In Stride Equestrian

04/10/2026

Right where he should be

Manny turned 5 on april 4th, i didn't make a post sbout it then or any sort of grand gesture bc to be honest my heart really wasn't feeling inspired to do so and sometimes posting about horses just seem silly to me with what is going on in the world.

I do however want to use the milestone of him turning 5 to speak on the development of young dressage horses (and performance horses in general). Its easy to get sucked into the beauty of horses in sales ads and think that the horse is solid in its training with round necks, fancy limbs and wrapped legs. But a 3/4/5 year old should not (absolutely not) be in a collected frame. Their necks shouldn't be compressed and their noses shouldn't be behind the vertical in every single image... a moment in time is one thing but pictures and videos can also speak for themselves.

The foundation and very bedrock of developing a dressage horses is rhythm and relaxation. Contact with the bit is the third thing that is addressed in the training scale with rhythm and suppleness preceeding it. This is done without contact, without manipulating the neck. Why? It allows a young horse time to use its body and the natural unjulation of its neck freely without human interference. This is so beyond important in developing an upper level horse correctly. And quite frankly, i dont see nesrly enough ppl truly spending the time needed in these critical early stages of training.

There is a reason they are at the bottom of the training pyramid. Without the proper development in these stages, collection and working in high school will falter. You will see horses with tense necks, dropped backs and a pelvis that struggles to articulate properly. The classic "leg mover" vs "back mover" conversation and horses who need injections at earlier stages in life because their bodies cannot handle the repercussions of performance at the upper levels in a chronically compensating body.

It takes years (literally a minimum of 5 years) to properly develop collection at the upper levels, and years still to develop collection period. Dont take shortcuts just bc you think it looks pretty

03/31/2026

I am the horse woman i am today because of my endless educational evolution. Since the day I brought home my first horse, i knew i wanted to learn as much as I could. I didnt know where it would take me at the time but i am glad that i never allowed myself to keep any doors shut in the process.

I learned how to be a friend and partner through my mare Mandi and she was the catalyst in my desire to grow and learn ad much as I could.

I learned about the importance of a balanced hoof through equine podiatry and how the hoof effects the body and vice versa.

I learned about the importance of saddle fit and just how restrictive or beneficial a saddle could be for our horses through independent and educated saddle fitters.

I learned how to handle ropes with feel and softness through the gentle hands of patient cowboys.

I learned a lot about equine behavior from psycologists.

I learned about the inportance of proper full body conditioning from endurance riding. As well as the importance of after care for horses as athletes.

I learned to be bold and to get a good eye for distances and counting strides from eventing.

I learned of the importance of a methodical scale of training through academic classical dressage and vaquero horsemanship.

I dove deeper and learned about mechanics and anatomy from body workers and equine scientists.

I learned about the importance of play in shaping and developing movement from a movement science based practitioner.

I learned how to be more effective in communication and training in general through studying positive reinforcement.

I learned to dance with horses through my culture and connection to the earth.

I learned how to put it all together through trusting my intuition. Good training and good horse people are seen across disciplines. There is something to learn from each and every one that will only continue your growth as a horse person. Don't restrict your growth by leaving doors unopened. Even if its just to take a peek, open that door and see what's behind it, you may be surprised to find what's waiting on the other side.

03/12/2026

Ive never rushed him through his education both on the ground and under saddle. I've never put him in situations where he was over faced or over worked and have always made things fun. A horse will only ever be as great as you allow them to be and my goal with him has always been to be a friend and facilitator of his excellence. He doesn't need me to help him be better, he has always been amazing! My role is always to show up for him so that he enjoys every moment of what we do together.

02/26/2026

Ollie is a 13 year old percheron conemarra cross gelding standing at 15.2hh and he is as wide as he is tall. This loving and kind horse has been uncomplicated in every single way. He is barefoot with feet of steel. He is on a 4 week schedule and grows a ton of foot! He is a very easy keeper (though you have to be careful with him being on grass as he could develop metabolic issues. But he is easily managed with free choice coastal and supplemental timothy/orchard and a grazing muzzle). He stays well hydrated and can combat the heat of the summer with the help of his acupuncturist. He is built like a tank, and the only age appropriate maintenance he requires is adequan every 6 mo as he has the most minimal of arthritic changes in his Hocks. Happy to provide rads taken of hocks and his front feet as well as all vet records! I am more than happy to be fully transparent with everything.

