Red Stag Equestrian

Merry Christmas, all! I hope you have as good of a day as Bella did with just as much joy🐴🍎

Thanks Ashlyn for getting B’s good side always (and spoiling her rotten)

Two of our young riders stepped up to the challenge of jumping some SUPER skinnies this week! Moving indoors for the winter means we don’t get to set as many courses, but it doesn’t mean we don’t get to still mix things up 😄

Super proud of these two for their commitment and dedication; they both continue to impress me with how gracefully they handle the tougher rides, and how they take each lesson learned forward for every ride to follow. (They also have both ridden some exercises lately that have kicked MY butt and they’ve CRUSHED them!!!) The sky is the limit for these two young gals! ♥️🦌

PNW horse friends - currently looking for a long-term **lease** option for a long-legged and growing young rider. Care lease preferred. Some maintenance okay, not much preference on age/gender/breed/etc., but must be SAFE with a quality jump and decent movement. Kiddo has goals of showing next season in lower HJ classes but would love to find a horse to work up the levels a bit. 16.2hh ++ ideal - 16hh+ ok if stocky. Forward types are fine - just must be able to take a joke here and there 😉

PFA - thanks in advance!

A few of our girls had the chance to ride with the always-fantastic Sally Collins this week in our new home base, and fantastic it sure was! Every rider (coach included!) took home a TON of great tools for the toolbox and we’ve got lots of homework to practice over winter! ♥️🦌 very proud of this group for their hard work and dedication to their riding💕

Thank you always, Sally, and great riding, ladies!

Wow wow wow, what a weekend!! Some of our RSE members got all dressed up and popped over to Spokane Sport Horse Farm for their annual Spooktacular schooling show! Three of the four had their first show EVER, and one her first show in many years - I could not be prouder of their debut! Ribbons are always a fun bonus, but I am even more proud of their hard work and determination.

Addie (Lucy and Aslan🦁) rode the absolute socks off a sassy Sonny, piloting him beautifully around his first dressage test EVER! She handled his uncertainty of the brand new (and scary!) indoor like a pro and although he gave her some classic pony sass at the out gate mid-course, her first words coming out the gate were “it’s okay, I still had fun!! He was a good boy!” 🥹♥️ I am so thrilled to see her development as a horsewoman and a good sportswoman - both will take her far!

Lydia (butterfly and flowers🦋🌸) had a VERY last minute horse switch when her usual mount was suddenly out of commission - she rode Sonny approximately twice before the show, came out ready to ride, and rocked it! She expertly navigated some tricky courses and she and Addie did SO well with costume and saddle changes on super short breaks 🔥 I love her ability to adapt to so many changes so quickly and still have a blast doing it! (Also… we’ve discovered Sonny loves dressing up even more than the girls love dressing him up🦁🌸)

I did not get photos of Margie, but both she and Madi (Daphne, Velma, and Scooby Doo) came out after only a few lessons each and did SO well. I am so impressed with Madi’s bravery and eagerness to learn her patterns - she had her courses down in less than 24 hours!! Penny brought ALL the sass we love about her to the warmup ring, but the girls rode through it and had some very lovely moments with her!! Penny decided pretty early she was unimpressed with her Scooby collar, but she still looked awfully cute with her braids and themed outfit 🎃👻 very proud of these gals and can’t wait to see what their futures hold!

Our team came out with every rider in the ribbons, and it’s only a small testament to their hard work and diligence over the last several months. They are eager to learn, willing to work, and love the horses even more than they love the sport (and they love the sport a LOT.) 😂💕 they’re a crew after my own heart and I cannot say enough how blessed I am to get to work with each of them 🥹♥️

Some days, our lessons consist more of pony-therapy than structured riding. I think both parties benefit from it 💕

SO proud of this group!!! I’ve been TERRIBLE at posting (and at taking anything to post, to be fair) but I had to take a minute to share a few of the fabulous members of the RSE team 💕 all four of these ladies have been putting in so much hard work to get ready for the SSHF Spooktacular this weekend, and three of the four are prepping for their first show EVER!! 👻 (nothing like getting to dress up with your pony to inspire the kiddos 😉)

