KY Performance Horses

KY Performance Horses We do horse training & horseback riding lessons, specializing in barrel racing. We also host a monthly barrel show series open to all ages.

Let’s talk exhibitions, because I think there’s a lot more to them than just buying a few trips before you run.Before I ...
09/03/2026

Let’s talk exhibitions, because I think there’s a lot more to them than just buying a few trips before you run.

Before I take a horse in, I want to know what I’m trying to accomplish.

Is it a young horse that needs to see the sights? One that needs to gain some confidence in a new pen? Do I need to address something specific? Do I just want to walk through the alley, check a barrel, or make one quiet pass?

Because “I bought three exhibitions” doesn’t necessarily mean that horse needs to make three runs.

Especially on a seasoned open horse.

If you take one through, it feels good and you accomplished what you wanted—why keep drilling it? Sometimes the best exhibition is the one where you get what you came for and quit.

And on the flip side, I really dislike watching an exhibition go poorly and immediately turn into a fight.

A horse makes a mistake, gets anxious, misses a spot or doesn’t respond exactly how the rider wanted, and suddenly somebody is mad and beating on one trying to “fix it” before their time runs out.

That’s usually not fixing anything.

There’s a big difference between correcting a horse and taking your frustration out on one. If something goes sideways, figure out why. Get whatever small piece of the right answer you can get, reward it and move on. You don’t have to win the entire argument in that 60 seconds.

And yes, if someone is legitimately working through something, give them their allotted time and some grace. Not every horse is going to walk in and make a picture-perfect trip.

But we also have to respect the 30 people sitting outside waiting on their turn. An exhibition is an opportunity to accomplish something with your horse—not an entire training session with an audience.

I think good horsemanship is knowing what you need when you walk in, being willing to adjust based on the horse underneath you, and most importantly, knowing when you’ve gotten enough.

How do you decide how many exhibitions YOUR horse needs before a run?

Yesterday we talked about what sellers should disclose.Now let’s flip it around: what should buyers be asking?Buying a h...
09/02/2026

Yesterday we talked about what sellers should disclose.

Now let’s flip it around: what should buyers be asking?

Buying a horse can be intimidating when you’re inexperienced because sometimes you genuinely don’t know what questions you’re supposed to ask. And “Is he safe?” or “Does she have any issues?” can mean ten different things to ten different people.

Ask specific questions.

Has the horse ever bucked, reared, bolted, flipped over, kicked, bitten or pulled back?

Any history of alley issues, gate problems, anxiety, buddy sour behavior or needing another horse nearby?

Does the horse require maintenance? Injections? Special shoeing? Daily medication or supplements?

Any previous injuries, surgeries, lameness or time off?

How does the horse haul? Stand tied? Bathe? Clip? Shoe? Handle being stalled? Turn out with other horses?

What level of rider has actually been riding the horse successfully?

And if you’re inexperienced, take your trainer with you.

Not just someone who has owned horses for a long time. Take someone knowledgeable who understands your riding ability, your goals and what you can realistically handle. A good trainer may notice things you don’t even know to look for, and sometimes the best money you’ll spend is having someone tell you, “This is not the horse for you.”

Then do the PPE.

A pre-purchase exam isn’t about finding a perfectly clean horse. Those are pretty hard to come by. It’s about gathering enough information to make an educated decision about whether that particular horse is appropriate for the job you’re buying it to do — and understanding what you may be taking on financially and physically.

Use your vet when possible, or an independent vet who isn’t financially connected to the sale. Tell them what you plan to do with the horse so they can help you evaluate the findings accordingly.

Sellers should be honest.

But buyers should also ask questions, bring knowledgeable help, do their homework and protect themselves before the money ever changes hands.

The first horse I bought as a teenager turned into an absolute nightmare, and looking back, there were so many things I simply didn’t know to ask or look for. You can’t ask questions you don’t even know exist yet.

So instead of making newer horse owners learn every lesson the hard way, let’s spread some knowledge and hopefully help somebody avoid ending up in one of those situations.

What’s a question you wish someone had told you to ask before you bought your first horse?

Sometimes the comment section restores your faith in humanity a little bit.We’ve asked some pretty good questions on thi...
09/01/2026

Sometimes the comment section restores your faith in humanity a little bit.

We’ve asked some pretty good questions on this page lately—questions where there isn’t necessarily one right answer, and where people could very easily turn the comments into an argument.

Instead, we’ve seen people sharing experience. Giving genuinely good advice. Explaining why something has or hasn’t worked for them. Choosing integrity over ego. And even disagreeing with each other without being snarky behind a keyboard.

That matters.

There is SO much knowledge in the horse industry, and nobody knows all of it. Some of the best conversations happen when experienced horsemen are willing to share what they’ve learned and other people are willing to listen—even when their own experience looks a little different.

Social media gets a bad reputation for bringing out the worst in people, but lately some of these discussions have done the opposite.

They’ve reflected really well on our industry.

So keep sharing the knowledge. Keep asking good questions. Keep giving thoughtful answers. And keep remembering there’s an actual person on the other side of the screen.

Now I’m curious—what’s something you’ve picked up from someone else in this industry that you still use today?

How much responsibility does a seller have to disclose a horse’s quirks?Obviously the big stuff matters — bucking, reari...
09/01/2026

How much responsibility does a seller have to disclose a horse’s quirks?

