Bushel Barns: Boarding & Horsemanship

08/25/2026

Any of us who listen to our horses know how complex, capable and amazing their brains are. Much like us, horses each have a nervous system trying to exist in a world that is constantly demanding; demanding survival, resilience and adaptation… and that’s before humans with our human goals and human ideas enter the picture!

Last week I was fortunate enough to spend an incredible two days learning from Dr. Steve Peters and Amy Skinner on all things horse neuroscience. Gaining a deeper look into how and why they think is instrumental to making better stewardship decisions for them, showing up as better partners for them and ultimately, in continuing the never ending challenge of changing the world of equine welfare for the better.
A huge thank you to everyone who came together to put on an incredible clinic 🧠

06/16/2026

01/18/2026

•15 years of companionship (and counting!)•

PART II

As many of you commented across fb and ig (thank you!), Bella and Gem are providing one another with quiet, consistent companionship; sharing the sort of bond that allows them to feel safe, understood and wholly themselves.
As prey animals, their very survival depends on having multiple eyes and ears looking out for danger and conveying subtle messages, such as when it’s time to flee, settle to graze or safe to sleep. Simply spending with one another isn’t enough… this makes them herd mates, but not necessarily companions. A deeper bond starts to form when they are emotionally attuned to one another, co-regulate together and look to each other in times of stress.

If every time Gem raised her head from eating to investigate a new sound, sight or smell, Bella ignored her, it wouldn’t take long for Gem to start seeking the company of a horse who were more attuned to her and aware of their surroundings. Equally, if Gem was constantly interrupting their grazing time by reacting to every bird chirp or falling leaf, Bella would start seeking the company of a horse who was more regulated. Instead, they have found a happy medium - when something new enters their environment, they mirror one another’s emotional state (i.e. in photos from part I and II, they are both looking and listening to the same thing with about equal levels of arousal) but they aren’t wasting one another’s energy by reacting to small, constant changes such as leaves rustling or birds flying overhead. As they’ve aged, Bella and Gem’s roles and dynamics have shifted (more on this to come), but the trust and safety they share has remained.

For a myriad of reasons, we often do not have the luxury of pairing our horses with herd mates who allow for this sort of bond, so instead I encourage us, their humans, to become this presence in their lives. We may not be able to spend every moment, day in and day out, with them but how can we emulate what Bella and Gem provide to one another? What causes your horse to seek out the companionship of some horses in their herd and avoid others? Has this changed over time for your horse(s), and if so, what might be the reason why?

Horses are extremely social creatures who operate almost entirely on sensory input, emotion and instinct, rather than reason and logic. The interactions they have with one another (and us) deeply shapes how they perceive the world 🧠

12/24/2025

• 15 years of companionship (and counting!)•

Two of my personal horses, Gem (28 years old) and Bella (18 years old) share a relationship that beautifully highlights and embodies so much of what we center our conversations around horse behavior on.
This will be a short series exploring and discussing some of those elements. Questions and comments welcome; more details on their lives together to come in future parts.

PART I

In almost every clinic, workshop or group lesson I teach, the conversation turns to what matters to horses: what motivates them, what they seek and how do we better provide that to them as their owners, riders and/or caretakers. Over the course of these discussions, as humans we inevitably impose our own perception of the world by saying horses are motivated by the provision of food/treats, verbal praise, recognition and/or touch. All things that we, as humans, may enjoy and things that are frequently sought out by our dogs and cats too - all 3 of us predatory species, starkly in contrast to our prey animal friend - the horse. While horses can certainly learn to accept, and even enjoy, these things, they do not naturally have a place in horse society and are not typically sought nor perceived as motivating as a result.

So let us think, for a moment, about what Gem and Bella are providing to one another in this photo. What do they offer one another? What withstands the test of time and all that comes with it?

07/11/2025

Since many horse people are dog people, too! This will be a fantastic course for anyone looking to spend quality time with their canine companion(s) and get them out & about 🙂

✨NEW WORKSHOP ANNOUNCEMENT!✨
🐾Equuvation has partnered with Synapse Canine Learning Center to offer PAWS WITH PURPOSE—a 5-week Skills Workshop for dogs and their humans!
🐕Join us on the farm for a special group class designed to help your dog become a well-mannered companion—all while supporting a great cause!
🐶In this playful, positive course, dogs of all ages will learn (or get a refresher on) the basics: focus/name conditioning, sit, down, stay, recall, heel, leave it, and place. We’ll explore how dogs learn, helping you generalize good behavior beyond the farm (and home), and throw in a little trick training, too! Take advantage of our sensory-rich environment, where your pup can be exposed to animals, obstacles, and more!
Spots are VERY limited—sign up today!
⭐️ equuvation.org/dogs
Workshop Details:
▪️WHEN | Saturdays in August, 9:30-10:30am (8/2, 8/9, 8/16, 8/23, 8/30)
▪️WHERE | Equuvation Therapy + Education Center in Statesville
▪️COST | $200 for all 5 weeks*
▪️INSTRUCTOR | Stasia Dempster, CDBC
▪️DOGS | Puppies over 10 weeks are welcome (must have at least one set of vaccines). Rabies required for all dogs over 4 months.
▪️HUMANS | Handlers must be over age 12. Anyone under 16 must be accompanied by an adult.
▪️OTHER | Goodie bags for all students!
▪️QUESTIONS on if your dog is suitable for this class? Email Stasia: [email protected]
💛 *All proceeds support Equuvation’s Scholarship Fund, which provides therapeutic services for kids, teens, and adults at no cost.

05/03/2025

Extremely grateful for a continued partnership with an incredible organization; thank you to all the humans and their horses who joined us today!

💚 Thank you to everyone who joined us today for our Benefit Obstacle Days! We had a wonderful group of horses, riders, volunteers, and families…and the rain held off to the very end!
A huge thank you to our clinician - Laura of Bushel Barns: Boarding & Horsemanship - for her thoughtful and encouraging guidance, always.
If you would like to join us in the future, we are having additional clinic and challenge days on August 6 and Sept 27! Also, if you would like to take lessons with Laura, utilize our courses, trails, and/or covered arena, join us one Friday per month. More details on both at the links below:
🔗 equuvation.org/obstacle-days
🔗 equuvation.org/lessons-with-laura

04/25/2025

BENEFIT OBSTACLE COMPETITION AND CLINIC
✨Spots are filling up for our upcoming Benefit Obstacle Day on May 3! If you are hoping to participate in the CLINIC please reserve your spot as soon as possible. These sessions are suitable for juniors or adults, and horses of all ages and training levels, in-hand and/or under-saddle!
✨We also have a handful of COMPETITOR spots available for our Obstacle Challenge! You do not have to participate in the Clinic in order to participate in the Competition.
✨Auditors are welcome—a great opportunity to learn horsemanship while observing different horses!
DETAILS:
🗓️ Saturday May 3 • 9am-4pm
📍Location: Rocky Creek Ranch {Statesville} – Home to Equuvation Therapy + Equuvation Center
🔗REGISTER: equuvation.org/obstacle-days
🌸 We have a variety of obstacles on-site including, but not limited to: pedestal, teeter totter, bridges, water obstacles, tarps, poles, stadium and cross-country jumps, noodles, shower curtain tunnels, giant horse soccer balls and toys, cones/weaving items, tires, changes in footing, terrain and a variety of sensory experiences along The Discovery Trail (art easels, music, dinosaurs and much more)! New obstacles for each clinic date!
💕All event proceeds benefit Equuvation’s Scholarship Fund, which provides no-cost therapy services to families and individuals in the community. Equuvation is a 501c3 nonprofit organization.