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https://www.instridequestrian.com/

In Stride Equestrian, 208 Cathedral Aisle Drive, Aiken, SC (2026)

06/09/2026

I've been putting off writing this post for some time now, not because I was afraid to face it, but because it's a really hard farewell that I wasn't quite in the headspace for.

Over the last year and a half I've slowly been stepping away from the years of work that I put in to building my program. In Stride Equestrian was a dream that at one point felt tangible. I watched the fruits of my labor bud ane flourish. I got a taste of what it could have been. A lesson and full fledged equine program built with a foundation of love and empathy. For hoses, for humans and all living things that we share the earth with.

I wanted to show the world and this industry that it was not only possible, but that it could give back in so many ways and forge a path for future horse lovers in ways that would add vibrance to this industry.

I look back fondly at the times when I felt invincible and like all of the pieces were coming together perfectly. I have zero regrets for all of the hard work that I put in to build this dream. It truly was magical, no matter how hard it all seemed at the time.

From educational clinics, to individual lessons and training and rehab horses that came my way, I loved every single second of it all and have so many unforgettable memories with each and every person and horse who came into my life through my program. It was all more than worth it!

But over this recent stretch of time, my love of it all seemed to fade as I realized that I had been pouring from an empty cup trying to get back to what once was. And it wasnt going to happen. In the end the passion that fueled my fire seemed to fade. I burned myself out and tried to push through things beyond my control. And in thinking I was doing my best, ended up not prioritizing myself.

As many in this industry know, there is often an expectation to keep doing and to persevere to prove yourself, regardless of what destruction it may cause to yourself. And so my choice to end my program comes in a decision to persevere to prove yourself, regardless of what destruction it may cause to yourself. And so my choice to end my program comes in a decision to choose myself and my wellbeing. We say it all of the time, we cannot pour from an empty cup... we aren't fooling anyone (especially our horses) by pretending like our cup isn't empty when it is.

I dont know if the future will spark something new, but for now I dream of feeling the magic I once did with my personal horses and feeling the safety and security of knowing it will all be ok 💗

05/22/2026

Manny's progression of movement in moments from just starting to be able to ride him solo to now (July 2025- May 2026). Not even a full year in between the first and last photo and while we have been taking things very slowly to give him the time he needed to develop, he is where he is now and its still not even been a whole year.

I am constantly reminded of the artistry that comes to life through patience. Especially with young horses 💕

04/10/2026

Right where he should be

Manny turned 5 on april 4th, i didn't make a post sbout it then or any sort of grand gesture bc to be honest my heart really wasn't feeling inspired to do so and sometimes posting about horses just seem silly to me with what is going on in the world.

I do however want to use the milestone of him turning 5 to speak on the development of young dressage horses (and performance horses in general). Its easy to get sucked into the beauty of horses in sales ads and think that the horse is solid in its training with round necks, fancy limbs and wrapped legs. But a 3/4/5 year old should not (absolutely not) be in a collected frame. Their necks shouldn't be compressed and their noses shouldn't be behind the vertical in every single image... a moment in time is one thing but pictures and videos can also speak for themselves.

The foundation and very bedrock of developing a dressage horses is rhythm and relaxation. Contact with the bit is the third thing that is addressed in the training scale with rhythm and suppleness preceeding it. This is done without contact, without manipulating the neck. Why? It allows a young horse time to use its body and the natural unjulation of its neck freely without human interference. This is so beyond important in developing an upper level horse correctly. And quite frankly, i dont see nesrly enough ppl truly spending the time needed in these critical early stages of training.

There is a reason they are at the bottom of the training pyramid. Without the proper development in these stages, collection and working in high school will falter. You will see horses with tense necks, dropped backs and a pelvis that struggles to articulate properly. The classic "leg mover" vs "back mover" conversation and horses who need injections at earlier stages in life because their bodies cannot handle the repercussions of performance at the upper levels in a chronically compensating body.

It takes years (literally a minimum of 5 years) to properly develop collection at the upper levels, and years still to develop collection period. Dont take shortcuts just bc you think it looks pretty

03/31/2026

I am the horse woman i am today because of my endless educational evolution. Since the day I brought home my first horse, i knew i wanted to learn as much as I could. I didnt know where it would take me at the time but i am glad that i never allowed myself to keep any doors shut in the process.

