“The acquisition and application of knowledge, combined with the use of good business savvy can create the foundation upon which a career in the Equine Industry and Horsemanship specifically, can be built – Michael Canfield   Recently a friend/previous co-worker (the place we worked at together for over three years was sold), expressed a life goal to develop a real, career in the equine industry, that went beyond basic barn work and daily operational e...

As the saying goes “Frustration begins where Knowledge ends” Getting frustrated happens often as we work with horses. They can hit every emotional “hot button” we have. They can make us feel brilliant and then turn right around and make us feel inept…all in the same session!    The control of emotions/frustration is very challenging for us humans because we invest so much of ourselves into our horses and our horsemanship. When our horse "...

The “Short Session” is a tool that the Pine Ridge Dude Ranch (www.pineridgeduderanch) uses when we are faced with the challenges of time, weather and scheduled events. For most equine enthusiasts, horses are the outlet and the recharge for the soul. When the horseperson wants to spend time with their horse but their schedule will not allow the “normal” amount of time at the barn (we all know “normal time” and “barn time” are NOT the same). When the...