JAKS Stables

05/31/2026

If you or your kid can’t catch, halter, and lead the horse safely on their own…they’re probably not ready to be trapsing over jumps or running around a barrel pattern.

Somewhere along the way, riding lessons became all about what happens in the saddle. How fast they’re going. What gait they’re doing. How quickly they’re “progressing.”

And a lot of people completely overlook the part that actually creates REAL horsemen. The ground. And no I don't mean how hard it is when you hit it.

If a rider can’t confidently approach a horse, read their body language, halter them correctly, lead them respectfully, and handle them safely before they ever get on…

What exactly are we teaching?

That riding is just sitting on top while someone else handles everything important?

That’s not horsemanship. That’s participation. The era of participation trophies needs to die.

The ground teaches awareness. It teaches timing. It teaches confidence. It teaches students how to read what the horse is feeling before it ever becomes a problem under saddle.

The groundwork tells me way more about a rider’s readiness than whether they can bounce around a few laps at the trot. It also communicates how serious they are about the sport.

That’s why we spend so much time there. I’m trying to create riders who understand the whole animal. That foundation is what keeps them safe later.

I know a lot of programs where you show up, get on an already tacked and groom horse, ride, then pass that horse off. No hate to those programs. There's a space for all kinds in this industry. It's just not for me.

05/31/2026

Little snapshot of our event yesterday! We had a great time. Our students showed off their skills, we had a parent lead line event, drill team, live music, and our vendors were great! Seee you next time!

05/31/2026

05/30/2026

Come on out to Jaks today! 10-2 FREE vendors, live music, horse showcase, food and more! 2608 Rolesville rd Wendell

05/29/2026

Your horse probly isn't "bombproof". He's just shut down. That isn't "broke", that's "broken"...

And there’s a huge difference. I know “bombproof” is the unicorn everyone wants. A horse that tolerates anything. Doesn’t react. Doesn’t question. Just takes whatever gets thrown at them.

But what most people call bombproof isn’t confidence. It’s learned helplessness. It’s a horse that has figured out resistance doesn’t change anything, so they stop offering feedback altogether.

They don’t react because they’ve learned reacting doesn’t matter. It doesn't produce the response they want. Their voices are never heard.

That’s not trust. That’s shutdown.
A truly broke horse is still thinking. They’re aware. Present. Processing. They notice the scary thing. They feel the pressure. They have opinions. But they’ve learned how to work through it with confidence and clarity.

A shut down horse looks “easy”… until they finally hit their limit. And they WILL hit their limit.

“He’s always been so bombproof.”

No. He’s been quiet. Stoic even. Those aren’t the same thing.

I’ll take a horse that tells me what they’re feeling over one that’s learned not to communicate at all. Because a horse giving honest feedback is a horse I can actually train.

Would you rather have a horse that tolerates everything… or one that thinks through everything?

05/29/2026

Just a little taste of what we have going on here TOMORROW for FREE! Live music from local artist, food, vendors, and demonstrations from our riding students!
Gates open at 10. Shows every hour starting at 10:30. We go til 2PM! Will we be seeing you there??

05/28/2026

Let's chat. A clarification to my last post about Western to English vs English to Western transitions. A lot of people commented saying:

“The things you’re pointing out are just examples of improper English riding. Heavy hands, pinching knees, over-reliance on contact… that’s not correct English. Correct english is XYZ.”

And... you're right. That’s fair. But I think some people missed the point I was making.

My post was never about one discipline being better than the other. And it was never meant to suggest that strong English riders are somehow lacking.

It was about transition.

Specifically, which transition tends to be easier when moving a rider from one discipline into the other.

And after doing this over and over for years, my point still stands:

It is generally easier to teach someone how to do more than it is to teach them how to do less.

That’s the entire argument.

Taking a western rider and asking them to gather more contact, shorten their stirrup, use two hands, add more leg, create more structure, and ride with more deliberate connection is usually a very teachable adjustment.

You’re adding pieces. You’re building on what’s already there. It will still BE and adjustment. But it won't be a very difficult one.

On the flip side, taking an English rider, even a very technically solid one, and asking them to truly soften everything down can be much harder. This isn't a knock to English riding. It is just the fundamental differences between the two sports.

Loosen the rein. Relax the seat. Lengthen the stirrup. Turn the leg out. Carry one hand. Stop micromanaging every stride. Allow more. Do less. Trust more.

That transition is more difficult for a lot of riders because “less” often feels like loss of control at first.

And that’s true even when they’re coming from a really strong foundation. That was my point. Not that one discipline creates better riders. Not that English teaches bad habits. Simply that one transition tends to ask riders to add structure, while the other often asks them to surrender structure.

And in my experience, adding is easier than letting go.

That’s it.

Still curious where people land on this one.

Did my clarification change your mind at all?