Ironhorse Ranch Horse Training near Caldwell, Kansas

Expert Horse Training in Kansas

Welcome to Ironhorse Ranch, where passion meets expertise in horse training. Let us help you build a strong bond with your horse through our dedicated training programs.

Trusted by Clients

Leo and I Doing "Lay over the Neck"

What we have to offer:

Training programs to fit each individual horse to produce a relaxed confident horse!

I specialize in properly desensitizing horses to MANY things!!

Don't have a horse and want to learn more about horses? Ask about our riding lessons on our safe and very experienced very patient horses.

Photo credit to Karen Shellhammer

About The Trainer...

My family got our first horses when I was around 8 years old. My aunt, who knew horses, helped us find just the right horse! In fact, she ended up getting herself a younger gelding and sold us her SAFE been there done that horse. Peewee was his name! And he was a GREAT horse for us to learn on as he was very patient! He was the best "first horse" a family could ask for!!

As a kid, we were usually trail riding all over Kansas at least once or twice a month back when gas was actually affordable!! This allowed me to get MANY MANY miles in the saddle to develop my riding skills.

For several years, my brothers and I had to share a horse. I was around 11 years old when I finally got my first horse that I didn't have to share! I called her Sally Sarah. She was a leopard appaloosa who lost her spots so she was all white. She would end up with blue spots when she got wet with sweat. Sadly, that horse went blind as appaloosas are prone to eye problems. While it was very sad to loose my best friend, it also challenged me to be a better horsewoman. The next horse wasn't perfect, by no means.

My next horse came to me with a bad habit of sitting back while saddling. I dove into books on how to fix this issue! One book that really helped me a lot was the book titled "Considering the Horse" by Mark Rashid. I had that horse completely fixed of his bad habits. I rode him so much that we had to shoe him in order to keep his feet from wearing plum off! A neighbor in the area needed a first horse so I sold him to them and got another horse with minor bad habits. I rode him so much that he was great for anyone to ride too. For a while, I worked for a race horse owner exercising his race horses to prep them for racing. We had a local library where I could rent John Lyon's vhs tapes to learn more about horse training. Over the years I have tried other clinicians but I always fall back on good ol John Lyons!!

Between school years I spent LOTS of time at a boarding stable cleaning about 19 stalls a day and I had the rest of the afternoon until my mom got off of work to help lots of people and their horses. These horses usually had minor bad habits although some had pretty dangerous habits. One actually bucked me off and I didn't remember leaving the place that day! Another at another location reared up and fell sideways on me. Thankfully he fell sideways and it was a cool wet morning with sandy ground so my leg just had minor injuries. Vs if the horse fell straight backwards I could have been killed.

As an adult I have raised lots of babies from young ages and turned them into AMAZING horses! Some I have kept, some I have not. They moved on to new places where they have a job etc... I have also trained numerous horses for outside owners over the past 21 years. I have 2 horse safe pens to keep horses in while they stay here for training. If they are wild and scared it isn't long before I have them pretty much greeting me at the gate! They learn to join up and can't wait to be with me MORE.

The last several years I have helped an elderly couple halter break their yearlings and weanlings. The first year they brought me yearlings. After that all they brought me was weanlings because they sold so fast once I had them broke to lead through many different obstacles and trailer load like little pros!!

I have also been through a very bad horse accident which has FORCED me to better understand desensitization!! I make darn sure every horse is good and desensitized before I ever get on! I always do the very best I can to keep me as well as the horses SAFE!

I would be happy to help you with your horse!! I have a large sandy round pen with 6 foot fencing as well as a sandy arena. As horses are more experienced, I can take them on my trails nearby. Depending on the stage of training the horse is at. I like to set them up for success as best as humanly possible so that we do not have set backs.

Sally Sarah and I in the late 1990s!

Peewee and my 2 brothers in the early 1990s.

My Horses...

Diesel a registered 2016 Express Clydesdale Draft Horse

I purchased him around 9 months of age from the Express Ranch with goals of turning him into a safe family riding horse! I mostly use him in parades and trails. He is the most gentle giant and I can put anyone on him! My husband loves to ride him at home on our trails!

Leo a registered 2009 American Paint Horse

I purchased him as a unbroke 2 year old with hopes of trick riding on him. He was great with the trick riding and is one of the most patient horses I know! Today, I can put anyone on him and know he will take good care of them. My own mom included!!

Ranger a registered 2022 American Paint Horse

I purchased him as a 5 month old baby freshly weaned and untouchable. After gaining his trust he is turning into a very nice truth worthy riding horse! I have desensitized him to MANY things and am currently riding my trails with him as well as my roads. He is a half brother to Bob below and is currently still in training. It takes years to get a solid broke safe horse!! From baby to adult horse around 6 years of age!

A water Obstacle...

Click on the picture for the video.

Bob is a registered 2022 American Quarter Horse

I got Bob as a gift from his sweet breeder as a yearling but I had already halter broke him and did a month worth of ground work when he was 7 months old for his breeder. I have desensitized him to MANY things and am currently riding my trails with him as well as my roads. He is Ranger's (above) half brother and is still in training. It takes years to get a solid broke safe horse! From baby to adult horse around 6 years of age.

Note: This is not all of the horses I have trained. Many are not recorded here. This website would be huge if I documented them ALL! This is just what I currently own.

Bob riding through a few obstacles...

Click on the picture for a video.

”Valerie, you are one of the best in the country! My horses will always come to you!”

- Bob Davis

Testimonials...