January 2024 Newsletter
Jan 16, 2024
Howdy Everyone! Welcome to our very first newsletter of 2024! Newsletters from here on out will be posted near the beginning of each month, so check your email or our blog to find them! You can access the monthly newsletter in the Reata Blog and/or by subscribing to our newsletter with your name and email. Either way, I'm so glad you're here!
The purpose of the monthly newsletter at Reata Horsemanship is to inform you of any upcoming events such as horsemanship clinics, demonstrations, and trail rides, etc., to educate regarding all things horses (mostly related to horsemanship), and to provide inspiration and motivation through bits and pieces of our life coaching content. We also highlight one subscribing member of Reata Horsemanship so you can get to know some of those paying members who are living their best life!
Announcements
Clinics
- Obstacles and Trail Clinic - January 27-28 (Trail Ride February 3) - This clinic will be held at P&M Arena in Apache Junction, AZ, and emphasizes preparing your horse for the trail through ground work and riding fundamentals as well as working over/through/around obstacles you might find out on the trail. The third day will be a trail ride (optional) where we will ride out on the trail and trouble shoot and have lots of fun too! Spots are limited, and there are a couple remaining, so contact Stacy at 480-888-5030 to book your spot today!
- Other clinics coming in February and March. Stay tuned!
Membership Pricing
- For the next month only, we are offering the $1 for the first month membership. After February 14th (Valentine's Day), prices will increase significantly, and the $1 First Month will go away. Get your "almost FREE" first month membership clicking the Link Below.
- $1 First Month
Member Highlight
This first month of 2024, we encourage you to go to our website and learn about me, Luke Brown, and Reata Horsemanship, to see if we would be a good fit for you to join the membership, and/or participate in horsemanship clinics, private lessons, horse training, etc. Just go to https://www.reatahorsemanship.com/about to find out more!
2024 Theme - Habits Create Destiny
This year of 2024, we've decided our theme at Reata Horsemanship will be Habits Create Destiny. It is not what we do, per se, that creates the life we want, but what we do consistently that's the key. The following fact is hard to swallow sometimes - We are where we are in life because of the consistent choices and actions that we take. While sudden tragedy can momentarily skew our "now", the direction in our life that determines the destination in our life depends on us.
Often, I hear people talk about how others' behaviors are determining their life. While we do not live in a bubble, and every word and action can have significant effects, it is what we think about and what we consistently do that will forge our path to the life we all can have.
What do you want out of life? I often think about a poem written by JB Rittenhouse called The Wage.
"I bargained with Life for a penny, and Life would pay no more. However, I begged at evening when I counted my scanty store. For Life is a just employer. He gives you what you ask. But once you have set the wages, why, you must bear the task. I worked for a menial's hire, only to learn, dismayed, that any wage I had asked of Life, Life would have willingly paid."
Our belief at Reata Horsemanship is that you get out of life what you put into it. Nothing good ever came easy. By establishing a true PURPOSE in life, keeping good company, and being consistent and focused on the HABITS that will create the life you imagine, you can live the life you dream of!
This goes with horsemanship as well. We're all here because we love horses and want to have safe and fun relationships with them. By surrounding yourself with friends and mentors who share your vision and desires, and by creating habits of a good horseman or horsewoman, you will have that relationship with your horse you've always dreamed of!
January Theme - Think More Like a Horse
Book Club: Think Like a Horse by Grant Golliher
Every month this year, we will be reading a specific book, chosen to go along with our monthly and yearly themes. In January, we're reading the book, Think Like a Horse, which provides great insight and thought-provoking information that will broaden your mind and help you understand your horse a little better. The Book Club is one of the benefits of being a subscribing member to Reata Horsemanship. Want to participate in our Live Zoom Call to discuss the monthly book? Just click the link below to Join for just $1 for this first month!
Too often, we fall into the trap of thinking like a human, and applying our thougths and emotions to horses. This can cause ineffective and unsafe horsemanship. As you think more like your horse, you can let go of your own issues and be empathetic towards him or her. You will become a much better leader for your horse, and your interactions will be effective, safe, and much more enjoyable!
