Trojanriding

Pushy forty Something

I have a really boring c**t starting program...thank goodness. It always has been pretty dull, but these days it looks a bit different than it used to as well. You see, I get these young horses where I can saddle them up and step up safely, ask them for a little of this and a little of that, and then this handy young man who has a true interest in riding and training youngsters, comes in and makes the first rides.

On average I spend about three to five days flagging, hobbling, saddling, line driving and stepping up and on. Calming a c**ts worries about this new adventure he didn't ask to be on. Lots of times I'm in the saddle on the first day, but I'm not asking them for their lives. I'm just there and I'm really polite. Letting them get used to me above them. By the fifth day they are here, at this point...your average c**t is anyway.

There is no yeehaw around here.

I told this young man if things got exciting, I hadn't done my groundwork properly.

The videos below are of both these three year olds first rides. Pretty low-key, just the way I like it. It is easy to build a confident horse off experiences like this. It's tough to build one off a foundation of fear.

There is obviously no fear or confusion here. Both geldings had already made the next step in their minds so to speak, before this kid climbed in the saddle. In other words, they were more than ready to level up. That's what I like to see.

No, it's not a one-day-to-a-broke-horse program, nothing magical or mystical about it. It's just common sense horse training. And common sense told me last year after I had more than a few wrecks that I needed to get some help in here that could bounce better than I could, if I was going to keep doing what I have always done.

Thank goodness for youth and a love of horses.

Have a good day folks. 😊
Yep thats how I do it too except Im still the crash test ddummy

Situational Awareness
I’m going to say this the same way I used to say it to new deputies riding with me: situational awareness isn’t a “nice extra.” It’s not a personality trait. It’s not a vibe. It’s a skill, and it’s a survival skill. Back then, it could mean the difference between me going home or somebody else having to make a phone call they never wanted to make. And even though I’ve been out of law enforcement for a few years now, that skill didn’t just switch off like a light. I still walk into a restaurant, and I’m automatically reading the room. I notice what doesn’t fit. I notice the person who’s watching too hard. I notice the table that’s too close to the door and the guy who keeps checking it. I notice the energy. My wife can see it on me before I ever say a word. She’ll look at my face, and she already knows, “Something is making you uncomfortable.” Most of the time, I’m not being dramatic. I’m just processing information that other people don’t even register.

And here’s what a lot of horse people don’t realize: the same kind of awareness that keeps you safe around people can keep your horse alive.

That’s not an exaggeration.

When I went from field training officer to full-time horse trainer, I didn’t leave that part of me behind. It came with me. It shaped how I work. It shaped how I see. It shaped what I catch early—before it becomes a wreck. Because in horses, the difference between “no big deal” and “emergency” is often nothing more than time, minutes, or hours. One feeding. One missed clue that was sitting right in front of you.

Most problems in horses don’t start as explosions. They start as whispers.

A horse doesn’t usually go from “fine” to “crashing colic” in a single frame like a movie. A horse doesn’t usually go from “sound” to “three-legged lame” without a bunch of little changes leading up to it—changes that are easy to miss if you’re walking through the barn on autopilot. And that’s the part I want to fix in owners, because I want your horse to stay alive and stay healthy. Because I want you to catch the whisper and not have to deal with the scream.

In law enforcement, situational awareness meant I was always scanning: people, exits, hands, body language, what’s normal, what’s not, what changed since the last time I was here. In the horse world, it’s the same process. Different environment, different threats. But the mindset is identical.

The barn is a “scene.” The pasture is a “scene.” The feed room is a “scene.” Your horse is a “scene.” And if you want to be a good horseman—if you want to be the kind of owner who prevents problems instead of reacting to disasters—you need to learn how to read the scene.

I’m going to make this practical.