Obviously the big stuff matters — bucking, rearing, dangerous behavior, major soundness history, etc.

But what about everything in between?

Hard to catch. Won’t stand tied quietly. Difficult for the farrier. Doesn’t haul well alone. Needs another horse at the gate. Has to be warmed up a certain way. Gets nervous in indoor pens. Won’t eat or drink well on the road. Has a very specific setup that keeps them working.

To me, there’s a difference between expecting a seller to disclose everything they reasonably know and expecting them to predict every issue that horse might ever have with a new rider, new program or new environment.

And there’s also a point where buyer due diligence has to come into play.

Ask questions. Try the horse. Vet the horse. Pay attention to how it acts outside of the 20 minutes you’re sitting on it. If something matters to you, specifically ask about it.

But sellers also shouldn’t hide behind, “Well, they never asked.”

So where do you draw the line?

What quirks or behaviors do you think should ALWAYS be disclosed when selling a horse, even if the buyer never specifically asks?

When does a “quirk” stop being a quirk and start being a hole in training?I think we’ve gotten really comfortable labeli...
08/31/2026

When does a “quirk” stop being a quirk and start being a hole in training?

I think we’ve gotten really comfortable labeling things.

“He’s just funny about that.”
“She’s always been that way.”
“He doesn’t like people touching his ears.”
“She won’t stand tied.”
“He’s just pushy on the ground.”
“You have to get on her a certain way.”

And sure—horses are individuals. They have personalities, preferences, past experiences and things they genuinely may never love.

But there’s a difference between respecting who a horse is and working your entire routine around something that probably needs to be addressed.

Not every quirk needs “fixed,” and not every horse needs to act like a robot. But if the behavior affects safety, handling, riding, hauling, vet/farrier care or someone else being able to manage that horse, I think we have to be careful about brushing it off as personality.

Where do you draw the line between accepting a horse’s quirks and deciding it’s something that needs worked on?

What’s actually the MOST profitable part of the horse industry?Not what looks the most profitable on Facebook. Not what ...
08/30/2026

What’s actually the MOST profitable part of the horse industry?

Not what looks the most profitable on Facebook. Not what brings in the biggest single check. I mean when you factor in the expenses, time, risk, overhead and everything it takes to actually produce that income… where do you think the best profit margin is?

Competing and winning?
Training horses for the public?
Giving lessons?
Standing a stallion?
Breeding mares and selling the foals?
Buying/making horses and selling winners?
Something completely different?

Every one of those can bring in good money — but every one also comes with expenses people don’t always see from the outside.

A stallion can book a lot of mares, but proving and marketing one isn’t cheap. A trainer can have a full barn, but feed, hay, help, facilities and time add up fast. Winning looks great on paper until you subtract entry fees, fuel, stalls and hauling expenses. Breeding can produce a big sale, but you may have years invested before that check ever comes.

So if you had to build a horse business around ONE area strictly based on profitability — which one are you choosing, and why?

I’m really curious what everyone thinks has the best actual profit margin in our industry.

08/30/2026

Work hard, stay focused, and as a friend of mine says - “worry about yourself” 😂👏🏼

Owning a stallion and owning a profitable stallion are two very different things.I think that gets overlooked sometimes,...
08/29/2026

Owning a stallion and owning a profitable stallion are two very different things.

I think that gets overlooked sometimes, especially with so many new people getting into the stallion side of the industry.

Buying the horse might actually be the easy part.

Then you have to prove him. Entry fees, hauling, training, vet work, maintenance, all while trying to build a legitimate performance record.

At the same time, you’re building a breeding program around him.

Professional photos. Videos. Graphics. Advertising. Social media management. Collection and shipping expenses. Breeding contracts. Incentive enrollments and annual fees. Futurity nominations. Mare incentives. Customer service. Sometimes discounts or promotions just to get those first quality mares through the door.

And you’re spending a lot of that money before you have any idea what the return will actually be.

Then comes the longest part: waiting.

You can have a talented, accomplished stallion and still have years ahead of you before his oldest foals are old enough to prove whether he can consistently reproduce what made you believe in him in the first place.

Because eventually the conversation has to move from:

“What has he won?”

to:

“What have his babies won?”

And getting enough quality foals on the ground, into capable hands, trained, entered and winning takes YEARS.

A stallion can book mares and still not be profitable. He can have a beautiful ad campaign and still not be profitable. He can be enrolled in every incentive under the sun and still not be profitable.

There’s a pretty big gap between collecting stud fees and actually turning a profit once you subtract what it costs to properly campaign, promote, manage and support a stallion for the long haul.

I don’t say that to discourage anyone from getting into the stallion business. I actually think good programs are great for our industry.

But I do think more people should go into it understanding that you’re building something that may take the better part of a decade to truly evaluate.

For those who have stood stallions for several years: what expense surprised you the most when you first got into it?

Address

Benson, NC
27504

Opening Hours

Monday 8am - 8pm
Tuesday 8am - 8pm
Wednesday 8am - 8pm
Thursday 8am - 8pm
Friday 8am - 8pm
Saturday 8am - 8pm

Telephone

+19194130878

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when KY Performance Horses posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Shortcuts

Share

Category