A Driving Force Sport Horse Development

12/16/2024

I had planned to ride this horse today.

I wanted to ride this horse today.

But when I went to catch him, I knew we would not ride today.

I will also admit, because we are all human & we enjoy dancing with our equine friends — I was sad to not ride this horse today.

Sure, a lot of people would have.

I historically would have.

It probably would have been fine if I did.

He’s a good boy. But I don’t work to create “just a good boy” (or girl) horses.

& he needed something else I could — am grateful & blessed that I could — give him.

Which was support to meet his own body where it is at today through other modalities.

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I develop horses who will tell me they need something.

I develop horses who know they will be seen, heard.

I develop horses who are thoughtful. About me, themselves, & their surroundings.

I develop horses who are willing partners because they know it is a two-way street to share time, space, & energy together.

I learn to read their subtle nuanced sentences of body language so I can best guide them as they develop.

I blend postural support, functional movement, sport horse training skills & natural horsemanship training skills, an evolving understanding of equine behavior as communication, helping them self-regulate their nervous system, to become confident in themselves in more than one way, on multiple levels.

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It is so common for us humans to struggle to ask for help when we need it, but I don’t want the horses I work with to feel like they can’t ask for help.

After all, a comfortable, confident, curious, thoughtful, seen & heard horse is safer than one in pain or fear any day.

Whether you’re sharing a bodywork day, dancing on the ground together, or flying on their backs. 🫶

12/11/2024

✨A Driving Force Sport Horse Development Services✨

❤️‍🔥 Meghan, a relationship-focused sport horse trainer & instructor, blends her passion for developing sport horses with an evolving expertise in behavior, nervous system regulation, & biotensegrity. She is passionate about helping misunderstood horses thrive, educating young horses, guiding humans to better understand their own horses & communicate effectively with them, & meeting each horse where they’re at each day. She offers full-time training, part-time training, lessons, & clinics.

🌟TRAINING🌟
-Full-time Package: on-site, full-care, rough or stall board, (5-6 d/wk sessions)
-Part-time Package: on-site offered to boarders in rough or stall board, who will also be working their horse & in lessons with Meghan (3d/wk sessions)
-Synergy Training Package: offered to clients in lessons or part-time training to get supplemental hands-on postural work & functional movement support (4 sessions/package to be used within an 8 week period or less)
-Partial Tune-Up Package: for current clients only who want continued training while they are out of town or busy with work (3 sessions/package to be used within a 2 week period or less)

🌟LESSONS🌟 (haul-ins or I travel* in surrounding Madison, WI area)
-Month-to-Month Package: Must take 4 lessons within 1 month, same time/day of week for the month reserved
-As-We-Go Package: Can schedule 4 lessons as we go, fit you in when I/you can for lessons. Must be used within a 2 month period after purchase.
-Single Lesson: 1 lesson purchased & taken, fit in when my schedule allows
-Video Review Consultations: Send in video footage, schedule a Zoom call to review it & game plan together

*mileage fee may apply to off-site clients

🌟CLINICS & EDUCATIONAL EVENTS🌟
-Half-Day or Full-Day
-One or two day options
-Foundation Clinic Required As First Clinic: learn more about how to blend natural horsemanship with biomechanics, nervous system regulation & prioritizing the mental, physical, & emotional components of developing your horse, deepen your connection, understanding & find your partnership evolve while pursuing your sport horse goals

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Check out Indigo Trails Farm
Shop Free Ride Equestrian gear & use discount code meghan10 at shopfre.com/meghan10
Shop Bemer Products at http://caitlyn-bean.bemergroup.com & click “buy now” in top right corner, select the items you want to buy from the equine line

12/10/2024

: Keep Training Varied & Seasonally Adaptable

This week, I had a simple ba****ck ride with Indy that served as a great reminder about adapting our training plans—especially during winter. 🐴❄️

Riding ba****ck in Wisconsin's chilly weather was not only a chance to reconnect but also a break from the usual routine.

Indy thrives on variety. While postural work & functional movement are crucial for her physical development, they alone can make her become less engaged in her own training.

Over the past few days, we mixed things up:
• Liberty Work: Introduced a new movement to engage her mind in trying to solve the puzzle.
• In-Hand Physical Development Work: Focused on posture & bit release exercises that she needs to regain conditioning to return to all the things she loves.
• Ba****ck Ride: Today’s ride was simple—walking together without hyper-focusing on small details, fostering connection & enjoyment for both of us.

Winter changes a lot—our bodies feel stiffer, from the frozen, lumpy ground & the cold temps, our energy shifts, our bodies work to keep us warm.

Some feel better in the cold & some feel better when it’s warmer. But the point is that they feel different in their bodies & this can be expressed behaviorally (undesired behaviors increasing), mentally losing engagement, physically struggling, increased tension, etc.

It’s important to acknowledge that progress might look different during these colder months & vary among different horses. Having grace in slowing down when it is needed allows us to continue to meet each individual where they’re at, each day.

Rest is also part of making progress though so often we forget that — as humans for ourselves & then for our horses, too.

