Jessica Lyons Horsemanship LLC

03/28/2025

✨5 skills to work on with your horse for more fun and less stress while hauling ✨

And you don't even need a trailer to work on them!

This past Monday, Max and I hauled down to Always Helpful Veterinary Services for our first visit with Dr. Judith Shoemaker. I'll be sharing more about our visit in another post, but let's just say everything went better then I imagined!

Here are 5 simple but not easy skills I teach clients how to work on with their horse while here on training board.

Go adventures together!

Jessica Lyons Horsemanship LLC

03/21/2025

Sara Kalenkiewicz is coaching and his BFF through some patterns at Sunrise Equestrian as they practice for the upcoming show season, and we are so proud!!!

This team will be unstoppable 💙 🫶🏆

03/20/2025

Please remember, I am a of life and a student of the horse. Posting here is me being vulnerable with strangers and trying hard to overcome extreme social shyness in order to add my voice to those who prioritize the horse in equine sport and education.

I am always changing and growing,for myself and my loved ones...including the horses I interact with.

There was an interesting dialogue in the comments section of a post I wrote 4 days ago (shared here just in case the Almighty Algorithm screws with my attempt to give context).

I will be writing more about the topic we touched on as soon as I organize my chicken scratch notes and brainstorm sessions into FB worthy posts.

The interwebs can be a strange place!

In the meantime, for those looking to unpack "feel" in their training a bit more, here is my response to the thoughtful questions/comments Bob Wood Horses For Life askedt:

"... my answer to your question is ironically complex.

At times, it is easy to conflate emotions with feelings or even with the interpretation of emotions. Most emotions are created in the middle brain, which is more specialized in horses to take in all the information our environment offers. A smaller prefrontal cortex does not preclude them from having emotions, but it does keep them honest by ensuring their emotions remain straightforward, preventing over-analysis of the information being processed in their middle and lower brain.

When I talk about horses connecting or not connecting emotionally, or when I assess their emotions, I am not referring to the stories we tell ourselves to make sense of what's going on around us. I’m not thinking things like, "Fluffy is mad at me because I didn’t give him the biggest carrot in the bunch this morning."

When I assess a horse’s emotions, I am hoping to identify and better understand a feeling we are seeking. Many of us are drawn to horses to quiet our forebrain and experience the relief and inspiration that comes from living in the moment. We see the beauty of this practice when observing them because horses live in the moment almost always.

It’s up to us to remember our why and ensure we use facts and science as tools for connection and learning, rather than weapons. Some of us find it harder to balance that plate than others, and that’s okay.

In my original post, I am discussing how our evolved empathy allows us to interpret their body language and energy as valuable data. This data informs us about what could be going on and what our next best steps might be.

Something you may recognize easily is whether a horse curiously walks up to you when you are present in their environment, turns away from you, or—more dramatically—flees to put more space between you in order to feel safe.

Does our bid for connection resonate with a regulated nervous system, or does the horse sense a lack of authenticity, honesty, or respect for their autonomy and need for safety? Do they feel comforted by our energy, or does it restrict their emotional range to only those that inspire flight?

Three Experts on This Subject You May Enjoy:

Dr. Stephen Peters

Dr. Jaak Panksepp

Dr. Andrew McLean

Three Trainers Who Balance Science and Feel:

Brent Graef

Mark Rashid

Josh Nichol

Three Resources You May Enjoy:

A Neuroscientific Perspective on Equine Emotions
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6912773/

Horse Brain Science
https://horsebrainscience.info/

Chris Forte Horsemanship – The Role of Emotions"
https://www.chrisfortehorsemanship.com/archives/59

There are many things that I'm paying attention to as we watch these colts work through their interactions with humans, our equipment, and the ranch itself.

✨5 questions I'm asking myself are:

🔸How easily does he find his handler emotionally?

🔸 How quickly does he regulate his emotions/reactions?

🔸Are there any imbalances on one side vs the other? (Physically/emotionally)

🔸How easily do his feet free up and find rhythm?

🔸What does he naturally soften to or braces against?

These colts are unhandled outside of being branded. They have lived their whole lives outside on Ranch that sprawls over a MILLION acres.

The purity of their instinct and balance teaches us so much.

We are at Brent Graef Horsemanship's in to learn about ourselves and how we can train in a way that retains their natural athleticism, instinct to learn, and desire to form a strong partnership.

03/16/2025

There are many things that I'm paying attention to as we watch these colts work through their interactions with humans, our equipment, and the ranch itself.

