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As I sit down to record this just a few days before we load up and head out to Lexington, Kentucky, the reality is starting to sink in—Road to the Horse is here. It’s been months of preparation. Really, it’s been decades in the making. This opportunity didn’t come overnight, and I feel incredibly blessed and honored to have been invited. It’s something I’ve dreamed about, worked toward, and quietly prayed for over the years. And now it’s time.

Like any big moment in life, there have been waves of doubt here and there. But one of the biggest things I’ve learned—whether in life, training horses, or facing down a challenge—is that while you can’t always control your first thought, you can control your second. It’s natural for nerves to show up. The butterflies are there. But I’ve learned over the years that those butterflies just mean I care. It means I’m invested. And when you can turn that nervous energy into excitement, that’s when something really good happens.

Inside the Round Pen

Walking into the round pen at Road to the Horse will feel like home base for me. That’s my comfort zone. But I’ll be honest—everything else about this event will be outside of my comfort zone. You can prepare all you want, but you can’t fully replicate the feeling of stepping into an arena with thousands of people watching and cheering while you start a colt for the first time.

But here’s the deal—once that gate closes, it’s just me and the horse. The noise fades. The crowd disappears. And what’s left is the foundation I’ve spent my entire career building—a quiet conversation between horse and human.

The Basics Are the Foundation

This whole journey has been a reminder of the importance of the basics. Every day, no matter how advanced a horse or trainer becomes, it always comes back to the fundamentals. The basics are the anchor. They're the part of the plan that doesn’t change. You don’t get better by skipping over them—you get better by reinforcing them, one day at a time.

This Road to the Horse preparation has helped me sharpen up those basics—not just in the young horses, but in myself, too. It’s been a chance to double down on what I know works and trust that small steps lead to big results.

Everyone's Horsemanship Journey Looks Different

For those who will be watching the event, I hope it serves as a reminder that there’s more than one way to get where you’re going. Every trainer has a different system, a different approach, a different way of applying their knowledge. And that’s the beauty of it. The end goal is the same—a better relationship with the horse—but how we each get there may look a little different.

Horsemanship isn’t one-size-fits-all. And the good news is, anyone can learn it. You don’t need a fancy facility or expensive equipment. You need a willingness to listen, to try, and to learn. If you’ve got that, you can make progress—and that’s what this event is all about.

A Life the Horse Helped Build

As I reflect on how I got here, I keep coming back to one simple truth: I owe it all to the horse. I’ve spent years—decades—working on what I like to call my “doctorate in horsemanship.” And here’s the thing—the learning never stops. That horse keeps me thinking, keeps me growing, and keeps me grounded.

The horse has taught me about patience, about leadership, and about controlling my emotions when life doesn’t go as planned. It’s taught me that frustration gets you nowhere, and that consistency and understanding go a lot further than force ever could. Honestly, I believe God put the horse on this earth to help us understand more about ourselves—about life, relationships, and purpose.

Faith and family come first. And then it’s the horse. Always the horse.

Final Thoughts

There’s a quote that’s been on my heart lately:
“It’s okay to live a life most people don’t understand.”

There have been many times in my life when someone would ask, “What do you do?” And I’d answer, “Oh, I’m just a horse trainer.” But I’ll tell you right now—nothing could be farther from the truth.

Some people may never fully understand the life we live, the connection we have with the horse, or why we’ve chosen this path. And that’s okay. What we get to do every day is special. The animal we get to work with is special. And the people we get to work with—many of whom become family—are special, too.

So as we head into Road to the Horse, I’m filled with gratitude. I’m proud to showcase what the horse has done in my life. And I’m excited to keep learning, keep growing, and hopefully inspire a few others to keep showing up for the journey.

See y’all in Lexington.