Summit Acres Wellness by Ginny LaPrairie

09/04/2026

09/01/2026

New beginnings but never forgetting how we got here and who was beside us. Ride on✨️

08/21/2026

I am happy to officially introduce, Onyx. 🖤

Since losing Jack, there has been an unmistakable space in our pasture. We have sincerely appreciated the love, time, and space to mourn. Horses leave a place that will always belong only to them, but this tremendous loss also asked us to consider carefully what came next for Iris, for me, and for the beautiful women who choose the work of Summit Acres Wellness by Ginny LaPrairie

Then came Onyx. My new friend Kathy Castro at The Santana Center told us she knew the perfect horse for us, and boy, was she right. Onyx is a gorgeous and kind 14-year-old Dutch Harness gelding, and we are incredibly grateful to Kathy and the wonderful team at the Santana Center for the way they pour into their horses, know them so well, and understood what we were looking for even before we met him.

There was another part of that decision that mattered deeply to me: the horse we chose also needed the opportunity to choose us. That is fundamental to the way I approach equine-assisted work because partnership isn't something we simply decide on behalf of the horse. Onyx was given the opportunity to engage, step away, come back, investigate, and communicate, and we paid attention. He continued to choose connection, and in those first interactions, we saw his willingness to enter into relationship with us, too.

Onyx is incredibly kind and steady without being passive. He is expressive, responsive, curious, and present, with boundaries and opinions of his own. Those qualities are incredibly valuable in the work we do with women because they allow relationship to remain a conversation rather than becoming an exercise in compliance.

With Onyx, a woman may have the opportunity to discover that she can hold a boundary without becoming harsh, take up space without using force, make a clear request without apologizing, and respect another being's “no” without experiencing it as rejection. He is kind enough to create trust while remaining responsive enough to ask us to notice how we are showing up, and that balance is a large part of why he felt so right for this work.

Iris brings her own sensitivity, wisdom, and unique way of meeting people. Onyx doesn't replace what Jack brought, and he doesn't duplicate what Iris offers. I am taking time to learn this new herd dynamic and appreciate its own gifts, because Onyx brings something entirely his own.

As I watch the relationship between Iris and Onyx develop and continue building my own relationship with him, I can see the shape of what comes next: three different beings bringing three different strengths to a shared purpose of helping women reconnect with themselves, build capacity, nourish what has been depleted, and move forward with greater clarity and trust in themselves.

We weren't looking for a horse who would simply do whatever was asked of him. We were looking for a partner who was steady enough to create trust, sensitive enough to notice, expressive enough to communicate, and kind enough to stay in conversation. Kathy believed Onyx could be that horse for us, and we are so grateful that she was right.

Onyx still gets to settle in, deepen his relationship with Iris, and continue showing us who he is. His role in this work will grow from relationship, choice, and trust.

Jack helped begin this story and his place in it will always belong to him. After a season of tremendous change, it feels deeply meaningful to look toward what comes next with gratitude for everything that brought us here and say, welcome home, Onyx. 🖤

www.demystifythesummit.com

08/02/2026

First, I've been deeply grateful for the love you've shown. Thank you for your kindness, prayers and memories. Reading your comments reminded me of how many hearts he touched alongside mine.

I found this photo of Jack growing his capacity for discomfort (maybe you remember the chair that first made him spin in circles until I sat in it) by chance and it reminded me of something.

This week has reminded me that capacity is rarely built in the moment we need it. It is built quietly over time through the choices we make each day: caring for our bodies, remaining open to growth, receiving support, allowing ourselves to be changed by our experiences, and embracing the initiations that ask us to become someone we could not have become otherwise.

Looking back, I can see that every initiation in my own life has expanded my capacity. What once felt like something to survive gradually became something to integrate. Over time, those experiences became part of the work I now have the privilege of offering others.

That is why I created Summit Acres Wellness... not to help women avoid life's hardest moments, but to help them build the capacity to meet those moments without losing themselves. My mission is to return them to themselves.

