Community

In 1853 a Frenchman named Alexis De Tocqueville published a book entitled “Democracy in America.” Following the French Revolution he traveled to the US and all across the US as it existed then to discover the evolution of democracy. Something our French Allies were in particular very interested in, as of course they were embarking on their own burgeoning democracy, which was a far cry from the centuries of Monarchy they’d lived through before.

I was a Political Science major in college. I studied it because I love politics and government and law. So of course I have read Alexis De Tocqueville’s “Democracy in America” several times. And there is much to be learned in the admiration of our early citizenry but the one portion of the book that has always stood out to me, and has honestly shaped my life is the portion about civil society, and guilds.

De Tocqueville was deeply fascinated by the number of civic groups in early America. Our laborers met in groups, our politicians, and faith leaders. Communities, all across the Nation. He viewed these civic groups as essential to the success of democracy. A true sort of fantasy of the Ancient Greek acropolis…people, gathered having discussions who would go on to maybe lead, but certainly would wield influence on the nation.

This portion of his book has always stood out to me. When I was in politics in the boring years and when I have thought about politics and a functioning healthy democracy I have always come back to communities. I’ve seen divergent peoples come together around a salient issue and change policy. I’ve seen people band together and enrich their lives and feel relieved that they are not alone. I’ve seen people stand up and use their voices because they had a community behind them that was there for them in thick or thin. I am inspired by the power of a community.

There is a lot more to be said about de Tocqueville and the obvious inequalities of Early America so scholars and naysayer don’t come at me about this right now. I think it’s more productive to appreciate the message than to pick apart the cultural norms and failings of people who lived centuries ago. Take what resonates and leave what doesn’t.

Why? Why Margo why are we diving into “Democracy in America” today? Because a very serious Election Cycle is upon us and every single one of us knows it. We won’t know the exact results for some time but, the most likely immediate result will be that 1/2 of us will be vacillating between joy and sorrow until the official counts are in. And after the official count comes in, it will take some time for half of us to be okay with the results.

I believe very strongly that our various communities will help guide us through these stressful times.

I have never promoted my barn and our boarders as “Family” I have always promoted our barn and the guiding philosophy of my barn as a “community.” Because I expect and respect diversity of opinions not just politically, but in the ways horse people are divided into camps. Western vs. English. Competitive vs. Recreational. Warmbloods vs. Rescues. Adult amateurs vs. Youth Riders. Champagne Budgets vs. Beer Budgets. It has always been my hope, my dream that our barn can make a community of all. That at our barn people would come to find common ground in the love of the horse, the love of the sports and learn to respect one another.

I have in fact emblazoned our indoor arena wall with the Golden Rule “Treat other riders as you would like to be treated.” I mean it. And its amazing because our people are not without dramas and clashes of personality but for the most part we are a community. A community that can respect differences in training styles, age, political affiliation and all the other things that separate us.

Lincoln Equestrian Center is a place where people come together to follow their passions. To challenge themselves to be better. To keep their dreams alive. Our community supports goals, hope and growth. We are here for each other through hard times and we celebrate the good things. Our barn is the best of our country, every day.

And I hope it stays this way on November 6th all the way into 2025 and beyond. In hard times and stressful times we need to nestle ourselves into our groups and have places where we can feel safe and okay. I implore all of you to vote and be active participants in our Democracy. And I implore you all to be active participants in your respective communities, be you a part of ours or not. Because those groups are influential and community is important. Far more important to your day to day life and happiness than a person who works in a misshapen office.

Yes, this election is important and there is a lot on the line. Your people will be there for you, and those people do not have to legally tell you that they approve of this message. Hopefully even if they voted for the other person they can still cheer you on when you’ve had a great ride. Can still compliment you on your ROOTD. Still say excuse me and ask if you are finished with the crossties and exemplify the civility, friendships and support of one another that truly is the greatness of this nation.

Endurance: Summer Edition

In my  opinion there is no better time of day to achieve the sensation of existing within the grandeur of the Universe (if you’re into that sort of thing) than dawn. This morning I walked outside with my cup of coffee just as the fiery orange hues of the sun began to bleed across the horizon.I let out a sigh and thought.

“Fall…at last.”

I watched the white light above the orange horizon push back the darkness of night. The stars and planets growing fainter with each moment. My mind wandered down to the barn where our night turnout horses would surely be sporting fluffed up coats for the first chilly morning of the fall. Our lives are so intertwined, my family and the horses. Soon everyone’s dinner time schedule will shift earlier with the light, and we’ll all start wearing more layers and marveling at the first sight of our breath in the morning when it’s frosty.

Sunrise happens faster than you might think. If you have the time to watch one from the break of dawn up until the Sun has fully crested over the horizon. The period of contrast at dawn is as short lived as it is dramatic. It’s nice sometimes to remember that we live on a small Earth in a big Universe. Think for awhile about the larger sphere we exist in as opposed to the small sphere which dominates our lives. The little orbits we make.

I know people hate winter, because it’s cold and it sucks to drive on slick roads. I will tell you now, that for the most part winter, even a bad winter, doesn’t hold a candle to the annual travails of summer. Summer is brutal. In summer we get long days, heat, humidity, horse shows, hay season and of course flies. Some combination of these things generally makes everyone at the barn cranky or obsessively worried at some point. It’s normal. Frustration, worry and all of the lesser angels of our nature come out to play in the long hot afternoons of summer. Even summer lovers are not immune to these issues. It’s fact of humanity. We call our tempers hot for a reason. As a barn owner I know it’s much easier to keep horses healthy and safe in even extreme winter weather than it is to keep those same horses comfortable during a heatwave. My attitude is directly correlated to how much I hate heat, humidity and flies. I work hard to maintain a reasonably positive attitude about it.

This summer has been a wonderful summer in many respects. We have welcomed new members to our community and it’s a joy to see the new people interacting with longtime boarders. We have new staff members. A couple of my students successfully showed their horses in local horse shows and I’m very proud of them. Everyone’s riding has improved. The rains came this year and made our hayfields grow. Importantly my husband’s latest back procedure finally seems to have done something positive and he’s back to work again, albeit, slowly. Our daughter began preschool at the the end of summer and her life has changed for the better. We’ve hit our targets.

Moving into summer I had endured a large shake up to my schedule, which was already busy as the barn running mother to a 3 year old daughter. In any event, I ended up taking an off farm office job to enable the family to move forward (go ahead and read that achievement part again about how Hubby had ANOTHER back procedure and my daughter started preschool). The choice to be a driving force for progress to get my hubby back not just to work but to living a life without pain was necessary. As is obviously, learning for children. So, though it was crazy, and has made for some long days and long weeks, I forged ahead.

This move at the time felt like a step backwards for my equestrian goals, but was a leap forward in our capacity to be a healthy, happy, educated family moving forward into 2025 and beyond. It’s the kind of sacrifice you make for long term success. There were bumps in the road along the way. I set aside my time for hobbies, socializing and self-care to make room for the new job. I knew I needed to keep this up until at least the end of July, when if things went well, my hubby’s procedure would have been successful and he could get back to normal life…and then by the end of August with him recovered and Vivian in school we’d be in good shape.

So summer proceeded. Rainy, cool. Delightful. Tired on Friday nights for sure, but always grateful to be in a stall on Saturday caring for my horses. The horse shows came and went and goals were met. Surgery got moved up to the end of May, meaning my time of double work would be eased sooner than I anticipated. I was thrilled, I was gonna make it! Things were working out in my favor!

Then the rains stopped, and the summer heat turned on for the first time. While sitting in my office, I got a call from my mother. One of those calls you really don’t want to get. One of those calls you know are coming as your parents start to age. This is when life went sideways. Sideways; blowing through the guardrail, down the walls of the canyon and into the river below. My life bobbing over rushing rapids and briskly away from everything I had planned for the summer of 2024.

Within minutes of the phone call I was on my way to meet my folks at the hospital, hoping for something relatively simple like dehydration. Alas that was not to be the case. One hot afternoon in June stretched into more than a week in the hospital and then more time still in a Rehab hospital. My already long days got more complicated as I navigated my own emotions, my role as a supportive child to my parents and trying to muster up the energy to keep going at work and have something left of myself to give to my own daughter when I was home.

Eventually in all this stress the proto-human survival skills kick in, and you just shut down the unnecessary parts of your life entirely and focus all your energy on getting your family and yourself through “danger.”

Thankfully I have the very best staff in the business. I couldn’t have gotten any of this done without Karen, Ella and Lane. Thankfully, Dr. Diamante did a really great job on the very expensive procedure Zack had done and he could, step in for me in ways he’s not been able much sooner than he should have, but he did none the less.

All the while, as my family endured a prolonged health crisis, and I’m working and being in many places at once, always feeling as if I’m not anywhere I need to be. Drinking massive amounts of  black coffee and taking likely unhealthy amounts of ALIVE! Women’s Energy Multivitamins I would look across the pasture and feel the looming weight of hay season. Prior to being stretched to my limit I’d been thrilled all year that the grass was so tall and growing in nicely. The rain stopped just in time for me to have absolutely no time to move 800 or so bales of hay. I rushed into finding help mode.

On a Sunday with windrows laying in neat piles across 20 acres of land behind our house, I took a phone call from my Mom that really rattled me. Our family health crisis was all of the sudden looking far more grim than it had just 24 hours before. It was a dark afternoon, I sat, watching the hay dry and bawled. I was tired, I was emotionally spent and more bad news was gut wrenching. I’d been holding it together pretty well until then.  So I sat for awhile. Before long, my friend, the Hay Queen who does our field with her family every year called and told me they were coming to bale and we’d be stacking TONIGHT.

My heart sank and my guts churned. I contacted all the people who I had lined up to move hay for me, the ones who were so excited to make some money. Well it turns out they all had golf tournaments and vacations that day or needed more notice than I was giving. So it was, on a day when it felt as if everything inside my body turned into a poisonous lumpy jelly, I would be stacking hay in the barn instead of going to be with my Mother in her time of need. Luckily, our Hay Queen had some help coming with help.

We quickly got a hold of hubby’s family to watch Vivi for the evening so we’d not be worried about keeping her entertained and safe while everyone was operating machines and I was on the edge of sanity. I rounded up my gloves, a Dr. Pepper, some water and headed down to the barn. My mind going through its fire up routine, earbuds in place. “I got this.” I told myself.

I did have it. Honestly though, I really would have rather been at home, laying on my couch, crying and being upset about the terrible news I’d just received an hour ago. Alas, when you own a barn it’s not an option, not when the hay needs to get stacked. The hay you’re gonna be feeding out for a couple of months. The hay your horses need to live. The hay you wished for all last year, and have been excited to get cut and brought in. Now I must do this…and I remind myself on the way down that I stacked hay in terrible heat like this 3 years ago just the week before I found out I was pregnant, “this” I thought to myself “cannot possibly be worse than that.”  And I thought of the omnipresent Taylor Swift “I’m a real tough kid…I can handle my shit….blah blah blah this guy is a liar….I can do it with a broken heart.”

And I did. I didn’t fake anything, I just made it happen. I outlasted the strapping 18 year old budding horse trainer who left an hour into the job sweating because, in painful irony “I need to go spend some time with my family.” I nodded as he drove away, and I drank some water and waited for the next trailer load of hay, most of which, it turns out we could stack this year with the grapple.

Among the worst confluences of personal life and barn management this places second. We need not discuss the rest of that list.

