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Face Up Training & Colt Starting, 3244 W Sieling Road, New Freedom, PA (2025)

09/02/2025

Let's talk about the unspoken "For Me Rule."

I have touched on this topic once before a while back, but I think it is good to revisit now and again because every rider will run into this at some point.

Have you ever watched your trainer take your horse around flawlessly in the ring, but then you struggled to recreate the same motion? Perhaps your friend bought a horse that went around beautifully in his videos, but once brought home the horse was not performing the same as advertised.

People can be so quick to accuse trainers and sellers of using drugs, misrepresenting a horse, or even flat out falsely advertising. These things do happen, of course. Dishonesty is a rampant problem in the horse industry and I always encourage my clients to do their due diligence.

Sometimes there is no trick though, and that's where the unspoken For Me Rule comes into play.

Horses are not machines. You cannot shift them into drive and expect them to perform exactly the same every time for every person. Horses are sensitive creatures that are very in tune with everything around them. Changes in environment, tack, riding style, and rider energy are going to have a massive impact on most horses and not all of them handle it as well as others.

A horse trained with a heavier hand may not be as responsive to a lighter cue from a different rider. Vice versa, a horse trained with soft and gentle cues may overreact to a cue that is a bit heavier. Some horses are wary of strangers and are not as willing to perform for someone they are not familiar with. I often find this is the case with the mustangs I train and I am careful to reinforce understanding of the For Me Rule--just because they perform for me does not mean they will do the same for you.

This is also the case with horses sent to me for training. When a horse spends 30, 60, and 90+ days with me, they become accustomed to my style of riding. They learn my cues, my motions, and my energy. After they go home, all of that changes and it can lead to confusion and frustration for both horse and rider.

That is why it is critically important to take lessons from your trainer while your horse is at school. Your trainer can show you how to recreate everything done in the program to better set you up for success at home.

When buying a new horse, it is paramount that you give him a grace period to adjust to everything. Instead of accusing the seller of lying, reach out and ask questions. "When asking for a canter, did you use your leg at the girth or a little farther back?" "To side pass, do you bump your leg or simply press?" "Does this horse back with reins or with your seat?" Questions as simple as these can completely alter how a horse responds to you.

Remembering the unspoken For Me Rule is an important part of understanding the horse and his behavior. It is the responsibility of the owner/rider to adjust accordingly or take the time to patiently retrain the horse to personal satisfaction.

Pictured below is Hyrro, a rescue fjord who was a "For Me Rule" type of horse (hence why I ended up adopting him).

08/26/2025

It's the age-old question... Literally.

Let's talk about what age is appropriate for starting a horse under saddle.

And my answer is...
🥁🥁🥁🥁🥁🥁🥁🥁🥁🥁🥁🥁
It depends on the horse.

Anticlimactic, I know, but bear with me here. Before we dive deeper, I will say that I adamantly refuse to start any horse prior to their actual second birthday. I do not follow the "first of the year" 🐂💩.

But yes, it all depends on the horse. Before I start a horse under saddle, I evaluate them both physically and mentally because I believe both are equally important. So, let's talk about them!

Physical
We have all seen the scientific posts about joints closing, usually with a colored diagram of a horse skeleton showing what joints tend to close at what age. It's a great post, but it's a generalization and doesn't take into account other factors like body type (of both horse and rider), breed, health, etc.

Some breeds, like drafts and mustangs, tend to grow slower. I have seen them grow all the way up to 7 years old. They also take more time to fully fill out. On the other hand, I typically see thoroughbreds reach their mature height between 4 and 5, though they will continue to fill out and muscle up for a couple more years. These are two very different body types that need to be considered when starting a young horse.

One must also keep in mind the body type of the rider starting the horse. A young horse carrying my weight as a petite female is going to be under a lot less strain than one carrying the average adult male or a heavy-set rider of any gender. Type and weight of the tack is also very important to factor into those calculations.