Situational awareness in the barn means you notice what’s “off” before it becomes obvious

Routine is one of the biggest early-warning systems you have. If your horse normally nickers at feed time, and today he doesn’t? That matters. If she usually meets you at the gate, and today she doesn’t? That matters. If a horse usually finishes feed, and today there’s a half-inch left? That matters. If the manure count is different, if the stall looks different, if the bedding is disturbed in a weird pattern, if the horse’s coat looks duller, if the eyes don’t look right—those are all pieces of a puzzle.e..
That’s not “just a bucket.” That’s a data point. If it’s too full, your horse might not be drinking. If it’s too empty, your horse might be drinking more than normal, or the bucket might be leaking, or the horse might be playing in it, or another horse might be stealing it, or the weather might be changing consumption. Any one of those could matter. Noticing it early gives you options. Ignoring it until tomorrow gives you problems.

A horse hanging out in an odd place.
Horses are routine animals. They have habits. They have preferred spots. They have social patterns. When a horse is standing away from the herd, or standing with their head in the corner, or not coming up to the gate like they always do, or they’re parked in the shade when it’s cold, or standing in the sun when it’s hot—those little choices can be clues. Pain changes behavior. Discomfort changes behavior. Early sickness changes behavior. Herd dynamics change behavior. If you’re paying attention, you catch the change while it’s still small.

A horse out of routine.
This is what I mean when I tell my help to go look at something because something seems off. Sometimes they go look, and they don’t see it. That’s not because they’re dumb. It’s because situational awareness is trained. It’s built over years. You don’t get it by “being around horses.” You get it by practicing noticing and then checking your noticing against reality.bedding is disturbed in a weird pattern, if the horse’s coat looks duller, if the eyes don’t look right—those are all pieces of a puzzle.

A feed scoop not where it goes.
That sounds silly until you’ve lived long enough to know that “silly” is how accidents happen. Maybe someone changed something. Maybe a new helper did chores differently. Maybe the wrong grain got used. Maybe a supplement was missed. Maybe a horse got double-fed. Maybe a lid got left off. Maybe a rodent got into the feed. Situational awareness isn’t paranoia. It’s noticing small changes that have big consequences.

This is what I mean when I tell my help to go look at something because something seems off. Sometimes they go look and they don’t see it. That’s not because they’re dumb. It’s because situational awareness is trained. It’s built over years. You don’t get it by “being around horses.” You get it by practicing noticing and then checking your noticing against reality.

In my law enforcement days, new officers missed things all the time. Not because they didn’t care—because their brain wasn’t trained to sort the important from the background noise. The barn is the same way. Most owners see the big obvious stuff. They miss the quiet details.

Every time you walk into the barn, do the same mental scan in the same order. Water. Feed. Manure. Posture. Eyes. Legs. Environment. Routine. It takes two minutes once it becomes a habit.ally see their horse. They see a shape in a stall, not a living system giving them feedback.dback.k.om the herd. If you catch that early, you can intervene early. You can call the vet sooner. You can walk, monitor, check vitals, adjust feed, check water, check manure. If you don’t notice until the horse is down and thrashing, you’ve lost time you can’t buy back.

In law enforcement, I taught rookies to watch hands. To watch posture. To watch where someone’s eyes go. To watch how people position themselves relative to exits and others. In horses, I’m watching a different set of indicators—but the concept is identical.

Here are some of the “tells” that experienced horse people see without even thinking:

Posture changes: a horse standing camped out, a horse resting a leg differently, a horse shifting weight, a horse with a tight back, a horse standing stretched out like they’re trying to ease belly pressure.

Expression changes: dull eyes, worried eyes, tight muzzle, pinned ears that don’t match the situation, a different look than yesterday.

Movement changes: shorter stride, toe dragging, reluctance to turn, reluctance to back, stiffness that doesn’t warm out the way it normally does.

Behavior changes: not finishing feed, not coming to the gate, more reactive than normal, unusually quiet, unusually “clingy,” unusually aggressive.

Environment changes: broken fence board, a gate chain unhooked, a water heater unplugged, a new object near the gate that wasn’t there yesterday, a patch of ice, a slick spot, a mud hole that grew overnight.

None of those things alone automatically means “emergency.” That’s important. Situational awareness doesn’t mean you panic every time something is different. It means you notice it, log it mentally, and follow up with a calm, systematic check.

That’s what good cops do. That’s what good horsemen do.

