JAKS Stables, 2608 Rolesville Road, Wendell, NC (2026)

06/23/2026

Summer Camp 1 of 3! Lets gooo!

06/22/2026

Just because I don't believe the customer is always right, or that the human is even my customer....doesn't mean I think customers should blindly follow a trainer without asking questions.

In fact, I think the best clients ask a lot of questions.
They want to understand the process.
They want to know why we're doing something.
They want to learn.

I love that.

A good trainer should be able to explain their reasoning. They should be able to educate. They should be able to have conversations about their decisions.

If I tell a client we're slowing a horse down, I don't expect them to just nod and walk away. I expect them to ask why.

If I recommend a different approach than what they had in mind, I want them to understand the reasoning behind it.

Where things get tricky is when people hire a professional and then spend the entire time fighting the professional.

At some point, you have to ask yourself why you hired them in the first place.

I don't hire my veterinarian because I know more medicine than he does.
I don't hire my accountant because I know more about taxes than she does.
I don't stand behind my plumber with a youtube video and ask why he doesn't try this new technique.

I hire professionals because they know things I don't.

That doesn't mean I never ask questions.

It means I ask questions with the intention of understanding, not with the intention of proving them wrong.

The best trainer-client relationships I've had over the years have been partnerships.

Clients who trusted me enough to listen.

Me respecting them enough to explain.

Both of us working toward the same goal.

Ask questions.

But also remember that expertise has value.

If you truly believe someone knows less than you do, don't hire them.

And if you believe they know more than you do, give them enough trust to do the job you hired them to do.

06/21/2026

In the horse industry, the customer is always right. Thing is- the customer is the horse, not you. So... *you* are not always right.

Unlike most businesses, there is a third party involved that doesn't get a vote. The horse. And sometimes there's a fourth. The rider.

My job isn't to tell people what they want to hear. My job is to make decisions that are in the best interest of the horse and rider, even when those decisions are unpopular.

Sometimes that means telling a client their horse isn't ready.
Sometimes it means telling a rider they aren't ready.
Sometimes it means refusing to do something that I don't believe is right, even if someone is willing to pay me to do it.

If you ask me to push a horse beyond where I think they can succeed, I'm not doing it.
If you want me to skip steps because you're in a hurry, I'm not doing it.
If you want me to use equipment, training methods, or management practices that I don't believe are in the horse's best interest, I'm not doing it.

Not because I'm stubborn.

Because that's what you're paying me for.

You're not paying me to agree with everything you say. You're paying me because somewhere along the line you thought I knew more about this topic than you do. You're paying me because you trust my judgement.
And judgment only has value if you're willing to stand by it when it's inconvenient.

The older I get, the more I realize that good trainers spend a lot of time disappointing people in the short term.

We slow horses down when owners want to speed them up.
We tell riders to go back to basics when they want to move forward.
We insist on foundations when everyone else is focused on results.

And yes, sometimes that hurts feelings.

The rider is ready when the rider is ready. The horse is ready when the horse is ready.

And a trainer's first responsibility is protecting both of them.

Even when that means saying no.

Especially when it means saying no.

06/20/2026

First day of summer. Horse girl edition.
While everyone else is headed to the beach, we're loading hay.

While everyone else is sleeping in, we're feeding horses.

Our summer wardrobe consists mostly of dusty boots, sunscreen, and whatever t-shirt was clean enough to wear to the barn.

Our idea of a summer glow is a farmer's tan.

Our purses contain more horse treats than makeup.

And somehow every plan eventually turns into, "Can we stop by the barn real quick?"

The flies are terrible. The heat is miserable.
The water troughs somehow need filled and cleaned every five minutes.

And despite all of that...
We wouldn't trade it for anything.

Because summer means long evenings at the barn. Horse shows. Trail rides. Barn friends. Cold drinks in camp chairs. Sunsets over the pasture.

And making memories we'll still be talking about years from now.

So here's to another summer of questionable financial decisions, dusty trucks, horse hair on everything we own, and a lifestyle that makes absolutely no sense to anyone who isn't one of us.

Happy first day of summer, horse girls. 🤍

06/19/2026

One of the things history and horses have taught me is that progress is rarely as fast as we'd like it to be.

Whether you're training a horse, building a business, raising a kid, healing from something difficult, or changing a country, the process is usually slower, messier, and more frustrating than anyone wants to admit.

We live in a world that loves instant results. We want change now. Success now. Understanding now.

But most things worth having don't work that way.

Juneteenth is a powerful reminder of that.

It reminds us that even after freedom was legally declared, it took time for that freedom to actually reach everyone. Progress happened, but not nearly as quickly as it should have.

History is full of examples like that. People who kept pushing forward despite setbacks, delays, resistance, and obstacles that must have felt impossible at the time.

I think there's a lesson in that.

Because sometimes when progress feels slow, we assume it's not happening.
Sometimes when the horse isn't learning as fast as we'd like, we think we're failing.
Sometimes when life isn't moving on our timeline, we think we're stuck.

But progress and speed are not the same thing.

A horse can improve without you noticing it day to day.
A person can heal without seeing it in the moment.
A community can move forward one small step at a time.

The change is often happening long before the results become obvious.

That's why days like Juneteenth matter.

They remind us that progress is worth celebrating, even when it comes slower than it should.

They remind us that freedom is valuable, opportunity is precious, and some things are worth continuing to push for even when the finish line feels far away.

Most importantly, they remind us that some of the greatest changes in history happened because ordinary people refused to quit when progress felt slow.

And I think that's a lesson worth remembering.

