Winters Riding Academy

06/25/2026

Super proud of our show team’s amazing efforts this June at VPS! Two almost back-to-back shows and so many great results to celebrate. Everyone this month went home with a championship or reserve and plenty of blues!!!!

A huge congratulations to our Champions and Reserve Champions:

🏆 Inland Will'o the Wisp & Sally Tracy
🏆 Rauch & Donna Tillotson
🏆 Sacred Stride & Priya Bansal
🏆 Sacred Stride & Sindri Mohr
🏆 Glitter Bomb & Me
🏆 Teagen and PHS Prim and Proper (Deana's Prim)
🏆 Ava Peterson and PHS Poco Bueno TB Deana's Trusty)

Thank you to everyone for your hard work, sportsmanship, and support throughout the month. It’s incredibly rewarding to watch each horse-and-rider partnership continue to grow and achieve new milestones.

Speaking of new milestones; congratulations to the Bansal family for their purchase of Strawberry who came with the team to VPS last weekend for a little field trip. He handled it like a champ for such a young guy and I cannot wait to see what the future holds for him and his new family.

A special thank you to everyone who trusts me to ride and show their horses. Thank you to Deana Millington Gast for use of her horses, especially the talented and versatile Trusty and Prim! It is always a privilege to step into the ring with such talented horses—and such classy ladies! ❤️
We can’t wait to see everyone again at the Outreach Show at the end of the month.

And finally, please enjoy this artistic masterpiece: Willa’s butt from the show. 🍑🐴

05/27/2026

So it's been awhile since I've done an Archie update.. we have been busy working on his muscle and proprioception using poles but here the gray boy is looking fat and shiney and a little more muscular!!

I'm just so grateful he's looking more comfortable getting more turnout and starting to do more horsey like things like getting to eat grass..

04/22/2026

Thank you Cale and the University of Iowa for the wonderful article! It's such an honor to get to work for Dr. Abou Alaiwa and with everyone on the 6th floor of PBDB helping patients with Cystic Fibrosis and other airways diseases

04/14/2026

FOR SALE: 18 inch, adjustable (genesis system) mono flap (long billets), M. Toulouse saddle
Bought BRAND NEW! Used once, didn't fit horse, could not return :(
Asking $1,800 OBO! Brand new this saddle is $2,200!

Also for sale, Child Medium (fits me, 5'3'', 140 lbs) Hit Air Air Vest 50 cc sold with canister! $550 OBO! (not pictured yet, excellent condition)

Located in Des Moines, can deliver either item to Iowa City, Cedar Rapids, or Davenport. CAN SHIP AT BUYERS EXPENSE!

04/01/2026

Thank you Rachel Rock Robinson for letting me judge your show and bring my kiddos for experience ☺️ all the green beans were so well behaved! Shout out to the owners, Tara Peterson and Lauren Shanahan and Amelia Treasa for trusting me to bring them along ❤️❤️❤️

04/01/2026

Been a very busy week, between vet appointments, work, and teaching I feel like I've barely had time to think let alone post but here's an Archie update. He did well for his neuro exam, still weakness on the right side but it's not worsening and we will continue to do bodywork and strength work on him to build back what he lost pre-surgery. Lastly, we got some expensive portraits taken to see how he's healing 😂

03/26/2026

It seemed easier to sleep at night knowing I tried to give him the best chance at a happy life even if it fails. I know not everybody's as lucky as I was to be in a situation where I could make that choice and I feel incredibly grateful that I have the support system that I do from my parents, my husband, and my barn family Pine Hollow Stables! Wobbler warriors ask me anything!

03/25/2026

Anyone who loses animals knows how hard it is to handle the emotions while still trying to provide care for the rest of the group, even when they aren't yours and even if it's just for research or for work or part of "farm life" as my dad says. Thank you Sarah for the flowers today ❤️ they are much appreciated!

03/23/2026

03/23/2026

I kid you not Julie Cupp's Re*****on looks exactly like the horse from Toy Story..
Except for I imagine the toy story horse is not as smooth based on his pastern and fetlock angles