I learned how to be a friend and partner through my mare Mandi and she was the catalyst in my desire to grow and learn ad much as I could.

I learned about the importance of a balanced hoof through equine podiatry and how the hoof effects the body and vice versa.

I learned about the importance of saddle fit and just how restrictive or beneficial a saddle could be for our horses through independent and educated saddle fitters.

I learned how to handle ropes with feel and softness through the gentle hands of patient cowboys.

I learned a lot about equine behavior from psycologists.

I learned about the inportance of proper full body conditioning from endurance riding. As well as the importance of after care for horses as athletes.

I learned to be bold and to get a good eye for distances and counting strides from eventing.

I learned of the importance of a methodical scale of training through academic classical dressage and vaquero horsemanship.

I dove deeper and learned about mechanics and anatomy from body workers and equine scientists.

I learned about the importance of play in shaping and developing movement from a movement science based practitioner.

I learned how to be more effective in communication and training in general through studying positive reinforcement.

I learned to dance with horses through my culture and connection to the earth.

I learned how to put it all together through trusting my intuition. Good training and good horse people are seen across disciplines. There is something to learn from each and every one that will only continue your growth as a horse person. Don't restrict your growth by leaving doors unopened. Even if its just to take a peek, open that door and see what's behind it, you may be surprised to find what's waiting on the other side.

03/12/2026

Ive never rushed him through his education both on the ground and under saddle. I've never put him in situations where he was over faced or over worked and have always made things fun. A horse will only ever be as great as you allow them to be and my goal with him has always been to be a friend and facilitator of his excellence. He doesn't need me to help him be better, he has always been amazing! My role is always to show up for him so that he enjoys every moment of what we do together.

02/26/2026

Ollie is a 13 year old percheron conemarra cross gelding standing at 15.2hh and he is as wide as he is tall. This loving and kind horse has been uncomplicated in every single way. He is barefoot with feet of steel. He is on a 4 week schedule and grows a ton of foot! He is a very easy keeper (though you have to be careful with him being on grass as he could develop metabolic issues. But he is easily managed with free choice coastal and supplemental timothy/orchard and a grazing muzzle). He stays well hydrated and can combat the heat of the summer with the help of his acupuncturist. He is built like a tank, and the only age appropriate maintenance he requires is adequan every 6 mo as he has the most minimal of arthritic changes in his Hocks. Happy to provide rads taken of hocks and his front feet as well as all vet records! I am more than happy to be fully transparent with everything.

He self loads on a trailer and you can take him anywhere and do just about anything. He loves trail rides, is happy prancing in the arena and is game for adventures. He even trailered out with me and got to be a horse and rider of Rohan in a lord of the rings inspired shoot with 12 other horses he had never met before. riders in full gear carrying spears, flags and shields (myself included) and he took care of me the whole time. He has been a wonderful lesson horse where he has taught complete beginners, small children, women coming back from major surgery, and seasoned experienced riders of all ages and demographics. He has always met each rider exactly where they were at and is wise beyond this world.

He is a solid first level horse and has schooled movements beyond this. He is classically trained and is light/responsive to the aids. His lateral work is lovely and correct, has a solid walk and trot pirouette, walk to canter transitions, simple changes, extended trot, collected half steps etc. He has the adjustability to be a potential upper level mount with continued proper guidance! But is just as content in the lower level work.

He is truly a once in a lifetime horse and so incredibly special, not just to me but to countless others. $ in the lower 5 figures starting with a 3.
Located in Aiken SC

02/01/2026

We rarely get actual snow down here and most of the time when we do it melts by the afternoon. But we got snow snow yesterday and through the night, and while I hate the cold, waking up to a blanket of bright fluffy snow always seems to bring out an uplifting and playful side of me. And it seems to do the same for the animals too. Everyone was eager to roll and play in the snow this morning 🥰.

With how heavy so much seems to be, a moment of lightness is appreciated by all of us 💗

01/28/2026

Every time I open my page to write something, the words leave me. Its as if the thought and creativity of it all has been extracted from my mind. And honestly I don't know exactly what to say and so I have been fairly quiet on here for quite some time now.

Its not that I don't know what to say, almost like there is too much to be said but at the same time, so much has already been said by so many.

