KY Performance Horses

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KY Performance Horses We do horse training & horseback riding lessons, specializing in barrel racing. We also host a monthly barrel show series open to all ages.

If you’re paying for a trainer’s opinion, are you willing to hear an answer you don’t like?Sometimes that answer is no. ...
10/11/2026

If you’re paying for a trainer’s opinion, are you willing to hear an answer you don’t like?

Sometimes that answer is no. That horse isn’t a good fit for you. It isn’t ready to enter. Moving up isn’t the best decision yet. Another month of training won’t accomplish much if the work isn’t maintained once it goes home.

Those conversations aren’t always comfortable, especially when someone is excited about a horse or has a goal they’re determined to reach. But part of my job is looking at what’s realistic for both the horse and the rider, then explaining what needs to happen to get there.

I want my clients to succeed. That’s exactly why I can’t agree with every decision just to keep them happy in the moment.

There should absolutely be room for questions and discussion. A trainer should be able to explain their reasoning, and a client should feel comfortable asking about it. But if saying no puts the entire relationship at risk, how honest can that relationship really be?

When you hire a trainer, do you expect them to speak up—even when it might cost them your business?

A horse that needs everything to go perfectly to be manageable makes life pretty complicated.I value being able to give ...
10/09/2026

A horse that needs everything to go perfectly to be manageable makes life pretty complicated.

I value being able to give one a few days off, saddle up, and go ride without making it a whole production. I also want their manners to carry over to whoever is handling them. Standing for me doesn’t mean much if they drag someone else around, crowd the farrier, or become difficult when the owner takes them home.

They’ll have fresh days. They’ll make mistakes. They’re horses. But being respectful and having a solid foundation shouldn’t depend on daily riding or one particular person holding the lead rope.

Speed and talent are great, but there’s a lot to be said for a horse that’s pleasant to own the other six days of the week.

What do you think should be the basic standard we expect from our horses?

How much of our training prepares a horse for what happens outside the barrel pattern?Being confident at home is a start...
10/08/2026

How much of our training prepares a horse for what happens outside the barrel pattern?

Being confident at home is a start, but different ground, banners, loudspeakers, livestock, and unfamiliar alleys can give a young horse a lot to process.

Helping them handle different footing starts with riding on different safe surfaces, giving them time to find their balance, and paying attention to what they need from us. Sometimes that means adjusting our speed or expectations. “They need to learn” isn’t an excuse to run on unsafe ground.

The same goes for new sights. Hauling a futurity horse somewhere just to ride, look around, and settle can be valuable homework. Every trip doesn’t need a fast exhibition. They need opportunities to experience something unfamiliar without being rushed through it.

So when is one ready to transition to rodeos? A competitive time at a barrel race is only part of that answer.

Can they wait their turn, handle distractions, and stay connected to us in a different setup? Starting in slack can be a good way to make that transition, letting them experience the rodeo grounds and setup before adding the crowd and atmosphere of a performance. Readiness depends on the horse’s foundation and experience—not just its age or how fast it clocks.

We can’t show them everything ahead of time, but we can build their confidence and give them tools to work through something new. That preparation deserves as much attention as their turns.

What tells you a horse is ready for its first rodeo, and how do you prepare yours?

Let’s talk horse show stalling routines and how we can make life a little easier on our horses while we’re away from hom...
10/07/2026

Let’s talk horse show stalling routines and how we can make life a little easier on our horses while we’re away from home.

Mine live outside on a dead-end road in the country where it’s quiet, dark at night, and peaceful. At shows, there are loudspeakers, people coming and going through the barns, horses calling, and lights we can’t always turn off. Even when they haul regularly, that’s a big change from home.

We spend plenty of time preparing them for their runs, but helping them relax while they’re there deserves just as much thought.

Utilizing turnout pens when they’re available and safe, taking them out to hand graze, or going for a quiet walk gives them a break from standing in a stall. Every trip out of the barn doesn’t have to mean it’s time to work.

