Maida Farms

07/02/2025

04/05/2025

Dressage doesn't demand perfection. It demands perseverance.

This sport will humble you. Confuse you. Occasionally betray you. You’ll ride one day like a future team rider, and the next like someone who just discovered horses exist.

But here’s the thing: the ones who make it aren’t the flashiest or the most naturally gifted. They’re the ones who keep showing up. Who ride through the mental spirals, the sticky transitions, the “why do I do this to myself” days.

The quiet, gritty ones? They’re the real ones.
Because dressage doesn’t w**d out the weak, it builds the strong.

Keep going. You’re probably doing better than you think.

04/03/2025

And a seasoned rider approached and said, Speak to us of Dressage.

And he lifted his eyes to the distant mountains where horses ran free, and after a moment's silence, he spoke:

Your horses were born of the wind and earth before they came to your stables. Born of open skies and galloping storms, they remember what it is to run free.
They come to you not as servants but as teachers of love, art, patience and humility.

You say, "I shall train this creature to move at my command."
But I say to you, in true dressage, it is you who must first be trained. For the reins in your hands are but the visible threads of an invisible connection.

The master does not seek to control the horse's body, But to unbind its essence through the structure of symphony.
As the sculptor does not create the beauty in marble, But merely reveals what was already there, So too must you reveal the natural grace that dwells within your horse.

Your aids should fall like gentle rain, not like the crack of thunder.
Your legs should speak in whispers that only your horse can hear.
At the height of true collection, the horse’s frame wasn’t taken, But have instead gathered its power like a river narrowed between canyon walls.

And some of you say, "I seek perfection in my art."
But I tell you that perfection in dressage is not found in flawless geometry, Nor in the precision of the halt, But in moments when horse and human breathe as one being, When what was once “me” and “you” becomes simply “us.”

The wisest rider understands that each horse carries its own wisdom, And the path of training is not a straight line that you draw, But a circle that you and your horse create together, Returning always to the foundations of trust and understanding.

In your pursuit of dressage, beware the temptation of prizes and applause, For they are but shadows on the arena wall.
The true reward comes in silent moments of breakthrough, When hesitation melts into willingness, And when effort transforms into ease.

And remember always that your horse does not care for your ambitions or your ribbons.
He cares only for your truth. If there is conflict in your heart, there will be resistance in your horse.

Harmony in you is harmony beneath you.

This is the sacred covenant of dressage:

That in seeking to elevate your horse, You must first elevate yourself.

03/20/2025

Christoph Hess tells us, and Carl Hester demonstrates:
“Give the horse the feeling of freedom when you sit on it, always the feeling that it can move forward. Most riders all over the world use their hands to try and control their horse, the neck starts to shorten and then it all starts to go wrong.”
And MUCH more from Christoph.
https://www.horsemagazine.com/thm/2020/07/christoph-hess-talks-about-the-basics/

03/10/2025

02/12/2025

True power does not seek attention. It does not rush to prove itself or demand recognition. It exists in the quiet confidence of preparation, the discipline of patience, and the clarity of knowing when to act. Strength is not just about movement but about the wisdom to wait, to observe, and to move with intention.

In a time that rewards urgency, the virtues of patience and stability are often overlooked. But these qualities bear fruits that last—outcomes that are not fleeting but sustainable. While many chase quick success, those who plan ahead understand that the real rewards come from precision and foresight. Thoughtful actions create foundations that stand the test of time. Rash decisions crumble under pressure.

The pressure to act quickly can be overwhelming. Society teaches that success belongs to those who never pause, who move fast, who chase without hesitation. But movement without direction is chaos. Reacting to every impulse, every distraction, and every challenge does not build strength—it scatters energy, leaving no room for mastery. The most valuable trait is not just the ability to act, but the discipline to know *when* to act.

Control is not about force but about understanding. Not every situation demands a response. Not every moment requires action. Those who react to everything are controlled by everything. Those who cultivate patience and foresight dictate their own path. The strongest are not the ones who chase every opportunity but the ones who recognize the right one when it comes—and move with precision.

Let others mistake stillness for inaction, patience for passivity. Their perception is not reality. Those who prepare, who plan, who wait with intention are the ones who ultimately succeed—not just momentarily, but in ways that endure. True power is not in urgency, but in the quiet discipline that ensures when the time comes, the action taken is one that truly matters.

11/13/2024

PREPARATION What do you do to prepare your horse to begin his workout?

08/24/2024

I did not write this, but everyone needs to see it...

When we rush our horses in their training, we aren't expediting their fitness or building muscles faster - we are breaking them down and rushing to a place that will require more veterinary intervention, more alternative therapies, more time off, more risk of injury, more wear and tear on the fragile structures, and a quicker end to the riding career and soundness of our equine partners.

You cannot rush fitness, you cannot rush collection, suppleness, relaxation, it's impossible. Wherever you do rush and cut corners, you will end up with holes and issues in other areas of your riding and the overall health and welfare of your horse.

Don't want to take the time to teach your horse to collect, and instead just force him into a false frame? Well, you're going to be stuck with fixing the slew of problems that come with the tension that was just created.

Don't want to work your way up the scale to create true endurance and stamina? You now risk your horse pulling a muscle or injuring themselves from overexertion and being pushed too hard for too long when the body simply isn't ready for that workload.

