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This excerpt is adapted from Newcomer to the Horse World by Andrea Sinner, Esq.,
As I spent more time in Idaho on the lands the Blacks ranched, I began to feel a desire to leave New York City, where I had lived my whole life. Feeling equal parts excitement and anxiety, I decided to move to an old farming area at the end of New York’s Long Island.
Within the first few days after I moved, I drove around, looking for any sign of horses. I called Okie and asked him what he thought I might do to keep horses in my life.
“Tim,” he said. “Do they have any Western barns out there? You could offer to exercise their horses.”
I told him it seemed like, from what I could see, most of the barns were for English riders—sports like dressage, jumping, and polo. But there was a place called Deep Hollow Ranch located in a little town called Montauk, named after the Montaukett Tribe of American Indians.
“They told me they give trail rides,” I said to Okie.
“Good,” he replied. “Go out there and be a trail guide.”
The very next day, I drove to Deep Hollow Ranch to ask for a job that wasn’t in the film and television industry. After parking in a dirt lot, I walked into a tiny office attached to a large barn. Sitting behind an old wooden desk was a tall attractive woman with long black hair and turquoise earrings. She looked up at me.
“Hi, I’m Diane,” she said. “Can I help you?”
I began to experience what would probably now be called imposter syndrome (doubt of my actual skill with horses) and a sudden rush of anxiety. Although it began to dissipate when I noticed that, just like me, Diane was wearing Wranglers, it wasn’t enough to stave off nonstop thoughts of quiet desperation: This is my only chance…. Horses may not be in my future…. What can I say to make her say yes?
“My name is Tim Hayes,” I began, “and I’ve studied with Pat Wyse out in Idaho.”
Diane looked me up and down and said in a flat voice, “I don’t know who that is. How can I help you?”
I had nothing else. I tried to look honest and humble as I replied, “Do you need anyone to help exercise your horses?”
I turned to walk out, trying to leave before Diane could answer my question with a “No.” My thoughts darkened with sadness and failure.
“No,” I heard her say behind me as I reached the door. “But…we need trail guides. Rides go out every day for an hour and a half. Are you interested?”
As I turned back to face her, I mentally reviewed the following facts:
I don’t know enough about horses.
I’m not good enough or confident enough to lead people on trail rides.
There’s no way I can or should be responsible for the safety of other riders and their horses.
If someone has a problem with a horse, I will have no idea how to help them.
This is too risky—probably dangerous.
I’m not qualified, and it’s way over my head.
Then I looked into Diane’s eyes, tried to squint like Clint Eastwood, and said, “Sure.”
Including some public land owned by New York State, Deep Hollow Ranch had close to four thousand acres to explore. Trail rides consisted of going deep into wooded areas on narrow dirt paths until you emerged on a magnificent sandy white beach, overlooking the Atlantic Ocean and across to the coastline of Rhode Island and Connecticut. The ranch kept about a hundred Quarter Horses, was open all year, and employed about fifteen trail guides during the busy summer season. Most were college-age men and women, and they came from everywhere in the country—a few even came from Ireland. And although I was old enough to be their father, I needed to constantly ask them for horse help.
Customers were put on the older, mellow horses. Since the guides were supposed to be “experienced equine professionals,” we rode the horses that still had “issues” that needed to be resolved (in other words, the ones that liked to rear or bolt).
Whenever I rode a horse that resisted my requests, I was always told by the others on staff: “Tim, get after him,” and “Show him who’s boss.” These were euphemisms for kicking hard with spurs or pulling forcefully on the reins. It frightened me, it felt wrong, and I hated doing it.
But I didn’t know what else to do.
I must have taken out hundreds of rides in the ten years I worked as a weekend volunteer trail guide in Montauk. I was kicked, bitten, reared with, bucked off, stepped on, and dragged. However, when I think back to all the saddling, grooming, and interacting on the ground I did with so many different horses, I realize how invaluable every experience was in my horseman’s education. Being good or “getting handy” with horses usually has very little to do with horseback riding. It never occurred to me then that unless I learned to establish a positive mental and emotional connection with horses on the ground, I would be left, like most people, with no alternative but to try and control them with physical force when I got on their back to “show them who’s boss.” And just as with a human adult or child, it would eventually become ineffectual in creating a harmonious or safe relationship.