Secure, suitable stall gates can let them see out and keep familiar horses in sight. Properly fitted light-blocking masks at night can be another option for horses comfortable wearing them when the barn lights have to stay on.

Keeping hay available, water fresh, and feeding routines as close to home as possible helps too. For horses that need it, having a plan with your vet for omeprazole or other appropriate stomach medication around hauling is another part of preparing for the trip.

Some horses settle right in. Others need more help. Standing quietly doesn’t automatically mean they’re comfortable or resting well, so I want to pay attention to how they’re eating, drinking, resting, and behaving—not just whether they’re making a scene.

They don’t get to pick the schedule, the stall, or who’s making noise beside them all night. We do get to make time to get them out, give them a chance to relax, and figure out what helps each one handle being away from home.

What makes the biggest difference for yours when they’re stalled at a show?

We expect sellers to be honest about their horses. Buyers need to be just as honest about their riding.What you’ve owned...
10/06/2026

We expect sellers to be honest about their horses. Buyers need to be just as honest about their riding.

What you’ve owned, how many years you’ve ridden, and what you’ve won can give some background, but they don’t tell the whole story. How you use your hands, how you handle speed, and what you do when a horse responds differently than you expected all matter when finding a good fit.

There’s nothing wrong with saying you need something forgiving. There’s nothing wrong with wanting a horse that’s easier to ride than the last one. That information helps a seller point you toward something you can actually enjoy and be successful with.

A competitive horse can be well trained and still require more timing, feel, or confidence than a particular rider is comfortable with. A mismatch doesn’t automatically make the horse a bad horse.

Bringing a trainer or an experienced person shopping can be a huge help. Their job should include recognizing what suits you, understanding how the horse has been ridden, and being honest about what they see—including the rider’s part in the equation.

Sellers absolutely need to disclose problems and represent their horses accurately. Buyers and the people advising them also need to be willing to recognize when something simply isn’t a fit. Every unsuccessful ride isn’t proof that somebody misrepresented a horse.

The goal is to find a horse you can ride, understand, and enjoy. Being honest about what you need gives everybody a much better chance of getting that right.

Trainers, what do you wish buyers would tell you upfront when you’re helping them horse shop?

📸 555 Photography LLC

Photography LLCbarrelracing

The updated stallion pictures will get their moment, but this crew deserves theirs first.These girls helped behind the s...
10/05/2026

The updated stallion pictures will get their moment, but this crew deserves theirs first.

These girls helped behind the scenes getting everything together and getting the boys’ attention for their shots. Apparently that requires a rake, a pom-pom, a phone, and whatever else we can find. I appreciate their willingness to jump in and help—and have some fun doing it.

And a good photographer deserves plenty of credit for making it all happen. Getting the light, the timing, the horses, and the helpers working together takes patience and a good eye. We can bring the whole production, but it takes somebody talented behind the camera to turn it into the pictures we’re excited to share.

I’m going to brag on Ghost and Eros a little, too. Two stallions, kids on their backs, and all of this going on around them. Their manners mean a lot to me. I’m proud of what they can do in the arena, but I’m equally proud of how they conduct themselves in everyday life.

Being a stallion doesn’t earn either of them a pass on being respectful and pleasant to handle. These boys make me proud in ways that will never show up on a results sheet.

I’m excited to share their updated shots, but I’m glad we got one of the crew that helped make them happen, too.

Sayy My Name - AQHA Stallion
Driftin Hero

📸 555 Photography LLC

When you change something with your horse, how long do you give it before deciding whether it works?A new bit, a differe...
10/04/2026

When you change something with your horse, how long do you give it before deciding whether it works?

A new bit, a different saddle, a new approach to a turn—are you expecting an answer in one ride, or giving yourself and your horse time to adjust?

I think it gets tricky because unfamiliar doesn’t automatically mean wrong. A different feel can make you second-guess something before you’ve really learned how to ride it. But you can also spend too long trying to make something work just because you wanted it to be the answer.

