Cadence Dressage

18/07/2025

Yes!

Training Is Not a Democracy: Your Horse Doesn’t Get a Vote

One of the biggest shifts I’ve seen in the horse world over the years is how much people have softened in the wrong direction. Now don’t get me wrong — I’m all for kindness, for patience, and for empathy. But those things mean very little if they aren’t wrapped in clear leadership. Somewhere along the line, too many people started confusing kindness with permissiveness and leadership with cruelty. That’s where the wheels fall off. Because here’s the truth:

Training is not a democracy. Your horse doesn’t get a vote.

We are the leaders. And we have to act like it.

Confusing Emotion with Permission
A horse isn’t a dog, and even dogs need structure. But horses? Horses are flight animals. Horses are herd animals. They’re hardwired to look for leadership. And if they don’t find it in you, they’ll either fill that role themselves — which never ends well — or they’ll become anxious, reactive, or even dangerous. Either way, they’re not thriving, they’re surviving.

Somewhere out there, people got this idea that a horse “expressing itself” was the same thing as “being empowered.” But when that expression looks like pushing into your space, refusing to move forward, slamming on the brakes at the gate, or throwing a fit about being caught, that’s not empowerment — that’s insecurity and disrespect. That’s a lack of clear expectations. That’s a horse operating in chaos.

And a chaotic horse is a dangerous horse.

The Illusion of Fairness
I know some people mean well. They want to be “fair.” They want their horse to feel “heard.” But horses aren’t people. They don’t negotiate. They don’t take turns. They live in a world of black and white — safe or unsafe, leader or follower, respect or no respect.

If you try to run your training like a democracy — where every cue is a polite request and every command is up for discussion — you’re setting that horse up for failure. Because out in the pasture, that’s not how it works. The lead mare doesn’t ask twice. The alpha doesn’t negotiate. Leadership in the horse world is clear, consistent, and sometimes firm — but it’s always fair.

Being fair doesn’t mean weak. It doesn’t mean permissive. It means you set a boundary and you keep it.

Confidence Comes from Clarity
One of the things I say often is this: a horse is never more confident than when it knows who’s in charge and what the rules are. Period.

A horse that’s allowed to “opt out” of work when it doesn’t feel like it isn’t a happy horse. It’s a confused horse. A horse that’s allowed to drag its handler, rush the gate, balk at obstacles, or call the shots under saddle isn’t empowered — it’s insecure. It’s operating without a plan, without leadership, and without trust in its rider.

And let me tell you something — trust isn’t earned through wishy-washy “maybe-if-you-want-to” training. It’s earned through consistency, repetition, and follow-through. That’s what gives a horse confidence. That’s what earns respect. That’s what makes a horse feel safe — and therefore willing.

Manners Are Not Optional
When people send their horses to me for training, one of the first things I work on is manners. I don’t care how broke that horse is, how many blue ribbons it has, or how fancy the bloodlines are. If the horse walks through me, pulls away, crowds my space, or refuses to stand quietly, we’re not moving on until that’s fixed.

Because manners aren’t cosmetic. They’re the foundation of everything.

If your horse doesn’t respect your space on the ground, what makes you think it’ll respect your leg cues under saddle? If your horse doesn’t wait for a cue to walk off at the mounting block, what makes you think it’ll wait for your cue to lope off on the correct lead?

We don’t give horses the option to decide whether or not to be respectful. That’s not up for debate. That’s the bare minimum of the contract.

Leadership Isn’t Force — It’s Direction
Now before somebody takes this and twists it into something it’s not, let me be clear. I’m not talking about bullying. I’m not talking about fear-based training. I don’t train with anger, and I don’t train with cruelty.

But I also don’t ask twice.

When I give a cue, I expect a response. If I don’t get it, I don’t stand there and beg — I escalate until I get the response I asked for. And then I drop right back down to lightness. That’s how you teach a horse to respond to softness. Not by starting soft and staying soft no matter what. You teach softness through clarity, consistency, and fair correction when needed.

That’s leadership.

Horses Crave It — So Give It
Some of the best horses I’ve ever trained came in hot, pushy, or insecure. And some of those same horses left my place calm, willing, and confident — not because I over-handled them, but because I gave them structure. I told them where the boundaries were, and I held those boundaries every single time. I wasn’t their friend. I wasn’t their therapist. I was their leader.