Every horse (& season) requires something unique. Adapting to their needs & energy daily helps keep training purposeful & engaging. Embrace the ebb & flow of training—it’s all part of the journey.

How do you adapt your winter training routine? 🥶

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Check out Indigo Trails Farm
Shop Free Ride Equestrian gear & use discount code meghan10 at shopfre.com/meghan10
Shop Bemer Products at http://caitlyn-bean.bemergroup.com & click “buy now” in top right corner, select the items you want to buy from the equine line

****ckConnection

12/10/2024

I want to look into getting apparel in the new year with the new logo. Any suggestions near Madison, WI? Ideally they will have some clothing that can be ordered through them but also is open to bringing in pieces if I want a saddle pad embroidered or a jacket, etc. Thanks! 🌟

12/08/2024

So grateful to share not only the arena with Caitlyn Bean Dressage but also to have another trainer to be another set of eyes, another person to hop on, & to have an amazing work-wife who I can count on to also be showing up each day for the horses we have in our barn! 💞

Thanks for hopping on this pony today! So fun to get to see him go! 🤩

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Check out Indigo Trails Farm
Shop Free Ride Equestrian gear & use discount code meghan10 at shopfre.com/meghan10
Shop Bemer Products at http://caitlyn-bean.bemergroup.com & click “buy now” in top right corner, select the items you want to buy from the equine line

12/08/2024

12/06/2024

🌟 Two huge lesson client wins this week to celebrate! 🌟

🫶 Monica has made tremendous strides with her previously hard-to-catch mule. She is now not only catching her, but her mule is willingly coming up, asking to engage with her. This is a testament to the trust & communication they have developed together through their dedicated work meeting her mule where she is at, each day along the way.

🫶 Carrie & Evie have been diligently working with their young draft cross gelding to educate him not only on how to be a family riding horse but also focusing on his physical development. They have been teaching him how to use his body in ways that will allow him to stay sound & happily capable to be their riding companion for many, many years to come. We are already seeing them reap the benefits of their hard work — he is much stronger up front & straighter through his body.

Good work to all of you! So impressed with your commitment to your equine partners! Can’t wait to witness your continued success. 🥰

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Check out Indigo Trails Farm
Shop Free Ride Equestrian gear & use discount code meghan10 at shopfre.com/meghan10
Shop Bemer Products at http://caitlyn-bean.bemergroup.com & click “buy now” in top right corner, select the items you want to buy from the equine line

12/04/2024

This pony heads home soon & I’ve been working hard to prepare him for his future. ✨

Today, I set up the first little fence for us after all his time with me. We sure had fun playing together today, reintroducing jumping after all the hours of training & boy did I miss having one to hop over sticks with!

It’s a good moment for a conversation about the balance or dance (Caitlyn gets the credit for calling it a dance, thank you for putting it that way!) of training horses — that not everything has to be perfect to be the right step or choice.

This gelding has been one that’s been putting in the work, like a champ, for awhile now — in hand & in his flatwork under-saddle. He wasn’t ready, physically, for this kind of game when he came to me nor was he a month ago, because he needed to rethink his body without a human’s on his back, then with a human’s on his back on the flat, then he needed to get fit enough on the flat before even thinking about balancing his body & a human’s over a jump.

So grateful he was gifted the time to do all of that for his body & longevity. 🫶

But he’s a playful dude who wants engagement with humans & likes to find a game to play. I think it’s why he seems to enjoy the jumping sticks game. 😉

He is a pony who will find ways to do this if the humans don’t give him a game they want to play with him. Some horses just check out & it is more challenging to find a way to reignite the spark. Either way, finding ways to teeter totter between the work they need & the play they need is an ongoing effort on our part as their trainer.

Today wasn’t perfect, but we had fun taking our eye off of all the nitty gritty postural, functional movement, rewiring the bit contact conversation, & put it to the test with a bigger picture question that now also helps show us where to revisit when we do the in-hand work or flatwork.

The things he showed me he still needs more work on don’t surprise me but I am also super proud of how far he has come & that he seems ready for a sprinkling in of jumping to his program again.

Excited about this guy & grateful I was trusted with part of his training. 🧡

12/02/2024

My heart is so full after this weekend.

So many beautiful people gathering together at Indigo Trails Farm to learn from Katherine Lowry with us, all on a journey to improve the lives of personal & client horses alike.

It was so fun, inspiring, energizing, & heartwarming bringing community together, lesson clients, training clients, mentors, friends, new connections, all together with love & open-mindedness, to better themselves for the horses in their lives.

Katherine, thank you for traveling, sharing your time, & your energy, your gifts of knowledge, feel, & guiding us to see what you see in a horse’s body & how to help them while honoring why they have chosen to utilize their body in the ways they have. You teach in a way that makes such a profound impact on everyone who attends while ensuring everyone feels safe, welcome, to ask questions & grow. I look forward to continuing to learn from you & to continue to weave this into my training, lesson, & clinic program.