Situational awareness is how you stop small problems from becoming expensive problems

Let me give you a few real-world examples of how this plays out, because owners need to understand the stakes.

Example 1: Early colic signs
A horse that’s starting to feel gut discomfort might not be violently rolling yet. Early on, they might just stand a little different. They might not finish grain. They might drink less. They might look at their side. They might not want to move. They might be away from the herd. If you catch that early, you can intervene early. You can call the vet sooner. You can walk, monitor, check vitals, adjust feed, check water, check manure. If you don’t notice until the horse is down and thrashing, you’ve lost time you can’t buy back.

Example 2: Injury before it becomes a blown-up leg
A horse might have a small cut or a tiny puncture that doesn’t look like much at first. But if that leg starts to swell and heat builds, it turns into a much bigger deal. If you notice the horse standing oddly or not moving normally, you can find it early—clean it, monitor it, treat it, and avoid complications. If you miss it for a day because you weren’t paying attention, now it’s a swollen mess and you’re behind.

Example 3: Dehydration and water issues
A horse not drinking enough can look “fine” until they aren’t. That’s why the water bucket matters. That’s why the trough matters. That’s why noticing “too full” matters. It’s not you being picky. It’s you catching the kind of thing that causes impaction colic and performance issues and general misery.

Example 4: Feed mistakes and routine mistakes
People roll their eyes about feed room organization until the day a horse gets the wrong grain or a double dose of something that didn’t need doubled. Organization is not aesthetics. It’s safety. Just like on patrol, the little routines keep you from making big mistakes when you’re tired, rushed, or distracted.

The difference between “aware” and “unaware” is usually the difference between proactive and reactive

A lot of owners live reactive. They don’t mean to. They just do. They show up, do chores, throw hay, scroll their phone, leave. They see their horse every day but they don’t actually see their horse. They see a shape in a stall, not a living system giving them feedback.

Situational awareness turns you into a proactive owner. It’s the habit of constantly, quietly asking:

What’s normal for this horse?

What’s different today?

What changed in the environment?

What changed in routine?

What’s the simplest explanation?

What’s the worst-case explanation?

What can I check right now that gives me useful information?

And here’s the part I really want to underline: you don’t need to be dramatic. You don’t need to be anxious. You just need to be disciplined.

How I recommend owners build this skill on purpose

If I was training you like a rookie officer, I wouldn’t just tell you “be aware.” I’d give you a system. So here’s a barn version of that.

1) Build a baseline—know what “normal” looks like
You can’t notice “off” if you don’t know “normal.” Learn your horse’s normal water intake, normal manure output, normal feed behavior, normal herd position, normal attitude, normal movement out of the stall. Most owners don’t know these things until something goes wrong. Flip that.

2) Use a consistent scan every time
Every time you walk into the barn, do the same mental scan in the same order. Water. Feed. Manure. Posture. Eyes. Legs. Environment. Routine. It takes two minutes once it becomes habit.

3) When something feels off, don’t argue with yourself—verify
This is where people fail. They feel something and then talk themselves out of it because they don’t want to be “that person.” I’d rather you be “that person” than be the person who missed the early signs. If something seems off, check vitals. Watch the horse move. Check the bucket. Put hands on legs. Look at gums. Count breaths. You don’t have to jump to conclusions, but you do need to confirm reality.

4) Teach everyone around you to see the same way
Your help, your kids, your spouse—whoever does chores—needs the same standard. If you’re the only one with awareness, you become the bottleneck. This is exactly why I used to “send them to look” and then go show them what they missed. That’s training. That’s building their eyes. Don’t just correct them—teach them what to look for next time.

5) Keep a simple log when you need to
If a horse is borderline or you’re monitoring a potential issue, write down water, manure, temp, appetite, attitude. You’d be amazed how fast patterns show up when you stop relying on memory.

I learned situational awareness for my survival. I use it now for my horse’s survival.

That’s the core of this whole idea. In law enforcement, my brain learned to pay attention because the price of missing something could be catastrophic. In horse ownership, the price is different—but it’s still real. Horses don’t get to tell you what hurts with words. They tell you with behavior. They tell you with routine changes. They tell you with the quiet little stuff that most people ignore.

