Glenbrae riding Mount Gambier

03/05/2026

Zack the Jumping Zebra 🦓✨🏇
Meet Zack, the jumping zebra who proves that talent can come in stripes! 🦓💫 Zack became known for leaping out of his field so often that his owner, Sammi Jo Stohler, ended up building an 8-foot fence around the property. Zack could already clear 5 feet easily, which led her to see how he’d do over jumps with a rider — and he handled it with no problem.

What makes Zack even more impressive is how naturally he took to jumping. Zack is about 50 inches tall at the withers, or 12.2 hands high, and he is a 6-year-old Grant’s zebra.

Zack’s story is also a reminder that zebras are intelligent and capable of learning when given the right training. Sammi Jo Stohler, who trained horses before working with more exotic animals, challenged the idea that zebras are “untrainable.” She keeps Zack and another zebra, Charlie, on her farm in Willis, Texas, along with a zorse and a zonkey. Zack is a versatile partner who rides western, english, or ba****ck, jumps fences, goes on trail rides, and even lays down on command. 🌟

One of the most fun parts of Zack’s story is how it blends animal facts with math practice. The original feature includes problems based on Zack’s jumping height, size, and expected lifespan, turning his story into a creative learning experience for horse and zebra lovers alike. 📚➕🦓

Zack isn’t just adorable — he’s athletic, smart, and a perfect example of how curiosity and patience can unlock amazing potential in animals. 🖤🤍 Whether you love horses, zebras, or inspiring animal stories, Zack definitely earns his place in the spotlight.

02/05/2026

A horse at an Irish equestrian event threw his rider at fence 4. He then completed the entire cross-country course alone — jumping every fence perfectly — and crossed the finish line. His time would have placed him second. The crowd gave him a standing ovation. Officials had no rule for what had just happened. His rider said: "He always wanted to finish what he started." The Punchestown Festival in County Kildare, Ireland — one of the most prestigious equestrian events in the world. Cross-country day. Forty horses and riders. Twenty-seven fences. 5.2 kilometers. At fence four — a combination water complex that had already unseated three riders that morning — the chestnut horse known as Copper John threw his rider. Jockey Seán O'Brien landed safely in the water complex. He was unhurt. He watched Copper John canter away from him down the course. He assumed — as everyone watching assumed — that Copper John would slow, veer, stop. Horses without riders do not generally continue cross-country courses. Copper John was apparently unaware of this. He jumped fence five. Perfectly. The crowd — which had been looking toward the next horse on course — turned back. Copper John jumped fence six. Fence seven. Fence eight. The commentator — Dermot Weld, with thirty years of Punchestown commentary — fell silent for perhaps the longest pause of his career. Then he simply began describing what he was watching. Fence nine. Fence ten. Fence eleven — the most technically demanding fence on the course — jumped with the same precision as if a jockey were directing every stride. Fence twelve through twenty-seven. All jumped. All clean. Copper John crossed the finish line at full speed. His time: 6 minutes and 43 seconds. That time would have placed him second in the field. The crowd rose as one. The ovation lasted seven minutes. Stewards conferred. Officials called the governing body in Dublin. No rule existed for this situation. None had ever been needed. Copper John was officially listed as "retired from race — rider unseated." But everyone who was in Punchestown that afternoon knows what they watched. A horse who was asked to do one thing — and finished it — because that is simply who Copper John is. �� 👇 Have you ever finished something just because it needed finishing?

04/01/2026

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1F9DKNoxUa/

Let's Talk About What Riding Lessons Actually Cost (And What You're Really Paying For)

I see it in Facebook groups all the time: "How much should I charge for lessons?" or "Why are riding lessons so expensive?!"

So let's break this down for instructors trying to price fairly AND for students/parents wondering what they're actually paying for.

Riding lessons aren't cheap. Depending on your area, you're looking at:
$40-$60 for group lessons
$60-$100+ for private lessons

More for specialized instruction or top-level trainers. Yeah, riding is expensive. Here's why...

