Elliston Equine Solutions, LLC

Elliston Equine Solutions, LLC Horse training, horsemanship, riding lessons, livestock packing instructor, and freeze branding.

Travis Elliston of Elliston Equine Solutions, LLC is a proud military veteran and has worked in the horse and cattle industry in a variety of roles: From farrier, ranch hand, feedlot cowboy, cowboy, day-worker, Air Force Academy Rodeo Team coach, stable officer at Fort Benning, GA, to local saddle, hunt, riding clubs and volunteer for Remount Foundation. He has experience as trail riding guide ("w

rangler"), animal care taker and tractor operator at the Air Force Academy Equestrian Center, He currently is a horse trainer and teacher of horsemanship. Travis is a certified farrier from Texas Horseshoeing School, holds certification with O.K. Corral Series Equine Assisted Psychotherapy and Equine-assisted Learning, certification with Swan Mountain Wilderness Guide School with Packer Training held by Bob Hoberson, a riding instructor with Certified Horsemanship Association (CHA), Certified and Accredited Horse trainer with Lyons Legacy. He also holds a certificate of holding with Horse Boy Method 1 /ATHENA.

Working with young kids and teenagers in roping, horsemanship, and horse training always reminds me of an old ancestral ...
06/05/2026

Working with young kids and teenagers in roping, horsemanship, and horse training always reminds me of an old ancestral saying:

"Our children are the arrows we shoot into a future we will not see. Make sure your bow is strong and your aim is true."

Every time a young rider learns to handle a rope, saddle a horse, read a horse's body language, or overcome a challenge in the arena, they are gaining far more than a horsemanship skill. They are learning responsibility, patience, discipline, confidence, and perseverance. These qualities that will serve them for the rest of their lives.

The lessons taught through horses often extend far beyond the ranch gate. Horses have a way of teaching humility, accountability, work ethic, and respect in a manner few other activities can. Long after a rider forgets the details of a particular lesson, they will remember the values, confidence, and life skills they gained along the way.

As trainers and mentors, we are not simply teaching horses and riders. We are helping shape future horsemen, horsewomen, leaders, parents, and members of our communities. That is a responsibility I take seriously and one of the most rewarding parts of what I do.

The horse may be the teacher, but the lessons often last a lifetime.

"Keep your cinch tight and your mind open." Travis 5 June

06/03/2026

One of the questions I was asked yesterday while working a horse on the tie wall was:

"How do you prepare a horse for unexpected loud noises such as a vehicle backfire, dropped object, gunfire, or other sudden surprises?"

It reminded me of a time this year when the Sierra Vista Riding Club Royalty was running flags during a college rodeo at Wren Arena on Fort Huachuca. During the event, an ATV side-by-side was started and unexpectedly backfired. The noise surprised all the horses in the area. Fortunately, my horse Gunner, who was being ridden by the Princess through our sponsorship program, handled it without much concern. Several of the other horses present also handled the situation well.

I cannot speak for how those owners prepared their horses, but I can tell you one of the methods I have used for years.

Over a decade ago, while participating in a cattle drive in Florida, I learned to use a cow whip from several Cracker cowboys. If you've spent time around cattle in Florida, you know the history of the Florida Cracker cowboy, the Florida Cracker horse, and the Florida Cracker cattle breed. The term "Cracker" comes from the distinctive crack of the whip breaking the sound barrier.

Since then, I have used the cow whip as one of many tools to help horses become mentally prepared for the unexpected.

Why?

Because life happens.

Boards get dropped.

Horse trailers bang.

ATVs backfire.

Dogs bark.

Fireworks go off.

Hunters fire rifles.

Vehicles honk.

Flags flap.

Children scream.

Something falls out of the back of a truck.

Or simply to help move cattle.

A horse that has never been exposed to sudden noise often reacts first and thinks later. My goal is to teach a horse to think first and react less.

My process is gradual. First, I introduce the coiled whip by rubbing it over the horse's body on both sides. Then I begin moving the whip around the horse without producing a crack. Once the horse is comfortable, I begin introducing light directional cracks while the horse is either in the round pen or tied using a Ted Blocker tie ring.

I like the Ted Blocker system because it provides resistance without completely trapping the horse. The horse has an opportunity to move its feet, search for an answer, and discover that the noise itself is not harmful.

