True Passion Horsemanship

05/15/2024

A new plague sweeping the social media landscape is what I call “ego softness”. We’ve all seen videos of people working bridle-less, ba****ck, or at liberty. A good 60% of these look fantastic and are done correctly, at least to the extent that the horse looks happy and has relaxed, or semi relaxed body language. Unfortunately, some put their ego and internet clout before considering what the horse is really feeling or telling them.

If your horse’s ears are pinned, their muscles are tense, their tail is in line with their spine or swooshing, your horse needs you to be a better advocate for them, not a performer. These are just some of the signs that a horse is stressed. Noticing these things and addressing them should take paramount over putting on a “soft” façade. The horse is always the judge of your treatment, and when I see a horse displaying signs like these, I’m going to take their side no matter what gear or lack of is being used during training.

In recent years, we’ve had a push twords being more gentle with our horses, and that’s fantastic! Yet, we can’t choose appearing “soft” over acknowledging our horse’s true feelings. In my opinion, the roughest thing you can do with a horse is ignore their cries for help. When done right, a person can certainly ride with little equipment and with little pressure. However, to truly have a harmonious relationship with any animal it takes time, effort, and a whole lot of knowledge.

To truly show softness in our riding, we have to be educated in why gear and cues are used. No matter how little we use or if we reward with a cookie, we’ve asking things of our horse, and if we are clueless as to what we’re asking, we might as well go back to square one!

02/13/2024

Do you tip your farrier?
Here’s another ‘tip’ your farrier will appreciate!

My horses are very commonly complemented for their behavior and ease of handling; I take the safety of those handling my horses extremely seriously! It’s not fair to your horse or those working with your horse to deal with a hazardous situation! Farriers put themselves in backbreaking positions to make sure your horses stay sound. It’s an exhausting and often thankless career that could be made safer and easier with some simple additional training. I make sure that my horses are never the cause of a hard day, or even a life altering or ending injury!

It’s not just about lifting all 4 feet. Farriers need to hold up a foot for a long time, and often move and stretch legs to a position that is easier to work with. Prepare your horse by doing far more than just cleaning feet! All my horses are trained from the very beginning that I’m someone that can be trusted with just about anything, including holding their legs and moving them around. These skills can be transferred to things like doing beneficial stretches, putting on leg-gear, treating injuries, and a lot more!

The horse below is a Mustang yearling. Teach them these lessons in a gentle and understanding way while their young and they’ll be a valuable and trusting partner though-out the entirety of their life!

02/09/2024

We’re experts at Wenglish and Eastern here!

02/06/2024

True Passion Horsemanship would like to give a big Thank You to Marina Tarvida-Scegoleva For designing our amazing new Logo!

02/05/2024

Beautiful 🙌 Right on the Money to me!

What defines "SUCCESS" as a professional in the equine industry?

I think to most riders, success is determined by how many shows you have won, what level you ride at, how expensive your horses are, what brands of tack you use, how fancy your facility is etc.
This exact mindset is why I have had my name dragged through the mud more than once, due to other rider's insecurities trying to poke holes at me and bring me down.

But to me, if you have this perspective on what is the defining factor for success with horses, I truly believe you have lost the plot entirely.

Horses don't care about fancy stables, big manicured rings, ribbons on the walls, being pushed harder and harder, year after year, to achieve more and more for their rider.

Horses care about their needs being met, and the freedom to be a horse. The freedom to have ample turnout space, socializing in a herd with other horses. Plentiful hay and water, with no need for resource guarding. A loving owner who rides compassionately with the horse's best interest in mind. And one that does not value the ride above the welfare of the horse.

Yet almost everything mentioned there, is typically lost with the normal show horse routine and care mindset. And at that point, I believe we are truly letting the horses down. As this no longer becomes a passion for our love of horses, but instead a selfish obsession with our own desire for greatness.

We all started our riding journey out of a simple love and curiosity for thr animal.
How sad is it, that almost all of us seem to outgrow and forget this?

For me, success lies with the horse.

Success is when I am able to rescue a beaten, broken, neglected horse, heal and nurture them and find them and amazing forever home.

