Jessica Lyons Horsemanship LLC

12/24/2024

As the weather shifts, it's essential to remember that horses are incredibly adaptable, but they rely on us to set them up for success, no matter the temperature. While they’re most comfortable between 18° and 59°F, their ideal range depends on factors like breed, coat thickness, and whether they’re clipped or rugged.

Here are a few things to keep in mind when managing your horses through seasonal changes:

Shelter:
Horses are remarkably hardy, tolerating temps as low as -40°F if they have proper shelter from wind, sleet, and storms. A good windbreak or run-in shed can make all the difference.

Food:
Good-quality hay is your horse's winter best friend. Digesting forage generates heat, because they are fermenters (not ruminate s!) so tossing at least 20% extra hay in adverse weather keeps them warm from the inside out.

Clipped Horses:
Clipping helps with temperature regulation during work, but it also reduces their ability to retain heat. A clipped horse may prefer 50–60°F and might need a bit more attention when temps dip.

Humidity:
In warmer weather, high humidity can make it tough for horses to cool down. Sweating is their natural cooling system, but it only works well if the sweat can evaporate.

Ventilation:
Whether it's a barn or a trailer, good airflow is crucial. Proper ventilation clears out moisture, dust, and harmful particles, helping to keep your horse's respiratory system healthy.

And let’s not forget to check their baseline health! A horse’s normal temperature is between 99.5°F and 101.3°F (37.5°C to 38.5°C). Anything above that might signal a fever.

Caring for horses through seasonal transitions isn’t about doing things perfectly but staying attuned to their individual needs. It’s about observing, adjusting, and being proactive. When we meet them where they are, they thrive—no matter what the thermometer says.

~ Jessica

12/09/2024

💕 This! Cracks in hooves, cracks in training, cracks in care, cracks in life

There have been so many moments in this work where I’ve felt the sting of shame, guilt, or regret—usually right after making a mistake. It’s in those moments I’d realize there was a better way, or something I could have done differently to avoid the trouble.

The truth is, mistakes are part of how we learn. Growth isn’t a straight line, and often it takes facing the same lesson from a few different angles before it really sticks.

What matters most is that when we do learn, we choose to do better. That’s how we put the horse first.

And that same compassion we show the horse? We owe a bit of it to ourselves, too. Compassion for our own missteps keeps us grounded and focused on what really matters: the horse’s well-being.

11/29/2024

Have you ever taken a lesson on a mechanical horse?

How did it go?

Do you have any tips?

Later today I'll head up to Kintnersville so K.Clarke Equine LLC can see what Blue has to tell us about my seat and balance. I have a feeling that there will be lots of funny and informative moments.

I'll be getting a few pics and videos to share here, but mostly to watch and learn from 🤓

A big thank you to my brother and sister in law Mike and Mary Lyons and my two adorable nephews for gifting this lesson for the holidays ❤️

New scheduling website for lessons on “Blue” the Racewood Eventing Simulator: www.timecenter.com/kclarkeequine2

Come learn with the ONLY Racewood Accredited Trainer in the US Kendra Clarke of K.Clarke Equine LLC. Lessons include an evaluation of what your body is or isn’t doing and exercises to help these imbalances and work towards all your riding goals. More information on Blue can be found at www.kclarkeequine.com/blue-faq

If interested in a private workshop for your group please email [email protected] for more details.

11/26/2024

She's growin' up, y'all 💕

11/24/2024

There’s a quiet kind of magic in the early morning when the barn is still. Those soft, half-shut eyes and relaxed, sleepy breaths tell a story we sometimes forget—rest is as vital for them as it is for us. This is a sign that we are in a good place.

Horses are most likely to catch their REM sleep in the early hours, especially when they feel safe and at ease. It’s during this time that they truly let go, lying down to dream in the peace of the morning light. This isn’t just adorable (although let’s be honest, it’s ridiculously cute); it’s essential for their health and well-being.

So if your morning ride gets delayed because your horse is sprawled out in the pasture, snoring, take a moment to appreciate it. A well-rested horse is a healthier, happier, and more focused partner. And who doesn’t want to start the day knowing their horse got their beauty sleep?

Sometimes the best thing we can do is let them dream a little longer.