Addie has had her work cut out for her, helping me bring Sonny back to work this summer - he has given her a run for her money, but I’ve been SO impressed with her resilience through his sassy moments and opinions, and it’s paying off tenfold for her! They’ve had some absolutely fantastic rides this month, and today was the perfect ride to kick off show week! 🌞👏🏼

Lydia continues to gain skill and confidence on sweet Luna, and I’m always a little extra inspired by her endless enthusiasm, positive outlook, and her wicked ability to remember the tiniest tidbits from her lessons and use them in every lesson after. She’s been using her dressage test to warm up on her own all month, and I know her dilligence will be reflected this weekend! 🌙🤍

Madi came back after a brief hiatus, and boy did she come back strong! I was very happily surprised with how enthusiastically she took to the challenge of learning a whole new test, and got a text from mom Margie in less than 24 hours that she’d already memorized the whole thing! 🔥 so excited to see her continue to grow with the best Penny 🐴💕

Margie also came back to some lessons after a similar hiatus - while both gals got some saddle time in still, it’s been a minute since they’ve been able to jump; Margie and Penny didn’t miss a beat together and had a FABULOUS ride together! They will also be riding this weekend and I know they will have so much fun (and will be fabulous to boot!!) 🎃🐎

Okay, I suppose that probably sums it up pretty well… but if you can’t tell, I have the BEST group and am so thrilled to get to teach these ladies. They’ve put up with a whole lot of chaos this year (don’t worry, next year will be a much different story😂) but they’ve stuck with it and I’m so blown away by each and every one of them. While not all of my riders are shown here, every single one has worked so hard and improved SO much! Ladies, I adore working with you all, and cannot WAIT for this weekend and many more shows in the future with all of you!!

We’re super excited for the RSE team debut! 😉 this show is ALWAYS a fun time - can’t wait to see everyone there!

Excited to announce that we will be hosting our Spooktacular Combined Test again this year! We can't wait to see the costumes and many of you for our last show of the season. 🎃 https://forms.gle/MHz5vbHvZKqsYMsB8

LOVE this. All too often I find riders (even adults!) who are in love with the IDEA of riding… but when it comes down to the nitty-gritty of it, the work just doesn’t happen. One thing I like to remind parents (and again, adults too!) is that riding is not like soccer. If you’re not great at soccer and don’t spend the time doing drills, well.. you might not ever play on an elite team, but you can still play for fun without issue. In riding, your teammate is ten times your size and speaks a different language. You cannot afford to not put the work in.

I am so grateful to have a team of kids who soak up everything they can like sponges, adults who stay and spend every free moment they can of their busy lives watching or helping or just being present in the barn. I have been SO impressed by the growth of these riders this year and it is truly my greatest joy to see them blossoming! But please… if you or your kiddo are just not that into it… maybe try soccer. 😉

Some ways to tell if a kid is truly interested in learning how to ride---

1, Does she/he volunteer to set fences in jump sets so she/he can watch?

2. Does she/he then pay attention, or does she/he keep looking at her/his phone?

3. Does the rider take on practicing working on her/his seat by dropping the stirrups and sitting the trot without having to be told to?

4. In a jumping barn, has the rider memorized the basic distances between jumps in in-and-out lines?

5. Has the rider practiced walking those distances to have an accurate stride?

These are simple examples. There's a saying that you can make someone DO something by promise of sufficient reward, or by threat of sufficient punishment, but it is impossible to make someone WANT something.

Wanting comes from within. A teacher told me years ago something along these lines---"The kids who are going to get good, you can't stop them no matter what. The kids who are not, you can give them everything, and they still won't."

So it begins more with creating motivation than actual instruction. Figure out how to do that and the rest gets easy.

LAST CALL for merch orders!! Our deadline has been extended through TOMORROW - August 19th! If you were bummed to miss the window, now’s your chance - last opportunity before spring!

Red Stag Equestrian Welcome to Red Stag Equestrian Store! Operated by Kelsey Mcarty in Spokane, WA Store will Close AUGUST 12, 2023 Expect Mid September Delivery!

Last day to order RSE apparel! Team member, family member, or friendly supporter - we’d love to have you rockin’ the stag with us 😎😎

Red Stag Equestrian Welcome to Red Stag Equestrian Store! Operated by Kelsey Mcarty in Spokane, WA Store will Close AUGUST 12, 2023 Expect Mid September Delivery!