When the horse stands quietly, I reward that response with a rub, a release of pressure, and a calm voice. As confidence grows, I gradually increase the volume and frequency of the cracks. Eventually, I work both sides of the horse and progress to loud overhead cracks that can come from any direction.

As seen in today's video with Tina an Arabian, this horse is beginning to learn that loud noises do not automatically mean danger.

The purpose is not to create a horse that ignores its environment. The purpose is to create a horse that can process information and remain mentally available to its rider when something unexpected happens.

Some of you may be wondering if I have ever cracked a cow whip while mounted. The answer is yes. After carefully preparing my mare Bella through the same progression, I eventually stood on her back and cracked the whip overhead. (This video has been posted before.) Because the foundation work had already been done, she accepted it calmly.

At the end of the day, the cow whip is simply one of many tools I use. The lesson is bigger than the whip itself. It is about building confidence, teaching the horse to handle pressure, and preparing it for situations that it may encounter later in life.

A horse that can think through a surprise is often a safer horse for everyone involved.

Cheers- Travis

05/28/2026

Howdy folks, I have done write-ups in the past about the benefits of ponying a horse, but today I want to talk about another useful skill that often gets overlooked: teaching a horse to pack while being ponied.

This is an outstanding exercise for building confidence, responsibility, and mental maturity in a horse. In the old ranching days, horses were expected to do more than simply carry a rider. They packed gear, supplies, feed, hides, camp equipment, and whatever else was needed to move from one place to another. A horse that learns to quietly accept cargo and movement around its body becomes a far more versatile and dependable partner.

When I start introducing packing while ponying, I like to begin simply. The horse is already learning to follow another horse calmly and maintain direction and pace while being ponied. Once that understanding is in place, I gradually introduce lightweight gear secured to the saddle. The key is not overwhelming the horse mentally or physically.

This exercise teaches several important lessons at once:

-The horse learns to think while moving.
-The horse learns to tolerate objects shifting and bumping.
-The horse gains confidence with unusual sights and sounds.
-The horse learns responsibility and steadiness behind another horse.
-The rider can safely monitor reactions from horseback.
-One of the major benefits I have noticed is that horses begin learning spatial awareness. They start paying attention to their sides so packs and panniers do not strike trees, rocks, gates, or obstacles on the trail. Later on, this often translates into a horse becoming more mindful of a rider’s legs and body position under saddle.

Another benefit is preparing the horse mentally and physically for carrying weight. In some cases, particularly with horses prone to bucking, I will place sandbags in the panniers, sometimes up to approximately 20% of the horse’s body weight, and then cover country while ponying them. This allows the horse to work, think, and become comfortable carrying a substantial load without fear or panic.

When we return, I will remove the gear and then saddle and ride the horse. At that point, the horse often realizes something important: carrying a rider is not painful, frightening, or worth reacting violently over. The work helps remove excess anxiety and energy while allowing the horse to mentally accept responsibility and pressure in a productive manner.

What I really like about this exercise is that it develops a horse mentally without relying on force. The horse starts to realize that movement, noise, shifting cargo, and responsibility are simply part of the job and not something to fear.

A good packing horse is worth its weight in gold on the trail, ranch, or backcountry. Even if someone never plans to pack into the mountains, these lessons carry over into everyday horsemanship. Horses exposed to this kind of work often become calmer, more seasoned, and more dependable in unfamiliar situations.

As always, the goal is not just movement... it is building a thinking horse.

In this video is a client horse Metzti in tow and another client horse Sioux being ridden by Martina on state land. This was a beautiful and eventful ride by all to include my horse Gunner and I.

Cheers- Travis

05/21/2026

Some clinicians may call this yielding to pressure, soft feel work, or teaching a horse to follow the lead rope, but the principle remains the same: teaching the horse to mentally and physically search for the answer instead of being forced into it.

In this exercise, I take a long lead rope and carefully wrap it from the halter around the opposite side of the horse’s body, allowing the tail end of the rope to come around the hindquarters. While setting this up, I keep my support hand underneath the halter to stabilize the rope when swinging it over the horses body and prevent accidental signals or unnecessary pressure before I am ready.

Once everything is in place, I gently move the horse’s muzzle away from me and slowly apply pressure to the rope. The goal is not to force the horse to move, but rather to allow the horse time to think and “follow the feel” of where the release is located.

As the horse turns and unwraps itself, eventually facing me, I immediately release the pressure and reward the horse with a good rubdown. Over time, the horse begins to understand that softness, yielding, and searching for the answer brings comfort and release.