Zack and I have been running this place for 10 years now. I in fact, celebrated our 10 year anniversary while I was sitting in a hospital room with my parents waiting for doctors and news and anything that would clarify what the hell was going on and how things would progress. In a decade of barn ownership we have regularly had to choose horses over family. I’ve rescheduled at least 2 family Christmases at our house because of the winter conditions forcing us to work long hours, rendering entertaining impossible. I’ve had to punt Thanksgiving when we also had hiccups in staffing and the horses need care. I’ve spent many many of my own last 10 birthdays cleaning stalls. I’ve missed concerts, dinners and birthday parties because the horses needed us, or the clients needed us and we were there. We chose the barn and those caretaking duties over others in our lives.

It’s not a hard choice to make usually. For me it’s very black and white. The horses don’t choose to be here. The horses need us to live. And, yes, we have wonderful boarders and they help us out so much when we need them. Again, I have THE BEST staff around, but everyone has a life. A family. People go on vacation. People have their own health issues and golf outings and holidays. I am the one who owns the barn, and ultimately it always falls upon us to take responsibility and do right for the horses who live here. It’s our duty, it’s our calling. It is inevitable and rewarding. 10 years ago I chose to be here because I love caring for horses and I do so everyday. It is my job to consistently choose horses over everything else, even, on occasions, my own health and benefit.

This blog always comes back to advocating for horsemanship, and for barn owners and horse professionals. I am one, and we need voices. Yes. We are underpaid. Yes, we are tired. But we are human beings, with families. Our families have the same needs for medical care, education, and emotional support and time as horse owners or people who don’t own horses at all for that matter. The personal lives of barn owners are not soap operas for boarders to enjoy, although I have met some in my 40 years in horses who certainly have acted that way.

Barn owners, we are not all orphaned, divorced social outcasts. We have human families who have a real need for us. A real need for the kind of care and consideration we show for our animals. The hardest part of barn ownership is not all the struggles you read about all the time on bullet pointed, angry blog posts. No, it’s that when your life is crumbling, when any normal person would just go to bed and rot for a day or so, we are the insane people who put on our pants one leg at a time and go stack hay with a broken heart. And sometimes it takes until all the hay you stacked has been eaten for those broken hearted feelings to re-emerge and finally leave you.

It is Autumn now. It’s a time to Harvest the fruits of the seeds we planted months ago. This fall, my harvest of Gratitude is booming. The family health issues that so defined the last 3 months of my life have abated and we are normalizing. I have amazing people in my life everywhere. The ones who watch the kiddo, the ones who reach out with a text. The people who listen or make me laugh. The bringers of barn donuts. I’m grateful I remembered the lesson I learned Winter of 2023: I’m tough and I know damn well I can do this stuff in all kinds of weather. I am grateful for my family as they are. Grateful for horse poop and hay. Grateful for barn aisles and school bags and all the things that push me to keep going. All the things that remind me I’m capable. I’m grateful for love, kindness and compassion.

Autumn is the time when the trees let loose the leaves that no longer serve a purpose. Fall is a time for letting go. This fall I am releasing things that no longer serve me too. Perfectionism. The feeling that I must be the absolute best, most positive, energetic, generous, understanding woman to absolutely all people with whom I interact daily. Letting go of the notion of: fun, self-care and rest and joy as things I can  put aside for some vaguely determinant amount of time. I’m thinking maybe, just maybe I might release fear of the unknown this year too. Who knows. Perhaps I can let go of these fears and embrace the beauty of life that is sometimes lived in darkness. When a light arrives in darkness it illuminates more brilliantly things you cannot appreciate when the sun shines brightly.

Thanks to all who have helped us make it through a decade of barn ownership. Thanks to everyone at LEC who has supported me personally, and worried about me and reached out as my life went flying down the canyon walls.

Strangles Day

In springtime we have barn wide vaccination of the horses. The vet comes and with only minimal fuss each horse is given the shots that will boost their immunity throughout the warmest part of the year. Many times it is on this day that horses who will be showing or traveling out of state also get their Coggins drawn.

It’s an organized affair, it’s our goal to make this appointment happen in an orderly fashion. I email a list to the vet’s office of who is getting what, and in turn the vet arrives with said list and we go horse by horse through the barn and vaccinations are given out with very little drama and we get the vet back out the door on time to continue their day. With the exception of one horse, Gus, who, because of his long battle with allergies of all kinds, really REALLY HATES needles. He goes full on “Dark Gus” when the vet is there, we learned this the hard way. Now he gets his shots before anything else in the barn happens on vaccination day. SURPRISE!!! It’s needle time..and done. Much like people, not all horses are super great about getting shots and blood draws.

Strangles Day is a separate day. As you know Spring shots are many. This means about 2 weeks after shots the most dreaded day of the year comes around: Strangles Day. The vaccination against Strangles is given as a mist up through the horse’s giant nostril. There is a little plunger attached to a tiiiiiiny little tube about 4 inches or so long that has to get threaded up in there and then once that’s done a quick POOF of liquid goes up their nose. There is a lot of sneezing on Strangles Day.

Strangles, not for nothing, is a highly contagious disease spread by nose to nose contact. It causes swelling in the lymph nodes and a nasty discharge out the nose. It’s pretty commonly spread at horse shows. As such, we need to vaccinate against this disease to prevent it from coming into the barn. One of the big reasons for our vaccination policy is of course: health of our horses. And this is because they don’t just stay here, no! They get out in the world, go to shows, trail rides, travel across the state and the country and will be occasionally surrounded by horses who are not so well cared for as our herd. To protect them, and of course the vaccination policy shields all the other horses in the barn from incoming diseases.

It’s an annual occurrence to find out a show ground has had an outbreak of disease and I’m always thankful, and comforted to know all the horses have been vaccinated. It’s a comfort to our boarders as well, who when the news spread all share the news with me, in texts of great concern. I then remind them all our horses were vaccinated against this on X Day, but thank you for letting me know.

As you can imagine, giving a nasal mist to a horse is, well, challenging. Strangles day is as orderly but far far less efficient and smooth as Spring Vaccination Day. The horses toss their heads, shake their their big 100 pound boney heads right next to our beloved, cherished, hard working Vets. Larger, stronger horses can lift the vet up off the ground while they are trying to administer this vaccination, which in my opinion is in the stupidest possible form. Only if we had to mist it onto their eye balls could this be a worse delivery system. I once asked Dr. Black as we were struggling to get a horse vaccinated, then wait for the return fire from our patient (they sneeze after it’s over, really, Strangles Day is so fun) if this vaccination was the revenge plot of a spiteful biologist going through a rough divorce with an equine Veterinarian. He chuckled and went into a suitably technical explanation of why the composition of this vaccination in particular had to have this delivery system.

Everyone agrees it’s okay for a horse to have an opinion about Strangles Vaccination. Even Gus can put on his “Dark Gus” sunglasses and come out to play because he’s so hateful about needles. We can all relate, especially after what we’ve been through in the last 4 years with COVID testing and vaccinations, that many of the things we have to endure to be healthy are not ideal. Certainly not comfortable. The memory of that VERY LOOOONG pokey cotton swab going up your nose for a flu test or a Covid test is one I’m sure you will take to your grave. The horses are no different.

The rubber hits the road in horsemanship during these encounters which are a normal and necessary part of a horse’s life multiple times each year. A horse who is well-mannered can certainly have a strong opinion, but the people be they a vet or a farrier still need to be able to reason with the horse. To start, each horse needs to be able to stand for the vet, which means still. Horses need to be able to be caught in a pen of any size, stand in crossties and listen when given a correction. They need to respect people. And that’s the owner’s job.

80% of equine Vets across the country report sustaining at least one equine-related injury throughout their career. They are more likely to have 7 to 10 equine-related injuries. Farriers, don't even get me started. I think farriers are just happy to come home every day if they aren’t bleeding. Now, what your Vet will consider an “Equine-Related Injury” is worthy of consideration. Just working in our barn over the last 10 years I’ve watched and held horses who have put equine professionals in danger. One horse getting his temperature taken during an exam very nearly could have killed the vet whilst violently, unexpectedly kicking out. We had to move him in front of hay bales and a door to get the job done. My own very large horse is an absolute BEAST to get a tube up his nose and it can take up to 3 people to get the job done. I’ve watched my vet get drug around a stall by a horse who was afraid of needles, several times. I don’t know that the vets consider a minor kick, bite or slam to be an injury. But they are, and they add up over time.

Owners complain bitterly about how challenging it is to get a vet to come out. And in our area, the lack of farriers available to work on their horses. The shortage of Equine Professionals in our area is in part due to the growing number and demand for services. It is also due to the fact that the life of a Vet or a Farrier is VERY VERY HARD. Long hours, long drives, high stress clients both human and horse. A lack of true gratitude and respect for their work, professionalism and talent.

Add to all this the drop in quality of horse behavior and expected horse behavior from horse owners. No matter how much you love your job and horses, these situations are both frustrating and dangerous for professionals. In our barn we work to have safe spaces for horses, riders, and professionals coming in. We are well-lit. When the vet comes we are ready, the horses come inside for their visits and are let out after. And at an increasing rate, because of the little injuries we don’t report or remember but still impact our lives we only want horses in our barn who know how to behave, and owners who appreciate the need for horses to behave.

Horses will have moments. I’ve been knocked into stall walls by a spook. Hit with a horse head full speed by a horse spooking. I’ve had my right foot fractured, stomped on full speed by a horse, SPOOKING. I’ve been kicked by a horse who decided today was the day she didn’t want me to clean her stall. Bitten to the point of a deep long lasting bruise by horse too eager for me to dump grain into his feeder. I’ve been yanked out of horse trailers countless times. And it adds up. A life with horses is a lot of painful mornings, waking up to a body that says “Not again. Please no.” After a while you don’t want to, and shouldn’t have to be the one to handle and manage horses who aren't justifiably nervous about something but are instead: simply being naughty.

These little injuries, and little scares and close calls create a mental toll. And they are all PHYSICALLY DANGEROUS to human beings. As a barn owner who is now only taking horses with good manners and horse owners who train and work with their horses to be manageable, I implore you all to learn to be good horsemen. If you are new to the game, learn. Learn from seasoned people. If you have a young horse who is naughty, work with your horse until they are good and be ready to have your horse sedated for shoeing appointments and vet appointments. Yes, that costs more.

I have been both of these people. The newbie who needed to learn. And the owner of the terrible young horse who needed to learn. I paid for the education to become a good horsewoman who can now handle damn near any horse thrown at me. And I paid extra when my young horse was a nightmare, because as a seasoned horse woman who respects not only my Vet, and Farrier I can’t live with the idea that my horse would be the one to ruin someone’s day/Week/Life.

Because that’s what bad or lacking horsemanship does. At best, it makes a simple day like vacations a pain in the ass. A spoiled, untrained horse could ruin your Farrier’s morning and throw off his entire schedule because it took 3x longer to do your horse and so he’s now late for every appointment and maybe loses business because he was AGAIN late….not because he was eating lunch in the park on a beautiful day, but because Mr. Sparkles wouldn’t stop kicking with his left hind for a trim.

A spoiled untrained horse could be a pain in the ass, but it also could be what sends your vet to the hospital because Mr. Sparkles doesn’t like to have his face touched and no one works on it and the vet got smacked full tilt in the face with his huge 100 pound boney head and now your vet who you complain you can’t get to come out is bleeding and has a broken nose, needs to go to urgent care and someone else in the clinic has to try to pick up those appointments on her docket for the day.

How horses behave has REAL WORLD consequences. Their (the horse’s) personality, need for freedom of expression of their emotions or whatever plays a big role in lives of the people who work on them. The people you need. The people you complain about not coming in the exact time frame you want them to be there to help you with your horse. Having a well behaved horse has REAL WORLD consequences for owners as well. Sooner or later if you don’t reform your horse’s bad behavior and you refuse to allow the vet or farrier to sedate for whatever reason you may find the number of equine professionals willing to work with you and your “naughty”/DANGEROUS horse has dropped significantly.

