Upstream Horsemanship

12/12/2025

I am offering up Toast for a partial lease!
Toast is a 16.3ish Oldenburg mare with a big personality and lots to give to the right person. she's dabbled in a little bit of everything; dressage, jumping, trail, cattle sorting, working equitation, liberty, etc. She's been out of consistent work for a while, but is the same every time you get on her nobmatter how long she's been sitting. I hopped on her a few days ago for the first time in 4 or so months and she went around perfectly (albeit a little out of shape)

Toast is a sensitive horse who will only entertain fair and respectful conversations - she won't mesh well with a rider that doesn't value or listen to her input. She is ridden mostly through the seat and leg, has "ok" lateral work and is well balanced when in shape. if she bonds with her person, she really loves to work. She has a lot of buttons and requires a gentle but confident rider with an independent seat. She will not do well with someone who struggles to emotionally regulate themselves. Toast is pretty brave and doesn't spook much, but she needs a rider that can laugh off the occasional buck or small spook.

She's located on a private farm in Pataskala with 20 acres of trails on site and several great people to ride with. I'm very amenable on her lease fee and ride times, as my priority is to find the perfect person. I will require that any interested party take a lesson with me prior to signing a lease agreement to make sure it is a good fit.

DM me or contact me at 301-641-5562 for more information!

11/14/2025

My (other) place of work is hiring! Come work with us!

We have meaningful work for people that have horse experience and know the impact horses can have on mental health. We are a passionate, nonprofit team helping local families access effective mental health services incorporating horses. Please share to help us find the right people! 💚🐴🩶

09/11/2025

grab your ticket and come join us this Saturday!

09/05/2025

Ticket sales end today for The Healing Experiences Summit: Bridging Gaps in Mental Health, Wellness, and Culture

We still need volunteers! Sign up for 3 hours and get access to all of the great presentations - link below

🗓 Date: September 13, 2025 from 9:00 AM -5:00 PM
📍 Location: Austin E. Knowlton Center for Equine Science 600 N. Spring Road, Westerville, Ohio 43082
🌿 An Immersive Journey into Healing & Wellness
🤝 All are welcome! Anyone interested in wellness for themselves or as a provider will benefit from attending.

Tickets: https://secure.qgiv.com/.../event/healingexperiencessummit/

Presentation Descriptions can be found on our website.
https://pbjconnections.org/helping-horses-help-kids-others/

Volunteer sign up - https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1YpA_3gj-07yX6raQTEXHrkwL3EJAwd7C/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=108164270700750543516&rtpof=true&sd=true

07/22/2025

I'm presenting at this summit! there's gonna be some great presenters and this will be an awesome opportunity to network with some great people. hope to see you there!

Join us for an unforgettable conference where mental health, wellness, and cultural integration come together in an experiential, hands-on learning environment!

04/21/2025

I have some rare openings in my schedule for new clients!
I specialize in behavioral modification in horses (and their people😆) and creating better partnerships based in trust and accountability through the lens of mindful horsemanship. It is my lifelong passion to help people understand their horse, themselves, and their path forward more clearly. If you are struggling to find connection with your horse, are dealing with fear or anxiety, or don't know how to make the next steps in your journey with your horse, reach out! I serve the central Ohio area, and I also offer virtual lessons and video consultation.

https://upstreamhorsemanship.com/
301-641-55632
[email protected]

04/19/2025

I loved facilitating this workshop today with Preshus. We are having another one in June!

Send a message to learn more

04/09/2025

Come attend this workshop that Preshus and I are facilitating! If you can't make this one, we are having another one in June :)

Join us to learn horsemanship, practice mindfulness and gather in community led by two BIPOC women in the horse industry.

BIPOC stands for Black, Indigenous, and people of color.

Learn Horsemanship Skills:
Come out and spend time with our equines (horses) in the beautiful setting of our farm. Learn how to care for the horses and "think like a horse". Whether you have experience or this is our first time, this is a great opportunity to build your skills.

Practice Mindfulness:
Horses and donkeys are gifted with the ability to always be in the moment. Join them in a kind, loving, nonjudgmental environment to learn and practice the skills of basic mindfulness that you can take home with you once you leave the farm.

Gathering in Community:
Engage in new experiences and foster connections in an ever growing community led by two BIPOC women in the equine industry.

No horse experience required. Please wear close toed shoes and dress for the weather. No horseback riding is involved.

When: Saturday, April 19th from 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM

Where: PBJ Connections Barn
9800 Jug St NW, Pataskala, OH 43062

Facilitators: Preshuslee Thompson & Allana Salmon

Suggested Donation: $35

02/24/2025

Come present at the summit with me!

02/12/2025

Our team is growing! We have such an amazing work team and culture, and the work is so fulfilling. Apply if you're interested and qualified!

02/10/2025

“Can’t you tell that horse isn’t 100% comfortable?!”

Yes. I can.

I’m going to share from a post from last year…

“At this stage, I’m not looking for 100% relaxation and trust in me.

That’s not realistic, and I’m not going to get hung up on it.

This isn’t about me, me needing the horse to be 100% ok with me.

This is about me meeting and accepting the horse exactly where they’re at… which is NOT trusting me.

This horse needs to trust themselves to read my intention, first.

The more they practice that, the more scaffolding we have to build trust between us.

There is no shortcut. Trust-building is dynamic and accumulative.

There is no 100% trust each step of the way with some horses and some situations.”

This particular horse has a lot of trust in people, but she’s lacked confidence in herself to navigate situations without a herd around at times; which, I guess, comes down to trusting her handler to act as her ‘surrogate herd.’

There’s a lot more education about calming signals and covert signs of stress the last few years, which is fabulous.

But make no mistake, just because I appear to be ‘ignoring’ them, doesn’t mean I’m not seeing them.

That goes for a lot of horsemen.

Even if they don’t have a formal term or understanding, they can still be using all of the feedback from the horse to guide their decision-making, which may or may not involve slowing down or stopping the process.

Don’t assume that just because a trainer doesn’t slam on the brakes when they see calming signals or signs of stress, that they don’t see or understand them. Or that they don’t care.

They aren’t necessarily a stop sign. More often, they’re a caution or yield sign.

That being said, I’d be very wary of anyone whose only response is the gas pedal.

02/06/2025

BHPS is still open for registration and is also offering this awesome giveaway for registering!
Going to this conference for the first time in 2017 genuinely changed my life and my path as a horseman. Highly recommend!

Registration is now open! The Summit takes place at Thal Equine in Santa Fe, New Mexico, on April 4-6, 2025. Limited to first 65 registrants. Registrations are not refundable after December 15, 2024.