Horse Training & Desensitization

Our farm manager and equine trainer, Presley does an EXCELLENT job with our horses! Each time there is something strange or “spooky” going on at the farm, we pause and say ‘let’s make that scarier/louder/crazier/jumpier’ until it’s no longer “spooky” to the horse. For example, if the golf cart goes by and a horse looks and snorts at it, we will bring the golf cart into the arena and drive it around next to the horse. We’ll jump on it, back it up, let the horse sniff all over it- until it is no longer scary but maybe even… likable. This is repeated for many things- mowing equipment, rattling toys, strange noises, grocery bags, screaming kiddos etc. Our horses come to us at many different levels of training and experiences. Each horse follows the same training progression. Some breeze through it in two months and some may take closer to a year.

Pictured here is Presley with one of our “greener” horses, Elsa. Elsa was adopted from Kentucky Equine Adoption Center. She has had minimal rides but is progressing really well with ground work and desensitization. One thing Elsa struggled with was a deep fear of being shod (having shoes put on). Presley has been working with her by propping her feet up one by one on the block and hammering on a shoe on and next to her foot to help her become more comfortable with the body position, noise and sensations associated with farrier work! Learn more about our horses HERE!