Let me be now, the latest voice in a growing chorus of voices in the horse industry BEGGING. PLEADING with horse owners to: do better. Buy the horses that are suitable to your level of horsemanship. Get the help you need to become the person who can manage your horse. It is not the job of your barn owner, farrier, vet to train YOUR HORSE to be good to work with. It is your job. DO THE WORK regularly to make your horse a solid citizen so that when Strangles Day comes around again your Vet, and your barn owner aren’t looking at your horse with dread wondering not only if they are gonna get this done, but also if it will get done without blood and bruises.

"It Was an A+ Day at the Barn"

For almost as long as I have been riding, (which is a long time now) Saturday has been considered in my mind as the VERY BEST DAY to be at the barn. This is entirely due to the number of Saturdays I spent out at my childhood barn, taking group lessons, cleaning tack, eating lunch, messing around in the barn and then many times, riding again after all the eating and playing was finished. Our horses and our trainers were saints. Our barn was a venerable institution where we could, in exchange for doing some chores, run amok all damn day long on Saturday.

As fledgling adult, Saturday continued to reign supreme as the King of Days. Whereas during the week you may find yourself having an enjoyable time in a quieter barn after all your other adult responsibilities had been taken care of for the day. Well, the weekend is a whole other game. Saturday late morning: a time when there is time. Quite often, more people. Barn people who generally it seems also regard Saturday as the Holy Day of riding.

Saturday seems to be the day peer pressure has it’s strongest hold. When the nervous rider who normally wouldn’t adventure out into the pasture is somehow magically cajoled to head out into the field for the first time maybe ever, or in a long time. They tag along with supportive friends and newer or less seen barn acquaintances. Lots of tack gets cleaned on the weekends. I associate, strongly the smell of leather cleaner with Saturday afternoons. Although I do clean my tack throughout the week, my Effax Leather cleaner and balm do smell the best on Saturday.

When we were in our very first year here at the barn Saturday remained THE BEST DAY. Adults, who contrary to popular belief and trending behavior, do need in person social gathering spaces would all gather out at the barn on Saturday, mid day to ride and of course regale one another with epic tales from Friday nights out…dates gone wrong, husband errors. In that first year we often had people to the house for lunches, because they and my family were helping us put wood finish on our brand new stalls. Non-equestrian friends would join in the non-fun fun and Saturday. Blessed Saturday was a day for laughter, riding, dreaming and getting things done.

Still now, coming close to 10 years in, Saturday is often one of our busiest days. We are by nature a quiet barn. We have long hours and serve a wide community of people with different occupations and work schedules. Riders often have the barn largely to themselves as people have different obligations. EXCEPT of course for Saturday. I work on the weekends, and often it takes me twice as long to do stalls simply because I am talking to someone, or watching. The conversation is lovely and fun and supportive. The barn is lively on Saturday with people and families and activity. By 5pm the horses are all tired from rides, baths and all the commotion from everyone being out.

Not but a few weeks ago I spent a very long Saturday at the barn. I had chores, then lessons and a barn tour/meeting with a potential new client who wanted to watch me teach and get a feel for our barn. Followed by the sad exit of a seasonal boarder. It turned out to accidentally be a perfect day for it. The weather was nice, my lesson was intensely successful and a whole bunch of incredible women showed up to ride and play with their horses within 30 minutes of each other.

Two such women came together, one a licensed adult driver and the other her charge, a young woman who is new to the country and her family has just the one car. It’s a logistical challenge sometimes for this young woman to ride, but not now that she has a wonderful barn friend who can pick her up and drop her off. Now she has a way to her happy place, and isn't that just so powerful. Oh the importance of good people. The impact these two have upon each other’s lives and how that ripples outside the barn.

Before long the potential client, who is herself a horsewoman, just new to Lincoln, was easily roped into the Saturday Magic of the barn. Women laughing, everyone talking. No one in particular minding the busy atmosphere. Being social, making connections, feeling heard, letting go of the stresses of school and work and family and being a barn rat. It was a beautiful thing. My heart felt light and my soul warmed overhearing the women sharing their stories. The power of kindness and sharing experiences. That our barn is both a safe place for horses and real conversations.

After they had left our winter boarder was rolling in to take her horse back home. So I helped her get loaded up. There was laughter and talk, as she was loading out the barn had become quiet again. Also by that time my husband and daughter wandered down to the barn to check on me, make sure I’d not been kidnapped or injured. It was later in the day as I waved good-bye to our temporary resident. Thinking that winter had gone too fast, noticing finally 9 hours later that my feet were starting to hurt and I was tired.

My daughter and I groomed her horse together, we fed the pony peppermints and walked back home with the dogs. I got home to take my shoes off and let out a nice relaxed breath. “After all this time” I commented to my husband “I still love spending an entire Saturday at the barn.” It’s true. I really do, even though, as always I have a million things to do and places I could be, I am 45 and some of my favorite days are those spent entirely at the barn, being the barn rat I am and have been for a very long time now.

As we as human beings become creatures who are farther and farther apart from one another. Distanced by technology. Afraid of the awkwardness created by own notions about other people and their particular thoughts on “me”. In a world where so many adults and teens feel lonely and isolated it’s an absolute honor to be a person creating a space for community. A place where acquaintances can become friends. New people and long time boarders mingle and can agree its a beautiful day to ride. Support is given and laughter rings through the rafters.

When I did finally sit down and look at my phone that Saturday the first thing that came up on the dreaded social media was the Facebook post that inspired this blog. A post from one of the women hanging out on that Saturday. She said “It was an A+ Day at the barn.” and I nodded. “Yes, my friend, indeed it was.” And I felt purpose and joy. The horses yes, we care for them. But I can never forget that we care for people too.

I Hate Social Media

This is not the post on Facebook that tells you I am taking a break from Social Media because I’m just so stressed out by the pressure to look a certain way or do a certain thing. Nope, this is the post on Facebook and my website that is me telling you I completely suck at Social Media. I just can’t keep up anymore. My Social Media game really started flailing badly when Reels became the standard across all industry and media.

This is not a cry for help. It’s a stance.

I am in a state of continual awe of my younger counterparts who have these amazing Social Media presences. I love their pages, their humor, their videos. I’m in awe of the people who are sponsored riders and have the wherewithal to be great spokespeople for various equestrian products and wares. Truly, and I REALLY appreciate their discount codes!! But I am not these people. I am a middle aged woman, whose self-conscious about her looks. I hate having my photo taken. I live in a world of denial trying to take my own selfies knowing that I am the Social Media Accounts Manager of my business and boy…does that lady need to take some classes.

I simply can’t bring myself to do it. And it’s not because I’m not trying. I will take videos here and there. I have ideas for things and maybe in the future you’ll see those ideas come to fruition. It is fun to do, when there is time. The Social Media Sphere changes really quickly. I notice these changes on a day to day basis, and as I mentioned previously, I can’t keep up. Also, I don’t want to. I literally DO NOT want to keep up with the latest songs, themes and viral trends. I don’t have time, my mind sees the trends, my mouth laughs at them, my thumb hits the like button and I move on.

Perhaps this confession is shocking to you. “OH MARGO NO!!! NEVER ACCEPT DEFEAT YOU CAN DO THIS!! HERE I WILL HELP YOU MAKE REELS IT’S NOT THAT HARD!!!” I’m sure you can. But it’s okay. I do know how to edit videos. I have, somewhere, a selfie stick. I have equipment. I’m sure I can watch YouTube to figure out how to find good angles and make attractive videos. I bet there is an app somewhere I haven’t heard of that will do the bulk of this for me provided I have some raw content.

…and of course there is AI. I could have our future Robot Overlords churn this stuff out for me. But I won’t.

I have told you, and been truly honest about my feelings on Social Media. It’s a valuable marketing tool, fun, entertaining. I have, to my mind reasonable explanations that apply only to me and perhaps others of my age and budget. I can’t and don’t stay totally on trend with Social Media at all times because my mind, at 45 years of age, doesn't think about doing it. And what I’m about to say IS NOT MEANT TO BE AN INSULT TO THE PEOPLE WHOSE MINDS DO WORK IN THE SOCIAL MEDIA REFLEX WAY…I already told you I admire them greatly. All kudos to these women. Keep up the good work. I totally mean it.

I am not saying I’m old or uncool or morally and intellectually superior. What I am saying is that I am different. And per usual, I would like to assure all my other “different” people out there that it is okay. While Social Media is an affordable option for advertising and EVERYTHING is content there is this part of me that is quite stubborn. The part of me that puts a lot of work into my barn, spending a lot of time looking at my horses, talking to my clients. Getting to know both horse and rider. Figuring out what their daily needs are and making those things happen. There is also a part of me, the part that reads the New Yorker, finds a think piece, engaging. Interesting. I appreciate it when people take a moment to communicate their thoughts. Visual communication may be taking over the world, but I am traditional and still like to write. So here we are. Social media… Throwback style!

Now, like it’s 2004, I will TELL YOU WITH WORDS I have a great many wonderful, viable, relevant skills you as horse owner and potential client would appreciate. I’ve been with horses coming 40 years now. I’ve watched them, cared for them, ridden them. I can spot a collic quickly. I so consistently feed our herd of horses I have the entire feed list memorized and can go through it without missing a beat or a supplement or medication. I have a lot of tricks for getting horses into trailers, and shower stalls. I’m a whiz with currycombs and saddle soap. I can recommend excellent saddle pads, shampoos, and fly sprays. Just ask me! I’m not irrelevant, I’m vintage.

I know each horse and each rider in my barn very well, both are important to me and I consider both horse and owner my client. I can tell if either one of them is off. To me, I don’t know how to put chirpy music behind a video of me having a conversation in the barn with the Mom whose daughter is going through a tough time with her chronic illness. I don’t know that me watching a horse walk a little funny in the arena trying to decide if he’s lame or if there is a dip in the footing would make good content. It might but some of the most important moments in the barn are personal or sponataneous. Without hiring a film crew to keep track of us all the time, many awesome moments get missed by cameras because we are living them. In the moment, as it happens.

It is because I am very present there, at the barn consumed with the horses and people we care for is why my digital accounts are sometimes wanting. I am, right where I am, doing what I am very best at, having totally forgotten to make a reel for Instagram. And I think that’s how it should be.

Dear Gelding

Dear Gelding,

Yesterday I walked past the side door and saw you and your best friend, laying curled up in your pens like giant long necked cats. You were both cozy, soaking up the sun in the late morning and I felt happy. When I next passed by the door your buddy was standing, looking concerned as you lay flat out in your pen, with your head underneath the rails in his pen, fast asleep.

Now I know you, you’re a chill guy. And yes, yes, I know to you “Fences are just like, an idea man.” but to me, fences are sometimes places where things like heads and legs get stuck. So when I jogged out to check on you I hoped you weren’t offended. I of course have seen you sleep with your hooves resting on the fence rails and watched as you ever so gently remove them and stand up to stretch and shake out your mane as if horses with legs on rails isn't to be something of concern.

I was glad, I promise you, not frustrated that when I called out your name so sharply, that you in your characteristic style, quietly and slowly brought your beautiful head and neck back under the fence and stood up to look at me as if to say “You need to calm down..”

Dear gelding, I love you so, but sometimes your choices make me crazy. And it’s only because I know you, and your personality that I let you get away with this nonsense. Dear gelding, please do not teach your other friends to sleep freestyle. Literally everyone else, needs to keep it between the lines.

