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Why Half the Horses You Think Are Tennessee Walkers Probably Aren’t
When you see a big-striding horse, wearing a cut-back saddle and being ridden by a human in a suit and English-style hat, that’s a Tennessee Walker, right? Wrong. It could be, but there are also...
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You Are Not A Bad Horse Owner
As anyone who has been around an equestrian knows, put ten horse lovers in a room and you’ll get 11 different opinions. We’re a passionate bunch with strong views on EVERYTHING. Literally. And once we...
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Here’s the Deal With Dewormers…
Most horse owners know why deworming is an essential component in their health regimen. Horses are exposed to a number of parasites, some of which can stealthily wreak havoc inside an already delicate...
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Combating Winter Laminitis
Frozen lumpy ground can make any horse look lame but if the horse has insulin resistance there may be more going on. The first thing to do is rule out foot pain from unforgiving ground conditions,...
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Caring For the Orphan Foal
This time of year brings our new equine prospects into the world. When everything goes well, the hope and joy experienced with our foals is immeasurable. Nature can be a mean beast however, and...
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Why the Rush?
There are many in-saddle scenarios where a horse may “rush”: during transitions, before fences, or whenever you pick up the trot or canter or ask for the rein-back. The rhythm is lost, your distance...
View ArticleWhat I Learned Bouncing from Barn to Barn
The day I began riding was the day I began begging my parents for a horse of my own. With a mother who’s highly allergic to horses and just a few lessons under my belt, the odds weren’t in my favor....
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The Dirty Life of a Clipper
“How much will it cost if you do the whole thing?” “About $150. I’m just doing this to pay my way through grad school.” “Uh-huh. Sure. We’ll see you back here next weekend.” This is the conversation I...
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Keep Your Shoes On
One of the biggest annoyances for horse people is when a horse throws a shoe. They always do it at the most inconvenient times—the morning you’re leaving for a show is a perennial favorite, or right at...
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Just Add Vodka and Baking Soda
If you ride horses, you sweat on horses. Probably, more than you care to admit. In a sport where we willingly wear a helmet whilst riding and running around show grounds in all forms of weather for...
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What Is “Resverasyn” and How Can It Help My Horse?
The supposed health benefits of red wine have been touted for centuries, and more recently, scientists have taken a closer look at one specific compound contained in red grape skin: resveratrol....
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The White Horses of Camargue
Life in France’s Camargue region is not for the fragile. Surviving in these vast, salted wetlands where the mighty Rhône meets the sea is a test of endurance and adaptation. Yet for thousands of years,...
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10 Tips For Transitioning to Barefoot
Yes, I’m one of those barefoot people. And no, I do not consider myself a fanatic. If you want to put shoes on your horse that’s your prerogative. That being said, there are many benefits to barefoot...
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Do You Know Your Riding Blind Spots?
I was inspired to write this article by a quote I come across from a friend of mine, Melinda Harrison, a former Olympic swimmer who specializes in helping athletes transition from the world of sport...
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Is Spooking Really a Natural Reaction?
From our earliest interactions with horses, from our very first riding lessons, we learn about equine reactivity, about prey mentality, and we’re warned of the likelihood of the “spook.” So ingrained...
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Conditioning for the Older Horse
I remember quite well the time when a show horse over the age of 8 or 10 was considered “old”. Those days are long gone as appreciation for the experience and levelheadedness of older horses has become...
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5 Ways to Help Your Fidgety Horse Relax for the Farrier
Does your horse turn into the Tasmanian Devil every time he sees the farrier’s truck arrive? Do you dread any activity that isn’t active with your way-too-energetic partner in crime? Obviously, the...
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Keeping Hens with Horses: The Surprising Benefits
Chances are that if you have horses, you own at least one other species of animal (and probably more). Let’s face it—horse people are really just animal people. And the more, the merrier, right? But...
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Haunted By X’s and O’s
Horse people know the kind of body language horses use to mean “Go away!” A pinned ear, a lifted head, a shift of the hip or a hind leg lifted slightly, perhaps along with a tail swish, means: “Leave...
View ArticleThe Road Back to Riding
You’re middle-aged and you’ve decided you want to ride. It may be for the first time, or it may be after years out of the saddle. You may have watched the kids for the last number of years—and got the...
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