Caryvale Stables

09/10/2023

To all the senior Caryvale crew, please say a prayer for Sage and Lisa Tokach. They had to put Dakota down today. He was a super special horse and absolutely the right one for Sage. So many wonderful memories. We lose them way too soon.

17/08/2023

I've lost tract of the many, many horse girls (and a couple of boys) who have worked at Caryvale through the past 50 years. Each brought their own personality, talents and character, and each added so much to my life. But the hardest thing is to watch them move on to a life chapter away from here. I feel like I've become an empty nester hundreds of times over the last 50 years. This is another one of those times, as I see Callie Jones move on to college. For nearly 4 years, she came on Saturdays and worked willingly, cleaning stalls and doing the hundreds of things needed on a farm like this. She fed and watched over my place for over 4 months while I recovered from surgeries, and has been a wonderful asset. It is so hard to see her leave, but she deserves everything good life can provide, and I wish her every success and happiness. She also knows she is always welcome back home!

17/03/2023

❤️❤️❤️

16/03/2023

28/02/2023

Happy Meme Monday!

28/02/2023

https://www.facebook.com/cowboyup213 🇺🇦🇺🇸🇨🇦

11/02/2023

ope.

17/12/2022

Wishing all of the Caryvale Stables family a wonderful and happy Christmas week! It has now been 2 weeks since I underwent complete ankle reconstruction at St Luke's in KC. They removed a ton of bone, severed the achilles tendon and stretched it back together with added material, drilled a hole from the bottom of my heel up into the leg bone and drove in a rod that will remain there. They changed the entire angle of the ankle so maybe I'll have a more normal stride when I can walk again. It's been a rough two weeks! Only 6 more to go before I can put any weight on this leg. I'm getting good at wheelchairs, crutches, walkers, and crawling up and down stairs backwards! I miss all of my riders, and hope you are having a super holiday season. Looking forward to spring! Merry Christmas!!

30/10/2022

Today was a very full and emotional day, but also good. I took Cowboy and Penny to their new homes after the farrier visit. I was so proud of how they loaded, unloaded and behaved for the entire trip, and am delighted with their placings. Cowboy is joining the Carr family at Broken Wing Ministry south of Junction City, and Penny has joined Lisa Tokach's mare, Leno at Fiona Price's home. Both will receive excellent care and Cowboy will have a new career. It's hard to see horses leave, but it is good to have less to care for. A special thank you to Callie Jones and Shaelyn Meyers for helping hold horses for the farrier and deliver the two. Without those girls I wouldn't be moving tonight!!

16/08/2022

so much more to add to the list!

06/08/2022

It's an interesting concept to explore....the more pressure we use as riders, over time the less responsive our horse will become.

Each of our fingertips have over 3000 touch receptors which primarily respond to pressure. We have such advanced tactile response that the fine motor skills in our hands is something easily taken for granted until you hurt your hand!

Because we are so used to using our hands and our brains automatically processing the information, we don't often consider the weight or strength of our hands, and how that relates to the information our horse receives through the reins and bit.

If your horse isn't as consistently responsive as you like, take a moment to really consider what messages are being received via your hands.
What slight nuances in different pressure, grip, movement and weight of your arms could be sending misleading signals and conflicting conversations to your horse until he eventually out of frustration he ignores your light aids altogether.

Remember - Every interaction with your horse always teaches him something, make sure the message is simple, consistent and clear!

23/07/2022

This was the challenge for my student today. Not only did it put her hands in the right place, and organized her arms in a way that I could have never explained it better, it gave her a real feeling of feeling the bit connected to her ring fingers.

23/07/2022

This is fundamental advice regardless of the discipline in which you ride, I have built my method and career around all of this, if you
Study the greatest horsemen in the world you will see all of the points in action. This was said by one of the best modern horsemen bill steinkrause.

“No. 1. Get your tack and equipment just right, and then forget about it and concentrate on the horse.

No. 2. The horse is bigger than you are, and it should carry you. The quieter you sit, the easier this will be for the horse.

No. 3. The horse's engine is in the rear. Thus, you must ride your horse from behind, and not focus on the forehand simply because you can see it.

No. 4. It takes two to pull. Don't pull. Push.

No. 5. For your horse to be keen but submissive, it must be calm, straight and forward.

