Michael Lyons Horsemanship

08/13/2025

Lana wants to know if you think she looks cute in our new tack?

We are thrilled to announce that we have joined Cross J Tack and Don Rich Saddlery as sponsored riders. We are thrilled with the versatility and comfort of these saddles and cannot wait for this continued partnership.
If you are ever around and want to try one out, let us know and we’d be happy to help.

08/01/2025

Proud is an understatement. Jacob is a testament to what can happen when a rider dedicates time into learning and being a good student.

We have so loved having a front row seat to watching him grow into the horseman he is today!

Take a peak at this video that briefly showcases his improvement over the past 5 years.
Congratulations, Jacob Geiser, on all you have already achieved and all that we know is still to be done in your bright future!

07/28/2025

Training your horse to be confident and comfortable isn’t about shielding them from every challenge or removing all the pressure.
It’s about giving them the tools to navigate what once made them unsure.

Confidence doesn’t come from a life without discomfort, it comes from learning how to work through it. Learning how the nervous system of a horse works, and giving them tools to process through things.

We don’t build resilient horses by tiptoeing around what bothers them.
We build them by helping them understand it.
Helping them realize they can handle it. And giving them a consistent and stable handler they can lean on when needing to get through it.

And truth is, people aren’t much different.
Growth, for horses and humans alike, comes when we stop avoiding the hard things and start leaning into them with patience, clarity, and understanding.

07/25/2025

Be sure to tune in and take a listen! Michael loved being on The Greatest Horseman Podcast with Noah.

Started riding at 18. Never raced through the “weee!” phase. Built his life around training people—not just horses.

Michael Lyons Horsemanship joined me for one of the most honest conversations we’ve had on the podcast.

We talked about:
• Rider fear (and what helped his wife rebuild)
• Breeding horses with great minds
• What the horse world’s getting right today

Watch the latest episode of The Greatest Horseman Podcast with Michael Lyons Horsemanship Heart of Phoenix Equine Rescue, INC
𝐀𝐯𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 on 𝐒𝐩𝐨𝐭𝐢𝐟𝐲, 𝐀𝐩𝐩𝐥𝐞, 𝐆𝐨𝐨𝐠𝐥𝐞 𝐏𝐨𝐝𝐜𝐚𝐬𝐭 so you can listen anytime, anywhere!
🎧 𝐋𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐧 𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 → https://vist.ly/3z49p
🎥 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐚𝐥𝐬𝐨 𝐰𝐚𝐭𝐜𝐡 𝐢𝐭 𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 → https://vist.ly/3z49x

07/25/2025

Horsemanship isn’t about asking your horse for the big things, it’s about asking the smallest ones with consistency. Consistency in how you ask, and what you expect from them.

It’s easy to get caught up in the big moments, the fancy maneuver, the fast stop, the perfect ride. But true progress is built through the little asks, repeated with clarity and patience.

Can you stand still?
Can you back up softly?
Can you easily be caught in the pasture?
Can you follow a feel today… and tomorrow… and the next day?

It’s not the size of the question that shapes your horse.
It’s the consistency with which you ask it.

Never underestimate the power of doing the small things well, again and again. That’s where trust is built. That’s where horsemanship lives. It’s too easy to skip over it all, but at some point it always catches up with you. If you want to be a great horseman or woman one day, focus on mastering the simple questions day in and day out.

07/21/2025

“The horse doesn’t need you to be perfect.
He needs you to be present, patient, and willing to understand.”

07/18/2025

When the assistant trainer whose been on the colts is going out of town and prepping us to ride them 😂😂 Jacob Geiser

07/18/2025

“Don’t Get Exercise-Bound”

There’s an exercise for everything.

Need more softness? There’s a drill for that.
Need better stops, circles, leads? Yep, plenty of exercises.
But here’s the truth:

If you get so focused on the exercise that you forget why you’re doing it… you’re missing the point.

It’s not about checking a box.
It’s not about finishing the pattern.
It’s about what your horse needs in that moment.

Training isn’t about running through routines, it’s about building feel, timing, and connection.
It’s easy to become exercise-bound.
The real challenge is staying horse-bound, attuned to what’s going on underneath you.