Being a trail guide not only taught me more about horses, it taught me about myself. It further revealed the importance I gave to what other people thought of me. For example, when it came to getting hurt, I discovered that even factoring in all my different horse-related “accidents,” the most painful experiences were those involving my ego. I can easily recall two memorable episodes involving my attempt to save face as a “professional” trail guide.
The first was getting lost on my very first ride. Although the four thousand wooded acres of Deep Hollow Ranch were surrounded by Long Island suburban civilization, which included an occasional house, no one was more surprised than I was when I realized I had accidentally led my group of eight riders up the driveway of someone’s two-story colonial home. (I was later informed that it was a “first” in the history of Deep Hollow Ranch trail guides.) Before any of the riders following me had the chance to exclaim, “Hey, Tim, is this the right way?” I looked back at the group and in my most commanding John Wayne voice yelled, “Follow me! This is where we always make a U-turn and head out toward the beach.”
For the rest of the ride all I thought about was what I would say to Diane when one of the customers mentioned the “pretty house we rode by on the trail.”
No one ever did.
Horses, Humans, and Love: Powerful Lessons from the Herd―Compassion, Self-Worth, True Partnering, Heartfelt Parenting
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This excerpt is adapted from Horses, Humans and Love by Tim Hayes and is reprinted here with permission from Trafalgar Square Books.
You can find more interesting reading in our section for Books. While you're here, check out our Curated Amazon Store for everything you need for a happy horse and rider.
Julie Goodnight shows you the basic gaits and footfalls of the horse and how they apply to your riding.
For more information on the largest certifying body of riding instructors and barn managers in North America, Certified Horsemanship Association, please visit www.CHA.horse. To find a certified equine professional or accredited equine facility near you, visit www.CHA.horse
Read more: Gaits and Footfalls of the Horse with Julie Goodnight (9:58)
There’s more to a green pasture than meets the eye, especially when horses are involved. Healthy grazing land isn’t just a scenic backdrop, it plays a vital role in a horse’s overall well-being, influencing everything from digestion to behavior. Yet despite its importance, pasture management is often handled with a shrug and a hopeful eye on the weather. Many rely on routine or guesswork, rotating fields out of habit rather than understanding. The outcome is familiar and frustrating: worn-out grass, compacted soil, and land that struggles to recover season after season.
That passive approach is starting to shift. With live satellite images and analytics, landowners can finally see their pastures with clarity and precision. These tools reveal patterns and problems that would otherwise go unnoticed, making it easier to balance grazing pressure, protect soil health, and plan ahead.
Pasture management may look straightforward in theory: move the horses, let the grass recover, repeat. But anyone working the land knows it rarely plays out that smoothly. Grass grows unevenly. Weather patterns shift without warning. Some areas flourish while others turn to bare soil under constant trampling. And when every acre needs to support both animal health and long-term land use, the pressure to get it right can be relentless.
One of the toughest challenges is preventing overuse. When horses graze too long in one spot, the grass loses its ability to rebound. What starts as a patchy field can quickly become a worn-out stretch of dirt, opening the door to soil erosion and invasive plants. Then come the seasons. Spring might offer a burst of growth, giving a false sense of abundance, but summer heat or autumn rains can flip the script overnight. Without consistent visibility into what’s happening across the pasture, many decisions come too late. By the time the damage is clear, recovery takes time, effort, and in many cases, money that could have been saved.
Fortunately, land management is no longer limited to pacing the fields and relying solely on experience. A new generation of tools is transforming how ranchers and horse owners care for both their pastures and their animals. These innovations are not just convenient additions to old routines. They are changing the way we understand the land, helping people make decisions that are rooted in evidence instead of habit.