If you want to be the kind of horse owner who keeps your horse safer, healthier, and more comfortable, I’m telling you the truth: develop your situational awareness like your horse’s life depends on it—because sometimes it does.

I’m not asking you to be paranoid. I’m asking you to be present. I’m asking you to stop walking through the barn like a tourist and start walking through it like someone responsible for a living animal that can’t speak for itself.

Notice the bucket. Notice the feed. Notice where your horse stands. Notice what changed. Take a mental note. Follow up calmly. Catch the whisper.

That’s how you prevent the scream.

Stallions as Fathers: Why Our Foals Grow Up Different

At Noble Shadow Baroque Horse Stud, we believe horses thrive best when they are allowed to live as horses. That belief shapes everything we do — especially how our stallions, mares, and foals live together as a family herd.

Our stallions Valiant and Lucio Do Rei are not kept isolated or treated as something to manage from a distance. Instead, they live with their mares and foals in a calm, natural herd environment. The result is confident, emotionally secure young horses who grow up with strong social foundations.

Valiant — Quiet Strength and Calm Leadership

Valiant is a powerful and imposing stallion, yet his true strength lies in his temperament. Within the herd, he is observant, steady, and deeply aware of every horse around him.

“Watching Valiant with his foals completely changed how I view stallions,”
“He isn’t dominant or aggressive. He’s calm, thoughtful, and quietly protective. He teaches without force.”

Valiant moves among his mares and youngsters with ease. He intervenes only when necessary, setting boundaries through presence rather than pressure. Foals raised alongside him learn respect, confidence, and emotional regulation simply by being part of his world.

His mares remain settled and secure, and the foals grow up understanding herd manners from day one — something that cannot be replicated through artificial or isolated rearing.

Lucio Do Rei — The Gentle Guardian

Lucio Do Rei brings classic Iberian elegance and an equally remarkable temperament to the herd. He is a stallion who watches, listens, and leads quietly.

“Lucio checks on his foals, stands watch while they play, and settles the herd just by being there.”
“He’s incredibly gentle — especially with the babies.”

Lucio’s presence creates a peaceful dynamic in the paddock. His foals grow up curious and confident, unafraid to explore but always grounded in the safety of the herd. Mares relax, foals play freely, and the entire group functions as a cohesive family unit.

Why Living as a Herd Matters

In natural horse societies, stallions play an important role beyond breeding. They provide structure, protection, and emotional stability. By honouring this natural dynamic, foals develop essential life skills early:
• Healthy social boundaries
• Confidence without fear
• Emotional resilience
• Respectful interaction with other horses and humans

“Foals raised this way are different,”
“They’re calmer, more thoughtful, and more secure in themselves. You see it later in training — they cope better, learn faster, and trust more easily.”

This approach also supports the mares. Secure mares raise better-adjusted foals, and the presence of a trusted stallion reduces stress within the herd.

A Philosophy, Not a Trend

At Noble Shadow Baroque Horse Stud, allowing stallions to live with their mares and foals isn’t a novelty — it’s a conscious, ethical choice rooted in respect for the horse as a social, emotional being.

We believe strong horses are not created through control, isolation, or force, but through connection, structure, and trust.

Strong stallions. Secure mares. Confident foals.
This is the Noble Shadow way.
🌟wriiten by Lisa Leitch
Photo credits- Rachael Walker, Lisa Leitch.

✨ Progeny by Valiant and Lucio Do Rei are available to approved homes. ✨
For enquiries, please contact Lisa Leitch, Noble Shadow Baroque Horse Stud directly.

Just a reminer of how beautiful it is.

Teaching is a hard game. Mostly the uninitiated get drawn to “the winners” and Ive found that being a podium rider has not always been great for my horsemanship. To the extent that I let competition slide to focus on development of my youngsters. I know that thats open for interpretation but it is a element of the horse world that is a contradiction, that kind of drive is my opinion not conducive to the deeper humility that great equitation demands. Yes yes I know its possible but personally I had to choose.