Finally, the health of the horse must also be taken into consideration. Are they at an appropriate weight? Not too skinny, but not overweight either. Did the horse suffer any injury or illness prior to being started and is it currently affecting them? Is the horse physically mature enough for their age? These are all questions to ask yourself before a foot is put in the stirrup.

Mental
This is the often forgotten part of a horse's well-being. Is your horse mentally ready to be started under saddle?

Some horses mature slower than others. I have met 2yo horses wise beyond their years and I have met 10yo horses that would probably still be nursing from their mothers if humans had not intervened. Sometimes this is human error--horses that aren't exposed to life or given a good foundation can certainly be crippled down the road from a sheltered style of handling. Sometimes it is just the nature of the horse and no amount of training or exposure will fix that. They just need time.

I have certainly sent horses home, or at least delayed and "dumbed down" their training because they simply were not mentally ready to meet the tasks at hand. They needed a little more time to grow up before they were ready for school. Other young horses surpass milestones faster than horses twice their age because they have the mental capacity to absorb and retain knowledge.

If these answers were not satisfying, then I will sum it all up with this:
I typically start horses, so long as they are physically and mentally mature, VERY LIGHTLY between 2 and 2.5 years. The key words being "very lightly" meaning they walk and trot in the ring and occasionally go on easy trail rides. Once they surpass their 3rd birthday, I will start working more on the canter and maneuvers. I do not jump horses before their 4th birthday.

Again, this all depends on the physical and mental status of the horse and please bear in mind I am 5'6" and 120lbs. It does not take much effort for a horse to carry me. I currently have a 3.5yo mustang who is not started under saddle because she was malnourished in utero and it stunted her growth. Physically, she is not ready. My 2yo fjord c**t has had three rides now because he is physically and mentally mature enough to handle my weight on his back for a couple walking laps around the arena. My mustang mare Pocket was started under saddle at 2.5 years old, lightly trail ridden for a year, and then started more seriously at 3.5 years old.

There is no set age for starting a horse, but as a good horseman or horsewoman you should be able to evaluate all these aforementioned things in your horse to make the best possible decision.

08/24/2025

With a very heavy heart, I am listing my darling little Peony for sale to the best of homes. Unfortunately she will never be big enough for me (or any average adult) to ride and I do not have a barn full of kiddos to enjoy her.

Devil's Garden Peony
3 year old, approximately 13hh mustang pony from the Devil's Garden HMA in California

DG mustangs are known for their even temperaments and love for human interaction. Peony is no exception to this. She is always the first to meet you at the gate and she has a fabulous mane/tail that she loves to have brushed. She is great for the vet and farrier. Her manners are excellent and she has had extensive ground work. She travels well off the farm and has tagged along to several shows and clinics. Peony has worn a saddle with no issue. All the the prep work for starting has been done, but unfortunately I am just too big to step up in the stirrup.

Peony was malnourished in utero and had to be pulled from her mother in the corrals due to failure to thrive. This led to slower growth and I doubt she will ever truly have the typical DG draft body. She has been raised around humans since she was very young and I have owned her since she was a yearling.

Peony is listed at 💲2️⃣5️⃣0️⃣0️⃣. This is not negotiable and the best home is a must. She does not NEED to go anywhere, but I know she will never reach her full potential here and I hate to see a good pony just sitting. She is located in New Freedom, PA. I would love her to stay local, but shipping can also be arranged. Some ground work video and more pictures are available upon request to serious inquiries.

08/19/2025

Last week was a tough topic and I must commend everyone for the maturity and insight shown when discussing it. The response was overwhelmingly positive considering the dark content and I want to thank everyone for a wonderful discussion. Stemming from last week, I received several requests for the topic of this week's post.

So, let's talk about compassionate euthanasia.

For the sake of this post, I will define compassionate euthanasia (CE) as the humane euthanasia of a horse (or any animal) that may not be in immediate distress, but is otherwise suffering a terminal illness/condition or their quality of life is questionable either now or in the near future.

I use a very simply formula when making these decisions for my own horses or advising others. It is emotion that often clouds our judgement when making these difficult choices for our horses, and emotion can lead to prolonged, needless suffering. This formula can help remove emotion from the equation so that we as owners can make rational, humane decisions for our beloved horses.

