Chloe Buchan - Horse Training

03/28/2026

Five years ago today, I met the horse that would change my life. She would teach me a whole new language, how to stand strong, how to have fun, how to be who I want to be, how to enjoy the little things, and how to listen. Mesa is the light of my life. She’s crazy, silly, full of energy, sass, and opinions, and is always authentically herself. There really is no other horse like her. She might make my life difficult and stressful at times, but she is who she is without a drop of shame and I love her for it. I can’t believe how fast the time has gone by, I don’t know where I would be today without you Meesh ❤️

02/26/2026

Mesa let me sit with her while she was laying down the other morning and it’s been so long since we’ve done that 🥹 She is just so special to me, I’m not sure I’ll ever be able to explain it.

It feels like I’ve been rekindling my relationship with Mesa, and not because it was ever bad, but because we’ve been through a lot together in the last few months. I am hoping to get around to posting about it soon, but for now, I’ve been really enjoying her presence and all the little things with her ❤️

02/12/2026

Recently, an internationally renowned trainer in the horse-first, welfare focused, and nervous-system-conscious training circles was outed for abusive practices. I don’t support trolling and bullying people for this. At that point, then you’re just doing the same thing you’re criticising them for.

But

I do think this behavior should be called out. Always. Regardless of who you are, what circles you move within, or how much power you have.

Unfortunately, more concerning videos came out after the original was shared, as well as multiple accounts of clear emotional abuse and manipulation toward her students (find reviews here: https://www.trustpilot.com/review/onehorselife.com).

Some of her former students’ experiences are deeply disturbing, and she is seemingly practicing energy/healing work and some sort of counseling without any credentials to do so.

So, I wrote Anna Marciniak of One Horse Life a letter (shared in the comments). They’ve seen it, but have yet to respond. I don’t expect much of a response, but I think it’s important they know that people are watching, and they see through the bullsh*t and manipulation.

Most importantly, I want to say this:

If you’ve ever been:
- Belittled by a trainer
- Silenced when you tried to ask questions
- Told it’s your fault (and led to believe you *need* them)
- Told it’s your own inability to understand (rather than altering their approach to help you understand)
- Threatened with violence or legal action

…don’t question your intuition. Listen to your gut. Get out.

Abuse in the horse world, towards horses AND humans, has to end.

01/26/2026

Been working on some new things with Miles! Trying out my new hackamore, and learning so much along the way. I am taking a step back to really work on some of the areas that we’ve struggled with, as well as getting back into shape. I’m excited for this next step in our journey ❤️
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01/13/2026

Galloping into 2026 with this energy 🐎

Rules for 2026 (so we're all on the same page)

For horses:
1. German horse muffins are mandatory equipment.
2. You must keep your horse's poll the highest point, or be demoted from the cool club.
3. Driving a horse into the contact is uncouth. As is fiddling their head down with your fingers in case anyone is watching you.
4. You must use pool noodles and targets with discernment.
5. Emotional training is out, resilient training is in.
6. You must teach your horse to squat.
7. You yourself, should also be squatting so that your horse does not think that you are a hypocrite.
8. The only opinion that matters is your horse's.
9. We will reward the slightest try, and then reward the slightest try better.
10. Only ask your horse to do something again, if you are certain it will be better than what you just got. Otherwise you are better off quitting while you're ahead.
11. Flash nosebands are lame. As is interacting with the FEI.
12. Girths are to be immediately loosened after dismounting.
13. If a Pivo pod breaks or dies, it is acceptable to publicly mourn for 5 business days before moving on.
14. Pet your horse with excellence. Nothing is ever insignificant.
15. Your horse's behavior while you braid their forelock is a direct measure of how tame they are.

Lastly, your horse deserves to be the best horse in the world. Make sure they know that. Post your imperfect video and enjoy it to the fullest. Acknowledge that every session is one less you will ever get to have with them.
That is why to cherish the Art is to cherish the HORSE.