Success is looking out my kitchen window, and seeing all the horses living with zero anxiety, out on turnout, socializing and playing. Being horses, as horses should be.

Success is taking discarded, unsound, "worthless" horses and helping them heal in both body and mind, turning them into revitalized, sound, and talented horses.

Success is picking riders up who have lost their confidence in their ability, and watching them flourish and grow, with newfound understanding and strength.

Success is taking in dangerous horses, and working with them to heal and problem solve, and give them a second chance.

Success is seeing the obvious before/after of my program, the absolute transformations of both body and mind through biomechanics and R+

Success is having every single one of my horses so happy to work, that they all swarm me in the field wanting to participate.

Success is having horses that are comfortable enough to be vulnerable and expressive

Success is watching horses who had never had a chance to "be horses" transform in magical ways once they're allowed the freedom they deserve.

Success is putting the horse's needs before my own.

Also keep in mind, that the ability to show and show rated, upper level shows is a very elitist privilege that most people can not realistically afford. It's wonderful if you have that privilege, but looking down on others for not having the same is simply prejudice.

In my perspective, I was raised poor. I never had any family contributions for my riding, even as a child I paid for my own riding lessons with collecting recycling, baby sitting, working on farms / cash jobs etc. Until I was old enough to get a real job. I funded my riding all through my childhood, teens, and adulthood, without a single outside contribution.

Personal success for me would be the fact that I was able to dig my way through this industry at all, considering the absolute zero support that I had.

And for those who know me, you'd know that I am also a para rider with a serious spinal cord injury. I should not even be able to walk, let alone ride, train, coach etc.

Riding in general for me is a success. If I can reach my goals, that would be just a cherry on top! However, being in the saddle PERIOD for me is a success, and other's insecurities resulting in the demand for the shown ring does not change that for me.

This is not to put down riders for having goals and wanting to reach achievements, not at all! I personally have big aspirations in dressage, which is why I lesson with 2 grand prix coaches, and constantly am working on my own education and ability.
However my own goals, will never, ever, be at the deficit of my horses.

And I encourage others to explore ways they can modify how they do things with their horses to reach their goals, while still keeping the horse at the front line priority.

At the end of the day, success isn't something that can be easily pin pointed and judged upon. And the mindset of the necessity to be an accomplished show rider just further breeds the ablesist, self serving, toxicity that the horse industry is so well known for. This may be how you define success, but that does not mean it's the same for someone else.

How do you define success?

(Picture of one of my rescue mares who unfortunately had to cross the rainbow bridge 🌈)

01/23/2024

Your trainer is just as important as the horse you choose! Conveniently, the good ones often have the same qualities!

You want a patient one, that understands you may have flaws and places you need help. They shouldn’t be too harsh on honest mistakes, and have the know-how to help you when they arise.
Your trainer, and horse, should greet you excitedly when you arrive at the barn, ready to work with you in a friendly and caring way. They should not be prickly and unfriendly, unprofessional, and not someone you want to be around.
They should challenge you to be the best you can be, while respecting your limits. You should be able to achieve your goals alongside them, while being humbled at every turn. Good horses and trainers have in common that they are there for you as you grow, even if in the beginning you have a long way to go!

I’ve had my share of great trainers, and ones that are still awesome, but not a great fit for me! Each rider, like each horse, requires something a little different! More encouragement, more tough love, or even just a different point of view. Trainers, much like horses, are not something you should choose lightly!





09/19/2023

Did you know that in the US, you don’t need to have any sort of formal education or certificate to teach lessons, train horses, or even own a yard that does both and more? It’s true! While certain things can make your business more desirable to costumers, you don’t really need anything other than some guts and money to run an Equine Business.

Lets discuss this delicate issue:

Let’s state the obvious, if anyone can teach and train, ANYONE can! This includes those that may not really have any clue what they’re doing. To those looking for a place to get beginner lessons, this is downright dangerous! As a kid, one of the barns I took a few lessons at put me beside teenagers clearing verticals on green horses. This was when I was getting the hang of sitting on a horse and couldn’t yet post a trot or even THINK to canter. Now as an adult, I often get to see or train the result of a professional that should look in to attaining a better education before offering services. I find that far too often, we have a kid that took lessons until they became an adult. At a certain point they graduated to teaching before being ready or exploring the world outside their home stables with a single trainer who’s background is similar.

