Pegasus Eventing

You are a woman, 35 to 45 years old. You have completed school, got a job and a promotion or two, maybe three. Finally, your life is getting more comfortable. You now have discretionary income. Men at this stage in life often buy a boat. Few women do. Both men and women join a golf club, but you never liked golf. You rode a little as a kid and liked it but never mastered riding. With your bills up to date and with some extra money every month, you decide to ride horses.

Many women of this description came to me to learn how to ride over the years. The results were mixed. Perhaps I can help you with your journey and save you some time with my recommendations. You have made a good decision to ride. Now you need to find the right instructor and the most effective learning environment.

First, even if you can easily afford it, don't buy a horse right away. Purchasing a horse is not like buying a car where they all pretty much operate the same. Horses can be very different, and you must first understand what you want in a horse. Until then ride lesson horses or lease a horse until you know what kind of horse works for you. And please, when you do buy a horse, don't make your decision based on looks. With horses, it's "handsome is as handsome does".

Next, define your goals. What are your priorities? Exercise? Expanding your social life? If you were an athlete as a youth, maybe it's a desire to return to sports. There are many reasons to ride. Understand your reasons so you make the right choices.

Unfortunately, today most opportunities to learn to ride are segregated into disciplines. If you rode as a kid years ago, that was not as true then. There were lesson barns that still taught all-around riding and horsemanship to teach students the fundamentals that prepare them for all kinds of riding or any discipline. If you can find one of these barns, I highly recommend this kind of instruction to start. (not easy to find)

Beginning with the most prevalent opportunities for instruction today, the most common lesson barns today are Hunter Jumper show barns. Maybe you first learned at one of these as a child and enjoyed horse shows. I have to put a warning label on these HJ instructional programs for adults. I have had adult students who wanted to return to showing as an adult and found that most shows were for kids, and that the show experience was no longer interesting to them as adults.

Secondly, show barns never have their students ride outside an arena today, and that cuts off many future possibilities for you. Many adult women want to fox hunt or play polo, and ring riding is not the best basis for these pursuits. Plus, show barns can be very focused on entertaining children with constant costume parties, stall door decorating, horse painting and other "fun" that might drive an adult a little crazy when they go to the barn to ride.

Dressage might look interesting to you. The clothes are stylish, and the riding is not too fast and always on the flat. My advice on dressage instruction is to be careful. Some dressage has become a blend of a maze and a minefield, some of which have become exploitative of horses to the point of normalizing abuse. These are the big money dressage barns and are not for everyone.

Having given my warning, dressage is a good place to start if you can find the right dressage barn. Authentic dressage is centuries old. Its roots are training military riders to ride in the most practical and effective manner. Authentic dressage is the pursuit of unity of balance and movement with a horse. This is the basis of all riding. If you can find this, do it, maybe not forever but to start.

I do have a word of caution when you interview dressage instructors. Some of the best dressage riders and instructors are perfectionists. They don't believe in "close enough". These dressage officianos might have you work on holding your reins correctly for a few months until you long for an opportunity to watch paint dry. Life is too short.

My message for adult riding students is to find an instructor who teaches the basics, who believes in effectiveness and who will make you a safe rider in any circumstances. These instructors might be anywhere, at a polo barn or at a barn focused on some of the new equestrian pursuits like working equitation.

Be sure to explore European instructors who have not been contaminated by the American commercial model of "horsemanship". Or consider western barns even if you rode English as a child. While some western riding instruction is very narrow like Western Pleasure or Reining, many western barns are based in fundamental riding principles, which is what you need.

Lastly, don't demand that a teacher panders to you to make you comfortable and avoids telling you the truth in your lessons. You have a late start, and you need to progress in a steady manner. A demanding coach can shorten your learning process. Good luck!