Drones are becoming a common sight on modern ranches, flying overhead to capture high-resolution images that reveal grazing patterns, soil wear, and even water buildup in low-lying areas. Instead of waiting for visible damage to appear, ranchers can now detect early signs of stress and act before problems take hold. Soil sensors provide another layer of insight, quietly monitoring moisture levels, pH balance, and nutrient availability around the clock. Combined with small-scale weather stations that track hyperlocal changes in temperature, wind, and precipitation, these tools help build a clearer picture of what is really happening at ground level.
Perhaps the most revolutionary shift comes from above. With the ability to view live satellite images, landowners can now see large-scale patterns across their property that would be impossible to spot on foot. These satellite visuals show how vegetation is growing, where it's thinning, and how those trends change over days, weeks, and seasons. This kind of perspective brings a level of clarity that has never been available before. It turns guesswork into strategy, helping to protect the land from overuse while ensuring horses have access to consistent, high-quality forage.
Satellite data is not just about seeing your pasture from above but about understanding it on a deeper level. When used for pasture mapping, this technology helps define the true boundaries and conditions of each grazing zone, identifying which areas are thriving and which ones are under stress. It takes the guesswork out of land management by turning distant pixels into clear indicators of ground-level reality.
With EOSDA LandViewer, these insights become both accessible and actionable. The platform allows users to track vegetation health across seasons, compare year-over-year changes, and flag trouble spots before they turn into larger issues. By analyzing plant vitality through vegetation indices like NDVI, LandViewer helps pinpoint where forage is strongest and where recovery is needed. This makes it easier to rotate animals strategically, reduce pressure on vulnerable areas, and make the most of every acre.
The ability to see live satellite images adds a real-time dimension to this process. Instead of waiting for signs of overuse to appear on the ground, managers can act early, adjusting grazing schedules or supplementing feed when needed. And because live satellite imagery captures the big picture, it reveals connections that might be missed in day-to-day observation: like how a dry patch in one field could be tied to drainage issues or how pasture health improves after a rest period. With these tools, grazing decisions become smarter, timing becomes sharper, and the land gets the care it needs to stay productive long term.
By bringing together satellite technology, soil sensors, drones, and smart data platforms, pasture management becomes more precise and less reactive. These tools offer a clearer view of land conditions, helping to prevent overgrazing, support faster regrowth, and make better use of every acre. With accurate insights at their fingertips, ranchers can provide more consistent nutrition for their horses, protect soil health, and adapt to seasonal shifts before they become problems. In the end, this tech-driven approach leads to healthier animals, stronger pastures, and a more sustainable relationship between land and livestock.
You can find more interesting stories in our section on Health & Education.
Things to keep in mind when your dog is near large animals, plus dog training tips for your cattle dogs and barn dogs alike!
Whether working cattle, or trotting happily alongside you and your horse on the trails --- if you have a dog, life on the farm, or time at the barn, means you’re likely never alone. And while it may seem commonplace, cattle dogs and barn dogs live a unique lifestyle, being nearby 1,000-pound livestock, horses and heavy farm equipment. Their lifestyle requires grit, wit and intelligence. It is crucial to help safeguard your dog’s safety and well-being.
Learn what to do should your dog be injured at the farm, and training tips for a dog’s safety.
When it comes to injuries stemming from large animals and livestock, they can range from mild, requiring dogs only rest for a few days, to life threatening. “We’ve seen dogs with head trauma from horses or cows, and even limb amputations after getting too close to a mower bar. We’ve definitely seen some things,” said Paul DeMars, DVM, DABVP, clinical associate professor at Oklahoma State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine.
All dogs (even those well-trained) can be at risk for injuries stemming from horses and livestock, as their instincts ultimately play the largest role in their behavior.
“My dogs are well-trained, agility dogs. They are always good and are well-trained not to chase horses. However, I had a dog that fell victim [to injury from livestock],” said Kris Hiney, Ph.D., Oklahoma State University associate professor and Extension equine specialist.
Dr. Hiney was out one evening feeding, with one of her three agility-trained dogs by her side --- a Border Collie named Avispa --- when her horse at the other end of the field began galloping not toward her and the feed bucket, but straight toward her dog. She gave her command for Avispa to recall, but his Border Collie instincts kicked in, and he crouched into the grass. As the horse neared, the horse lowered his head and curled up his front legs, intentionally coming down directly onto Avispa.