Love Margo.

I'm not a businessman; I'm a business, man!

Okay okay…you’re a barn rat whose spent every summer and break from school since you were 12 working at the barn. You know horses inside and out. You’ve moved hay out of the field in July, cold hosed a leg and gotten a tricky horse into a trailer. You’ve got the horse moves down. Now, in your last semester of high school you’re day dreaming about college. You promised your parents you would go, get an education and make a good living. You’re gonna live in a dorm, ride on the team and study….IDK….

Here’s the deal: the horse business is A BUSINESS. In the U.S. alone 1.4million people report being employed full-time in the Equestrian Industry. This includes: vets, farriers, barn owners, breeders and the racing industry. The Equestrian Industry contributes $39 Billion into the U.S. economy. So, it’s a real job, but that doesn’t mean you’re not sending your parents into an early grave when you tell them you’ve decided to major in Equine Sciences.

Before we go any further, this post is not suggesting Equine Sciences is not a valuable field of study or worthwhile major.

The problem is, and this might get indelicate: money. As a contrast to another area of study that makes parent’s hair turn grey overnight, Music, the market for a professional horse person is not the same. This is to say, there just aren’t going to be as many consumers of horse products/services as there are music. To drive this point home, in 2016 the Music Industry contributed $143 Billion into the US Economy. And that’s because almost all of us consume music in one way or another. Either by listening to Billie Ellish or a jingle that plays over an advertisement.

When you break down your expertise further into a specialty area say, Barrel Racing, Jumping or boarding your pool of potential customers gets smaller. Meanwhile, your cousin who majors in Trombone Performance has more options, because more people hear trombones than learn to turn and burn. Those are just the harsh realities of the horse business. And just like in any industry, the best of the best make more money. For example, Nellie Miller was the top Barrel Racer going into the 2019 NFR Championship. Her prize winnings before that show totaled $154,610. That’s a lot of money! That’s also within the range of the average median STARTING SALARY of a pharmacist.

We don’t know how much money Ms. Miller had to spend in order to get to her races, how much on vet bills, fuel, lodgings, tack, training fees but all of that has to be subtracted from those winnings to understand how much she REALLY made at the end of the year from her winnings. We also don’t have the figures for how much money she makes training other horses or coaching other riders or through promoting products. Needless to say, Ms. Miller worked REALLY REALLY hard in 2019 to make that prize money, and probably worked EVEN HARDER to get to the top of a competitive sport and will have to DOUBLE DOWN on her hard work to stay on top in 2020….(plus invest wisely a portion of her earnings into a retirement fund).

So yes, there is money to be made and “wealth” despite what the IRS says, comes in many forms that can’t be accounted for by dollars and cents. For example, I can’t calculate the monetary value of considering my dogs as co-workers or listening to whatever kind of music or podcast I want to while I’m at work….but it’s valuable to me. That said, deepest heartfelt gratitudes are not considered legal tender and will not get you a new transmission at the repair shop. You need to make money to live. AND that’s why Moms Dads and Grandmas sweat profusely when you “major in horses at college.”

When I talk to students I do mention certain business skills you need to have in order to survive as a business person. Among them: writing clearly. This is both useful for applying to jobs and also sounding like a competent person a bank would loan a bunch of money to so she can start a horse barn. Researching, and critical thinking skills are part and parcel of your business plan. You need to be able to convince someone you know what you’re talking about. If you’re trying to apply for a grant for your therapeutic riding program or horse rescue, those are done in written form, backed up with research. You really must be able to use written language to make a clear point. I cannot be any clearer about that topic. Of all the skills you learn in school writing clearly, correctly is in the top 3 most frequently used in your lifetime as a business person.

There is also a basic understanding that a legal business has to follow business laws (tax, liability, DOT). And that an illegal business can land your little behind in jail for things like: tax fraud, liability lawsuits, contract violations etc…etc…etc. It is the boring, confusing, kind of scary things that get you in more trouble than anything. Jail time, huge fine, gotta sell everything I own to pay for that kind of trouble. So that’s when you need accountants, tax preparers, attorneys, real estate agents and insurance adjusters. Professionals who with some explanation on your part about what your business is can keep you from making life altering mistakes. A good accountant is worth her weight in gold. Someone you trust, who can explain to you the value of an LLC or how to use Quickbooks is an asset worth paying for.

But there are other skills you need as a business person that aren’t in particular horse skills. Decision making, networking, branding, web-design. Some ability in these areas save you money because you maybe don’t need to pay someone else to do things for you, like perhaps your website. Or maybe you generate a lot of money selling horses because you make wonderful sales videos. Equestrian businesses are “high-input” businesses, meaning, they cost a lot to make some money. So if you can save money by knowing how to do things you’d otherwise have to pay for, well you lower your inputs. If I knew in 1997 I was going to run a barn I would have Majored in Entrepreneurship and minored in Diesel mechanics.

As it is, my educational background and professional background both contribute strongly to my ability to get things not directly horse related done quickly. I’m comfortable with a myriad of computer programs, I can easily and professionally respond to emails, talk to insurance agents about claims, understand the ins and outs of ethical behavior, develop contracts and releases that shield my business from harm…whereas my husband who is a professional farrier and went to Farrier School has a much harder time getting these types of things done quickly. What takes me an hour could take him week…mostly spent asking me to do it for him. Knowing your way around the more boring, printer and scanner aspects of your computer is a necessity for your business.

So…another option for horse crazy people is to consider a “Horse Adjacent” career. Perhaps studying something else that you have an interest or a passion for, like say design. Perhaps you become a creative director and help businesses develop their brand. You’ve got a big market for that skill set: every business in the world. But, you can use those skills and specialize in part on Equestrian Businesses. Helping high end breeders market their stallions and foals. Perhaps you think Real Estate seems like a fun gig, you can specialize in Equestrian Properties while still selling houses in town. All the while using your steady income to afford your horsey lifestyle outside of work. There are options for horse people that don’t lead you full-time in the barn. If you balk at having to move a thousand bales of hay in 104 degree July heat annually as part of your barn budgeting strategy, that’s okay. You can do something meaningful that pays well and you can make it work for the horse industry as well. The options are endless for horse-adjacent careers. As I mentioned above, horse businesses require all kinds of professional services. Horse people also need: doctors, physical therapists, mental health therapists, personal trainers….the list goes on. You could find a horse-adjacent career that satisfies multiple interests in your life!

So as you move closer to deciding what you will study balance your desire to do what you love and feel a passion for vs. the reality of that passion and what that passion is going to pay you to be alive. At 17 or 18 years old it’s difficult to wrap your head around the nagging stress of not being able to afford things. Not just vacations, but being able to fill your gas tank all the way to the F and still pay your phone bill and eat all within the same week. We ancient people we’ve been there and know that nagging stress has a way of eroding away fun and passion. It’s worth giving a good think about how the horse business really works out on paper before committing 4 years of your life and student loans into something that may not work out how you’d like.

THE Funnest Job in THE WHOLE WORLD

It’s getting to be about the time of year when my job-shadowers will be calling, and the folks from UNL will be not far behind needing some real life information about managing an equestrian business for one of their Equine Sciences classes. Each year I have around 2 or 3 High School aged students who come to the barn and follow me around while I work, grilling me with questions. And about an equal number of College Students who come from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln who also hurl questions at me for a project they have to do in one of their required classes.

Although it can be a little strange to be followed around all day by someone you don’t know asking you questions and writing things down on a clipboard I make a point to talk to as many as I can every year. To me, it’s important to participate in the education of our next generation.

The students who have come to job shadow over the years range in experience from “I’ve never even seen a horse in real life” to “We have 6 horses at our house and I rodeo through the summer with my cousins.” The questions they ask are good ones, like “what kind of education did you get in order to do this job?” “Do you have a college degree?” And this is where the fun begins. I DO have a college degree! In Political Science. I even have a Master’s Degree….in Mental Health Counseling. Pause for confused face

My educational background in horses is well…the traditional model:

I grew up as one of those barn rat kids who get left at the barn all weekend long…you know the ones who ride, then graze the horse, then ride again, then eat lunch, then sweep the barn aisle…I morphed my barn rat status into Working Student when I entered High School. I spent summers under 3 different trainers across the country. One in each in Georgia, Colorado and California. Each differing styles of business, although all related to dressage. Each with differing levels of responsibility. I learned all about the lifestyle of a professional horse person, feeding strategies, supplements, training programs, lesson programs, barn management….Since tender years I have moved hay, shavings, feed sacks, hauled buckets of water inconveniently long distances…

So yes, student, I do have a very good traditional classroom education, and quite a lot of it. None of it in any way related the equestrian field. In large part, because my parents wouldn’t let me. And also because I thought I wanted to be an attorney and argue before the Supreme Court about really important Constitutional Questions…but I ended up simply getting a job at a law firm, where I learned I really didn’t like the day to day life of a lawyer. So I worked as an office professional, because you know, rent is expensive. Board is expensive. Car payments are expensive. Groceries are expensive. Insurance is expensive. Gasoline is expensive. Target runs are expensive…..well so for a good long while I enjoyed my steady salaried income that provided me with the money I needed to live, and enough time off to show my horse. I made enough money outside of the horse world to be a horse person.

Now as a professional horse person, I work to afford to be able to be a regular person!

Much of the education of the professional horse person, in my opinion MUST come from vast hands-on equestrian experience. I would not even consider running a horse boarding facility of any size if I did not have as much experience with horses as I do. IN MY OPINION: if you can’t put a standing wrap on a horse leg TODAY, or understand the basic floor to ceiling needs of a live horse and how much work it takes to maintain it…well you probably shouldn’t run a boarding facility.

The very best way. THE VERY BEST WAY to learn to be a horseman is the same way in which horsemen have become horsemen since Xenophon sat down to write “The Art of Horsemanship” 2,400 years ago. Learn from someone who knows horses. And learn from the horses. In short: experience. One horse is a lot of responsibility, but 10-35 is a whole other situation. A horseman has to speak, move and act horse everywhere they go in their barn (and try to remember to not act horse in the Grocery store). A boarding facility owner is called upon, frequently for all things horsemanship from catching a collic early to catching a loose horse.

To work in horses, you really REALLY REALLY need to have spent quite a lot of time with them.

From the outside looking in as my, 8 year old student puts it so eloquently “YOU HAVE THE MOST FUNNEST JOB IN THE WHOLE WORLD!!!!” She’s not entirely wrong. Although I feel like taste tester at Ben & Jerry’s might be a couple notches above my work, but what we do here at Lincoln Equestrian Center is fun. It’s a whole hekkuva lot more fun than say filing paper, waiting for a fax or decoding insurance codes. I know…because before I was here I was there…in the copy room…scanning endless documents in a space crammed with so much office equipment you come to understand that yes, electricity DOES have a smell.

I don’t often miss those days, although I do miss my wonderful co-workers, leaving work on Friday and actually LEAVING WORK. I always love doing anything that helps other people out, so that was good, as was the pay.

Now I do what I love for a living, and it’s both terrific and extremely challenging. The reality of the Boarding Facility owner is work. Labor. It’s a labor or love 365 days a year. Yes, I do pet horses every single day…but I also have to feed them every single day and make sure they are alive every single day and communicate with their owners and make business decisions every day. It’s physically, and emotionally tiring work some days. Love for horses in terms of barn management is less about having a horse on every shirt you own, and more about getting up and doing what’s right for the horse every single day no matter how badly you don't want to even if you are sick or hurt or really want a vacation.

