Bourbon Hill Kentucky

02/06/2026

Bourbon Hill has two rare full care boarding spot available.
Who we’re looking for: A couple geldings to complete our herd. They should come with upbeat, drama free, loving humans. If they have dogs attached, that’s even better.
Who we are and what we offer: Bourbon Hill is a boutique boarding facility located 8 miles from Tates Creek Center close to Tates Creek Road. We offer a facility where horses are encouraged to be horses and their humans are encouraged to enjoy that relationship. Turnout is in a picturesque 44 acre field. Our barn is perched on a breezy hilltop making summer time nice and cool. We have a small XC field, grass jump ring, lit grass dressage ring, a small indoor, trail obstacles and space to hack. We also have wifi available so you can work from the barn.
The Details: Full Care is $650 plus feed and hay. Horses are fed and checked over twice a day. Most of our guys come in to eat and then go back out. Call or text 859-494-6110 to come visit!

11/27/2025

Feeling grateful for our family and friends today! Happy Thanksgiving from all the feline, equine, and human turkeys at Bourbon Hill 🫶🍁🦃🍁🦃🍁🦃🫶

12/27/2024

: Accuracy is free. Big moving horses are expensive, and if you ride a 100% accurate test on a normal mover, and someone else rides a 100% accurate test on a mega mover, you’re probably gonna get beat, and that’s that. But if you ride that same test, and the rider of the mega mover couldn’t find the letter she’s supposed to be riding to for love nor money, there’s your shot at the win. Accuracy is free, and does not require an expensive horse 🐴

📸 Sue Stickle

12/15/2024

Kerri and Jennifer Hardy had so much fun at Lucky Dog Eventing this morning participating in their Christmas Freestyle. Pretty impressive with only three days of practice! Thank you for hosting Jenn! Thank you for the video Jackie Stasiek Leahey

12/09/2024

The basics of balance

To achieve self carriage the horse needs to be in vertical and horizontal balance.

The vertical balance means the horse has an even weight through both forelegs which allows the thoracic sling muscles to engage, lifting the withers through the middle of the shoulder blades. As the wither lifts it helps the horse lighten the front end and reach out to the contact from the base of the neck with an open underside, therefore no tension in the throat or jaw.

The horizontal balance refers to transfer of the horses weight from the forehand to the hindquarters. Where they can step under them selves, engaging the glutes, hamstrings and abdominals to open and lift the back and provide impulsion to push forwards and uphill.

The frame Norman is in above is forward down and out. This is the foundation frame and is where all horses should start, it will look slightly different on different horses due to their confirmation and natural carriage and training stage. But should be well established before moving onto any collection and more advanced frames to reduce risk of compensation and injury’s.

It’s no easy thing to achieve and you may well begin with just a few steps… after all none of us could whack out a 30 min plank with no training! So ride either empathy for your horse, give them regular praise when they achieve things and breaks to help them process and recover.

Have empathy for others to and be careful not to judge others on a picture or a short video, every one will be on a different stage of their journey so long we are doing our best and always trying to develop our own knowledge and skill you can’t really ask for more.

12/08/2024

Curious about what it takes to volunteer at a dressage show? This clinic is your chance to learn all about ring stewarding, bit checking, scribing, and scoring from expert presenters!

🗓 When: February 15, 2025 @ 10 AM - 3 PM EST
📍 Where: Kentucky Riding For Hope & virtually via Google Meet

Don’t miss this opportunity to sharpen your skills! 👉 RSVP now to secure your spot and bring your questions! https://www.kentuckydressageassociation.com/calendar

11/21/2024

You get what you train.

And that is with respect to the muscle groups you target, the emotions you practice and the nervous system state you operate from.

If you practice sitting hunched at your desk like a shrimp, you will lay down muscle to support you there.

If you are always operating from an upregulated nervous system, your body will try to adjust its physiology so that this becomes the new homeostasis.

If you spend your life practicing negative thoughts, this will become your default setting.

This means that you will develop into wherever you spend the longest time - irrespective of what you *think* you are working on.

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"Tell me 3 things you love about your horse"

I was working with a lovely lady, who cares very deeply about her horse and was diligently helping him to feel better in his body. And yet every session started with all of the ways in which he still wasn't quite right, or was doing things she didn't want him to do.

Frustration was radiating from her body.

She looked at me, a little derailed by my question.

"Do you want me to tell you 3 things I love about your horse?"

She nodded

"I love the black tips on his ears. And the way the markings on his muzzle look like a love heart. And the way his black stockings make him look really classy"

And then she got excited and told me all the things she loved about him... as he stood there yawning, licking and chewing, releasing the tension in his neck.

And as her energy changed towards him, his energy changed towards her -

And in that session he moved like a totally different horse, flowing in a way that we had never seen before.

The exercises were the same, though the output was totally different.

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My initial training taught me about targetting the musculoskeletal system and that, if you repeat the exercise enough, with an appropriate amount of progressive loading, you develop the body.

And this isn't wrong at all.

But I subsequently learned that the emotional and nervous systems run the show.

We can do all the right moves, but if the nervous system and emotional association to the work aren't in alignment then you will be perpetually putting a stick in your bicycle spokes.

This provokes topics for discussion -

How do you show up to your horse? They can feel that energy and it has an effect on how safe they feel.

If your horse does not feel safe, the quality of their movement will be compromised. And let me tell you that their own personal safety is their opinion based upon their perceptions - not yours.

Though we do need to give them coping strategies to feel safe in a chaotic human world.

What does your horse perceive of the work? The exercise might be appropriate for their muscles but if the emotional association is poor, the output will be too.

Whilst the body may benefit, if their amygdala-hippocampus relay is perpetually assigning the work with negative emotions, its never going to feel nice to them.

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📸 before & after of stripping the tension out of this guy's neck by helping him to find safety in some very simple movement patterns combined with very gentle upper cervical mobilisations ❤️

11/20/2024

10/22/2024

10/15/2024

Hagyard Midsouth Team Challenge needs you!! There are still several volunteer rolls that need to be filled. Don't forget this is the last show to get mandatory hours to qualify for year end awards!

New this year, organizers are awarding the rider with the most volunteer hours a reimbursement of your entry and stabling!!

If you cannot get Eventing Volunteers to work for you OR you need to work around your competition schedule contact Lynn Davis at 859-533-5966 or [email protected] and she will gladly help you find a spot.