Jessica Lyons Horsemanship LLC

Jessica Lyons Horsemanship LLC ✨Turning potential into purpose one hoof at a time ✨

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04/22/2025

I just want to say a very very sincere thank you to every single Veterinarian who has cared for horses in my program and pets in my personal life over the years.

Thank you for doing your best
Thank you for answering my questions
Thank you for being brave enough to try
Thank you for texting me back
Thank you for driving at all hrs of the day/night

Thank you for helping me soak up all that I could learn

Thank you for helping me care for all those horses, ponies, dogs, cats, snakes, bearded dragons, green anoles, rabbits, ferrets, mice...

You matter, and you made a big difference in my life and theirs 🫶

✨This morning   traveled back to Always Helpful Veterinary Services for his dental with a specialist to   his teeth, rec...
04/15/2025

✨This morning traveled back to Always Helpful Veterinary Services for his dental with a specialist to his teeth, recalibrating his balance and proprioception.

🏆That's how we build healthy athletes and help them perform at their best!

This visit along with his March apt where Dr. Shoemaker did a full assessment, chiro and key therapies are helping to bring his body into better alignment.

Combined with the incredible work Heather Johnstone Colket is doing on his feet, we’re supporting Max toward his best possible —following the principles of Dr. Judith Shoemaker’s approach.

🤓You can learn more about the incredibly important work she does here:
https://www.alwayshelpfulveterinaryservices.com/

💯Excited to see how it all comes together for him!

Get your hiking boots and space suits ready,  !  I'll be traveling down to West Virginia at the end of this month to pic...
04/13/2025

Get your hiking boots and space suits ready, ! I'll be traveling down to West Virginia at the end of this month to pick our handsome little guy up.

Tonight at 6pm Eastern Appalachian Trainer Face Off will be going   ....To pair all of the   trainers up with our   ‼️Lu...
04/12/2025

Tonight at 6pm Eastern Appalachian Trainer Face Off will be going ....

To pair all of the trainers up with our ‼️

Luna says we need to grab some snacks 🍿

We are so excited to meet our new friend and partner.

Have you seen the photo album of all the horses I could be working with?

Which one do you think will be heading back to with me towards the end of April?

All of this post resonates in my bones, but  this one part is like a tiny glitter wrapped key that unlocks a balanced sp...
04/10/2025

All of this post resonates in my bones, but this one part is like a tiny glitter wrapped key that unlocks a balanced space where we can just enjoy the stuff we do together. Whatever your goals are...

"You don’t need to turn your horse into the Dalai Lama with a forelock.
You just need to stop acting like their emotions are a breach of contract."

FEARING THE EMOTIONS OF THE HORSE
(Or: “He’s Just So Sensitive”—Says the Human Who Can’t Cope With Emotions, Theirs or His)

Look at this horse.
Go on.
Soak it in.

Majestic.
Explosive.
A four-legged emotional TED Talk 🎤🐎

Head high.
Eyes wide.
Nostrils flaring like twin cannons of “I’M NOT OKAY.” 🔥

It’s beautiful, isn’t it?
At least… until you're holding the lead rope.
Then it’s suddenly less “freedom of expression” and more
“I didn’t sign up to die in trackpants near the float.” 😬

You see, humans say they love horses.
And we do.
We love the idea of horses.
The curated, emotionally-muted, Instagram-filtered kind.
The kind with a heart-shaped star and a head tilt that whispers,
"I’m here to heal you, Karen." ✨

But real horses have the audacity to feel things.
In real time.
Loudly.
And physically.

And that’s when we panic.

Because it turns out most of us don’t fear horses—
We fear our horse having emotions near us 😱

Which is awkward.
Because horses are horses, not yoga instructors.
They don’t sit in stillness and “breathe through their concerns.”
They bolt.
They snort.
They express.
They react with their whole body, which feels less poetic when you’re standing next to a ballistic missile on hooves 💣

And we then label them “sensitive.”
As if it’s a personality flaw.
As if the goal is to transform a thousand pounds of flight animal
into a scented candle 🕯️

Now here’s where it gets delightfully ironic:

We call ourselves empathetic.
“Oh, I’m just so in tune with my horse’s feelings,”
we say, right before we try to crush those feelings
under a giant weighted blanket of avoidance 🛑

We say we don’t want to “trigger” the horse.
Which really means we don’t want to deal with the horse being triggered.
Because when they feel big feelings, we feel big feelings,
and suddenly we’re both spiralling like a bad date at a vegan cooking class—after admitting you love steak 🥩

So we try to switch off the horse.
With gadgets.
With groundwork.
With supplements.
With a small army of professionals who say things like,
“He needs to feel seen to be connected,”
or
“He’s remembering trauma from when he was a foal and it rained once.” ☔

We spend years diagnosing the horse
like an undergrad psych student at a family reunion 🧠

We treat their fear like a bug in the system—
Instead of what it is:
the system working as designed.