1. Ambulation
Can your horse safely move about? Is your horse able to lay down and rise again without much trouble? Is she laying down too much or not enough? Can she safely hold a leg up for proper farrier care?

2. Appetite
Is your horse eating normally? Is he able to safely chew/swallow his food and medications? Is he digesting his food and maintaining proper weight? Is he able to safely receive routine dental care?

3. Attitude
Is your horse behaving her baseline normal? Does she look forward to something other than eating every day? Is she in pain and can that pain be properly managed to an acceptable level of comfort? Have there been subtle or drastic changes for the worse in her personality?

4. Finances
Can you as the owner afford the daily medications and care that your horse needs in order to remain comfortable? Are you able to provide for all of his needs so that you can answer "yes" to all of the above questions?

If you answer "no" to any of these important questions, and there is no way to change the answer to "yes," then perhaps it is time to consider CE as a kind option for your horse. I will end this post with two stories. If you are considering CE, I hope this will help you stand firm in a choice.

Story #1:
I used to board at a small, private barn and when the owner went on vacation I would farm-sit. One of the barn owner's horses went neurologic and was diagnosed with EPM. He was in his late 20s. His entire back end was lacking communication with his front end, but the owner opted to treat him. After a couple weeks, he was not showing improvement and was confined to a stall for his safety. He could not walk well at all, could not safely lay down, and was clearly depressed. The barn owner went away and I was left to care for the horses. When I arrived for morning feeding, this horse was down in his stall and unable to rise. He had likely been that way all night. The fire department came, cut a hole in the barn roof to create a hoyer, and lifted this horse in a makeshift sling. He had no movement in his hind end, as if he was totally paralyzed. We then had to push this horse through the Dutch doors in this sling and euthanize him outside the barn. It was incredibly traumatic for all involved, including the horse. The farm owner had to say goodbye to her beloved horse over the phone from hundreds of miles away.

Story #2:
I leased a horse through high school and when it came time for him to retire from lessons due to lameness, he was given to me to live out his golden years. I carefully monitored his diet and put him on Cosequin to help with his arthritis. He kept up well with my herd of younger horses and was clearly very happy with them. I would see him running and playing like he was 10 again. I was able to maintain this for about a year and a half before he began to decline. He was struggling with arthritis in his hocks and stifles. He was having a harder time laying down and in order to trim his hind feet we had to lean him against a wall for support. He was also beginning to have frequent choke episodes no matter how well I soaked his grain and soaked/shredded his hay. On top of it all, he also had cancer in the form of a boney mass on the side of his face. It had been there for over a decade, but the cancer was beginning to spread into his sinus cavities and caused an infection. I had it lanced and drained by the vet, put him on antibiotics, and flushed the site multiple times per day with medication which he absolutely hated. The vet warned me that the infection would likely come back, it was just a matter of time. I resolved then that I would make the most of what time he had left, and when the infection showed signs of returning I would let him go. Sure enough, about a month or so later, he began showing mild signs of infection again. I chose a warm spring day in the afternoon. I spent the whole morning washing and brushing his tail, feeding him all the treats he possibly could eat, and let him graze in the fresh spring grass outside of his field. We then gently laid him to rest and his ashes sit in my bedroom next to my horse Hyrro who tragically passed from colic this past spring. I received a lot of public hate for euthanizing that horse because he was not in immediate distress, but I knew he would be and I was not putting him through another infection.

I am a firm believer that it is better to make the choice a month too early than a day too late. If you are in the position to make this decision, I hope that this can bring you some peace.

Pictured below is my horse from Story #2 during his final ride about 6 months before he passed. I knew that he would not likely be with me in another year, so we did a memorial photoshoot while he still looked like himself.

08/12/2025

Let's talk about behavioral euthanasia.

Can you already feel the ruffled feathers?

