08/03/2026
Everyone sees the finished horse… but very few people know the journey it took to get there. ❤️🐴
When Lily and Seth first came to train with me, Seth carried more than a rider… he carried years of fear.
He had battled EPM, survived a devastating jumping accident, and recovered from a serious leg injury. The emotional scars were just as real as the physical ones.
He was terrified of poles.
Not jumps… a single pole on the ground.
He would literally stand in front of it trembling.
His head stayed high, his back stayed hollow, he leaned heavily on the bit, and his trot was rough and choppy. Riding him was physically exhausting, but underneath it all was a horse that wasn’t being difficult…
He was simply afraid.
So we slowed everything down.
One pole.
Then two.
Then three.
Then four.
No rushing. No forcing. Just quiet, consistent confidence-building.
Eventually we introduced a tiny crossrail. First at the walk. Then the trot. Then the canter.
Today, Seth confidently carries a 10-year-old around an entire course.
Just as importantly, he learned to trust the contact, lift his back, stretch over his topline, and move with relaxation instead of tension. His neck transformed, his movement went from a rough “3” to a smooth “6-7,” and the horse who once feared a single pole now enjoys his job again.
But my favorite part isn’t any ribbon or score.
It’s watching the relationship between Lily and Seth.
He’s her trail horse.
Her cattle horse.
Her confidence builder.
Her safe place.
And when life gets hard, he’s the one who quietly reminds her that healing is possible.
Sometimes the greatest victories don’t happen in the show ring.
Sometimes they’re found in teaching a broken heart—whether horse or human—that it’s okay to trust again. ❤️
Have you ever had an animal change your life in ways you never expected? I’d love to hear your story below. 👇