I have always been vocal in where I stand against injustice both here and on personal platforms, so trust me I am not being quiet to save face by any means. More so that I am tired. Tired of having to explain why abuse of power, systemic racism and colonialism are terrible systems that not only need to be addressed, but destroyed. I am tired of seeing time and time again the tyranny and excessive force that this country so easily hails at communities of color. And how it brought us to where we are today. IT IS NOTHING NEW

When I was younger I couldn't quite understand these injustices but I knew they were wrong. Hearing of police gunning an intoxicated black man down outside of a bar one night. They put so many bullets in him and fired so many rounds that officers had to reload their weapons. Native women being the highest demographic of people who go missing and found murdered when they make up one of the lowest population percentiles. Latino immigrants being profiled and targeted for lower paid under the table labor so greedy business owners could line their pockets... to the point that back in 2022 (i believe, maybe 2021, it was around and during covid) there was a literal active plantation in Georgia that abducted immigrants, forced them to work in deplorable conditions and they weren't allowed to leave.

Yet its so much deeper than that. This systemic hate and dehumanization of black and brown people is embedded in the foundation and land that now makes this united states. IT IS NOTHING NEW.

They have been doing this to us for hundreds of years and this nation has not once addressed the systemic infestation of inferior hate. And so genocide became pushing us into reservations, and then dividing us by borders. Then labeling native "immigrants " illegal aliens, violent criminals. Chattel slavery became imprisonment, profiling, red lining and dividing communities. A war on drugs that targeted black communities with drugs planted by the govt. And they continued to benefit off of the labor of black and brown bodies while finding ways to keep us subdued. Just do as your told and play the part. Comply and we won't take your children away. Comply and we won't shoot you. Comply and we will allow you to continue to exist. This has always been the bedrock of this nation.

Yet we are still here and we perservere. It is my ancestors resilience and the resilience of every other indigenous, Latino and black American that has brought us to where we are today. The push back against a system that has tried time and time again to exploit us, divide us, and kill us. We are the reminder that year after year, century after century, we refuse to let them subdue us. And for that I am proud.

I am also angry, disgusted, scared and numb. I am tired of wondering when it will be my turn and I am sick of seeing the horror of what people are facing so casually on my phone. Enough is enough.

Yet in that it cannot be ignored, the proof and truth is out there and the veil has come off. Now everyone can see what this place has always been because now we all have the ability to see exactly what they are doing, it is no longer exclusionary. Now we see just how easily they justify murdering those standing up to this injustice. We see now that it is all of us because if you stand against them you are labeled enemy. A domestic terrorist. While the real terrorists are the ones infesting communities like roaches. Masked, armed and looking for any reason to inflict violence.

"This is an equestrian page why are you speaking so explicitly about all of this, lets stick to horses". No. Yes this is a business page and I do my best to post fun, educational and uplifting content. But guess what? What's going on in this country is directly effecting my life, my clients and my ability to do my best for my and my clients horses. It directly effects people i care about and love. And it directly effects countless people in this industry. What we are not going to do is minimize a very real threat to hard working immigrants who show up day in and day out, no matter the weather and no matter what may be going on in their lives... to keep working and to keep taking care of animals in a luxury sport. This is not an other worldly issue that horse people get to twiddle their thumbs at and look the other way. This is effecting every single one of us whether you want to accept it or not. If you don't like it then see yourself out. My business, this platform and everything that I've put into it over the years has stood in solidarity with all marginalized communities. I will not ever stop for the comfort of those who wish to continue to be blind and selfish in the face of injustice.

01/17/2026

One of the most rewarding things to me about the work that I do with horses is seeing how they choose to carry themselves and move through play. How the lasting effects of building self carriage can be seen with and without a rider present and that horses will often choose to move in ways that are optimal for their bodies when developed in this way. Because it feels good. Good to move, run, play and be exuberant in a body they can confidently trust. A body that doesn't carry the weight of manipulative restriction and hold patterns of tension.

In Stride Equestrian

06/09/2026

05/22/2026

04/10/2026

03/31/2026

03/12/2026

02/26/2026

02/01/2026

01/28/2026

01/17/2026

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Monday	8am - 7pm
Tuesday	8am - 7pm
Wednesday	8am - 7pm
Thursday	8am - 7pm
Friday	8am - 7pm
Saturday	8am - 8pm