Heart Centered Horsemanship

04/17/2025

This is the first sentence of the book I am writing. Getting it done is a slow process though, as I prefer to spend my available time with my besties. Not every horse likes to trail ride, but it's one of Greta's favorite activities. True joy with horses comes from finding things we can enjoy doing together. Even riding can be a pleasurable experience for our horses when it's done well.

I am looking forward to launching my online membership and courses soon. This will provide a guide for those seeking a relationship with their horses based on connection rather than restraint, consent rather than force, and play rather than work. I will be posting more details on how to join in the near future!

04/10/2025

When we shift our mindset from what the horse needs to do to what we need to do, everything changes.

If there’s one thing I wish more people understood about horses, it’s this: They’re not being difficult. Most of what they're doing is reflective of YOU.

They are giving you a RESPONSE. Not out of defiance. Not out of malice. But because they are wired - biologically, psychologically, instinctively - to respond to the world around them for survival.

So when you step into their space frustrated, disconnected, anxious, or unclear - they feel that. And they respond accordingly.

I see two things all the time…

• A spooky horse is blamed for being naughty, but the rider is nervous, stiff, and barely breathing.
• A horse is labeled stubborn because he doesn’t respond to a cue - but the cue was unclear, poorly communicated - and then the horse is punished for being lazy and unresponsive.

In both cases, the horse isn’t the problem. The human involved, however, is.

There’s a lot of incompetence in the horse world - but instead of accountability, we blame the horse.
We slap on harsher bits, louder aids, more aggressive corrections.We label them bad, lazy, rude, or stubborn… when really, they’re just confused, frightened, or overwhelmed.

Horses cannot be 'bad', they are just horses. People are either bad handlers, riders, or trainers. This seems to be a truth rarely spoken or acknowledged.

Horses literally can't manipulate. They, very simply, reflect what we bring to the conversation.

And that’s the truth people don’t like to talk about:
If your horse isn’t responding well, it might not be about them - it's actually in most cases about you.

So when something feels off in a session, pause and ask yourself:

Am I breathing deeply and feeling compassionate and optimistic?
Am I calm and grounded in my body?
Am I present - or is my mind somewhere else?
Am I feeling scared, under pressure, or frustrated?

✨ Self-awareness is the MOST underrated skill in horsemanship. The more honest we become about what we bring into the space, the more compassionate and connected we become as partners. ✨

Because it’s never about control. It’s about connection.
And that connection? It always starts with you.

04/09/2025

Thank you to Danni Wojcik for this lovely testimonial!

"I have been riding for a long time, practically my whole life. I have always felt a pull towards the horses. The disciplines I enjoy are hunter/jumper, eventing and dressage and each one of these requires understanding of timing, rhythm and balance both within yourself and with the horse. I was taught each discipline with a very classical mindset and over the years I still felt like I was missing some deeper form of connection to heighten my finesse in the saddle.
Working with Stacey at first felt like a foreign language because the traditional ways felt so engrained. But over the months working with her on and off the ground, that has rapidly changed and my tool box has gotten much more versatile and deeper. I am able to integrate both sides of the training coin together and am able to use what is necessary at that time for each horse as their own individual.
Stacey has found a way to unlock and put into words what the great riders already know and feel within their bones when communicating on the ground or in the saddle with these amazing animals. What I as a person who didn't originally come from a family of equestrians or strong financial means have come to understand mentally and physically on my own but didn't quite know how to utilize. Stacey has found a way to emulate exactly what my body should feel and respond in the way that the horses instinctively understand. It has been a real turning point and game changer in my schooling sessions with my current dressage horse. We're aiming to show this summer and I feel more confident than ever!"

If you want to learn more about this approach to riding and horsemanship, consider grabbing a spot at our upcoming clinic!

https://heartcenteredhorsemanship.com/labelle-equestrian-may-10544262

03/24/2025

I feel like the importance of how we show up for our horses is vastly underestimated. If we really want to create the outcomes we desire, we have to become aware of that which is often unconscious.

Most training approaches are based on what the horse needs to do, but I take a different approach. I ask, what does the person need to do in each moment in response to the horse? By staying grounded and present, achieving a state of relaxed awareness, and communicating with intention and clarity, we can become leaders that horses will respond to with willing cooperation.

Mindful Horsemanship is a 10-week class that focuses on building authentic relationship both on the ground and when riding. This course is for those who seek more than just a riding lesson. You will learn skills that will improve your relationship with any horse.

For more information and registration go to: https://heartcenteredhorsemanship.com/mindful-horsemanship-introduction-9428

For those interested in attending a clinic, you can register for
SPEAKING THE HORSE'S LANGUAGE AND RIDING WITH MINDFUL MOVEMENT at LaBelle Equestrian on May 10.
For information go to:
https://heartcenteredhorsemanship.com/labelle-equestrian-may-10544262

I will also be at JL Winding Road Farm in Reidsville on May 3. You can register for that event at:
https://heartcenteredhorsemanship.com/jlwindingroad

03/20/2025

Happy Equinox! I am loving these longer and warmer days! As we celebrate this time of new beginnings, I am excited about new things happening for Heart Centered Horsemanship!

I am starting an online membership group from my web platform and will be adding educational videos and resources, as well as offering regular Zoom discussions for members. This will begin as a free opportunity for those interested in helping provide feedback on content, and will eventually become a paid subscription service. If you are interested in participating, please fill out the contact form through the website heartcenterehorsemanship.com and send us a note that you want to join the group!