Zara’s full XC round from Rebecca Farm:

021XC Ellen Sebanc on Breakin' All the Rules CCI3* Long Cross Country Rebecca Farm July 2024 021XC Ellen Sebanc on Breakin' All the Rules CCI3* Long Cross Country Rebecca Farm July 2024

The lots we sold out front last summer are having an open house tmrw from 1-3pm! Come be our neighbor ❤️❤️❤️ if you want to stop by, let me know and come over for a drink after! Matt Sebanc

For Sale: 4987 County Road 279, Kaufman, TX 75142 | realtor.com® See home details and neighborhood info of this 4 bed, 2.5 bath, 2233 sqft. single family home located at 4987 County Road 279, Kaufman, TX 75142.

I go at 12:42 Texas time today if anyone wants to tune in ave watch Zara do her dressage!! Tmrw XC is at 11:01 ET!!! Link below!

Ride On Video TV Live and Previously Recorded Live Streams...

Update on life: I know people love to speculate and assume things, Rockwall Hills Equestrian Center is not closing!
Matt and I have been trying to have a baby, we are in the process of building a house and a small barn/facility on our property in Terrell. We currently own 31 of our own personal horses, which includes school horses, sales horses, and my personal competition horses. Most days I ride at least 15 horses in addition to teaching, running the barn, etc. I simply do not have enough time for all of my horses after getting client horses done, they sit on the back burner. I am taking a step back from upper level competition right now to try and focus on other things in life, and really trying to downsize the number of horses we own to make things easier on us/staff etc. 
I am not getting out of horses, or getting out of the sport that I love, just simply taking a step back and trying to re-organize and re-prioritize. We are in the process of finding/hiring another person/managing partner at Rockwall Hills, who will love it and care for the horses/barn family in the same way I do. Our lesson program is still growing and our training program is booming.

We are trying to downsize!!! A ton of really nice horses are available! If you are in the market, come take a look!! Located in Rockwall TX
PM me for videos and pictures on anyone! Pretty much every single horse I own is in the market. If you are interested in anyone, just send me a message! Full list coming soon

Is anyone from this area wanting to do Rebecca Farm in Montana this July? I am planning on going and have several empty spots in my trailer and would be happy to work out a deal to trailer some extra horses! Also have room on my trailer going to Chatt at the end of June.

Today I am feeling grateful. Grateful for a wonderful supportive husband Matt Sebanc, grateful for my team at home for keeping all of the horses happy and healthy and keeping things running day-to-day Summer Kashwa , Monica Heck, Jessica Goodwin, Kiera O’Connor. It really is a team effort.
Last Friday, I had surgery to remove a cyst in my abdomen. It ended up being much larger than they thought, being the size of a large grapefruit. The surgery went from being a one hour surgery to a four hour long procedure. I couldn’t walk last Saturday without a lot of pain. I wasn’t sure if I would even be able to ride this weekend. Although the trot felt a bit like someone was punching me in the gut every stride; I made it through and I’m proud of all of my Horses performances! We came here to work on relaxation and rideability in the ring, and I felt like it was a success! Orion, Summer, Ross and Zara were all great! Especially having not been ridden the past week with me being out. Thankfully, my team got them on the theraplate and treadmill daily. Sorry judges that I didn’t braid 😮🤦‍♀️
Our property is a disaster zone after the storms on Tuesday, so many downed trees and debris everywhere 😞 Matt and Courtney made a lot of headway yesterday, getting so much of the front stuff cleaned up already! So grateful our animals were OK ❤️