And when they do get emotional—
When they tell us clearly and honestly that they’re confused, or scared, or uncertain—
we get annoyed.

“Stop it.”
“Settle down.”
“Don’t be silly.”
The equine equivalent of telling your sobbing friend to “calm down” while handing them a chamomile tea and walking away slowly 🫖

But here's the twist in the comedy:
It’s the fear in us—of their emotions—that creates most of the chaos.
Our flinching, our overcorrection,
our nervous energy humming like a power line in a thunderstorm ⚡
that turns a horse’s flicker of doubt into a full-blown existential meltdown.

There’s a saying—
Fear is the mother of the event,
and humans? We’re excellent midwives 👶💥

So, what actually fixes this?

Not detachment.
Not sedation.
Not pretending your horse is a misunderstood therapist with hooves and childhood trauma 🛋️🐴

What fixes this is competence.
Skill.
The quiet confidence that comes from knowing what to do when your horse feels something.

You stop fearing their emotions when you know you can help them through it.

Because fear loses its teeth when you know what you’re doing.
When you can hold space and lead the way.
When you’ve got the tools to say,
“Hey buddy, I see you—and I’ve got you.” 🧰

That’s when you stop white-knuckling the halter clip like it’s a hand gr***de.
That’s when their snort becomes information, not a trigger for a hypertensive crisis.
And that’s when both of you can start breathing again.

To work with horses is not to remove emotion,
but to recognise it.
Respond to it.
And respect it 🙏

You don’t need to turn your horse into the Dalai Lama with a forelock.
You just need to stop acting like their emotions are a breach of contract.

Because when your horse reacts, they’re not being difficult.
They’re not being disrespectful.
They’re not trying to ruin your day or your carefully choreographed liberty session 🎬

They’re giving you feedback.
And if you actually want to be empathetic—
Real, adult empathy,
not “I bought a rose quartz necklace from a saddle shop” empathy 💎
then you’ve got to let them feel.

Otherwise, you don’t have a relationship.
You have a hostage situation.

So, next time your horse gets a little “emotional”...
Take a breath.
Loosen the reins.
And stop trying to spiritually euthanise them into calmness.

Because that’s not a horse.
That’s a malfunctioning lawn ornament 🌱

And you, my friend, didn’t get into this for lawn ornaments.

You got into this for truth.
And movement.
And connection 🐎❤️

And horses, with all their feelings, give you all of it.
No charge.
No filter.
No apologies.

And if you can stop fearing that—
If you can build the skills to support it—
That’s when the real magic starts.
Not the fairy kind.
The earned kind.
The grounded, gritty, glorious kind ✨

IMAGE📸: Incredible photography by Lynn Jenkin

➡️If this resonated, challenged, or mildly offended you—in a useful way—please share it properly by hitting the share button. Don’t be a content kleptomaniac and copy & paste it to pass it off as your own...that is super uncool😎

🏆
04/10/2025

🏆

It’s Laminitis season again!

What does that mean? It means the grass has come out of its winter dormancy and is actively growing. Ok, so why does that matter? When grass is short, it’s stressed and full of sugar. Short = Stressed Stressed=sugar.

Why is sugar problematic? Well just like for us, it acts as a inflammatory in the horses body. Over time this inflammatory diet can cause pathology to occur in the body. For humans, this can lead to increase blood pressure and chronic inflammation, upping your risk for stroke, heart disease and osteoporosis. Cancer cells also have a strong preference for sugar compared to healthy cells.

Similar issues can arise with horses when on a high sugar diet, such as Equine Metabolic Syndrome (EMS), Cushings, abscesses, Laminitis, founder, osteoarthritis and more.

Prevention is the key. 🔑 So how do we prevent these issues from arising in the first place? Limit your horses sugar intake. I know that’s much easier said than done. The honest truth is, an abundance of fresh green is just not a species appropriate diet for horses.

