My Soapbox for Equestrian Writings
Weaving is mostly just an annoying habit, but many people wonder if the repetitive action will cause damage. As far as I’ve been able to tell, the jury is out on this. Some people report that the action puts excess stress on their leg joints that can lead to ring bone and knee problems or […]
Read MoreIt’s the next best thing to being there. The Burghley Horse Trials website has an aerial map of the cross country course and gives you the chance to “ride along” with Captain Mark Phillips as he drives the course and looks at the fences.
Read MoreOn Sunday I went for an early morning ride to escape the heat of the day. A few dozen other people had the same idea and I found myself and my horse sharing the trail and the roads with bicyclists, joggers and baby carriages. Most of these folks were easy to spot and they approached […]
Read MoreWhile I’ve always thought of the one rein stop as an emergency brake (Installing an emergency brake: How to perform a one rein stop), I had a lesson recently with a trainer who suggested that I use it on Freedom as a way of recapturing his attention. Kind of a horsey time out. It started […]
Read MoreI’ve never thought about training my horse to ride in my car. I’d have a hard time fitting Freedom into my Sequoia unless I could convince him to stick his head out the sun roof. Patches, however, seems to relish sitting in his owners’ convertible. He has a blissful expression on his face as he […]
Read MoreGem Twist (1979-2006) was a legendary jumper. Bred by Frank Chapot, this American Thoroughbred gelding had a stellar career as a Grand Prix jumper. His wins included two silver medals at the 1988 Olympics, three “American Grand Prix Association Horse of the Year” titles, and won more than $800,000. When he was euthanized at the […]
Read MoreSome time ago I wrote about the diving horses of Atlantic City — Don’t Try this at Home — a story that has captured the imagination of many readers. Yesterday, I received a comment from Louise Lamoureux who has first hand experience. Rather than leave this as a comment, I thought it deserved its own […]
Read MoreBack in September, I found a wonderful article on horses that showed scary intelligence — horses like Clever Hans, Lady Wonder and Beautiful Jim Key that were considered so “smart” in their times that they were thought to be psychic! I mentioned this in my post How Smart is your Horse? The Bar is high […]
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