Laurie French Horsemanship Badge Program

03/13/2023

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=10226783353763812&id=1649433490&mibextid=Nif5oz

01/16/2023

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=10226370585524864&id=1649433490&sfnsn=mo&mibextid=VhDh1V

12/06/2022

Who is ready for another Horsemanship Badge class and the first testing for the Grooming Badge?

This Sunday December 11 ..3 to 5 pm

OR

Monday December 12 ...5:30 to 7ish

Please rsvp in the events!

01/06/2022

Due to the extreme cold badge program will be canceled tonight .

12/10/2021

I COULDNT SAY THAT BETTER MYSELF!!!!!

Getting Off The Hamster Wheel

The hamster wheel is an analogy for running and running, but going nowhere, and it can apply to many situations, one familiar to some horse people being the frantic and obsessive scramble from competition to competition, season after season, year after year, even decade after decade.

And for those on the wheel, winning this week’s competition is never enough, because soon there’s another one, then another, and you are only as good as this week’s victory.

It’s easy to start riding for the pure enjoyment of riding, and then, if the situation puts you in a competitive venue, to become more and more driven, until you have forgotten why you got involved with horses to begin with.

When I broke my neck, ten years ago, at the age of 70, I was still somewhat on the hamster wheel, but in one moment, I was spun off. I haven’t been involved with any sort of recognized competition since 2011, and gradually, as each year has gone by, rather than enjoying horses less, I find that I like them more.

I no longer need all those alphabet soup organizations, IOC, FEI, USEF, USDF, USEA, and on and on, to give any sense of “validity.” In the decade since I last was involved with any of them, the pressure has come off, and the fun has come back.

Now, for those of you who are still finding huge fulfillment from being in a scramble to reach the top, whatever your version of the top may be, have at it.

But if it’s getting old, getting burdensome, giving less pleasure, consider stepping back before you either get thrown off, or, even worse, start to resent and dislike the self-imposed frenzy. You may find that hanging around the barn, taking a ride in the hills, lunging a c**t, simple things like those, bring back the why of why you got hooked on horses way back when.

12/10/2021

A few photos of last night badge program. We learned how to put shipping boots on and why we need to. The kids had fun putting them on and walking in them.

11/07/2021

The badge program is cancelled for tonight!