TK Barrelhorses

✨ TK Barrelhorses is looking for the RIGHT road partner ✨

I’m at the point in my program where I’m looking for someone who wants to travel, haul horses, run barrels, and help manage horses on the road at a high level.

This is NOT just a barn help position.
I need someone who already has barrel racing experience and understands what goes into preparing, managing, and competing on performance horses.

The ideal person:
• Has barrel racing experience and has actually competed on barrel horses
• Is comfortable driving a truck and pulling a horse trailer
• Understands warm ups, preparation, ground manners, and competition environments
• Can help manage horses at races and rodeos
• Can saddle, hold, pony, warm up, cool down, organize tack, fill water buckets, and keep things running smoothly at the trailer
• Wants to continue learning and growing in horsemanship and riding
• Understands that success comes from preparation, consistency, and attention to detail
• Has integrity, initiative, and can think ahead without constant supervision

This opportunity may include:
✔ Traveling to barrel races and rodeos
✔ Riding opportunities
✔ Learning advanced horsemanship and movement education
✔ Exposure to the Breaking the Mold foundation system
✔ Working around high-level performance horses
✔ Therapy/recovery protocols
✔ Possible leasing/riding opportunities for the right fit
✔ Potential RV hookup/housing options depending on situation

💰 Pay will depend on experience, skill set, reliability, hauling ability, and overall value brought to the program. Compensation may include a combination of hourly pay, travel opportunities, riding opportunities, horse-related perks, and possible housing/RV hookup depending on the situation.

This is a team-oriented environment with high standards.
I am NOT looking for drama, excuses, laziness, or someone who wants to just “hang around horses.”

I am looking for someone who wants to become valuable and be part of something bigger.

Located in Bend, Oregon.

Please send your résumé and a short description about yourself, your riding background, hauling experience, and goals to:

📧 [email protected]

— Tanya Ledbetter
TK Barrelhorses

Consistency is one of the most important pieces of becoming a successful rider, and it’s something I’m seeing missed more often than not.

When a rider comes for a lesson and then doesn’t come back for several weeks, it becomes very difficult to build the kind of progress that’s required for this sport. Barrel racing is not just about running the pattern—it’s about developing feel, timing, and balance, and those are skills that take consistent, guided repetition.

Without that consistency, riders often go home and practice on their own, unintentionally reinforcing the wrong things. I’m seeing horses being ridden out of balance, going to barrels on the incorrect lead, or leaning into turns—all of which are signs that the rider hasn’t yet developed the awareness needed to self-correct.

For example, when a horse is leaning to the inside and is then asked for a lead, it will almost always pick up the wrong lead. These are subtle things, but they make a huge difference in the outcome of a run and are a big reason why riders struggle on the pattern.

Until a rider can truly recognize and correct these details on their own, it’s critical that they stay in consistent, weekly lessons while also practicing correctly between sessions. This is how we build a solid foundation—and ultimately, that’s what leads to confidence, consistency, and success in the arena.

I also want to say how much I appreciate the riders and families who are committed to showing up every week, putting in the work, and staying consistent. That dedication is what builds true rider awareness and long-term success, and it does not go unnoticed.

🐎 The $3,000 Horse Myth

“I bought a $3,000 horse and that horse made me a great rider and it became my heart horse. I will never have another one like them.”

I hear this all the time.
And while I do respect the journey…

And I know there are exceptions to every rule but the math tells a different story.

Let’s break it down...

🐴 Purchase price: $3,000

🧑‍🏫 Training:
$1,000/month × 10 months = $10,000
(If you did the training yourself, It's still costing you your time. Time = money. And I guarantee you wouldn't sell your horse for the same $3,000 once you got it trained up well.)

🏠 Board & feed:
$500/month × 10 months = $5,000

🩺 Vet, farrier, hauling, tack, misc:
$3,000–$6,000

💰 True investment:
$24,000–$27,000

And when you see a “cheap” young horse…
Just know someone already ate a massive financial loss.

So no…

That horse didn’t cost you $3,000.

That horse cost you:
• money
• time
• patience
• emotional control
• problem-solving
• consistency
• growth
• Lost time
• Stress
• Missed riding opportunities

And yes — it probably did make you better...
But not because it was cheap.

It made you better because it forced you to do it yourself.

There’s absolutely nothing wrong with starting with a $3,000 horse. I started with an $850. horse, and I am glad I did! That "cheap" wild little horse started my whole horsemanship journey.

I just want to help spread awareness and help people out before they get hurt or bankrupted!

We just need to "Stop" pretending it was a $3,000 journey... That honesty helps the next buyer make a smarter choice.

Because we don’t know what we don’t know.

Let's close the knowledge gap...

No judgment...
No negativity...

Just one conversation at a time.

🌿 Equine Connection & Emotional Reset Sessions

“Healing doesn’t always happen at a lope.
Sometimes the walk is where the truth lives.”

Not every horse experience is about learning to ride better or faster.

Some are about learning to slow down, notice your emotions, and reconnect—with yourself and with a horse that responds honestly to who you are in the moment.

I’m offering a small-group equine connection experience designed for people seeking mental and emotional grounding through horses, not performance riding.

These sessions are intentionally slow-paced and reflective, guided by older, wise horses (ages 18–22) who have spent their lives around humans and deeply value calm interaction, gentle hands, and presence.

What this experience includes:

• Small group setting (maximum 4 people)
• 2-hour guided session
• Time to brush, scratch, braid, and quietly connect with the horses
• Mounted work at the walk and trot only, focused on breath, balance, and feel
• Learning how horses mirror human emotions and nervous energy
• Simple stall care and horse routines that create grounding and awareness
• A calm environment designed to help you slow down and reset

This is not a traditional riding lesson.
This is equine-assisted emotional awareness through movement, care, and connection.

