R8 Performance Horses

09/27/2024

Today is a day of high emotions. The realtors that I chose to work with listed or "went live" at what I have always said was my dream come true. My physical health has had some unexpected things to say about how a dream comes true and then how you keep that dream alive. R8 Performance Horses is strong and based on sure will power, but needs to downsize to be able to meet some physical health setbacks. I am as strong willed as ever and still as good as ever. Just not as good as I once was... I am posting the link. Comments won't be allowed as this is not goodbye or failure or that sucks post. It is I am passionate about horses,horsemanship and I absolutely love to ride, train and share my knowledge through my lessons and clinics. So to continue to live my life with the gift that God gave me. We pull up the big girl panties and downsize.

https://arrowheadlandcompany.com/property/turn-key-commercial-horse-arena-boarding-training-facility-knox-ohio/65381/

08/20/2024

10 days away from 90 days on this super nice 5yr gelding who goes by the name of Ripp. This fella is going to be an all around horse extraordinaire. He really is one of the good ones.

I don't own the rights to the music.
Long live cowboys and Chris Ledoux.

Send a message to learn more

06/06/2024

Stay humble. Do the work. It will be hard but worth it...

Things your riding instructor wants you to know:
1. This sport is hard. You don't get to bypass the hard…..every good rider has gone through it. You make progress, then you don't, and then you make progress again. Your riding instructor can coach you through it, but they cannot make it easy.

2. You're going to ride horses you don't want to ride. If you're teachable, you will learn from every horse you ride. Each horse in the barn can teach you if you let them. IF YOU LET THEM. Which leads me to…

3. You MUST be teachable to succeed in this sport. You must be teachable to succeed at anything, but that is another conversation. Being teachable often means going back to basics time and time and time again. If you find basics boring, then your not looking at them as an opportunity to learn. Which brings me to…..

4. This sport is a COMMITMENT. Read that, then read it again. Every sport is a commitment, but in this sport your teammate weighs 1200 lbs and speaks a different language. Good riders don't get good by riding every once in awhile….they improve because they make riding a priority and give themsevles opportunity to practice.

5. EVERY RIDE IS AN OPPORTUNITY. Even the walk ones. Even the hard ones. Every. Single. Ride. Remember when you just wished someone would lead you around on a horse? Find the happiness in just being able to RIDE. If you make every ride about what your AREN'T doing, you take the fun out of the experience for yourself, your horse, and your instructor. Just enjoy the process. Which brings me to...

6. Riding should be fun. It is work. and work isn't always fun.....but if you (or your rider) are consistently choosing other activities or find yourself not looking forward to lessons, it's time to take a break. The horses already know you don't want to be here, and you set yourself up for failure if you are already dreading the lesson before you get here.

7. You'll learn more about horses from the ground than you ever will while riding. That's why ground lessons are important, too. If you're skipping ground lessons (or the part of your lesson that takes place on the ground), you're missing out on the most important parts of the lesson. You spend far more time on the ground with horses than you do in the saddle.

8. Ask questions and communicate. If you're wondering why your coach is having you ride a particular horse or do an exercise, ask them. Then listen to their answer and refer to #3 above.

9. We are human beings. We make decisions (some of them life and death ones) every day. We balance learning for students with workloads for horses and carry the bulk of this business on our shoulders. A little courtesy goes a long way.

Of all the sports your child will try through their school years, riding is one of 3 that they may continue regularly as adults (golf and skiing are the others). People who coach riding spend the better part of their free time and much of their disposable income trying to improve their own riding and caring for the horses who help teach your child. They love this sport and teaching others…..but they all have their limits. Not all good riders are good coaches, but all good coaches will tell you that the process to get good is not an easy one.

*thank you to whoever wrote this! Not my words, but certainly a shared sentiment!

05/01/2024

Motivational Wednesday.
Goals and dreams tell yourself you are good enough to reach them.
Now again whisper to yourself I AM GOOD ENOUGH.....

