Kylee Short Horsemanship

09/30/2023

No lessons today 9/30/23. Apologies for the short notice, THANK YOU for being flexible!

09/28/2023

Huge big giant photo dump of some goings-ons. Lessons, lessons, lessons, a couple first time sits, cute ponies in clothes, some western riders and some English riders and some siblings helping siblings, lots of determined, brave kids learning to communicate with animals who silently speak. ❤️

09/25/2023

These are such fun events that help keep horse owners working their animals year round as well as offering suggestions and guidance for activities. Plus you get a cool ribbon like how awesome is that?

What is the Autumn Gallop Challenge? This challenge is meant to help motivate you, stay focused, and stay accountable as you work towards your own equestrian goals and dreams! You will be able to...

08/15/2023

08/11/2023

Good luck tonight queens! Smile pretty, sit quiet, and enjoy the ride. Miss these days of glitz and glam!!

08/04/2023

Morning all! I’m working on a project to pay tribute to the horses who have made KSH a reality. When you have a quiet moment, please share any positive attributes, any good memories, or any thoughts in general you have to share about a lesson horse (or a few!) who have left an impression on you. Any and all feedback is welcome, appreciated, and oh so valued. No need to be a current client! If you know these horses from any phases of their life (looking at you TSU alums Kenevil and Julius), I’d love to hear it!

Take this survey powered by surveymonkey.com. Create your own surveys for free.

07/22/2023

Lesson 3 for KSIB spring auction block winner Kysa! Independently walking and trotting, steering, and problem solving on good old trot-loving Detail after some lunge lining. Kysa is a Cowgirl through and through.

07/13/2023

Fences can be mended. So thankful the horses are all okay despite many downed fences and even more downed trees.

06/27/2023

“In the horse, the frontal lobe is very small compared to humans. In horses, this area is used for voluntary movement, like when a horse chooses to walk next to us, and not abstract thinking.”

Further evidence that it’s not that horses won’t, it’s that they can’t! Ensure their safety, reassure that safety, and hold space with quiet confidence when their own confidence lacks until their nervous system is back in the “thinking brain.”

https://www.horseillustrated.com/your-horses-brain/amp #

Thanks to recent equine neuroscience research, we’re gaining understanding of the connection between your horse's brain function and effective training.

06/24/2023

Kaitlyn and her fam have been coming out for a while now and apparently I only remember to photograph her. 🤣 She’s been working on sitting D’s trot ( ) and has progressed to riding his heavenly lope! As you can see, good old Mr D gave her a beautiful counter canter. The two were so in sync that we inadvertently got to work on walk to lope transitions as well. 😂 When D understands the assignment, he says YES MA’AM!

06/24/2023

Y’all, this gal and this horse are just 😍🤯😏. Growing up with cousins in 4-H is fun, and what’s more fun is when your cousin ages out so you get to teach an old pony new tricks! Haha just kidding. Winston has had these abilities in him the whole time. We just get to unlock them together this summer! Look at this speed pony showing off a teensy tiny pleasure jog! I cannot even!

Jennifer Maxwell Tallmon

06/20/2023

A few of the goings-ons about the farm.

06/12/2023

Reminder to clean your sheaths! Once a year is generally enough. Need help? I gotchu. $25 per cleaning.

PS: mares need cleaned between the teats, too, and can even develop beans in their vulvas. 🤯

01/29/2023

Shout out Sunday #2 to Miss Berklee Boo. Usually we’d be riding together on a Sunday, but on this extra super duper cold one, we’ll reminisce on last week. Huge step in Berk’s riding career - she rode independently all the way around the arena for the very first time!!! She rode over the bridge and ground poles as well unassisted but with me as backup, and then her grand finale was allllll by herself! What a champ! She also trotted for the first time and was so pumped that she got off and punched her dad in the stomach. 🤣🤣 Sometimes ya just can’t contain that excitement, ya know?!

