Michael asked me to go clean the mares stalls, but somehow I got stuck here. He may have spice, but Jax has plenty of snuggles to give too.
Quit apologizing for your fear. It’s nothing more than a biological response to trying to keep you alive. The more you apologize for it and see it as an insecurity, the more power you give it.
Grace sure makes it comical to video her sessions during our Creating a Relaxed & Willing Horse on the Ground Course.
It’s been so fun to watch her learn and go through this program since she’s new to it all. We are only on week two and have 8 videos posted already totaling over 130 minutes of material with 2 more weeks of material to go
And all of this for the price of one lesson… $99. You can still join today.
We loved filming the full video of teaching a training horse how to “Catch Us” in the pasture as well as the necessary techniques we as the handler need to implement into how to properly catching our horses. Full video is a 40 minute lesson.
This is only one of the 11+ exercise in our new Creating a Willing & Relaxed Horse on the Ground online course. These exercises are well thought out, and easy to understand. Footage is of horses who need the exercises and are learning them in real time!
Check out the website to register!
How do you spell Rotten?
Smart Bettin Chic
Daughter of Bet Hesa Boon out of our broodmare Sadie Chaco.
A hunk of a husband leading two broodmares into our own barn… yep, definitely a dream for me!
And if want to see more of my own shenanigans, find me on TikTok. I will be sharing a lot of my own Challenge journey there. @juliafarmerlyons6
Have a great Wednesday, Y’all!
Oh Sadie girl, we are just as ready as you are. Let’s not tell her she still has around 50 more days to go. Although large, homegirl was still moving around yesterday like a filly 😂 Do you think boy or girl? #foalingseason #foals #foalsoftiktok #foalwatch
It’s almost baby time for us and our “maternity ward” got a big upgrade! We can’t wait for these foals to make their arrival! #foals #foalingseason2024 #foalwatch #michaellyonshorsemanship
The absolutely BEST DEAL we offer!
Learning in this industry isn’t cheap. Nothing in the industry is, but we do try to offer affordable options that help out with it. And that’s exactly what this is.
Half day private sessions for only $150! Or a FULL day private with us here at the farm for $250.
You can book a half day or full day private with us during the week anytime.
We take 4 people per session. Prices are per person. If less people in a session, prices are higher. They total $600 for a half day and $1000 for a full day divided among 4 people.
Stalls and cabins are also available onsite to rent for multiple day getaways!
Contact our office to book your date today.
Happy Friday!
One of our training horses took practicing for this weekends Intro to Liberty and Trick Training Clinic seriously, and offered the lay down to us multiple times!
We hope to see you tomorrow!
Cool weather is slowly shifting into our area and we couldn’t be more excited!
We hope you are out enjoying your horses just like we are!
Around here, sometimes we teach things a little backwards.
Nora, a recent clinic participant was just fine with backwards learning 🤣
A great day for a clinic! We are thrilled to be back on the road and teaching. A big thanks to Sue Ellen Esty and Kelly of TKO for having us up here in New Hampshire for a Ranch Riding Clinic.
A great first day, and excited to do it again tomorrow and Sunday!
“I can’t stand watching a horse peanut roll”
I hear this all of the time, so I think it’s worth talking about.
What is happening when your horse does this and why is it one of my absolute most favorite exercises to do with any and all horses.
Well, most horses come to use with a very kinked, tight, and weak backs. Backs like this come from ill fitting tack, anxiety in the horse, tense/tight riders, and improper movement when the horse is traveling with a rider on their back. Over time these tight and kinked backs create brace in the horse in an effort to balance and deal with the fact that their back isn’t in the greatest of shape.
What’s the best way to combat this? Make sure your tack fits, always work on your riding/seat, and stretch the horses back out just like you’d stretch out the hose to unkink it.
This is physically an incredible stretch for your horse. No, I don’t ever ask them to do this all the time, but it is a great warm up and cool down exercise. And there are many physical benefits to it.
But just as there are physical, there’s lots of great mental benefits.
When is it that your horse has their head dropped in the pasture without you around?
1. When they are eating 2. When they are relaxed.
So why is it that we feel by them having their heads down (at their own will) is it bad posture for them? Did we forget that they spend 18 hours a day in this position eating? 😏
When a horse drops their head willingly, they are signally to us they are comfortable and happy to do so. Never would a horse do this if they were in a fight or flight reaction. But they certainly would if they were in rest and digest. A horse who is willing to drop their nose and relax is one willing to let go of tension and brace in both their mind and their body.
If you can’t get your horses nose to drop, or they really struggle with it, then it’s up to you find the brace within their body or mind, because I promise it’s there.
To you, this m
This two year old Guns R for Shootin stud sure is shaping up nicely.
We feel pretty thankful to have him apart of our team, and can’t wait to see how he continues to grow.
You’ll be seeing him in our new online material!
Bringing along a young horse?
Then pay attention to our page as Michael shows how he brings along his young stud he has recently started undersaddle.
Introducing you guys to Maverick. Our young stallion by Guns R For Shootin out of a Hollywood Dun It bred mare.
Enjoy Michael’s demonstration as much as we did yesterday of him teaching the group the importance of connecting the inside foot to the inside rein and teaching it where to go first when working on spinning or turning on the hind quarters.
Emma was a good sport!
Common Round Penning Misconceptions
- The more they run around from you as you push them and change their directions, the more they will “respect you.”
- When they make a mistake anywhere, running them in the round pen will teach them a lesson
- It’s a good place to tire them out before riding
- Fast movement and reactions to your cues means they are responsive and listening to you
- You need outside turns before ever asking for an inside turns
Round penning has so many misconceptions with it that have turned it so far away from the tool it was meant to me. Round penning is intended to promote connection, relaxation and simplicity of understanding basic asks for your horse. It should be thought of like a dance, not a chasing game. The round pen can be a great asset for a trainer but it can also be a tool used to create anxiety, reactiveness and fear if used incorrectly.
Enjoy this clip from our online round penning master class! And if you want to learn how you can best utilize this tool in the way it was originally intended then click the link in the comments to sign up. For just $99 you will have access to 15 videos and over 4 hours of instruction on this topic!
