Stay in the Saddle LLC, Janel Brookshire

05/09/2026

You’ll pay somewhere…
👉🏼 The purchase price.
👉🏼 Paid training.
👉🏼 Your blood, sweat, tears and bills.

https://www.facebook.com/share/v/18auVb7Z1i/?mibextid=WC7FNe

05/06/2026

Food for thought…

To cookie or not to cookie???? 🍪 🥕
Food rewards are a very, very, very, very, very strong tool!!!! 
Honestly, it’s kind of like a chainsaw, or a backhoe, or some other large piece of equipment…. If you know what you’re doing it would be stupid to NOT use powerful equipment. Why on earth would you dig a trench with a shovel if you had a backhoe? 
But I also wouldn’t just put anyone in a large piece of equipment like that!!!  And I bet anyone who is good at operating large equipment would tell you they would rather work on fresh dirt then try to fix somebody else’s mistake.

It’s OK to admit that you’re not skilled with cookies just like it’s okay to admit that you’re not skilled with a backhoe or a chainsaw.  It’s fine to say, “I’m not qualified to use this tool because I’m afraid I will put behaviors into my horse that are unsafe.”

I think it’s way easier to teach people how to use a stick properly, then it is to teach them how to use cookies properly. 
Cookies ARE SO EFFECTIVE, that it’s easy to reinforce behaviors so strongly, that you can remove the food reward and the behaviors are still there 10 years later. 

I personally don’t think food rewards are appropriate for beginners. I think you need to have a lot of good timing, be organized with your tools, understand exactly what behaviors you’re trying to create and which ones you know you should avoid, and be very good at enforcing boundaries, before you ever purposefully use food rewards to reinforce behaviors.

You guys know I have besties that use food rewards all the time…. And they are good at it! And they get amazing stuff done!

I can tell you I’m not as good at teaching how to use treats appropriately as they are. I need to work with students longer before I feel comfortable introducing food rewards.

So if you have access to great instructors who are not only good at using food rewards, but are good at teaching people how to use food rewards, by all means,…. If you have access to a backhoe and someone there to teach you how to use it, you would be silly to be out there with a shovel! But if you have no idea what you’re doing, and no one to help you, maybe don’t use a backhoe for an important difficult project.

04/30/2026

It’d be tough… What would you choose?
For me ~ ❤️ or 🧡???

04/27/2026

We did it! Our Stay in the Saddle birthday/anniversary party was a great success! I’m so thankful for all the people who came to celebrate with us and wish us well on another 20 years! (gulp, what? 🤣)
 If you were not able to make it, we missed you and hope you can make our next party. We agree we need to have more get-togethers! 🎉🐎☺️
Thank you all students, clients, friends, family, supporters and professionals of and for Stay in the Saddle! It is our pleasure to work with you!

04/23/2026

Nothing like good cowboy poetry… 🤠

04/16/2026

Great info! No matter what discipline you choose to pursue, horsemanship is the key to it all. 

If you focus more on horsemanship you’ll be ahead of the competition.

If I could teach ANYTHING when it comes to running barrels it would be horsemanship. Hand placement, softness, correct body position, getting your horse’s feet underneath him, all of these are key factors when it comes to working barrels.

The problem is it’s the “boring stuff” no one wants to do. So instead, they rely on changing bits every month, drugs, supplements, etc., which may have a temporary effect that gives the false impression that it’s working, but over a short time it falls apart. Again.

Why? Because it’s a quick fix and quick fixes ALWAYS fall apart. So what do they do? Jump to the next quick fix, and so on because it’s easier.

That’s why if you spend more time on your horsemanship and subsequently your foundation, you WILL BE SO FAR AHEAD OF THE COMPETITION.

Is it harder? Yes. And that’s why you’ll be ahead of everyone else, because you’re willing to do what few want to do.

Your horse started bracing against the bit? Go back to their foundation and fix it. They don’t need a bigger bit, just a reminder to respect your hands.

Your horse started dropping their shoulder? Instead of pulling their head away and going faster, you can slow down and work on getting that horse to shape up and stay underneath themselves before going back to speed.

Your foundation is your tool you resort to when things start going wrong. Without your foundation and the horsemanship skills required to achieve it, you’ll just be another Betty trying to avoid the barrels instead of WORKING the barrels.

You want to be better than the average barrel racer?

Build your horsemanship skills.

03/24/2026

Honest answers only:
Would you rather have somebody say something to make you aware or correct certain potentially dangerous behaviors/actions,
Or would you rather somebody keep their mouth shut and you learn for yourself? 
In general, but specifically regarding horses and riding.

01/29/2026

Thaw. Freeze. Ice. Repeat. 😕
We’re hoping today makes some headway towards being open again next week. 🙏🏼
Until then, spend some time with your pony on groundwork, learn a new trick, or study up on an equine sport you are interested in, or maybe learn a new thing about horses that you never knew! 🤔
🤞🏼 Hope to see you next week! 🤞🏼

01/20/2026

True fans!!! 🙌🏼🐎🥰

01/05/2026

Get your kix in 2026!
We are kicking off a big year at Stay in the Saddle! And it just happens to be the Year of the Horse… What does this even mean?

• Expansion • Passion • Clarity • Devotion
• Vitality • Prosperity • Wildness
• Confidence • Awakening • Breakthrough

Now, even more important, what does this mean to YOU? How are YOU going to embrace this year and make it your best year yet? Perhaps, pick 3 of the above… 3 that are your focus this year, and know Stay in the Saddle can help you grow and achieve your goals.

🐎 We’re back at it this week! Arena hours and show practice for members, maybe a trail ride… Regular lessons begin Feb/Mar, as weather allows.

🐎 A few things that are coming up this year… and more to be added:
• Anxiety and Riding Seminar
• The Jiggy Horse Clinic
• Destination Trail Riding
• Roping? Cattle? Ranch Shows? 🤠
• 20th Anniversary Celebration!!!

Let’s go! Let’s make 2026 a GREAT year!