Willow Grove Ranch

Willow Grove Ranch Deep-rooted education that is beneficial & respectful of all horses, disciplines, & riders. I believe that wellness in all areas is as important as education.

Each horse and rider have their own emotional, intellectual, and physical experience. The means of fostering wellness need to be of highest quality and integrity to release the potential inherent in these two divergent species. Groundwork, liberty, in hand work, double lunge, basic movement correction/massage and extremely detailed ridden work are the modalities I use to diagnose and guide horses

and riders toward their mutual benefit. The in hand and ridden work follow the cultural and technical heritage of Légèreté, the education of horse and rider in the French tradition. I have extensive experience with many breeds (stock horses, thoroughbreds, draft breeds, ponies, minis, gated horses, Arabians, Morgans, Hackneys, Friesians, warmbloods) and disciplines (most western disinclines, stock horse breed show disciplines, basic work over fences, carriage driving, combined driving, dressage). My lifelong specialities have been troubled horses and starting youngsters. Willow Grove is also involved in the preservation and promotion (via breeding and exhibition) of the critically endangered Hackney Horse.

06/03/2026

I used to think a good rider could get anything from their horse if they just asked at the right time in the right way.

Now I’m starting to understand that a good rider feels innately what is fair to ask and not, and when and why - and so they get what they want by not wanting what they can’t, or shouldn’t, have.

Love the horse you're with!
06/01/2026

Love the horse you're with!

We often think that we wish our horse were easier, more talented, t...

06/01/2026

🎉 I earned the emerging talent badge this week, recognizing me for creating engaging content that sparks an interest!

I finished my first 50 mile ride!  With my new pal Bri, we rode a middle of the road 8 hour 50 miles at city of rocks.I ...
05/31/2026

I finished my first 50 mile ride! With my new pal Bri, we rode a middle of the road 8 hour 50 miles at city of rocks.

I was riding Layne Bownds Lewis boy Atlas, and Bri was riding Laynes boy Harley. Thanks to the local endurance and distance riding folks for putting on the ride, The Sweaty Equestrian for reminders of just how to do this, and Layne for her expert guidance, laughter, support, wisdom, and generosity!

Stolen from a friend who stole it from another friend.... Made me chuckle...I could not have described the sport any bet...
05/28/2026

Stolen from a friend who stole it from another friend.... Made me chuckle...

I could not have described the sport any better!🤣
Asking ChatGPT to roast CDE drivers. (Pretty sure this wasn't ChatGPT)

Competitive Driving Event people really looked at carriage driving and thought:
“You know what would make this relaxing hobby better?
Stopwatches. Judges. And panic.”
CDE drivers spend the GDP of a small country on harness, carriages, wheels, boots, rain gear, and custom brass hardware just to lose because one tennis ball rolled off cone 14.
And nothing is more confident than a CDE driver the night before an event:
“We’ve really been working on accuracy.”
Then the horse sees a flower box and suddenly everybody’s reenacting a tornado warning.
Dressage phase:
“We seek elegance, softness, and harmony.”
Marathon phase:
“LEAN LEFT OR WE DIE.”
The navigator in the back isn’t even a passenger anymore. They’re basically a hostage with a stopwatch.
And why does every CDE person act like they’re preparing for war?
* 9 spare reins
* 14 rain coats
* 6 buckets
* industrial strength duct tape
* enough electrolytes to survive the apocalypse
Meanwhile the horse is standing there like:
“I was emotionally stable until YOU showed up.”
CDE people also love using the most aggressive vocabulary possible:
* hazards
* obstacles
* marathon
* penalties
* elimination
Sir, this is still a horse pulling a cart.
And every single one of them has that ONE horse:
Perfect at home.
Absolute criminal in public.
The best part is watching drivers walk a cones course like FBI agents at a crime scene.
“Hmmm yes… if we take cone 11 tight and risk total humiliation, we can save 0.7 seconds.”
Then immediately flatten half the course.
And the grooms hanging off the carriage in marathon?
Those people have:
* core strength
* trust issues
* and a complete disregard for personal safety
Honestly though, CDE drivers are built different.
Anybody willing to fly through water hazards behind half a ton of adrenaline while getting judged on geometry deserves respect."

05/25/2026

This is where my heart is. A horse that was struggling with mental and emotional balance. This leaves the horse in a rather constant state of anxiety...chicken or the egg, if the anxiety causes the imbalance or the other way round.

What needs to happen is teaching the horse, step by step, that he's okay.

I will explain everything.

I will help you wherever you need it.

I will help you find relaxation and stretch it into more and more situations.

I will engage with you fully in an ongoing discussion, with questions and answers you can understand.

I will ask you for what is healthier and what you can do in the moment.

I will hear you, and I will support you.

Patricia Demers will once again be at Willow Grove for a Carriage Driving Clinic June 5-7!Trish has driven just about ev...
05/24/2026

Patricia Demers will once again be at Willow Grove for a Carriage Driving Clinic June 5-7!

Trish has driven just about everything! She can help you from beginning to end: pairs, tandem, four-in-hand, all horse sizes, all kinds of vehicles!

Many of us are getting tuned up for the Inavale CDE in July, but Trish can help EVERYONE who drives with ANYTHING you need guidance on!

It's coming up fast and spots are already filling!

Event page for sign ups!

Trish Demers carriage driving clinic at Willow Grove!

05/19/2026

Drive the horse you have...

For drivers who want to go slow, we have slow horses.

For drivers who want adventure, we have Willow Grove Kaleidoscope.

🎶Music by Fortress Dwellers...check them out! Just discovered them!

Address

3403 Little Rock Road
Emmett, ID
83617

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