So to my shadows: Its often as hard as it is rewarding. You need to think about that. If you really have a passion for horses, you need to think deeply and be honest about how much drive you’ve got for labor. Think deeply about how much time you are willing to put into learning the million and a half little details of horsemanship you need to have on recall in order to be truly good at this job. Know that along the way you’ll need to pick up 2 million more little details…

It’s a lot! I’m glad for all the myriad experiences I’ve had in my life both equestrian and “business causal” because each of those challenges and experiences has brought me here. To a place where I’m mature enough and have enough experience with people AND horses to run my own business…

….we’ll get to the business side next time!

Talking to Horses

Forging relationships with horses can be difficult. The primary difficulty is obvious: horses and people are totally different animals. People by nature are EXTREMELY verbal. We communicate constantly with our mouths, our voices and written language. Expressed words are a REALLY HUGE part of how we use our gigantic brains to connect with each other. Humans are omnivores living in group units. We have the capacity to use tools to hunt and build. Our offspring grow slowly and we use our words to teach and pass on information as well as to thrive in climates across the globe. Words and actions have kept us alive all this time.

Horses by comparison have relatively less complex brains and far fewer verbal forms of communication. Certainly you hear horses make noise. They whinny, nicker, grunt, and squeal however most all of those noises are used in communication with other horses, and as a person who inhabits a barn, I’ll tell you for the most part, they’re not making a lot of verbal communications with each other throughout the day. Now, if you were a horse, a herd animal, a prey animal you’d learn pretty quick that you really don’t want to talk out loud that much either. If everyone in the herd is standing around whinnying their heads off…well it’s pretty easy for a pack of wolves to find you and eat your family. So yes, horses do “talk” out loud but so much of the way they communicate is done with their bodies.

You can learn a lot about horses, and how they communicate simply by watching them. If for example you watch horses in turn out over the course of a few hours you’ll find out that they spend the first bit of turn out saying “hello” to their neighbors. They whinny, squeal and kick and buck. It’s like everyone is saying “HEY GUYS IT’S A BEAUTIFUL DAY!” They also posture at each other, either sidling up to one another for a scratch or perhaps backing up to a pushy neighbor and giving a kick with a squeal as to say “this is my personal space bubble pal!!” After awhile they settle in and everyone goes back to silent playing and companionship….until the garbage truck comes by or something startles the group, then they get chatty again. Just as they do when we bring them in…they begin to neigh and call for their friends, especially the ones who are waiting to come in “DON’T FORGET ME OUT HERE!!!”

But when you are riding your horse he really shouldn’t make that much noise. A horse whinnying during a ride is usually a nervous horse or buddy sour calling to a friend. A horse whinnying while you ride isn’t telling you “great job up there I understand what you want loud and clear.” Actually, the whinnying-under-saddle horse in that moment is treating you like an afterthought.

So, as you grow in horsemanship and become a true horseman you need to learn your horse’s body language. Learn to listen to him with your body. Slow down those verbal parts of your brain and begin to fire up the “feel” sections of your brain. The same receptors in your mind that can “feel” that your air conditioner has kicked on making the room colder are the ones that will help you “feel” your horse’s mood. You need to learn to feel in your own body what your horse is telling you. This is easily accomplished while grooming, which is a natural behavior for happy well-adjusted horses. As you brush feel his body, are his muscles tensed or relaxed? is he paying attention to you and quietly following your movements or is he cocked to the side watching something else happen in the barn or looking for his pasture buddy? Does he jump to the side when you brush or does he lean in to the curry?

It follows then, that if you must listen with your body you also need to learn to talk with your body. As a child I remember some fundamental moments of my education in horsemanship. One is that people told me over and over horses “knew” when you were afraid. I always kind of thought this meant the horse was reading my mind, but in reality as 7 years old I was unaware that my emotional/mental nerves created physical reactions in my body. Tightness in legs, hands, tilting forward, breathing quickly. I was ACTING nervous and my body communication to the horse was telling her there was a HUGE ALLIGATOR in the arena and we needed to run. Of course knowing that the horse “knows” I’m nervous only served to make little Margo MORE nervous…that was until I learned more about riding and became more confident.

Famously, in my first dressage test ever I verbally communicated with my horse Dolly the whole time. “Now Dolly, we’re gonna go across the diagonal here….okay now at B we have to trot a circle.” At -2 points a shot per voice command the opening act to my competitive dressage career earned a generous 43% (that’s terrible). Dolly the horse wasn’t voice trained, and she didn’t know what a circle was, she only knew what I physically told her to do, which ultimately was to trot, slowly a weird polygon shape in the middle of the dressage arena.

It took me a while to figure out how to communicate with my body ONLY to my horse. Yes, I do still talk out loud to my horses but there is also a HUGE amount of information being shared with my body, my own emotional control and how I use those things to communicate with them. After 35 years of being around horses I feel very fluent in body communication with the horses. If you were to watch me with the horses I work with you’d see me touching them and speaking my language with them the entire time I work with them. And when I meet new horses, I certainly do introduce myself to them politely and try to begin our dialogue. Every horse, like every person is similar but different and the more horses you meet the better equine communicator you become. You learn that speed, level of intensity and repetition mean more than words.

Horses certainly can pick out an experienced horse person from someone who is just starting out. Horses make a humongous array of facial expressions mostly because they’ve been domesticated for thousands of years and they are really really good at reading human beings. They have learned, by watching us and feeling our bodies when we are in a good place emotionally or a bad place. They are very sharp animals and they 100% know you’ve had a bad day at work just by the stiffness of your eyebrow. Imagine for a moment that you could slow down enough and be so observant of your horse that you could tell just by the stiffness of his nostril what kind of mood he was in….and then have the physical and emotional acuity to make it better.

If you don’t believe me that your horse understands what your facial expressions mean take a minute out of your barn time to yawn obnoxiously at your horse and you’ll discover that yawns are contagious across species.

I urge everyone: slow down. Look, feel, listen…absorb and immerse yourself in the life of your equine partner not by projecting your emotions onto him but by allowing yourself to be more equine. They (the horses) really are trying their level best to do what you want, if you find that your horse is naughty or is not listening it might be time to examine your communication skills with your horse.Its worth doing because as you learn to communicate more like a horse your confidence and security will grow. Good communication skills are after all the bedrock of any good relationship.

How was your day hairball?

The True Cost of Horse Boarding

Tire kickers, if you sell horses or run a boarding facility you are gonna meet “Tire Kickers.” If you’re not familiar with this term these are the folks who come out just to look and have no intention to move (or even own a horse). I don’t mind too much the Tire Kickers because I’m proud of my barn and what we do here. However, many tire kickers like to end their complimentary barn tour by telling me that I charge far too much for board. Now, to be frank our barn, and most all barns in America (probably worldwide) likely do not charge enough for board. Most of the time “tire kickers” have done a calculation of the cost of a bag of feed, a bag of shavings and a bale of hay multiplied it by a minimal number and call that “board.” If only…”Boarding” is so much more than just flinging food into the stalls and road apples out.

“Board” is kind of a misnomer for what professional barn owners do for a living. It’s a word that harkens back to the 19th Century job postings for a Governess. But yes, we do house your horses. We feed them. We clean up after them, just like the boarding house Jo inhabited in Little Women. Barn owners are more like the full-service staff at an all inclusive retirement community.

Most horse barns are far from places where horses simply eat and poo. Boarding facilities also house (safely) your equipment, from curry combs to horse trailers. I remember talking to our insurance company when we first bought LEC. We had to estimate a dollar amount of “assorted equipment” that we’re “responsible for.” Its a dazzlingly high number because you have to multiply in your mind the average cost of saddle, bridle, headstall, all grooming equipment and whatever else people keep in those lockers. If we’re robbed blind I need to make sure my policy covers that. (Also: never do the math on how much money you’ve spent on your tack…I could have been to Nepal by now, instead I have 80 Saddle pads)

I’m not cleaning your saddle, I am however providing a safe place in which you can keep your stuff as well as keeping an eye on people enough to know that no one is walking away with your tack or your trailer. I don’t think on a day to day basis a lot about “managing” everyone’s equipment, I have security cameras for that and a barn full of great people. We know how many horses, saddles, trailers, bridles and expensive things are in this place, and when we need or if we have to we certainly know that everything is where it is supposed to be. Nevertheless, you would not want to be at a barn where you were afraid to leave your tack in the spot provided for you. Nor would you be excited to be a “boarding facility” that did not have room for your equipment.

Since I mentioned it, everyone’s favorite thing, Insurance. We’re paying for something we never want to use, and thinking annually a whole bunch about situations we hope never come to pass. Fires, accidents of all kinds. We are lucky to have a great Insurance Agent who even once helped me move hay into the barn while we discussed more of these great figures about the total value of X, Y and Z in the barn. They have been so helpful navigating the 400 different types of insurance we need to carry because: people, dangerous animals, vehicles, natural disasters, fire, thieves. Sadly, insurance is not free. And if you found out your boarding facility didn’t have insurance well, you probably wouldn’t want to be there too long you know…just in case of some horrible thing.

At LEC we have staff. Paid staff, who make not a horrible wage because the work they do every day year round is hard. My staff works when its 104 degrees, they work when it’s -9 with winds blowing 40mph in the North doors. Each of our stalls is cleaned to the same standard every day (even the 5th of July and Christmas). They are often the ones who notice something is off with a resident horse. We hire “horse people” to work for us, having found that non-horse people can do the work, but people who get it are better. I think an honest day’s work deserves an honest day’s wage. Our staffers get a real paycheck with taxes pulled out and everything. I wish I could pay them more because they are so worth it to myself and to the horses they care about. And in the case of holidays, illnesses, family events, music festivals, car troubles, doctor’s appointments we, the owners clean the stalls. We’ve never had 1 day at Lincoln Equestrian Center when all the stalls were not cleaned. Not ever, not even when I was in the hospital, or if we’ve been sick, tired or suffering greatly from mechanical problems.

Inherent in this whole conversation, but most often overlooked: we’re here. We made the financial, physical, emotional, whole life commitment to buying and running a place where “townsfolk” can drive 10 minutes into the country and go ride a horse in a field. We have an investment here, and like all businesses that investment and all of its associated tax burdens (for those not located in Nebraska, our property tax rates are famously high) are something we take seriously. Forget improving or even maintaining a nearly 30 acre property, that there are 30 acres of horse property West of town is something. In so many areas “Equestrian Spaces” are shriveling up and people have to travel longer and longer distances to ride their horses, or ride in places where the space is limited. When you board, in particular here you’ve got room to roam a bit both indoor and outdoor. It’s not likely many people would be interested in “boarding” at a facility where there was no place to ride.

There are other hard to calculate costs that go along with a professionally managed boarding facility. Like that my life, and my husband’s life is 100% devoted to this business and the care for the horses who live here 365 days a year. Our whole life is literally punctuated by the needs of the horses, and rises and falls on a weekly basis depending on whats going on down there. What’s the dollar amount you ascribe to missing your brother’s birthday because there was an urgent problem at the barn? What is the value of our combined 50 years of horse experience? Can you put a dollar amount on having people in the barn that can answer your questions every day? Forget questions, what is the dollar amount you put on having someone around while you are riding?

“Board” is so much more than covering the cost of our inputs. it’s services, and the peace of mind that your big investment/passion has their home with people who are not only qualified but committed to making sure they are better than okay all the time. So to my “tire kickers” I’m glad to show you around, but at least add in electricity, diesel fuel, machine maintenance costs to those low ball estimates.

Moving forward with purpose

January 2, 2019. Today we’re all closer to our goals than we were December 31, 2018. Now is the time when so many of us are thinking of making changes, for the better. It’s a special time of year when we get really focused on goals and becoming everything we dreamed of. Yes, dream big, always. But think small and work daily.