Thank you to everyone who made this possible — Rhawnie for getting up early with me both days to do chores & helping run the event before, during, & after it — you are an absolute rockstar & I can’t thank you enough for everything you did. Caitlyn for being a fabulous work-wife who coordinated the event & for being my daily work-wife who is always ready to support & bounce ideas off of for the sake of horses in either of our programs — this is such a unique relationship in this industry & I can’t imagine doing this without you. Our farm owner who let us use the beautiful facility we have to host everyone this weekend & who worked hard to ensure details were all in order.

Thank you to the participants & auditors. Thank you for bundling up & joining us. Thank you for being part of this movement. Thank you for being vulnerable to better the lives of horses. Thank you for showing up & advocating for the horse. Thank you for being willing to hold space & enter these conversations. I know it isn’t always easy but as you know, it is so worth it.

Every one of us there have had our own lens of life experiences that led us to ask questions, seek a way to interact with these incredible animals that felt in alignment, that led us to connect & grow together this weekend, supporting each other on our journeys to be & do better for our equine partners. What an experience to be brought together to share this time, in a safe place, to ask questions & inspire each other.

It is such a gift I have received through my dedication to the horse to end up with a tribe of people who values the horse’s health — mental, emotional, & physical — as much as I do.

It is such a gift that the universe led me to be a part of this journey & to have met every single one of you that was a part of this weekend. 🫶

12/02/2024

Lots of parts to the conversation to consider, for the sake of our beautiful horses 🫶

Conformation, saddle fit, rider body weight, and training practices can all influence your horse's topline.

11/30/2024

✨ So beyond proud to watch Grace flourish stepping into a new role with Rhawnie in an equine-assisted learning session! ✨

Previously, Grace had a hard time trusting humans, was easily overwhelmed, sensitive & while I found beauty in the opportunity of meeting her where she’s at, it did not exactly mean she was a well-rounded candidate for this type of session at first.

Over the last year, i have worked to help her flow forward from her past traumas, build new confidence, instill thoughtfulness, & develop a braver, more resilient mindset & emotional fitness.

I still have dressage dreams for her but this is a fabulous weekend gig & I am so proud of her growth 🥹❤️

Thanks, Rhawnie, for giving her a bigger purpose 🫶

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Check out Indigo Trails Farm
Shop Free Ride Equestrian gear & use discount code meghan10 at shopfre.com/meghan10
Shop Bemer Products at http://caitlyn-bean.bemergroup.com & click “buy now” in top right corner, select the items you want to buy from the equine line

11/28/2024

🦃 Happy Thanksgiving! 🦃

I am so grateful to everyone who has been a part of A Driving Force Sport Horse Development this year. ✨

Whether you are a student of mine, a teacher, mentor or role model of mine, a lesson client, a training client, a member of our farm team, a follower, a clinic participant, an equine professional I am honored to collaborate with, or someone who reached out to see if I am the right fit — thank you. From the bottom of my heart. 🫶

This industry is a tough one to “make it” in. I work long hours & juggle multiple jobs to pursue my passion. Seeing two- & four-legged students benefit from my continued education makes it all worth it. Your trust makes this possible, & I am deeply thankful. 🤗

I am very excited to continue to develop sport horses, in mind & body. To help horses be understood, & their humans communicate with them. To help more humans deepen their partnership on their journey towards their goals. To understand the equine body better & how the human one interacts with it when riding, to improve the comfort & longevity of our equine partners. In 2025. 🌟

From the bottom of my heart, thank you all. Enjoy your Turkey day! 🫶

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Check out Indigo Trails Farm
Shop Free Ride Equestrian gear & use discount code meghan10 at shopfre.com/meghan10
Shop Bemer Products at http://caitlyn-bean.bemergroup.com & click “buy now” in top right corner, select the items you want to buy from the equine line

11/26/2024

🌟 Katherine Lowry is at Indigo Trails Farm THIS weekend! 🌟

Caitlyn Bean Dressage & I are so excited for this opportunity! 🫶

🔗 You can still sign up to audit the clinic here: https://forms.gle/hVQc8NnrEJNwiMjA8

✨ Whether you’re a seasoned rider, trainer, or someone passionate about equine comfort & athletic longevity, this clinic is for you! This is a fantastic opportunity to learn new techniques in equine biomechanics & rider movement from a fresh perspective.

✨ It’ll be a fun-filled, educational weekend for sure. I can’t express how impactful this is for the horses I have been working with in training & lessons & I know it will be for you & yours as well.

📅 Date: November 30th - December 1st
📍 Location: Indigo Trails Farm, Verona, WI

11/24/2024

Sunday snuggles with this sweet pony in my training program 🧡

Love the opportunity to spend undemanding time together & celebrate the trust & connection in the relationship we’ve developed together.

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Check out Indigo Trails Farm
Shop Free Ride Equestrian gear & use discount code meghan10 at shopfre.com/meghan10
Shop Bemer Products at http://caitlyn-bean.bemergroup.com & click “buy now” in top right corner, select the items you want to buy from the equine line