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Hey everyone, If you’ve been following along with my posts over the last several months, you know how much this blog has meant to me. Whether we were chatting about photography tips in Beyond the Frame, diving into the lives of biblical figures in Saints and Sinners, talking about writing drafts in Words from the Heart, or sharing the deep bonds of the barn and trail in The Halter and the Heart and The Rural Dog—this space has been an absolute joy to create. But as the saying

Welcome back to "The Halter and the Heart"! Now that the excitement of selecting our calves is wrapping up, we enter the longest, quietest, and arguably most important phase of the 4-H year: the daily grind. It’s easy to get excited about the bright lights of the show ring or the fun of a weekend fair. But champions aren’t made under the stadium lights; they are made at 9:00 PM on a cold Tuesday in the barn. Today, let's talk about how to design a daily routine that keeps you

We’ve gone through the intensity of the show, the patience of the off-season, and the critical eye of Selection. (And yes, I’m still out there looking at calves—it’s a process!) But once you’ve picked that calf and backed the trailer up to your barn, a new clock starts. The first 30 days are the most important days of the entire year. This is where you decide if you’re going to have a partner or an opponent in the ring. 1. The Anchor of Trust: Tying Up Before we can move, we

We’ve talked about the adrenaline of the show ring and the quiet, frosty mornings of the off-season. But now, we stand at the most exciting—and nerve-wracking—part of the 4-H cycle: Selection. I’m actually right in the middle of this process myself! As I’m writing this, I’m spending my days visiting breeders and looking through pastures, trying to find that one calf that stands out from the rest. It’s a reminder of how much hope and potential is at the start of every new yea

We’ve spent the last few months talking about the "show" part of 4-H—the early morning washes, the perfect top lines, and the adrenaline of the ring. But what happens when the trailer is parked, the clippers are put away, and the banners are hung on the wall? Today, I want to talk about the off-season . This is the time when the "Halter" takes a backseat and the "Heart" really gets to work. The Shift in Routine When you aren't prepping for a show every weekend, it’s easy to l

Welcome back to The Halter and the Heart! We spend months perfecting top lines, feed ratios, and polishing those hooves, but the show day itself is a marathon of precision and patience. For every 4-H member stepping into the beef ring, success isn't just about the ribbons—it's about mastering the meticulous flow of the day. Let’s break down the three critical phases of a beef 4-H show. Phase I: The Morning Grind (Arrival and Final Preparation) Show day starts long before the

Back for another post on The Halter and the Heart! As I write this I am five days away from going to the biggest 4-H show in all of Ontario, the Royal Winter Fair. I have spent the last few weeks honing in on training to prepare for this specific show. So, how does one begin the training process? Well that’s the question I want to answer today. The first step is to halter break your calf. I would say this is the easiest step in training but it is also a crucial point where y

Hello! Welcome to The Halter and the Heart! I’ve been doing 4-H for four years and this is where I will be sharing some personal stories,...