No. 6. When the horse isn`t straight, the hollow side is the difficult side.

No. 7. The inside rein controls the bending, the outside rein controls the speed.

No. 8. Never rest your hands on the horse's mouth. You make a contract with it: "You carry your head and I'll carry my hands."

No. 10. Once you've used an aid, put it back.

No. 11. You can exaggerate every virtue into a defect.

No. 12. Always carry a stick, then you will seldom need it.

No. 13. If you`ve given something a fair trial, and it still doesn't work, try something else—even the opposite.

No. 14. Know when to start and when to stop. Know when to resist and when to reward.

No. 15. If you're going to have a fight, you pick the time and place.

No. 16. What you can't accomplish in an hour should usually be put off until tomorrow.

No. 17. You can think your way out of many problems faster than you can ride your way out of them.

No. 18. When the horse jumps, you go with it, not the other way around.

No. 19. Don`t let over-jumping or dull routine erode the horse's desire to jump cleanly. It's hard to jump clear rounds if the horse isn't trying.

No. 20. Never give up until the rail hits the ground.

No. 21. Young horses are like children—give them a lot of love, but don't let them get away with anything.

No. 22. In practice, do things as perfectly as you can; in competition, do what you have to do.

No. 23. Never fight the oats.

No. 24. The harder you work, the luckier you get."

~Bill Steinkraus

14/07/2022

Without a doubt, stopping my lesson program has been one of the hardest things I've ever done in my 76 years. It is so very hard to say goodbye to these horse-loving kids, and to know I won't be there to help them through the next steps. It has been so fulfilling to watch each kid progress and grow. I wish I could do this forever.

30/06/2022

Thanks to Colter, Dominick, Thomas and Callie, I have a barn full of first cutting alfalfa. It has been a very long day, but well worth it. For anyone who has never handled square hay bales, it is hard work, and these kids really put themselves into the job. I so appreciate it!

29/06/2022

28/06/2022

The time has come that I have dreaded for some time now. I have made the very difficult decision to terminate the Caryvale lesson program. A combination of vet issues with Jake and Blondie, and my aging, have convinced me that it's time. I will begin phasing out the program immediately. All who have pre-paid for lessons will be accommodated; others will be handled on a case-by-case basis. I want to thank the many parents, grandparents and friends who have supported this program over the years. I will miss all of the special riders, and hope we can keep in touch. Thank you all for understanding.

17/06/2022

I am looking for anyone who might have the capability of hauling some small squares of alfalfa from Mark Knopp's place here. Please let me know if anyone is interested. Thanks.

17/06/2022

After a very strange spring of crazy weather changes and wind, we are now in a period of excessive heat. The safe heat index for horse activities has been exceeded virtually every day this week. Not only is it extremely hard on the horses, it is especially hard on this old horse lady. Therefore, I am suspending ALL horse activities from now through June 27. No lessons will be held. Please contact me with any questions. Thank you.

11/06/2022

03/06/2022

This one really resonates with me…. We choose this profession because we love it, and there isn’t a day in my life that I’ve ever wished I was doing anything else. It is for sure not a path for the faint of heart, but it also makes some of the toughest, kindest, and most supportive people in the world. Just another reminder to always be kind and to lift up your fellow riders. 🙌 ❤️

27/05/2022

We were blessed with over 4 inches of much-needed rain this week. However, that comes with a downside. The arena won't be useable for several more days; therefore, all Saturday lessons are cancelled for tomorrow, May 28.

25/05/2022

All lessons for Wednesday and Thurstay of this week (MaY 25, 26) are cancelled.

17/05/2022

Now that schools are ending for the year, it's time to think about switching to a summer schedule. As always, morning rides are usually better for the heat for those who have transportation available through the week. I want everyone to be accommodated, so please let me know any changes of schedule you would like to make. Fridays and Sundays are not lesson days; all other days are available, depending on already established schedules. Thank you!

08/05/2022

Happy Mother’s Day to our horse mom, Carol! Thank you for your endless patience, encouragement and for believing in us before we believed in ourselves. You are so loved and appreciated!
-Niki

06/05/2022

I'm very sorry to post this again, but due to the much-needed rain this week, my arena is too wet for riding. All Saturday lessons are cancelled. thank you for your patience. We will one day have a normal schedule.