Balancing Whispers

06/07/2026

As part of our track set up, we also turned 2 smaller grass paddocks into sand paddocks. They can be connected as one or serve as two smaller ones.

They are right next to our bottom track, within eye sight of the herd and serve as quarantine space for incoming horses that can't have grass.

Having a smaller grass free space is also very useful if one of the herd members has to temporary be separated, e.g. for medical reasons.

06/07/2026

This competition has set social media on fire..and I am not debating the pros and cons of bits here (I ride with and without).

But can we applaud the fact that riders can chose?

Can we celebrate that there are other options?

The first British Bridleless Competition attracted horses and riders in showjumping up to 1.20m and dressage up to grand prix, and more shows are planned

06/02/2026

The process of correcting our fencing is ongoing but has to go in phases.
Having half of the boards nailed on the outside and half on the inside is making my fellow OCD'ers cringe!! 🤣😇

06/02/2026

I think we’ve reached a point where too many conversations have become about being right.

And I don’t think that’s serving anyone especially not horses.

The goal should not be to WIN.
The goal should not be to prove someone else wrong.

The goal should be to learn what is correct.

Healthy disagreement is one of the most important parts of growth. It can challenge our assumptions, expose gaps within our understanding, pushes us to ask questions as we learn.

Sometimes it strengthens our position.
And other times it changes of mind.

I’m not sure why we treat either outcome as a loss.

What is concerning me is how quickly many discussions become so PERSONAL.

Instead of addressing the information being presented, people begin attacking the character, intelligence, credentials, or motives of the person presenting it.

But none of those things actually address the argument or even the topic.

Personal attacks, insults and mockery are NOT evidence OR constructive.

If a position is strong, it should be able to stand on the strength of the argument itself.

The moment a conversation moves away from the topic and toward attacking the human, meaningful discussion becomes increasingly difficult.

Being challenged is not the same thing as being attacked.
Being questioned is not the same thing as being disrespected.

And changing your mind is NOT a sign of weakness. It’s a sign that you are willing to follow evidence wherever it leads.

I don’t ever need people to blindly agree with me. In fact, I think disagreement is essential.

Scientific process depends on disagreement and challenging ideas.

What matters is whether we are willing to engage with ideas without devaluing the people holding them.

Because at the end of the day, it should never be about WHO is right.

It should be about WHAT is right.

05/30/2026

The feeders shown in Brie's picture are a good sample of what we use here.

Horses evolved to eat almost continuously. This is not a training philosophy, a trend, or a management preference. It is how their digestive system evolved to function.

A horse’s stomach produces acid constantly, whether food is present or not. When forage is removed for long periods, that acid has nothing to buffer it. Over time, this increases the risk of gastric irritation, ulcers, and digestive discomfort.

Forage is also regulation. The act of chewing, swallowing, and slow intake supports calm behaviour and nervous system stability. When horses are left without fibre, we often see pacing, fence walking, irritability, wood chewing, or food obsession. Those are not training issues. They are welfare signals.

“My horse needs restricted sugar and calories.”
Absolutely. Here’s how we do that without compromising welfare.

Restricting grass does not mean restricting forage. Horses who need sugar control still require continuous access to fibre. Slow feeder nets, hay pillows, and grazing bags allow intake to be managed while preserving natural foraging behaviour.

Muzzles serve a similar purpose on grass. They allow horses to stay moving, social, and engaged in natural foraging behaviour while protecting metabolic health. Used correctly, they are a management tool, not a punishment.

Regulation comes from a species-appropriate lifestyle. Deprivation does not create regulation.

What is not species appropriate is prolonged periods with nothing to eat. No hay. No grass. No fibre.

Good horse care is about meeting biological needs while managing risk. Continuous access to forage, even when intake must be slowed or restricted, is one of the most basic welfare standards we have.

05/28/2026

The farm we currently own, was built and run as a high level show jumping facility for 10 years prior. It has a 12 stall barn and these pictures show the damage done by the horses kept inside on a schedule convenient for humans.

This is what the "other 23 hours" look like for stalled horses.

These walls and bars, in many barns, tell a story..but are we listening?

05/27/2026

A wise person once said to me "too many people claim to have 20 years of experience, but in reality they have 20 times 1 year of experience".

Never stop learning...

Time spent within the industry does not automatically correlate to competency or welfare positive practices.

In some cases, the longer someone has been immersed in an industry or culture, the harder it can become to question what has been normalized around them.

That is not because people are incapable of growth. It’s because repetition, tradition, social pressure, and identity can make long standing practices feel “correct” simply because they are familiar.

Experience ABSOLUTELY matters.
But experience without reflection, curiosity, or willingness to adapt is not the same thing as expertise.

Some of the most important growth in the horse world happens when people are willing to say:
“This is what I was taught, but I’ve learned something better.”

Industries progress when people stay open to new information, not when they treat years spent participating as proof that improvement is no longer necessary.

05/25/2026

Interesting perspective. The challenge imo is what people perceive as calmness, which is often shutdown.