Dr. Hiney quickly bundled up Avispa and went to an emergency veterinary clinic. Thankfully, he pulled through and is fine today.
“The reality of horses and dogs is something not to take lightly,” said Dr. Hiney. “Some owners may not realize how badly a dog can get hurt. A lot of horses are dangerous with dogs. Cattle don’t seek them out as much, unless dogs are in their space. It is 100% instinctual, as even well-trained dogs who do this for a living can get kicked, and they can be severely injured when working cattle.”
Should your dog experience an injury, Dr. DeMars recommends you monitor, immediately, if they are:
“If animal is unconscious, get them to your veterinarian right away,” said Dr. DeMars. “Even if an animal is up on all four legs, there still could be internal bleeding, and he could be falling over two hours later, dead. Taking your dog to your veterinarian is always the best answer.”
Before driving to the clinic, use your cellphone to take pictures of the injury or wound, and share with your veterinarian. This will help the office prepare for your dog’s arrival and for swift treatment.
If your dog experiences head trauma, he requires precise care and likely, 24-hour monitoring, which is not always an option at a primary veterinary clinic. For such cases, it is best to immediately take your dog to the nearest emergency veterinary clinic or University veterinary school.
Assist wounds to help stop any bleeding. If it’s a leg injury, wrap the leg just as you would wrap a horse’s leg (apply a sterile lube, then gauze and then cover with vet wrap or bandages, going in the direction of front to back with gentle support --- not too tight or too loose).
If your dog experiences heavy bleeding, he could be suffering from a ruptured artery. Apply direct pressure to help stop excess blood loss. Get to your veterinarian, fast.
For years, Dr. Hiney has trained dogs for agility. She has three Australian Shepherds and one Border Collie. When it comes to working cattle, Dr. Hiney says, “Just because they’re a herding dog doesn’t mean they are naturally good around livestock. It means they have intense interest in livestock, and that interest has to be channeled through training.”
While any dog can learn to be good around livestock, it is important to realize that cattle dogs, for instance the Blue Heeler, Catahoula and Corgi, will be attracted to it and stimulated by the livestock’s movement. “A lot of people think dogs can help while working cattle, but only a trained dog is helpful. An untrained dog creates more chaos and anxiety from both livestock and people. If your dog isn’t trained, he needs to be secured. Tie or pen them up safely out of the way, with water.”
Training tips from Dr. Hiney to increase your dog’s safety:
Professional cattle dog training offers a safe space for your dog’s learning, by working with livestock that are “dog broke,” meaning they know how to move from a dog’s pressure. They also can start them on sheep and goats, for a safer option. While a cow dog is bred instinctually to herd, they will benefit both mentally and physically from professional lessons and training to channel their instinctual habits into more strategized skills.
Check your surrounding area for professional dog training classes. Keep in mind, well-mannered dogs are often welcome at horse shows and barns; however, a misbehaving dog nipping or barking is a quick way to be shown the door. In today’s world, there are even online dog training options available, and the World Wide Web is filled with helpful training videos as an option, too.
Dogs among livestock and horses should know commands for recall, down and stay. Teach them the boundaries of what they can and cannot do. They will look to you for the correct answers.
Allow no recreational cattle or horse chasing, barking or nipping at all, if you can avoid it. This ‘playtime’ can easily turn problematic.
Use treats, toys and your undivided attention to make training the most rewarding and fun part of their day. This will keep them happy and engaged with you to make the best choices.
For their safety’s sake, not returning to you cannot be an option. Using long lines (essentially a long leash) can prevent bad habits from forming. This is a best practice before letting your dogs off-leash.
For a wide range of pet products, such as toys, treats and life-saving medications, visit veterinarian-founded ValleyVet.com for your dog’s every need, shipped fast.
This is a sample lesson on Simple Change of Lead for horseback riding students demonstrating the 15 minute lesson format used by participants during a Certified Horsemanship Association (CHA) riding instructor certification clinic. Visit www.CHA.horse to find a clinic to attend near you.
Read more: Sample Lesson: Simple Change of Leads with Cheryl West (16:17)
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