Nicole Shoup Horsemanship

06/02/2026

Today we returned 2 very special stud colts that completed 30 days of basic handling!

These fellas were so much fun and a joy to have around. It's very special to me to be apart of a horses life at this stage. I will always hold a piece of them in my heart just as much as I hope they do, too.

Basic handling is where we start to introduce the pieces of the life an educated horse will have. Catching softly, leading, loading, tying, feet handling, hosing, fly spray, trimming, bodywork, veterinary care, basic ground work, manners overall, obstacles for coordination and confidence, new environments, meeting new horses, and more.

These guys had short quality sessions and sometimes multiple in a day. I don't believe in flooding or overly desensitizing them. I believe in teaching them the detailed language of the lead rope and using the crossing of obstacles to build trust and confidence. It matters to me more than anything that these colts began to trust me and follow before anything else.

Those skills sound like a lot when I write it all out. These are also all of the things that can be looked past when it is time to ride. These are the little skills that can be introduced at a young age to help with how much overwhelm may come when it's time to ride.

Being pretty and incredibly well bred was only a plus! 🤗❤️ Soon you'll be chasing cows, boys!

DONT STOPP DRIVING (Sorrel with blaze)
Dont Stopp Believin (LTE- $463,962 NCHA Hall of Fame) x Driving Miss Em (own daughter of Woody Be Tuff)

DRIVING ON THE EDGE (Red roan)
Third Edge (LTE $342,528 NCHA Hall of Fame) x Driving Miss Em (own daughter of Woody Be Tuff)

Thank you to all involved for your trust! And I look forward to watching these 2 sell in Dec!

05/18/2026

I have one last minute spot opening June 1st!

Young horse development (1-2 yr olds)
Restarts
Obstacle training
Trails
Refreshes
Consignments

Send me a message and I'll see if I can help 🙂

Feel free to share

05/18/2026

You might wonder sometimes- when should I move on in a session?

One time I heard from someone that I trust that they do not move out of the walk until the horses exhale. So, I really started looking for it in the horses. Particularly the young or learning horse.

When they exhale, I know they're letting go of tension and regulating themselves. Then I know I can change gait, start some manuevers, and more because they are ready for what it next.

After an exhale, they often feel more rhythmic, more swing to the back, and a softer neck. These are all things I need to help the horse find before we move on.

Looking for this and waiting for it teaches the horse that they have the opportunity to release tension. It becomes a regular thing and it isn't a trained cue, but it is a common occurrence. As it should be :)

And a lot of times it doesn’t take as long as you might think until they breathe out. It helps the ride tremendously.

05/14/2026

It just might work out.

You know those horses that don't quite make sense. You've tried, done all of the things, every approach and 20 hail Mary's and there still isn't a give.

Well, lately I've watched and learned how despite when everything feels lost... that there is still a glimmer of hope. All because of someone who cares, devotes to, and loves their horse.

Not just the kind of fluffy love, but the kind of love that seeks answers. Love that advocates and pushes for what's right. The kind of love that understands a horse and what they need.

It's a gloriously messy endeavor to figure out the complicated ones. And maybe it isn't even that it's a complicated horse- but rather a compilation of health stuff, previous experience, new home, and new people. Also, new people that ask differently and/or new things.

It's a good reminder as a trainer and teacher that sometimes an outcome you might expect from experience might take a left and you learn about... a different outcome. Sometimes, a better outcome.

And nothing can ever, ever replace time. It cannot be sped up or slowed down. Time can change many things. Time is something we just have to give it.

So you might be surprised sometimes how it all works out. All because of good people caring for their horses. And the more this happens, the less I am surprised and a new reality is formed.

05/12/2026

We had an amazing saddle fitting clinic recently with Hudson's Tack and More! It was a sprint not a marathon and a really good one at that.

We had an informative clinic on Saturday learning all about the pieces of the horse that affect saddle fit. The topline, their health, self carriage and more. Then we did a dynamic fit which includes feeling saddles on the horse, picking one, rider up to see the pressure distribution 🤗

For the private sessions, Kristina, Miranda, and McKenzie got 17 horses fitted 😯 All mixes of english and western! Gaited horses, mustangs, dressage horses, and even a standardbred!

There were break throughs and people felt their horses move in ways they had never rode! The smiles were all worth it.

Thank you to Kristina, Miranda, and MK Horsemanship for coming all this way to put on this clinic. It was all hands on deck.

Thank you to Stoney Meadow Farm for being our host facility!

Stay tuned for another one in the fall.......

04/30/2026

It sure is my butterfly season 🦋

Send a message to learn more

04/28/2026

Replenimash is my life saver