L'Acadiane Equine Management LLC

06/24/2024

Kirstie & Nelson making the 1.20 look easy this weekend. We can’t wait to see what the future holds for this pair! ⚡️

06/15/2024

Wish Nice van de Watermolen a happy birthday!! This boy just turned 6!! Next time he goes up centerline his mom will take him! It’s been fun developing this guy for you!

06/06/2024

Strutting into summer like:

05/31/2024

If you want to make progress as a horseman, you have to hold yourself accountable.
An instructor can tell you to open your left rein, but only you can actually open your left rein! I can tell you to step right. I can tell you to step right more, or reword it until you do it enough that your right seat bone drops down where it belongs. I can remind you to do it every 30 seconds. I can remind you again every time we change directions, or change gaits, or after your horse tripped. But none of my riders take a lesson with me every day! At some point you have to remember it and execute it all on your own. And isn’t that the type of rider you want to be???
I mean, When you are doing a dressage test, I can’t remind you to sit back in the corner or to not over bend the neck in the shoulder in.

The only time I am the head trainer is when I am instructing myself. Otherwise, I am always the assistant instructor and YOU, THE RIDER, HAVE to be your own master. I am merely the Layman who tells you where we are at in this project, and what step needs to happen next. You are the lead contractor who needs to make sure it gets done. (I know enough people who have major projects going on at their facility that maybe this is a really bad example! Lol but you get my drift hopefully)

I’m not sure how I made it through the levels as far as I did knowing how long it took me to get accountable on actually keeping my inside rein open 🤦‍♀️. Now I’ve realized how often I, just for a moment, open my outside rein when I’m supposed to be using my inside leg. I’m NOT letting this habit go on for years. I’m not. I’m not. I’m not working on anything else until I’m so consciously competent when I do allow my subconscious to take over, it sticks! Even then, I’ll be checking in regularly.

I had an adult student say that she’s always ride with puppy paws/piano hands (thumbs turned in, fingernails posted down) and “good luck changing it”. My tone was light hearted, because that’s who I am, but I basically told her that if she can’t hold herself accountable for something so easy to fix, get off the horse- why bother! It helped that I gave her the REASONS why it was important- it isn’t just to be pretty. But fixing it was hard for her because it’s so tough to turn her wrist- it was “hard” because it took focus.
Put in the focus. Hold yourself accountable.

05/03/2024

Could he be any cuter??

04/20/2024

04/14/2024

I think we have to take this one out of the realm of and start a new category, let's call it . Here we go:

It doesn't matter if your horse likes you.

Let me rephrase: your first priority shouldn't be, "Am I my horse's favorite thing? Do they enjoy training more than anything else they're doing that day?" That is an unrealistic, and frankly self-centered approach.

Your top priorities should be: 1. is my horse healthy and happy 2. is the training I'm doing with my horse improving their health and wellbeing, and increasing their longevity?

Notice, you don't factor in. It's wonderful to have a relationship with a horse, to build trust, to treat them with kindness and respect is absolutely essential. And who doesn't feel joy when their horse interacts with them, of their own free will? There are few better feelings in the world.

But you know what, you can do all of this, and they still might rather eat grass or enjoy their grain than go for a ride with you. And that's not a moral failing on your part. Your horse may enjoy your company from time to time, but as hardwired by nature, prefer the company of other equines most of the time. That's normal. You haven't failed your horse if your relationship with them is not their primary focus.

In fact, when you put your horse's perception and relationship to you above how they live naturally, with their herd and forage, you're actually centering your own ego. This can be really problematic, because if in your kind and ethical training you reach a roadblock, you may take it personally: "I thought my horse liked me! What have I done to deserve this? "

And, more often than not, people perceive this as a personal betrayal. They anthropomorphize the horse's rejection as they would that of a friend. I've seen people switch over to truly aversive/abusive training methods when they feel personally betrayed. There is a level of fear, conscious or subconscious that resonates with bully trainers, whose need to control and belittlr animals of course also comes from fear. And they could avoid this pitfall completely, simply by centering the needs of the horse, rather than the horse's relationship to them.

After all, we're with the horse 1 hour a day - what happens in the other 23 hours? If we had a horse that longed to be with us for their only sense of security and joy, we could create a horse that was totally neurotic and non-functional most of the time.

Our goal should always be to add to our horse's lives, and not center our own needs and wants, or worse our egos, above what's best for them. When our horse presents an unwanted behavior, it's not a personal affront or a betrayal. It's a communication that there's a problem, or that the horse has a different priority in that moment. This is normal. Address the need. Don't blame the animal. They don't owe us anything, and we owe them everything. How we center our approach matters.

02/27/2024

Hertog enjoyed his photo shoot with yesterday! The jumpers are having a great time in Ohio ! They will start competing again tomorrow!!

02/20/2024

At LAEM we believe in good old fashion elbow grease to bring out the shine in your horses coat! Now that does take time…so to help free up some of our barn manager extraordinaire’s time we use to manage our horses records. You can literally do it anywhere! Saving lots of time during the day by not having to be stuck behind a desk keeping record!!!

02/16/2024

Is Indy’s motto in life! I’d say it’s a good one!

02/15/2024

Always my Valentine 💘

02/13/2024

Our village. Thank you to everyone who supports L’acadiane Equine! We truly appreciate you!

02/11/2024

And that’s a wrap!! Great week was had by all! horse aindy started the weekend with a bang winning the PSG, and the best part is he’s got more to give! Thank you Jan for allowing me to show your super star!! had some great ring time with her super mare Barilla! Cristin and Fitz improved from two weeks ago despite the terrifying global ground flowers ( ) and I’m so sorry I don’t have any pics of them! They looked beautiful!! 🤩 Now it’s time for beach day and back to work on Tuesday!!

02/11/2024

Look at that shine!!! Must be the and the endless elbow grease from

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02/09/2024

Improve your dressage scores with less effort than you might think, with these tips from top international judge Isobel Wessels

02/08/2024

Excited to get back in the show ring with Indy tomorrow! Do you know what fly spray I always use when showing? and do you know why?? Because it NEVER lets me down!! Flys steer clear of us when we use Ecovet!! Want to try it?! Use code LAEM10 at checkout for 10% off!!! Try it today!!
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02/01/2024

Every barn needs some barn dogs!! Not all dogs are cut out for, it’s a tough job! Have to greet all the people who show up and at least pretend to be nice to everyone! The list is endless, at least in Bentley’s opinion!!
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01/28/2024

We had a great weekend! Cristin and Fitz made their First level debut and Kate and Fly made their Fourth level debut!! The sun also made its debut!! Happy horses and happy riders in the sunshine what more can we ask for?? Thanks to everyone who makes this possible!
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01/28/2024

So grateful for all does for us!! I can’t even begin to list all the things she does for all of us!! Thank you!!
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01/22/2024

Mondays are for snoozing 😴 right?

01/20/2024

Barilla enjoying her snoozes 😴 after a hat trick weekend!! This mare loves and tries her heart out to please her. And now she gets some days off!

01/19/2024

showed us how it was done today! Winning both her first level tests with scores above 70!! Love this dynamic duo!! Excited to see what tomorrow will bring!!

01/18/2024

Braiding is one of my favorite things to do! I love how the braids can really show off a horses topline! I also find the act of braiding very soothing, while braiding I can contemplate my upcoming ride, make sure I know my test and have a plan for riding my test. What’s your favorite pre-show activity? Comment 👇

01/14/2024

And that’s a wrap for this week! Jumpers at home had putting together all the pieces of the week together by riding a course!!
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01/13/2024

Wellington Friday nights!!

01/10/2024

Got for me???