He self loads on a trailer and you can take him anywhere and do just about anything. He loves trail rides, is happy prancing in the arena and is game for adventures. He even trailered out with me and got to be a horse and rider of Rohan in a lord of the rings inspired shoot with 12 other horses he had never met before. riders in full gear carrying spears, flags and shields (myself included) and he took care of me the whole time. He has been a wonderful lesson horse where he has taught complete beginners, small children, women coming back from major surgery, and seasoned experienced riders of all ages and demographics. He has always met each rider exactly where they were at and is wise beyond this world.

He is a solid first level horse and has schooled movements beyond this. He is classically trained and is light/responsive to the aids. His lateral work is lovely and correct, has a solid walk and trot pirouette, walk to canter transitions, simple changes, extended trot, collected half steps etc. He has the adjustability to be a potential upper level mount with continued proper guidance! But is just as content in the lower level work.

He is truly a once in a lifetime horse and so incredibly special, not just to me but to countless others. $ in the lower 5 figures starting with a 3.
Located in Aiken SC

02/01/2026

We rarely get actual snow down here and most of the time when we do it melts by the afternoon. But we got snow snow yesterday and through the night, and while I hate the cold, waking up to a blanket of bright fluffy snow always seems to bring out an uplifting and playful side of me. And it seems to do the same for the animals too. Everyone was eager to roll and play in the snow this morning 🥰.

With how heavy so much seems to be, a moment of lightness is appreciated by all of us 💗

01/28/2026

Every time I open my page to write something, the words leave me. Its as if the thought and creativity of it all has been extracted from my mind. And honestly I don't know exactly what to say and so I have been fairly quiet on here for quite some time now.

Its not that I don't know what to say, almost like there is too much to be said but at the same time, so much has already been said by so many.

I have always been vocal in where I stand against injustice both here and on personal platforms, so trust me I am not being quiet to save face by any means. More so that I am tired. Tired of having to explain why abuse of power, systemic racism and colonialism are terrible systems that not only need to be addressed, but destroyed. I am tired of seeing time and time again the tyranny and excessive force that this country so easily hails at communities of color. And how it brought us to where we are today. IT IS NOTHING NEW

When I was younger I couldn't quite understand these injustices but I knew they were wrong. Hearing of police gunning an intoxicated black man down outside of a bar one night. They put so many bullets in him and fired so many rounds that officers had to reload their weapons. Native women being the highest demographic of people who go missing and found murdered when they make up one of the lowest population percentiles. Latino immigrants being profiled and targeted for lower paid under the table labor so greedy business owners could line their pockets... to the point that back in 2022 (i believe, maybe 2021, it was around and during covid) there was a literal active plantation in Georgia that abducted immigrants, forced them to work in deplorable conditions and they weren't allowed to leave.

Yet its so much deeper than that. This systemic hate and dehumanization of black and brown people is embedded in the foundation and land that now makes this united states. IT IS NOTHING NEW.

They have been doing this to us for hundreds of years and this nation has not once addressed the systemic infestation of inferior hate. And so genocide became pushing us into reservations, and then dividing us by borders. Then labeling native "immigrants " illegal aliens, violent criminals. Chattel slavery became imprisonment, profiling, red lining and dividing communities. A war on drugs that targeted black communities with drugs planted by the govt. And they continued to benefit off of the labor of black and brown bodies while finding ways to keep us subdued. Just do as your told and play the part. Comply and we won't take your children away. Comply and we won't shoot you. Comply and we will allow you to continue to exist. This has always been the bedrock of this nation.

Yet we are still here and we perservere. It is my ancestors resilience and the resilience of every other indigenous, Latino and black American that has brought us to where we are today. The push back against a system that has tried time and time again to exploit us, divide us, and kill us. We are the reminder that year after year, century after century, we refuse to let them subdue us. And for that I am proud.

I am also angry, disgusted, scared and numb. I am tired of wondering when it will be my turn and I am sick of seeing the horror of what people are facing so casually on my phone. Enough is enough.