Later, as the horse gains understanding and confidence, I will gradually increase the speed and responsiveness of the exercise. Eventually, I want to follow the feel to become a conditioned response, even when the horse becomes nervous or emotionally elevated.

I really like this exercise because it is a total compound movement. Mentally, it teaches the horse to think through pressure instead of panic. Physically, it encourages the horse to use its entire body to yield, soften, and move with balance.

You can see in this young mustang that the gears are already starting to turn. He’s beginning to search for the answer instead of reacting against pressure, and that is a major step forward in horsemanship. Cheers-

Today I had the pleasure of heading over to Peace and Plenty Ranch to freeze brand a few horses… and even one mule. A gr...
05/17/2026

Today I had the pleasure of heading over to Peace and Plenty Ranch to freeze brand a few horses… and even one mule. A great day working good stock with a good owner.

Now, before anybody asks… yes, that is me wearing a ball cap instead of my cowboy hat! Between the wind trying to relocate my hat to another county and the work at hand, practicality won the day. Most people don’t recognize me without the cowboy hat anyway, so I figured I’d better identify myself before rumors started circulating that Elliston Equine Solutions hired a new guy! 😂

Freeze branding is one of the many services we offer at Elliston Equine Solutions. Besides creating a clean and professional identification mark, it’s a long-lasting and practical way to help identify horses and livestock.

As always, it was a pleasure helping fellow horsemen and spending another day doing what I enjoy most... working with horses, livestock, and good people.

Thank you again to Peace and Plenty Ranch for the hospitality and opportunity to help out. Days like this are what the western lifestyle is all about. Cheers- Travis 16 May 2026.

05/12/2026

I like to use progressive desensitization with movement to a horse. In this example, with this horse, Maximus, who is scared of flags and generally bolts when seeing one. You can see here that I am swinging the flag at a moderate speed and with some noise. I have to use feel, timing, and balance to keep him doing his job. Which is going around the cones set up in a square. There is no wall to stop him from going forward or backward. He chooses to use leg yields and untracking the hindquarters because he is reading my body language. This is him "thinking" instead of being in survival mode (flight, freeze, fight). He sees that if I am not troubled, why should he be? When I have him stop, I also start to rub him with the flag as a reward while he rests. Most folks only desensitize (sacking out) a horse while it is stopped. It is imperative that you also desensitize a horse while it is moving. In the beginning, I swing the flag lightly back and forth until they grasp the concept, then speed it up to medium speed, then really turn up the speed of the flag until they are relaxed and not worried. I do both sides of the horse to make sure I reach both sides of the brain. This is one of my favorite exercises for "sacking out" a horse. One of many that I use. Cheers- Travis

She’s Back at the E/9 Ranch!For those who may not know, an intern in the horse world isn’t just someone learning the rop...
05/05/2026

She’s Back at the E/9 Ranch!

For those who may not know, an intern in the horse world isn’t just someone learning the ropes—it’s someone who is actively involved in the day-to-day operations, horsemanship, client support, and training environment. It’s a hands-on role that requires dedication, work ethic, and a genuine passion for horses and people.

With that said… I’m proud to say—Martina is back.

Martina has been gone the past two months in Texas, where she and her husband... who is a retired Special Forces Major. They both split their time between their place there and here in Arizona.

Most of you already know Martina and how special she is. She is truly a standout—not only here at the ranch, but across the cavalry and horsemanship community in the United States.

Her background speaks for itself:

Former Trooper and First Sergeant
Program Coordinator for B Troop, 4th U.S. Cavalry (Memorial)
A proud member of the ladies who ride in full 1800s regalia, including side saddle. She is a
Grand Champion in the Cavalry Association competition and Regional Champion.
She has multiple awards and ribbons earned through her dedication and skill within this special organization.
She is currently is serving as a Sergeant for the U.S. Cavalry School in Montana, where this will be her third year supporting the program when we head up in June.

She was also one of the cavalry riders as a "mounted performer" with me in the movie Frontier Crucible.

More recently, she has been enjoying competing with the Sierra Vista Riding Club Gymkhanas, continuing to build on her already impressive resume.

Martina has been my intern for a couple of years now, and every time she heads to Texas, she is missed... not just by me, but by many of our clients. She has become my right hand here at the E/9 Ranch, and I genuinely enjoy having her alongside me working horses and helping others grow.

