Lonesome Dove Stables

08/25/2025

Stole Leanne’s pony for a bit haha

08/20/2025

If your horse is confused, it’s on you.
If he’s frustrated, it’s on you.
If he’s not improving, it’s still on you.

Harsh? Maybe.
But that’s leadership.

Blaming the horse is easy.
“Stubborn.”
“Lazy.”
“Spooky.”

Those words let you off the hook.
They protect your ego while your partnership falls apart.
They create dead ends that stop us from asking “why”.

Owning your mistakes is harder.
It means admitting your timing was off.
That you asked too soon.
That you pushed too far.
That you ignored the signs.
That you didn’t prepare him for the situation you put him in.

Accountability is the fastest path to growth.
When you own it, you can fix it. You can slow down, get clearer, get calmer, and teach better.

Stop blaming.
Start owning.
That’s when the real progress starts.

-Julia Williamson | The Horse Center, 2025

08/15/2025

The Horse Persons Promise🌿

On the coldest....

Wettest...

And windiest days of the year..

I will be there.

When youre not feeling your best....

Need extra feed...

Medication...

And your bucket protected...

I will be there.

When I am hungry...

Exhausted....

And my bank balance low...

I will be there.

When every inch of my being says...

Stay in bed...

Its cold...

Its dark...

And pouring with rain....

I will be there.

When your body grows old....

Weak...

And your eyes tell me its time...

I will be there.

For it is my greatest honour as your human...

To kiss your forehead...

Breathe in your final breath...

And for the last time...

Stay true to my word...

I will be there🌿

Jo Harmer

08/10/2025

Everything has its place.

A horse that's new to being ridden, often called a "green horse," requires a nuanced approach to training.

While reins are essential for guiding and communicating, they should not be the primary or first method for stopping and turning a green horse.

Reliance on pulling:
Constantly relying on pulling the reins to stop can teach the horse to lean into the pressure, becoming "heavy" in the bridle and unresponsive.

Damaging the mouth:
Pulling can cause discomfort and even injury to the horse's sensitive mouth.

Conflict and anxiety:
When the reins are the primary mechanism, it can create a conflict between the rein pressure (telling the horse to stop/turn) and the rider's seat/legs (which may be encouraging movement), leading to confusion and anxiety for the horse.

Better to:

Start with the seat:
The most effective way to communicate to a horse is through your seat and core. Sit deep in the saddle, engage your core muscles, and subtly shift your weight.

Use the reins gently and strategically:
When needed, use light and steady pressure on the reins in conjunction with your seat and voice cues.

Emphasize release:
The moment the horse responds to your cues (even slightly), release the pressure on the reins and praise them. This teaches the horse to seek the release and understand the desired response.

Practice in a safe environment:
Begin training in an enclosed space like a round pen or arena to ensure safety and minimize distractions for a green horse.

If you're encountering significant challenges with a green horse or feel unsafe, seeking guidance from an experienced trainer is highly recommended.

08/04/2025

Yes

07/27/2025

You ever walk away from your horse and think, “Maybe I’m the problem”?

Yeah. Me too.

Some days it feels like no matter how much you try, learn and care, it still falls apart.

Your horse looks tense. You feel frustrated. And then comes the shame spiral:
“I ruined it.”
“I should’ve known better.”
“I should’ve listened to my gut feeling.”

Hear me out. Give yourself some grace.

You are allowed to have hard days.
You are allowed to get overwhelmed.
You are allowed to feel like you messed up and still be a good horseperson.

You’re learning and so is your horse.
Sometimes growth looks like confusion, tension, silence, and tears. It gets messy every now and then.

Doing this work isn’t a straight line progression. It’s not all halterless liberty in lavender fields with feel good moments only.

It’s crying in the truck after a 15-minute groundwork session that triggered your own nervous system and pushed your buttons.

It’s realizing your horse isn’t the only one who’s been piling up emotions to then eventually let them burst out. It’s holding the lead rope being insecure about the next step, wondering if you’re even enough.

But here’s what your horse knows:
You’re showing up.
You’re trying.

He doesn’t want perfection.
He wants presence and honest conversations, and you’ve got more of that than you give yourself credit for.

So go ahead, cry it out or be angry at yourself for a minute. Breathe. Regulate. Reflect.

And then?

Try again. Not because you failed, but because these moments that tear us down and make us question ourselves, and the reflections that come from them are needed in order to grow and do better. You’re planting seeds today for tomorrow’s magic.

07/26/2025

Remember that! 🥰🥰🥰

07/25/2025

yours truly... ❤

07/22/2025

Yes!

Everybody wants a good horse.
But not everybody wants to become the kind of person that makes a horse good.

In today’s world, people expect fast results.

Instant gratification.
Swipe, click, scroll, done.

People expect success to be delivered like an Amazon Prime Order:
fast, easy, and with a smile.

They want to turn their feral horse into a “finished horse” without ever putting in the hours it takes to truly understand one in the first place.

Here’s the thing…
Mastery isn’t downloadable.
A reciprocal relationship can’t be rushed. It is build over time and it comes with highs and lows.

What took others years of learning, failing, watching, refining, people now want handed to them in a weekend clinic, a 10-minute video, a one time exercise, a one-sentence answer or because they bought a course.

The shortcuts people chase are often detours that lead them right back to where they started, just more frustrated this time.

They want the feel, but not the feedback.
They want the bond, but not the humility.
They want the horse to change, but they don’t want to change themselves.

No one can hand you the timing, the feel, the quiet, calm and consistent leadership it takes.

It can’t be downloaded or bought.

You earn that, you develop it, with every consistent rep and step. With patience. With clarity. Through being a lifetime student of the horse.

By showing up on the days it’s hard, boring, frustrating or humbling.

Put in the work.
Put in the hours.
Because Your horse
deserves that version of You.

07/21/2025

07/04/2025

Happy 4th

06/25/2025

✨I feel every tension in your body — even the ones you try to hide.
✨Your breath is my signal.
✨When you hold it, I brace.
✨When you release it, I soften.

🙌🏽So exhale.
Not just for you — but for us.
Because when you breathe, I believe.
And that’s when the ride truly begins.


🐴💨