Whether you are carrying something today or building tomorrow, every step expands your capacity to meet life with greater steadiness, wisdom and compassion.

When we allow our initiation to become integrated rather than simply endured, they become more than your story but a place to offer to others.

This possibility continues to inspire my work. It is why the work matters.

08/01/2026

This is so hard to write but last night we unexpectedly said goodbye to our beloved Jack.

Through his gentle spirit, quiet strength, and steady presence, he reminded us that some of life's greatest teachers never speak a word.

His lessons remain and we'll carry him forward as we process this and allow Iris to grieve alongside us.

Iris was allowed to stand by us as he passed. I believe it's better to allow the participation and mourning rather than shield and cause confusion. This was her bonded partner and we will continue to honor that in her as we prepare forward.

🌈💔

07/26/2026

Lessons from the Steadiest Being I Know 🐾

We talk a lot about the big animals on the property, but today my heart is reflecting on a smaller member of the team.

Peanut is, hands down, the steadiest being I know. In a fast-moving world, her calm, unshakeable presence is a daily masterclass in how to live.

Watching her navigate life alongside the horses and humans has taught me a few profound lessons:

🌿 Presence is a gift. Peanut doesn't feel the need to perform, prove her worth, or fill the silence. She just sits with you. Her quiet companionship is more powerful than a thousand words.

⚖️ Balance is internal. The world around her can be chaotic, loud, or fast-paced. Yet, she keeps her head steady and her spirit grounded. She reminds me that peace is something you carry inside, not something you find outside.

❤️ Consistency builds trust. Peanut shows up exactly as she is, every single day. That unwavering reliability is the truest, purest form of love there is.

She doesn't try to change anyone or fix anything. She just anchors the space with her steady heart. So incredibly grateful for this beautiful soul. 🐕✨

06/10/2026

Stepping out of the herd and into the quiet.

I am taking a few days away to rest and recharge. I had to physically choose to step away, because as long as the endless cycle of farmette management and daily chores is right in my face, the pull to stay locked into that mental and physical grind is just too strong.

Stepping away required action on my part. This trip only became possible because of my incredible tribe—and my targeted ability to actually ask them for help. More than that, it required a deep, active practice of trust. It takes immense trust to hand over the reins, let go of control, and believe that the herd and the land are safe in others' hands while you tend to yourself. Built over time with my highest quality relationships...

While vacation is a hard-earned luxury, restorative practices are not. Rest is a biological necessity.

In my work, we do away with fences, arenas, and round pens. We meet the horses in total freedom—at liberty, in their natural element. In that open space, horses teach us how to connect without force, pressure, or expectations. They don't wait for a vacation to regulate their systems; they do it daily, right in the middle of the herd, relying on each other and trusting the collective safety of the group.

Right now, I am practicing that exact same freedom by removing myself from that daily mental and physical grind.

Restoration is the practice of removing the "fences" of our daily demands and letting ourselves just be. When we allow our systems to truly reset, we return with deeper presence, clearer boundaries, and a full cup.

I look forward to returning to the open fields soon, fully restored and ready to hold space for your journey.

Until then, how can you bring one small, necessary moment of restorative stillness into your day today—and what do you need to trust and let go of to make it happen? 🐴👇

06/10/2026

Horses don’t care about your bubble baths—they care about your internal consistency. 🐎

The women's wellness space most often focuses on comfort, but true growth requires a gentle edge of voluntary discomfort to expand your capacity without flooding your system.

The idea that horses are passive "mirrors" is a myth; they are active, intuitive responders who read your nervous system and beautifully expose the truth that you cannot lead others if you cannot first lead yourself.

Stepping into a space with a 1,400-pound animal completely at liberty forces your mind to drop its everyday worries and focus entirely on the present moment, offering your mind a true psychological break.

Once your system regulates enough to feel safe to the horse, the magic happens: a profound, two-way loop of mutual respect, trust, and deep capacity building.

How would choosing to be this cohesive impact your other connections?