~ Jessica 💕

11/23/2024

I've spent most of life not fitting in. Anywhere. In my horse life it was me not having the right tack, the right horse, the right clothes, the right upbringing, the right legs ❤️...

I've been working on defining my own "right", and I have to say, there's a lot more room to breath over here....I've met some really neat people....and I've started to see my sparkle come back sometimes...

Like when those lost boys move old Peter's wrinkles out of the way in that movie "Hook" and say "Ohhh, there you are Peter"

From now on, as often as possible...
I'm going to be over here with my unique tack set up, my weird clothing choices, my unmanaged hair and makeup....

My unconventional horses and I are going to work on circling back to that good place

You are invited to join me 💕

11/21/2024

✨️5 ways to help control fear or frustration while riding and handling horses✨️

A big part of living the horse life is managing chronic pain and mitigating all of the emotions that can bubble up at the barn or show. These 5 exercises just may help you stay in the present moment, whether you ride on your own, teach or take lessons.

1. Ground Yourself with Deep Breathing

As you ride, focus on your breathing. At the walk. Inhale deeply for four counts, hold for four, and exhale for four. This technique helps calm your nervous system and promotes clear, intentional communication with your horse.

2. Feel Your feet in you boots and your seat in the saddle.

When frustration arises, shift your attention to the sensation of your feet in your boots, then to your seat connecting with the saddle. Notice how your body aligns with your horse’s movement. Relax any compensatory tension. This grounding technique keeps you present and fosters a stronger bond with your horse.

3. Relax Through Movement

If tension builds, use extremely small, slow, intentional movements to release it. For example, gently figure eight your nose horazonally or virtically, slowly wiggle your fingers, or lift and curl your toes. These actions help release pent-up energy without disrupting your ride.

4. Tune into Your Body's Sensations

Scan your body for tension—tight shoulders, clenched jaw, or stiff hands—and consciously relax those areas. By softening your posture, you signal calmness to your horse, making the ride smoother and more enjoyable for both of you. This will also help stack bones on top of each other properly, giving the receptors in your joints the message that you are in a balanced and stable posture.

5. Sync Your seatboned with Your Horse's Movement

Focus on matching your seatbones to your horse’s rhythm. For example, as your horse's right hind leg prepares to move forward, your right seat bone will be lifted up and in, and then it will stay with their right hind leg seeming to move back and down. Repeat!

Your left side will do the same, but I find when beginning to learn this exercise, it's easier for most riders to focus on one side for a while, and then to focus on the other, before combining the two sides into a following seat.

This creates a harmonious connection and helps regulate your emotions and your horse’s responses. The more we do that, the easier our training sessions get and the faster our horses progress.

In an earlier post you read a little about how my work with Dr. Kutsko over the last 8 years has informed the way I handle and ride horses.

Converting the method she created and uses in her office into ridden exercises that I could do and teach was key for my horse's progress.

I'll share more about how you can apply this work to your horse in a later posts. Their wellness truly does start with our wellness as riders and handlers. So, focus on you first!

Give these a try and let me know if you have any questions. 🐎
~Jessica

11/19/2024

Luna Update!!

Luna (Velvet Looks Good On You) is finally back in the arena, and I’m so proud of her. You might have recently seen that sweet picture of her carrying Ben’s little barrel saddle. Well, this morning, I swong a leg over my Hidalgo and we went for a stroll.

It’s been a while since I’ve been in the saddle on Luna, and for good reason. This little mare has had a tough few months since we moved north. Back in June, she ran over a ground bee (or wasp or hornet?) nest, got stung many times, and took off like she was headed for the next county. Not long after, she developed a nasty case of Lyme disease, which brought its own challenges, including some significant nerve sensitivity and gut issues. Just touching her skin was painful, something that plagues my legs during FAVA flare ups.

But things are looking up! The keloids from the stings are nearly gone, the pain in her front end has resolved, and she’s feeling so much better overall. Lyme disease is incredibly common here—far more than when I lived up north years ago. It’s a big shift from the South, where I believe Rocky Mountain spotted fever is more common.

