Hill Creek Stables, LLC

06/08/2026

This 💕

Things your riding instructor wants you to know:
1. This sport is hard. You don't get to bypass the hard…..every good rider has gone through it. You make progress, then you don't, and then you make progress again. Your riding instructor can coach you through it, but they cannot make it easy.

2. You're going to ride horses you don't want to ride. If you're teachable, you will learn from every horse you ride. Each horse in the barn can teach you if you let them. IF YOU LET THEM. Which leads me to…

3. You MUST be teachable to succeed in this sport. You must be teachable to succeed at anything, but that is another conversation. Being teachable often means going back to basics time and time and time again. If you find basics boring, then your not looking at them as an opportunity to learn. Which brings me to…..

4. This sport is a COMMITMENT. Read that, then read it again. Every sport is a commitment, but in this sport your teammate weighs 1200 lbs and speaks a different language. Good riders don't get good by riding every once in awhile….they improve because they make riding a priority and give themsevles opportunity to practice.

5. EVERY RIDE IS AN OPPORTUNITY. Even the walk ones. Even the hard ones. Every. Single. Ride. Remember when you just wished someone would lead you around on a horse? Find the happiness in just being able to RIDE. If you make every ride about what your AREN'T doing, you take the fun out of the experience for yourself, your horse, and your instructor. Just enjoy the process. Which brings me to...

6. Riding should be fun. It is work. and work isn't always fun.....but if you (or your rider) are consistently choosing other activities or find yourself not looking forward to lessons, it's time to take a break. The horses already know you don't want to be here, and you set yourself up for failure if you are already dreading the lesson before you get here.

7. You'll learn more about horses from the ground than you ever will while riding. That's why ground lessons are important, too. If you're skipping ground lessons (or the part of your lesson that takes place on the ground), you're missing out on the most important parts of the lesson. You spend far more time on the ground with horses than you do in the saddle.

8. Ask questions and communicate. If you're wondering why your coach is having you ride a particular horse or do an exercise, ask them. Then listen to their answer and refer to #3 above.

9. We are human beings. We make decisions (some of them life and death ones) every day. We balance learning for students with workloads for horses and carry the bulk of this business on our shoulders. A little courtesy goes a long way.

Of all the sports your child will try through their school years, riding is one of 3 that they may continue regularly as adults (golf and skiing are the others). People who coach riding spend the better part of their free time and much of their disposable income trying to improve their own riding and caring for the horses who help teach your child. They love this sport and teaching others…..but they all have their limits. Not all good riders are good coaches, but all good coaches will tell you that the process to get good is not an easy one.

*thank you to whoever wrote this! Not my words, but certainly a shared sentiment!

05/31/2026

Nailed it ‼️

𝑱𝒆𝒂𝒍𝒐𝒖𝒔𝒚 𝒊𝒔 𝒂 𝒅𝒂𝒏𝒈𝒆𝒓𝒐𝒖𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈.

This weekend, a teenager targeted and attacked multiple horses at a super show, a sickening reminder of how deep malice can run. While that level of violence is far from normal, it stems from a root that permeates our sport like a plague. 𝐉𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐲.

At local horse shows, association shows, boarding barns, and everywhere in between, jealousy severs relationships, disbands committees, and infiltrates barns.

𝑯𝒐𝒘 𝒅𝒐 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒊𝒅𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒊𝒇𝒚 𝒋𝒆𝒂𝒍𝒐𝒖𝒔𝒚 𝒊𝒏 𝒐𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒔?

It shows up in a long list of behaviors:

•Backhanded compliments & passive-aggressive jokes

•Gossip and spreading false stories to gang up against you (the word "false" is key here, if you did something wrong and people are talking about it, that’s accountability, not jealousy)

•Withdrawal from conversations and relationships

•Limitation, imitation, or turning every single interaction into a competition

•A distinct lack of genuine support (if they aren't cheering for you, they aren't your people)

•Exclusion from conversations, events, or opportunities

•Watching everything you do

On their own, these behaviors do not necessarily point to jealousy. When just a few are combined, they are a pretty easy to read formula.

I'm sure many of you have experience with jealousy. I know I do.

It’s vital to recognize these behaviors to know who has ill intent around you.

However, I want to touch on the less talked about subject...

𝑯𝒐𝒘 𝒅𝒐 𝒘𝒆 𝒊𝒏𝒅𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒊𝒇𝒚 𝒘𝒉𝒆𝒏 𝒘𝒆 𝒐𝒖𝒓𝒔𝒆𝒍𝒗𝒆𝒔 𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒋𝒆𝒂𝒍𝒐𝒖𝒔?

It takes real humility to admit, but we have to watch for the signs in ourselves.

