VanOosten Show Horses

04/03/2026

You don’t build a good horse by seeing how much they can handle. You build one by knowing how much they should.

There’s a difference.
Too many horses get pushed not because they’re ready but because we are.

We want the run, the progress, to see what they’ve got.

But when you push a horse past where they understand…you don’t get greatness you get confusion, resistance, and holes you’ll have to fix later.

Setting a horse up for success looks like:
• Quitting on a good note even when you could do more
• Repeating the simple things until they’re solid
• Slowing down when they start to fall apart
• Letting them build confidence before adding pressure
• Knowing when to say “that’s enough for today”

Because confidence isn’t built in big moments—
it’s built in small, correct ones stacked over time.
Prepared beats perfect. Every time.

The goal isn’t to see how far you can push them it’s to make sure they understand, stay confident, and come back better tomorrow.

That’s how you make one last.

12/25/2025

🎄Merry Christmas from our family to yours♥️🎅

12/03/2025

✨Santa says.. everyone needs more time in the saddle, memories last longer than presents✨

Gift cards now available to gift to someone needing time in the saddle and to make memories that will last a life time

Recive a gift card with a package deal of $120 a month with a lesson every week!!

Message us today to get your gift card🎄🎅

11/27/2025

Happy Thanksgiving 🦃

11/01/2025

Just realized we never made a post. We had a blast Labor Day weekend at Fall Classic. Everyone had amazing rides and made huge improvements.

Huge congratulations to Neveah and Manhattan Aflame DCR on winning their first ever championship together and Neveah’s first champion In general!!!

Zoe and Concho Kiddy had amazing rides, they get better and better every show, we are so proud of how far this team has come. They took home a couple of third places!!!

Ashtyn and A Lovely Expression tried something new and went in HA costume and had a blast along with their pleasure classes!!

Mecah and Manhattan Aflame DCR made their UPHA Equation debut and took 4th place out of 12. They also took Champion and reserve champion in the HA Country Pleasure.

Mecah also got to have some fun with Young Money in PB Costume and made huge improvement they took home a 5th and 6th. They also tried something new and went in Performance Halter and got 4th and 5th

We are so proud of all of our riders. These are only just a few pictures of the excellent time we had.

09/27/2025

🩷 Let Them Have a Horse...

Let them have a horse, let them ride,
Let them learn with dirt stained pride.
Give them reins and room to grow,
Show them truths only horses know.

Let them feel the morning chill,
Boots in stirrups, heart be still.
Let them fight for what they earn,
Through every fall, let them return.

Let them brush and braid and mend,
Make the barn their second home.
Let them whisper, laugh, and cry,
Beneath the endless, open sky.

Let them know the work is tough,
That love alone is only one part.
That feed needs hauling, stalls need cleaned...
That dreams are earned by hands that work.

Let them feel the wind in their hair,
And the freedom only horses share.
For horses teach what words cannot...
Strength, respect, and all they’ve got.

So when they ask, don’t think twice,
The price is high, but so’s the gain.
Because without a horse, they’ll never know, the kind of love that helps them grow.

❤️ Michelle | Born In The Barn

09/13/2025

You can’t teach personality! You can train a horse to pick up their feet, stand tied, load in a trailer, move off your leg, or even jump a fence. But you can’t teach personality.
Just like people, every horse is born with their own unique character. Some are bold and curious, some are goofy class clowns, some are sweet and cuddly, and others are more businesslike and serious. You can shape their manners and improve their skills, but at the end of the day, who they are shines through no matter what.
And here’s the hard truth: you also can’t train the meanness out of a horse. Sure, you can teach them manners and respect so they know how to behave around people, but a horse with a naturally sour or aggressive personality will always carry that edge. Just like a genuinely kind horse will always carry their softness.
That’s what makes horses so special. You don’t just buy training, bloodlines, or looks. You’re also buying (or inheriting) a personality. And sometimes, it’s that personality, not their talent, that makes them the once-in-a-lifetime partner you’ll never forget.
Because in the end, training can be taught. Skills can be improved. But a good personality? That’s something they’re simply born with.

08/23/2025

08/21/2025

❤️ Little girls and horses…
It’s never just a childhood phase.
It’s the start of a foundation for life.

Horses don’t just teach riding.
They teach patience when nothing clicks.
Responsibility when stalls must be cleaned before play.
Grit when a stubborn pony refuses to cooperate.

They show that trust isn’t given...it’s earned.
Through consistency.
Through respect.
Through time.

Every little girl who swings a leg over a horse learns:
Falling doesn’t mean failing.
It means getting up, dusting off, and trying again.

Discipline isn’t punishment...it’s commitment.
Kindness isn’t weakness...it’s strength.
Confidence isn’t being loud....it’s showing up, even when you’re scared.

Horses shape little girls into women who don’t quit when life gets hard.
Women who know sweat and sacrifice come before reward.
Women who carry themselves with grace,
but aren’t afraid to dig in and fight when it matters.

It’s the 6 a.m. feedings.
The cold winter rides.
The tears after tough lessons,
and the laughter after small victories.

It’s brushing a horse in the quiet of the barn,
realizing responsibility never takes a day off.

So yes…
little girls may grow out of braids and pony bows.
But they never outgrow the lessons their horses taught them.

And maybe that’s the greatest gift of all.
❤️ Michelle Knutson | Born In The Barn

06/23/2025

What a fun, HOT weekend at EMAA 2.
Everyone did so good this weekend. I couldn’t be prouder. Zoe had great rides on Concho kitty in western with great placings at her second show ever. Nevaeh got her first neck ribbon on Manhattan Aflame DCR!!! All the hard work paying off.
Ashtyn rode A Lovely Expression  and had great rides in a very competitive english classes. Ashtyn also had an amazing ride on Concho kitty in huntseat. Mecah had an awesome weekend on Manhattan Aflame DCR finishing with much deserved Championships ribbons.
Xaiver had a blast and was a lead line rockstar this weekend placing first and second in his classes.
We are so happy with all the kids this weekend they all did amazing in the grueling heat. I can not express how proud I am of this group! You know their hearts are in it when its so miserabley hot, and they insist to continue on and ride in the heat ♥️♥️♥️🤩
Last but not least…thank you to their parents for all your help and allowing and trusting in our process We appreciateall your help and feeding us all weekend! Love our barn family 😘

06/23/2025

True ❤️
www.haresandgrace.com