For local folks, I am offering a series of classes entitled MINDFUL HORSEMANSHIP, which will give participants an opportunity to explore the nuances of speaking the horse's language of energy, movement and body language as they are guided in creating relationships based on authentic connection. Information for this class is available on the website!

For the kiddos, we will be offering two 3-day camps at LaBelle Equestrian on June 25-27 and July 16-18. I love introducing children to horsemanship that is based on truly learning to communicate in the way horses understand. Even young children and learn that to control a horse, you really have to control yourself! Find registration info on the website!

I am also available for Zoom consultations, and love consulting with professionals in the fields of equine assisted learning and mental health as well as horse stewards who would like support in developing an optimal relationship with their equine partner.

Please visit my website and reach out to learn more!

03/06/2025

There are many horses who are well behaved due to some sort of restraint that prevents them from having choice in their behavior. The restraint may be physical or it may be mental, but either way it creates a situation where the horse cannot express their true feelings. When they do have an option and an opinion, it may not be what their person wants to hear.

Sweet Zella was getting grumpy during lessons and we couldn’t figure out what was going on. One day I took her to the round pen and she ran, and bucked, and kicked up, and had an absolute blow out. Zella is an angel for her lessons, but when taking kids for rides she has to show a certain amount of restraint. Students are often incongruent and she is highly sensitive. Her job creates stress that she internalized, and she had been holding it in, and it really needed to work itself out. She is so good that she kept doing her thing for her riders, but when I asked her what was really going on she let me know!

Since that day, I have been incorporating more off-line connection and communication in the round pen with my students before their ride. I have also been shifting my mindset about the type of lesson program I want to offer. Riding lessons come with an expectation of what’s going to happen. The horse will be groomed, tacked, taken to the arena, and ridden. Sometimes that isn’t what needs to happen in that moment to provide an ideal outcome.

I want to offer a program that teaches people how to respond to what the horse needs in each moment to be well regulated, attuned, and connected. As we learn to respond to our horses with clear intention and congruence, we begin to co-create a relationship that goes far beyond what we knew was possible.

02/21/2025

Nothing is like a blank white canvas. On this background, the mark of our action is clear. If we are constantly doing something, we have a big scramble of marks that are difficult to discern.

I encourage my students to go deeper and deeper into nothing, remaining mindful of letting go of unnecessary tension and finding a place of inner stillness.

This is a state of relaxed awareness, of being ready to do what is necessary while actually doing nothing.

In this state, riding and horsemanship become a meditation, a way to focus the mind. Just as meditation brings us into the state of awareness that exists beneath all thought and emotion, we can become like the blank canvas, where each action is done with clarity, intention, and effectiveness.

02/06/2025

I consider teaching children one of the most important things I can do. I’m not interested in teaching them to control horses. I want to teach them kindness, the power of service-based leadership, the importance of self regulation, and the value of joy. Riding lessons can be a lot of things, for me it’s an opportunity to

02/05/2025

With horses, leadership is a common theme. In my work I often discuss styles of leadership and encourage people to choose which feels better for them. When feelings are the priority, I find people prefer to lead with connection and consent rather than force and dominance.

Growing up, I was taught how to make a horse do something even if they didn’t want to. It was for the win, the ribbon and prestige, not the emotional benefit.

These days, I prefer to be guided by what feeds my soul. This means engaging with horses in a way that considers their emotional and physical well being as opposed to one that uses them for personal gain.

I feel like I’m still in the minority in the world of horses. Dominance is still admired and sought. It seems so strange that people would prefer this.

I believe that deep down, we all are the same. We all seek happiness and joy. True joy isn’t found in using others for personal advantage. True joy is found when everybody is benefitting from the experience.

THE MOST IMPORTANT WIN MAY BE INVISIBLE, BUT THAT DOESN'T MAKE IT LESS REAL

02/01/2025

On Saturday, May 3, I will be at JL Winding Road Farm Reidsville, NC to offer a Mindful Movement for Riders clinic. This unique opportunity includes:

Mindful movement on the mat, where we will explore subtle and intentional movements that we can use to communicate with our horses with clarity while riding.

Horsemanship on the ground: covering topics such as nervous system regulation, "speaking" the horse's language, releasing unnecessary tension, softness and attunement, and developing connected movement.

Lunch included: Q&A/discussion during lunch

Semi-private sessions that focus on creating unity with our horses while riding. Each session will be customized to meet the needs of individuals. For those choosing not to ride, additional groundwork is also an option.

Click the link below for more information or to register!

A clinic for those seeking an enjoyable and cooperative relationship with their horse through non-aversive methods and clear communication.

12/29/2024

Bringing a little extra magic to the holidays with a day at . It is an honor, privilege and blessing to spend days like this giving children an opportunity to play with horses 🎄🎅💖

11/26/2024

Zella and I had a lovely class yesterday with our fabulous teacher Mary Debono! If I have to describe what Mary teaches in a word, it would be QUALITY. She is always challenging us to notice the quality of each movement, and through the work to improve the quality of each experience.

The horses love Mary's lessons, which are rooted in her training for humans. I believe in adding value to our horse's lives so that they choose to be with us. This is absolutely one of my favorite ways to connect with them, and an ideal approach to developing connected movement.