Lindsey Partridge - Harmony Horsemanship

Some connections can’t be explained… they’re felt. 🤍

A Heart Horse is the one who becomes part of your journey, your memories, and your story.

Who is yours?

Proof horses can get caught in trees. 🌳🐴

After decades with horses, I've learned that you can spend hours making a pasture safer and a horse will still find a way to create a situation you never imagined.

I've seen horses stuck in hay feeders, get a foot through a gate, come in with mysterious cuts that leave everyone walking the pasture trying to solve the mystery, and now apparently get caught in trees.

Good horse management isn't about eliminating every possible risk. It's about reducing the obvious hazards, checking horses regularly, and catching problems early before they become emergencies.

Sometimes I watch my Mustangs thriving outside in all kinds of weather and wonder how their ancestors survived so successfully on the range. They do seem to have a little more common sense and self-preservation than some of our domestic horses. 😂

No matter how much experience we have, horses always find new ways to remind us that they're creative, curious, and completely capable of keeping us on our toes.

💡 Tip of the Day: You can't bubble-wrap your horse. Focus on reducing obvious risks, providing a safe environment, and doing daily wellness checks. Catching a problem early is often what prevents a minor mishap from becoming a major emergency.

Ella - Born a striking bay, but with her mum Elysia being grey, we knew there was a good chance she’d start turning grey too.
So we did a DNA test to confirm her colour for registration — because grey horses are born any colour, then lose pigment over time.
✨ Fun facts about greying horses:
• First grey hairs often appear by 6-12 months
• A grey mum with one copy of the gene = 50% chance of grey foal
• Grey mum with two copies = 100% grey foals!
• They can show “grey goggles” around the eyes early on
Grey horses really are magical — born one colour and turning white as they mature.
Ella's DNA test came back that she is NOT a grey... She'll be staying a bay.
Can you guess why I'm happy about that? 👇

🚨 Most people watching this movie scene thought the horse was just naturally talented.⁣
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They were wrong.⁣
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What you're looking at took place at night, in a completely unfamiliar location, with bright lights, cameras, crew members, vehicles, and a horse that had never seen any of it before.⁣
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And yet he calmly performed every scene as if he'd rehearsed there for months.⁣
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How?⁣
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Not because he was fearless.⁣
Not because he was forced.⁣
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Because he trusted me.⁣
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This clip is from the filming of Unbridled nearly 10 years ago. The horse lying beside the road is Dreamer, who was cast as the lead horse in the movie. While the finished film makes everything look effortless, what viewers never see is the training that happened beforehand.⁣
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For one scene, Dreamer had to run approximately 100 feet down a field, cross a road, find a specific mark in the dark, work around film equipment, and then lie quietly beside the road pretending he had been hit by a vehicle.⁣
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He had never been to that location before.⁣
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The goal wasn't teaching a trick.⁣
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The goal was teaching trust.⁣
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When a horse feels safe with you, understood by you, and confident that mistakes won't lead to punishment, they're willing to try things most people would never imagine possible.⁣
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That's the foundation of every liberty behaviour, every first ride, every obstacle, every trailer loading success, and yes—even movie work.⁣
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Dreamer has since crossed over to horsey heaven, but the lessons he taught me continue through every horse I work with today.⁣
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The things that seem impossible are often just trust problems disguised as training problems.⁣
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✨ Comment 𝐌𝐀𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐂𝐋𝐀𝐒𝐒 and I'll send you information about my upcoming training where I'll teach the 4 key behaviours and, more importantly, how your response to your horse can either build trust or break it.⁣
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🚨 PUBLIC EDUCATION: PART 2 🚨

"Why is that horse wearing a blindfold? That's cruel!" 😱

Meanwhile, the horse: 🐴🪰😎

It's not a blindfold—it's a fly mask!

Fly masks are made from a special mesh material that horses can easily see through. Think of it like wearing sunglasses, a bug screen, and sunscreen all at the same time.

Fly masks help protect horses from:
• Annoying flies and insects around the eyes
• UV rays and sun exposure
• Dust and debris
• Eye irritation

That's why you'll often see horses wearing them in the field, being led around, loading onto trailers, or even during certain rides and activities.