And in the end, that’s what they wanted all along.

They didn’t want to vote. They wanted to be led.

Final Thought
If your horse is calling the shots — whether that’s dragging you out to the pasture, refusing to go in the trailer, tossing its head, or dictating when and how you ride — then your barn doesn’t have a training problem. It has a leadership problem.

Stop running your horse life like a town hall meeting. Training isn’t a democracy. Your horse doesn’t get a say in whether or not it respects you. That part’s not optional. Your job — your responsibility — is to show up, be consistent, and take the lead. Every time.

Because if you don’t? That horse will. And I promise you, that’s not the direction you want to go.

14/07/2025

The Art of Producing the High-Level Horse

In today’s world, where goals are king, results are worshipped, and egos often take the reins, we’ve lost touch with something essential: the art of the journey. The quiet, thoughtful process of developing a horse, not just for performance, but for partnership.

Too often, the pursuit of high-level training becomes a checklist of movements, an external badge of status. Grand Prix as the pinnacle. Piaffe, passage, pirouette all proof of success. But we rarely stop to ask: Success by whose measure? And at what cost?

Because if a horse’s well-being were truly at the centre of our goals and not just a footnote in our mission statements our training would look radically different. It would move slower. It would feel softer. It would sound quieter. And it would be far more beautiful.

Producing a high-level horse is not about simply teaching them the movements required on a score sheet. It’s about cultivating a horse who is sound in body, stable in mind, and joyful in spirit. It’s about shaping one who offers those movements willingly, expressively, even playfully. Not as a result of pressure, punishment, or the clever placement of aids that corner them into compliance but from a place of physical readiness and emotional trust.

And this……….this is where the art comes in!

Imagine dressage as a painting. Each training session is a brushstroke, delicate, deliberate, layered. The impatient artist might throw out the canvas at the first mistake. But the true artist? They work with the paint, blend it, adjust it, stay curious. They know that beauty often lives in the imperfection, in the subtle corrections, in the layers of time and care.

So too in riding: the art lies not in domination, but in dialogue. Every stride, every transition, every still moment is part of an evolving composition. The rider’s aids are not commands but questions; the horse’s responses are not obedience but answers. Together, you create something greater than the sum of its parts.

The highest levels of dressage are not the goal. They are the byproduct of a thousand conversations, a thousand small moments where the rider listens, adjusts, supports, and receives. When done well, Grand Prix is not a performance. It is the horse’s voice, amplified through movement.

To produce a horse to that level is to understand that their body is not a tool, but a home. Their mind, not a machine, but a mirror. Their spirit, not a resource, but a companion.

This is not just training.
It is stewardship.
It is art.
And it begins not with ambition,
but with reverence.

30/06/2025

I'm excited to announce that both Joker and Loki have found new homes. Joker arrived at his end of last week and has settled in nicely!

So blessed to have been able to work with both these horses!!

13/06/2025

Yes!!! 👏👏

Lateral work - a FORWARD movement

Lateral work is extremely helpful at creating better hind leg flexion, bend, and helping create ambidextrous use of both sides of the body.

But what so many people miss is the STRAIGHT part of a lateral movement, focusing way too much on the sideways.

If we aren’t careful, we turn the horse into a floppy wet noodle, overbending their necks and throwing them sideways. Instead of creating better (more correct and deeper) flexion of the inside hind, we often push it beyond the center of mass and twist the joints.

If you’re not practicing them correctly, it’s often worse than nothing at all.

They feel cool, they look cool, and they’re fun to do. But the easier part is sideways. The harder part is the straight and then the forward.

One of the landmarks I remind myself often of good lateral work is it should make the horse straighter.

If I decide to leave it for a straight step and the horse wiggles all around, I did not have good hind leg flexion- I was just throwing them around.

So if you can’t leave your movement for a straight line in one step, you’re not teaching lateral movement, you’re wiggling the noodle around.

Something to think about as you practice :)

06/05/2025

Joker is a flashy, well-bred, level headed, sound, sane, and kind. This 3 year old has it all. Lightly started and happy in work, Joker is ready to go anyway you wanna take him. He has the breeding (QH) to enjoy working with cows and the movement to go score well in low level dressage. With his kind soul he would make a great AA or JR horse in a program. He is around 15 hands but will grow some, refined, and really well put together. Asking high 4s starting with a 9. Please pm or text for information or to schedule a visit. Video upon request. 270-978-1244. Located Enumclaw WA

18/04/2025

There’s a dangerous trend growing in the horsemanship world. The idea that you have to and should “build a relationship” before you start building skill.

