Ethical Equine Academy

08/25/2026

Calling all ethically-minded equestrian instructors out there 🔊

Save the date for next TUESDAY, September 1st for enrollment doors opening for the Positive Reinforcement Instructor Mentorship 🐎

& stay tuned for more in my next post where I share testimonials from my current clients 👏🏼🙌🏼

P.S. new Substack podcast episode sent out today - go subscribe to be first in the know 👍🏼

08/24/2026

One week away before doors open to this one of a kind mentorship 🐎

& this week I'm scheduling free, 1:1 interviews with those who want to go deeper and chat about their challenges, hopes, dreams, and questions about their journeys to R+ in their lesson programs (or future programs!)

Those who schedule an interview get my original, tried, and true PDF resource "R+ Progress Charts" - these are simple to use and can be implemented right away!

Comment INTERVIEW to get yours scheduled with me!

Keep an eye out this week on socials & my Substack for everything PRIM has to offer ✨

08/20/2026

Comment INTERVIEW if you want the deets for scheduling a 1:1 with me...no $, no pressure, just me listening and getting to know your goals and challenges.

Your feedback is so appreciated as I finalize details for this mentorship program that helps equestrian instructors and directors confidently teach and create the R+ lesson program of their dreams!

Chat soon,

😉

08/16/2026

💫 kinda chic ✨ to create your dream lesson program of your dreams and teach with confidence 🐎

Did you hear?

Enrollment for the Positive Reinforcement Instructor Mentorship opens up September 1st 🥳 Spots are limited and Substack subscribers get first dibs 🙋🏼‍♀️

Comment PRIM and I'll send you more information about the program 🐎

Let's change the world together, shall we? 💃🏼

07/31/2026

07/31/2026

A calm, willing lesson horse isn't the result of finding the "perfect" horse.

It's the result of the practices behind them.

✨ Adequate forage
✨ Time with equine friends
✨ Opportunities for enrichment
✨ Soft spaces to rest
✨ Clear communication
✨ Ethical training
✨ Appropriate whole-body care (vet, bodywork, farrier, etc)
✨ Instructors who recognize stress before it becomes burnout

When we focus *only* on fixing behavior with training, we miss the opportunity to look at the root and improve welfare.

But when we improve the horse's daily life, training becomes clearer, relationships become stronger, and the horses who teach our students can continue thriving in their position as "lesson horse."

This is the foundation we build at Ethical Equine Academy, and it's at the heart of the Positive Reinforcement Instructor Mentorship.

Ethical riding programs don't thrive from just buying "bomb-proof" or "been there, done that" horses and replacing them with younger versions when they become too old or worn for riding.

They start with instructors who are willing to support their horses' care first

~and~

can create learning opportunities for their students NO MATTER WHAT their horses are going through 👏🏼

What's one thing your program does to support the well-being of the lesson horses?

07/20/2026

Trail walks in-hand help riding in the future (if that's the goal)

But they're also great for lesson horses who can't ride any longer 🙌🏼

Building confidence and exploration in nature...a guaranteed student favorite activity.

Don't have trails? That's ok! Just make it a goal to get out anywhere outside the normal training spaces...out in the open pasture or around the property (as it is safe to do so).

We're so blessed to have this "training trail" on property! It goes around our pond and even extends down to the creek. It's a short trail, but it certainly will help if I ever eventually get a trailer again and take them off property 😅

07/19/2026

We had a birthday party for the horses 🥳😆😍🎈🎂

Cake made by one of my student's mom, isn't it amazing?! 🙌🏼 Equally delicious! I even got ice cream flavors that matched each horse's color pattern 😂

• Cookies & Cream for Blue
• Chocolate & Vanilla for Lani
• French Vanilla for Sugar (although I should have gotten Sugar free for her 😂 IYKYK)
• Chocolate with dark chocolate chunks to match Astrid's bay color

👕 Another student's mom printed the EEA logo vinyl for our tshirts...we tie dyed our shirts and I can't wait to see how everyone's shirts turn out!

I made little "cake" plates for the horses, too. All of them but Astrid liked it (no surprise to us, she's a skeptic eater 😆)

8 years into this Academy and somehow this is the first year doing this. But after we realized they all had summer birthdays, it made sense to celebrate them all together. Each one of them gives so much to us and they deserve all the love and attention just for being them 🥰 luckily I have the best students who are willing to do that alongside me.

10/10 recommend throwing a birthday party for your lesson horses 😅

07/15/2026

Trail walks on the ground not only build confidence and connection, but they help prepare for future trail rides!

It's so easy to build these into our lesson planning. When we spend a lot of time in the arena practicing lessons, it's good to break it up with a walk out in nature.

Good for the horses and for us 🙌🏼

We practiced their virtual show patterns first, then took her on a walk before we switched horses and practice another virtual show pattern. Adding walks between arena work or at the end of the lesson is always a favorite for everyone.

I'm still working on Blue's confidence with safely going on solo walks away from the herd, so I let my students take either Lani or our sweet little Sugar out.

She has no problem being a little trail pony!