Grace Equines

Grace Equines Specializing in equine behavioral rehabilitation with positive reinforcement and pressure and release.

Creating trail horses, all around horses, c**t starting, cow horses to helping owners communicate and understand their horses.

11/17/2023

Horses need horsemen. It's that simple. I get asked the same questions over and over again and nobody gets it. What level rider is this horse suitable for? I'll tell you, the best one she can get, the best horseman that's willing to buy her. The horse will only ever be as good as the rider. It doesn't matter if it's trained to jump hoops of fire, you're gonna bring it down to your level in no time. Your kid doesn't need a $15,000 horse if they haven't already had $15,000 worth of lessons. You can't buy a violin that will gift you the skill of playing. It's the same for horses. There is no magic horse, only a love for the animal, and a commitment to learning.

Most of you are so unfair and demanding of the horse you miss the forest for the trees. "I want a horse that rides out alone!!" well guess what, you better be ready to spend a year developing that relationship, that bond, that trust, she's not a bike, you can't buy trust.

"I want a horse that can sit and be the same after time off" well friend, this is a commitment to a relationship, not a classic car you take out of the garage twice a year. You can't buy what your looking for.

"I want a horse my kids can ride" you better be ready to teach your kids how to be horseman, because if the horse has to do it, you'll likely see the inside of an ambulance, or a morgue.

You can't buy trust, you cannot buy what comes with building a relationship with an animal over years of dedication.

Brittnee Woodward-Whitehead wrote this

10/10/2023

Twenty years ago, I competed bridle-less for the first time.
Ten years before that, I made my first attempt at it.

Both times, I failed.
Failed to communicate clearly.
Failed to prepare properly.
And failed to achieve what I had set out to do.
As a teen, this resulted in riding a flat out run away at top speed.
Ten years later, it resulted in going off pattern in my class.

Still, despite the failures, I was still fascinated with the idea of bridle-less riding.
For years, I credited this bridleless desire to the imagery of Walter Farley’s, The Black Stallion, books and movie.
But thirty years, and hundreds of bridleless rides later, I know what it really is.

Bridle-less riding reveals the level of understanding.
The horses understanding.
The riders understanding.
And the understanding between the two.

I remember the first time I was able to put this into words.
I was riding at a horse expo, with hundreds of people watching. �I began the demo, showing the cues I teach using with the bridle on.
I explained the process I used…and then I leaned forward and pulled the bridle off.

The shift in the air was palpable.

People sat up straighter, leaned in closer, and watched more intently.

And that is when I realized…taking off the bridle changed THEIR perception of what was happening.

But here is the reality.

NOTHING CHANGED for my horse.

Pulling the bridle off revealed to those who were watching, what my horse and I already knew. We understood each other.

The understanding had been built, layer upon layer, and the moment I removed the bridle…changed nothing for us.

But it changed everything for those watching.

This year marks twenty years since my first bridleless freestyle.

I learned a lot before that point to get me there.
And I’ve learned even more from that point until now.

This week, I’ll be sharing some of that knowledge with you.

Bridle-less riding represents a high level of communication between horse and rider.
That communication is built through consistency and understanding.

These are the things that will improve your communication with your horse, regardless of what tools you choose to use.

One step closer to being a domestic riding pony.🤍
09/08/2023

One step closer to being a domestic riding pony.🤍

08/26/2023

Just because it “works” doesn’t mean it’s right.⁣

Some of the top performing trainers and competitors on earth are violent and abusive toward the horses in their care.⁣

They win buckles, ribbons, titles, accolades. They accomplish mind blowing feats 🏆🤯⁣

The ol’ cowboy way of snubbing, tying, forcing, flooding, bucking out, etc. has “worked” for centuries.⁣

And yet…⁣

Effectiveness alone cannot be the deciding factor in selecting training methods.⁣

If you only base decisions off of “what works,” you can 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘧𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘺 𝘮𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘪𝘯𝘩𝘶𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘦 𝘵𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵.⁣

Ethics must be considered.⁣

It’s unnecessary to hurt and force animals to bend our will, for our own benefit.⁣