For me, it matters what I’m changing and why. A saddle needs to fit and allow the horse to move comfortably from the start. A bit change means paying attention to how the horse responds and how my hands work with it. A different approach to a turn may take some correct repetitions before either of us feels comfortable with it.

I also want to know what I’m actually looking to improve. If I change the bit, saddle, and how I ride the turn all at once, it gets pretty hard to know what helped—or what caused a new problem.

So what makes you stick with a change, and what tells you it’s time to move on? Do you have a set number of rides, or does the horse’s response decide?



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I want my horses to have an opinion. I just don’t want them making every decision.There’s a difference between a horse t...
10/03/2026

I want my horses to have an opinion. I just don’t want them making every decision.

There’s a difference between a horse taking over and a horse trying to tell you it doesn’t understand, isn’t comfortable, or needs you to explain something differently.

As a trainer, I have to be willing to notice that difference. If I’m getting the same resistance repeatedly, getting firmer isn’t automatically the answer. Sometimes I need to check my timing, break the exercise down, or make sure I’m asking for something that horse is actually prepared to do.

They still have expectations. We’re going to have manners, respond to cues, and work through things that aren’t their favorite. But I don’t want one so worried about being corrected that it’s afraid to try.

Some of my favorite horses have plenty of opinions. Learning how to work with those personalities is part of what I enjoy about training—and sometimes they make me a better rider because they won’t let me get away with being unclear.

For the trainers and riders here, how do you decide when to hold your expectation and when to change how you’re asking?

📸 555 Photography LLC

Photography LLCrrelracing

Would you still want that horse if you didn’t know how it was bred?I like a good pedigree as much as anybody. As a breed...
10/02/2026

Would you still want that horse if you didn’t know how it was bred?

I like a good pedigree as much as anybody. As a breeder, I put plenty of thought into them. But I also think it’s easy to get caught up in what’s popular without asking whether we actually enjoy riding the traits those horses tend to bring.

You might love watching a big, powerful horse cover ground, but prefer riding something smaller and quicker-footed. You might admire somebody’s gritty, sensitive horse but get frustrated riding one that needs that much feel.

Neither preference is wrong. But buying what everybody else likes can get expensive when it doesn’t suit you.

Papers help me decide what I want to look at. The horse still has to be something I want to saddle every day.

What bloodline have you ridden enough of to say, “Yep, these are my kind of horses”—and what is it about them that fits you?

People will say they want a safe, seasoned horse for their kid, then overlook that exact horse because it’s older or doe...
10/01/2026

People will say they want a safe, seasoned horse for their kid, then overlook that exact horse because it’s older or doesn’t look like what they had in mind.

Meanwhile, they’ll consider a young prospect because “they can grow up together.”

Horses aren’t puppies. Buying your child a young horse doesn’t mean they’ll figure it all out together just because they love each other.

Your kid needs to learn how to ride. That young horse needs someone who can teach it. Those are two separate jobs, and now you’re asking each of them to fill in the gaps for the other.

As a trainer and lesson instructor, I want a kid to have the chance to make a mistake without it turning into a bigger problem. They need to learn what correct feels like before being responsible for creating it on a horse that doesn’t know either.

That’s where those older, experienced horses earn their keep. They’ve seen things. They know their job. They can handle a missed cue or an unbalanced moment without needing a training session afterward.

A younger horse can work with the right support, but be honest about what that requires. Regular professional training and lessons need to be part of the budget—not something you’ll look into once they start having trouble.

There’s nothing wrong with having preferences when you shop. But if you’re buying for your kid, their ability and confidence need to carry more weight than color, papers or how many years you hope to get out of the horse.

I’d much rather see a kid outgrow a good horse than lose their confidence trying to grow into the wrong one.

If a parent asked you what kind of horse to buy their young kid, what would your advice be?

Address

Benson, NC
27504

Opening Hours

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

Telephone

+19194130878

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