Euthanasia is a tough subject because very rarely is it a black and white decision. Sure, there are the situations where a horse is suffering an immediate emergency, like a catastrophic injury or irreparable colic. While those decisions are still painful, they are typically very clear, cut and dry. Then there are the slightly hazier euthanasia decisions, like older horses that are slowly, but surely failing to thrive or horses that are sick and only going to decrease in quality of life. Those decisions are harder, but still easy to justify.

Then you enter the muck and mire of behavioral euthanasia. This one is particularly hard because it often falls on horses that are otherwise healthy, sound, and even sometimes young.

I support behavioral euthanasia. Since becoming a certified professional trainer, I have recommended behavioral euthanasia six times. Only twice has it been followed through. Now, before the keyboard warriors lose their minds, please understand that this is not a recommendation I make lightly nor is it made without significant due cause. When I recommend behavioral euthanasia to a client, this is my mentality: My safety and my client's safety come first. Always. There are far too many good horses out there to risk injury or death over a bad one. And yes, there are bad horses out there. There are fates worse than death for horses and safe, humane euthanasia at home is far kinder than some of those fates. Finally, horses do not know how long they are supposed to live and we as humans do a great disservice to our horses by anthropomorphizing them to argue otherwise.

Now, if you are still reading and have not permanently deleted my page from your feed, let's talk about the horses I've recommended euthanasia for and why.

1. 15 year old Morgan stallion, same owner for 14 years. He had never been bred, never had his feet done, never had his teeth done, never been broke to ride or drive, and he had never been turned out with another horse. If he became aggressive, nervous, or stud-ish, he was given a bucket of grain "to calm him." He would pace my fences and scream all day, throwing his head in angst even after he was gelded. He would jump on top of you if spooked or annoyed. His feet and teeth were a mess, but no amount of sedation could calm him enough to safely address either. He was not progressing in training due to the 14 years of baggage he had dragging behind him. He could not safely be taken to a boarding barn, but his owner could not take him home nor could she keep him in training for the time he needed. He could not safely be rehomed either for fear of him hurting someone or ending up in auction. For everyone's safety and the well-being of the horse, I recommended euthanasia. My advice was not heeded. I do not know where that horse is now.

2. 17 year old thoroughbred mare. She had lived in total isolation for approximately 10 years. She had no social skills and was wildly unpredictable. One day I could pick up her feet with no problem, the next it would send her into a fit of anxiety. She would bolt in pure, blind panic with absolutely no regard for her own safety, let alone her human handler. She was a danger to herself and those around her. Vets would not even touch her for an exam to rule out health problems because she was so wildly unpredictable and dangerous. She would crash into panels, fences, and walls. She spooked at her own shadow so badly once that she quite literally fell to the ground in fear. Months of training could not resolve these issues. For the safety of the horse and her owner, I recommended euthanasia. This horse is still living in her owner's pasture. I do not know how handleable she is at this point.

3. Mid teens QH type gelding. You could tell this poor fellow had been ridden hard and put away wet for a very long time. He bore the scars of a very rough life, both physically and mentally. He was in training with me for several months and while he did improve in some areas, he was still very behind in several important ones. He was always on guard, always watchful and fearful. The first time I tried to mount him, he wheeled around and double barrel kicked me so hard I thought he shattered my femur. I never was able to ride him. I tried so many approaches and methods, but he remained shut down and one step away from defensive fear aggression. Even in the pasture you could tell he walked around in misery. After many months of trying to bring him around, he was ultimately euthanized after a day full of love and pampering. I still think about him quite often. 🌈

4. 6/7 year old QH type gelding. He had been owned and well loved by the same family his whole life. Unfortunately for him, he was diagnosed with PSSM1. His owner did everything in her power to manage his diet to prevent flare ups and nine times out of ten, this horse was perfect. He was a joy to ride, sweet to handle, and all around a great horse to have in the barn. The problem was he would have episodes, likely caused by tying up from the PSSM1. These episodes were completely random with no observable triggers or causes. Sometimes when you would start to mount, he was simply bolt and then bronc. No warning, no visible reason. It had become a noticeable pattern, but the randomness of it made him too dangerous to sell. I told his owner if she could not keep him, the best option would be to euthanize because he was at great risk of hurting someone or ending up in the pipeline. As far as I am aware he is still living at home with his owner as a pasture pet.

