Q: I am a very small adult rider so I can ride larger ponies. I recently started riding a 14.2-hand gelding and I’d like to show in the hunter division. He’s a good show pony, but as an adult...
Laura Kraut and Cedric, shown here at the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games, have joined their 2008 Olympic teammates Beezie Madden and McLain Ward the long list for the 2012 Olympics. Photo: Leslie PotterThe United States Equestrian Federation...
The sitting trot holds a unique, and perhaps even a little notorious, reputation. Many riders are of the opinion that the sitting trot is difficult to master and is punishing, too—jarring, bouncing, uncomfortable (regardless of how experienced you are)...
Would you be able to stop your horse if he spooked and took off? "Most of us prefer not to jump off a running horse,” says reining champion Stacy Westfall. "Being able to stop is a huge part of...
In spring 2006, two of HI’s editors, Toni McAllister and Micaela Myers, attended a Galles-Harrel cutting clinic in Menifee, Calif., the home of world champion cutter Leon Harrel and his business partner, cutting competitor Rick Galles of Indy 500...
As you enter at A, the judge’s steely eyes will be firmly fixed upon you and your horse for the next few nerve-wracking minutes. But what’s going through her mind as she watches you? Is she judging the perfect...
By jennifer gauthier (Own work) , via Wikimedia CommonsQ: I purchased a Haflinger trail horse last year. I only recently (and somewhat accidentally) found out that he is an incredible jumper with perfect jumping form. I’d love to go...
Maintaining a balanced, consistent, and controlled canter on the correct lead presents enough challenges. But what if your horse has trouble holding his canter? If your horse starts off fine but repeatedly breaks to the trot, then you need...
Q: My horse will not halt for more than a few seconds. This is especially irritating when we jump a course that calls for a halt. Even when I keep my body and aids steady, after a few second...
A horse show class can seem like a marathon torture session, especially if you’re aboard a cranky horse or trying to hold your position despite the fact that your body’s going numb. Yet you can’t relax just because the...