Proud coach moments….
I love teaching; horses & riders! One of my biggest missions has been to keep the sport affordable. Keep it affordable for anyone who wants to put in the work and to learn. I’ve had so many kids over the years come to me with not much of a budget, but a willingness to put in the time and the effort. You don’t need a 60k horse to get to the top of to learn from, not if you have a coach with the skill and the willingness to help you bring along that 2k horse. And we take those $2000 horses and turn them into something, not always something great that will make it to the top, but something to grow and learn from, we improve the horse, and move up to the next one and grow and learn until you have a solid foundation on which to ride. Watching students of mine grow and continue onto the highest levels of the sport is one of the most rewarding things for me as a coach , as well as watching riders grow into trainers themselves.
Janelle Fleming, good luck at your first Kentucky 4 star ❤️❤️ I remember the days when you were afraid to jump Mr. Big around the beginner novice at Texas Rose!
The last two pictures are of my student, Zoey Smith, who piloted these two baby horses around their first ever cross-country schoolings at Texas Rose two weeks ago. I have watched Zoey grow from a kid learning to post the trot and afraid to canter, into an empathetic and thoughtful rider who did a great job piloting two young green horses that she had never ridden around their first ever cross-country courses.
I am helping to shape and create the future generation of riders, and not just riders, but Horsemen. Horsemanship is not dead.

Taz!!! All grown up! First time xc! Only second time over jumps!

Here’s a little morning coffee reading; the truth of it all:

The horse wars of Stormy Daniels Stormy Daniels is involved in a multimillion-dollar court battle and ensnared some of the top officials in the rarefied world of competitive English riding.

Congratulations to Susan Peck on the purchase of Bright Brian!!! Can’t wait to see you two grow together! If you are in the market for a horse, we have 18 more horses for sale, from green OTTBS to two star event horses, and everything in between. Prices from 5k-85k!!! We are taking sales pictures and videos this weekend so ads will be out soon! Contact me to come see them!

Summer camp dates are posted! Sign up info is all online! Let me know if you have any questions! Our camps are always a big hit! Reserve your spot now!!!!

https://www.rockwallhills.com/campsbirthday-parties

🙌🏼 A little louder for those in the back! 🙌🏼

Next time you say "damn, must be nice" you might want to understand a lifestyle that made it possible!

8-5 didn't make it.
Parking on the couch to watch TV didnt make it.
Sleeping in on Saturdays didnt make it.
Calling in when sick didnt make it.
Being content with where we're at didnt make it.

It came from some 15-20 hour days.
It came from beating the sun up.
It came from working on weekends.
It came from sacrificing family time.
It came from wanting a little better tomorrow.

These are a few things to consider before you throw out "damn, must be nice" at someone! We are all products of our competence. And extra efforts are what make the biggest differences at the end of the day!

- Paul Kostial




Flying Change Consulting (copied from Meg Johnson)

A bit is only as harsh as the hands that hold it - true.

If the rider is good enough, it doesn’t matter what bit the horse has in - false.

Usain Bolt could not have broken those world records if his running shoes were too tight. Cristiano Ronaldo would not have won champion league titles if his boots were too large. Lewis Hamilton would not be a 7 time world champion if he didn’t fit perfectly in his car.

Horses are not one size fits all. They might have large tongues, low palates, fleshy lips or knife edge bars. They might have a dry mouth or produce excessive saliva. They may freeze with the bit or they might fidget constantly. Some have a very small interdental space leaving almost no room for a bit, and some have their first cheek teeth ahead of their lip corners. I generally tell clients that they can choose the cheek pieces but the horse gets to choose the mouthpiece of their bit.

But that choice goes deeper than their individual anatomy. Horses are living, breathing, feeling animals that have preferences. Some horses prefer tongue pressure, a lot of horses hate palate pressure and open their mouths to escape it, some will put their tongue over the bit if there is any tongue pressure, where others will throw their head if the bars are pressured. The horse gets to have an opinion on where their bit acts too. A happy horse will be an easy horse.

Anyone can make these assessments. You don’t need any specialist equipment. Just experience, and an understanding of what is normal, to know how your horse varies from the “normal”. If in doubt, ask your EDT, vet or a bit specialist.

A little about the bit mouthpieces, there are 4 main types, straight bars, single jointed, double jointed and multi jointed.