Exciting news!!! For all those who have asked about buying a hat, hoodie, etc - now’s your chance! We officially have a store front!!!!

The store will stay open just over ONE week, so be sure to get orders in soon! Items are made to order and will arrive approximately mid September. A portion of the proceeds goes directly back into the RSE team for barn needs, show supplies, jump funds, etc., so not only will you have some FABULOUS merch options to choose from, but you’ll be supporting the RSE team while you shop! Please don’t hesitate to reach out with any questions!

HUGE thank you to Payton and the Agile Equestrian team for setting this shop up for us! She makes the process SO easy and was very patient with all of my bajillion questions, requests, changes, you name it. Payton, you’re a star!!! Highly recommend AE services if you are needing more top notch merch options and marketing services!

Red Stag Equestrian Welcome to Red Stag Equestrian Store! Operated by Kelsey Mcarty in Spokane, WA Store will Close AUGUST 12, 2023 Expect Mid September Delivery!

Great rule of thumb while horse shopping 🐴

Truer words have never been spoken! Read my European friends.

Our biggest and smallest team members checking in for dinner 🐴
Not hard to love your job when these sweet faces greet you every day!

💕💕

"Adopt a classical position, resist all fads and gadgets and ride the horse quietly and softly between the two straight lines of the stirrup leather and the elbow to the horse's mouth. It's simple. It's just not easy." ~ Jim Wofford

Want more Woff? Check out his latest article about the future of horse sports in the Olympics >> http://practicalhorsemanmag.com/article/jim-wofford-future-of-horse-sports-olympics-52860

Welcome to RSE! We’re finally Facebook official, so I guess we’re getting pretty serious - here’s a quick “meet the trainer” blurb!

My name is Kelsey McCarty - many know me as the face behind the lens of KCM Equine Photography, or have met me while I’ve been helping out a few other trainers! I also help run the SRHJ schooling show series - there’s a lot of hats worn here!

My background includes a lot of saddle hours in a lot of different areas - I’ve dabbled in western gaming and roping, done a bit of trail, played at western pleasure, and pretended to be an eventer (for approximately 1 hour - during which I rapidly realized XC is not my calling🫣) but my biggest love has always been the Hunter/jumper rings! From my childhood dreams of being an Olympic show jumper to my collegiate career in equitation, I’ve spent the vast majority of my life in the HJ arena. I’ve ridden under numerous trainers across the country, with some truly incredible horsemen and women that I’ve been beyond blessed to learn from; I spent a summer interning with an Olympian who’s list of accomplishments is longer than I am tall, hiking all the way to Connecticut; I’ve gotten to start horses, restart horses, and work through “problem” horses; i have been lucky enough to have ridden some of the coolest horses on the planet (and more horses than I can count!) and have learned something from every one; each of these experiences has added new tools to my toolbox, and these have helped create all the teaching methods I use today. My current trainer, Julie, (Leading Edge Equestrian Center) has been a phenomenal resource and mentor for helping me work through challenges in barn management, lesson planning, pony troubles, and so much more - could not do it without her!

As to how we wound up here - I began teaching as a TA while in college, and quickly fell in love with the career. After a significant riding accident put a pause on my personal riding career, I spent some time working a few different jobs after college but had a bit of a quarter-life-crisis and decided to pursue the things that filled my soul and leave behind what drained it. Julie very kindly offered me an “in” to begin developing a program of my own, and as mentioned previously, has been incredibly fundamental to the creation and growth of RSE. I’m beyond thrilled to get to do what I do in a professional setting, and have already been so blessed with the most amazing group of clients! I specialize in developing Hunter/Jumper riders through the lower levels, creating safe, effective, and correct horsemanship skills from the ground up. We emphasize a supportive and welcoming environment, and work hard to create lesson plans that suit each rider’s skillset, learning styles, and goals. The RSE riders are an incredibly hardworking, kind, and supportive crew, and I’m so looking forward to seeing what the future holds for each and every one of them!

Thanks so much for following along as we build our program and start to make things more “publicly official” - here’s to one year down, and many more to come! 🥂