Yet in that it cannot be ignored, the proof and truth is out there and the veil has come off. Now everyone can see what this place has always been because now we all have the ability to see exactly what they are doing, it is no longer exclusionary. Now we see just how easily they justify murdering those standing up to this injustice. We see now that it is all of us because if you stand against them you are labeled enemy. A domestic terrorist. While the real terrorists are the ones infesting communities like roaches. Masked, armed and looking for any reason to inflict violence.

"This is an equestrian page why are you speaking so explicitly about all of this, lets stick to horses". No. Yes this is a business page and I do my best to post fun, educational and uplifting content. But guess what? What's going on in this country is directly effecting my life, my clients and my ability to do my best for my and my clients horses. It directly effects people i care about and love. And it directly effects countless people in this industry. What we are not going to do is minimize a very real threat to hard working immigrants who show up day in and day out, no matter the weather and no matter what may be going on in their lives... to keep working and to keep taking care of animals in a luxury sport. This is not an other worldly issue that horse people get to twiddle their thumbs at and look the other way. This is effecting every single one of us whether you want to accept it or not. If you don't like it then see yourself out. My business, this platform and everything that I've put into it over the years has stood in solidarity with all marginalized communities. I will not ever stop for the comfort of those who wish to continue to be blind and selfish in the face of injustice.

01/17/2026

One of the most rewarding things to me about the work that I do with horses is seeing how they choose to carry themselves and move through play. How the lasting effects of building self carriage can be seen with and without a rider present and that horses will often choose to move in ways that are optimal for their bodies when developed in this way. Because it feels good. Good to move, run, play and be exuberant in a body they can confidently trust. A body that doesn't carry the weight of manipulative restriction and hold patterns of tension.

12/01/2025

My thick boy moving in lightness ❤️ heavy horses can be light on their feet too 😊

10/24/2025

In Stride Equestrian is partnering with the amazing people over at Massage-ology, LLC to help our local community during this time. If you are able to help and donate in any way, please consider bringing supplies over to Massage-Ology during business hrs. If you have any questions regarding what can be donated or how you can help in other ways, please reach out! Now more than ever we need to do all that we can to help 💛

💛 Community Support Drive 💛
We know times are tough for many right now — especially for those not receiving SNAP benefits and for our federal workers affected by the current situation.

✨ Massage-ology is collecting non-perishable food items and everyday essentials (toiletries, diapers, hygiene items, etc.) to help our neighbors in need.

If you’re able to give, please drop off donations during our regular business hours. Every little bit makes a difference 💫

If you or someone you know could use a little extra support, please reach out — this is what community is all about. 💕

📍Drop-off location: Massage-ology, LLC, Aiken, SC
207 Silver Bluff Rd
🕒 7 days a week. Give us a call or text so we can have the door unlocked for you 803-844-0180

Let’s come together and take care of each other 💪🏽🌿

Kawehi Herrin Aesthetics
donherrinlmt

10/23/2025

❤️

"I'm going to be taking a step further back from being fully in the coaching world, the clinic world, and exploring what it's like to truly just be with my horses and find out what other things they like doing,” Anna Buffini said. Read the story at link in comments.👇

10/21/2025

Always striving for perfection kills movement exploration. I don't care if each stride that my young horse takes isn't biomechanically perfect or correct, even as someone who has spent a lot of time studying "correct" biomrchanics and the why behind movement. It is unrealistic to think that every stride will be the same when we are talking about a living breathing creature.

I want him to explore movement, I want answers to certain questions to result in something that can be sculpted with enthusiasm. I want him to play with solutions and what works and doesn't. I dont think there is any other way for self carriage to develop under a rider without the imperfections of allowing a horse to play with movement and for them to have the freedom to do so.

This was our first time under saddle just playing with halt/trot transitions. We had been playing with it on the ground and he loved that game. It was also really helpful for him mechanically to.figure out compression without curling his neck under (which is something I find many Iberian breeds can easily fall into and get stuck there). So asked him to try it with me on his back, a still of him mid transition and a moment in time. And I honestly vould not be more proud of the way this young stallion thinks through these puzzles. The answers he comes up with and the ways he feels comfortable in using his body.

The beauty in working with young horses, and honestly Manny in particular because its been so indescribably amazing of a process, is to encourage them to feel and be free in their own bodies to get creative with us 💗