•When someone's name or presence triggers a fight-or-flight reaction, even when they've never actually done anything to you.

•Feeling a sense of satisfaction when someone else faces a setback.

•Avoiding situations where that person will be the center of attention.

•Finding yourself constantly comparing your horses, your riding, or your rig to theirs.

Jealousy ultimately stems from low self-esteem.

The direct opposites?

𝑮𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒕𝒖𝒅𝒆 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑨𝒘𝒆.

When you are truly grateful for what you have, it is impossible to bemoan what you don't.

When envy starts to creep in, use it as a mirror. Identify exactly what it is you admire, and let it inspire you to push harder for your own goals.

Better yet? Go ask that person how they did it. Most successful people are happy to share their journey if you approach them with respect.

You can't control someone else's jealousy towards you. Be nice when you can, and set immovable boundaries when you can't.

However, we can learn to indentify it within ourselves. If we all committed to choosing awe over envy, the horse community would be a much better, safer place.

𝑨 𝑭𝒊𝒏𝒂𝒍 𝑵𝒐𝒕𝒆: My barn aisle is a sanctuary for my horses and my clients. I have a zero-tolerance policy for malice or ill intent. I will protect the animals and people under my care by any and all means necessary.

04/26/2026

Always trying to help support local clubs and small shows; these shows are so important to our area and I know my barn is grateful for everyone who works hard to put these on! ❤️

Thank you Hill Creek Stables, LLC for sponsoring end of the year awards and Wickham Ranch for our arena worker services. If you are interested in becoming a sponsor please message the page for more information

02/27/2026

❤️❤️❤️

Stop calling it humility …
It’s not humility. It’s insecurity.

Humility says, “God did this.” Insecurity says, “I don’t belong here.” Humility gives God glory. Insecurity disqualifies yourself.

And they are not the same. Some of you have mastered shrinking in the name of spirituality. You downplay your gifts. You deflect compliments. You minimize your authority. You apologize for your voice. And you call it being humble.

It’s not.

It’s discomfort with being seen. Humility doesn’t deny what God did. It acknowledges it without taking credit.

When God opens a door and you say, “I’m probably not qualified,” that’s not humility. That’s disagreement with heaven.

When God anoints you and you say, “Someone else could do this better,” that’s not humility. That’s insecurity trying to sound spiritual.

You didn’t accidentally step into that room. You were placed there. God does not mismanage placement. He does not miscalculate calling. He does not randomly assign influence.

If you are there, it is because He trusted you there. Stop apologizing for occupying space God assigned to you. Stop lowering your voice so insecure people feel comfortable.
Stop pretending you’re less so others don’t feel threatened.

You can honor God without shrinking yourself. In fact, shrinking dishonors the One who built you.

You are not self-made. But you are God-formed. You are not self-appointed. But you are God-positioned. And when you finally stop confusing insecurity with humility, you will walk differently.

You’ll speak without flinching. You’ll lead without over-explaining. You’ll move without constantly asking, “Do I belong here?”
Because humility says, “It’s all Him.” But it never says, “It’s not me.”

He chose you.

Natalie Breckenridge 🤎

02/24/2026

Two peas in a pod 🥰

02/13/2026

❗️❗️❗️❗️❗️

𝐒𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐢𝐜𝐞𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐒𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝

This term deserves more attention because it reflects reality in the performance horse world.

A pre purchase exam is not a pass or fail test. There is no magical line where a horse is either “good” or “bad.” A PPE is meant to gather information so a buyer can make an informed decision based on goals, expectations, and budget.

Every horse requires maintenance. Feet, teeth, conditioning, routine care, and management are part of owning any horse. Some horses simply require more maintenance than others, and that does not automatically make them unsound.

Soundness exists on a spectrum. A horse can be serviceable for its intended job while still needing routine or even advanced maintenance. The real questions should be:�Can this horse comfortably do the job I want it to do?�What level of maintenance will be required?�Can I realistically afford and manage that long term?

That decision belongs to the buyer, not the veterinarian.

A good PPE helps define risk, expectations, and potential costs. It does not fail a horse simply because it has had injections or may need them in the future. Many top level performance horses compete successfully for years with appropriate care.

“Serviceable sound” respects the horse, the buyer, and the reality of performance horse ownership.

𝐃𝐨𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐗 𝐕𝐞𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝐒𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐢𝐜𝐞𝐬�
xxvets.com ◦ (940) 514-9500

01/28/2026

Lessons are cancelled for the entire week of 1/26-1/31! ❄️❄️❄️

Hopefully we can resume next week!

12/25/2025

Merry Christmas from Hill Creek Stables! ❤️🤍

11/27/2025

Wishing everyone a Happy Thanksgiving 🦃 🧡