The Horse (The Biggest Cost)
A reliable, well-trained lesson horse costs:
- $5,000-$20,000+ to purchase (sometimes more)
- $500-$800+ monthly to keep (board, feed, farrier, vet)
- Training and maintenance to stay safe and sound
- Insurance
- Tack and equipment ($1,000+ per horse)

Do the math: One lesson horse costs $6,000-$10,000+ annually just to maintain and more depending on your area and if that horse medical needs such as injections, etc. If that horse teaches 15 lessons per week, each lesson needs to contribute roughly $10-$15 just to cover THAT HORSE'S costs.

The Instructor
You're not just paying for 45-60 minutes of instruction. You're paying for:
- Years (sometimes decades) of riding experience
- Training and certifications
- Expertise in keeping students safe
- Ability to match horses to riders
- Lesson planning and program development
- First aid and emergency response skills

Good instructors don't just show up... they've invested thousands of hours and dollars into becoming qualified.

The Facility
- Arena maintenance and footing ($$$)
- Barn upkeep and repairs
- Utilities (water, electric, heat in some cases)
- Insurance (liability insurance is EXPENSIVE)
- Property taxes or rent
- Equipment (jumps, poles, cones, etc.)

Risk
Horses are unpredictable 1,200-lb animals. Instructors carry:
- Liability insurance (often $1,000-$3,000+ annually)
- Risk of lawsuits
- Responsibility for student safety
- Physical risk (instructors get hurt too)

You're paying for someone willing to take on that risk to teach you safely.

WHAT STUDENTS ACTUALLY GET:
Yes, you're paying for riding instruction but you're getting SO much more:
✅ Physical fitness: Core strength, balance, coordination, cardiovascular health
✅ Mental health benefits: Stress relief, outdoor time, connection with animals, mindfulness
✅ Life skills: Responsibility, patience, problem-solving, resilience when things don't go perfectly
✅ Emotional development: Confidence, managing fear, emotional regulation, empathy
✅ Social connections: Barn community, friendships with people who share your passion
✅ Character building: Work ethic, humility, caring for another living being
✅ Unique experiences: How many sports let you partner with a 1,200-lb animal?
✅ Skills that transfer: Focus, body awareness, communication, reading non-verbal cues

You're not just paying to sit on a horse for an hour. You're investing in personal growth, physical health, and experiences you can't get anywhere else.

FOR PARENTS WONDERING IF IT'S WORTH IT...

I've watched riding transform kids:
- The anxious child who finds confidence
- The hyper kid who learns focus and patience
- The quiet kid who opens up while grooming
- The struggling student who finds their "thing"

Can soccer or piano do that? Sure, sometimes but there's something unique about the horse-human partnership that creates growth you can't replicate elsewhere.

FOR INSTRUCTORS STRUGGLING WITH PRICING:
Don't undervalue yourself trying to be "affordable." When you charge too little:
- You can't afford quality horses
- You can't maintain your facility properly
- You burn out working 60-hour weeks
- Your program suffers
- Eventually, you can't sustain the business

Charge what you're worth. The right clients will pay it. Students who only want the cheapest option often aren't the ones who stick around anyway.

Riding lessons are expensive because horses are expensive, facilities are expensive, insurance is expensive, and qualified instruction is valuable. But what you GET - the skills, the growth, the experiences, the joy... is priceless.

If you're a student/parent: Understand what you're truly paying for. It's not just an hour on a horse.

If you're an instructor: Don't apologize for charging what your services are worth. Quality costs money.

And if you're on the fence about whether riding lessons are worth the investment?
Ask anyone who rides. We'll tell you - it's worth every single penny.

Instructors: What do you wish students understood about lesson costs?

01/10/2025

12/05/2025

Summer 2024/2025 Part 3:

11/05/2025

Summer 2024/2025 Part 2:

10/05/2025

Summer 2024/2025 Part 1:

09/05/2025

Spring 2024 Part 6: Remembering The Shows And Events.

05/03/2025

Spring 2024 Part 5:

28/02/2025

Spring 2024 Part 4: