CowPunch Ponies

12/20/2025

10/19/2025

We finally had some professional photos taken. How fun!

10/17/2025

And, it’s the same with horses. We as humans must take accountability as the more intelligent species. We MUST grow ourselves, learn to problem solve, and learn to understand WHY horses do what they do, and how to change our approach until we find one that works.

It’s easier to blame the horse, and it’s easier to surround ourselves with others who support that blame, than it is to learn, grow, admit, and ask for help.

We all tend toward blame, and none of us are perfect! Horses are generally forgiving and uncomplicated and communicate the best they can. Extreme behaviors ONLY come from poor handling or medical issues, horses do not have extreme issues for no reason. When we stop being willing to admit fault or learn, we should no longer own or be around horses.

10/09/2025

♥️

Various people will state that various horses or entire breeds of horses are difficult to ride or train, and when I read or hear that it makes me think of a situation from about 50 years ago when I was training at the USET 3-day headquarters in South Hamilton, Massachusetts.

The horse that I had, Victor Dakin, was a brave and brilliant cross country horse and jumper, but I had a very difficult time riding him in dressage. I found him to be hot, nervous, reactive, strong, and one day our coach, Jack Le Goff, who normally didn’t ride our horses asked to get on Victor.

In a short time Victor was calmer, more over his back, on the aids and far less reactive. It didn’t mean that Victor wasn’t a difficult ride compared to many horses, because he was, but what it did point out was that I just wasn’t a good enough rider or trainer to get through to him.

Jack got off, I got back on, and felt the difference, but it didn’t last. I did not have the skills needed, and Jack did.

So when I hear people say “This horse blah blah blah” or read that “Morgans are blah blah blah” my assumption is that more of issue is the rider and not so much the horse or the breed.

People HATE to accept this reality, which is why I used myself as an example, but many of you can read between the lines. There are not all that many truly excellent trainers around, ever. And when a horse “goes poorly” it’s a heck of a lot easier to blame the horse than to look in the mirror.

Photo, Jack Le Goff, far left, gold medal photo.

10/09/2025

Buddy and Mark have come a long way together, and they have both grown in leaps and bounds. We are so proud especially of the progress Mark has made. He went from not knowing much about horses, to attentively absorbing and learning to apply horsemanship principles in all his handling of Buddy.
Here they are working toward a simple and seamless in-hand ground backup cue, and I would argue that they have a deeper and more respectful bond than many folk who have owned horses their whole life. Go, Mark!

Buddy, while only three, is a very special Arctic Morgans gelding and we must admit he is a rare gem. His sire and dam were bred back for a 2026 foal, and we just know it will be exactly like Buddy….nearly perfect! 😉♥️

09/19/2025

September has been a long hard month, following August—another long hard month—and October isn’t looking to lessen up any! So, we are thankful for family, good friends, great horses, and every opportunity we have to share the Good News with others!

09/09/2025

Good morning!

Brody wants to remind everyone:
IF YOU’RE NOT WORKING **ON** RELEASING THEIR NERVOUS SYSTEM, YOU ARE WORKING **UP** THEIR NERVOUS SYSTEM.

🤗😊Happy Tuesday!

09/05/2025

While Miss Jazzie came for a quick assessment, she is now awaiting a blind date with , an .
Jazzie is a sweet and sensitive curly mare with a rich liver chestnut coat, so will be a pretty neat baby.

08/31/2025

Is anyone looking for a competative penning/sorting horse?