In between losing 10 pounds, cleaning out your un-used items and surrounding yourself with good people and feeling gratitude every day you’ll probably be making a resolution for your riding as well. One thing I’m resolving to do is to blog more, so in honor of that “intention” I’ll share with you some ideas I have for equestrian resolutions.

1: Learn some thing about how your horse’s body works. We have to remember always that our horses are living breathing animals. Beyond that, they are athletes. Riders and owners have a responsibility to their horses to educate themselves and provide the best care possible. Every day there is a story, a product or someone comes to the barn with some factoid or fix for some horse ailment, or situation. Resolve this year to learn about something related to your horse’s body. Be it educating yourself about nutrition, gastric health or biomechanics. Make yourself more knowledgeable about the FACTS of your horse’s health and well-being so you can maximize your training time, and budget. Educating yourself about how your horses’ digestion, muscles, tendons, heart, lungs and mind work best is a great way to prevent yourself from making costly mistakes with your horse. G.I. Joe was right when he told us all that “Knowing is half the battle.” In a battle against companies trying to profit from a lucrative market and people looking to make a name for themselves with special techniques, understanding how your horse should work is one way prepare. Don’t let yourself buy another specialty product before you understand first how your horse’s body moves and functions.

2: Take care of your skin. As riders we’re out in the elements, not just sun in the summer but wind, dirt and dust. Resolve to take care of your own skin by keeping sunscreen in your tack box. Be sure to moisturize and cleanse your face over the winter to prevent redness from cold chapped skin. It’s a little but important part of our lives, and as horsemen we often forget to take care of ourselves and also, how much we are exposed to on a daily basis. Skin cancer is something we should all be aware of in this sport. Wear the sun shirt, the wide brimmed hat and be sure to take care of yourself. You never know, applying your special winter time night moisture cream might be the gateway to self-care you need to keep you going in the right direction.

3: Volunteer. Every horse association, every event needs volunteers. If you’ve ever been to a competition, a clinic or a major event you’ve been able to do so because scads of people made some time to help out the management. You don’t have to have a lot of experience or even a lot of time. Make a commitment to help out at at least one event and your local associations will be grateful. Additionally, you may end up meeting some new people or gaining a new insight into your sport just by being more involved with a competition from a different angle. A little bit of volunteering will certainly add more meaning to your horsing life.

4: Warm-up and cool down. We have to remember that our horses are living breathing animals made up of muscles and tendons. Unlike bicycles horses need to warm up their parts before they can successfully perform. Research study after research study shows that at least 10 minutes of walking your horse prior to a full workout is critical for the preservation of the sensitive structures in the horse’s legs. Top riders across the world in all disciplines agree a solid warm-up is as good for the horse’s mind as it is for their body. Don’t skip it. And don’t skip the cool down either. Take 10 minutes to go outside to walk in the fresh air or simply let your horse’s heart rate and respiration come back to normal before chunking him back in the stall. Learn to regard your warm up and cool down as a long transition both into and out of work. Don’t be in such a hurry, set your athlete up for success.

5: Track your progress. Maybe you don’t think you’re getting anywhere with your riding. You’re probably wrong. In 2019, keep yourself motivated by tracking your progress. Not just what division you are riding in, or how much money you brought home from the show but by the number of times your riding instructor has to tell you to put your elbows on your sides. Don’t just track the big things but little things as well. The large goals, like moving up a level are accomplished by achieving every day little goals like “It was 10 degrees outside but I put in a 30 minute conditioning ride.” Other goals such as learning more of the vocabulary of your sport or understanding a new concept are also valuable and worth noting. As are achievements on the ground. Keep track of every step in the right direction on your way to your big goals. Little things count.

Zack and Margo would like to start 2019 by thanking all of the wonderful people we work with both in and out of Lincoln Equestrian Center. We appreciate your caring support of our goals and dreams. We are very much looking forward to all the adventures 2019 has in store for all of us. We’re excited to see Pony Club Develop, to take our clients out to shows, to watch new people learn the ways of horsemanship and seasoned horse people continue to grow on the never-ending path of horses.

Horse Crazy Kid Holiday Guide!

Earlier in the week we made some suggestions for great gifts for your equestrian adult. As promised we’re following up on that post with ideas for your horse crazy kids. We’ve also included teenagers in this guide.

When kids like something THEY REALLY like something. I know, I have a nephew who was OBSESSED with cows last year. So for Christmas I made him cow shaped and decorated sugar cookies AND got him his own cow barn for Christmas and he LOVED them. (I think he’s moved on to Dinosaurs this year so…new cookie cutters for me!)

Anyhow, horse crazy kiddos are no different. I will caution you about kids, especially horse kids, they can be very specific. So it’s VERRY IMPORTANT to know if your horse crazy kiddo rides English or Western. Namely, is a cowgirl or not. Trust me, the kids care. It’s usually much easier to find horse “stuff” of all kinds for Western riders. A good rule of thumb with horse toys of all kind is: if the saddle is brown on the horse it’s probably a Western Saddle. If the saddle and tack are black then it’s usually english. ALTHOUGH there are exceptions just know, if it looks like John Wayne would sit on it it’s a Western horse. If it looks like it galloped out of a painting of Napoleon then that’s English.

Okay.

Like with adults, it’s good to know if your kid has a specific color they consider their riding color. These colors are important, they help them remember which stuff is theirs and also make a statement when they go to shows.

As with adults you certainly want to know their horse’s name, color and breed. If you’re going to get something personalized, consider having it personalized with the horse’s name, not the kid or both.

Here are some good ideas for horse kids (12 and under):

1: Clothes for the barn. Yes, clothing might not be the MOST exciting gift, but if it’s clothing to specifically be worn while riding that’s totally different! T-shirts with horses on them. Riding breeches and hoodies are all good options. Most of our kiddo students are really excited to have JUST BARN CLOTHES and are always showing us their horse tee’s and breeches. For specifically kid friendly, affordable, useable horse themed clothing I suggest Kerrets Brand. They are durable and well made for riding, and don’t break the bank. Kerrets brand is available for purchase on Amazon.com. As an added element of fun Kerrets clothing comes with Carrot seeds. Ariat also makes really nice kids clothes for slightly more money, Ariat clothing is also available on Amazon.com

2: Supplies As a child I asked for a manure fork as a reward for good grades. I still have that fork. Kiddos want the weirdest, most boring horse supplies. They see adult riders or their coach has something and even if it seems kind of silly or boring to you if it’s for the horse it’s exciting. A full tack cleaning set with their own bucket is a nice gift! You’ll need little hand friendly sponges, saddle soap, saddle conditioner and some rags. For bonus points in your tack cleaning kit, add a can of Never Dull which is an amazing, oddly smelling product that miraculously and easily polishes metal buckles, spurs, stirrup irons and any sort of metal work at all. Often times horse kids have just the bare necessities when they start out. Horsemanship is a consuming hobby. We have to take are of our horses AND our equipment. Shampoo and conditioner for horses would also be a fun gift, especially paired with some Show Sheen or Cowboy Magic detangler and a nice scrubby brush. Again, not exciting UNLESS you’re horse crazy then it’s AMAZING.

3: Breyer Horses. Breyer horses ARE THE VERY BEST horse crazy kid gift for kiddos under the age of 10. Beyond a shadow of a doubt, they all want them they will be treasured and played with forever. I still have mine, and in fact I have my mother’s Breyer horse as well. They come in several sizes and there are options for barns, horse trailers, tack and everyone’s favorite “Brenda Breyer.” As mentioned before, make sure your Brenda is the the correct Brenda for how your kiddo rides. This is when you need to remember the “John Wayne or Napoleon?” rule.

4: Riding gloves. Like all gloves, kids lose them so don’t worry if your horse crazy kid already has a pair, they need another one. (True for adults as well…seriously where are all of my gloves???). They need them they’re an under appreciated piece of safety equipment for riders of all kinds. Useful in the saddle and also if you are leading a horse or loading into a trailer. At LEC we have discovered that baseball gloves fit the bill really well for riding. They’re durable, washable and have good grip and are more readily available than horse specific riding gloves.

5: Little horse details Maybe you have your gifts already and want to add something horsey in to the mix as a stocking stuffer. Stickers are a great add or a journal for them to track their progress. Horse treats, especially candy canes are extremely fun things to give kiddos. Horses LOVE candy canes and kids LOVE to feed them to the horses. So when you’re putting your stocking stuffers together don’t forget about the pony! Add a little note with a horse’s name and stick it to a candy cane. Kids too will be excited and happy you thought of their horse.

….Now for teens.

Teens aren’t quite kids and they’re not quite adults. They are THE HARDEST people on Earth to shop for who aren’t my mother.

1: Matching saddle pads and wraps/Saddle Blankets and boots Teens have a penchant for wild colors (unless you specifically know they don’t). I say for Christmas go big or go home. Get the wildest combinations you can find. Teens love to show their style at the barn, and if you think your 16 year old is growing up too fast, she probably is, but she’s still in love with her horse and definitely wants to dress him up a bit for Instagram.

2: Equestrian Specific Backpacks and Equipment bags. There are lots of great bags out there for Equipment. Ariat and Noble Outiftters both make wonderful bags for all things horse, from clothing to grooming. Backpacks in a horse setting are often referred to as a “Ring Bag” owing to the fact that people carry them to the show ring with things like water, towels and snacks for the horses. Teens who are showing will appreciate a matched set of garment, boot and helmet bags for horse shows. Matching is kind of a big deal in the horse world.

3: A Show Trunk. IF you’re looking for a great big showy horse present that isn’t a horse I suggest a show trunk. You can go as fancy or as approachable as your budget allows. Many people use Stanley Tool chests as show trunks. They are durable, and have wheels for easy transport. Depending on the setup of your horse teen’s barn they may use them daily. Look to ETSY for a custom decal with their name or horse’s name. Dover, Smartpak and many of the major equine retailers also make custom wooden trunks, however it will be a bit late in December to receive a show trunk in time for Christmas.

4: Monograms OMG you guys. Monograms, everything monograms. If you have a teen, seriously, just go to ETSY right now and order some custom vinyl Monogram Stickers in their favorite range of colors and be done with it. Your horse kid can tag as much of her equipment as she sees fit. Although fading in popularity, it’s even possible to get custom helmet monograms for your teen. Buy several sizes for different types of items!

We hope these gift guides have been useful to you be sure to share them with Grandmas and others who are looking for just the right gift for their horse person. Sometimes being a horse kid/teen can make a kiddo feel kind of like an outsider because horses are just not as popular or cool as basketball. Kiddos don’t want their passions to be skipped or ignored because family members think the things they want may be hard to find. It’s not as complicated or difficult as it may seem. I’ve mentioned this before, but if the ONLY thing you do that is horse related this Christmas is to stick a carrot with a bow in your Little’s stocking for their horse you will have successfully included your horse kid’s passion in the holidays!

Happy holidays to all of you out there!

Gift Guide for Horse Loving Adults

December is here! Time to hit up those holiday closeout sales and shower your friends and families with meaningful gifts. Alas, being a horse person at any age can certainly complicate things! So here’s a handy guide of ideas for your horse loving adult family members and friends. There will be a second post all about gifts for kids.

Know before you buy:

What does your equestrian consider his or her “Color” everyone has one. Mine is electric blue. Find that out, because if you CAN buy horse stuff in their official color you ABSOLUTELY SHOULD.

