Key13 Horsemanship

Key13 Horsemanship Science-based horsemanship rooted in trust, clarity and partnership. Building willing horses from the ground up

10/06/2026

Did you know we have our own groundhog? 😂

Groundhogs predict spring with their shadow.

Angie predicts winter with her coat 😂

Forget the Farmer’s Almanac. Forget the weather apps.

We check Angie.

If she starts furring up in September, order more hay and stack the firewood. She has never been wrong.

And this year?

Angie has skipped October and is already wearing her November coat. 👀❄️

She’s also one of the only horses I know who grows actual winter underwear — enough fur to completely cover her udder.

Thanksgiving snow in the forecast?
Angie: “Yeah… I told you that weeks ago. You’re late.” 😂

10/04/2026

🐴 LIFE IN THE HERD | When one leave.

We often talk about introducing a new horse to a herd.

But what happens when one leaves?

Before our herd grew, before all the horses that came and went, and even before Cassie was born, there were Angie, Solo, Nash and Freya.

Angie raised Freya as her own for two years.

When Freya left, Angie called, she looked — she knew someone was missing.

Freya, meanwhile, was calm, almost as if she knew it was time.

The others stood watching. Their lead mare was worried, and when she was worried, they paid attention too.

Because horses form bonds. They make friends. They build connections. And they can feel the loss when those connections are broken.

A horse isn't just another body in the pasture. It's a familiar body that has occupied the same space for years. A presence. A routine. Someone they rested beside, followed and found comfort in.

But sometimes, saying goodbye is part of loving them too.

We raised Freya, gave her an education and prepared her for the world beyond our pasture. Part of our responsibility is knowing when it's time for a horse to move on to a home that fits their next chapter.

We can't keep them all.

Sometimes our job is to prepare them as well as we can — and then let them go. ❤️

10/02/2026

“A properly prepared horse won’t buck the first time it’s saddled.”

True or false? 👀

Good preparation matters, but even a well-prepared horse can react when the saddle starts moving and feeling different on their body.

I always do first saddlings at liberty in the round pen. I want them to move their feet, move their mind, and get a feel for all those new sensations. And yes — I make them lope.

Sometimes a few bucks crop up. Sometimes nothing happens at all.

A reaction doesn’t automatically mean the training failed. What matters is why they reacted, how they recover, and what they learn from it.

Good preparation isn’t about guaranteeing zero reaction. It’s about preparing the horse to work through it.

So — true or false ? Does bucking at first saddling mean the horse wasn’t properly prepared ?

09/30/2026

LIFE IN THE HERD 🐴

Is Angie being mean to Freya… or is there more happening here? 👀

In this video, Angie is protecting Cassie and very clearly telling Freya that she has come close enough.

By human standards, horse communication can look rough. There’s no polite warning or lengthy negotiation. Sometimes the message is simply: “That’s close enough. Move.”

But watch what happens next.

Once Freya respects the boundary, does Angie continue pursuing her? Or is the conversation over?

That distinction matters.

Herd dynamics aren't always gentle, and they aren't always pretty to watch through human eyes. But boundaries, corrections and learning how to read other horses are all part of a young horse’s social education.

Sometimes we have to stop looking at one dramatic moment and watch the whole conversation. 🐴❤️

What do you see when you watch it?

09/28/2026

TACK ROOM TALK 🐴

“My horse is too advanced for groundwork.”

Maybe for certain groundwork exercises… but never for foundation work.

Sometimes problems develop over time, and going back to basics helps us understand what’s happening from the ground up.

But sometimes there’s no problem to fix.

Our routine can easily become: quick brush, saddle, ride, correct, improve, unsaddle, put away. And without realizing it, we can become demanding—even a little tyrannical—always correcting, always expecting more.

Sometimes we need to do something different. Go for a walk. Play with an obstacle. Work at liberty. Or simply spend time together without getting on.

Sometimes it’s about checking the foundation. Sometimes it’s about checking the partnership. And sometimes, it’s simply about reconnecting. ❤️🐴

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Hello ! 👋Considering most of you weren’t here a few days ago, I should probably introduce myself.I’m Marine or Romy, the...
09/26/2026

Hello ! 👋

Considering most of you weren’t here a few days ago, I should probably introduce myself.

I’m Marine or Romy, the human behind Key 13 Horsemanship. I’m originally from France and somehow ended up on an acreage in Alberta surrounded by horses, dogs, mud, hay and questionable life choices 😂

My horse experience has taken me from outfitters to performance barns and plenty in between. Eventually, I decided to change careers and work with horses full time. I graduated from Lakeland College in Animal Science Technology, Equine specialization, and my fascination with equine behaviour has kept me learning ever since.

Outside the barn, I love movies, photography, reading, cooking for the people I love, a little me-time and evenings around the bonfire ❤️

If Flicka brought you here, welcome! And if you’ve been here for a while, thanks for sticking around.

Apparently there are quite a few more of us now ! Your turn — tell me something about yourself below! 🐴

09/25/2026

Fall 2026 — Alberta Fashion Edition ✨

Why choose between fly season and blanket season when you can simply wear both? 💅

Acorn is modelling this season’s hottest look:
🪰 Fly protection on top
❄️ Winter-ready underneath
✨ Confusion throughout

Alberta weather may not know what season it is, but apparently Acorn came prepared for all of them. 😂

So… Team Flies 🪰 or Team Snow ❄️?

09/23/2026

Welcome to Key 13 Horsemanship ❤️

There are suddenly a lot more of you here, so first — thank you.

Key 13 is more than a business name to me. I wear it like a brand and a reminder that horses are a little like onions — there are layers. Sometimes it takes one key, sometimes multiple keys, before we find what unlocks their mind.

A client recently said that Key 13 has a way of understanding horse behaviour and knowing how to work through a process with them.

That touched home because she described our mission in one sentence: understand the horse first, then work through the process.

Every horse we help understand has a better chance at a meaningful partnership with their human — and sometimes, a better chance at finding and keeping a good home.

Education is at the heart of what we do through training, coaching, clinics, demonstrations and Alberta Open Farm Days. Being named a Luminary of the Year finalist, recognizing leadership, mentorship and advocacy in Alberta agriculture and agritourism, made that mission even more meaningful.

A lot has changed on this page this week 😂, but our mission hasn’t.

Finding the right key — or keys — to unlock their mind.

09/22/2026

Teaching a horse to cede to pressure is an important part of their education.

Pressure is everywhere in a horse’s life — the halter, lead rope, tying, picking up feet, veterinary care, trailer loading and eventually the aids we use while riding. The goal isn’t to teach a horse to tolerate more and more pressure. The goal is to teach them how to find the release.

For Flicka, one of her tendencies when she feels restricted is to go up. We have spent time building her understanding and helping her regulate her emotions around pressure. Today, I felt she was at a point where she could safely work through the problem without immediately going into panic or putting herself in a wreck.

So I tied her and gave her the opportunity to figure it out.

Instead of me releasing the pressure every time things became uncomfortable, she had to search for the answer herself: pulling and going up doesn’t make the pressure disappear, but softening and yielding does.

There is a big difference between letting a horse panic until they give up and giving a horse who is ready the opportunity to problem-solve. Timing and knowing the horse in front of you matter tremendously.

Ultimately, I don’t just want to teach a horse to “move away from pressure.” I want them to learn:

When you feel pressure, don’t panic or fight it. Think. Search for the answer. The release is there.

That understanding can become an incredibly valuable tool for both safety and communication throughout their life.

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