You might think, ”ok, so I’ll look for a certified trainer in my area!” That’s a noble goal; but what certification would you like your trainer to have? Furthermore, does this license or certificate mean that the holder has a good grasp of equine phycology, biomechanics, and safety? Truth is, the US has a TON of certifications available for equine professionals to pursue! However, just like anyone can train, anyone can make a class and give you a certificate at the end. Unfortunately, there is a number of certifications available that DON’T seem to encourage animal sciences knowledge, and instead may just show that the holder took a test and passed. Is this really any better than just jumping in to being a professional? How much can one opinion, or a few opinions, teach us about the art of training and riding?

Here is my biggest issue with requiring a certificate; WHO is deciding that I’m worthy of one?
It’s no secret we have sucky people at the top. This goes for any industry, but quadruple that if it involves greed and animals. I quiver watching some performances in the modern FEI or NFR. We’ve settled for abusive, abrasive riding at high levels, including in the countries that DO require certificates and education. I know some would try to say that I’m being egoistical or “couch training” because I’m not at the level of some of these riders, but lets look at ourselves here. Are we really willing to dishonor riding in a way that we excuse abusive practices for ANYONE? No, I’m not a golden buckle winning, olympic cowboy, but I started out in this sport because I love animals and believe in the good in them.
Many people are obsessed with the “sport”, be it team roping or eventing. Very commonly I see the “sport” side being the main focus of an education or certificate. Yes, riding is a sport, but it’s a team sport, and your teammate needs you to know animal sciences, not the tradition behind black leather for dressage. Certificates are not so bold as to bring up the equestrian pain face, the effect of yanking the reins on a horses long-term success or what delicate systems exist inside our equine partners. Far too many certificates are sport and instruction focused, not horse happiness focused!

What should be done? Who should we allow to be professionals? I’ve thought at length what solution would work best. Personally, I think we need a better system of kicking people out, not allowing people in. I don’t think you should be allowed to teach or train if your way of riding or instructing harms the animals and students in your program. The people I’ve learned from have diverse riding and training backgrounds. I’ve learned from people that have only done clinics and lessons, and those with level 4 certificates across multiple programs.
If there’s anyone that I DO want deciding if you’re fit to teach, it’s veterinarians and animal scientists, not top competitors. In my view, there’s no amount of success and money that should speak over science. Horses have behavior and biomechanics that are proven and should be respected above any desire to run fast and jump the moon. The problem with a lot of certifications is that they forget this, or simply don’t feel the same.

The issue of certifying professionals is directly linked to a lot of problems we have in the equestrian industry. Those with enough wealth and time to fly across the country and receive a certification may be able to do so, but some just don’t have that luxury. Much like some don’t have the luxury to show, or buy a better horse, or work with horses full time. At the end of the day, if the same people buying there way to the top are making our certification decisions, I don’t believe that is a healthy way of deciding who can and can’t be a professional. If we want to require certifications, they need to be based in HORSES first. Not Dressage, not “english” or “western”. The most important part of equestrian knowledge should be the love and desire to work alongside and understand horses. Unfortunately, a lot of options just don’t attend to this, and I feel are flawed in not making equine science a priority.

07/07/2023

The average human Peanut-Brain just dosn’t get our smart prey-animal horse’s brain!

Trailering issues are fairly common, and heck, I don’t think you could convince me to stand in a metal box that makes awful noises and teleports me to a place I’ve never been. Fortunately, horses are pretty cool animals, and most of them get the hang of it!
So why the insult of human intelligence? Well, we are far more intelligent than the average horse, however, we think very differently! While we might see a trailer as just another thing the horse has to get used to, there’s a lot more to it!