01/29/2023

Shout out Sunday aka have so many pics to photo dump! Evolett and Hickory are BACK BABY! This chick had a scary experience when good ol’ Hick rolled on a particularly fluffy spot of sand with her on. She got herself out of the stirrups and dad was there to step in, so she was physically okay but it was sure a huge blow to her confidence and sense of safety & security in the saddle. Well. At her last lesson this girl not only got back in the saddle, but she picked up right where she left off! It was surreal to watch! She walked, trotted, rode assisted and then on her own, and then trotted over ground poles, rode over the bridge and tarp, both directions… the list could seriously go on and on. So proud of this girl, but I don’t think it compares to how proud she is of herself. 💪 ❤️

01/16/2023

It's your responsibility to show your horse how to feel comfortable and relaxed in all situations.

So make sure that you teach your horse how to manage himself, so he feels relaxed and in control even when you're not around.

Because you won't always be there to give your horse reassurance.

12/30/2022

Have you ever seen a horse smile? Bet you have, whether you recognized it or not! Hickory here is exhibiting the smile: relaxed almost-but-not-quite parted lips, low head, calm eyes, soft ears. You can see he’s pretty zenned out! No tension in that mouth whatsoever.

Sweet Hickory has settled into play work with his owner Ev and it has done wonders for his attitude and mental health. He was getting pretty evasive for catching and would pin his ears, wrinkle his nose, overall be in an agitated state before work even started! His owner started thinking out of the box and hence, the Hickory Games began. She and Hick have a handshake, a special cue for picking up his feet, she has successfully gotten him to lay down multiple times (a skill he learned with his first owner and the smarty pants remembers all these years later!), and today he played “Sniff Kick” with the yoga ball. This journey with Hickory has really been a great reminder that all living beings need enrichment, novelty, and that mental health is vital for overall well being. ♥️

12/20/2022

Alright folks, it is officially TOO COLD for lessons this week! See you all after Christmas! HAPPY HOLIDAYS friends! Stay warm, de-ice your waterers, and make sure your equine friends have plenty of hay!

12/16/2022

NO lessons this weekend! It’s way too cold!

TBD on this upcoming week. 🥶

12/13/2022

12/01/2022

It is with a heavy heart that we announce that sweet Old Man ‘Nevil crossed the rainbow bridge today. We found him down and couldn’t get him up, so we humanely euthanized him in his field. He was happy, alert, and spunky right up until the end. After 28 years of service, his body simply gave out. He spent his years teaching countless students to ride, groom, pick feet, sheath clean… the list goes on and on! He was born and bred at Truman State University, where he went on to give years of experience to many college-age students. Upon retirement from TSU, he was purchased and brought to Iowa to help even more students in their horse riding endeavors. Kenevil had a heart of gold, was oh so gentle, the most reliable Arabian I’ve ever met, and always came up for a pet, even in his golden years of official retirement. While he has lived the past three years as simply a pasture pet, he remained a staple at the farm and will forever be remembered and missed by those who were lucky enough to cross his path. ♥️💔

Please feel free to share your favorite Kenevil memory. This horse is one of the special ones and is already so dearly missed! I’ll start with my favorite: as we were waiting for him to cross over, he nickered at Tanner, lifted his head, slowly brought his nose to Tanner’s leg, opened his mouth, and took a big old chomp right out of Tanner’s knee. 😂😂😂 Very fitting for his last act. 😂😭

11/29/2022

Looking for the perfect gift for your horse crazy loved one? KSH is offering a special Holiday Package as a last hurrah for the 2022 season! No horse experience needed.

2023 is quickly approaching and the cost of horsey groceries is increasing right along with human groceries. 2023 will bring a price increase of $5 per rider, per lesson. This Holiday Package is a way to snag a few more lessons at the "old" price, locked in, and ready for you to use ANYTIME before 12/31/23. That's not a typo - use it anytime in 2023, at no additional cost.

*Current clients whose skills have surpassed those offered in the package may apply the Holiday Special to their regular weekly lessons during 2023.