Meet the team

“UNCOMPLICATED SALE” apparently needs a definition, so here we go. 😅

An uncomplicated sale is not a personality trait, it’s not a trauma dump, and it is not a group project between you, your aunt, your farrier, three Facebook friends and the moon phase. It’s very boring. You see the ad. You decide you want the horse. You send the money. You show up when you said you would. You load the horse that you bought. You leave. That’s it. No sequel. No prequel. No director’s cut. 🎥

Uncomplicated does not mean, “I’ll take him, can you hold him till my tax return hits, my side hustle takes off, and my baby daddy finally pays child support?” This is a horse, not a savings bond. It does not mean, “I get paid Friday, then two Fridays from now, then my grandma might help if she wins at bingo.” I’m not doing layaway. I’m not your Klarna or Affrim. There is no Afterpay at the end of my driveway. 💸

Uncomplicated is not, “I wanna come try him six times, ride him in every saddle I’ve ever owned, bring my lesson kid, my cousin, my neighbor’s vet, and my friend who had a horse once in 2004 so we can all circle up and process our feelings.” This is pickup, not a panel discussion. If you need to hold hands and journal afterward, that is between you and your Notes app. 📝

Uncomplicated is not, “I’ll lock him in at this price and pay in 2027 when my tax return hits, my credit score heals, and my multi-level marketing empire takes off.” I’m thrilled for your future, but present-day you does not own this horse. It is also not, “Can you keep him for three months for free while I manifest a trailer, a barn, and the courage to tell my husband?” I sell horses, I do not run Witness Protection for secret geldings. 🤫

When I say I like “uncomplicated buyers,” I mean the people who read the ad before asking if he’s a mare, who don’t need thirty-seven videos from every angle like they’re casting him for Netflix. They are not demanding slo-mo, night mode, helmet cam, drone footage, and a GoPro up his nostril so they can decide if they “vibe.” They are not vanishing for three days to consult a committee, a tarot spread, and three group chats named “Horse Opinions Only.” They say “I’ll take him,” they pay, they show up, they load, they leave. No drama, no manifesto, no follow-up Christmas card with “we just weren’t a match” written like a divorce announcement.✅

Now imagine, for one second, that you were me. After years in this industry, I have watched thousands of showings. I have seen every rendition of “try the horse” from interpretive groundwork to full exorcism. You bet I would pay not to have to relive some of that. I would happily shave a couple $$ to avoid watching someone do the Hokey Pokey around my horse for an hour, put the left foot in, back the horse out, spin him twelve times, flex his face, lunge him into the ground, and then announce they “just don’t feel a connection.” Be serious. I would rather take less and hand him to the buyer who wires the money, backs up a trailer one time, loads him, waves, and disappears like a clean bank transaction. No audition, no test-ride Olympics, no “let’s see if he neck reins, sidepasses, drag a log, pack a kid, and also heal my inner child.”

Uncomplicated buyers don’t nickel and dime, don’t need a trial (EDIT: THIS TERM “TRIAL” MEANS LITERALLY PEOPLE ASK TO TAKE THE HORSE HOME AND “TRY” HIM FOR A WEEK, I’m not making this up 😂 ) and don’t turn my driveway into Dancing With The Stars: Horse Edition. You show up, you like him, you pay, you leave. That buyer is getting my best price every single time, because I am absolutely charging full retail to supervise a three-hour ground work clinic on my gravel. 🐴

And before anyone climbs on a soapbox about “but what if he doesn’t work out,” you clearly haven’t read our policies. We literally offer trades and reconsignments. You are not buying a mystery box from a parking lot. Buying off us is about as dummy-proof as it gets. You can PPE him to the moon, scope every inch, flex him sixteen ways, and I’ll still hear from you down the road if he’s not your forever horse, so what’s the difference. Policies exist for a reason. The safety nets are already built. Call us crazy, but we already thought of you. 😉

Signing off as upper management at Cash In Hand & Trailer Backed Up LLC, proudly offering trauma-discount pricing for buyers who do not make me relive the Hokey Pokey. ✏️

Most riders wait for BIG results… but horses usually start with tiny tries first. 👀
If you can notice those small changes —every thing changes