed until we really need it. On the trail, you never know what kind of ground or weather you’ll encounter. Maybe the ground starts good and suddenly you find yourself in an awkward space that you need to turn around from. Maybe the weather starts good and suddenly you find yourself in a rainstorm being drenched with puddles quickly forming along the trail. Maybe you have a bit of both. We can never know for sure what a trail ride might hold for us or ask of our horses. So, I take advantage where I can.
Teaching Mo to navigate poor ground and to balance through unpredictable terrain in a controlled environment at home will one day pay off when he is in a less familiar place. I’m asking Mo to trust himself, think about every step he takes, and problem solve through both higher and lower gaits. At the trot, things can become slippery. At the back up, things can become sticky. Both instances require the horse to commit to considering his feet and stay focused on being sure-footed.
Of course, if you’re going to be stupid be smart. I’m aware there’s a reason we don’t traditionally ride in conditions like these. For Geronimo’s sake and my safety, we stuck to straight lines and gave ourselves LOTS of space. This prevents a lot of the risk we see
Joker demonstrates how having a pattern to rely on while trail riding can be the difference between a little spook and a big spook 😱
This kid used to have a pretty decent sized spook - he’d jolt at just about anything and then immediately escalate into a lot of forward motion borderlining on a bolt. But Joker isn’t actually a super spooky kiddo…I believe his buddy sour behavior has been leading to the lack of confidence on the trail. So, Joker and I have only ever trail ridden alone during his time in training to allow us to really tackle the core issues at hand. If an owner brings me a “spooky” horse, I have to see what they’re talking about…which means tackling the hard stuff head on. Joker needed to learn how to be ok by himself, rely on himself and his rider, and regulate himself - the only way we were going to begin achieving that is if we took him out by himself.
How do we get to the root of a problem like this to begin helping our horses?? And more importantly, how do we do it SAFELY??
1) Begin on the ground. A lot of the time a horse that is truly spooky on the trail is having trouble regulating. They will become tense at some point (sometimes as early as during tacking up or as soon as it’s time to leave the trailer or barn), and the rest of the ride they hold onto and build upon that initial tension. Every single change then becomes intolerable for them - a squirrel running across the path, a rider adjusting their seat, wind blowing. But it’s hard to SEE this tension in your horse as the rider…their expressions are hidden from us while we’re on their backs. So, begin on the ground. I start by hand-walking horses on trails so I can watch their expression closely. Are they blinking? Are they licking and chewing? Are they sighing/blowing out regularly? Are their nostrils curled or lips pursed? Are they grinding their teeth or gaping their mouths? Once I get a general sense of the horse’s body language, I spend the next few sessi
‼️ RETURN TRAINEE ALERT ‼️
Y’all might not recognize this kiddo from between the ears so I’ll be sure to post a photo in the comments that will have everyone going, “I know that horse!” And yes…I’m late on this one too. Did I mention we’ve been busy? 😅
It’s Blue Belle! This mare has grown up SO much since she was here last. She came to us the first time looking like such a teenager and now she’s like a real adult 🥹 still wears all her infamous fly gear though…as my dad called her “the fancy dressed one”.
BB has returned for some advancement in her canter work, offsite practice, and dialing in her focus regardless of the environmental activity. Like a typical youngster, BB can get a little distracted when there’s lots of “fun” happening around her - especially dogs…BB loves her some puppy dogs 🤣 But over the last few weeks she’s done a wonderful job in every area of training she’s here for. She’s been focused, building a balanced canter, and was a total dream offsite. We always love having this mare around and as we close in on her last few rides we are trying to enjoy every second!
Good job, BB 👏🏻
Sometimes, I send owners fantastic content full of educational moments and proof of progress…other times I send this.
Poppy is FULL of herself these days 🤣 we made her confident and now she’s out here blazing her own trails. Whoops!
In all seriousness, this kiddo has been making some truly amazing progress. I’m incredibly proud of this mare and watching her grow into such a sure ride has been wonderful. I cannot wait to get Poppy offsite and show her even more of the world outside a pasture!
Arya had her first solo offsite ride and I was reminded that sometimes the best thing we can do for our trail kiddos is get out of their way 😅
You’ll notice in this video that as Arya finds her way through the tricky part of the trail I give her as much rein as I can allowing Arya to decide how best to navigate. I see all the time people gather up their horses and try to control every foot, every decision while on the trail because the rider is assumed to know best (or because we are the “leader” we feel we must be the one to choose the path). But you’ll see me often trying to do the exact opposite - I want my horse responsible for…well the horse.
