I don't think that anyone can deny that the past couple of years have been tough, collectively. 2020 really turned our whole world upside down. Along with that, there are always struggles in life no matter what else is going on in the world. Loss, heartbreak, failure, stress. These are things most of us have …
Owning A Horse With A History of Abuse
Today I wanted to share a little bit about my horse, Flynn, and my experiences with owning a previously abused horse. I have found that it is different to own a horse with baggage, and sometimes a different approach is needed - along with a lot of patience! I got Flynn last May. He is …
Inauthenticity Sells
You know what’s funny? How people are always complaining about how social media is a highlight reel, and all fake. But look at popular accounts.They tend to have perfectly edited photos, a perfectly curated aesthetic, and perfectly written captions! Inauthenticity sells! We complain about it, but just keep on giving it traction! Okay, maybe many of …
Relationships and Goals
My journey with Flynn so far has been very different from the other horses I have had. Typically, when I would get a new horse I had a specific goal in mind - showing, re-selling, etc. My approach toward riding and training was about a achieving that goal, and bonding along the way. When I …
Don’t Sell Your Horse Short
I was a little intimidated getting back into the hunter jumper world. My horse isn’t fancy. He’s an off the track thoroughbred. He's not a warmblood. He is not a made hunter, but still learning. You know what though, he gets so many compliments at the barn and he has been making so much progress …
Another Food and Fitness Post
I felt that blogging about food would be appropriate this week. I am pre-writing this post, as I will be in Disney World when it posts enjoying eating and drinking around the world at the Epcot Food and Wine Festival! I used to post quite a bit about food and fitness. While I still am …
Your Horse Isn’t Your Therapist
"...it is not Flynn's job to deal with my problems and help me to feel better. And I think that it is very easy to sort of put that on our horses."
Horses and Fireflies
Sometimes I get sad the day before I go to work. Days like today. Working now is a day that I do not get to see the horses, since moving back to the big city (okay, it's a suburb but same difference). A work day is a day that I don't get to breathe the …
Summer Riding Tips from a Texas Equestrian
It seems this year that the rest of the country has gotten a taste of Texas heat, with record highs in many states. While earlier this year, in Texas, we had records lows and actual snow on the ground! But back to the point! I have been riding for nearly twenty years in Texas, and …
Back to Basics
As I mentioned in last week's blog A Big Move , I have been taking lessons with Flynn. This is probably the first time I have taken lessons in four years, and they sure have been humbling! After taking a couple of years off of riding, and coming back on my own, I have picked …
Laurel Ashton Equestrian 