Hoofbeats in Harmony

06/01/2026

A few pics from parent week. I loved seeing our students share their knowledge and love for horses with their families.

05/27/2026

This week we are switching things up and giving parents the chance to be the students and the kids the chance to be the instructors!

Teaching is very different than doing. Teaching requires an instructor to put their knowledge into words and to problem solve in a wide variety of ways. This is a fun new challenge for our students that tests their mastery of the basics.

We have a bunch of super fun stations set up for our kids to share with their parents this week: grooming (including the hooves), saddling, lunging, obstacles, and, the most requested, balance barrel😂. Parents are getting a hands on experience of what working with horses is really like. Not as easy as the kids make it look!!!

05/11/2026

Happy Mother's Day to all our barn moms! Thank you for all you do to support your child's passion despite the muddy boots and horse hair all over your car😂🙈

I feel so blessed to be a part of your child's journey and to have such wonderful families in my lesson program.

04/24/2026

Thank you Heart Horse Mobile Veterinary Services for always taking such excellent care of our herd!

04/16/2026

Happy Birthday to Arietta! Here are a few throwback photos of baby Arietta and her first ride.

04/10/2026

Saddle fit is an extremely important part of keeping horses happy and healthy. Horses change shape as they age, gain/lose weight, or build muscle. I like to have saddles that are easy to adjust to accommodate these changes. In this video I'm swapping out the gullet in one of our thorowgood saddles for a wider size. Hopefully Mr. Banjo will be pleased with his new fit!

03/26/2026

Horses Teach What Words Can’t

Horses are incredibly sensitive to body language, energy, and subtle cues. This is because they are prey animals and their survival depends on detecting small changes in their environment. We humans on the other hand are not as perceptive. We primarily rely on verbal language to communicate with each other, and we often overlook the more subtle forms of communication. Becoming more aware of the non-verbal cues we are giving our horses is an important part of learning to communicate effectively with them.

Horses notice everything about us: our breathing, our muscle tension, our tone and volume, where we are looking, and even our heart rate. This information helps them evaluate our intention and dictates how they will act around us. This is one of the many reasons horses are such incredible teachers for children. They give kids instant feedback and increase their self-awareness and emotional regulation.

Here are some examples of feedback horses may give us:

If a child is anxious: the horse will become worried, fidget, or resist direction

If a child is frustrated or forceful: the horse will start saying no, ignore cures, or may become irritated

If the child is tired or unmotivated: the horse will often seem lazy and may move very slowly

If the child is hyper or distracted: the horse will have trouble focusing and listening to requests

If the child is calm and confident: the horse will relax and put effort into their work

A horse reflects what a child brings, showing them the power of calm, focus, confidence, and self-control. Students learn to regulate their own emotions and become the type of leader that helps a horse feel safe and understood.

A calm, confident rider will always bring out the best in any horse.

02/26/2026

Lunging gives riders the opportunity to improve their awareness and communication skills. In this lesson, students learned how important body language and position is when communicating requests to the horse.

02/10/2026

https://hoofbeatsinharmony.com/blog/f/what-to-wear-for-winter-riding

One of the benefits of choosing horseback riding as an activity for your child is that it is a sport that can be enjoyed year-round! Lower temperatures don’t have to stop riders from progressing in their horsemanship ski...

02/02/2026

Let me see your pictures in the snow! ☃️