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Zach Ducheneaux and Jenn Zeller offer advice on equine behavior and handling

Amanda Radke

Zach Ducheneaux and Jenn Zeller are a dynamic pair, sharing a passion for the equine industry and working together at Ducheneaux Ranch in Eagle Butte, SD. There, the pair helps run the family’s diversified operation, which includes raising and selling registered Quarter Horses and Angus cattle and also offering horse training services, natural beef packages, ranch vacations, tour opportunities and even internships and workshops.

Although the couple keeps busy with their multiple business ventures, it’s horses that truly brings them together. And, with decades of experience under their belts, they offer advice on equine behavior and handling for both the seasoned and novice horse owner and rider.

“We really prefer not to see horses as having behavioral problems,” says Zeller. “We see horses as only being horses, and it’s our job to help them understand what we want. As we approach them, we realize that they are never wrong. It’s considered a natural horsemanship approach, but there’s not a lot of articles written from our perspective in the marketplace. All the issues that people see their horses having are usually built into them by someone not realizing that every time they touch their horse they teach him good, bad and indifferent behaviors. Most horse problems are people problems manifesting themselves through their horses. Our training philosophy is listed on our Web site, and we encourage everyone to check it out.”



Their philosophy is based on the simple quote with the powerful meaning: “There are no shortcuts to anyplace worth going.”

As their Web site states: “This quote rings especially true when it comes to training horses. For quite some time, we only started and rode our own horses. Recently we’ve opened our doors to the public to help with their training needs, as well. We are now starting colts and putting miles on already started horses. Both Ducheneaux and Zeller echo the horse training philosophies of Hunt, Brannaman and Pate, and have incorporated their own experiences into their philosophies to give these colts what we believe is the right start in life. We reward every try and teach the horse to look for the release of pressure. That’s what we feel is important when it comes to making a soft, willing horse.”



Zach Ducheneaux and Jenn Zeller are a dynamic pair, sharing a passion for the equine industry and working together at Ducheneaux Ranch in Eagle Butte, SD. There, the pair helps run the family’s diversified operation, which includes raising and selling registered Quarter Horses and Angus cattle and also offering horse training services, natural beef packages, ranch vacations, tour opportunities and even internships and workshops.

Although the couple keeps busy with their multiple business ventures, it’s horses that truly brings them together. And, with decades of experience under their belts, they offer advice on equine behavior and handling for both the seasoned and novice horse owner and rider.

“We really prefer not to see horses as having behavioral problems,” says Zeller. “We see horses as only being horses, and it’s our job to help them understand what we want. As we approach them, we realize that they are never wrong. It’s considered a natural horsemanship approach, but there’s not a lot of articles written from our perspective in the marketplace. All the issues that people see their horses having are usually built into them by someone not realizing that every time they touch their horse they teach him good, bad and indifferent behaviors. Most horse problems are people problems manifesting themselves through their horses. Our training philosophy is listed on our Web site, and we encourage everyone to check it out.”

Their philosophy is based on the simple quote with the powerful meaning: “There are no shortcuts to anyplace worth going.”

As their Web site states: “This quote rings especially true when it comes to training horses. For quite some time, we only started and rode our own horses. Recently we’ve opened our doors to the public to help with their training needs, as well. We are now starting colts and putting miles on already started horses. Both Ducheneaux and Zeller echo the horse training philosophies of Hunt, Brannaman and Pate, and have incorporated their own experiences into their philosophies to give these colts what we believe is the right start in life. We reward every try and teach the horse to look for the release of pressure. That’s what we feel is important when it comes to making a soft, willing horse.”

Zach Ducheneaux and Jenn Zeller are a dynamic pair, sharing a passion for the equine industry and working together at Ducheneaux Ranch in Eagle Butte, SD. There, the pair helps run the family’s diversified operation, which includes raising and selling registered Quarter Horses and Angus cattle and also offering horse training services, natural beef packages, ranch vacations, tour opportunities and even internships and workshops.

Although the couple keeps busy with their multiple business ventures, it’s horses that truly brings them together. And, with decades of experience under their belts, they offer advice on equine behavior and handling for both the seasoned and novice horse owner and rider.

“We really prefer not to see horses as having behavioral problems,” says Zeller. “We see horses as only being horses, and it’s our job to help them understand what we want. As we approach them, we realize that they are never wrong. It’s considered a natural horsemanship approach, but there’s not a lot of articles written from our perspective in the marketplace. All the issues that people see their horses having are usually built into them by someone not realizing that every time they touch their horse they teach him good, bad and indifferent behaviors. Most horse problems are people problems manifesting themselves through their horses. Our training philosophy is listed on our Web site, and we encourage everyone to check it out.”

Their philosophy is based on the simple quote with the powerful meaning: “There are no shortcuts to anyplace worth going.”

As their Web site states: “This quote rings especially true when it comes to training horses. For quite some time, we only started and rode our own horses. Recently we’ve opened our doors to the public to help with their training needs, as well. We are now starting colts and putting miles on already started horses. Both Ducheneaux and Zeller echo the horse training philosophies of Hunt, Brannaman and Pate, and have incorporated their own experiences into their philosophies to give these colts what we believe is the right start in life. We reward every try and teach the horse to look for the release of pressure. That’s what we feel is important when it comes to making a soft, willing horse.”

Zach Ducheneaux and Jenn Zeller are a dynamic pair, sharing a passion for the equine industry and working together at Ducheneaux Ranch in Eagle Butte, SD. There, the pair helps run the family’s diversified operation, which includes raising and selling registered Quarter Horses and Angus cattle and also offering horse training services, natural beef packages, ranch vacations, tour opportunities and even internships and workshops.

Although the couple keeps busy with their multiple business ventures, it’s horses that truly brings them together. And, with decades of experience under their belts, they offer advice on equine behavior and handling for both the seasoned and novice horse owner and rider.

“We really prefer not to see horses as having behavioral problems,” says Zeller. “We see horses as only being horses, and it’s our job to help them understand what we want. As we approach them, we realize that they are never wrong. It’s considered a natural horsemanship approach, but there’s not a lot of articles written from our perspective in the marketplace. All the issues that people see their horses having are usually built into them by someone not realizing that every time they touch their horse they teach him good, bad and indifferent behaviors. Most horse problems are people problems manifesting themselves through their horses. Our training philosophy is listed on our Web site, and we encourage everyone to check it out.”

Their philosophy is based on the simple quote with the powerful meaning: “There are no shortcuts to anyplace worth going.”

As their Web site states: “This quote rings especially true when it comes to training horses. For quite some time, we only started and rode our own horses. Recently we’ve opened our doors to the public to help with their training needs, as well. We are now starting colts and putting miles on already started horses. Both Ducheneaux and Zeller echo the horse training philosophies of Hunt, Brannaman and Pate, and have incorporated their own experiences into their philosophies to give these colts what we believe is the right start in life. We reward every try and teach the horse to look for the release of pressure. That’s what we feel is important when it comes to making a soft, willing horse.”

editor’s note: learn more from this seasoned pair at http://thedxranch.com; on facebook, http://www.facebook.com/ducheneauxquarterhorses; or twitter, @dxquarterhorses.