LTK Horsemanship Center

09/01/2024

It's September!!! Here's hoping for some cooler weather 🤞

08/27/2024

We just need to survive this (hopefully last) week of summer heat 🥵

08/12/2024

Things Your Horse Might Teach You:

1. When in doubt, run far, far away.
2. You can never have too many treats.
3. Passing gas in public is nothing to be ashamed of.
4. New shoes are an absolute necessity every 6 weeks.
5. Ignore cues. They're just a prompt to do more work.
6. Everyone loves a good, wet, slobbery kiss.
7. Never run when you can jog. Never jog when you can walk. And never walk when you can stand still.
8. Heaven is eating for at least 10 hours a day... and then sleeping the rest.
9 . Eat plenty of roughage.
10. Great legs and a nice rear will get you anywhere. Big, brown eyes help too.
11. When you want your way, stomp hard on the nearest foot.
12. In times of crisis, take a p**p.
13. Act dumb when faced with a task you don't want to do.
14. Follow the herd. That way, you can't be singled out to take the blame.
15. A swift kick in the butt will get anyone's attention.
16. Love those who love you back, especially if they have something good to eat.

08/11/2024

💯 %

08/08/2024

Equestrian Trivia Night - Thursday, August 15th, from 5-7pm!

Join us for a night of fun, food and prizes while answering equestrian trivia questions. Bring a team or come yourself. Light refreshments will be served. All ages are welcome. Plus, all attendees will receive a $20 Dover Saddlery Gift Card!

Get Directions: https://rb.gy/huc7wv

08/08/2024

With the arrival of Debby, all lessons today (Thursday 8/8) are canceled. Stay safe out there everyone!

08/01/2024

Happy August!!! 😊

07/27/2024

Who else has been watching the Olympics? 🤗😍🐎

07/04/2024

Congratulations, Kinsley! Another rainbow graduate this summer 🌈 ➡️ ❤️

07/01/2024

Happy July 🎆

06/24/2024

🔥🥵🔥

06/16/2024

Happy Father's Day

06/15/2024

Circles on circles on circles!

Why do we work on circles? They help you develop the horse evenly from back to front and they help build the bridge that carries the weight of the saddle and the rider. When riding accurately, they enable the horse to lift the sling which is the apparatus that suspends the trunk to the shoulders and is responsible for lifting the withers to bring the horse off of the forehand. This is crucial for topline development, balance and communication with the horse. (This can not be achieved using a leverage bit).

It can be boring to some but necessary for the long-term health of your horse.

If you would like help working on this, please contact me for a clinic near you or to set up a virtual lesson.

“What’s in it for the horse?”
Carl Bledsoe Horsemanship
770-403-4635
[email protected]

06/08/2024

Did you know, my students who attend unmounted lessons (whether learning about horse care or training through ground work) have more confidence, a better understanding of horse behavior, and progress quicker? This is a partnership, and we must learn to be the best teammates possible!

Why do we use the HorseSense Learning Levels, and why is it so important to us?

Riding is probably 10% of what it means to be an "Equestrian" (I type as I just finished wrapping Cash's hoof for an abscess...) 😵‍💫

Horses are willing to do almost anything we ask of them under saddle. Are you willing to learn the skills to keep them safe, happy, and comfortable?

Unmounted education is a non negotiable at our farm. If you have aspirations to jump, or barrel race, or even just trail ride, we expect you to be able to gauge your horse's physical, mental and emotional health. This is a team sport. Which means you have to be mindful of your 4- legged teammate.

Every objective you check off, and every ribbon you earn, you are one step closer to having the tools to really CARE for your equine friend. The more knowledge and confidence in the skills you learn directly effect your horse's everyday life. At the end of the day, this is stuff that truly matters! 🐴💕

Check out the full curriculum at: https://horsesenselearninglevels.com/resource/list-curriculum/full-curriculum/

06/07/2024

Congrats to Kaydence for moving up and always working hard! This week, she passed rainbow level horsemanship and is now a Red level rider 🌈 ➡️ ❤

06/07/2024

Congrats to Shelby for moving up and always working hard! This week, she passed rainbow level horsemanship and is now a Red level rider 🌈 ➡️ ❤

06/07/2024

Lots of fun, progression, learning, and giggles during our week in camp!!!

06/06/2024

06/05/2024

Don't ruin excellence in the pursuit of perfection.

06/03/2024

Congratulations, Aria!!! She has just graduated rainbow level 🌈 ➡️ ❤️

06/01/2024

Can you believe it's June? 🌞

05/30/2024

Good morning ! I have had a few people ask how they can help Latte through her injury. At this time, her vet bill has been paid, but additional costs come in the form of bedding and extra feed. For those wanting to donate, here is what would help the most: bags of shavings, tractor supply cards, or funds through any payment app (info is in the comments). Thank you, everyone, for your concern and healing wishes for her!

05/17/2024

🥰

05/15/2024

READ THIS ⬇️

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!

05/14/2024

Happy 18th birthday to Minnie Fancywood (aka Latte)! I love this girl so much, and she certainly fits the title "gentle giant" 💗 I feel very blessed to share my birthday with you, sweet girl 🥰

05/12/2024

Happy Mother's day 🌺

05/05/2024

That was a LOT of rain in 24 hours (1.63 was within 1 hour)!!!