02/27/2024

I stole this from Kayla Kaminski-White. Sorry Kayla it wouldn't let me share it.. This is 100% let's get out of our own heads. Quit being so hard on ourselves. If you don't believe in yourself nobody else will either. Start showing them who you are!!💪🔥🔥🔥🫵🫵

02/18/2024

I wrote this and those who have been able to have a lesson or ride with me, they know this to be true.

01/31/2024

It takes a team to make your goals a reality. Let me help you achieve those goals and create new ones.

01/19/2024

We all will have survived the cold after this weekend. It's a new year and everyone is itching to get back into riding and roping. I have cattle available for roping practice and lessons or If you need a tune up lesson on your barrel and pole horses. I also have a few stalls open that I can fill with training horses so if your horse is in need of a tune up or just some buttons added. I can sure help with that.

01/11/2024

This hits home. This will hit home for my students as well. The small details matter..

(𝑩𝒐𝒓𝒓𝒐𝒘𝒆𝒅 𝒇𝒓𝒐𝒎 𝒂 𝒇𝒓𝒊𝒆𝒏𝒅)

- When my instructor repeats to me: ′′Straighten your shoulders and open your chest!” He’s not just teaching me how to stand up. He's teaching me that in life we should always walk straight and face problems head on.

- When my instructor asks me to lower my legs and keep them close to the horse, he teaches me that in life we do not allow distractions and that little is enough to deviate from his path.

- When my instructor tells me "Too much hand, don't hang on to the reins! "He teaches me to give and not to take, with the greatest respect of others.

- When he yells and repeats endlessly: "Look forward in the direction you want to go!” He teaches me the importance of setting goals and never losing sight of them to achieve them.

- When I ask to move up or do more and my instructor says I'm not ready, he teaches me that in life you must always respect your rhythm and never skip the steps.

- When I fall and get back up, I learn that there are always setbacks, times when we back up, but the important thing is to get up more determined than before.

- If I hold my breath during a ride and he jokingly tells me "breathe! You are purple!” I understand that you have to let your emotions flow in order to get rid of them.

- When at the end of the course I am happy with the work done and my instructor says to me′ ′Well done, thank your teacher′′ I know he is not referring to himself but to my horse.

- Now you, you who are watching a rider pass in the saddle, keep saying that riding is not a sport because it is the horse that does everything. I agree. Horse riding is not a sport. It is a life lesson.

11/11/2023

Just for Today ... Take those 'Baby Steps'. 🙏

11/11/2023

What skill are you learning with your horse?

11/09/2023

I am looking into bringing Total Team Roping back here to Ohio for Team roping and Breakaway clinics so stay tuned to my Facebook and my page R8 Performance Horses for future clinics.

10/06/2023

There are 2 spots remaining in this clinic.

Looking at another intro to cattle sorting clinic October 28th 11:00 - 2:00. If interested please message me. There will only be 4 spots available $125.00 with a $50.00 deposit to hold your spot. If you have already completed a clinic and would like to further your knowledge and skills. I do have lesson spots available. Lesson spots will fill quickly so please message me if you are interested so we can get you a date and time slot.

10/02/2023

October and November are filling up quickly with lessons. If you're interested in lessons please message me so I can get your date and time slot reserved.

Lessons available. The winter series rodeo's will be here before you know it. Let's sharpen your skills to get you into the winner's circle.....

10/02/2023

Looking at another intro to cattle sorting clinic October 28th 11:00 - 2:00. If interested please message me. There will only be 4 spots available $125.00 with a $50.00 deposit to hold your spot. If you have already completed a clinic and would like to further your knowledge and skills. I do have lesson spots available. Lesson spots will fill quickly so please message me if you are interested so we can get you a date and time slot.

09/13/2023

The BEMER has been a great tool to keeping my horses feeling their best. The neck piece has been a great time saver.