So, lets look at a horse with no handling. Obviously we need a horse that leads. We’re likely to use a halter to get our horse in the trailer, but this is something we can mess up. If a horse can’t lead all that well, it’s time to go back!
Next, our horse is going to have to trust us, or trust humans in general. This is trust we can use to get a horse to place it’s feet on an object, tarp, or over logs. You might be thinking, “over logs? Really? What does that have to do with trailers?” Well, the fact is, some horses aren’t too pleased with having to lift their feet; an essential part of getting in a trailer! They are lifted off the ground a bit! Same with the idea of a tarp. Your trailer likely has mats of some sort for safe travel and if a horse is afraid of that; I can’t speak FOR the horse but I know I certainly wouldn’t let you chase me in to a scary box! Horses need to know that wherever you lead them over an obstacle, they can count on you that they won’t get hurt.
Alright, lets say we’re in the trailer. How well does your horse tie? We’ll need to be able to tie a horse so they can make it to their destination safely! Ok, now we’re at our destination. Can your horse back off a platform? Some horses don’t even like to back up! Now, turning a green horse to exit a trailer isn’t a crime, but even forwards, jumping down on to unknown soil can be a challenge to a nervous horse.

“Whew!” That’s a lot of things to consider! No wonder so many horses have trouble loading, and so many people feel as if trailering is an obstacle!

Below is a video of some trailer prep for a Mustang yearling. Every tool I’ve given her is going to prepare her to hop right up in the trailer and get to where we’re going safely! While we as humans think of a trailer as a trailer, horses are just too darn smart to think that simply!

03/25/2023

“No maintenance”

We’ve all seen people searching for a horse that want the elusive maintenance free equine partner. It varies exactly what level of horse they want. Lesson ponies, trail mounts, 1 1/2 meter jumpers, 1D barrel horses, and everything in between. 
What exactly do people think ”no maintenance” is? Do we want to consider regular exercise maintenance? How about putting a bit of poultice on some heavily used ligaments and muscles? Is a middle level grain mixed with some cheap supplements maintenance? 
Usually, when people talk about maintenance, they mean things the vet comes out for. Supplemental injections for joints or some chiropractic work. However, I feel that the most important maintenance is the little things we can do ourselves or the products we can buy at the tack store (or heck, the dollar store!). So often people ignore the little things until they become injectable. We should never fear calling the vet out for some necessary sports medicine, but being proactive can save you a whole lot of money and quite some time as well!

While it is nice to have a solidly built horse that doesn’t need any help to stay sound, do we think the same of ourselves? Are we not willing to put in some extra time at the barn and a few dollars to improve our horse’s lives? Yes, maintenance can be pricey, but just how much maintenance do we draw a line at? There’s often a hundred ways we can prevent a vet call. Maintenance can be as simple as some carrot stretches or as costly as a good supplementing routine!

03/19/2023

I’m starting a series on “black and white” horsemanship. Far too often I feel people are willing to allow one way of thinking and doing things to hold them back. It extends past working with their animals, all the way in to living a life with no acceptance of other viewpoints or desire to understand or improve much of anything.

Todays topic is “Pain VS Misbehavior”
It’s no olympian level secret that a horse won’t perform well if they are hurt, however, they also won’t “behave” if they don’t understand the task! No, our horses don’t act on spite or malice, but the very same thing that makes them incapable of intentionally hurting us makes them unable to understand the “why” when we tell them “turn right here” “pick up a trot now”.

I’ve met plenty of riders that use one or the other excuse excessively, neither is good, although, I’d prefer you poke and x-ray things rather than allow yourself to get frustrated with a sore horse! At the same time, I meet plenty of very passive riders that react to the horse “taking a mile” after being given an inch for far too long. Equestrians that keep up with studies know that horses are incapable of “planning” ways to be naughty. However, so many are using this to justify that a horse is also incapable of using what intelligence they do most certainly have to act in ways that are not “for the good of the team” so to speak.

Do not let yourself become obsessed with the idea of horses “doing no wrong” It’s not about wrong or right, it’s about what YOU do to fix it. So lets say your horse picks up the wrong lead, what are YOU as a rider doing to remedy that? If your answer is worrying first and trying to fix it second, then no, the horse is not benefiting. Just because they can’t “plan” does not mean they’re stupid, or “evil” for pulling a child to the arena exit simply because they “can”.