It’s also worth noting... having someone of Martina’s caliber choosing to learn and continue developing here speaks volumes about the level of horsemanship and training provided at Elliston Equine Solutions. That standard matters, and she represents it well.

And just so you know… she hasn’t missed a beat.

As you can see from the photos, I’ve already put her right back to work and she’s still as humorous and energetic as ever.

Glad to have you back, Martina.

— Elliston Equine Solutions | E/9 Ranch

I’ve had the pleasure of working with Vicki and Sparky for the past couple of years, and they are truly outstanding peop...
04/27/2026

I’ve had the pleasure of working with Vicki and Sparky for the past couple of years, and they are truly outstanding people.

I first met Sparky on the set of Long Shadows, where I was a mounted performer, and I always enjoy the stories and perspectives he brings. Vicki, on the other hand, dedicates much of her time to working with rescue horses in Minnesota, and the fact that she flies all the way out here to continue learning speaks volumes about her commitment and character.

As a trainer, I genuinely enjoy teaching Vicki. She is an earnest learner who puts in the work, strives to improve, and always has the best interests of the horse at heart. Like many dedicated horsemen and women, she can be hard on herself... but the reality is, she’s doing far better than she gives herself credit for. I’ve got the video proof... she’s been knocking it out of the park.

During this visit, we focused heavily on foundational groundwork. Some of the key areas we worked on included:

Lunging a horse while it is facing you, and confidently sending it out onto the circle
Changing direction on the lunge line without stopping the horse
Controlling the front quarters and building responsiveness
Backing a horse with feel, and inviting them forward with clear cues

We also spent time breaking down the four body groups of the horse (head/neck, front quarters, rib-cage, and hindquarters) and how to effectively influence each one. From there, we worked through structured exercises such as the “C” exercise (both stationary and roaming), and the fence “squeeze” exercise. These are excellent tools for developing timing, coordination, and feel, while helping the horse become softer, more thoughtful, and mentally engaged.

Just as important, these exercises build unity... where both horse and handler are working together with clarity, respect, and understanding.

Beyond the training, I’m grateful for the time spent visiting, sharing meals, and enjoying good company. That’s just as much a part of this journey as the horsemanship itself.

Vicki jokingly “threatened” to bring more ladies from her rescue group out next time and I told her they are absolutely welcome. I look forward to it.

As for Sparky… he mentioned that he wanted to upgrade to a proper cowboy hat before his next visit.

Truly grateful for both of them, and I’m already looking forward to the next time we get to work together. Cheers- Travis

Big shoutout to one heck of a man who clearly doesn’t understand the meaning of “vacation”… and we’re sure glad he doesn...
04/24/2026

Big shoutout to one heck of a man who clearly doesn’t understand the meaning of “vacation”… and we’re sure glad he doesn’t.

While visiting all the way from Minnesota, this gentleman somehow looked around the ranch and thought, “You know what this place needs? More welding.” Next thing I know, he’s out here fabricating, fixing, and improving projects like he’s been on the payroll for years.

That tells you everything you need to know about his character. People don’t just say they’re good folks, you see it in actions like this.

I’m incredibly grateful he carved out time during his trip to lend a hand. Him and his wife are truly wonderful people, and the kind you’re always glad to have around.

Minnesota, you can have him back… but just know we tried to keep him.

Last week was a great reminder that no two horses and no two riders are ever the same.We spent time working through a va...
04/20/2026

Last week was a great reminder that no two horses and no two riders are ever the same.

We spent time working through a variety of horsemanship techniques, all tailored to fit the individual needs of each horse and rider. From groundwork to under saddle, the focus was on building communication, confidence, and a solid foundation that both horse and rider can rely on.

Some horses needed softness.
Some riders needed timing.
Some partnerships just needed clarity.

That’s the beauty of horsemanship... you meet the horse where they’re at, and then help the rider understand how to get there with them.

We worked on everything from basic handling and control, to refining cues and improving responsiveness, always keeping safety and fundamentals at the forefront. Watching those “light bulb” moments happen, when things start to click, is what it’s all about.

Brilliance is in the basics.

Thank you to everyone who came out ready to learn, ask questions, and put in the work. Looking forward to continuing to build better horses and better riders, one step at a time.

Address

9595 S. King Ranch Road
Sierra Vista, AZ
85615

Telephone

+15206862209

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