Horsemanship is a study of becoming worthy of our horses.

For the Internet:
1. In order to be an ethical hater, you must have recently posted at least 2 videos of yourself successfully doing the thing you are critiquing. This is so the rest of us can decide how much credit to give you.

2. Unsolicited advice gets you added to *the list* (and yes, you were screenshot and reviewed by the board)

3. Comment debates are only legal if both parties are well rested, not hungry, and not under the influence of any mind altering substances.

Please tell me if I missed anything!

12/29/2025

Meesh, my forever wild child ❤️

Mesa loved her stocking full of goodies! She got lots of homemade treats, peppermints and carrots. I also brought Mesa on a short Christmas walk the other day so that she didn’t miss out on all the festivities and boy did she bring the excitement! I can always rely on her to make things zesty 😂
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12/25/2025

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays from Mesa!!

It’s been a dream of mine to take these photos and I’m so excited to share them with everyone 😍

Support your local photographers! Resist AI slop!
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11/27/2025

Mesa is the one who changed it all for me. I had always dreamed of gentling a wild horse, but of course, that dream seemed just out of reach for so long. Until the day Lani said, why not?

It was scary to make that jump, but there is not a day that goes by that I regret it. Mesa has taught me an immeasurable amount of lessons, and shaped me into who I am today. I will forever be grateful for this horse, she is everything to me ❤️
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11/14/2025

Guess who wore her first English saddle?!

They grow up so fast 🥹 Willow is 3 and going to be 4 in the spring and she took her first real saddle like an old pro, now she’ll be off to Ellensburg!

This silly girl has been back for a couple weeks since she broke out of her paddock twice at the other property (Scroll through to see her at the scene of the crime). She got booted back to ShooFly while we sort horses around and she’s already bonded with Mesa again like they never left each other ❤️😭 I figured since she’s here, might as well do a few things like ponying, mounting prep, walks and wearing a real saddle for the first time!

11/03/2025

Why Isn’t Your Horse on the Bit?

Here’s another common and misunderstood questions in riding: why isn’t your horse on the bit?

If I’m honest, it’s also a question that once held me back from exploring French classical training. I was uninformed and, truthfully, a little judgmental about what I was seeing until I took the time to read and understand the theory behind why we should wait before asking for poll flexion.

Even now, it’s a question that can make me feel a bit exposed when I’m working through those early, messy stages of helping a horse find balance.

In the School of Légèreté, we don’t start by putting the horse “on the bit” by asking for poll flexion. We start by educating the mouth.

Before a horse can seek contact, he must first learn to accept it; with confidence, not tension. That begins with a soft, mobile jaw. When the jaw is relaxed, the poll and neck can follow, and the topline opens up. Without that first conversation in the mouth, any contact risks becoming a constraint rather than a communication.

From there, we focus on bending and extending the neck, left and right, forward and out. This isn’t just about stretch; it’s about symmetry. By gymnasticising the neck, we free and lengthen the spine so the horse can move straight and without contraction. Only once the body is supple, balanced, and aligned do we add the final piece; poll flexion, the cherry on the cake.

I often think about this through my own body. I’m tall, with a long neck, and I struggle with neck and shoulder pain. To avoid strain, I need to tuck my chin slightly toward my neck; a small flexion at the atlanto-occipital joint, the human equivalent of the horse’s poll. It helps enormously, but only if I’ve first lengthened and aligned my spine. If I try it from a collapsed posture, the discomfort multiplies.

Try it yourself; it’s a simple but powerful way to feel why a horse needs a long, symmetrical neck before you think about flexing the poll.

So, if you see a horse being ridden with their head ahead of the vertical, it might not be because the rider doesn’t know how to “get him on the bit.” They may simply be taking the slower, more thoughtful route; ensuring every piece of the puzzle is in place so that, when flexion comes, it creates lightness and stability, not restriction.

09/29/2025

An excellent video to help train the eye…