Brighton Stables

01/01/2026

Ever think of why we like to be close to and hug our furry pets, horses being no exception? Their heat beat resonates with ours. The horse's heart beat is deep, slow, and strong. It is therapeutically soothing to ours.

You don't have to gallop across fields, sore over jumps, dash around barrels, or perform ballet movements in dressage. Simply sit on a horse's back and relax, as the horse gradually relaxes with you. Feel the peaceful calm.

12/29/2025

What a fantastic way to close Christmas week yesterday. Typically, I teach one riding student at a time, because of my intense focus on detail and precission.

Yesterday was "play time" riding with coaching as needed:: a unique combination of a trainer who took lessons here years ago, and a student who' learned to ride with a trainer I had coached in the past. Plus, a current 2nd year student observer, on track to be a new trainer in her own right. It was fun.

I'm sorry I didn't get pictures of everyone (nbrs, previous boarders, and horsey friends who visited these last few days. It was hectic! Thank you for the assorted cookies and home-made nut brittle, gifts, and for sharing a Christmas dinner plate. Hope you all had a Merry Christmas. You certainly made mine. - Carol

12/19/2025

Quiet Colic (strangulated lipoma).

My worst nightmare is a "quiet colic", where there isn't necessarily a mass of packed food stuff trying to pass, but a pedunculated lipoma (hanging benign fatty tumor) strangulating the intestine. This is a surgical emergency.
It scares me when a horse rolls, particularly one that is older, over weight, and out of shape (loose hanging belly).

I'm all for slow feed hay nets, and low sugar/low starch hay and feed.

12/12/2025

Part Time Help Wanted at Private Horse Farm. Knightdale, near the High School.

Can do this on your way home from work, or before picking up kids from school, or on the weekends. Helpers rotate flexible days/times.

** HELP: Extra short staffed over the Holidays. **

Chores: Feed, rinse water bkts, clean 4 stalls, and occasional blanketing for my sweet pampered horses. Takes an hour or less. Riding opportunity if experienced.

Text your horse experience and availability to Carol at 919.632.7700.

12/11/2025

Looking to buy a horse or pony? Best recommendation is to do an on-site trial lease for a couple months. Please!​

Why lease to buy?
A trial lease on site allows time for bonding, to really get to know each other. Off-site lease doesn't work as well, but may be the only option for long distances​.

Alternative:
If you're not sure about taking on a new (and increasingly expensive) equine "family" member, get a motor ​bike. There are some pretty neat off-road battery operated ones now.

The Risks:
A horse uprooted from its home​ ​can have what a vet once ​called "separation anxiety". The horse either panics to escape, gets mad and aggressive toward strangers, or simply shuts down from depression, quits eating and won't perform. This isn't the horse you bought. It's one that's been uprooted from its home.

No retunds?
If the option is not to return the horse or pony, you need to help the horse adjust. If you don't have the time or motivation for this (typically up to 3 months), the horse or pony gets passed down the line​ from one ​disillusioned owner ​to another.

Sad ending:
The horse is bought at auction ​by the "cleaver man", jam-packed into ​ shipping containers for transport ​to Mexico or Canada, sometimes with ​its eyes burned out​​​, where it is beheaded and slaughtered for meat.

Bottom line:
Get to know the horse first. Give the horse time to know you. That's what we love so much about horses. They bond with people who care for them, and will work their heart out for you.

Help is here:
We can, and want to help you with this process. Horses and ponies uprooted from their homes are like orphaned children. They go through a grieving process. To start, t​hey need their own space, where ​they can feel safe and ​secure​.We can help you with this process. It is important to be patient, and also protect your own space, while ​the horse learns to relax and come to you.​ Contact Carol at ​Brighton Stables. We will help guide you through this process, so ​it doesn't turn sour snd someone gets hurt.

Contact:
Carol at Brighton Stables. Send me PM, or text to 919.632.7700. Free consults, for the good of the horse.

12/06/2025

EVENT: 1/24/2026, ​covered arena.

Sylvia Akers Collins is hosting a day with (t) dressage judge ​Jan Liteshoe at Brighton Stables for private lessons on Saturday January 24th. Lessons with Jan are $90, payable directly to Jan.

Respond here, or contact Sylvia directly ​to schedule your session. Limited space is still available

11/27/2025

lateral movements strengthen the hind quarters, the driving mechanism that propels the horse forward. The following example demonstrates this principle.

A client's horse (Oki, a range horse from Oklahoma) had difficulty picking up the left lead canter. Normally, lightening the rider's weight on the inside helps. In this case, we used turn-on-the-forehand with cross over in the rear to strengthen the left stifle. A small number of these helped the horse balance and drive forward onto the left lead. I cautioned the rider to build the horse's lateral strength in the hindquarters gradually.

Another example: It was through similar conditioning that my upper level horse was able to canter in place for 3 strides, just for fun - very strenuous. That power in collection explodes into fantastic forward motion. It's fun when it works. Building strength is a slow gradual process.

11/21/2025

This is pretty long, but very informative about various horse breeds, their personalities, and suitability to different types of owners. Worth listening to, when you have time.

Ever wondered what makes a horse a record-breaking sprinter or an incredible powerhouse? I'll reveal the incredible science and history behind the world's mo...

11/21/2025

I LOVE this! 💕 I love being near my horses, even to relax in the quiet evening hours, listening to them munching their hay, with an occasional glance toward me. Yes I am ok, we are ok.

https://www.facebook.com/share/r/1F2hrukWnP/

11/11/2025

Soft hand, palm down, limp fingers reaching out. Meet the horse half way. Let the horse come to you. Then that gentle touch. This is what builds trust. Lesson learned. :-) Job well done.

11/04/2025

Sharing a training point that came up in a riding lesson yesterday. When you want to teach a horse to respond to a new queue, such as move the haunches to one side:

Use a 1-2-3 step process. #1) use leg pressure on one side behind the girth, then release for a few seconds.

#2) If the horse did not respond, apply pressure again, a little harder this time (no kicking), then if no responds, add a thump and hold a few seconds. Thrn release.

#3) Last try (that's the "3" in the 1-2-3 approach), use a strong pressure, then tap, then thump, then tap harder and maybe reinforce it with a tao on the rump with a riding bat until the horse responds by yielding to the pressure. Then release and praise the horse with rubs (not:slaps), and ket the horse relax.

In a couple minutes, you can try again, starting with one light steady leg pressure behind the girth. If you do not get a response, then you will need to do ground work, to teach the horse (not force -- no abuse please) to move its haunches away with light steady pressure.

Tip: It helps to turn the horse's head to the opposite side of the haunches movement. That way, when the moves over, it is actually straightening out its back, moving into a more comfortable position. Like this: turn head left, then push haunches right, and horse is straight again.