A #DelVal student reached out to interview me about horsemanship for her careers class… and it reminded me how much teaching horsemanship matters to me....like in my bones.
With her permission I want to share her interview 
Shout out to Ava Morgan and Delaware Valley University!
Here’s a bit about my career and a few thoughts for students heading into this industry.
1) what degrees do you have and where they were from?
Answer:
I earned an Associate of Equine Studies from Delaware Valley University. My work centers on feel-based horsemanship and postural health as the foundation for building sound, versatile equine athletes. That focus gives me a unique perspective on horse care, training, and behavior.
(2) the career steps you took to get there?
Answer:
After graduating I gained hands-on experience in a variety of equine settings — working in tack shops, assisting trainers, boarding barns, and therapeutic programs.
I volunteered as the training coordinator at Safe Harbor Sanctuary for five years and now run my own lesson and training program. Over time I developed an approach to rehabilitation and training that emphasizes partnership, balance, and listening to the horse. Continuous learning and observing horse-centered trainers has been essential.
(3) what your day-to-day work is like
Answer:
No two days are the same. I plan sessions, train and assess movement and posture, problem-solve physical and behavioral issues, and communicate progress with clients. Much of my job is observation, adapting plans to each horse’s needs, and helping horses build strength, confidence, and cooperation. I also consider herd dynamics, environment, nutrition, and the horse’s overall well-being when making training decisions.
(4) what advice do you have for current students that may want a similar job someday?
Answer:
Be curious and keep learning — every horse teaches you something new.
Learn to observe. Small details matter.
Build strong communication skills with both horses and people.
Be adaptable; working with animals rarely looks the same every day.
Learn the basics of running a small business — even if you plan to work for someone else someday.
Learn practical hoof care and how to work with a good farrier and veterinarian (hooves and x-rays matter).
Study biomechanics — how a horse’s body moves will inform everything you do.
Know how to evaluate hay quality and manage feeds efficiently.
Get insurance for your business and understand basic legal/safety practices.
Especially as a woman, protect yourself professionally: set boundaries, know your limits, and have a career plan that can adapt if your physical capacity changes.
Journal your training, nutrition, and observations — writing clarifies thinking and builds confidence.
Slow down. Progress with horses is often measured in months, not days. Patience and consistency win.
Seek out experienced, horse-centered mentors — people who have done the work in the arena and care about the horse first.
A few industry truths I care about:
The sport and industry will improve when we stop measuring trainers only by show results and start prioritizing the horse’s soundness and long-term welfare.
Your horse is your teacher — pay attention and lead with calm, confident consistency.
Some of you know I'm slowly returning to social media and my blog after a log medically necessary break. You can follow that progress here or on my socials. www.facebook.com/JessicaLyonsHorsemanship , @JessicaLyonsHorsemanship on Instagram , and @JessicaLyonsHorsemanship on TikTok
5 ways to help control fear or frustration while riding and handling horses️
A big part of living the horse life is managing chronic pain and mitigating all of the emotions that can bubble up at the barn or show. These 5 exercises just may help you stay in the present moment, whether you ride on your own, teach or take lessons.
1. Ground Yourself with Deep Breathing
As you ride, focus on your breathing. At the walk. Inhale deeply for four counts, hold for four, and exhale for four. This technique helps calm your nervous system and promotes clear, intentional communication with your horse.
When you get more comfortable doing this exercise, start counting their steps and listening to the bilateral stimulation of their hooves. Knowing where their feet are every step is half of the battle!
2. Feel Your feet in you boots and your seat in the saddle.
When frustration arises, shift your attention to the sensation of your feet in your boots, then to your seat connecting with the saddle. Notice how your body aligns with your horse’s movement. Relax any compensatory tension. This grounding technique keeps you present and fosters a stronger bond with your horse.
3. Relax Through Movement
If tension builds, use extremely small, slow, intentional movements to release it. For example, gently figure eight your nose horazonally or virtically, slowly wiggle your fingers, or lift and curl your toes. These actions help release pent-up energy without disrupting your ride.
4. Tune into Your Body's Sensations
Scan your body for tension—tight shoulders, clenched jaw, or stiff hands—and consciously relax those areas. By softening your posture, you signal calmness to your horse, making the ride smoother and more enjoyable for both of you. This will also help stack bones on top of each other properly, giving the receptors in your joints the message that you are in a balanced and stable posture.
5. Sync Your seatboned with Your Horse's Movement
Focus on matching your seatbones to your horse’s rhythm. For example, as your horse's right hind leg prepares to move forward, your right seat bone will be lifted up and in, and then it will stay with their right hind leg seeming to move back and down. Repeat!
Your left side will do the same, but I find when beginning to learn this exercise, it's easier for most riders to focus on one side for a while, and then to focus on the other, before combining the two sides into a following seat.
This creates a harmonious connection and helps regulate your emotions and your horse’s responses. The more we do that, the easier our training sessions get and the faster our horses progress.
In an earlier post you read a little about how my work with Dr. Kutsko over the last 8 years has informed the way I handle and ride horses.
Converting the method she created and uses in her office into ridden exercises that I could do and teach was key for my horse's progress.
I'll share more about how you can apply this work to your horse in a later posts. Their wellness truly does start with our wellness as riders and handlers. So, focus on you first!
Give these a try and let me know if you have any questions. 
~Jessica
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There will be people along your path who seem to say the right things, but leave you feeling hollow. You may enjoy these humans if you are patient and tolerant...maybe you'll even learn some useful stuff.
And then there will be people who never take too much, even when they teach hard lessons or hold you accountable to your own moral compass. Pushing you to reach further...dig deeper.
If you start to leave a situation feeling drained, pay attention.
For me, this is a sign that it's time to take what works and leave the rest. Time to burrow down into fertile soil and allow the seeds of richer moments to germinate.
It hurts, change and growth are not linear or logical, but... When you find your fertile ground you will know because the work doesn't feel hollow....it doesn't drain your soul.
When I'm digging deep with my peeps; life lessons seep into my bones, they settle in my guts and they move shit around.
A certain level of safety and patience from myself and honestly from my village is pretty much mandatory for all this to happen. It's not a fun process!
Sometimes we just aren't ready, maybe we're stuck. I've been stuck, I've not been ready, and maybe I'm there more often than I even know. But I try to not stay for long. I try to search for ways to grow through some things.
Because through is often the only way out.
It seems like a worthy cause, my horses and my students are almost always better for it. Authenticity can thrive, and we all know that the horse values fewer things more than authenticity.
So ~ Cheers to finding the fruit in our fears and failures 