As much as we want to, we will never be better than the horse itself at knowing their balance. Imagine if you were trying to balance on a log and someone came up and proceeded to adjust your legs, hold down your arms, move your feet, change where you’re looking all to what they believed would be better for you. Oh, and after they control everything you’re doing on the log they hop onto your back for good measure. Would you be able to balance based on someone else’s idea of what’s best?? Probably not. Our horses are no different. They need their faces, necks, hooves, and legs free to properly balance and navigate difficult terrain. We can’t know what they’re feeling as the ground changes beneath them. We have to trust that in those moments THEY might actually know best for THEIR bodies and balance.
I know it’s difficult to trust the horse - some horses panic when the going gets tough; some horses rush; some horses make a bad choice. Being able to make the safest, best decision comes from experience. Your horse needs to have many miles underneath them in order for you to feel good about fully letting go and them to feel good about fully taking control when the trail gets tricky. Until then, try this: interfere as little as possible and as lightly as possible. As your horse builds their confiden
Aslan’s been out here just learning away while his trainer hasn’t posted a single update 🤦🏼♀️
This kiddo has been doing some really, really technical work under saddle. A little while back, we had the wonderful Dr. Krause come do some chiropractic work on Aslan and with her we discussed how important it will be for Aslan in particular to really use his body properly in every ride. He has a tendency to be just a hair lazy in engaging his body the “right way” (in a way that builds proper muscle) - he and his trainer have that in common 🤣 So, we’ve been working quietly but consistently on body engagement through turns, through stops and backs, through gait transition. But you guys know me…I can’t say no to throwing in a random trail ride every now and then.
In his pasture life, Aslan can be VERY herdbound. It’s gotten better with some short stints of practicing being pastured alone but that really only tackles one side of it. Sure, they learn to stay calm even when the pasture empties of buddies but their confidence level only changes so much - especially because he can still see, smell, and hear other horses in other pastures. How can we really build a sure, steady horse that can regulate away from the herd?? You guessed it; the trail. Trail riding solo can be an AMAZING tool to building a horse’s confidence. Now, like with all things, this comes with a much needed explanation. There are a few things we need to keep in mind about this method…
1) It doesn’t happen overnight. Y’all tired of me saying this yet?? It’s the truth. This video shows Aslan on his first longer solo ride and it is the result of several small rides. To begin, I rode Aslan alone on the trail for no longer than 10 minutes. We’d focus on just walking as far out from the farm as we could and once he started to become really nervous, we’d do some technical work in that spot (a few figure-eights for example) to get his brain focused up and then head back
A little while back, we waved our goodbyes to Monty as he headed back to Hidden Creek Horse Farm, LLC after completing his tune-up 🥹
Monty (AKA Big Mondo, Montasaurus, Mont Vesuvius, Monte Crisco) was truly one of the gentlest kiddos. He worked really hard while with us to fix his steering and build some much needed muscle. He also learned, very sadly, that you cannot actually force treats to materialize from thin air 🤣 Monty did so well in his time with us - learning not only what were very necessary skill sets in a technical space but also sneaking in some solo trail rides. Now, that he’s back with his family we get to continue seeing Monty for lessons! We have so enjoyed watching Monty and his owners grow together at WRH - we can’t wait to see them continue back home.
See ya Thursday, Monty 👏🏻
Layla gets out of the round pen and keeps her head on like a pro 😎
This little mare has done such a nice job. We have had to spend quite a lot of time inside the round pen working on getting her more confident with mounting but the extra time paid off. I find that often times horses are rushed through one of the most important pieces of a ride - the mount. We hop on as quickly as we can, immediately walk off, and then wonder why it takes so long for our horses to relax into work. It. Starts. At. The. Mount! I get it - we have an agenda 99% of the time when we ride and we have schedules to adhere to. But do yourself and your horse a favor; sloooooow down before giddying up. Ask yourself, “Does my horse willing approach for a mount? Can they step up to the block or to me one foot at a time? Do they look worried in their face or tense in their body? Do they walk off as soon as they feel weight in the stirrup?” Your answers to these questions will decide if it’s time to go back to the basics and work on mounting.
