It’s hard to believe, but after this weekend, it feels like our very first winter here at the ranch is finally turning toward spring. It has been a season of deep freezes, long nights, and steep learning curves—but it’s also been incredibly rewarding. Facing the Elements The extreme cold spells definitely gave us some headaches. When the mercury drops deep below -30 (which was that time colder then in Lapland), everything becomes a challenge. However, we went into this with the right mindset....

Shortly after summer began, I packed my life and moved to Belgium. I settled in a town called Enghien, about 5 kilometers away from the stable in Herne. Being underage and without a car, my daily commute was a 10 km round trip on a bicycle—come rain or shine—to my job as an Assistant Trainer. One of my favorites, CJ My days were filled with the raw energy of young horses. My responsibility was a rotating roster of youngsters: some just being introduced to the saddle, others recently started....

If you want something bad enough, the universe has a funny way of putting it right in front of you. But sometimes, it requires you to be brave enough to grab it. Springtime, just before my 17th birthday, I was scrolling through social media when a post stopped me in my tracks. Perrine Prevost , a renowned reining trainer in Belgium, was looking for a co-trainer and assistant. My heart raced. This was it. This was the "next step" I had been dreaming of. But then reality hit: How on earth do I...