"My Papa was a cutting horse trainer and while I wasn't of his blood, he took me in nonetheless. I practically grew up under his boots in his barn. He would always tell me that there's a big difference between sitting on a horse and connecting a horse, even though they might look the same at first. It all boils down to horsemanship and sportsmanship. He had many sayings like that."

- Joelene Robinson, June 10th 2026

We aren't people built on competition. Competing can be fun, but if winning blue ribbons and shiny belt buckles next week is your goal, we aren't the people for you. We focus on the fundamentals and advanced levels of utilitary western riding. What is that and what do we consider horsemanship, you might wonder? Utilitary Western Riding is everything you would likely find yourself using on the trail- forward, back, turning both ways, sitting properly and being soft in your hands. It's also sidepassing to open a gate, jumping over the occasional downed tree, climbing up and down steep creek beds. Out of the saddle, it's the propper care of your horse and knowing how to treat their ailments. It's knowing first aid on the trail, both for yourself and your horse. It's understanding how to both tack up your mount and also maintain that equipment when you're done with it so that it will last you for years to come.

The most crucial foundation of riding is firstly, the rider's level of confidence. That confidence is fueled by their competence- their knowledge that they can fall back on and draw their understanding from. Secondly, it is a rider's posture, balance, and a little something we call "feel." Feel is almost like a sixth sense that every rider develops the more they ride. It's the hunch you feel in your gut that maybe the girth needs to be checked or maybe you should loosen your reins a bit to allow your horse to reach down a little more. It's the instinct telling you that if you change how you're sitting on them just a little bit at the walk, they'll stop right in their tracks without you having to move your hands. It's a measure of pressure, something anyone can learn at any age. Feel, much like posture and balance, is something that takes time and practice to develop. Once it is there, however, it's like how the analogy of riding a bike goes- your muscles and body do not forget. The horses you ride with this knowledge won't forget, either, and they'll ride differently for you than they do anyone else. Feel, along with all the other factors of horsemanship, can entirely change a rider's life and perspective. 

"If a person can learn to care for an animal, their life will be so much more rich and open. There is something about the quiet accountability they hold us to that fortifies our sense of responsibility and duty. You can't get that anywhere else."

- Erika Fenny, 1974