Gateway Stables and Riding Academy

25/07/2024

HAY!! HAULERS!! We need a ride for a well-mannered pony, please, from St. Louis area to Panama City Beach, FL. SOON!!

10/07/2024

Mission accomplished this year--my barn has hardly any flies! You really have to look for them...YAY!!

29/06/2024

09/04/2024

Mountain View AR 4/8/2024

22/02/2024

Those who know me also know this is a rough date for me. But, today was a really, really good day! I'm doing and feeling way better than ok--mind, body, soul and even my broken heart.

Thanks for the love given me through the years, it's what gets us all through the hardest of times.

Lindsey, Adam and Riley, we will love and miss forever. 15 years still seems like yesterday. We all lost so much when we lost them.

As always, please don't drink and drive.

Peace, my friends. At last. 💜

19/06/2023

Good info!!

18/06/2023

Classic Popeye was a horse lover!!

16/06/2023

Yep...💜

18/05/2023

Poetry...we've got class! 😉

This beautiful poem by Paul Mellon is perfect

THOROUGHBREDS
An original poem by Paul Mellon
The day my final race is run
And, win or lose, the sinking sun
Tells me it's time to quit the track
And gracefully hang up my tack,
I'll thank the Lord the life I've led
Was always near a Thoroughbred.

I've had my share of falls and knocks
Pursuing the elusive fox.
I've heard the stirring cry of hounds
From Melton to the Sussex Downs.
Each spring I ride a hundred miles
(My tail bright red, my face all smiles).

And I have seen the thrilling pace
Of many a cutthroat steeplechase
And watched with breath and mind
suspended
until a classic race has ended.
For those high days can end in pain,
Or in a bottle of champagne.

So if the downward course is steep
Where smoke and flames and devils leap
I'll hope I'm on a hellish steed
Running his heart out with no need
For voice or spurs or flailing whip
To guarantee he gets the trip.

But if about the sixteenth pole
God should have mercy on my soul,
I hope He'll raise me to the clouds
Above the grandstand and the crowds
And there I'll take my ease, and wait
Behind the pearly starting gate.

And long before I break God's bread
Or buy a halo for my head
Or sink into a starry bed
Or say the prayers I should have said
Before the donuts, rolls, or coffees,
I'll find the secretary's office.

In my first interview, of course,
I'll ask St. Peter for a horse.
He'll lead me down the heavenly sheds
Past miles and miles of Thoroughbreds
And say,"Since you've escaped Old Nick ...
They're on the house; just take your pick".

So when old Gabriel's golden horn
Echoes from cloud to cloud each morn
And "It is post time" rings out clear
I will be ready with my gear;
My horse and I will not be late
(Though I'll be slightly overweight).

Then free from every mortal sin
(Including Butazolidin!)
We'll gallop through celestial fields
Where neither mist nor mud conceals
The graceful movements of the horse,
The wide and green and endless course.

Though some may think and I'll agree
That only God can make a tree,
Before God thought of trees, it's said,
His mind was on the Thoroughbred.

15/05/2023

Knowing what is normal when it comes to your horse is so important. If you know what is normal, you’ll be able to tell when something is wrong much quicker.

28/04/2023

Truth!! We love our addictions!! 💜

20/04/2023

The extensive blood supply beneath a horse's hoof wall.

You are invited to Nature Lovers Club 👉👉 Facebook.com/natureloversclubcom

You are invited to NLC Group 👉👉 Facebook.com/groups/natureloversclubcom

Welcome To Lovers Club

04/04/2023

Good to know...

02/03/2023

God bless the lesson beasties 💜

Thank your lesson horse

In this industry, we all too often see the average lesson horse viewed as lesser than or below other horses. Yet, they have the hardest job of any horse.

They do not complain when an unbalanced first time rider mounts for their lesson. They are a calming force for the most timid of riders, promising safety and security. They are patient and kind, allowing riders to grow and evolve in a safe space without fear of making mistakes.

They take the brunt of your “bad day” emotions, without complaint, even though the negative emotions should not be taken out on them in the first place. They would have every right to not perform or act out, yet they are gracious enough to be a shoulder to cry on.

They have the remarkable ability to sense your insecurities and needs, and provide you with the exact ride you need for the day. To teach the lessons you need in that moment, lessons you didn’t even know you needed to learn.

Even on the frustrating days, “when the lesson horse isn’t listening,” they don’t take your accusations to heart. They continue on with their masterful plans to instill humility, critical thinking, and grace in their partner - and you will finally understand that they’re always listening, and they’re always right.

And when you finally graduate to your own fancier horse, take a moment to think of all the lesson horses who brought you to this milestone. They gave you the knowledge, ability, and skill to be where you are right now. And they gave you their heart and soul in the process.

So next time you see a lesson horse, thank them. Give them a pat and a peppermint, a warm hug, and a promise to treat them with respect - for they are the backbone of this industry, and the foundation for all future equestrians.

13/02/2023

Bad ponies....💜

12/02/2023

04/02/2023

Judge's notes...🤣

"No-point position"!!! 🤣🤣🤣 This is awesome!

31/01/2023

Lol...

22/01/2023

Here's a little mare who loves her job, and her rider 💜

30/12/2022

Da Vinci...the horse is art. And so is good horsemanship!

16/12/2022

Fun!!

07/12/2022

Some interesting stuff!!

The American movie industry has a lot to thank horses for. After all, where would screen heroes like John Wayne or Clint Eastwood be without a trusty steed to get them from A to B? And many of cinema’s most recognizable equine heroes have fascinating stories of their own. We’re saddling up to in...

10/11/2022

Informative stuff!!!

25/09/2022

I need to polish my clipping skills!!

19/08/2022

Horses have superpowers...

Horses really do have these special powers!🥰

22/07/2022

What's a good stay cool in a hot week project??
Power-wash the barns!!
Yee-Haw!!

16/06/2022

Plus predators and other traps, minimum of chemicals....How are the the flies, and the abatement efforts, at your barn?

14/06/2022

HEAT STRESS ALERT! Ride with extreme caution over the next few days as the Heat Stress Index will be well above the 180 mark. According to the American Association of Equine Practitioners, even 17 minutes of light exercise in this extreme heat can raise a horse's internal temperature to dangerous levels. It may be a great week to do all those barn chores you've been putting off.