Saddle Sore Ranch

05/24/2026

Listen we are probably going to ruffle some feathers with this post but as producers who have seen it all we feel like this should be talked about.

The American Rodeo was this weekend and seeing young ladies like Taylor Armenta, Hadlee Landers, Tabitha Dyal, and Dusky Lynn Hall competing at 14 years old and under is absolutely incredible. These girls are HANDS. Their talent, dedication, horsemanship, and work ethic are on another level. Seriously mind blowing 🤯
But here’s the part (I’m just going to say it.) Parents need to understand…
These girls are NOT the norm. They are the exception. They and their horses are 100% elite athletes that know their job the nano second they step into that arena.

As producers, we are seeing more and more parents trying to shortcut the process by over mounting under qualified kids on horses they simply are not ready for. And honestly? It’s becoming dangerous.
We’ve seen horrific wrecks. We’ve seen kids completely lose confidence in themselves and their horses. We’ve seen horses learn bad habits because they figured out real quick the rider couldn’t hold them accountable.
Just because a horse is fast does NOT mean it’s the right horse for your child.
And just because your kid wants to run like the girls listed above does not mean they should be thrown on a 1D rocket ship tomorrow.
What happened to the good old solid kid horse? The kind that teaches balance, timing, confidence, and actual HORSEMANSHIP before speed ever enters the conversation?
Because the truth is… the girls competing at that level likely spent years putting in countless hours riding, learning, failing, practicing, and developing their skills. They didn’t wake up one morning and magically become elite horsewomen.
Slow down. Let your kids learn. Let them become horsemen FIRST. Most importantly Invest in lessons. Invest in confidence. Invest in the foundation.
A kid that learns correctly on the right horse will eventually become way more successful than one that gets terrified, hurt, or loses confidence because the adults pushed too hard too fast.
There is absolutely nothing wrong with dialing it back and building great horsemen before building great barrel racers.

Thanks for coming to our Ted Talk
BRDS

05/16/2026

It is time for another PATH Intl. Standards Saturday and, today, we are featuring Standard ESK1, which is one of the Equestrian Skill Standards. Equestrian Skill (ESK) Services are services where the goal or outcome for the participant is to gain a horsemanship skill. These skills may be in the area(s) of riding, driving, vaulting or ground skills.

See a summary of all the PATH Intl. Standards here: https://loom.ly/3jUs0mQ PATH Intl. Members receive free access to the PATH Intl. Standards for Certification and Accreditation manual. Join here: https://loom.ly/SVeeKhw or purchase a print or electronic copy here: https://loom.ly/MlsCdpc.

05/10/2026

This story beautifully highlights something we see every single day at Saddle Sore Ranch — horses changing lives in ways that are hard to put into words. 🤍

Equine-assisted services are so much more than riding lessons. They build confidence, emotional regulation, communication, independence, resilience, connection, and healing… one ride, one moment, one relationship at a time.

We are proud to be part of an industry that impacts individuals and families in such meaningful ways, and thankful for every rider, volunteer, instructor, and horse who makes it possible. 🐴

Thank you to PATH International for continuing to bring awareness to the incredible work happening across the equine-assisted services community.

Take a few minutes to watch this powerful spotlight. 💙

If you didn't catch it last Sunday on CBS Sunday Morning, here is a heartfelt spotlight on the equine-assisted services industry, highlighting the impactful and broad range of services provided by PATH Intl. PAC Endeavor Therapeutic Horsemanship, Inc! Positive representation of the breadth and depth of equine-assisted services and the life-changing impacts, is a win for all in the industry!

View it here: https://loom.ly/Ps3OjTE

05/09/2026

Camp is a place where horses heal, challenges build character, and kids get to simply be kids.

05/09/2026

Autism awareness

05/08/2026

04/30/2026

Still closed from Attaway ➡️ Hunt Hwy

Update: road has been reopened. Please drive safe

AZ FARMS ROAD CLOSED

715am reported as a multi vehicle injury accident Az Farms and Mitchell trl.

On scene, 4 vehicles (2 dump trucks 2 pass cars) multiple patients treated on scene. One patient was air lifted with serious injuries.

Road will be closed or restricted for some time by PCSO for investigation and clean up.

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04/29/2026

When you see our upper-level (Green/Blue Level) riders working more independently—or even receiving less direct instruction—it’s not because they’re being left on their own…

It’s because this is exactly what we’re building. 🧠🐴

They’re learning to THINK while they ride.

There’s a quiet conversation happening in their heads:
• “What is my horse doing right now?”
• “What do I feel?”
• “What adjustment do I need to make?”
• “Did that work?”

That internal dialogue is what creates safe, effective, and confident riders. It’s the difference between a rider who just follows directions… and a rider who can problem-solve, adapt, and truly partner with their horse.

So if a lesson looks a little quieter… a little more independent… this is why.

We’re not stepping back—we’re helping them step up. 💙

🧠💬 Good riders don’t just ride around daydreaming or with an empty brain—they THINK while they ride.

The best riders often have a quiet conversation going on in their heads while they ride. They’re constantly processing what’s happening with the horse, their body, and the environment.
Some riders "feel", some "hear", some "see" the conversation going on inside their head.

As instructors, it’s not enough to just teach the what of a skill. We need to help our students build their internal dialogue—that quiet, constant self-talk that great riders use to guide, adjust, and be independent without the constant verbal support of the instructor.

So, how do we teach our students to build this skill?

Teach your students to think and understand:
🔑 What – What’s the goal of the exercise or thing they are doing?
🔑 How – How do they perform the skill?
🔑 Why – Why is it important they do it that specific way?
🔑 When – When do they need to use that skill or technique?

These are the "keys" to how we build riders who can think for themselves, troubleshoot in real-time, and ride with intention—even when we’re not standing in the arena with them. These are some of the keys to growing students metacognition skills (fancy term for 'thinking about thinking')

When students understand the whats, hows, whys, and whens, they can start thinking through their riding and make smarter, more confident decisions. And that’s when they truly start to grow as riders!

How do YOU encourage your students’ internal dialog and improve their metacognition?

01/06/2026

Growing up, groundwork simply wasn’t part of my education.

I was taught to go out to the field, catch the horse, tack up, and ride. Everything happened in the saddle. All engagement, all “training,” all development was ridden.

The idea that you could meaningfully teach and engage a horse from the ground wasn’t introduced to me until I was exposed to Natural Horsemanship. That was the first time groundwork was presented to me as intentional, structured, and worth investing time in. Regardless of labels or systems, that experience fundamentally changed how I understood horses and learning.

Looking back, I think there is a fundamental lack of skill and knowledge around teaching horses from the ground, especially within much of the English riding world.

Groundwork is often treated as something you “get through,” or skipped entirely, rather than as a skill set of its own.

We often see this gap most clearly when horses are started. Some horses are rushed and given no skills on the ground which results in “explosive” reactions when they weren’t adequately prepared.

This also shows up in how many value horses. Equines who are “unridden” are often dismissed or seen as less than, despite the fact that many people experience deep connection, learning, and joy working with horses entirely from the ground. I have many clients who love their unridden equines and build rich, meaningful relationships with them without ever getting on their backs.

If riding is the only tool we reach for, that’s not a biological requirement. It’s a skills gap.

Groundwork shouldn’t be treated as optional. Knowing how to shape behaviour and build understanding from the ground is fundamental.