Straight bars - a mullen mouth will act mostly on the tongue with a little lip corner pressure. Often straight bars will have a port for tongue relief. The bigger the port, the more tongue relief so the more pressure is placed on the bars and lip corners whilst less is applied on the tongue. Straight bars do not have palate pressure when fitted correctly but if the port is too large, it will hit the palate. Straight bars are very still by their nature. They are good for horses that mess with the bit a lot, crunch the bit, put their tongue over (with an appropriate port for tongue relief), or sit behind the bit, over bent. They are not good for horses that are strong or lean.

Single jointed - these act mostly on the bars and corners of the mouth and less so on the tongue surface. But they squeeze the tongue from the sides in a nutcracker action, and the joint can hit the horses palate. This will cause the horse to open its mouth to escape that palate pressure. There are some anatomical single jointed bits which curve with the horses mouth and reduce these side effects. Being more mobile than a straight bar, the horse is less likely to lean. Better suited for those that dislike tongue pressure but are too strong for a straight bar.

Double jointed - there are 4 types, peanut, french link, Dr Bristol and barrel. All double jointed bits share pressure equally across the tongue, bars and lip corners.
A peanut is smooth and rounded so very gentle. This is generally the ideal starting place when starting along the journey to find your horses ideal bit, or as the first “grown up” bit for a youngster.
The french link has a plate which sits flat on the tongue, the edges and joints can cause more uneven tongue pressure than the peanut. This bit takes very little space between tongue and palate, suited for those with large tongues and low palates.
A Dr Bristol plate lies opposite to the tongue, meaning the plate edge digs in the tongue making it quite a harsh bit, even in gentle hands. A horse can not move into the riders hands for a true outline with this bit.
Barrel bits act as a straight bar when in action but each side moves independently. Barrel bits can come with ports to offer more tongue relief. These are ideal for horses that like a straight bar but become confused and require the reins to work independently to understand the rider clearly, or perhaps lean on one rein in a straight bar.

Multi jointed - apart from the chain bits which I won’t mention, these are mostly Waterfords with many joints across the mouthpiece. These act equally on the tongue, lip corners and bars. Be careful when choosing these bits as the cheaper versions have joints on the lip corners which nip and bruise. Better quality Waterfords have short straight sections for the lips. Lots of joints prevent the horse from taking hold of the bit. Good for those that lean or are strong. Keep in mind they can prevent the horse from moving into the hand for a true outline due to the mobility of the bit. Similar to the French link, the joints can cause uneven pressure across the tongue and those joints tend to make these bits chunky so not ideal for those with big tongues or small mouths.

Other considerations -

Bit material - horses with dry mouths find stainless steel very uncomfortable. A horse needs a moist mouth to be comfortable with a bit in their mouth. Warmer metals like sweet iron encourage the horse to salivate and makes them more comfortable. Copper rollers or other mobile parts can encourage a horse to mouth the bit and produce saliva, but may also encourage the horse to mess and fidget with their mouths and heads. Some horses hate all types of metal and prefer the softer feel of nathe or plastic. These need to be inspected very regularly as they are easy to damage and can have sharp points. The plastic/nathe bits are very good for those that over bend or sit behind the bit.

Over salivating - some horses produce large amounts of saliva. This is uncomfortable and distracting for the horse. Consider sitting in the dentists chair desperate to swallow, it’s not a pleasant feeling. These horses need a bit that remains as still as possible and does not encourage salivation to be comfortable.

Bit positioning- the old advice use to be you should see 2 wrinkles in the corner of the mouth when the bit is in the correct place but this varies between bits. For example, a straight bar needs to be a little lower than a jointed as a jointed bit lays lower on the tongue so needs to be a little higher at the cheek. Some ponies, in particular shetlands and welsh ponies, have shortened noses with normal sized teeth which brings the first cheek tooth forward of the lip corners. These need the bit to be lower than normal. Those with very fleshy lips will also need the bit a little lower to allow space for them. Be sure to part the horses lips with the bit in place and check the position in relation to the lips, teeth and tongue.

