Cox Family Farm Services

10/06/2023

Use the 5 Point Safety Check When Selecting a Helmet

25/04/2023

THE WAY IT WORKS

"Either get the horse that is right for you, or YOU become what is right for the one you have"

It is a choice, it doesn't work any other way.

❤️These wise words are by Lysette Smith from Candid Equitation in Portugal.

❤️Photograph of Amber Espinoza from Isidro Espinoza Horsemanship in USA, who captured these words.

Image by Tabitha Smit📷

25/04/2023

The more consistent you are, the better progress you'll make.

11/04/2023

We lost such an iconic horse in the horse training world yesterday. Enjoy the never ending green pastures Mindy. I know your dad can't wait to see you again one day. 🐎🪽❤️

06/04/2023

This! Riding horses is so much mire than just sitting on their back. It's about having balance, strength, confidence, and a partnership. If an area isn't where it should be, it will throw off your whole ride. You're not dealing with a vehicle, you are dealing with a 1/2 ton animal with a mind of their own. You have to be able to redirect, keep your seat if they spook, and know what you want to be done. They look for a leader, so you need to be their leader.

Make Them Carry Their Saddle

A father of a darling girl and I were talking last week and he said that he wanted his daughter to ride more and not have to do the work part of the catching, grooming, and saddling. I smiled as I explained.

Riding horses is a combination of strength, timing, and balance. Kids in this country are physically weak (unless they are actively involved with weight training and physical conditioning 4+ times a week.)

When you walk out to the field, you are clearing your stress from being under fluorescent lights all day; feeling the sun soak into your bones. As your body moves on uneven surfaces, it strengthens your legs and core.

When you groom your horse (especially currying), you are toning your arms and stabilizing your core.

When you carry your saddle, your arms, chest, and back are doing isolated strengthening work.

Being near horses, calms and makes you tune into the splendor of these empathetic animals.

When you ride at a posting trot, it’s equivalent to a slow jog calorie burn wise.

After a lesson, the riders are physically tired and mentally quiet and balanced.

Horses feel your heart beat and mirror your emotions back.

Riding large and somewhat unpredictable animals makes you resilient and pushes your expectations.

Working with horses is so much more than learning how to ride.

So parents, make your children carry their saddles. Don’t do the hard parts for them, as long term it actually hurts them. To advance with their riding, they must get stronger. You can help by doing the high parts.

I love having you all at the farm, and am so grateful to get to share these fascinating animals with you.

-Hannah Campbell Zapletal

23/01/2023

Everyone has that one special horse. Often termed their "heart horse". But what does that mean?
They are the ones you never think of in terms of monetary value because no amount of money could buy them from you.
They are the ones that elevate you as a horseman but also always keep you grounded.
They are the ones that nourish your soul and give your mind & heart sustenance in the same way food gives your body sustenance.
They are the ones you truly enjoy even on their worst days, and the first one you go to on your worst day.
They are teachers that continue to teach us in a way that always resonates with us.
They are the ones we can always rely on.
They are the ones that, no matter how much we do for them, we always feel indebted to.
They are the ones who raise the standard for us & the ones we compare every other horse to.
🖤They are the ones that are irreplaceable🖤

Credit to Sarah Gabby

29/11/2022

Desensitizing horses is important for your safety and the horses. You never know what you might in counter with your horse. Kids are a great desensitization tool. You want your horse to use the thinking side of their brain so they don't run in new, scary situations. I like to find anything and everything possible. Dogs, cats, blow up pools, chickens, quads, saws, tarps, etc. These are all great tools. Act crazy, start small and work up. Don't push your horse, read them. Find the start of the boundary of them being uncomfortable, get them comfortable with that and than move on to the new boundary. Your creating a partnership based on trust not fear.

28/11/2022

I learn from several different trainers, some well know others not so much. I learned that not method works for all horses, so I do modify it for each horse as we go. I do find different ways to teach. If I get a once severely abused horse that now is in a good home. I teach that horse with a more gentle hand as they are highly sensitive. If I get a horse that tries to kick, bite, or run you over just with a simple tapping on the butt. I know for my safety, your safety, and the horses safety in the end I need to use a stronger hand. Learning about how your horse acts and understanding it is the best way to get the trust needed to create a partnership.

28/11/2022

Please take halters off your horse out in pasture. I get that you want to leave them on difficult to catch horses, but that means your horse needs training. Leaving halters on kills horses, especially when they are unsupervised. This is why things that can stay on have velcro or easy to tear material. Halters are not made of either of those things.

Take the Halters OFF.

This has been said before, but it is so important that it needs being said again.