Layla was showing signs of being a little tense at the mounting block (head high, worried eye, unwilling to step up) so we took the time we needed to get her relaxed, to make the mounting block a place of rest and wouldn’t ya know it the ride that followed came extremely easily to her. Don’t skip the basics, y’all. Take the extra time. Earn relaxation and trust from the get go - believe me it’ll lead to much greater rides and much happier horses.
Great work, Layla 👏🏻
Easy Breezy lives up to her name and gains confidence outside the round pen 😎
This mare has been working hard to conquer expanding her riding skills both in and out of a technical space. So far, Breezy has been extremely successful with the basics but she definitely is much more freed up out on the trail compared to a small technical space where her gaits slow, feet can be a bit sticky, and her motivation drifts. With horses like this I tend to get them out on the trail ASAP both alone and with a buddy so we can get the forward motion we need to really test things like steering, stopping, and moving out. Breezy hasn’t had a lot of experience outside of her home so this training period has been a lot for her! But she’s taken it all in stride and remained an incredibly reasonable little mare. Very proud of her progress.
Good job, Breezy Babe 👏🏻
When Ponderosa Horsemanship invites us out for a ride you can bet our answer will always be, “Where should we meet ya?!” 😎
Anyone recognize that big blonde booty in front of us? That’s Gryffy! A former WRH trainee who now works with Ashley Hall regularly to keep his training current while back home. This was his first ride offsite and man was it a good one. I am so impressed with how Ashley has built upon the foundation we laid. She has done an awesome job with him and it was proven by the wonderful ride they had together.
Thanks for letting us be there for Gryff’s first ride out Ashley! And thanks Cara Forde for taking the lead - Lord knows Juno won’t bother to walk fast enough for that. Nothing beats being in the woods with your buddies and your ponies 🤙🏻
There’s only one thing that can get Hank to run and that thing is Dragon 🤣
These boys love their free time together. Good weather, bad weather; you will almost always find this funny pair grazing peacefully side by side until Draco catches a wild hair and takes off, getting Hank to do the same. Nothing keeps ya young quite like hanging out with a baby!
Sterling conquers Croft State Park with the boys 😎
Ster Fry, Fitz, Xavier, and I went out over the weekend to meet up with our buddy and her gelding Soco for a really nice little 7 mile outing. The geldings all did such a wonderful job. Sterling had never ridden with a horse he hadn’t met before, but he happily plodded behind Soco as if he’d done it a million times. We crossed bridges, conquered mud, and navigated some rocky spots while still having a chance to move out some here and there as a group! Sterling was beyond good - he was relaxed, made good choices, and stayed comfortable no matter what the trail brought or where he fell in line with the group.
Such excellent work, Ster 🍟
Hey Ponderosa Horsemanship are we doing this right? 🤓
Before a bunch of rain came this week, I felt inspired by Ashley Hall and her kiddo Maverick to get back out there and do some bridleless riding! So, Bugsy and I hit the trail and enjoyed practicing our trot to stop transitions. It was much needed - being bridleless always reminds me of the special connection I have with this mare and how important even the smallest changes in our bodies are as riders for our horses.
Thanks for the inspiration, Ashley! 👏🏻
Just one youngster taking another out for a walk 😊
Milo has been trail riding around the farm not only by himself but also with Baby Dragon 🐉 roaming free around him. I’m so deeply impressed with this kiddo - during thirty days of concentrated work he proved over and over again that he’s got everything we love about POA’s. He’s smart, willing to please, gentle, and brave. Here’s hoping his nutty little brother is taking notes!
Way to go, Mimo 👏🏻
More miles for Sterling and more babysitting for Fitz 🤪
Fitz and X led the way through some rough trail yesterday out at Brickhouse. We navigated downed trees, flooded trails, higher than usual stream crossings, and some slippery bridges. But both Fitz AND Sterling acted like it was nothing! These boys didn’t bat an eye even when we needed to go off trail a bit to make it through certain sections. Needless to say, this trainer was pretty darn proud yesterday. So grateful for horses that have used their training to truly change how they assess and respond to any challenges they face. They made good decisions, were super careful when needed, and stayed focused and calm throughout the entire ride. About halfway through the trek, Sterling took over the lead position and Fitz happily settled behind. Overall, we couldn’t have asked for a better outing with our favorite bays!
