A Quiet First Step - Gigis first horse training session

At just ten years old, Gigi has officially stepped into the round yard—not as a rider this time, but as a trainer.

Armed with her groundwork rope, a calm voice, and an innate sense of timing, she worked with all three of her horses—Flicker, her cheeky silver-dapple filly; Gaia, the more sensitive half-sister; and Roscoe, the wise old gelding of the herd.

Each horse brought out a different quality in Gigi. With Flicker, it was patience. She gently trotted her out, looking for that magical moment where Flicker’s head dipped in quiet acknowledgement. With Gaia, it was care. Gigi noticed every flinch, every tick on her coat, every sign of trust or discomfort. And with Roscoe, it was respect. She gave him space to move, acknowledged his stiffness, and met him with reassurance and rhythm.

What stood out wasn’t just what she did—it was what she noticed. The head tilt, the cutting in, the lick and chew. She knew when to wait, when to ask, when to praise. And, most of all, when to stop—because “what they finish on is what they’ll remember.”

Flicker and Gigi learning together at Liberty (no ropes attached)

🗣 A Note from Dad about Gigi's first horse training session

I’ve seen kids at pony club feel crushed by pressure and competition, but what we’re building here is something different.

At Golden Glade Ranch, we’re raising horses—and humans—with trust, softness, and space to learn. Watching Gigi's first horse training session and her step into that role with such clarity and kindness… well, I’m just incredibly proud.

This was her first day as a trainer. But more than that, it was the beginning of something bigger:

A life spent learning with horses, not dominating them.