In the wild, horses travel long distances each day foraging for their food and water sources. They will eat a variety of shrubs, dried grasses, weeds etc. usually the grass they find is sparse. In domestic horse life, we put them in small or large lush green pastures with easy access to water. This also means they don’t have to move as much for their daily forage and water requirements. (A little like eating ice and potatoes chips while sitting on the couch all the time.) If they’re not rotated off to a new pasture, the grass gets short as well as the root system. It than becomes stressed. With each new day, new fresh sugary shoots of grass pop up and your horse gets right to work grabbing every little morsel they can get and the cycle repeats day after day. Season after season, year after year. Eventually this will catch up to them. For some, it can happen sooner and some seem never bothered by it.

Let’s not wait until our horse starts showing signs of pathologies. Practicing good land management skills will help a lot!

Did you know that grass is much less in sugar when it’s a certain length? It’s also much healthier and has a much better root system and will hold up better to a herd of horses ripping around in it vs short stressed grass that gets ripped up and turned into a muddy mess in no time. A good rule of thumb to remember… Beer bottle high = safe for grazing. Beer bottle on its side=time to pull them off.

Did you know that the sugar content in grass will increase with each hour of sunlight it sees? Thats right! It means that grass is the highest in sugar at the end of the day because the sun has been on it all day and this continues into the night. So the safest hours for Grazing is early morning, between 6am-10am.

If you have a horse that’s EMS or has Cushings, PSSM, CPL or other sugar related issues, your horse will not be able to be on grass safely and will require a low sugar hay diet only.

There as so many factors to take into consideration when it comes to our horses diets. As always, I encourage you to do your own research as well.

My heart goes out to everyone who is dealing with flood waters right now. I spoke briefly with a former client of mine t...
04/09/2025

My heart goes out to everyone who is dealing with flood waters right now. I spoke briefly with a former client of mine the other day who's husband was fishing people out🥺. Stay safe down there 🫶

If you need help in any way, please contact

The American Red Cross:
https://www.redcross.org

The Disaster Assistance Program
https://www.disasterassistance.gov/

UT Extension office
https://utextension.tennessee.edu/flood-related-resources/

You can find more information on the Coronavirus (COVID-19) page and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website.

You Guys!! ✨    ✨We will find out which little   will be coming to   for 100 days of training with   this Saturday inste...
04/08/2025

You Guys!!

✨ ✨

We will find out which little will be coming to for 100 days of training with this Saturday instead of having to wait until the 20th!

Mokey and Red want you to know that for purposes of figuring out if babies have to be moved or not (from where they are currently fostered)

We will change the live draw pairing Whippersnapper trainers up with their youngsters to this Saturday, the 12th.

Shout out to all my fellow trainers, home slices, and awkward horsey friends at   Ten years ago, I took my first steps i...
04/04/2025

Shout out to all my fellow trainers, home slices, and awkward horsey friends at

Ten years ago, I took my first steps in working with rescue horses with Safe Harbor Sanctuary, and let's just say I dove right in!

They taught me so much about patience, understanding, and the incredible that happen when horses are given a second chance.

Safe Harbor has grown in these ten years, and many horses who would have suffered are now part of our thriving industry. With this growth came change, but they have always held onto their principles. Here are a few that I feel make all the difference:
✨ Patience & Kindness – Every horse has a story, and healing takes time, but no one is defined by their past.
✨ Proper Care & Training – It’s not just about saving lives but also setting these horses up for success in their next chapters by creating good citizens, and bringing out the best each horse can be. Whether they can be the best pasture puff in town, have the most nimble feet out on the trails, or compete against Tennesee's best in the show ring - all horses receive the best training and care.
✨ Community Support – Rescue takes a village, and Safe Harbor thrives because of the people who believe in their mission!

People like me!

I’m so grateful for the foundation they gave me, and I love seeing the work they continue to do.

🏆Check out their page, interact with the post below and give them a follow—you never know when your heart horse might be waiting in a rescue!

🌷🌈 🐴
Seeking new pastures
Sweet bays for days
Ride your racehorse
It's not just a 'phase' 🦄🌷🐴

Think of all the avenues that open up when instead of being thrown away,  healthy well trained and   horses enter our in...
04/04/2025

Think of all the avenues that open up when instead of being thrown away, healthy well trained and horses enter our industry. Think about the who can search for: Lessons, Training, Boarding, Camps, Veterinarians, Trimmers, Farriers, Hay Farms, Tack Stores, Feed Stores, our local show scene and rated show scene...