That mindset is holding people back. And much worse it’s creating confused and dangerous horses.

Here’s the truth:
You don’t pick between relationship and skill. You build both. At the same time.

If you’re only focused on “bonding,” but you’re not setting clear expectations, clear boundaries, clear understanding your horse has no idea where the boundaries are. This creates uncertainty, inconsistency, and eventually frustrating problems that can get dangerous quickly and could be avoided all together.

And if you’re just drilling skills with no feel, no connection, no trust, no regard for the horse’s needs, good luck getting any try or longevity from your horse.

Horsemanship is about leadership. Leadership is the ability to influence.

And true leadership means showing up consistently with vision, clarity, direction, fairness and serving others.

When you combine partnership and purpose, the results speak for themselves. Horses become more focused, more relaxed, and more willing because they understand what’s being asked and they trust the person asking.

This approach is what I’ve called building a Working Partnership with our horse. In fact it’s how I work with my wife, my kids and everyone else too.

What we do develops the skills.
How we do it develops the partnership.

We develop a Working Partnership by having deep Purpose in what we do, developing our Partnership through how we work with the horse and ultimately bringing out the best Performance (potential) in every horse by intentionally bringing together Purpose & Partnership in our work with our horse.

If you want a better partnership with your horse… Develop better timing. Better communication. Clearer boundaries.
Stop separating the emotional connection from the technical work—they’re not in conflict. They complement each other.

These dangerous trends are built on what makes the human feel good but disregard the true needs of the horse.

True leaders focus on serving others.

To have a deep partnership and reliable skills with our horse- we must focus on serving the horse’s needs on a physical, mental, emotional and spiritual level.

Together We Rise.

-Colton Woods

And if this post resonated with you, I wrote a free ebook called Be A Leader Worth Following that you’d definitely enjoy. If you’d like a copy for free just comment YES and I’ll send it your way.

Here’s to truly serving the horse and being able to look towards what really matters.

31/03/2025

Long Post

Well. . .

I don't even really know how to write this post. So many attempts and thoughts have been started and tossed because it wasn't right.

When I think back over the last 6 years that have been Cadence Dressage, I can't help but feel proud, blessed, and humbled. I didn't imagine year 7 being like this. I am so used to grinding to meet goals, numbers, and my own personal expectations. I am now realizing my only regret is not stopping often enough to really acknowledge how far I had come without the added "but there is still more to do."

My business looks very different from my original plan and yet in so many ways aligns exactly with how I wanted it to look. I set out to create a space where dressage could be enjoyed and appreciated by every client and every horse. I wanted the horse to come first and I wanted clients to feel welcome. I wanted learning and mistakes in the effort to grow to be celebrated.

My barn aisle is a beautiful place. By creating a place of inclusion, I have everything from your typical dressage horse, an Icelandic, arabs, TB, old, and young horses. I have an equally diverse clientel ranging in age and background. I have those that struggle with anxiety and mothers with post partum trauma. I have eventers and hunter jumpers.

In an effort to put the horse first I have meticulously vetted a group of professionals who I feel bring the best to our horses: Sara Perkins, Tacoma Equine, Dr. Julie Page, Maple Leaf Equine Massage, LLC, Marie Ashley, The Equine Bit Fitter, Monica Stanke with Equiscope, Alexa and her cranial sacral... I am sure I am missing some.

I have aligned myself with sponsors I believe in, trust, and feel confident sending clients to Marie, Lesley, Nightfall Bookkeeping and Equi-Spa Horse Care Products.

I can truly say we are a drama free barn that encourages and cheers one another on.

We are a place of learning and growth, students of the horse. We listen to them, and provide them what they need. Training, retirement, lots of ground work, medical care and support. We have had great success with this mindset. It has been a privilege and a joy to watch the fruit of that labor truly thrive overtime. I have a barn full of calm, relaxed, happy horses... what a privilege.

It has been my privilege to coach riders out of training. I didn't realize the blessing that is until now. But most of my students truly teach their own horses. I tell them they shouldn't need me to ride to train, they should need me for the next step. Sure, I help with problem... true problems, but most my student now have such a good feel, intuition, ability to diagnose problems, and utilize their tools they truly don't need me every day.

