Ellie Bricker Horsemanship

06/06/2025

05/31/2025

05/28/2025

so important

05/28/2025

Hey. Can we talk for a second?

If you’re a student here at the barn—whether you’re just starting out or you’ve been riding with me for years—I want you to hear this.

This horse world we love so much? It’s beautiful, but it’s not always easy. It asks a lot of us—physically, mentally, and emotionally. I know you feel that pressure sometimes. The pressure to ride perfectly, to be tough, to never let your emotions show. I know there are days when things feel heavy—at the barn, at school, at home—and you’re still showing up and trying your best.

But I want you to know something really important:
You don’t have to be perfect to belong here.

Your worth is not tied to how well your horse behaves today, how strong your position is, or how much you “tough it out.” You are not weak if you feel overwhelmed. You are not failing if you need to step back, breathe, or even cry.

Taking care of your mental health is just as important as learning to post the trot, clean tack, or muck stalls. Actually, it’s more important. Because when you’re okay, everything else falls into place. Your horse feels it. I feel it. And you get to enjoy this journey—not just survive it.

So if you’re ever feeling anxious, burned out, discouraged, or just off—please talk to me. Or talk to someone you trust. You’re not alone. You never have to carry it all by yourself here.

This barn is a place to grow, not just as a rider—but as a person. And that includes the hard stuff.

I’m proud of you.
I see how hard you’re working.
I care about you—not just the rider version of you.

Let’s keep making this a space where it’s safe to be human.

With love,
Ellie

05/24/2025

In horsemanship, boundaries are often misunderstood. They’re not about control or walls that separate us from the horse. Instead, they are the quiet, respectful lines we draw that create safety—for both horse and rider. These boundaries teach the horse where to step, when to pause, and how to be calm in the presence of guidance. They invite trust because the horse knows what to expect and feels secure.

This is not so different from our relationships with people. Boundaries are not barriers pushing others away, but clear, caring limits that protect our well-being and invite honest, respectful connection. When set thoughtfully, boundaries show others how to honor our needs and feelings, giving space for trust to grow.

Without boundaries, horses become anxious or resistant, unsure of what is safe or expected. Likewise, in human relationships, lack of boundaries can lead to confusion, resentment, and distance. Trying to please everyone or letting others overstep leaves us disconnected.

When we embrace boundaries as bridges rather than walls, we open the door to freedom and authenticity. With horses, that freedom shows as partnership and willingness. With people, it appears as honesty, respect, and deeper understanding.

Horsemanship teaches us that true connection doesn’t come from removing limits, but from setting them with kindness and care. Boundaries invite trust, allowing us all to show up fully, without fear, and with the freedom to be ourselves.

05/21/2025

A good relationship with a horse reminds me how to be better with people.

With horses, we learn to listen more than we speak.
We learn to watch closely—to notice the small shifts, the unspoken questions, the quiet moments that matter most.
We learn that presence matters more than performance.

You can’t fake connection with a horse.
You can’t talk your way into trust.
It has to be earned—through consistency, patience, and a willingness to listen when nothing is being said out loud.

And maybe people aren’t so different.

Maybe the same things that help us build better relationships with horses—patience, softness, clarity, respect—are what help us build better relationships everywhere.

Because sometimes, being quiet enough to truly understand…
is the most powerful thing we can do.

📸Featuring one of my beautiful kids and her mare. ❤️

05/20/2025

Sometimes, the most important thing we can do with a horse is simply to be quiet.
Not to ask, not to demand, not to correct—but to listen.
Because true horsemanship isn’t about control. It’s about presence.

In the stillness, the horse begins to speak.
In our patience, trust begins to form.
And through respect—mutual and earned—we begin to understand.

Our job is not to shape the horse into our will, but to help them find balance—
in their body, in their mind, and in their spirit.
To meet them where they are, and walk with them toward ease.

Knowledge doesn’t come through force or noise.
It comes slowly, quietly, in the moments between the doing.
That’s where the real work lives. That’s where peace begins.

04/20/2025

Happy Easter!

03/29/2025

Just a little ice 😬