Oregon Horsemanship

09/22/2026

Hi everyone! If you received an email regarding a private event here at the barn I apologize. We were sending a release form out and it sent one to everybody on my mailing list. We apologize for any inconvenience!

09/21/2026

A week at the barn 💜
Beautiful horses, new students, woman's workshops, little visitors, barn cats, senior pictures, family, friends...connection, partnership, heart, pure love for our herd. So thankful!

09/20/2026

What a beautiful evening with horses and women at Oregon Horsemanship! A time for connection, peace, and community. The Horses show up every time. One of our attendees used the word "magnificent" to describe the evening. Join us in October for an amazing evening with other like-minded women. .

09/20/2026

Pure love between pony and girl

09/18/2026

Duncan likes to play games and get dressed up!

09/18/2026

Norm is loving life!

09/14/2026

Turning is not pulling on the inside rein.

When a rider wants to turn, the instinct is often to take the inside rein and pull the horse’s head toward the direction they want to go. It feels logical… turn the head, turn the horse.

But the horse’s body doesn’t work that way.

Look at the horse on the left. The neck is bent, but the shoulders and ribcage aren’t following that bend. The horse can essentially disconnect the neck from the rest of the body. This is how we end up with horses falling through a shoulder, drifting sideways, losing balance, or becoming increasingly dependent on the rider’s hands for direction.

Now look at the horse on the right.

The alignment of the spine continues through the body. The shoulders are actually following the turn. That is what we want.

A correct turn is a whole-body conversation.

The rider turns through their own body and allows the pelvis, torso, shoulders and focus to organize the direction of travel. The reins help guide and communicate, but they shouldn’t be used to physically pull the horse around the turn.

Think less about turning the horse’s head and more about guiding the horse’s shoulders onto the new line.

This distinction matters because our goal isn’t simply to get the horse from Point A to Point B. We’re developing a horse who can organize their own body, stay balanced over their feet, and follow the rider’s intention without being held together by the reins.

One of my favorite things to teach riders is that when their own body becomes clearer, their hands can become quieter.

And very often, the answer is not more rein.

It’s better biomechanics. 🖤🐴

Turn your body. Guide the shoulders. Let the horse follow.

09/11/2026

09/11/2026

So much connection and partnership between our youth and horses!

09/11/2026

Duncan wants to play!