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Riding a Square for Better Turns
British dressage instructor Sally Amsterdamer specializes in flat training show jumpers. Judging by her client roster she’s rather good at her job. Irish team members Andrew Bournes and Richie Moloney,...
View ArticleForage Facts
Forage is the most important ingredient in the horse’s diet, yet the choices in forage species and form are sometimes daunting. Understanding the types and physical forms of forage and importance of...
View ArticleGetting Smart on Sarcoids
You’re grooming your horse one afternoon when you notice a rough, hairless area has appeared on his jaw. Is it ringworm? A wart? Though these are certainly possibilities, it’s most likely a sarcoid—a...
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What’s Your Horse REALLY Saying?
We all wish we knew exactly what our horses were saying to us. Is that a nicker of welcome, or just, “Bring me breakfast”? Are you walking away because you want me to follow, or because you are tired...
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Can Your Horse Tell if You Are Angry Just by Looking at Your Face?
Horses are complex social animals that rely on body language and facial expressions in order to communicate. As any horse person can attest, this communication is not limited to their species. Horses...
View ArticleI Want To Board Horses at Home, What Legalities Should I Know?
Q: I have a nice four-stall barn and outdoor ring at home where I’ve kept my two horses for years. Now, I’d love to make a little extra income by boarding an additional horse or two. Legally, is there...
View ArticleGoldfish in Your Water Trough?
When I was a kid, I remember winning a goldfish at a school carnival (what a thrill!). I took it home and put it in a tank in my room, and amazingly, that thing lived for nearly a decade. I would brag...
View ArticleQ&A: How Can I Protect My Horse Out On Lease?
Q: I am preparing to lease out my 12-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding for the first time, and, while I know and trust the lessee, I’ve heard horror stories of leased horses coming back entirely unsound...
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Roll, Roll, Rollbacks!
“Often, the lessons I teach are not so different from the lower level to the higher level—it’s the expectations and technicality that vary,” says Canadian Equestrian Team veteran Jay Duke. Duke made a...
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Fall Leaves, Are They Toxic?
Fall is here! The leaves are changing and the temperatures are cooling off. It’s hard to imagine that such a pretty time of the year could possibly be harmful to our horses; however, falling leaves can...
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All You Need Is a Box…
In a world filled with technology and a gazillion gizmos intended to make life easier but sometimes overcomplicating it, it can be a relief when all you need is the simplest tool to get something...
View ArticleThe 5 Figure Sale Danger Zone
Looking back over “horse deals gone bad” in both my personal and professional career representing horse owners and trainers, the most difficult disputes to resolve are those when the price of the horse...
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To Adopt or Not to Adopt? That Is the Holiday Question
Tis the Season, and if “Adopt Don’t Shop” resonates and there’s a conveniently empty stall in the barn, then perhaps an off-track Thoroughbred is on your wish list. Anna Ford, Thoroughbred Program...
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Taking a Bow: Teach Your Horse to Plié
Who doesn’t want a reason to take a bow? Teaching your horse a few simple tricks can absolutely be fun for you both, but did you know that some tricks also offer physiological benefits? The Plié, for...
View ArticleScience of Show Jumping: Style Matters
Have you ever wondered how much time a lofty jumper spends in the air versus a horse that just skims over the fences? Is scope the be all to end all? Or is drool-worthy airtime actually a competitive...
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How Vanessa Mannix Embraces the Philosophy that Riders Never Stop Learning
Show jumping is possibly the most misunderstood sport in the world. We often hear “It’s an individual activity,” “The horse does everything, the rider just sits there,” “I’m a professional; I’m too...
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Naming the Nations Cup, a Brief History
Hockey has the Stanley Cup. Football, the Grey Cup. In show jumping, the annual championship coveted by every international team the world over is known as the Nations Cup. At least, that’s what it...
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Is Your Feeding Program All That?
Fueling a horse so it can perform its best, maintain a healthy weight, and store appropriate levels of energy is a delicate puzzle. Just like humans, every horse is different and their nutritional...
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Your Comfort Zone Is Limiting Your Riding
As the minutes spent in the saddle tick by, we all get trapped in repeating habits. What equestrians may not know about these repeating habits is that 1) they often don’t recognize them and 2) they...
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Become the Mother
Over and over and from numerous sources it is impressed upon us that we must provide leadership for our horses…that in order to train them, befriend them, be safe with them, we must first make it clear...
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