5. 6 year old thoroughbred mare. This mare had been a bucket baby. Her mother died at birth and no other horse would accept her (horses know when something isn't right with one of their own kind). This mare was outright dangerous both because of her personality and her upbringing. I'm told she was allowed to run around kicking at people as a foal and she was the horse at the track jockeys drew straws to see who was forced to ride her. She was sent to me because she was out of control and running through fences. Her first week here, she broke my hand after kicking me in the field. Just leading her to and from her stall/paddock was dangerous chore. I often wore a helmet just to lead her because she loved to rear up, strike out, and try to wheel and kick. She was so dangerous that I couldn't even hire a barn worker until she was gone because I didn't not want the liability of her hurting someone. I recommended euthanasia for everyone's safety, including the horse, but she was sent to a "trainer" on the Eastern Shore of MD. I use that term very loosely. I do not know where she is now

6. 17 year old fjord gelding. This was one of my fosters. This poor gelding had been passed around through the auction circuit for a very long time before he was finally pulled by a rescue. I was his second trainer. He was scared of everything and even basic handling was becoming dangerous. He had a tendency to wheel and bolt and efforts to rectify that habit were proving fruitless, both at the previous trainer and with me. Handling his feet was impossible. He would either bolt or he would kick. His kicks were hard and very, very fast. We feared that if he became sick or injured, we would not be able to treat him due to his nature and he would then suffer. He could not be safely adopted out with these habits. Given his age, the time it would take to retrain him just wasn't a feasible option. He was given a wonderful last day here at my farm with treats and goodies and as much love as he would accept (he hated being pet/groomed) and then he was peacefully let go. 🌈

When we choose to work with and care for these magnificent animals, we are willingly taking on a huge responsibility and liability. They cannot make certain decisions for themselves so it is our duty as their providers and protectors to do the right thing. Sometimes it is necessary to love them enough to let them go.

08/06/2025

This month I am starting a new series called "Let's Talk About It." Every Tuesday, I will post a reflection on a topic with discussions welcome in the comments. I started this past Tuesday with a reflection on stallions and stallion ownership.

I am looking to hear from YOU. What do you want to see discussed in an open, public forum? Controversial and hot button issues are welcome and encouraged so long as they are equine related! If I am not particularly knowledgeable about certain topics you comment, I promise to educate myself on it! After all, that is why we work with horses--to continue learning!

Post your topics in the comments below and I will get to work! Stay tuned for next Tuesday's topic. It's going to be a spicy one!

08/05/2025

*steps up on my soap box*
Let's talk about stallions 🍒

This is a topic I am very passionate about. Stallion ownership has become a bit more of a novelty with the rise of social media. We see breeders posting behind the scenes looks into the every day lives of their stallions which is great! It is certainly interesting to see what these high end stallions do when they aren't breeding.

And then there are the other people...

We see the flip side of this with other stallions such as Sox on TikTok. For those not familiar, Sox is a UK-based stallion whose owner posts videos of him on TikTok. I watched 2, maybe 3 of his videos, and then had to turn him off and block him because the videos made me so angry. If Sox was my horse, I would have lopped his testicles off a long time ago because he is a danger to his owner and a danger to everyone around him. He is not cute. He is not funny. He is an undisciplined menace and what he does should NOT be considered "normal stallion behavior" by any stretch of the imagination. But I digress.

So, how do we prevent stallions from becoming this way? What IS normal stallion behavior? I could teach an entire college semester on this topic, but I will narrow it down to my two biggest pet peeves with stallion ownership. And for the record, I am not anti stallion. I own two.