So if you see a horse wearing what looks like a "blindfold," don't worry—the horse can see just fine and is probably much happier with fewer flies buzzing around its face.

Help spread some horse knowledge! 🐴

Share this with your local community so fewer people think horses are being led around blindfolded.

The horses are the victims. 💔🐴

My heart goes out to Arielle Phillips and her mare Detail, Hailey Krahenbuhl and Sully (Saaul Good), and every owner, rider, veterinarian, and competitor affected by the disturbing incident reported at the NBHA Vegas Super Show.

Based on information publicly shared by the horse owners and event organizers, multiple horses were reportedly injured in their stalls during the event. The NBHA has confirmed that an incident occurred involving harm to horses and that law enforcement became involved. Beyond that, many details are still emerging, and I believe it is important that we allow investigators to determine the facts while supporting those directly affected.

This video shows Detail doing what she loved—training and preparing for Vegas.

Like every competitor heading to a major event, her team was focused on goals, hard work, preparation, and the excitement of the competition ahead. They were building on countless hours spent developing trust, confidence, and partnership.

Instead, they found themselves living through every horse owner's nightmare.

As horse people, our hearts break not only for the physical injuries these horses suffered, but also for the emotional toll this has taken on their owners. Anyone who has ever loved a horse knows that feeling of wanting to protect them from harm and wishing you could trade places with them when they're hurting.

While much of the online discussion has focused on the investigation, I keep finding myself asking another question:

What happens now for the horses?

Many people have asked whether a horse will remember an experience like this.

The answer is yes.

Horses may not relive memories the same way humans do, but they absolutely remember how experiences make them feel. Fear, pain, panic, uncertainty, comfort, safety, and trust all influence how they respond in the future.

One part of Arielle's post particularly stayed with me.

She described the heartbreak of seeing fear in a horse that had always trusted her.

For many horse owners, that may be one of the hardest parts of all.

Physical wounds can be cleaned, stitched, and treated. But when a horse suddenly questions whether the world is safe, that healing process is much harder to measure.

If you've ever worked with a rescue horse, a neglected horse, or a horse recovering from a frightening experience, you've likely seen it. The horse that once walked up confidently now hesitates. The horse that once relaxed around people now watches more carefully. The horse isn't being difficult.

The horse is trying to understand whether it is safe.

Think about four people involved in the exact same car accident. One may drive home that day. Another may need weeks, months, or even years before feeling comfortable behind the wheel again. Neither response is wrong. Trauma affects individuals differently.

Horses are no different.

Some horses may appear completely normal within days. Others may become more cautious around their stall, more reactive to unexpected movement, more sensitive to touch, or more hesitant when unfamiliar people approach.

That doesn't mean they're broken.

It means they're processing.

TIP OF THE DAY 💙

When helping a horse recover from a frightening or traumatic experience, focus on replacing fear with feelings of safety.

✔ Maintain predictable routines.
✔ Spend time with familiar handlers.
✔ Reward relaxation and curiosity.
✔ Avoid forcing interactions.
✔ Allow the horse to progress at their own pace.
✔ Create as many positive experiences as possible.

The goal isn't to make a horse "get over it."

The goal is to help them feel safe enough to trust again.

The encouraging news is that trust can be rebuilt.

Not through force.
Not through pressure.
Not by pretending the fear doesn't exist.

Trust is rebuilt through hundreds of small moments.

A familiar voice.
A gentle hand.
A predictable routine.
A positive experience.
A person who continues to show up day after day.

To Arielle, Hailey, and everyone affected by this tragedy: please know that the horse community is thinking of you. We are wishing for complete physical healing, emotional recovery, and strength during the difficult days ahead.

We support a thorough investigation, accountability where warranted, and justice for the horses and people who were harmed.

The wounds on the body may heal first.

Trust takes longer.

But one of the most remarkable things about horses is their incredible capacity to forgive, to heal, and to trust again.

Sometimes the bravest thing a horse does is choose to trust again. ❤️