Want to know more about the Appalachian Trainer Face Off ?

Want to know how this affects our

Heart of Phoenix Equine Rescue, INC is working hard to create a healthy environment for trainers, horses and local communities.

In this industry, we know how important that is for creating and healthy equine .

This is important to the because this competition provides our local trainers and our students with goals to be part of the industry that prioritizes the horse with opportunities to and their training skills while providing a horse in need with a foundation that makes all the difference in a successful adoption.

HOP has a goal to create competitions like this across the country giving horses and their adopters right where and I with a great start to their life .

🗓️ In a little over 2 weeks, on April 20th, we will find out which Whippersnapper will be coming back with me for their 100 days of training.

🐎Like and Follow me to stay tuned for updates

A Horse Trainer Competition in West Virginia.WWW.appalachiantrainerfaceoff.com Who could have imagined when Heart of Phoenix began 14 years ago years ago, on...

Rupture, Repair, Resilience: The Foundation of everything equestrian In our industry, we often talk about building bette...
04/03/2025

Rupture, Repair, Resilience: The Foundation of everything equestrian

In our industry, we often talk about building better relationships—with clients, colleagues, and, most importantly, our horses. But relationships aren’t built on perfection. They’re built on our ability to navigate challenges, misunderstandings, and setbacks with a commitment to repair. They're built on making mistakes and learning from them.

Dr. Carolyn Kutsko introduced me to the concept of rupture-repair resilience about 10 years ago, and it has helped to reshape the way I think about my boundaries and my relationships—not just between humans, but between horses and humans as well.

Rupture happens. A horse loses trust, a training moment goes sideways, a professional relationship feels strained. We need to decompress, reevaluate and try again with the information we learned. Healing doesn’t come from avoiding these moments. It comes from repairing them. From showing up again, listening more deeply, and rebuilding the connection.

We’re not just training horses or running businesses—we’re part of a long-term professional relationship that shapes the future of the industry. The way we navigate rupture and repair determines the strength of that future.

Whether it's a horse learning to trust again, a client overcoming a rough patch, or professionals working through their inevitable differences, resilience is what keeps us moving forward together.

This is the work.
This is the journey.
I think it’s worth every step.

🫶 Jessica

✨ Exciting News! ✨I’ve been keeping a secret for a little while, but I can finally share it with all of you!I have offic...
04/02/2025

✨ Exciting News! ✨

I’ve been keeping a secret for a little while, but I can finally share it with all of you!

I have officially been selected to compete in Heart of Phoenix Equine Rescue, INC 's Appalachian Trainer Face Off in the Division!

This means I’ll have 100 days to work with a young feral horse, helping them transition from uncertainty to confidence. We’ll document every step of the journey, sharing their progress, and then head back to West Virginia for the competition, where we’ll show the rescue, judges, and potential adopters just how far our horse has come!

The Big Reveal: I’ll be assigned my feral whippersnapper on April 20th! As the countdown begins, I’m preparing the farm, feed, supplies, and equipment to welcome this special horse into our program.

💛 How You Can Help! 💛
Bringing a young, unhandled horse into training takes a village, and I’d love your support! Here are some ways you can be part of this journey:

🛍 Goods & Equipment: Halters, lead ropes, fly sheets, feed, stall bedding, saddle pads, freestyle props, and more!
📌 Stay Tuned! I’ll be posting the first version of our team's wish list later this week!

🛠 Services: Farrier work, bodywork, photography, videography, and equine therapy services.

💰 Monetary Donations:

If you don’t need a tax-deductible receipt, you can donate via my Venmo (Friends & Family): https://venmo.com/code?user_id=3205356297650176245&created=1743605902

If you do want a tax-deductible donation, send it through Heart of Phoenix Equine Rescue, INC, noting in your donation:
🌐 Donate: https://www.wvhorserescue.org/donate/
📄 Then, fill out this form for their records: https://form.jotform.com/231275453432048

⏳ Time & Expertise: If you have skills or services that could help, reach out!

🔹 All donated items that aren’t used during training and competition will go with our little Whippersnapper to their new home.

This is an incredible opportunity to not only transform the life of this horse but also to showcase the power of horse-centered training and compassionate horsemanship. Let’s give this little wild one the best start possible!

Drop a comment or DM me if you’d like to be part of this adventure! 🐴💫







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Pipersville, PA
18930

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