Don't want to get a saddle fitted to your horse? Your horse will suffer the consequences of altering his posture and way of going to alleviate the pressure and pain caused by something that isn't suited to his build, even going so far as risking injury to yourself when he can't pick up his feet enough, causing a stumble which can be catastrophic.

Don't want to do boring small jumps to build up to the larger ones? You risk your horse not being able to find a good take-off spot, knocking rails, refusing and even crashing through the jump. You will also make the horse more nervous, anxious and again, tense and sometimes unwilling to jump again.

Don't want to waste time working up the scale of collection to achieve the proper head set without force? Let's just throw a harsher bit in his mouth, maybe tie the nose shut with both noseband and flash to get him into "frame". You've now lost all relaxation, the wrong muscles are activated and depending on how deep you yank the horses face in will determine if he's even able to swallow. Tension throughout the jaw and neck translate all the way to the hind legs, so zero collection is possible, even the slightest bit of engagement and lift of the back cannot be achieved.

Rushing will lead you nowhere except to more problems that could've been avoided had you taken the proper time for development.

📝 Unknown

📸 Sister

04/22/2024

Dressage is not abusive.
It’s a kind and ethical training.
Dressage is not flashy.
It’s about correct posture and spinal alignment.
Dressage is not exhausting.
It's about lightness and motivation.
Dressage is not about getting fast results.
It is quiet and humble.
Dressage is not about external validation.
It’s an art.
Dressage is not for building up your ego.
It’s a journey of self-discovery.
Dressage doesn’t wear out the joints.
It keeps your horse fit until old age.
Dressage doesn’t shut down the horse or cause anxiety.
It is about a human and a horse connecting on a deep level, from heart to heart.
When riding is abusive, flashy, exhausting, promises fast results, used to get external validation, needed to build up your ego, wears out the joints, and causes shut down or anxiety, it’s not dressage!

04/19/2024

Twinning!! .com

03/06/2024

A friend said recently that horses really like a ’Long Hello’. That many horses feel immediately rushed by us, and this can really set us onto a path of misunderstandings and conflicts with the horse. 



Out on a trail ride the other day, my horse carrying me calmly, carefully, steadily, he waded into the river, and splashed his nose in the water, lifted into a Flehman’s Response, then pawed at the water. It made me laugh. The sun was shining. It was perfect weather, cool enough for a jacket, sunny enough to not get cold. I reached down and rubbed his shoulder. My body flooded with all the feel good things I almost always feel around horses.
"Thanks buddy”, I said.

Gratitude. 

I wake up. I go to my horses. I am grateful. Already won. Why?



There are plenty of voices out there telling us, and our horses, that they are not good enough. Not correct enough, fit enough, collected enough, shiny enough, natural enough, healthy enough, calm enough, cooperative enough.



It is enough.



I am grateful before the horse because that is my long goodbye to the horse. We never know when we will have our last moment with our horses. And under normal set of circumstances, we will all outlive our horses, and if we are REALLY lucky, we will be there with them, in gratitude and dignity, at the very end. 



So I stay grateful, so that I do not have to GET grateful. Because that is my long goodbye to my horses. No matter if it was to be today, or in 30 years from now.

There is a training principal that permeates equestrian culture at almost every level and wears many disguises. It is the principal of trying to win. It sets the human against the horse and see's the working relationship with them as something competitive. Who wins, who loses, who gets their way. Who gets what they want.

The reason why I try to steer away from that, and you should to, is that it sets you up on a pathway of diminishing gratitude. That diminishing gratitude will eventually leave you utterly burnt out with horses.

So what to do about it? How to express your gratitude to a horse in a way they understand?



1. When the horse doesn’t give you what you want, try smiling about it. Breathe-in. Wait. You can always repeat the question in a moment. And maybe they didn’t understand you, or can’t do that thing today. Or maybe their lesson for you today is not about you getting what you want, but something else



2. When the horse does give you what you want in two seconds or less, permit yourself to feel joy about that. Smile like a maniac. Don’t be entitled or demanding (Unless in an emergency of safety). Tell that horse, in your language, that it was wonderful what they did. And feel what you say, so that the horse feels you too. 



3. The 1-Minute Ride. Once in a blue moon (For established, hard working saddle horses). Catch, groom, tack, warm up, mount. Sit for one minute quietly. Get off. Finish. Say THANK YOU to the horse and give them some extra hay that day. 



4. When correcting a horse whom has problematic posture, movement issues, or behavioural issues. Remember that it is their body not yours. Maladaptive responses exist for a really good reason and taking those away from a horse too quickly and absolutely could deprive the horse from an important coping strategy that is holding them together. Go slower in your reformation of what you deem incorrect, so that the horse has a chance to contribute to it too. They may not adhere to the rules of the system you are using, so give them a chance to SHOW you, what they need. 



5. Give your horse the absolute best quality of life you can. Try to relocate if your barn doesn’t have good living conditions for your horse. Stop giving money to people who know better, but can’t/won’t do better. It doesn’t have to be perfect. But never give up trying to give your horse a life that they enjoy living, outside of their time with you. Even in the most compromised of conditions, you would be amazed what some creative thinking can do to totally change the environment, improving your horses life outside of training.

https://www.emotionalhorsemanship.com