My Soapbox for Equestrian Writings
Not long after I got my Freedom I remember riding him in a lesson and feeling that he was going pretty well. He was hot but “packaged.” My trainer reminded me that if I was holding him together the entire time, I was losing the ability to communicate with him. She told me I had […]
Read MoreWhen I was growing up, “Thelwell ponies” were part of the lexicon. Those fat, willful ponies with their determined young riders captured the imaginations of young and old equestrians. Norman Thelwell (1923-2004) was a British illustrator who created the intrepid Penelope and her beloved pony Kipper. His first cartoon appeared in Punch in 1953 and […]
Read MoreThere is a rumor of a secret code that exists amongst the designers of equestrian statues. Depending on the position of the hooves, believers say you can tell how the rider died. All four hooves on the ground means a peaceful death One hoof off the ground and the rider was injured in battle (but […]
Read MoreLet’s face it, we’ve all known horses like Jigsaw and Peter Pan. And many of us can see glimmers of our own equestrian past in this very funny sketch from the British comedy team of Dawn French and Jennifer Saunders. Enjoy!
Read MoreThere was some unusual excitement on the streets of Paris yesterday when Garibaldi, 15 year old Stallion, unceremoniously dumped his Republican Guard rider and high tailed it for home. The 10-year veteran of the force spooked while on patrol. Despite a gallop of nearly 5 kilometers (a bit over 3 miles), dodging traffic and police […]
Read MoreOften you can predict what will scare your horse when you are out riding. But sometimes, it’s a surprise — and provides some insight into how your horse perceives its surroundings. Last fall I had finished schooling and was cooling my quiet older horse out on a loose rein, with no stirrups while talking on […]
Read MoreNot every ride goes according to plan. I’ve had a few where after I mounted my horse it seemed that nothing went right. My horse wouldn’t listen, I felt I couldn’t ride, and what should have been a pleasurable experience became an exercise in frustration. Funnily enough, it often happens when I most need the […]
Read MoreEvery few weeks I read about an equine-related transaction gone wrong: someone free leases their horse and later finds the horse (and the lessee) is gone with no forwarding address; a leased horse is injured requiring thousands of dollars in vet bills and several months of layup and the lessee wants to return it; someone […]
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