Recreational riding is America’s No.1 equestrian pastime. Nothing compares to exploring nature on horseback. But when you visualize yourself on the trail, a barn-sour, jigging, bolting, spooking horse probably isn’t part of the fantasy. These all-too-common bad habits have...
It can be a bit nippy in the morning when you head out on a trail ride, but by midday things often warm up and you need to shed your sweatshirt. Rather than tie it around your waist,...
Q. My 4-year-old mare kicks out and bucks while going downhill on trail rides. My veterinarian has ruled out health problems. How can I correct this dangerous behavior?A. Your horse is definitely trying to tell you something! Don’t get...
If you wish you could just saddle up Old Paint and trot off into the wilderness for a few days, but come up short because you don’t have an extra horse to handle all your gear, you’ll love ultralight...
Growing up, I spent most of my summer days riding in our pasture, often accompanied by Sugar and Ranger, our two German Shepherds. Sometimes the boy next door would join us, and on one such occasion we came across...
If you wish you could just saddle up Old Paint and trot off into the wilderness for a few days, but come up short because you don’t have an extra horse to handle all your gear, you’ll love ultralight...
Photo: Des Blenkinsopp/CC BY SA 2.0A trail ride with friends is one of the most relaxing activities you can do on horseback. But that is only if you and your friends observe good trail manners while you are out...
If riding in wet or muddy conditions, deep sand, foxtails or burrs, Michigan State University’s Department of Animal Science recommends leaving your horse’s boots behind. Debris-filled boots can rub and scrape, leaving your horse’s legs vulnerable to bacterial and...
On-the-aids goes out the window when you ask for canter. Your horse trots faster and faster until he finally plunges into canter, which he maintains only for a few unbalanced moments before he falls back into that equally not-fun-at-all...
