04/02/2026
I remember sitting by the arena one afternoon waiting on a student who didn’t show up. I called her mom to make sure everything was okay.
“We’re quitting.”
Okay. That happens. Kids lose interest. Schedules change.
But then she added, “She’s started taking lessons somewhere else and is progressing much faster there. We feel like you were holding her back.”
I asked what she meant by progress...
“They’re letting her trot.”
That was it.
No, she wasn’t trotting here. Because she wasn’t ready. That's exactly how I defended myself in that moment, too. We were still working on heels down. Steering. Soft hands. Using leg correctly. Sitting a balanced halt. Looking where you’re going. The unglamorous stuff. I told the parent they were welcome to choose whatever barn suited them best, but their child was being put in danger by trotting before they were ready. That was out of my hands now.
To someone who doesn’t know horses, speed looks like progress. If you're new to horses, pay attention.
More movement does not mean advancement. Progress isn’t measured by how fast you move. It’s measured by how solid the foundation is underneath you. That's how we avoid wrecks. I don't want to have to teach someone how to sit a trot. Their seat should be so balanced by the time they take their first trot step, that it feels natural to sit it. Same with the lope.
Yes, accidents can happen in any sport. Horses are large animals. But constant falling isn’t a rite of passage. It’s usually a sign something was rushed.
Most of my students have never fallen off. The few who have? They’ve been here for years and are riding advanced horses, doing advanced work. And even then, it’s been a handful of falls across many years.
That kind of safety record didn't happen by chance.
It's not luck.
It is pacing.
It is matching rider to horse appropriately.
It is refusing to rush just so it looks impressive.
We are known for bringing students along slower than some barns. I won’t compromise on that.
It’s why our safety record is better. It’s why our kids fall less. It’s why their confidence lasts. I will not compromise on that to appease a parent.