Rebuilding with Luna has been an exercise in patience and prioritizing both physical and mental wellness. If I’d asked her to accept a rider just six weeks ago, she would’ve launched me to next Tuesday! But that’s okay—it’s not about rushing the process. It’s about meeting her where she is, understanding her needs, and helping her find balance before asking for more.

Sometimes I get it wrong, probably more often than I know, but this time it worked out nice.

Prioritizing the horse does not mean allowing unsafe behavior—far from it. It means regulating your own emotions and adjusting your expectations so you can respond calmly and with intention, figuring out the “why” behind the behavior, and focusing on creating connection before piling more weight onto an already heavy mental load.

Think of it this way: If you’re training for a marathon but keep falling due to extreme pain, what if you’ve got a broken leg? Falling isn’t personal—forcing yourself to run wont get you there faster. You seek help, let the injury heal, process the trauma, and rebuild. Then you train, try again, and keep learning, growing, and improving.

That’s the journey Luna and I are on, and I couldn’t be prouder of her progress. We are not slaves to a timeline, we are prioritizing the horse and I can’t wait to see where this brings us next.

Here’s to patience, progress, and the power of connection. 💛

11/18/2024

🚚🐴 Smooth Travels and Big Thanks! 🐴🚚

If you caught the short video I shared a few months back, you already know my horses made it safely to PA! Their transport went as smooth as butter, and I owe a big thank you to Black Oak Horse Transport for their excellent care and top-notch communication every step of the way.

But let’s talk about prepping for that trip—because it started long before loading up the trailer. The real work began with me.

For the past eight years, I’ve been on a journey with Dr. Carolyn Kutsko at Holistic Counseling and somalifecoaching.com, a somatic therapist who’s helped me bring mind and body into balance. As many of you know, I navigate life with a mix of diagnoses: FAVA (a rare vascular condition in my legs), PTSD from adverse life events, and ADHD (the most obvious one to those who know me well!).

Let’s just say, I have a "doctorate in being unique," earned at the School of Life. But here’s what I’ve learned: the connection between how we think and how we move is everything—especially with horses.

If your brain says “zig” but your body zags, you’re sending mixed signals that your horse picks up on immediately. These incredible creatures are masters at reading energy, movement, and emotions.

That’s why emotional and physical integration isn’t just a nice-to-have; it’s the foundation of smooth riding and confident handling. It’s not just about the big moments, like a cross-country trip. It’s about the everyday work that prepares you—and your horses—for whatever comes next.

So, take the time. Work on yourself. Your horses are counting on you to be the steady, familiar presence they need—especially in unfamiliar situations.

Here’s to building that connection, one step at a time. ❤️🐴 ,

07/17/2024

I think my luck with technology is taking a turn for the better, guys 😎 My page's name change has finally been granted. After many months, time spnt has been seen as a suitable sacrifice. It's a Christmas Miricle!!

PS - Max is still the best boy 🩷

05/21/2024

Well guys, today is moving day. I shared this post almost exactly a year ago, it felt so true then, but it's gotten even more true and clear in my guts. I've been holding two realities in my responsibility for the last few months. Setting up transport, sending supplies, coordinating all sorts of people and making tons of schedules. We have packed, sold a ton of things and said our see you next times. At one point all of this would have been a lot to undertake. The old way I taught and trained had a lot to do with what others thought of me and my horses. My scores at a dressage test, how my horses placed at a show, how a clinician treated me or my horse, what my coaches picked on in our lessons or said to me in the barn. All of that went into the recipe for what my heart thought a good trainer was back then. And, all of that would have made this move harder than it is for me today, maybe even impossible.

Today things are unfolding seamlessly. I'll have my horses, a Tennessee Walker, and 2...maybe 3...Rocky Mountain Horses on the new farm with room for 1 or 2 more training horses. These horses are what I'm planning for, they have been my top priority when planning all these pieces.

Thank you all for living this life with us in Tennessee, I've learned so much and will carry what works for me up to Pennsylvania. And Like Buddy would tell me, I'll leave what doesn't 😉

What works for me is learning how to be a better human so that I can be better with the horses that I'm blessed to share time with. I'll take that with me wherever I go, forever. 🩷

05/17/2024

We form partnerships in the day to day details.

Last post I chatted a bit about our transport plans. Everything we do here has helped prepare them for an easy ride.

