Hogany Tops Farm

05/27/2026

A lot of people ask me why I became so serious about fitness and nutrition, and honestly, it did not start because I wanted to be in the fitness world at all. It started because I was scared I was going to lose my job.

Years ago, I was working for a breeder and I was having a particularly difficult time with one of the stallions. I got called into the office one day and was told very clearly that if I did not win a national championship on that horse that year, I would not have a job anymore.

I have never really been someone who backs down from pressure, so instead of getting emotional about it, I started asking myself what I was not already doing. I was riding all day. The horses were fit. I was working hard. But I finally came to the conclusion that I had done everything for the horses and very little for myself as an athlete.

So I hired a personal trainer.

That decision changed my life.

I got stronger, more disciplined, mentally sharper, and more aware of how much our bodies affect our riding whether we admit it or not. That year I won a national championship on that stallion, and every other horse I entered that season also won at their respective levels.

That was the moment it all clicked for me.

Fitness was not separate from riding.
Nutrition was not separate from performance.
The way we take care of ourselves directly affects what our horses are able to do underneath us.

What started out of necessity slowly became a passion. I started studying more, getting certifications, learning everything I could about training, nutrition, recovery, and performance because I wanted to understand how to recreate those results over and over again — not only for myself, but for my riders too.

At my core, I genuinely love teaching. But I never wanted to teach from theory alone. I wanted to coach from real experiences, real pressure, real mistakes, and real lessons learned the hard way.

My love for fitness and nutrition now comes from my love for my horses and wanting to be better for them.

05/27/2026

One of my students suggested this post after all the storms we’ve had lately, and honestly… I think it’s something every rider needs to hear.
With flooded arenas, washed out footing, and routines completely disrupted, it’s easy to feel frustrated when you can’t ride. But spending time with your horse outside of the saddle is some of the most important time you can spend with them.
Horses don’t measure relationships in training rides or scores. They measure consistency. Presence. Trust.
Some of the best moments happen in the quiet parts:
🐴 Hand grazing after a long day
🐴 Standing together in the barn
🐴 Going for a walk
🐴 Grooming without rushing
🐴 Sitting with them while they eat 🐴 Letting them relax and just be a horse

That time matters because:
It builds trust without pressure. It teaches your horse that your presence doesn’t always mean work. It helps you notice little changes in their body and mind. It creates partnership instead of just performance. And it reminds us why we love this life in the first place.

The best horsemen and horsewomen I know don’t only value the ride. They value the relationship.

So if the weather has stopped your training for a few days, go spend time with your horse anyway. It still matters.

05/24/2026

Let’s Talk About…

Have Expectations in the Horse World Become Unrealistic?

Everyone wants the perfect horse. Safe, forgiving, uncomplicated, brave. Doesn’t spook, doesn’t buck, doesn’t react, doesn’t look at anything! I could go on and on.

But at what point did we stop expecting horses to behave like animals and start expecting them to behave like robots?

Somewhere along the way, the standard for what people consider “safe” has become almost impossible. A horse flicks an ear at something, he’s labeled as distracted. Has one playful buck, he’s dangerous. Spooks at a flower box? Well that’s unacceptable!

The reality is, horses are prey animals. They are living, breathing creatures with feelings. They have insecurities and they get nervous just like we do. Some days they are fresh and others lazy. Yet more and more, it feels like people expect horses to absorb every ounce of nerves, inconsistency, poor timing, lack of confidence and lack of bravery without ever putting a foot wrong themselves. And if the horse does react? Suddenly the horse is the problem.

The truth is, truly “safe” horses are incredibly rare. The horses that quietly tolerate mistakes and pack people around courses whilst forgiving bad distances and still show up every day trying their hearts out are worth their weight in gold. But even those horses are still horses. Horses are not machines. We shouldn’t be expecting them to be emotionless schoolmasters programmed to never look at anything or have an opinion.

And maybe the bigger conversation is this: Have riders lost some of their own responsibility to become braver, better, more understanding horsemen? Because to me, good riding has never been about finding a horse that never reacts. It’s about learning how to ride through the moments when they do. Not every horse is suitable for every rider and not every rider is suitable for every horse. And there’s nothing wrong with admitting that.

Because sometimes the best amateur horse isn’t the quietest one in the barn, it’s the one that teaches the rider to improve instead of expecting the horse to be an emotionless robot and do all the work.

05/04/2026

05/04/2026

What a moment for the Ortiz family ❤️

Brothers Jose and Irad Ortiz cross the finish line 1-2 during the 152nd Kentucky Derby.

04/16/2026

Dennis and Lyrical Lou. This is what we call a big jump!

01/24/2026

Kubota L2800 tractor for sale as a complete working package. This tractor has been well cared for and is ready to go to work. Ideal for ranch, farm, or property maintenance. Includes: Kubota L2800...

01/22/2026

He stands in silence.
Without words, without tears — because the heart has already said everything.

This is not just a horse resting here.
This is where years of trust lie, shared paths, mornings and evenings,
moments when a single glance was enough
to understand each other.

The horse did not leave.
He simply crossed to a place
where pain no longer reaches,
and love remains pure and eternal.

And in this quiet, under the warm light of sunset,
two souls are still side by side.
Because a true bond
does not end with death —
it becomes a memory
that lives until the final breath
of the one who loved.

01/17/2026