Horses don’t lie. They feel stress, impatience, calm, and clarity—and respond immediately. They will gently tell on you when emotions are out of balance, and soften when you find presence.

Many people don’t realize what horses can offer emotionally—until they experience it.

Investment:

• First-time session: $150 per person
• Ongoing weekly sessions: $100 per person

(Weekly rate is available after the initial experience.)

No previous horse experience required.

📍 Central Oregon
📩 Message me to learn more or reserve a group

🐴 Work-for-Board Opportunity – Big Barn Stall (TK Barrelhorses)

TK Barrelhorses is currently seeking a reliable, motivated individual for a work-for-board exchange in our big barn.

We are proud to be recognized as a 2025 Best of BusinessRate – Horse Boarding Stable in Bend, Oregon, based on Google reviews. We operate a clean, professional program with clear expectations.

The Opportunity:
Exchange approximately 2.5 hours per day of consistent barn work for one stall with full care.

Schedule:
🗓 Monday / Wednesday / Friday

Duties include:
• Full stall cleaning
• Bedding management
• Aisle cleaning
• Maintaining a clean, orderly barn

What’s included:
• Stall with full care
• Structured, professional facility
• Trial period to ensure the right fit

Important:
This is not free board — it is earned through completed work.
Missed or subpar work results in the daily value being due in cash within 24 hours.
Reliability and attention to detail are required.

📩 Please message me directly with:
• Your experience
• Your availability
• Why this opportunity would be a good fit

Serious inquiries only.

TK Barrelhorses has been awarded Best Horse Boarding Stable 2025 by BusinessRate based on Google reviews.
Proud to represent Bend, Oregon with integrity, horsemanship, and high standards.

🚨 Biosecurity Reminder for ALL Barns 🚨
With recent EHV cases popping up around the U.S., it’s more important than ever to protect our barns, our horses, and everyone’s peace of mind.

Most people think about horses coming and going…
but we forget about the people who travel barn to barn every single day:

🧲 Farriers
🩻 Chiropractors
🦷 Dentists
💆‍♀️ Bodyworkers / Therapists
🪮 Trainers
🚚 Haulers
…and anyone else who steps onto multiple properties.

These amazing professionals keep our horses going — and we rely on them. But we also need to make sure they’re practicing biosecurity between barns, just like we are.

👉 Ask questions.
👉 Have conversations.
👉 Know what protocols are in place.
It’s not about accusing anyone — it’s about protecting every horse they touch.

If you run a barn, board horses, or haul in for lessons, take a moment to review your own biosecurity and kindly ask your service providers what they’re doing to keep themselves clean and prevent cross-contamination.

Education + Awareness = Safe horses & healthy barns.
Let’s all do our part. 💛🐴

Huge shoutout today to and one of my homegrown BTM horses, Alice. 🌟

About three weeks ago, I sent Alice over to Brooke so she could get more runs under her belt. They seem to have far more jackpot opportunities on the west side than we do here, and I knew it would be the perfect chance for Alice to stretch her legs, get exposure, and show the world what she’s capable of under the Breaking the Mold program.

And wow… these two have absolutely been on fire. 🔥
Brooke has done an incredible job riding behind the program, staying consistent, asking all the right questions, and giving this mare the confidence she needs in her runs. Alice has now made 3–4 runs with her, and every single one just keeps getting better. The mare is clocking, thinking, and moving like the athlete I always knew she was.

This is what happens when the right rider respects the education a horse has — partnership shows up, the timing matches, and the horse gets to shine.

Thank you, Brooke, for putting such beautiful rides on her, for getting her out there, and for helping Alice get seen. It means a lot to have someone willing to continue her education and help her find the right family for her next chapter. ❤️

Enjoy these runs — this little mare is something special. ✨ Mid 3x, # # #

Last night I watched something pretty special happen in the arena.

Montana came to me seven months ago with confidence, talent, and a belief that her 19 years of riding experience had prepared her for training horses. But as many of us discover the moment we step into true horsemanship, there’s a big difference between riding horses… and educating them. And there’s an even bigger difference between confidence and competence.

In her first six months here, she hit the ceiling in every direction — not because she lacked talent, but because she was finally pushed into the places she’d never been taught. For the first time, she had to slow down, humble herself, and accept that she didn’t know what she didn’t know. That is one of the hardest steps any young horseman will ever face.

I’ve sent her to two Paul Humphrey clinics, and she’s been doing the deep work — the uncomfortable learning, the self-evaluation, the “strip it down to rebuild it correctly” phase that all great riders must go through. Coaches don’t tear you down to break you… we tear away the wrong layers so the right skills can be built in their place. It’s never about removing confidence — it’s about replacing the false confidence with something real, solid, and earned.

And last night, that work showed up.

Montana was one second off the winning time — not because she got lucky, but because she is finally applying the education she’s been fighting for. She’s learning to become a true student of the horse, letting go of ego, and embracing what real horsemanship demands: humility, patience, timing, communication, and a willingness to hear what the horse is trying to say.

I see incredible talent in this young lady.
I see grit.
I see heart.
And most importantly… I see growth.

The path to becoming a great horseman isn’t straight. It’s uncomfortable, it’s humbling, and it requires you to let go of everything you thought you knew so you can replace it with what actually works.

Last night was living proof that when hard work shows up where talent alone isn’t enough, magic happens.

Proud of you, Montana. Keep choosing to be the student — that’s where greatness starts.