08/04/2026
You’ll get a different horse in a different set of hands.
A young mare came back to us for a refresher after she was purchased at a sale recently that we started last year. When she left our program, she neck reined, side-passed both directions, loped collected circles, and would track a calf on her own.
Now that she’s back, she has a dull mouth, won’t collect at the trot or canter, and was so flighty and reactive that she’d jump out of her skin if a leaf blew by or someone made a little noise.
After evaluating her, it became obvious she hadn’t forgotten what she learned with us. She hadn’t lost her training—she’d simply lost the consistency, leadership, and feel she needed. By the time we pulled the saddle off, she was soft in the bridle, moving off light leg pressure, and searching for the release in every exercise we asked of her.
That’s the thing about young horses—they’re always learning, whether we mean to teach them or not. Every ride either reinforces good habits or creates new problems.
You can’t just climb on and ride a green horse and expect them to keep progressing. They need consistent groundwork, purposeful rides, and exercises that keep them thinking. Just as important, they need soft, forgiving hands that reward the right answer instead of punishing the wrong one.
This isn’t meant to criticize her previous owners. They weren’t cruel to her. They simply lacked the knowledge and consistency needed to keep building on the foundation she had. Young horses don’t need perfect riders, but they do need clear communication, consistency, and leadership. Without those things, even a good start can begin to unravel.
((Here’s a picture of me and Payton working on a super cool Gypsy mare from a while back))
