For many riders the days of learning to post the trot are relics of the past. The hours spent listening to our instructors shouting "up down, up down" (as if that made it any easier) are over. Our time...
You can't expect to adequately control a horse, especially an energetic horse, if you are longeing in a loose halter. If you do longe in a halter, it must have a very close fit and not be able to...
When schooling, the majority of western riders focus their attention on establishing consistently slow and steady gaits, which are essential for competition in many western events. However, there is a downside to reducing a horse's speed—he can lose the...
A good equitation rider will always stand out by creating the impression that horse and rider are one, riding effortlessly and effectively so that it appears he or she could just as easily be sitting up there having a...
When purchasing a horse or choosing one to ride, we tend to be smitten by a horse's appearance and abilities. Unfortunately, we often neglect to consider the horse's basic temperament. If that doesn't complement our own riding capabilities and...
One of the things that draws us to horses is their beauty. In halter classes, this attribute is center stage. Both grooming and health care play a role in creating an eye-pleasing picture.The single best thing you can...
It's amazing that horses agree to our strange requests—and this includes wearing a flashing Rudolph nose and reindeer ears at Christmas. But every now and then horses draw the line at some sort of human behavior. Baths often fit...
It's not just water that needs to be replenished during exercise in hot weather. Horses working for prolonged periods in hot weather lose electrolytes as well. Photo: horses by Amy the Nurse on flickr/CC BY-ND 2.0Ever wonder why sweat...
What ignites the competitive spark? Does it happen the first time a lead liner finally masters the up/down of the posting trot? The moment a western rider discovers just the right pace for a lope? And what continues to...
At the famed Wimbledon tennis championships, a spectator's cell phone rang during a key moment in the finals. All eyes, including the players', turned toward "Mr. Bungle" as he scrambled to turn the phone off. And of course, all...
