Heaven Sent Farm, LLC

08/21/2025

"𝐑𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐓𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐈𝐭"—𝐁𝐮𝐭 𝐒𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐖𝐞 𝐀𝐥𝐰𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐑𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐓𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐈𝐭?

Yesterday was a tough one.
Out riding, Blue hit her limit—totally over threshold. I could feel it in her body, her mind had left the building, and panic took over. She wasn't being “naughty,” she was in pure flight mode.

So I did what so many of us were taught 𝙣𝙤𝙩 to do: I jumped off. Mid-spook, feet hit the ground, heart pounding, but safe. Both of us. (Maybe I could get into vaulting?🙈)

And then… the shame crept in.
Because despite knowing I made the right call—for both of us—I still felt that little voice say "𝙔𝙤𝙪 𝙛𝙖𝙞𝙡𝙚𝙙. 𝙔𝙤𝙪 𝙨𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙 𝙝𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙧𝙞𝙙𝙙𝙚𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙧𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝 𝙞𝙩."
That voice, I’ve come to realise, isn’t mine. It’s the echo of outdated dogma we’ve all heard: “Never get off.” “Stay on no matter what.” “You’ll teach them they can ‘get out of work’ if you dismount.”

But honestly, what badge am I earning by staying on a horse who's in complete distress? Why would I put my safety, and hers, on the line for the sake of ego?
Trigger stacking is real. Thresholds are real. And whether we like it or not, some situations escalate faster than we can manage in the saddle.

Yes, sometimes we can work through it with time, patience, and skill—but not always in that moment. Not when a horse is that far gone.
In my opinion (and that’s all it is—my opinion), riding a horse over threshold is not something to be proud of. It’s not a testament to your courage or your riding ability. It can be a sign that things went too far, and that’s something we can learn from—not glorify.

Some might say I gave in. I say I stayed connected to my pony. I showed her that in her worst moment, I chose safety, calm, and support—not force.
And while I’m still unpacking why I feel bad about doing what I know was right… I’m also proud. Because connection and trust are worth far more than bravado.

𝐒𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐝𝐨 𝐢𝐬… 𝐠𝐞𝐭 𝐨𝐟𝐟.

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Equine Products UK
Scootboot
Arena Saddles
Equine Light Therapy LTD

08/20/2025

We had a cute visitor at the 🍓 today 🐝

08/19/2025

My mom came by and got some wonderful photos of our farm chickens 🐓 🥰

08/19/2025

People understand why dogs and cats are kept as pets, even when they’re not used for competition or a sport purpose.

But, when you turn this logic around onto horses, there tends to be a lot of discourse and confusion about horses being kept for the sole enjoyment of being around a horse.

Not for competition.

Not for riding.

Just because their human loves them and enjoys the aspects of hanging out with them and caring for them.

“They need to have a job!”

“What’s the point in having a horse you don’t ride?”

“Why don’t you ride your horse?”

The way horses are commodified as being an animal that needs to be ridden in order to have purposed and, in a lot of ways, be valued is problematic.

If we can grasp the concept of people keeping animals simply because they like animals, why is it so difficult for the horse industry to start applying this to our beloved horses?

To be perfectly blunt: our actions do shed light on our priorities.

If a horse no longer holds enough value for their person to keep them when they’re unrideable, then the person is choosing riding over the horse.

This isn’t intended to judge or shame people.

It’s just to give an honest perspective on what our actions say about us.

I used to be the person who was all about riding and who didn’t want to keep horses who could no longer fulfil my competitive goals.

Sure, I loved the horses.

But, at the time, I loved riding more.

Because if I loved the horses more, it would be more unbearable to part with them than it would be not to ride.

Many horse people will jump to critique other pet owners who give up their elderly pets or pets with disabilities.

But there’s a lapse in the same logic when applied to the horse community.

“But horses are expensive!”

Yes, they are. But an unrideable horse is often not any more expensive than a ridden one.

I think this is a conversation our community needs to start having more openly.

Whether we want to admit it or not, the attitude that prioritizes riding and sport does feed the unwanted horse problem by commodifying horses as vehicles first, companions second.

There are not enough homes out there to provide a soft landing for all of the lame, elderly and unrideable horses that are looking for new places to live once they’re no longer able to be ridden.

This is a simple fact.

So, what’s the solution?

How do we start to broach the conversation of how flippantly horses are bought and sold and what our actions say about our priorities when it comes to horses and riding?

This is a sore spot for many. Many get defensive. I know I did in the past when people brought up this topic.

But, now I see it for what it is.

Horses are more than just mounts to be ridden and we need to all start being more conscious of the responsibility we all have to continue caring for them whether they’re ridden or not.

If we can’t do that, then we need to ask ourselves if it’s even fair to purchase a horse in the first place.

Pictured is my mom’s 8 year old OTTB gelding with kissing spine.

He is not ridden anymore because of how bad his spine is but he stays with us because she loves him and would not let him down.

08/18/2025

08/18/2025

Mornings on the farm ☀️

08/17/2025

08/14/2025