Dealing with Chronic Illness as an Equestrian
So far, I have kept most of my blogging focused on the horses. However, given my current struggles with seizures, I think this is a good time to address the…
Read More
Tag: riding horse
Why being on the forehand is detrimental to your horse
Last week we discussed the importance of knowing the ‘why’ behind everything you do with your horse. Here is an important ‘why’ that is sometimes skipped over because so many…
Read More
The Trained Monkey Bandwagon
In riding, we tend to focus our efforts and education on learning the “how” of everything. “How do I warm up my horse?” “How do I know my saddle fits…
Read More
Why “Heels Down” Is Right Out
No matter your level of riding, we’ve all been there. Constantly fighting to keep those heels down. It’s a mantra that get drilled into us from day one. But is…
Read More
Toddlers in Timeout: Is this really a human phenomenon?
Even if you’re not a parent, you’ve probably been an aunt, uncle, or cousin to a toddler at some point. So, you’ve probably experienced the joys of dealing with a…
Read More
9 Good Horse Training Habits
1. Let the horse catch you We’ve all been there. It’s 4am the morning of the show. Everything is packed. The trailer is loaded and sitting in the driveway. You’re…
Read More
Teaching a Horse How to Learn
This is a follow-up to my June 16th article What does it mean for a horse to have “a lot of heart?” At first, this one sounds like an oxymoron,…
Read More
Practice Until You Can’t Get it Wrong
Riding is like any sport. It takes practice to get good, but it is not enough to practice until you can get it right. If you want to become truly…
Read More
What does it mean for a horse to have “a lot of heart?”
Have you ever been mystified when hearing a trainer or rider comment that they like a horse with “a lot of heart?" This is a phrase that is often thrown…
Read More
Why you don’t need an arena to train and how a lack of facilities can be an advantage
There is a common misconception that you need a "proper" arena to train horses. I’ve heard too many people justify giving up on their show dreams by saying: “Well I…
Read More
The Big Bit Band-Aid
One of the big controversies in the horse world, particularly in the western arena, is over-bitting. The show pen seems to have developed the mentality that bigger is better and…
Read More
3 Exercises Every Horse Needs to Know (Part 3): Yielding the Hindquarters
This is part 3 of a series covering my 3 most important exercises that every horse needs to know to make them a safe riding companion: Lunging Lateral flexion at…
Read More
3 Exercises Every Horse Needs to Know (Part 2): Lateral Flexion of the Poll (not the neck)
This is part 2 of a 3-part series that will cover my 3 most important exercises that every horse needs to know to make them a safe riding companion: Lunging…
Read More
Driftwood: A Quarter Horse Legend
Over the years, researching quarter horse pedigrees has become a bit of a hobby, so I decided to start compiling all that research to share with all of you lovely…
Read More
Caravaggio’s Horse: The Genius Beneath the Madness
Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio is known as one of the greatest painters of his time. Critic Miles Unger says it best when he states that Caravaggio is best known for…
Read More
3 Secrets to Improve Your Riding
As riders, we are always looking for that magical secret to develop our riding. There are a few simple keys that I’ve discovered that advanced my riding overnight. The most…
Read More