What is their horse’s name, breed and what color is it? Again, if you’re going to go custom with something you may consider customizing with the horse’s name. Make sure you know how to spell it! Checkout their Facebook or Instagram pages for the correct spelling or barn name. I’ve got a horse named Diamante, I always call him “Bling.”

Five Solid Ideas:

1: Bags and organizers: Does your girlfriend’s car look like a tack trunk exploded? Does your wife often go from work directly to the barn? Organizers for the backseat or trunk of a car are a great gift for your equestrian! Your equestrian can easily store her riding gear neatly away from her jumper cables and grocery bags. Along the same line, a stylish equestrian backpack or customized canvas bags also make ideal gifts for dragging your horse equipment around. Little stylish zipper pouches are excellent gifts to go along with bags. They hold on to bits and bobs from work outfits or small things, like spurs.

2: Technology: Are you constantly being asked to video your horse loving friend when you come out to the barn? Have you really been a jerk lately and seriously need to make up for it with a wonderful Christmas gift? Look no further than self-tracking cameras. There are several companies out there who make a self-tracking Camera. The Pixo robot camera man ensures your horse person can video each ride all by themselves! This system works indoors as well as outdoors. For jumpers, eventers, barrel racers a Cambox under helmet camera is a lighter, safer and smaller option to the ever-popular GoPro.

3: Treats for the horse: You may not want to spend the time trying to track down actual equestrian items for your special person. You can however, add something into your gift giving plan just for the horse. Most all horses LOVE peppermints. Yup, peppermints, available at Walgreens for like $2.00. Simply thinking of the horse on the holidays can be enough to really make an equestrian’s holiday.

4: Music to their ears: One thing equestrians may or may not tell you is they 100% have a theme song for their horse. They certainly love to listen to music while they ride. Wireless bluetooth ear buds are a great idea for your horse lover. As are small, sturdy bluetooth speakers they can keep in a tack locker. Pair your wireless bluetooth speaker with some saddle soap, and new rags and your equestrian will swoon at how thoughtful you are.

5: Photos Horse people LOVE photos of their horses. Is their Instagram or Facebook profile photo of their horse? Print those photos off on a larger scale and gift it to your horse loving friend. Better yet, find a great local photographer and pay for a photoshoot for your loved one and their horse.

So where do you find this stuff?

Horse people buy “horse stuff” all over the place, not just specialized retailers.Believe it or not, Amazon has a wide assortment of equestrian items, be sure before you buy that you know what size you are looking for and what color. As with all things Amazon you sort of need to know what you are looking for. Reliable brands on amazon that sell some of these things are: Ariat, Noble Outfitters, Equine Couture, Classic Equine

In Lincoln you can find “Tack” or horse equipment at The Fort Western and Tractor Supply Company. In Omaha, there are two tack stores: Reg & Wally’s and The Paddock, both places will be more than happy to assist you in finding something horsey for your loved one.

We Learn Together

Just finished hugging a 9 year old girl a million times. A young lady I’ve taught for 2 years. She’s moving out of state with her family and today was her last lesson. I 100% cried, there isn’t any way around it. I will miss this little lady and I’m so grateful to have been a part of her journey with horses.

The young lady has taught me a lot about being a teacher to children, which is a particular skill. Teaching children is not a particular skill I knew I had until I had done it, and this little lady is one of my first. We learned a lot together about overcoming our nerves, growing and communicating with the horse and with each other. I can’t believe in two years how tall she has become, how confident, how articulate, skilled with the horses…they really do grow up quite fast!

The thing is, I care. I really do. I care about all of my students and how well they are doing. Doesn’t matter if you are nine or 49 years old I’m absolutely cheering for you and hoping beyond all hope you’re enjoying your horse and figuring things out and having a lot of fun while doing both. Teaching riding at any level is a two way street, although as a student you might think the instructor has all the answers and all the knowledge. In part, yes but as an instructor I certainly learn from my students.

Each of the students I have worked with over the years has taught me something different about riding or people or teaching. Each student has helped me to understand better the sport I love so much and even how to read horses better than I ever have before. Most especially, working with beginners of all ages I’ve learned to appreciate certain aspects of horsemanship I had perhaps become complacent about. I’ve learned to talk about horses and riding more clearly.

Horse body language is a good example. I see it, I appreciate it, but because of years of work with my horses I for the most part just move seamlessly with and around the horses without thinking twice about what the ears are pointed at….until someone asks me a question. It’s a good question…but one I haven’t had to think about in like 30 years. To have to slow down, think about it…and then translate it into words that make sense to someone just starting the process. These explanations have given me a reason to re-experience horse behavior with a fresh perspective.

Generally speaking I think many advanced riders and trainers have a bit of a negative attitude about people who start new riders. As if, perhaps, we’re not qualified enough to do anything else. And maybe just maybe that is the case for some folks out there. The United States has absolutely NO regulation on who can be an instructor or what kind of qualifications you need in order to teach. You can opt in to those regulations, but no one is required to explain why a horse has a chestnut or explain what muscles you use to post the trot in order to teach beginners.

As with any journey, in horsemanship you want to learn from someone who knows where you are going. I’d have a difficult time telling someone how to get from Moscow to St. Petersburg. “So…you’ll need to be in Russia… and then like…I guess Google it?” Horsemanship is no different. When I start new riders, I have a good idea of where they are going, mostly because I ask what they want to do. If I start someone who later wants to jump, well we work like always on good balance, right posture and great steering. However their lessons morph as I get ready to hand them over to our hunter/jumper trainer. Beginners wanting to pursue dressage, well, it’s on guys. They start right away with quiet aids, and precision riding so that all of their instincts and motions are purposeful.

I have a plan for my beginners. It’s the same plan every time: exemplary horsemanship on the ground, exemplary riding position, kindness to horses, and grit. I’m cheering them along each step and I am authentically excited every time LITERALLY EVERY SINGLE TIME someone figures out how to post the trot properly. I love the smiles on people’s faces when they canter. I feel the frustration during the hard growing periods. “I don’t understand why this is so hard for me!!”

I’ve been there, you’ll ride through it, and I’ll be on the ground helping you to get to the other side. If I ever seem frustrated its probably because I can’t figure out the magic words to make it click. After all, for everyone involved in a lesson, the horse is the real teacher. I can tell my students, and they can listen but ultimately, the horse gives the answer. For me, it’s pure magic when I watch a beginner learn to feel what the horse is saying, and respond in kind. It’s amazing how quickly people learn how to ride a horse. It’s amazing how different and how similar all riders are in their habits, strengths and impulses.

I greatly enjoy teaching. After so much time in my life riding my own, showing and training it’s an interesting, inspiring and refreshing way to enjoy another aspect of my sport.

So to my little who is off to new adventures and new instructors…Keep those heels down. Believe in yourself, don’t be afraid to try new things….and to the rest of my newbies, beginners thanks so much for teaching me how to teach. Thanks for reminding me daily to not take for granted this life with horses.

The Journey of A Journeyman

In the midst of the Missy Fladland Clinic this past weekend (October 13-14) there was anticipation. I was at home working away, keeping things going and Zack was in LaMar Missouri, taking his Journeyman Exam. He had two portions to pass, the written and the bar shoe. Every where I went I thought of him, and the challenges ahead, wishing that I could be there to support his big effort. Although, sentimental though it may sound, we are always together in these endeavors, even if geography keeps us apart.

On Sunday, during the second to last ride a text came through.

“I Passed!!”

I cried. Zack has put so much work into his Journeyman exam. Its been a year of studying text books and flash cards. A year of watching DVDs about anatomy. A year of having a freeze dried horse leg in our living room. He forges his bar shoes at night. I got him a kitchen timer to stick on his work station to keep time. All to add one important letter to the middle of his credentials: J

Apart from hours and hours of study what does that “J” mean?

Well…J stands for Journeyman. According to the American Farrier’s Association (or AFA) who issues the certification, a Journeyman is:

“The highest level of AFA certification, are open to candidates who have at least two (2) years horseshoeing experience and have completed the CF level. Farriers sitting for this level of certification are expected to display in-depth knowledge and highly developed performance skills evidencing a level of professional artistry. The process requires successful completion of written and practical testing, as well as the forging of a specific bar shoe within a prescribed time limit.  The shoe must fit a pre-determined foot pattern.”

To have your Journeyman is to be proven, tested and certified as knowledgable. The journeyman is a three part exam: a written test, fitting a horse with a handmade shoes in 2 hours (known as “the horse), and making a bar shoe that fits a pattern in 35 minutes.

Zack passed his “horse” first. Managing a very high score. All aspects of “the horse” section are judged. The hooves need to be balanced, the shoe has to be made well to specifics and fit properly. As if that wasn’t enough, the finish must also be perfect.

For the bar shoe section, using straight steel the prospective journeymen have 35 minutes to make a perfectly shaped bar shoe to a set pattern. Bar shoes are tricky, because the two branches of the horse shoe have to be turned and welded together securely. This is where the art and science of farrier work comes together! Carefully making the turn and understanding the chemistry and timing of forge welding.

So now, having passed all three sections of his exam he is proud and relaxed, finally achieving this wonderful long-sought goal of his to be “A Journeyman.” So what’s next? Well, Mr. Hamilton will be out competing at farrier contests and is probably going to seek other endorsements through the AFA, perhaps even some international certifications as well. His desire to be an exemplary farrier is boundless.

Passing his Journeyman is not only a big deal to us, but also to his clients. Having an AFA Certified Farrier or AFA Journeyman Farrier is one way you can ensure your horse is receiving quality hoof care. A Farrier who has passed his/her CF or CJF exam is one you know has had their knowledge and skill tested by reputable organization.

You might not know there is NO licensure requirement, no testing, no schooling mandated in order to become a farrier. Some farriers learn from their families. others go to school and as a consumer, unless you ask, you may not be aware that the farrier you are using has only been to school for a 4 week program of if he or she attended a reputable horse shoeing school followed by an apprenticeship.

Certainly a great deal of a Farrier’s skill comes from directly working with a horse. None the less, a farrier’s work does have a HUGE impact on how horses perform. A farrier who is serious about his profession and his work will be a member of the AFA and will work to stay current on biomechanics, shoeing practices and forging techniques.

If I have learned nothing else from the freeze-dried leg in my living room it’s this: There is a lot happening from the knee down. Horse shoes are more than just steel and nails keeping the hooves from cracking. I certainly only want someone who knows what’s going on inside that leg, and hoof capsule to work on my horses.

Zack Hamilton CJF

Congratulations to Nebraska’s Newest Journeyman!

An Homage to Auditing or more than just sitting there

Perhaps you were not quick enough to get signed up for a clinic. Maybe we didn't hear about the clinic in time and think "well shoot.  I wanted to ride!! I really wanted to get some feedback from This Wonderful Teacher" Guess what?  Even if you aren't riding you can still learn a great deal from auditing a clinic. Clinicians by nature, are teachers. Their classroom is the arena and EVERYONE in the arena, not just the one on the horse, are the students.

Having sat through numerous clinics over the course of my life both valuable and perhaps not so much I've been able to pick up a lot. Yes, it's certainly wonderful to be the rider but if for whatever reason you've not scored a riding spot all hope is not lost. For a fraction of the cost you pay to ride, auditors have the pleasure of observing the ENTIRE DAY of rides...that's right for anywhere from $0 to $200.00 (depending on the clinician/symposium) you can go home with tons of knowledge and insight. 

