I came to Betsy in 2019 after taking a 10-year break from horseback riding. I had decided that I would hop on my dad’s trail riding horse and take a second shot at Barrel Racing, something I had so greatly enjoyed in my youth. I had an uphill battle to regaining my riding ability and after a few months of being back in the saddle I found myself at a group lesson with Betsy. After this initial lesson I was sent down a path of self-development that would not only better me as a rider and person, but would end up being extremely beneficial for my horse.
Betsy immediately noticed that something was seriously off when it came to my horses’ range of motion. Desi was extremely stiff almost to the point of lameness. Betsy recommended that I have an osteopath assess her and that I add a magnesium-based supplement to her diet. After working closely with Betsy to help my horse find release, while simultaneously doing osteopathic treatment and a nutritional overhaul my horse made a total 180.
I went from being doubtful that my horse would ever be able to transition from a trail horse to a barrel horse to running at barrel races multiple weekends, a month without any lameness issues.
When it came to re-gaining my riding ability Betsy helped me rebuild from the ground up. Not only did she help me get back to where I was before I stopped riding, she showed me a side of horsemanship that I hadn’t been previously exposed to. She taught me how to truly listen to horses and build a deeper connection with them through awareness, patience and perseverance. This not only carried over to the barrel pattern but to other aspects of my life benefiting my overall health, my performance at work and my personal relationships.
When I came to Betsy my only goal was to be a better barrel racer, but what I ended up receiving was so much more than that. I am so grateful to have such an amazing mentor and can say with confidence that I never would have progressed as quickly as I have without her unwavering support and guidance.
Cover Photo by Donna Gee https://www.facebook.com/donna.gee.12