So pause. Breathe. Ask:
Is this helping my horse?
Or am I just doing it because it’s what I planned?

The best horsemen know when to let go of the plan and follow the feel.
Because progress isn’t found in the pattern, it’s found in the partnership.

07/11/2025

Who needs a cute mini for a great cause?

** BIDDING CLOSED - THANK YOU *

🌟 𝐁𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐟𝐢𝐭 𝐀𝐮𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐀𝐝𝐚𝐦 𝐅𝐫𝐚𝐳𝐢𝐞𝐫 & 𝐅𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐲 🌟
🗓 Bidding Closes: Friday July 11, 2025 at 6PM Central (Extended Bidding to Active Bidders Up to 10 min)
📍 Delivery Included Anywhere in the USA - Located in North Carolina currently 🇺🇸
❤ BID in comments below in increments of $25 Bidding starts at $250
💸 Payment due within 3 business days of auction close

💗 𝐌𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐇𝐨𝐫𝐬𝐞 𝐎𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐢𝐧 𝐒𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐚 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐠 𝐅𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫’𝐬 𝐂𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐫 𝐁𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐥𝐞
We are auctioning a beautiful miniature horse to benefit someone very dear to one of our client's hearts. Many of you may not yet know, Adam Frazier, was recently diagnosed with stage 4 gastric adenocarcinoma — at just 31 years old.

Adam is a devoted husband to Rachel and a loving father to their 16-month-old son, Austin. As he begins chemotherapy in the coming days, their family is stepping into a battle that no one is ever fully prepared for.

Adam has always been the provider for his family — and now, unable to work, our goal is to ease the financial burden so Rachel and Adam can focus on treatment, healing, and cherishing every moment with their son.

💝 All proceeds from this miniature horse auction will go directly to the Frazier family.

✨ 𝐀𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐌𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐇𝐨𝐫𝐬𝐞: 𝐌𝐞𝐞𝐭 𝐒𝐮𝐠𝐚𝐫
Henlee’s Minis has generously donated this adorable buckskin mare to be auctioned, with 100% of the proceeds benefiting Adam and Rachel Frazier.

🐴 Sugar is a 10-year-old, 38-inch-tall bundle of personality and fun! She rides and drives (although she hasn't been hitched in over a year).

Originally purchased as a driving pony, her current owners haven’t had time to work her consistently due to their busy show and travel schedule. Despite this, she holds her condition beautifully on pasture alone and is ready for her next adventure.

🔹 Has a bit of “spice” — she’s got a little motor and isn’t recommended for tiny unsupervised kids
🔹 Great prospect for a driving pony or a confident older child
🔹 Can be tricky to catch in a large pasture (loves treats!), but very sweet and easy when kept in a paddock or alone
🔹 No bad habits, and she is healthy and sound
🔹 Currently lives peacefully on 5 acres with 5 other minis
📸 VIDEO: In Comments

💵 𝐖𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐆𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐃𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐥𝐲?
We are avoiding platforms like GoFundMe to ensure 100% of your donation goes straight to the family. Please be cautious — there has already been a scam attempt, so always use the links below:

💸 Venmo: Rachel-Frazier-2017
💚 Cash App: $RachelFrazier95
📧 PayPal: RFrazier493

✉️ 𝐌𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐀𝐝𝐝𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬:
8547 Harlow Rd, Archdale, NC 27263

🙏 𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐄𝐥𝐬𝐞 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐂𝐚𝐧 𝐇𝐞𝐥𝐩:
Pray for Adam, Rachel, and Austin.
Share this post with your network.

Let’s rally together, horse community. Let’s show the Fraziers that they’re not walking this path alone. 💕

07/10/2025

If you seek first to be a good horseman—to truly understand, listen, and lead with feel—then success in the show pen will follow.

When your priority is being a good steward of horsemanship, every ride, every cue, and every step becomes a reflection of understanding, not just performance.

The ribbons and scores will come, but let them be the byproduct—not the purpose. Seek the horse first.

04/18/2025

In our internship program, you get to learn about a wide variety of training and teaching. These gals got to ride their very first stop last night and are doing a great job around the barn in all aspects of training and care. Which is what learning to be a horse trainer is all about.