Recently I had the pleasure of talking horses with NBC Sports horse-racing reporter Donna Barton Brothers. You might have read about her this spring in Horse Illustrated or here on HorseChannel. On Friday, an essay she wrote about the...
Riding outside most often proves to be one of the surest accelerants of dressage training. First, there is no better test of your dressage mastery than to take it on the trail. Asking for your horse’s responsiveness and skills...
Q: My horse and I are trying barrels, but he seems to be a little afraid of them. I’ve been slowly bringing him up to them and letting him sniff them, as well as walking the pattern. I tried...
Riding a horse that refuses to go forward is like having a Ferrari with no gas pedal; sure, it's nice to look at, but it's absolutely useless. I teach horses to move forward off my legs using three separate...
A horse galloping at liberty is a sublime sight, but trouble trumps grandeur when that horse is rollicking in the arena where you’re riding. If you ever share an arena with other riders, it’s inevitable that one of your...
If you’re lucky enough to ride a really good games horse, it’s sometimes easy to forget that he still needs regular training and fitness work to keep him sharp in events like pole bending or barrels. If you ride...
We’re not sure what the story behind this 2008 video is. Did the rider fall off? Did the horse just get loose? However this riderless pole bending horse ended up in the arena, one thing’s for sure. He knows...
Q: I have been working with a green horse over 2'6" fences, and when he lands he pulls his head down, taking me with him, even when I start out secure in the saddle. What can I do to...
Q: I’ve read that bits hurt a horse’s mouth, hackamores can injure the delicate nerves and bones in the nose, and a sidepull can be too weak to offer control or severe enough to damage the nose. I know...
With so many horses going barefoot, hoof boots are becoming more popular than ever. Barefoot horses sometimes need protection on their feet, such as on long distance rides or on rocky terrain, and hoof boots are the best way...
