My Soapbox for Equestrian Writings
Half halts are a way that the rider can re-balance your horse. But it’s a term that gets tossed around frequently without adequate explanation. As a result, many people think they are doing a half halt but don’t know why and don’t do it correctly. Much of the confusion probably lies in the use of […]
Read MoreThe video of Ed and Ross has gone viral. When I first watched it, there had been about 1,300 views — pretty high for a YouTube video. Today that number is up to 275,000 views! With all the discussion that’s gone on throughout the Internet (I’ve personally been sent this video four times), it’s reached […]
Read MoreI have always been a snaffle kind of rider. Partly it’s because I generally have had horses that require more kick than whoa; partly it’s because I use other aids to control speed and rhythm; and partly it’s because I like a horse to take a solid contact with the bit. Look in my bit […]
Read MoreAlthough I rode many horses in my teens and early 20s, I never owned any of them. My first horse was one that I bought from the New Canaan Mounted Troop. His name was “One Too Many” or Bogie. The story was that he had been the one too many horse in his original owner’s barn. […]
Read MoreI’m always amused when people write about how badly their horse performed or they rode in a lesson. After all, isn’t the point of a lesson to get tips on how to improve your bad riding or learn ways to make your horse go better? Today I had my first lesson since last fall. I […]
Read MoreEver want to know what it’s like to ride at Rolex? Peter Atkins, an advanced event rider has been wearing a helmet cam and posting the videos on YouTube. The most recent one features his Rolex ride on HJ Hampton. It’s a lot of fun to see the jumps from this perspective (I’ll never jump […]
Read MoreHere’s a fun set of definitions that are floating around the Internet. Which one(s) ring true for you? THE BACKYARD RIDER: Usually found wearing shorts and a sports bra in the summer; flannel nightgown, muck boots, and down jacket in the winter. Drives a Ford 150 filled with saddle blankets and dog hair. Most have […]
Read MoreThere’s something about the cold weather. Or maybe it’s the fact that I haven’t been able to ride that much recently . . . but Freedom has just been naughty. The last time the stars aligned so that I could ride was Saturday. The snow was nice and while it was cold it wasn’t bone […]
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