Enlightened Horsemanship

20/11/2025

Gentle training works, and these are just a few reasons why. From what I see as an equine professional out there in the crazy horse world, most people either don’t know that gentle training is an option, or they have been gaslit into believing it simply doesn’t get the job done - doesn’t keep you safe, doesn’t produce results, doesn’t make sense for the horse. Fun fact - it’s all BS. Every training approach has its various benefits and drawbacks. I’ll continue to choose the one that has horses feeling safe, understood, and capable in relationship with safe, understanding, and capable people.

14/11/2025

There’s no One Way to train a horse.

There are countless ways and methods and philosophies, and countless more “experts” who will tell you what you need to do and how you need to do it and why you’re doing it wrong. They’ll for sure tell you what the horse needs to be doing.

But none of those “experts”, in my experience, even know what your goal is, and how you’re going about, and where you are in the process.

They definitely don’t know your values and how you uphold them.

If I have to, I can pause and smile and then go about my way when these Experts share their unrequested input.

What I’d really like to do, most of the time, is clearly and directly say - I didn’t ask you. Neither did the horse. Be on your way.

I’m going to keep doing what best upholds my values and honors the process and above all else, prioritizes the horse, his needs, his experience.

I share this for anyone else who can feel weighed down by the irrelevant input of others.

You do you.

If you’re like me, we’ll continue to let the horse be our guide, our barometer, our muse.

Aren’t they the whole point anyway?

09/11/2025

When riding isn’t the be all and end all. When we prioritize how we both think and feel, our shared physical and relational experiences, rather than our outcome or acquisition of vanity skills. Even when we only have snippets of dedicated time that are nonetheless hard-won, fiercely protected, and as intentional as they are organically unfolded. I desire more - more time, mostly. And yet, these moments are everything. Perhaps even enough.

01/11/2025

What if
We gave our horses the benefit of the doubt?

What if we trusted
That given the proper environment
and preparation
And consideration for their experience
And autonomy in their own body

Our horse just might
Accept
Even agree to
The hard things we think can only be done against their will?

Imagine if
Our horses knew in their body
In their heart
As proven through countless interactions
That we could be trusted
Even when we asked them to do the seemingly hard thing?

Maybe it wouldn’t be so hard after all?

30/10/2025

“There is no honor in chasing a flight animal trapped in a pen. The more delicate skill is creating a safe environment to allow for curiosity to emerge, to allow a space for connection to happen. This is where the magic is, and this produces true reward; A horse that wants to be near you. There is no greater compliment.”

For a horse, it’s “when in doubt, run”. There is no honor in chasing a flight animal trapped in a pen. The more delicate skill is creating a safe environment to allow for curiosity to emerge, to allow a space for connection to happen. This is where the magic is, and this produces true reward; A horse that wants to be near you. There is no greater compliment.

29/10/2025

What’s the most exciting thing you’ve found in a jacket pocket?

25/10/2025

Well. That was a doozy. People/pets/ponies/property (mostly) unscathed, but this turned into a weekend of massive clean up and fence repair. 🤞🏼 tonight’s line of storms are less ferocious and power is back on soon.