Bit thickness - the fleshier the horses mouth and larger the tongue, the finer the bit needs to be to fit between the tongue and palate, too thick a bit and the horse wont be able to close its mouth. Thicker bits tend to be gentler as the pressure is spread further, where the horses mouth has space to accommodate.

Bit width - if a bit is too narrow, it will pull the lips into the teeth and cause internal bruising (even when the teeth are perfectly smooth and rounded) or cheek and lip ulcers (if the teeth are sharp). It can also cause external nipping if a loose ring. If the bit is too wide, it will not act on the intended areas of the mouth and the bit can slide across the mouth. Generally speaking, with the bit pulled tight across the mouth, a little finger sideways on should be visible each side, no more, no less.

Bitless/hackamore bridles - some horses have no/almost no space for a bit. With big tongues, low palates, short interdental spaces and fleshy lips, some horses just can’t comfortably take a bit and may prefer an alternative.

Bit rings - eggbutts are better for horses that sit behind the bit and over bend, loose rings are better for horses that lean or take hold of the bit.

Cheek pieces - there are many many options for cheek pieces, gags, drop cheeks, full cheeks, D rings, Pelhams etc etc. Once you have found the mouthpiece your horse likes, you can find a cheek piece that suits you and the horse for the discipline you are in and your capabilities. But the horse chooses the mouthpiece.

Please remember to make sure your horse’s teeth are perfect before messing around with their bit. Get a BAEDT qualified EDT or a dental trained vet to check out your horse. Do not assume you would know if your horse is in pain. They are very good at hiding pain and humans are very poor at picking up on their subtle signs.

EDIT - it has been brought to my attention that the Dr Bristol has been used incorrectly for the last century. Apparently according to the patent, the inventer intended the bit to be used the other way up which makes the bit a more ‘anatomical’ French link and would be a gentler bit.

I always tell my working students , you don’t need to be on a team or go advanced to be a pro you just need to learn to ride the horses that others can’t . Sometimes those horses will be the ones that give you an opportunity you could not have had unless you spent the time getting those skills learning to ride anything .

I read a final paper from one of my students the other day, and the last paragraph both upset me, frustrated me, and also made me think.

She had to write a synopsis of her internship at a competition barn, and although her experience with the trainers and the facility was good, she left the internship feeling jaded at her prospects of a career in this business.

Why? Because she wasn't wealthy.

I hear this a lot from students, and I also try to warn the cocky ones of the same.

Without financial backing - things are very hard. You won't be handed 6 figure horses, you won't have thousands for training fees, and you certainly won't be gifted a 12 stall barn with an attached indoor.

So - young folk who have the desire, drive, and talent but not inheritance - what do you do?

You learn to train.

Young stock. Rough stock. Broke stock. Broken stock.

The ones who were sold for $1. No pedigree, no name. The ones that won't get you a ribbon, but they sure as heck will get you forward.

To the young riders, the high schoolers, and even the college aged - take a break from the race towards ribbons and start focusing on the abundance of horses that will teach you essential (and lucrative) skills.

Like breaking yearlings.
Retraining thoroughbreds.
Gentling mustangs.
Putting a change on,
Or taking a buck off.

And - find barns that are doing THOSE things.

They might not be at the Maryland 5*, or Road to the Horse, but I guarantee they exist. Offer to sit and learn. Tack up. Lunge. Set fences. Hack. Keep your head down, and say yes.

Ribbons will come later, but the ability to train will be the enabler to those ribbons. It will provide you with credibility, and credibility will provide you with income.

No one cares that you are not riding Grand Prix, nor do they care that you're not on some esteemed list.

But they do care that you have desirable skills that this country is so drastically lacking, and with that, you have the financial means to lease that farm, produce that horse, and potentially even hunt those ribbons.

So, re-aim those goals, plan for the long term, and send a message to that c**t starter, that retrainer, or that sales barn.