We don't have to be perfect. Seeking out ways to understand them leads to building trust. The way they feel around people, the way we work together through new situations, the way we move under saddle... all 9f it has put us on solid ground for an uneventful trip.

Smooth, clear groundwork is key to keeping everyone safe. We layer in this partnership during day to day routine, so don't wait for the roundpen or arena. Leading from the pasture to the barn, their relationship to feeding time and being in a stall, and how we interact while grooming. These are all opportunities for groundwork.

I love to ride, but taking unmounted walks with my horse in new and novel places is a great exercise for regulating emotions. We can find more clarity and finess without the signals that tack or a rider bring to the deal.

Physical preparation is important for a smooth ride. The secret here is, this has nothing to do with big muscles, collection or loping circles. Simple exercises that increase stability are key, and every one of us can work on them, many of us can work on them daily.

Good balance keeps things calm and predictable while hauling. Here are three low-effort exercises from Jec Ballou that help

1 - rocking between a step forward and a step back while keeping one diagonal pair on the ground. Do this 5 times with one diagonal pair and take a walk, then switch to the other diagonal pair for another set of 5. Walk forward at their pace for a few minutes and repeat a few times per day..

This helps our horse stand with equal weight on all 4 feet, which makes absorbing bumps and turns easier. It will also help a sticky horse learn how to keep slack in a rope while tied.

2 - standing with a line of ground poles longways between the horse's front and hind feet.

This exercise brings your horse's awareness to the underside of their body. Accessing calm and organized while riding in a trailer will be easier.

3 - Taking slow steps, one at a time, up and down hills.

Tone in the right place is key when keeping a horse balanced, especially while riding in a trailer. Stopping, starting, speeding up or slowing down takes strength that isn't built in a gallop. With slow small steps, we recruit muscles that decrease scrambling and increase confidence.

I've upgraded their nutrition for the trip. To prevent colic and ulcers I've added electrolytes, an immune boost and will continue to top dress their feed with aloe. Increasing alfalfa a bit will help prevent muscle loss. The extra calcium buffers the stomach, too.

Everyone is vaccinated and even though I expect no problems, we will quarrentine at first.

A low dose of anti inflammatories on transport day and 24/7 turn out will decrease any sorness.

I'm glad they will all be together in a 4 horse head to head. It's a long ride to Pennsylvania, and my hope is they will find coregulating easier!

I want my horses to spend their time nibbling on hay so their drivers can concentrate on the road, so feel free to leave any tips or advice you have found helpful while transporting your horses below.

05/16/2024

Thank you all for coming out to the tack sale this past weekend. It was a big success, but best of all It was great to see everyone and get some in-person well wishes and hugs.

This month has been a big one, and we're only half way in!

I made the decision to ship the horses north after learning that my truck would not pass PA emmissions after a few modifications we made to the fuel pump housing and the DEF system. She wanted to stay a Southern Bell :)

Big thank you to Suzzi at New Deal Break and Tire and Thad at Creasy Performance Diesels for keeping us safe and legal ;)

The horses head up to Moon Rise Ridge on May 21st with Black Oak Equine Transportation. Jack has been absolutely wonderful to work with. I'm pretty confident the horses are in great hands. I'll fly up and meet them to unload and get things settled on the farm.

Andrew and Ben will stay in Tn until 5/30 wrapping things up down here.

Even though this haul will be the longest they have been on, I'm confident it will go smoothly. Everything we do here has helped prepare them. More on that later though 😉

05/12/2024

Happy Mother's Day
to every Woman nurturing life of any kind. You make the world a better place to be 💐
Happy Mother's Day to all the Women who have nurtured my family, my farm and my weary soul along the way 🫶

05/09/2024

Tack and Home sale

Friday 5/10 3p to 6pm
and
Saturday 5/11 9am -6pm

308 Brinkley Lane
White House, TN
37188

Western Saddles 50$ - 650$
English saddles $30 - $800
blankets and sheets 5$ - 30$
Bits English and Western 5$ - $40

2 horse trailer 3k obo

A whole lot more!

05/08/2024

All the horses and ponies made it through this first round of PM storms and tornados unscathed. Just prepping for tonight's rain


, are you sending tornados to swoop us up north early??