Way to go, Fitzy + Ster Fry 👏🏻
When it rains so much the pond overflows, you IMMEDIATELY take advantage of the training opportunity 🤓
Casually walking The Spots through random water to teach Draco that no matter what the trail throws at him he can handle it…although…maybe he’s teaching ME because that boy was the first one in 🤣 I just love watching these kiddos explore changes in their environment. While all this water isn’t exactly ideal, it is still fun to get creative and do what we can with what we have; training is all about creating opportunities as you go. Don’t get discouraged when the winter weather comes; get inspired!
Way to go, Dragon + Bugs + Mimo 👏🏻
Sterling conquers his first offsite ride and I am so filled with pride I can barely fit back into the truck 🥲
This is such a huge accomplishment for this boy. For a long time, I wasn’t sure he’d ever get to this point (at least not in the timeframe we would have together) and when we did get here I was a little nervous about how he’d handle this challenge. But Sterling was determined to remind me that the countless hours we spend preparing each little piece of trail riding offsite pays off. The exercises to build confidence; the time going out alone at home; the steering drills; the practice of checking in with the rider when unsure; the loading him on and off the trailer at random on the farm; the ponying offsite the week prior to this ride; it all was leading up to our first ride out here and it made for one of the nicest first rides I’ve had. Sterling lead the entire way (Juno and Xavier Coker being our trusty safety net behind us) and could not have been more confident or comfortable with his surroundings.
All this to say, while it may look like Sterling was just randomly taken offsite and magically did amazing for his first time that’s NOT the whole story. Off camera, Ster has worked incredibly hard for this peaceful, happy ride. We prepped him for as much as we possibly could at home (down to the smallest details like navigating muddy spots, going up and down hills, and getting used to branches brushing by him as we ride) and even brought him out last week to be ponied so he could experience being offsite without a rider beforehand. Hours upon hours of time have been spent getting Sterling to a place where this ride could be a positive one for him; as it should be. Please, please, please do not just randomly take your horses offsite and expect a good time. Do right by them. Do right by YOU. Put in the practice. Because even though it might not make exactly perfect, it does get you pretty darn close.
Excellent job, Ster Fry 👏🏻
Happy New Year everyone. I will never be able to fully put into words what this year has meant for me and my business. I am so endlessly grateful for all this community has given me. From trusting me with their precious kiddos to joining me on rides to helping me build this crazy dream of mine, I have been so blessed this last year with support. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. We are so excited for what’s to come in 2024.
Before we got totally flooded, Sterling went out for his second solo trail ride on-site and did a fantastic job 😊
I guess somebody told him it was Christmas because he gave me a pretty awesome gift right before the holiday - a confident ride out! We hope to get offsite this week to begin the process of venturing to other trails. Sterling has been doing so well at the farm; working on softening his ribcage and engaging with the bit as opposed to bracing on it in his technical practices and building confidence with his solo trail rides. I love watching this guy get more and more sure of himself in every way. With every ride he’s growing and that’s the best present of all.
Atta boy, Sterling 👏🏻
Just casually going for a canter on my favorite youngster 🥹
Voodoo has been practicing the canter A LOT lately. This kiddo isn’t very motivated in his technical sessions…it’s boring for him and asks for a lot of body engagement that his baby brain just genuinely isn’t interested in. So, we take to the woods! Voodoo LOVES adventuring and in an effort to make training more fun we take the same concepts we are working on in an arena setting and apply them at random along the trail. Voo is currently working on his canter transitions as well as sustaining his canter without being constantly encouraged. Where he struggles to find the effort in the arena, you can see it comes pretty easily to him on the trail. I’ll take that win!
Instead of INSISTING that Voodoo only practice in the space I want him to, I try to be fair and allow for some feedback from my kiddos to be not only heard but truly understood and considered. Yes Voodoo still practices in my arena space even though it isn’t his favorite - he does need to learn to tolerate the things he doesn’t love doing. But why put a sour taste in his mouth by not allowing him to practice anywhere else?? I want my horses to enjoy themselves even when we are training for hard things. If Voodoo enjoys the woods, then we can take a session or two to get our practice in where he’s happy - giving both his brain and his body some much needed endorphins. Training isn’t accomplished in only one environment. Have balance between what you must do and what you can do; your horse will thank you for it later.
Nicely done, Vroom! 👏🏻
