Kyhlwood Training

08/21/2026

More Info on Our August 29th Show 🐴

We’re getting excited for our August 29th show! Here are a few more details for everyone attending:

⏰ Show Schedule
The show will begin at 8:30 A.M., with Red-level riders going first. Students should plan to arrive between 7:00 and 7:30 A.M. to help groom their horses and get ready for the day. Some horses will be shared between multiple riders, so grooming should be a quick and easy job!

Each level will have time to warm up before their classes begin. We would love for all students to stay for the entire show if possible, as we will need everyone's help setting up the arena between classes.

We have a tentative class schedule and horse/rider assignment list that will be emailed to everyone attending this weekend.

👕 Riding Attire
Students are encouraged to dress in their best riding attire! Kyhlwood shirts, polos, button-ups, and show shirts or jackets are all appropriate. We can’t wait to see everyone looking their best!

📸 Professional Photography
We will have a professional photographer at the show taking photos of all of our riders. Riders will have the option to purchase a digital folder containing all of their show photos for $25 per rider. Payment can be made by cash or Venmo.

🍔 Lunch
Lunch will be available for $5 and will include a sloppy joe, a bag of chips, and your choice of water or Gatorade.

🧁 Bake Sale Fundraiser
We will also be holding a bake sale fundraiser during the show! Kyhlwood is raising money to take students to Kentucky in 2027 to attend the Kentucky Three-Day Event. We would love your support as we work toward this exciting goal!

We’re looking forward to a fun day of horses, riding, and cheering on all of our students! ❤️🐴

Send a message to learn more

08/09/2026

AUGUST HORSE SHOW

Parents and students:
Mark your calendar. We will be having a show on Saturday August 29th. Rain day will be Sunday the 30th.
Tentative start time 8:30 a.m. This show will be based off of the HorseSense Levels. Students will pick 4 classes from their level to show in. There will be a mix of horsemanship patterns, obstacle courses and jump courses. Your instructor can sit down with you during your next lesson and help you choose your classes.
$8 per class for lease/membership riders, and $10 per class for non-lease students.
Lower levels will go first in the morning, but we would love to have every student stay for the whole show to help set up patterns and courses for their peers.
Ribbons will be awarded for each class, and riders with the highest points per color level will win a special prize.
RSVP deadline is the 16th so we can start to figure out horse and rider pairings for the show.

05/08/2026

Setting up for this weekends Iowa Horse Fair. Stop by and say hi, talk horses, check out our saddles and tack, and have a cup of coffee and some peanuts. Also check the daily schedule for when I'll be doing various demos including reining, ranch riding, and cleaning up your zero.

05/08/2026

Hadley feels this strongly.

A well trained horse will frustrate riders faster than a backyard broke one ever will.

A well trained horse expects you to ride. Not just sit there and point it in the general direction of the gate, but actually ride. They are intune to that subtle twitch of your hip, that brush of your calf on their side, that 2% change in the reins. Every shift in pressure or weight is a cue for them to adjust and respond to.

For someone who hasn’t learned that language yet, it can feel like bowling, strike, spare, gutter ball repeat, yet they swear nothing changed when they threw the bowling ball.

On the other side you have backyard horse that’s often (but not always) dull to the leg, heavy in the bridle, and ignores half your cues, but that feels safe to a lot of people. They aren’t truly forgiving but dismissive to what’s happening on its back.

A well trained horse isn’t complicated. It’s actually the opposite. It’s clear, responsive, and aware. But that level of communication can feel intimidating or frustrating if you’re used to riding something that’s the opposite.

We can ride most horses here bridleless, not because we are super hero’s but because we are as in tune with our body position and cues just as much as our horses are. We can often ride our training horses bridleless yet see the owners struggle with keeping them soft and light and responsive with a saddle and bridle. That’s because we engage our hips, ride with our seat, and are aware of what a mere change in an ounce of measure should result in.

Anyone can train THEMSELVES to be that aware and responsive but it takes time and repetition, it comes from spending hundreds of hours in the saddle and spending time learning to control your breathing, your instincts, and your body from your little finger all the way to your big toe.

Jen
RMPH

04/15/2026

Love this. Think about those that stand in our pastures. The personalities of those that have only known kindness and love. The traits we see when someone who came before us broke their trust. The transformations (although sometimes slow) of the horses that learned to trust again.

The Horses of Black Beauty (1994): Merrylegs, Black Beauty, and Ginger

From left to right in the image are Merrylegs, Black Beauty, and Ginger, each representing a powerful truth at the heart of Anna Sewell’s story: a horse’s life is shaped by the hands of humans—for better or for worse.

Merrylegs: Kindness, Wisdom, and Quiet Strength

Merrylegs, the sturdy gray pony, represents what a good life can look like when a horse is treated with care and respect. Belonging to the Gordon family, he spends his days as a trusted companion to young riders, developing a calm, patient, and understanding nature.

He knows how to handle people—especially children. When treated poorly, Merrylegs doesn’t respond with anger, but with quiet correction, teaching lessons without causing harm. He understands something many horses don’t get the chance to learn: that kindness can exist.

His life stands as proof that when horses are treated well, they respond in kind.

Black Beauty: The Witness to It All

At the center is Black Beauty himself—the steady presence through every chapter of the story. Through his eyes, we experience both compassion and cruelty, comfort and hardship.

He is not untouched by suffering, but he endures it with quiet strength. His journey connects every character, showing how different lives unfold depending on the people who hold the reins.

Black Beauty is the observer, the survivor, and the thread that ties these stories together.

Ginger: The Spirit Shaped by Cruelty

Ginger’s story is the most tragic.

A striking chestnut mare, she was sensitive and intelligent from the start—but misunderstood. What should have been guided with patience was instead met with punishment. Fear was mistaken for defiance, and over time, she learned to protect herself the only way she could—through resistance.

Even when she finally experiences kindness at Birtwick, the scars of her past remain.

When she is later sold, her worst fears come true. Forced back into harsh conditions, including the painful bearing rein, her body begins to fail. Years later, when she is seen again, her spirit is gone—replaced by exhaustion and resignation.

Ginger becomes a heartbreaking reminder of what happens when a horse’s trust is broken too many times.

A Reflection on Humanity and Horses

Together, Merrylegs, Black Beauty, and Ginger represent three very different outcomes—each shaped entirely by human behavior.

One raised with kindness.
One enduring both good and bad.
One broken by cruelty.

Their stories carry a simple but powerful message:

Horses are not born difficult or dangerous.
They are shaped by how they are treated.

The 1994 film captures this truth beautifully—reminding us that every action, every choice, leaves a lasting mark on the animals who depend on us.

04/13/2026

This week’s pole work exercise is Switchbacks! Be sure to check out the white board to learn different ways to use this exercise!

04/13/2026

It won’t share Hadley’s post because Facebook is ridiculously stupid. TODAY is Hadley’s 13th birthday!! He is my heart horse and will be with me forever. ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️