Monthly Training Tip - Establish Boundaries
In conjunction with the monthly theme of Think More Like a Horse, my monthly training tip is about establishing boundaries. Way too often, I hear people say they are afraid to put pressure on their horse to get them out of their space because they might lose the "relationship" they have. Maybe their horse won't like them anymore if they ask they to back out of their space. The opposite of this fear is the truth.
As you establish boundaries, meaning that your horse is welcome to come into your space when you ask him to, but must also step back and away from your space when asked, your relationship will not only become much safer, but your horse will start to see you as his leader, and will trust you and enjoy the comfort and security you provide him.
A great exercise to do this is the Backing Away From You exercise. You can currently find it in the membership library in the Virtual Horsemanship Course. It's recommended you have a stiff rope halter placed correctly on your horse, attached to a 14-foot weighted (Yacht) lead rope. Have the rope in both hands (hand that asks for backing palm up; hand that holds the tail end, palm down).
1. Stand up tall, chest out. This tells your horse to get ready to move.
2. Start to wiggle the rope slightly with your palm-up hand.
3. Make the wiggle bigger and bigger until you are waving it hard left to right.
4. Jerk down with the lead rope consistently.
Steps 2-4 are to be done in sequence, and stopped at the step you horse begins to move backwards. Your stopping the wiggle, the wave, or the jerking down is your release of pressure, which teaches your horse he did the right thing. Once you get a little movement stepping backwards and away from you, ask for a little more, then release. Continue bringing your horse to about 4 feet in front of you, and then asking him to back away.
Eventually, you should be able to slightly wiggle the lead rope with your horse continuing to back up to the end of the rope. This is a 'backing away" from you exercise. You don't go with your horse. You stand in one place and teach your horse to back away from you.
This is a great exercise to teach your horse to respect your space, and will do wonders for your safety, your experience, and your relationship as leader of your horse. Go out and try it today!
Membership Benefits
Remember that it is by surrounding yourself with people who share your vision to educate, inspire, and support you, and by creating good and effective habits, that you will reach your dreams in life. Consider joining our Reata Horsemanship Membership this month for just $1! Benefits are countless, but here are a few...
- Access to all FB lives from the Reata Horsemanship Family private Facebook group
- Access to all Reata Horsemanship Courses, including 2-3 new ones coming this year!
- Access to all Reata Horsemanship Training Videos, including Live Training, Problem Solving, Trailer Loading, and much more!
- Access to our Private Community
- 1 New Horse Training Video Monthly
- Monthly Zoom #1: Discuss/Answer Member’s Questions. Members can submit a video from which I will choose to discuss on this call. You will have access to previous videos reviews and discussion as well.
- Monthly Zoom #2: Book Club discussion
- Private Podcast - all Zoom Call recordings will be available to our members
- PDF downloads (from New Courses and Training Videos)
- PDF downloads (from previous PDF content)
- Challenges: 2/year (includes member video submissions, personal feedback, etc.)
- 10-20% off Clinics, Lessons, and Merchandise
Click Below to join our membership for just $ today!
Click to Join Membership
We are excited for an incredible year of 2024! No matter where you are at in life and horsemanship, join us as we focus on creating good habits that will serve you, your horse, and all those you come in contact with! Together, we can make a safer, more enjoyable world to live in!
-Luke
Before You Go!
1. Feel free to share this email or post with a friend to spread the message of good horsemanship and good life habits!
2. If you haven't already, please JOIN our private Facebook Group called Reata Horsemanship Family. It's FREE! You can connect with others seeking a better and safer partnership with their horse as well, and I offer a Live Q&A Wednesday there, where I answer your questions about horsemanship! Please spread the word about this group to your friends as well!
3. Join our Reata Horsemanship Membership! See above in the letter to learn the benefits. We are offering the membership for only $1 for the first month, and if you decide to continue, it's only $20/month thereafter. Cancel anytime it doesn't serve you.
You can also purchase the year membership for $197. These very low prices will only apply through Valentine's Day, February 14, 2024. After that, the member price is going up significantly! If you become a member before February 15, you will continue to pay the low pricing as long as you are a member.
Great to have you here, and looking forward to an amazing 2024!