Here are the top 5 reasons to Audit a Clinic:

 1: It's Cheaper than Riding   Yes, that's right. It's worth repeating. Auditing a clinic is a more affordable option than riding in a clinic. Throughout the course of two days a rider can absorb a lot of the same lessons as if you'd ridden in the clinic. If you think you only learn riding techniques by riding them, well, to be frank.  You're wrong.  You watch videos, read magazines and books.  A clinic is just the same.  Most riders when paying attention will have some of the bodily feelings of riding even while sitting in a chair while they watch a horse go, so in a way you're riding every ride and getting that feeling. Every clinician has a trademark or an emphasis...that will be repeated and worked on throughout the clinic. Guaranteed you'll go home from even a day of auditing with that idea imprinted in your mind and YOU'LL TRY IT AT HOME!

2: Clinicians Interact with Auditors Ever watched Youtube and wished you could ask George Morris a question? If your answer is yes, then you should know many times clinicians will answer questions from auditors.  So long as you are polite and wait until it's a good time most clinicians are happy to answer your questions. It's also not all together uncommon for clinicians to engage with auditors with non-mounted learning experiences especially as it relates to riding position.  If you stick around for lunch there are often plenty of chances to interact with clinicians.  

3: Try Before You Buy Has someone in the area brought in a new clinician? Perhaps someone you haven't heard about, and your budget is already shot from buying fancy stirrup irons?  Not certain you are ready to pay $150.00 for a lesson? Audit the clinic. Watch this new person teach and see if you think that person is someone you'd like to work with or if their methodology is something that's helpful to you. If yes, then you are certainly poised to immediately speak to the clinic organizer and get a spot in the next clinic.  If no, well then you just saved a whole bunch of money.

4: Support Your Community If there is no interest, people won't organize clinics. How do clinic organizers know if people are interested in clinics? Well, folks sign up to ride and people come to audit. If perhaps you're too busy to ride in THIS clinic or can't do a clinic right now because your horse is injured...well audit. Let the organizer know that you're interested. Organizing clinics takes time and energy, if there is no interest there will be no clinics, and it could be a long time until someone in your area tries again to bring someone in. Auditors ARE part of the clinic experience, they bring an essential vibe to each clinic that's appreciated by both rider and clinician alike.

5: It's fun Don't tell them, most especially if they aren't famous for a sense of humor, but clinicians are funny. It's a great time to be with your horsey friends over the course of a couple of days learning and enjoying the horse world without having to haul the horse and do the thing. It's relaxing, entertaining and good to experience something a little different than your normal weekend of cleaning the house once you get home from the barn.

Not enough yet?  Okay...how about 2 more BONUS reasons to audit a clinic.

6: Get Inspired!! Inevitably there will be at least one great ride and one ride that's got some pretty awful moments.  Both types of rides are totally inspiring. One ride is the one you want to have and the other fills you with pride in the person who gets through that tough spot. Auditing a good clinic will really inspire you to go home and try some new things. 

7: What's Happening? Just moved to the area? Audit the clinic, meet new people who are active in the community.  Looking for a new trainer? Go to a clinic and watch them ride. Trying to sell a horse/buy a horse/check out a barn...AUDIT a clinic. Go to the place where the people who you need to talk to are going to be. 

Hellos and Good-byes

School is starting up all across the country. We know, because some of our beloved girls who have been with us for some time are now no longer with us because they've started their freshman year in college.  Our younger kiddos are also back in school and coming out to the barn for lessons with stories of school adventures and spelling lessons to share while grooming a pony. Still other students are coming back to the University of Nebraska Lincoln, and we are so excited to have them back "home" for the year.  

Back to school is it's own special, sentimental season at Lincoln Equestrian Center.

For me, this community feeling at the barn is one of the best parts of being here. Although it is rather heartbreaking when our students move away to far off colleges. Like an empty nester I do sometimes walk by the newly vacant stall and miss our people and their horses. We keep in touch, but it is hard to let go of our community members, even if the only reason they leave is because they have an incredible opportunity to pursue their dream career.  

Sigh.

This summer we have had to bid farewell to 3 very cherished boarders. Three tremendously kind women and their excellent horses. All off to differing corners of the nation, all in pursuit of their life goals. That they are off in new exciting places doing great things does act as a salve for the pain in my heart, none the less I do find myself longing to hear their voices or to scratch their horses and ask how their ride went.

I know we'll get at least three more wonderful people in the barn, not to replace these ladies but to bring new and interesting personalities into the barn. Yes, my job is to care for horses and to teach riding. Somehow though it's more than that. It's more than a job I don't quite know what the best word for this feeling is. I guess love. I love our people and the contributions they make to our barn just by being here with us. Every person, and every horse makes up the beautiful and diverse community of Lincoln Equestrian Center

Winter Wonderland

"I wonder if it's going to snow today?"

"I wonder it is warm enough to ride?"

"I wonder if I can fit all of these socks and layers under my boots?"

Weather in Nebraska is a special thing, we get extremes and wild variations. For horse owners this can be a perplexing problem. In our current season, Winter, cold weather is an important consideration for the health and well being of the horses as well as the riders. 

In terms of daily life, a horse acclimates to cold weather quite well. It's important to remember our horses have a warmer normal body temperature than we humans have (Normal horse ranging from 99 to 101 degrees F). Their hair grows out long and fluffy in winter, and their body is covered with heat generating muscles. Most all horses living in a stalled situation like LEC can easily endure very cold temperatures, especially if they are blanketed during the coldest times.

Riding and working horses in the winter is when things become both confusing and frustrating. There is no actual veterinary medical recommendation for when it is TOO COLD to ride. The trick with winter riding is to ride at an appropriate level for the temperature you are riding in.  As the temperature drops, the riding should decrease in intensity.  If for example you normally ride 45 minutes of walk-trot-canter if the temperature is below 20 degrees reduce the amount of time you spend cantering, and give your horse more walk breaks. A long warm up walk and a long cool down walk are recommended. For horses who are clipped, or tend on the chilly side a quarter sheet is a good idea for warm up and cool down. 

The reason for the decreased intensity is two fold.  One: to protect lungs from any possible long-term damage. Just as we find it difficult/uncomfortable to breathe outside in harsh cold weather so do our horses. Overworking of your horse in extreme colds may produce problems year round. Two: Maintaining body temperature. When horses work hard they warm up and can sweat. If a horse is not properly cooled down in winter it is possible for them to begin to shiver, get muscle cramps and to feel distressed. To prevent this, NOT riding your horse to a lathered state in extremely cold weather is a good start. Horses who are sweating, or producing steam after a ride should be covered in a wool or polar fleece cooler until such time as the condensation on the horse has burned off.

NEVER put a winter blanket on a wet horse, the sweat or water will leach into the winter blanket and take a very long time to dry out. Horses wearing wet blankets will certainly become very cold quickly.

Riding instructors and horse trainers have varying standards for when they believe it is to cold for lessons and rides. Most instructors usually fall between 20 and 15 degrees F as their limit for when it is too cold to ride. Please heed your instructor's limit. These limits are for the riders, the horses as well as the instructor's health.

All this said, one of the big concerns about cold weather is Colic. Generally speaking horses like people are not as active in Winter. A horse's digestive system is designed to function best when horses are able to move about. Even if it is cold, it's a good idea to at least come out to the barn and hand walk or walk under saddle for 20 or so minutes a few times a week. This helps keep your horse energized mentally and physically. Light working also helps prevent stiffness in their joints.

For the riders: cold weather is dangerous for you as well. Make sure you've got layers on when you come out to ride or groom. Be mindful of your extremities. Try to find thin layers that will work underneath boots. Insulted jeans, and breeches are a nice option. Don't be worried about your fashion when trying to stay warm.  If while riding your hands (in particular) begin to have a burning or tingling sensation IMMEDIATELY get off your horse and run warm water over your hands to help return circulation to areas effected by the cold.

Nebraska's weather presents all horsemen with a myriad of challenges. These very cold days certainly make us all look forward to Sunshine and spring flowers.  Although it might seem a chore to pile on the clothing to head out to the barn its a task well worth doing. In these polar months it's good for you to keep moving and your horse certainly enjoys the attention. 

When You Don't Get What You Want

I really want gold bell boots, for a horse I own who many believe is named "Feet are Gold."  His name is not Feet are Gold but I won't fault you for thinking so.

Horsemanship is a lifestyle riddled with wants. If you're riding Second Level you'd really like to be riding 4th. If you're showing the Grand Prix you want to try out some CDI shows. If your horse is injured, you just want to ride. When first learn riding, you want to be able to post 4 times around the circle on the longe line without missing a beat.

In a way, the wants keep us going. Want is a kin to "I wish" or "Someday I will."  However, I do as an instructor, barn owner and a rider hear "Want" in another tone. This want is said in the key of defeat. "I JUST WANT THE DAMN HORSE TO GET IN THE TRAILER."  "All I want is to ride outside."

Want is as much about frustration as it is about dreams. In both cases sometimes the WANT(s) of horsemanship get in the way of the HAVES. I want gold bell boots, but I have perfectly good black ones, and a horse "Fidergold" who goes just fine with or without them.  Instead of wanting more for his feet or wanting more people to understand how to say his name, I should be more focused on the fact that he's an incredible horse, great teacher and I'm lucky to have him.

I'm lucky to have any horse. This whole sport starts out with WANT...and I think in the race for improvement we sometimes forget to stand in  awe of how far we have come from when we merely wanted and now we DO.

When challenges inevitably arrive at the barn: injuries, learning plateaus, frustrations I like to remember and list to myself the things I have going for me and my riding. It's my coping strategy. First diagnose the Want: Why do I want this? What is this want? How far away from achieving this goal am I? What is the frustration the word WANT is demanding? What can I do to fix this? 

And after that: gratitude. "Well, I WANT to ride in the clinic but I'm rehabbing Bling. I'm grateful to be riding him, and I'm learning a lot about our training as we recoup." Perhaps gratitude is a search for a silver lining, but it's a helpful salve in times of heartache. If your horse is injured you may want to ride but don't blind yourself to the fact that because of an injury you can improve your relationship with your horse. An injury is a good time to bond and build trust between horse and rider. Perhaps when you're not so focused on riding goals you now have a chance to talk to more people at the barn and really connect to a great new friend.

Want is not all bad. We can't let the dreams of tomorrow blind us to the greatness of today. The heartache of the moment likewise shouldn't defeat you forever. The next time you WANT so badly, stop, give yourself a second and realize first, how much you already have. The gratitude for what is now in your life will certainly help make the road to achieving your "Want" much more joyful.

Calling all Hunter Jumper Riders: BIG NEWS

Exciting news everyone! After a years long search, Lincoln Equestrian Center is pleased to announce we have hired an in-house Hunter Jumper Trainer, Taylor Schmidt. Taylor hails from Chicago, currently resides in Omaha and will be available for lessons starting August 19, 2017 $45.00 per individual lesson, $35.00 per 2 person group lesson.

We are very excited to finally be able to utilize all of our equipment and to have an experienced person on hand to assist those already in the barn, and in the Lincoln Metro area with their riding. Our mission at LEC is to make people's goals possible through great horse care, facilities and instruction. Taylor is part of that mission.

Taylor comes to us as a graduate of Kansas State University, where she received a degree in Animal Science. At KState she was a member of the very successful NCAA Equestrian team.  She has an extensive show record including championships at : Maclay Regional Finals in Kentucky, WEF, Hampton Classic. She qualified for, and competed in all major Equitation Finals 5 years running.

She will be available for lessons on weekends. Taylor is a talented rider with lots of experience and she would love to help you grow your skills. Whether you are showing the circuit or just starting out she is here to assist you in achieving your Hunter Jumper goals. Haul-in lessons are welcome.

Contact Margo to arrange lessons at margoreham@gmail.com

Taylor Schmidt

Welcome to LEC!