06/18/2026

One of the strangest expectations in the horse industry is that you're supposed to dedicate your life to horses... but somehow feel guilty if you make money doing it.

People will happily pay a mechanic for their expertise. They'll pay an electrician. A plumber. An accountant. A lawyer.

But the second a trainer raises prices, charges appropriately for their time, or dares to make a profit, suddenly people start questioning them.

As if making money and caring about horses are somehow mutually exclusive.

They're not.

The reality is that a business that doesn't make a profit isn't a business. It's a hobby.

Profit is what allows a trainer to replace equipment before it breaks.
Profit is what allows a barn owner to survive droughts, rising hay costs, insurance increases, and unexpected emergencies.
Profit is what allows businesses to hire help, invest in better facilities, take continuing education courses, and improve the experience for clients and horses alike.
Profit is what keeps good horsemen in the industry.

And frankly, I think we lose a lot of talented people because we've created a culture that expects them to sacrifice everything for the privilege of working with horses.

Work every weekend. Answer texts at all hours. Charge less than you're worth.

Take on one more horse. One more lesson. One more responsibility.

Then act surprised when they're exhausted, broke, and leaving the industry.

The truth is, the people providing quality care, quality instruction, and quality training should be profitable.

And if we want experienced professionals to still be around ten and twenty years from now, they need businesses that actually work.

I've reached a point where I don't apologize for wanting my business to be successful. I don't apologize for charging appropriately.

I don't apologize for building something profitable. Because profitability isn't the opposite of passion. In fact, it's often what allows passion to survive.

A business that constantly struggles to stay afloat isn't noble. It's vulnerable.

And there's nothing wrong with wanting the thing you've poured your life into to provide a good life in return.

06/17/2026

One of the coolest things about this job is watching horses slowly take over an entire family.

It usually starts with one person. A kid wants lessons. Mom brings them. Dad isn't really sure about the whole horse thing. Siblings couldn't care less.

Then something happens.

Mom starts hanging around the barn a little longer. Dad starts asking questions. A sibling hops on a horse "just to try it once."

And before long, they're all hooked.

The kid has horse-themed everything.
Mom knows more about horse nutrition than she ever intended to.
Dad owns a truck he definitely didn't need before.
Family vacations somehow start revolving around horse shows.
Conversations at dinner are about horses.
Weekend plans are about horses.
The group chat is about horses.
Everything is horses.

I've watched it happen over and over again.

In a world where families are constantly being pulled in different directions, there's something really special about finding a passion that brings everyone together.

I've seen entire families make lifelong friends because one kid wanted to ride.

I've seen parents discover hobbies of their own.
I've seen siblings who swore they'd never get involved become completely obsessed.
I've even seen grandparents end up at horse shows they never imagined they'd attend.

The horses have a funny way of doing that.

You think you're signing one person up for lessons.

A few years later, you've somehow got an entire family living the horse life.

06/16/2026

One thing I've noticed after working with thousands of kids over the years...the ones who tend to excel the fastest in riding usually aren't just learning at the barn. They're learning at home too.

And before anybody gets upset, I'm not saying every successful rider comes from a perfect family or every struggling rider lacks support. That's not what I'm saying at all.

What I am saying is that the habits that create successful riders usually start long before they get to the barn.

The kids who are expected to help around the house. The kids who have chores. The kids who hear "figure it out" instead of having every problem solved for them. The kids who are expected to follow through on commitments, even when they don't feel like it. ..

Those kids often have an easier time in the horse world. Because horses require all of those same skills.

Responsibility.
Patience.
Work ethic.
Delayed gratification.
The ability to do things that aren't always fun.
The ability to keep trying when something is hard.

The barn can't be the only place a kid is expected to put in effort.

If a child spends 167 hours a week being rescued from discomfort, responsibility, and accountability... it's hard for one lesson a week to undo that.

On the flip side, when parents are reinforcing those same values at home, it's amazing what happens.

And that's usually when kids really take off with ease. Not because they're more talented. Not because they have a better horse. But because the lessons they're learning in the saddle are the same lessons they're learning everywhere else.

Some of the best riders I've ever worked with weren't the most naturally gifted.
They were the ones whose parents taught them how to show up, work hard, and take ownership of their responsibilities.

06/15/2026

Great show weekend at Cross State Horse Show / newlondonhorseshow

We took the novice team out and they all did great!

Ellie May and Smart Lt
7th conformation
5th showmanship
2nd equitation
4th pleasure
4th GAYP
3rd trail
5th mechanical cow

Moriah V and Guinness
6th equitation
6th pleasure
3rd In hand trail
3rd trail
1st mechanical cow

Lucy Kerr and One desireable kitty
5th conformation
4th showmanship
4th equitation
6th pleasure
3rd GAYP
4th trail
7th mechanical cow

Cailyn Scoggins and Cat Stylin Miss
7th conformation
6th showmanship
6th Rail
4th ranch riding
2nd Reining
5th Trail
1st boxing
1st Ranch roping

Amelia Davis and Doc Eyed Samson
🏆 Res Champion
2nd Conformation
6th showmanship
1st equitation
2nd pleasure
1st GAYP
2nd Trail
6th mechanical cow

Cassie Garner and Leo’s Jetta Heat
🏆 Res Champion
3rd Showmanship
2nd Ranch Riding
2nd Reining
1st ranch roping
3rd boxing

Cheryl showed her 2yo in hand, BetShezaHollywoodKat and did great!

Savannah came to school some in hand classes and placed well.

06/15/2026

Oh the work it takes to get pictures out of teenagers.... just smile and look alive dangit.

JAKS Stables

06/23/2026

06/22/2026

06/21/2026

06/20/2026

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