Sandalwood Ranch

10/10/2026

10/09/2026

One flying leaf away from a full paranormal event 👻🐴🍂

09/22/2026

09/12/2026

Anyone who’s tried to get a horse that has been leveraged into a behind the bit submissiveness knows that it would have been so much easier to start with one that’s totally green.

There are various terms used to describe the way some horses roll under and do anything they can to avoid being hurt in their mouths, Some call it, as I just did, “behind” the bit. Some call it “over-flexed.”

Most trainers say that once a horse learns to avoid bit pressure by curling away from it that it’s really tricky to get the horse to trust rein connection enough to NOT evade any pressure,

This is why the better trainers avoid all the rigs and gadgets, avoid long shanked bits with tight curb chains and any bits designed to create pain, refuse to use anything that is designed to get a horse afraid of contact.

But many horses HAVE been forced into submission in the jaw, poll, mouth----Now what?

Can a horse that rolls behind the vertical at the first hint of pressure be trained to accept a calm connection, hand to rein to mouth, or is it a lost cause?

Can "good hands" undo the damage caused by rough, uneducated or unfeeling hands?

Thoughts?

09/04/2026

What Does Your Monthly Board Actually Pay For?

I recently saw a comment in a local horse group suggesting that boarding rates are far higher than the actual cost of caring for a horse. From the outside looking in, it can be easy to assume that board simply covers hay, feed, bedding, and basic daily care. In reality, operating a safe, well-maintained equine facility involves many additional expenses.

Along with the direct care of each horse, monthly board helps cover:

• Property rent or mortgage
• Business and liability insurance
• Electricity and utilities
• Facility, arena, and equipment maintenance
• Fuel for the equipment used around the farm
• Manure removal
• Repairs and replacement of items damaged through normal wear and tear
• Water and feed buckets, hoses, pitchforks, cross-ties, and automatic-waterer parts
• Cleaning supplies and everyday necessities for shared areas
• Payroll for the dependable people who help provide daily care

The list is nearly endless—and many of these expenses continue to rise.

Board is not simply payment for a stall and a few bales of hay. It supports the people, equipment, facilities, and behind-the-scenes work required to provide consistent, professional care while maintaining the safe and comfortable amenities horse owners expect.

There is an enormous amount of time, responsibility, and expense involved in properly caring for horses and operating a quality facility. Boarding rates reflect the true cost of providing that level of care—not just the items that are easiest to see.