✨5 questions I'm asking myself are:

🔸How easily does he find his handler emotionally?

🔸 How quickly does he regulate his emotions/reactions?

🔸Are there any imbalances on one side vs the other? (Physically/emotionally)

🔸How easily do his feet free up and find rhythm?

🔸What does he naturally soften to or braces against?

These colts are unhandled outside of being branded. They have lived their whole lives outside on Ranch that sprawls over a MILLION acres.

The purity of their instinct and balance teaches us so much.

We are at Brent Graef Horsemanship's in to learn about ourselves and how we can train in a way that retains their natural athleticism, instinct to learn, and desire to form a strong partnership.

03/15/2025

Everyone, meet our little TatorTot 🫶

03/10/2025

03/10/2025

Look at these darling Singleton babies!!

Anyone have a guess on which one Brent will pair me up with?

Headed to Texas tomorrow to spend a week with a group of wonderful Horsemen and Horsewomen.

This will be my second year participating in Brent's Young Horse Handling Clinic.

These yearlings have just come from the Singleton Ranch, and have barely seen a human over their sweet little lifetime.

They have gotten gritty and pretty living the good life outside on a ranch that's over a million acres.

Outside of branding day, they haven't seen a human before.

I try my best to balance being excited and grateful for this opportunity with staying free of having any expectations.

Mindful presence is the lesson 🫶

Brent Graef Horsemanship

03/09/2025

People come to me for lessons or send their horses to me when they are looking for a calm and thoughtful trainer.

No pressure to show, but a training plan that demands we continue to grow

I understand how scary that can be, I'm pretty shy by nature until we get to know each other.

As I completely reworked my training system and business model a few years back, I had to challenge that part of me in order to record my horses progress and make training videos.

Practicing with trusted peers was great, but sessions with my 8/9 year old child around proved so sweet.

He was not only hilarious at times, but so very encouraging!

Towards the end of this video you can hear his little voice

If you are new to horses or a seasoned rider learning new things, keep two things in mind...

1) Do this for you

2) You are brave for continuing to grow

❤️ Jessica

not
Jessica Lyons Horsemanship LLC

03/07/2025

Wisdom from
✨Maximus the Great✨



At Jessica Lyons Horsemanship LLC

03/07/2025

Terra often offers such grounded and guiding thoughts

It's easy to become a big fish in a little pond. We gain a little success here and there. Gain a social media following. Build a comfortable and consistent client base. We become a name within our immediate community.
..and we forget how small we really are in the grand scheme of things. Our egos grow and our motivation to recognize our weaknesses fades. It becomes easier to deem ourselves an authority in a certain area, or an expert, or a master. Which quickly turns into a very slippery slope. Our experience becomes the world and our vision narrows.

This is just one of the many reasons I like to surround myself with a community of people who support me, but challenge me. That's not to say I havent gotten a bit big for my britches here or there...I am human, after all. I love people who will help me see my strengths but also help me highlight my weaknesses. To keep me seeking, to keep me growing, to keep me humble and to keep me kind.

And of course, horses will always show us the truth...if we're open to their feedback.

- Terra

03/07/2025

🏆

03/04/2025

My name is Jessica Lyons, and I’m a professional trainer working with horses and ponies of all disciplines, breeds, and levels.

I believe YOU are your horse’s most important resource. My job is to help you build a partnership that creates a healthier, more capable horse.

‼️ I have a training stall opening this spring and would love the opportunity to help you and your horse progress together.

🏆 Training board includes weekly lessons for the owner or primary rider, so you can stay connected with your horse and continue the work at home.

🔗 Apply here: Training Board Application
https://form.jotform.com/222023477472150

My skill set includes:

✅ Halter starting (any age)
✅ Training and conditioning
✅ Rehab and recovery
✅ Rescue horse training
✅ Posture and proprioception
✅ Problem-solving
✅ Behavioral issues (horses only—I won’t fix poor behavior in humans!)

🚫 No super-secret “new” method to sell you.
🚫 No magic saddle or silver bullet for overnight success.

🏆 Just daily work that prioritizes your horse while moving toward your goals.

📍 Learn more about my services here: Jessica Lyons Horsemanship Services
https://jessicalyonshorsemanship.com/services/

📞 Let’s see if we’re the right fit! Contact Jessica Lyons Horsemanship LLC, and I’ll give you a call.

🔗 Apply for a training spot here: https://form.jotform.com/222023477472150