I guarantee you they'll say yes, and I guarantee you you'll prosper from that time. (Copied from a friends post)

Rockwall Hills Equestrian Center is looking for another assistant trainer!!! One of our awesome trainers is heading to Florida for the spring and we are looking for someone to fill in while she’s gone! Opportunities to stay on full time if you are a great fit with the barn! We have 100 acres in Texas, with a fully enclosed indoor arena, xc jumps and hills! A great group of clients and Barn family! Lots of opportunities for showing and coaching. Ideal candidate would have eventing /dressage experience. Looking for someone in March/April, but could start sooner for ideal candidate. Please send resume to [email protected]

This weekend Katia Martynuk took the stallion Symitar (Flash) to Meadowcreek and finished 3rd in the Novice in their first event together! Student Ramsey Post did her first ever horse trials, and brought home the blue in the starter division, on school horse Parker!!!! Congrats guys!!!
Students Savannah Ware and Lilian Pham are riding with idol , Boyd Martin, down at Pine Hill for the weekend! ❤️❤️❤️

Black Friday shopping plans?
Drop your kids off at Rockwall Hills Equestrian Center from 7:30 - 4pm on Black Friday.
We will spend the day doing crafts, brushing ponies and riding!
Perfect for kids of any horse level or experience!!!
Have a kid-free shopping day while they have a blast at Rockwall Hills.

Register with the link below!
$100 if registered by 11/21
$120 after 11/21 or day of

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdSpgn4Vd6Qfgz4zqAZPaP_35I4ImrXxZGsg9duOVXQC0sKOg/viewform?usp=sf_link

Katia & Katie took several competitors to the ETHJC show in Greenville this past weekend! Everyone did awesome and came back with lots of ribbons and Grand champions!!!! 🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉 Congrats guys!!!!

⭐️TRAINING PACKER FOR SALE⭐️ UNICORN ALERT
SomeStarSomewhere (Acorn)
15.1 2009 Irish Sport Horse Appaloosa cross by Brandenburgs Windstar.
This mare is the total package. Acorn has brought her young rider from beginner novice to modified in 3 years and is ready to show another the ropes. She has also schooled up through 3rd level dressage. Would be perfect for someone in need of a confidence boost. Acorn has participated in many pony club events, camps, beginner lessons, and birthday parties. She is extremely quiet and can take a joke. Often scoring in the 20s could confidently go straight dressage or easily enter the hunter jumper world. She is a once in a lifetime horse.
Mid fives
Currently located in Rockwall Texas

Yay! Big congrats to our own Avery Haidaczuk on the purchase of a lovely DueDate thoroughbred, Tap City Charmer aka Prince. Ellen was planning on keeping this guy for herself for awhile, but him and Avery turned out to be the perfect pair and we can't wait to see where these two go together!!!

Big Congrats to Stella Birdsong on the purchase of her very first horse, Uptown Ball, aka Falcon ❤️❤️

🐴 Why Adrenaline is Your Friend on Cross Country

Many riders have noticed a common phenomenon on cross country - that they ride better when their adrenaline levels are up. This can be true for both riders and horses. And is why it is not a regular practice for Advanced level horses and riders to school cross country at that level.

Typically they school cross country jumps at a slightly lower level, and train over Advanced level heights and complexities with show jumps in the ring. There is just too much risk involved schooling cross country at the top levels, as without the added adrenaline of competition they are more likely to be less focused and make a mistake.

It is perfectly normal to be nervous before a competition - at all levels. Many top riders have said that if you are not at least a *little* nervous before cross country, you have a problem.

You may not be taking the impending risk seriously enough, and you will be missing out on the all important surge of adrenaline that can help you ride to the best of your ability.

Click on the link below to continue reading 👇👇👇

https://www.myvirtualeventingcoach.com/articles/why_adrenaline_is_your_friend_on_cross_country