On the other hand, we have people that don’t understand just how minor a pain related issue can be. Horses are prey animals first and our partners second, meaning they will hide pain instinctively. Lets say we ARE being a really good rider and partner for our horse, how many times do we tell our selves we didn’t do good enough before we call the vet and check the saddle fit? Sometimes that “lazy” shortened stride is the manifestation of a deeper problem, especially when we seem to sacrifice balance for speed!

I once had a discussion about something that sounds cocky, but in reality is very helpful! A Dressage trainer said while looking at my trainer’s horse, “ I know how to do things so I know what is wrong with a horse” on the surface, it would sound like something very egotistical, but let’s look farther. There’s no mention of perfection, simply an acceptance that if something goes wrong, you know what the root of the issue is. Less experienced riders may make the assumption that they “did wrong” but if we are aware of our flaws, and the horse is still not doing what they’re supposed to, maybe it’s not as simple as miscommunication. Maybe it’s easier to do a slow jog trot because a good working trot hurts!

It’s not about a horse being in pain or misbehaving, it comes down to the root of the problem. We don’t get anywhere as horse people when we only think about what we want to be true. It would be really easy to stick a needle in a spot and have a better equine athlete, and it would be pretty cheap if that shortened stride was “laziness”. Working with horses is just not that simple!

03/03/2022

Educating a young horse is a topic that gets a lot of raised eyebrows. However, I feel a massive issue in the horse world as a whole has to do with making riding and intense work a priority.
No matter how many times those of us that start a horse early in life try to explain it, people have a wrong and harmful association with work and over-working. To me, this speaks to a larger problem in horsemanship. Some people associate a horse automatically with harsh and strenuous work. I believe that this shows more-so that people associate work with a horse’s body instead of their brain.
This isn’t a problem of riding horses too young in life, It’s a problem in someones view of how a horse should be worked. I often hear “let babies be babies”, but the existence of an education is not the end of childhood. If we expect our children to spend 8 hours in a classroom, but don’t consider a yearling worthy of an hour or few minute session, I think it speaks to a view of horses as work animals, unable to grasp concepts and only able to complete tasks.
Should we have high expectations of a young horse? Absolutely not. One of my pet peeves is hearing someone that decided to start a horse at a young age complaining about immaturity. While we should hold behavior accountable no matter what, expect nothing more than a young horse when working with one.
Put in simple terms, some need to look at their relationship with working a horse. I feel that there’s a good bit of entitlement in a lot of peoples mind when working with horses; and this leads them to associate working a horse with an unhealthy picture of what training and progress can look like. If you’re teaching a horse instead of simply expecting them to be a work animal at all times, you’ll find it hard to “overwork” them.
Bone, ligament, and muscular structure are supported by physical work young in life. Brain structure is also greatly improved by flexing your thinking muscles! Our own children share this trait. So instead of thinking of training a horse as a lot of pressure for them, look at what an education can do for them!