11/19/2022

It’s ridiculously cold and no one is thinking about show season next year, right? WRONG. Seriously - 10 min a day, consistently, makes or breaks your performance in the show ring the next summer. It’s *literally* that easy. 10. Minutes. You can do it!!!

Ok, real talk: motivation

The days are getting shorter and darker. It’s cold, maybe windy. You get off work and the last thing you want to do is work with your horse. It’s really easy to let work with them slip away til the weather gets better in the spring, but we know that fitness deteriorates quickly if not kept up on; and that training doesn’t lie in wait for you for the next sunny day. It needs maintenance.

How do you stay motivated during these dark, dreary, no fun days?

Some tips, from somebody who makes their living being outside in the heat, cold, dark, wet, frigid, blazing, windy, and whatever else nature has to offer:

1- just commit to ten minutes. If you really don’t want to, tell yourself you’ll do ten minutes of easy, quality work. More often than not, you’ll get into the work and spend more time, but if not, you still put in a good ten minutes.

2- get good gear! As the adage goes, there is no bad weather, only bad gear. You’ll be much happier working if you’re warm and dry.

3- make your expectations reasonable, fair, and easily achieved. If you’re tired at the end of the work day and you just want to have a carefree ride where you don’t have to pay attention, on a fresh horse on a cold day- let me just stop you right there and say this is a
Setup for failure. Take a nice hand walk. Do pole work. Do something you know you and your horse can succeed at.

4- frequent, simple work is much better than irregular fancy stuff. It’s much better to do short, good sessions regularly than try to achieve the world on the weekend to make up for the week.

5- when you get home from work, go to the barn before going inside if you can help it. If you’re like me, once you go inside and sit down and get warm, it’s all over. If you can muster the energy to go straight to the barn before sitting on your couch, you’re much more likely to get that ride in.

6- download a good podcast or some good music. These help keep me motivated to stay moving when the weather sucks.

7- brush up on the basics. Winter is a good time to check up on how your horse leads, halters, picks their feet up, stands tied, trailer loads and all those other small but important details. The good thing is they don’t require a lot of time, and they make a world of difference.

8- tea, coffee, or a little extra something special in your thermos 😉 who cares, I won’t tell

Happy winter riding, folks! You can do this

10/29/2022

Last call for chiro! She’ll be back in early spring, so if you have anyone you want done before cold sets in, speak now or forever hold your peace!

10/26/2022

Equine chiropractor coming this Sunday @ 10 AM! Shoot me a text if you want added to the list.
(515)720-0958

10/26/2022

♥️♥️♥️ it’s so true. Every so often the lesson horses will greet their old friends and ask for a scratch despite being unused by the child for years. Horses are too pure we don’t deserve them!

I am a lesson horse.
I am a horse that isn’t as recognized as the top hunter jumpers, the best western pleasure horse, or the 1D barrel horse, I am a lesson horse. I am the backbone of the foundation to do all of those things. I am a lesson horse.

I am not loved by one person. I am loved by several people. I don’t have my person, I have my people. I am a lesson horse.

I will teach your child and yourself more than just to ride. I will bring your child out of their shell. I will teach your child about life. I will be yours and their shoulder to cry on. I am a lesson horse.

I will bring my family the joy of teaching kids. I will bring my families business growth. I am so loved by my family, even if they don’t express it everyday. My family allows others to show me love and enjoy me. I am a lesson horse.

At the end of your childs’ journey on a lesson horse, they will out grow me. They will find one that jumps higher, a horse that is show quality, a horse much faster than me. But, I will never outgrow being a lesson horse. I will be the one that loved your child and helped your child grow into the rider and person they are. I am a lesson horse.

At the end of my time as a lesson horse; I will be covered in grey hair. Each grey hair came from each hour I spent as a lesson horse. I will be in a field of green grass, I will be taken care of as I was when I was a lesson horse. I will watch your child from across the pasture love her new horse. But, I will love your child more than any horse can. I will be the backbone of the business, the family, and your child. Don’t forget about me, I am a lesson horse.

