This site was developed with the amateur rider in mind. I bred sporthorses for over a decade, loving each and every minute of it. With the help of friends and other equine professionals I learned the importance of confidence in my young horses.

We have a deep appreciation for the pony and smaller horse. They tend to be hardy, intelligent and talented. Our group of family and friends do more than just ride, we aspire to study true horsemanship, and this means we are dedicated to all aspects of the equine. When looking for a prospect we take into consideration many features of the horse. They have to be sound; we want a partner that will have longevity. Our second consideration is mind. Because we have such a rigorous program and want our horses to enjoy their jobs, we need an excellent work ethic. Willing and trainable, that is paramount to our program. One of the interesting things we have found after years of riding and showing is that although pretty is nice, you can find beauty in any horse.

In order to enjoy even the simple pleasures of horse ownership the kids needed to be able to stand. Brushing, clipping and tacking up are so much easier with a proper foundation. My good friend and barn owner Jenny taught me the importance of liberty work. I wanted my horses to come to me. I wanted to be able to move any body part with a simple hand gesture. Her dedication to natural horsemanship was a great influence.  I learned the importance of a verbal command. Leadership became the foundation of my program and the horses thrived. They enjoyed our time on the ground and became responsive instead of reactive.

I cherish every aspect of horse ownership, from simply standing and having a muzzle rest on my shoulder to taking off a bridle and launching over a jump. I am an addict.  When bringing in a new horse I look primarily at mind, I ride more than the average person and am a big believer in lateral work. I want a horse that is willing and supple. I put my horses in as many situations as I can. I want them confident. This area is loaded with trails for riding, ponds, and local arenas. I am blessed with friends who are also riders and we spend endless hours on the trail.

Ground work

Some of the basics we do are not necessarily text book. Our training and ground work has three phases. We do work on line; the horses need to know how to lunge, in preparation for in hand showing. Above all we are riders; each game we play with our horses has the end goal of making a safer mount. The second phase is the most fun. Liberty work (no halter or lead) is rewarding for all. We ask our horses to come to when we call and tap our body.

Then we ask them to stay with us, turn on the haunches and forehand means we have control of the body parts of our horse.

We do not feed treats to our horses, they are natural followers, as soon as you establish leadership they are happy to trust and submit. This leadership will transfer to under saddle work; they listen to your voice and wait for a request from your body. Obstacles and introduction to "scary" things is also a way to expand your level of trust.

Liberty work with tarps, umbrellas, cardboard boxes and anything else we can find make a powerful tool for confidence building. We do this so you don't have to. If you choose to continue the ground work it will only develop a stronger relationship with your horse, but once a foundation is laid it can save our owners quite a bit of time. Trailer loading, clipping, farrier work, just about anything will come with ease if your horse trusts humans and knows how to stand when asked. Many horses are not even confident enough to stand still while walked around. They feel the need to keep their eyes on you.

We ask our horses and ponies to stand at liberty as we swing a lunge whip in the air, waking a full circle around them. When being ridden your horse cannot respond to a visual cue, being secure standing still on the ground while something is going on behind and over them is a big deal, just as it would be with you in the saddle. We feel quite strongly that this is one area of training that is often overlooked, with that awareness we will not mount a horse or pony until this exercise is confirmed.

Under Saddle

Now comes the fun! Under saddle for us is the pay off for all of our efforts. Now we can see what direction our horses want to go. A dressage foundation and softness through the head and neck are very important. If a rider is going to enjoy themselves then it should take the lightest half halt to supple their mount. A horse should stand still while mounting, and then wait for a cue. Our horses are taken through all aspects of lateral work. Leg yields, half pass, shoulder in, haunches in, we want then responsive, not reactive. Verbal commands for the gaits are important. The verbal aid builds confidence in the rider; just knowing you have your halt is a great feeling. In order to keep fresh minds, much of our work is done out on the trail. There is no reason a horse cannot work on transitions while field riding.

Cones, logs, and natural obstacles are fun for our horses, we have almost 300 acres of raw land to play on. With three ponds and wildlife galore, our horses are self-assured and therefore confident in conditions other than an arena.

Jumps are just another fun obstacle. We throw every kind of course at our horses we can find. We school at every show ground within driving distance and have our own set of wildly colored and shaped jumps here. Quiet and safe are our goals. From a cross rail course to Eventing we try to be sure the horses are steady and sure over fences. They need to be forward, yet calm. If you have this you can go from the Hunter arena to the Cross Country course with confidence. Jumping is addictive for both rider and horse! Our horses are ridden over jumps with care, we want to be sure they are forgiving and use a light KK Ultra snaffle, a bitless bridle or even no bridle before we represent them to you.

Showing

Showing our horses and ponies is a another big part of our program. We trailer and haul constantly, believing it is very healthy for all horses to experience as many different environments as possible.

 

Schooling shows to A shows are all regularly visited by our riders and horses.On the ground, in the open field or at championships, we strive to honestly represent our prospects. Versatile, safe, kind partners are our goal. Please contact us with any questions, we limit ourselves to only a few amateur ponies and small horses but have a network of friends who may have a suitable prospect if one of our beauties is not an exact match.

Thank you for your time and interest.