01/21/2022

Several times now I’ve mentioned not sticking to one trainers’ “method” while talking about horsemanship only to get mixed, somewhat hostile replies.
Typically, I’ll discuss with people about the fact that I try my best to continuously improve myself and my horses. I wear the gear I feel fits me, I do ground work in a way that is useful to me, and I believe that others should as well. The thing that I wish I could help people understand and feel better about is a pursuit of horsemanship instead of the discovery of a “method”.
There is things I do that I learned from a lot of different people in my life, and things I’ve picked up in unsuspecting places. To me, we only help our horses if we want to understand them and do what we feel is right from that understanding. I feel that you can't categorize and trademark good horsemanship. You can’t follow like you do on social media and you should be able to discover things from everyone you meet.
When I tell people that I practice natural horsemanship, the next question they ask is “who’s”. My answer is usually something to the effect of “my own, but I don't package and sell it”. I’ve met dozens of extremely good riders that follow one of the common natural horsemanship trainers’ ways. I have nothing but respect for them and I feel I don't have any actual disagreements but I still feel that a methodization or certification isn’t as useful as the desire to build on your skill set and knowledge.
I’ve learned how to “bend the hindquarters”, “hind-end-frount-end” “haunches in” “move the hip” ECT. All of these are only somewhat functionally different but achieve a very similar goal. I find that often people want to feel as if they have a group that “sees” what they do. Just like horses we want a herd! Even more than we want belonging, we want to feel as if we’re correct in our thinking, leading us to make these groups that agree with us and make us feel validated.
For a long time, I felt that I had finally found one of these groups. Then, I noticed something; The group I was in didn't want input from others, they didn't smile as often and they felt some people and horses were “other”. I feel the same about this and “western vs english”; as fun as it is to have belonging, I also feel independence makes a world of difference. I’m a lot like my trainer of 5 years, but not identical. You can do just about anything you want so long as you understand a horse’s mentality and physical makeup! There is a correct way of doing a lot of things, but others are just technicalities!
So in the future, I hope to have students that want to bring things they learned back to me without feeling as if I’ll ignore them. I want people to “steal” some of the things I do so they can grow and improve. I want to surround myself with good horsemen that understand that the beauty of horsemanship is it’s endless possibilities! So to those who feel I should “pick one” I’ll try to teach you what horse's have taught me; my method is to laugh, to have fun, to enter a headspace of growing and being better in every-day life and in riding. I can’t teach an enthusiasm for learning, but I hope at the very least I can continue to learn while I try!

01/03/2022

You alone are responsible for your actions with a horse.

A common new trend is eliminating things that are “stressful” to a horse. Things like round pens, bits, spurs, crops. All can be misused in the wrong hands for sure! However, nobody but you ensure a horse’s stress level. If you don't want a horse’s mouth to become tough, use your bit correctly. If you don't want your horse to get beaten with a whip, don't beat it with a whip. If you think a round pen is too stressful for a horse, don't chase them around in it.
People using a tool correctly are not to blame for the actions of people that are uneducated. I often hear caution being pushed, and I believe people are self-conscious of their own actions when they depend on blame. We’ve all ran into “couch trainers”, and even some self proclaimed experts that have legitimately had a few hands-on sessions with a horse. Some claim that the only way to eliminate misuse is elimination itself!
One common new tool is a flag. Flags are useful for a multitude of situations, and some believe it “eliminates hitting”. However, the reason most rely on a flag is the same as a well used lunge whip. So whats the difference? Marketability as “gentle”. Yes, it hurts a little less to whack a horse with a flag. One cheap and easy way to ensure you’re not hurting a horse is to not hurt them. You don't have the right idea at all if you think a lunge whip is for whacking.
How about treats? Do you use any positive reinforcement with treats to train your horse?
Many believe a horse will end up mouthy and entitled when you use treats. This is 100% true and you shouldn't feed a horse a treat when they are being mouthy. So, if your horse is being mouthy and entitled, don't offer them a reward for the behavior. One easy way to ensure a horse isn't rewarded for bad behavior is to not reward bad behavior.
How about a bit? People can pull on those!
How does that change with a bit-less bridle? Well, if I’m a human I’m thinking about that dentist appointment I’m not looking forward to. One thing I wish people would consider is the difference between pressures. It can certainly hurt a horse to be pulled on in either fashion. We tend to get selfish and think of our own teeth at the expense of a horse’s sensitive nose. One way that you can be certain your horse stays sensitive is by training in a way that keeps them light.
So whats my biggest advice for someone that wants to do good with the tools at their disposal? Learn. Don’t stop learning, learn until you know a lot then keep on learning. Don't discount any knowledge, and take responsibility for your actions.
I can't stop people from being irresponsible but I can educate them. You can't stop people from being irresponsible but how you decide to use your own tools is a reflection of you. Not a whip, or flag, or treat, or bridle. Your riding and horsemanship is yours. Your hands are attached to your body, your saddle and bridle was bought by you and placed on your horse by you. You have the power of free-thinking and actions associated with it. Don't blame or eliminate equipment, be responsible!