I am a lesson horse.
*stolen from a friend *

10/24/2022

The Rules Ride at least 10 times in November, for a small portion of the ride, without stirrups. Entrants will receive a beautiful rosette ribbon upon completion! This challenge is limited to 500...

10/20/2022

Who wants a lesson this weekend? Potentially our final hurrah before the cold weather sets in. 🥶

Saturday: 9 AM, 11 AM, 3 or 4 PM
Sunday: 10 AM, 2-4 PM

10/15/2022

Such a great visual!!!

10/05/2022

08/26/2022

Last call for anyone needing chiropractic work done! Peak Performance Equine will be at the farm at 10 AM this Sunday, followed by the fairgrounds at noon. Let me know by noon TOMORROW if you would like a spot.

$75/adjustment, travel charge typically $15-$30 per owner.

08/25/2022

Big old lesson dump!
- Cowboy Coy and Hick have graduated to WTC, Coy has figured out how to control pace within the trot which has been super cool. He also still holds the key to good old Reggie’s heart, and his little heart horse comes running to the gate the moment he hears Coy’s voice. 🥹
- Ev and Hick have absolutely mastered lungeing WTC. No more Sassy Hickory and only lots of good-boy-collecting-up-on-his-own Hickory. 💞 E recently learned from Hick’s OG owner that he can lay down, so we started experimenting with that at her last lesson which was an absolute ball.
- Miah knows that the way to the lesson herd’s hearts is through treatsies. 🤣🤣 She was their ultimate fave person that day!!
- Berklee gets braver everyday, and has learned that although horses (cough cough POCO) sometimes invade our space, it doesn’t *always* mean they want to knock us over. Sometimes they just want a forehead scratch! She recently turned 5 and is already attentive and attuned to whatever horse she interacts with. Amy from Heartland ( ) has taught her well.
- The Ferber/Clark kids have come out a couple times and Loretta has been helpful in giving them a confidence boost. She’s so sweet with grooming, brushing, and is the perfect little horse for introducing people to horses for the first time! They love on her and practice grooming, etc, then get to ride the big horse!
- Bria and Rockstar just “get” each other. Sweet little Rockstar was an impulse buy quite a few years ago, and has made her lesson debut in the 2022 riding season. Bria has been on that journey every step of the way! She did Rockstar’s first ever lead line lesson AND independent lesson!
- Caitlyn and Fiona have come a long way this year and it’ll be exciting to see what the future holds for this pair of blondies. 💖

08/13/2022

Yoga for Equestrians round 1! This group was so much fun and were really good sports for the “Kylee-and-Amy-Try-Out-Something-New” show. It rain showered just enough to cool things off right before we started, and then the sun came out after our Sun Salutation practice. After yoga, we created Breathing Bracelets so we always remember our mantra “I am ____” and to breathe each time we touch the beads, followed by some ride/leading time where we checked in with our bodies. Calming our own bodies down actually helped us to send a calming love whoosh to our horses in times where they were feeling jittery! Detail’s mantra we sent to him was ”I am safe” and Rockstar’s mantra was ”I am calm.” 😂

08/12/2022

Okay, Yoga for Equestrians is this Saturday! We have had some adult interest, so we will have a KIDS Yoga for Equestrians @ 10, and start with ADULT Yoga for Equestrians at 11.

Please RSVP so we can ensure that we have enough mats. BTW: NO yoga experience is required. I’ll be doing it with my twisted ankle. Tanner will be making his yoga debut. 😂 It’ll be a good time!! And we’ll all take away some anxiety/stress-reducing techniques to help in our daily lives - even outside of horses.

I’ll be contacting lesson families tomorrow to get a final Yes/No on attending. Hope to see you there! ☺️

08/03/2022

It’s the Bachelors’ favorite day of the year: opening up the hay field for grazing day! Clearly they were starving.

