KZ Equestrian

KZ Equestrian KZ Equestrian offers lessons, training, and sales specializing in Hunters, Jumpers, Equitation

Thank goodness all horses and humans are safe but our poor indoor 😔
03/16/2026

Thank goodness all horses and humans are safe but our poor indoor 😔

02/01/2026

Let’s Talk About Trainer Rides.

There’s something I’ve been thinking about a lot lately, and it feels like an important conversation: Trainer rides.

Somewhere along the way, I feel like trainer rides have started to feel optional, like a luxury, or something only needed when things go really wrong. But I believe they are one of the most important parts of keeping horses happy, confident, and reliable in their jobs.

Especially the good ones! The steady school horses. The saintly kids horses. The show horses packing their riders around week after week. Those horses don’t stay that way by accident. They stay that way because someone with experience is checking in with them from the saddle.

Horses are athletes, but they’re also thinkers and feelers. Over time they develop habits, compensations, and questions, just like riders do. A horse gets a little crooked or starts dulling to the leg. They lose confidence in a certain question or quietly start carrying more than their fair share. These things can show up as the ride feeling harder, less smooth, less fun… until suddenly both horse and rider are frustrated. Or they start to voice their frustration and they get labelled as having “bad behavior”.

That’s where a trainer ride isn’t a luxury, it’s part of the care. A professional ride helps to clarify the aids, rebuild confidence on the flat and over fences, and supports them physically and mentally in the job we ask them to do. Then that carries over into the owner’s ride. And the rider gets to build their relationship on a solid, supported foundation instead of constantly trying to fix things themselves.

It’s also about fairness.

Our horses work hard. They try, they tolerate mistakes, they take care of their riders. It’s only fair that we give them rides where the aids are clear, the balance is correct, and they get help doing the job well. Those rides keep them happier in their work and help prevent the slow mental burnout we sometimes see in over-generous horses.
That’s not taking something away from the rider, it’s supporting the partnership.

When horse, rider, and trainer all play their roles, the whole system works better. Horses stay more reliable. Riders progress with less frustration. And the relationship between them gets stronger, not more strained.

At the end of the day, trainer rides aren’t about control. They’re about responsibility.



Photo Credit: Wild Griffin Photography

No words needed Dixie!?!? 🤣💜
01/15/2026

No words needed Dixie!?!? 🤣💜

01/11/2026

Jane and Traveler doing their thing. Love this team ❤️

Fun poles lesson on a Saturday morning 🤎💛🤎
11/15/2025

Fun poles lesson on a Saturday morning 🤎💛🤎

Always an amazing learning experience with Tik! So much fun to spend two days with such a gifted horseman. Thank you Sus...
11/08/2025

Always an amazing learning experience with Tik! So much fun to spend two days with such a gifted horseman. Thank you Susan Bemis for hosting the Tik Maynard clinic, we had a wonderful time!!

Congratulations to the new owners of ⭐️ Hoops ⭐️!! I’m definitely going to miss having this sweet boy around the barn ❤...
11/03/2025

Congratulations to the new owners of ⭐️ Hoops ⭐️!! I’m definitely going to miss having this sweet boy around the barn ❤️

SOLD!!This sweet boy is still available!⭐️Hoops⭐️(JC Skyhooper)5 year old 16H OTTB gelding. Hoops is one of the sweetest...
09/25/2025

SOLD!!
This sweet boy is still available!
⭐️Hoops⭐️
(JC Skyhooper)

5 year old 16H OTTB gelding. Hoops is one of the sweetest horses I’ve owned. He is the definition of in your pocket/puppy dog personality. He has an amazing brain and is so kind 💙
Hoops has been let down and lightly restarted w/t/c. He has wonderful ground manners, stands quietly in the crossties, good for vet and farrier, good for bathing, clipping, and vacuuming. He lunges and longlines. I just don’t have time for him, so my loss is your gain. I think this guy can go in any direction and has been very good under saddle! No funny business! 🥕s will increase as training increases. Would be a great project for a JR/AA working in a program. Not suited for beginners or timid riders as he is still green and sensitive (not hot!!).
Located in Mequon, WI.
Low-mid X,###.

https://youtu.be/wpvZ6jdwzy0?feature=shared

Very delayed in posting this, we had a great time at Crosswinds Farm a few weekends ago. Sam and Reilly and Nora and Spa...
08/04/2025

Very delayed in posting this, we had a great time at Crosswinds Farm a few weekends ago. Sam and Reilly and Nora and Sparrow put in some lovely rounds and we had an amazing weekend!! So proud of both horses and riders ❤️

Smarty ❤️
06/23/2025

Smarty ❤️

05/18/2025

Stevie💜 Samantha McLaughlin

Address

8900 W Highland Road
Mequon, WI
53097

Opening Hours

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

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