In regards to your horses, one of the most dangerous ( and deadly ) things that can happen is leaving the halter on your horse. This is because it is easy for the halter to get caught on something like a tree branch, T-Post, gate latch, getting a back foot caught in it, etc . When it does, the horse will panic and could very easily break it's neck trying to get loose. I understand that many of you will say that your horse has worn it's halter for years and never gotten hurt. You have been luck "so far". There are many horses that wore their halter for years until the time that they got it caught on something and broke their neck.

I also understand that many of you will say that you can't catch your horse without it wearing the halter. "Yes" you can. If you can get close enough to catch the halter you are close enough to catch the horse without it. Also, for those that say that you board and that it is a rule that every horse wears a halter, then I would be moving your horse. You should care as much about your horse's safety as you do your children's safety. It is depending on you to take care of it. So Take the Halters off

Last, NO using a "breakaway" halter isn't an excuse. They don't always break , so the horse still breaks it's neck, or if it does break, it teaches the horse that if it pulls back that it can break any halter.

You need to remember that your horse is depending on you to do your best to keep it safe, the same as you do for your children. Therefore, their is NO excuse to leave the halter on so, don't try to make one.

27/11/2022

Flexing horses creates your "emergency break" when riding. It also helps loosen the horse. It stretches out muscles and helps to prevent injuries. It will also tell you if your horse needs an poll (behind the ears) plus neck adjustment. You also want to stretch the legs before any hard riding.

26/11/2022

Lunging is a lot like round penning. The main difference is now the horse is on a long line. This teaches the horse to soften to pressure and not to tug on the line. This is a great way to warm up a horse before a trail ride when a round pen is not available. Just like roundpenning you want to have respect with this exercise.

25/11/2022

Backing is another way of gaining your horses respect. There is several methods of backing and each one teaches the horse something a little different. This is one thing I like to do every chance I get.

24/11/2022

Happy Thanksgiving everyone. I hope everyone stays safe and gets plenty of turkey in the belly.

15/11/2022

Yielding a horse whether it be the hindquarters or the forequarters (front) is a way to move the horse out of your personal space. If trained correctly, you should be able to just look at a spot and have a active (leaning forward) posture to get them to move a specific area. If you are to move the hindquarters the front should pivot, where one foot stays put while the other crosses in front of it. It will be the opposite way when yielding the forequarters. This is one thing you want to practice whenever you can. It eventually gets translated to your saddle.

14/11/2022

It's important to desensitize a horse to the tools you use like a halter and lead rope or whip. Your horse should know that they are just extensions of your arms. When using a whip, I will always hit myself, the ground, trees, fencing before the horse.

13/11/2022

Round penning horses has many benefits. It creates a great foundation and starts the foundation for respect. It gets the horses feet moving, which tells them who is the herd leader. It can be a great way to get your horse in the working mind and warms them up for a ride.

01/11/2022

Happy Halloween to everyone. I hope everyone had fun on the one night you want spooks.

30/10/2022

Are your horses calm around other animals? Are they okay with having chickens? Goats? Cows? Rabbits? Dogs of all sizes? Cats? Wildlife? You might be able to control what animals are on your property, but you can't when you are out trail riding. Do you want to know that your safe with any kind of animal that you may come across your path?

29/10/2022

When your sad. Or sick. Or healing from an injury or surgery. Going out and spending even 5 minutes with your horse helps build an unbreakable bond.

26/10/2022

Do you want to learn how to ride? We teach not only on the back of a horse but groundwork as well. You'll learn ba****ck, English, and Western as each teaches something a little different.

22/10/2022

Is it hard for you to get on your best friend without assistance? Do you wish your horse with laydown on cue to mount and dismount? What about teaching your horse to bow? Do you want to be able give your horse a cue to let them know they can trust someone? Trick training is a neat way to make your horse stand out. Also make it easier to enjoy longer trail rides and being able to get on and off as you like.

21/10/2022

Does your horse check off every box in the "absolutely must know" category? Every horse goes through a evaluation to determine what they know to give an accurate pricing, and than a refresher course to insure everything was taught safely and correctly. Once a new skill is learned the owner is than taught the technique to be able to speak the same language as their partner in crime.

19/10/2022

How are your horses when it comes to fly gear and winter gear? Do they stand there for you to put things on them?

19/10/2022

Does your horse trust you blind folded? Do you communicate with them? These things are important when building a relationship with your partner. When you ride you want your partner to have your back and them to know that you have theirs.

18/10/2022

Riding lesson with a trail ride? Yes please.

17/10/2022

Forever Cowgirl♥️

17/10/2022

Our personal horses doing Liberty work.