KBS Performance Horses

04/11/2026

He’s got a little of his mom in him-always has to be by the horses 🤪 and this is why I have to have safe horses at the farm 😬

03/30/2026

It’s hard walking away from something you have built the last 14 years, but when you train horses you never really get to enjoy your own. I have such a nice horse that I’ve trained myself and raised from a baby. This year it’s all about him ❤️ No agenda, no show grind, just enjoying each other and whatever we decide to pursue.

02/15/2026

The cutest Valentines and the best red horse ❤️

02/01/2026

Amen to this. This year has been trying especially with an old pony who needs mash 2 times a day. Can’t say I would do anything different but it’s still hard. You just put the bibs on, bundle up, and keep going. 💪🏼

Before you get into horses or decide you want to keep them at home instead of boarding, especially in winter, take these things into consideration:

Winter is not cozy barn vibes and hot cocoa. Winter is survival mode

• Water freezes. Constantly. Buckets, troughs, hoses, automatic waterers. You will be breaking ice multiple times a day or running heaters that can fail, short out, or spike your electric bill.

• You are hauling water. In the dark. In the cold. Sometimes multiple times a day. Snow, ice, mud, all of it.

• Mud season is real. And it is relentless. Everything is wet, slick, heavy, and filthy. Your boots, your clothes, your horses.

• Hay usage skyrockets. Horses eat more to stay warm. That means higher feed costs and more frequent hay deliveries, which can be delayed by weather.

• Your pasture is basically unusable. You are feeding hay full time, managing sacrifice areas, and trying not to destroy your land.

• Blanketing is not optional for many horses. That means on, off, change weights, fix straps, deal with ripped blankets, soaked blankets, and frozen buckles.

• Ice is dangerous. For you and your horses. One bad slip can mean a hospital visit or months of rehab for a horse.

• Vet and farrier access can be limited. Weather delays happen. Emergencies do not care about forecasts.

• You still have to go out there. Every day. Sick, tired, holidays, snowstorms, freezing rain. There is no calling out. In fact, even if you hire people, they will probly call out, leaving it to you anyway in bad weather.

• Your equipment suffers. Frozen gates, snapped hoses, dead batteries, tractors that will not start, heaters that quit at 2 am.

• Your time commitment doubles. What takes 20 minutes in summer can take over an hour in winter.

• Your costs increase while your enjoyment often decreases. Less riding, more maintenance, more stress.

None of this is to scare you. It’s to make sure you are informed.

Horses at home can be amazing. They can also be exhausting, expensive, and unforgiving in winter if you are not prepared.

If you are thinking about it, plan for worst-case scenarios, not best-case Pinterest versions.

Winter does not care how much you love horses.

This is shared with respect for the work, not frustration with it.
Jaks Stables

02/01/2026

Sunny afternoon to take the blankets off for a few hours. Indy approved ☑️

01/04/2026

Horse Tack! Details on the photos!

01/01/2026

When you know you have a good horse…..his friend comes galloping up, says hi, I go to take a picture but then his friend turns and takes off. Then both his friends come galloping back and he didn’t join in 🤣

12/29/2025

Is anyone else planning their 2026 camping trips or is it just me 🤪

11/30/2025

Sharing for a local barn!

Join us for our Christmas party here at Paradise Farms! 🎄

Message me for more details!

11/08/2025

First ride on Indy! ❤️

09/28/2025

The on-site training horses the last few weeks!