Ethical practices yield magnificent results… without the abuse.⁣

We can connect to horses in absolutely profound, meaningful, even spiritual ways 🌬️⁣

We can train in such a way that the horse truly delights in the process—with a sparkle in her eye.⁣

This is what we hope for humanity.⁣

To connect rather than force.⁣

To empower rather than conquer.⁣

To learn rather than judge.⁣

To love rather than oppress.⁣

Leave a ❤️ in the comments if you agree 🦋⁣

— MM team 💫

08/17/2023

Most of the time, if you are on your horse and the bridle is not, something has gone wrong. But for veteran endurance rider Jeremy Reynolds, who on July 29 won the one-day, 100-mile Western States Trail Ride, popularly known as the Tevis Cup, for the fifth time in his career aboard his Arabian mare....

Ground driving isn’t necessary to get a horse undersaddle but it sure does help elevate confusion (leading to frustratio...
07/29/2023

Ground driving isn’t necessary to get a horse undersaddle but it sure does help elevate confusion (leading to frustration.) once you’re mounted and officially riding!
And those first few rides it’s SO important to have them positive and without negative influence. 🤍

Love getting updates on how the graduates are doing!!🤍 -When you raise em right, start them slow and correct- you get a ...
07/23/2023

Love getting updates on how the graduates are doing!!🤍
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When you raise em right, start them slow and correct- you get a 4yo filly with less than 30 days riding that’ll babysit for you in just a halter and lead!!🤍

🤍
07/13/2023

🤍

To the trainers who are trying their best—remember:

Not every horse will leave your facility in a place where you feel 100% confident in where they are at with their training.

Not every horse will “make it” at the level your customer expects.

Not every customer will be able to continue a horse’s training the way that you would have.

Not every customer will take the time to learn how to use their horse to its full potential.

Not every customer will give you the opportunity to spend the time you need to make a horse truly great.

Not everyone will appreciate your approach, or understand your training philosophy.

But, also remember that…

There will be plenty of great customers who appreciate your perspective and program.

There will be many wonderful people with talented horses that will cross your path.

There will someday be an opportunity to ride that once-in-a-lifetime horse that you will get to put your mark on.

There will be ample opportunities to educate and empower your customers to reach their full potential with their horses.

There will be plenty of happy people who give you a call to tell you about all the success they are having with their horses.

There will be endless opportunities to feel grateful and blessed about the people and horses you get to work with everyday.

The strongest asset you can have as a horse trainer is perspective. Focus on the good, and the good gets better.

07/09/2023
Some of the babies went home today and some of the new kids are already settled in! Always exciting getting some new one...
07/06/2023

Some of the babies went home today and some of the new kids are already settled in! Always exciting getting some new ones!☺️

07/03/2023

You never do anything alone with these kids😂🤍

A very good, enlightening read onLearned helplessness also known as “shut down”
06/30/2023

A very good, enlightening read on
Learned helplessness also known as “shut down”

What is learned helplessness ?
And can it effect horses ?

Learned Helplessness can be defined as a psychological condition whereby individuals learn they have no control over unpleasant or harmful conditions, their actions are futile and they are helpless to escape the situation.

It has been suggested that in some aversive traditional methods of horse training that involve aversive conditions over which the horse has little or no control, can result in learned helplessness. If the reinforcement results in inescapable aversive conditions or pain/discomfort from misuse of equipment. The training may result in a horse that is
• Confused
• Uncooperative
• Aggressive
• In a learned helplessness state

Training in this way compromises the horse's
• Learning process
• Performance
• Welfare state

In a learned helplessness state a horse may seem compliant and "bombproof", but in reality the horse has simply given up on trying to communicate their fear and discomfort. It is a very sad state where the horse's SEEKING system is "shutdown".

(Hall, Goodwin, Heleski, Randle, Warren, International Society for Equitation Science, 2007)

06/30/2023

Hottie learning how to use her body with a rider on her!!
Showing off her forequarter yield/ baby spin this morning.🤍🔥
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Ride number 4!!

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210 Old Baptist Cemetery Road
Russellville, AR

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