Blackburn Legacy Ranch

10/21/2026

October 21, 2021, Ironman was a 2 year old c**t barely ridden. Can you believe I decided to get on him ba****ck? I had a lot to prove that day. And I did a lot of daring things, things that scare me to death right now. And it’s a mental fight daily.

Satan tried to take me out physically in 1999.

He tried to take me out mentally for about 5 years. Sadly it was my kids teen years. I missed so much.

I came out by the skin of my teeth, barely caught my breath, and then comes 2021. The year I never thought I would survive. But I did. God was my Victor. I owe Him everything.

5 years later, the enemy knocks at my door again. Let’s make her scared of everything. Literally make her think of every worst case scenario about every situation.

But I keep coming back fighting. I’m wounded badly, but I still fight.

I continue to have small victories, but victories nonetheless. I have walked a green horse up and down a hill that has given me PTSD thoughts…even in the dark. I have been riding our stallion in the arena at night, with the lights on, but with the “scary things” lurking in the dark.

I don’t post a lot because there’s that fear or shame that I will fail. I post this today because these pics were a big deal then and a memory I won’t forget.

Keep fighting. Don’t give up.

10/21/2026

Such great advice.

Trust Part 3–Expectations and Flexibility.

We’ve explored some of the horse trusting us and us trusting the horse. Now let’s look at expectations. For myself, it’s the expectations I cling to that usually get me into trouble. Do I have a plan when I’m about to play with a horse? Yes, but what about the horse? Can I meet her where she is instead of where I expect her to be?

I had sort of a method when I was riding so many horses every day. I wanted to ‘check in’ with each one and begin simple, just to see how they felt and where they were that day. Horses can have a sleepless night, body aches, disagreements with neighbors that put them out of sorts, just like we can.

After grooming and saddling, whether doing ground work or being in the saddle, I wanted to check out eleven things no matter what my plan was. Sounds like a lot, but it only took about five minutes after a little walking on a loose rein just to get us both moving.

Five responses on each side of the horse, left and right. If I pick up a rein lightly, does he soften his mouth and jaw, giving? If I bend him, only SLIGHTLY, does his throat latch stay supple or does it brace? If his throat latch is pooching out, that’s bracing. Then, is it easy to move his shoulders over a little ways on each side? Is one side stiffer or stickier than the other? Maybe ask again.

If I move a leg back, can I get him to move his hips over a little? How about if I make a circle an ask him to move his ribcage over laterally to make the circle a little bigger of an arc? And finally, how is his mind? Is he giving me attitude or is he softening to my asks?

When a horse gives me the answers to all these questions, I can adjust whatever expectations I might have had for that session. Sometimes they’re right in line, but more often than not, the answers to my questions very well might tell me either to repeat a question or go to a completely different exercise to let my horse better figure out the answer.

Physical flexibility is obviously important as we work with horses, but mind flexibility is maybe even more important. We often need the ability to dial back our expectations. How a horse responds will dictate what the rider does next. It’s our job to trust those responses. Horses don’t lie. The horse has the last word about what they’re ready for and what they’re not. We have but to listen.

Happy horsing, everybody! 💕🐴💙

Below, my favorite view of the world, between the ears.

10/21/2026

Congratulations to our son Cody on his engagement! We are gaining a sweet daughter-in-law and are so happy for them both.

10/19/2026

Bayzey took advantage of the hay while Dunni and Ironman grazed across the field. She’s such a great broodmare.

10/17/2026

10/13/2026

I didn’t show a single horse this year.

And the funny thing is, I had horses I could have shown.

After years of spending more time coaching from the sidelines, I finally had things figured out to where I could actually get back into the show pen myself.

Then life happened.

Our truck needed a new transmission. Fuel prices went through the roof. And suddenly, spending thousands of dollars hauling to horse shows didn’t seem like the smartest investment.

So I made a different decision.

Instead of investing that money into showing, I decided to invest it into becoming a better horseman, trainer, and instructor.

I spent this year taking lessons, attending clinics, learning from other professionals, and challenging myself to continue growing. I also have some exciting educational opportunities lined up for the beginning of 2027.

I have absolutely no regrets.

The show pen will still be there.

I’ve thought about this quite a bit lately because, in the horse industry, we put an awful lot of weight on what someone accomplishes in the show pen.

Placings. Points. Buckles. Titles. Championships.

Somewhere along the way, those things seem to have become one of the easiest ways to measure whether someone is a “good” trainer.

But are they really?

Don’t get me wrong. I have tremendous respect for the dedication, skill, and hard work it takes to be successful in competition.

I’ve also known people with impressive show records whom I wouldn’t necessarily trust to work through a difficult horse.

Being able to prepare a talented horse to perform well in the show pen and being able to develop a horse that genuinely needs help aren’t always the same skill set.

Can you help the horse that lacks confidence?

Can you recognize when a horse is struggling physically rather than being difficult?

Can you develop a horse that doesn’t come naturally talented, willing, or easy?

Can you recognize when your approach isn’t working and have the humility to change it?

Can you build a horse that is better mentally, physically, and emotionally because of the time it spent with you?

Those are the questions that interest me more and more as I continue to grow in this profession.

This isn’t an anti-show post. I love showing. I’m competitive by nature, and I absolutely intend to get back into the show pen.

I just don’t believe a buckle, a ribbon, or a championship automatically tells the whole story of someone’s horsemanship.

Training horses is so much bigger than preparing one to perform for a few minutes in front of a judge.

Some of the most meaningful work we do as trainers happens quietly at home.

With horses whose names nobody will ever recognize.

Horses that may never set foot in a show pen.

Horses whose greatest accomplishments might be learning to trust, becoming safe and confident partners, or finally finding a way to understand what we’re asking of them.

This year that’s where my work happened.

No show photos.

No placings to post.

No buckles to add to the wall.

Just a whole lot of horses left my barn better than they came in.

And I spent another year becoming a little better at what I do.

I’m perfectly okay with that being what I have to show for my year.

Because at the end of the day, I don’t just want to be known for the horses I can win on.

I want to be known for the horses I can help.

10/13/2026

When people say they ain’t ready for winter….I AM! I’ve only seen one tiny snake on our farm all year and these two show up this week. I could have stepped on that second one in the dark.

10/13/2026

This gets good….when you really think about what you’re singing….gets me every time.

10/12/2026

I bought pool noodles for a quarter a piece at Walmart a few weeks ago and forgot about them. I got them out yesterday and had a blast introducing them to all the young horses. Butter and Jackson the donkey loved them. I have to admit I’m always fascinated by the things we use to “desensitize” horses. I mean, how many pool noodles do you really encounter when out riding? 😆

I have thought about getting a bike to ride in the arena while it’s still just dirt because you definitely can encounter one of those.

I love these two characters…especially that donkey.