1. It has become common practice for stallions to be turned out alone, if they are even turned out at all. Some stallions only leave their stalls to bathe and breed. I'd be a menace to society, too, if that was my life. If they do get turned out, a lot of times they are turned out alone or they might have a paddock neighbor. The worst horse I have ever trained was a 15yo stallion who had never been turned out with another horse. From the day he was weaned, he lived alone. He had no idea how to interact properly with another horse, let alone a human. He was socially crippled in a way that was completely irreparable. He left my farm with a recommendation for euthanasia because his behavior was so dangerous that I feared for the safety of anyone who came into contact with him. The second worst horse I have ever worked with was a mare who had also lived a majority of her life alone, but that's a story for another day. My point is, these horses were forced into a life of solitude, a crime against the very nature of equines. Even in the wild, stallions form bachelor bands until they have harems of their own.

Now, obviously we do not want to simply throw stallions into the gelding herd and hope for the best. You need to pick their herds carefully. They have heightened testosterone, that is just science, but they are social animals by nature. My c**t, Oslo, has been turned out with other horses since the day he was born. He lives among my geldings who teach him manners and social skills that I as a human simply cannot. At 2 years old, he is a model citizen who understands boundaries and respect. My stallion Snax, a 6yo thoroughbred, was just introduced to herd life with my two mustang geldings that spent 10+ years in the wild as stallions themselves. Let me tell you, that introduction was more peaceful than putting two new geldings together. My eldest mustang established himself as herd leader and that was that. Snax will now have company and he will have constant reminders to tow the line. Since going out with them, Snax has been more pleasant to be around and much easier to handle in day to day life. I firmly believe a stallion must earn his testicles every single day. The vet is one call away if either of my stallions step out of bounds.

2. My second philosophy for healthy stallion ownership is that they need jobs. The best stallion I have ever met is No Better Cat ("Boon") while he was being ridden and shown by Josh Lyons. You know you have done something right with your stallion when nobody knows he's a stallion. I was able to stand my mare right next to Boon in the ring during a clinic and he never even twitched an ear in her direction. Part of that I'm sure is personality, but 95% of it was solid training. Boon has jobs when he isn't breeding. He traveled around to clinics and shows with Josh Lyons. His owners work him on cattle ranches. He is learning roping. He does reining. He does ranch riding. He does reined cow shows. Breeding is secondary to all of these jobs that channel his testosterone into productive avenues. We don't like men who only think about sex--why should our stallions be any different?

That was a long rant 😮‍💨 but I'm not sorry because it is trainers like me who have to try cleaning up the mess of stallions like Sox. Stallion ownership is a huge responsibility and an even bigger liability. Do everyone a favor and just contact 1-800-geld-that-sh*t ✂️🍒

08/04/2025

Come see Pocket and Oslo for the first ever Parade of Breeds at the Howard County Fair this evening starting at 5pm!

07/29/2025

‼️PSA

Beginning the week of August 4th, 2025, I will be altering my operating days schedule. New business days will be Tuesday through Saturday with hours open to clients from 8am to 4pm Tues-Fri and 9am to 5pm Sat (these hours may vary depending on weather and events).

With the exception of clients who have horses on the property, these business hours also apply to messages/texts/calls. Unless urgent, I will only be answering during the above listed days/times.

With these new changes, I have plans to open my books for a handful of lessons each Saturday. These lessons are for intermediate to advanced students ONLY unless you haul in your own horse. I apologize for any inconvenience, but I simply do not have any beginner/child friendly horses in my program. Lesson scheduling will be announced soon in a separate post so stay tuned!

Thank you everyone for your understanding!

07/23/2025

I took a break to work on some of my own projects, but now I am opening up 1️⃣ training stall and 1️⃣ baby board stall at my facility in New Freedom, PA.

Training stall available for:
💜 Tune ups
🩵 Track restarts
💜 Fine tuning
🩵 Exercise/Fitness
💜 Consignment

Baby board is meant for weanlings to two year olds who aren't quite ready to start under saddle, but need to learn the age appropriate basics such as manners, general handling, and ground work.

I am willing to consider the right permanent boarder for modified training board or a boarder who can take on a couple evening feed shifts. Please pm the page or Alyssa Dietrich for more information.

Face Up Training & Colt Starting

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