I love each of the horses. I love each of my clients. I love the journey with each of them. This week has been brutal. This industry can be brutal, and you don't truly understand that till you are a trainer. My clients presented me with the biggest blessing and the most humbling experience that my heart truly needed.

I pulled them all aside and individually informed them that I was moving across the country to FL. Not our choice really, Brent's job did a mass layoff and our family was one of 1300 that took a hit. He did get a job that we are really excited about and the future does look bright, but also sad. Not one of my clients asked who I would suggest moving to, they all seemed to want to continue with me in whatever capacity that looked like. The whole barn...

I went into the week thinking this post was me closing my business and here I am at the end, after a brutal week, gearing up for a full virtual business shift. I am so incredibly blessed and so incredibly appreciative to my clients and their support. I could not have made my business what it is without them. There really aren't words. Just gratitude, deep gratitude for the gift that they are and that they have made for me in being part of my dream.

27/03/2025

✨️Loki✨️ Motivated Owners, priced to sell

Loki is a 17 year old, 17 hand, TB gelding who is looking for his next zip code. He is currently not in a program and is being maintained by a talented JR and doing really well with it. He is a character not for a complete beginner but kindhearted and will take care of his rider. He does have some maintenance, but really enjoys his work. Loki has an extrensive eventing show career going up to prelim. He has most definitely been there, done that. With an absolute love for his job, this horse must go to a home that will ride and work him regularly. He is coursing 2'11" easily and has the scope for a bit higher but may really enjoy settling at a lower height. He is lovely to play with in the dressage ring. Has all the components for first and plays with lots more lateral work. He is a wonderful teacher and an absolute goof. I personally adore teaching his lessons because he truly is the best combo of tricky and rewarding requiring his riders to do it right with the absolute upmost patience. Mid 4s, located in Enumclaw WA. Right home is a priority so price is neg. Motivated sellers as they are currently shopping for the JR move up horse. Please feel free to DM or text for additional info 270-978-1244.

JR in video
https://youtu.be/z2M0D3i3vSs?si=yk9wC6r_ZnpX727v

26/03/2025

It truly is so good for the soul

Raise Her in the Barn

Put your daughter in the barn, where the air smells of hay and hard work, where the lessons are unspoken but will be deeply understood.

Let her find her footing in the dust and dirt,
learning that balance isn’t just for the saddle but for life itself.

Watch as she earns trust from something bigger than herself, as she discovers that patience isn’t passive...it’s the quiet persistence of trying again and again.

Let her feel the weight of responsibility
with every flake of hay she tosses, every bucket she fills, every wound she tends with her tiny gentle hands.

Put your daughter in the barn, where she’ll learn that effort matters more than luck, that showing up every day builds more than muscle...it builds character.

Let her see that respect is earned, not demanded, that failure isn’t final, and that sometimes the best lessons come from falling off and getting back on.

Give her a place where she can be strong and soft, bold and kind, independent yet deeply connected.

Let the barn shape her, and when the world calls her forward, you’ll see a woman who knows who she is, because she was raised in the barn.

Credit to ~
💕 Michelle Knutson
Born in the Barn

23/03/2025

Wonderful day of lessons!! Spent time focusing on some key concepts and breaking them down for each student:

- More push isn't necessary the right answer. Try a more playful ask with more softness in your body. If your tight and stuck and pushing... your horse can't respond to your request.

- Solid equitation breakdown while softening and opening your hip flexor. Aka a torture session, with some of the best work from the horse to date.

- Finally finding the right maintenance/support for one of our more kind willing geldings. Proof seen today in his beautiful soft body, excellent swing in his back, and a better quality stretch.

- Utilizing clear communication and boundary setting to set the horse up for a more responsive and relaxed workout. How to use groundwork to set up success in the ride.

And a surprise visit from an old student who is headed to state in dressage!

Can I ask for a better day?

Sometimes as trainers we have days where we hit wall after wall and feel like we just can't ride or teach... are we actually being effective? Are we actually moving the needle forward? Then you get a day like today, where good work gets done, the needle moves forward, and all those days that felt lacking prove otherwise.

So thankful to all my clients and their ponies for the blessing that is my job ❤️