07/29/2022

🤣🤣🤣

07/28/2022

Buckle up… this is a long one. Co Fairs have come to an end, and these 4Hers did SO GREAT! Personal goals were set and accomplished and many even morphed into new, BIGGER goals just weeks (or sometimes days 😅) before the shows. Have to shout out some highlights of co fair 2022:

🦄 Caitlyn and Savannah exhibited not one, but TWO horses! As juniors! Both had their old steady eddy geldings (shout out to Pepper and Hanky) as well as younger, GREEN AS GRASS horses. Both successfully completed ground AND riding classes!

💖 Mia tried a brand new seat - ENGLISH! Turns out Dakotah loves it and even though they only rode 5 (not exaggerating… literally 5) times prior to fair, she and cousin Queen Halle put on an exemplary exhibition of an English pleasure class. Mia and Dakotah even did a complicated “boob” equitation pattern.

🦄 Josie and Mia were neck and neck in showmanship and were only set apart due to a small-but-fixable foible in the walk around (where are my friends 👀😳 mom I insist we MUST face my friends 😳👀 ). Mia was awarded INTERMEDIATE SHOWMAN and despite Shotgun’s episode of realizing he was alone in the ring, he and Josie pulled out FIRST BLUE!!!! Truly, THIS is what 4H is about. Your horse will give you 100% at home, but at a show you can expect 70% of their best. When they give you less than 70%… that can be so frustrating, disappointing, make you question EVERYTHING. And yet, Josie did not give up in that showmanship class! Despite her gelding moving in the walk around, she handled it with grace, completed the pivot and trotted away to finish the pattern on an equally strong note as she started with. Although it feels horribly yucky in the moment, THESE are the moments that prove (and improve) our skills as horsepeople. Talk about horsemanship - Josie’s all-encompassing knowledge of how to make her horse pivot, his strong suits, how to set him up for a trot even when his bran was outside the arena, and her attentiveness in lessons these past couple summers all had to come together in her showmanship class. The ribbon placing is a bonus - a physical reminder of all her hard work, her learning, and her skills as a horsewoman.

LAST MIN CHANGED GOALS:
🦄 Mia and Josie set goals of trotting off and especially loping off easier, and they BOTH morphed that goal into unsticking a sticky right lead. Isn’t that amazing??
💖 Caitlyn went from riding green horse two-handed and in a snaffle to showing her one-handed in a shank so she could be judged at fair! OG goal: successfully get Fiona through fair. New goal: RIDE ONE-HANDED! So hard core. This girl and her determination!
🦄 Savannah originally planned to use 4-yo Sully in only ground classes to slowly ease him into fair. She ended up riding him in her first ever COWGIRL QUEEN CONTEST and had an absolutely beautiful ride until my wonderful husband allowed our lovely eldest to chuck a napkin into the ring right in front of Sullivan. 🙃 She also used Sully in her pleasure class to snag a purple and Baby Sully was just out of the championships with 3rd purple in his halter class! Woo!

Long story short… these girls are rockstars. It is a joy to watch them progress with their horses. They attended clinics which was new for the 2022 season, exhibited in the KSH Mock Show under the always lovely Liz Pietzman, they soaked up information like human sponges, and they have all either managed to make it past the year mark or are real darn close to that magical “one year of ownership” and are seeing the results of simply sticking it out through the growing pains that come along with it. Okay, brags over.

PS. Thanks to the parents who I stole pics from and sorry to Josie who I have zero of since I was SO ENGROSSED in that pattern! 😅

07/20/2022

Second round of tshirt orders! Tomorrow is the last day to order!

07/16/2022

Josie workin’ on her right lead lopin’, Savannah and Sully figuring out snaffle vs shank bits, Coy lovin’ on his Reggie boy and bathing good old Hick, Miah tied Hidalgo up all on her own again, and little Berklee giving little Loretta some special pats at the end of her last lesson!

07/13/2022

Grooming clinic pt 2 this Saturday, chiropractor coming out this Monday the 18. Let me know if anyone needs a horse adjusted!