“Everyone wants a good warmup. Everyone wants a cooperative horse. But sometimes you just have to accept what you have and ride the horse you have that day. Sometimes a 20-minute warmup gets you where you need to be, and sometimes it simply doesn’t. Pushing past their brain’s cut off and over-riding rarely helps.” (more…)
“Part of my job — and where the joy lies — is in finding the definition of ‘safe’ in order to promote the fun. Not everyone needs the upper level horse that jumps the moon, nor does everyone need the super duper cute easy-going plodder. But some absolutely do.”
“Stability coupled with soft, educated movements help the horse go best and understand the ask. But how do we create stable contact if we’re trying to be light?” (more…)
“When we as second-career trainers and riders hop on, we are bringing heavier tack, often heavier humans and different muscle control to the canter than your average jockey… this means is that horses who are accustomed to soft flowing gallops … are met with a lot more pressure on their backs.” (more…)
“Despite all they have seen at the track, big atmospheres can be challenging for baby Thoroughbreds and so many others. Besides getting them out as often as possible into similar spaces, I need a better plan next time. I need to bring normal with me as a way to create focus and the relaxation that comes with the familiar.” (more…)
“The silly thing about this metaphor is that it tends to work. It is super useful for getting folks to feel the win in the middle and be less discouraged as things don’t always continue an upward trajectory towards the end.” (more…)
“In contrast to humans, a horse’s agency is perhaps more circumscribed by the situations, hands, tack, health, and living situation they find themselves in . . . They are not going to be the same creature for every rider or at every home. Some will bring out the best in the horse, some simply won’t.” (more…)
“I think the main idea is to step out of one’s comfort zone, hop on new horses and little by little learn to quietly ride through the potentially nerve-inducing behavior… Be effective and stay safe, but also under-ride until you know what the perfect, bespoke ‘just-enough ride’ feels like on each new horse.”
“Sometimes the antidote to an unsteady head and contact is not just a softer hand, but a steadier one. There are horses … who will let you know anytime you f*-up on your contact. These horses do not just encourage you to become a better rider, they demand it.” (more…)
“All told, the only people who will stay are those who want it. Because everyone could make more money and be more comfortable working at a fast food joint.”
“… when I see that a horse never started, instead of being excited that they have no damage from the track, I start to raise an eyebrow and a whole lot of questions.” (more…)
“Conformation photos are hard. But they are also so ridiculously important. Put bluntly, a good conformation photo can sell a horse… But just as easily, a poor conformation photo can cause folks to skip over your horse, your sales, and your farm.” (more…)
“… it is always better to catch the unsteady gait before it fails… But when the horse breaks gait and drops into the lower one, the rider has already missed their moment. At that point resistance is futile … and capitulation becomes a friend.” (more…)
“The process of not capitulating to equine-suggested up transitions is outstandingly awkward but it pays off in the long run.[…] When a rider negotiates (as opposed to accepts) the horse’s request (‘we canter now, right?) with their body, their hands can stay soft and the horse learns to listen to the seat and leg. They also begin to learn that gaits are dynamic…”
“You may have to build up to proper condition in tiny chunks and short hacks… But, riding through the heat and incrementally tackling these temperature challenges sets horse and rider up for success…” (more…)
“[T]he other day a new student came down to see the place and as we stood and chatted, the lovely human kept apologizing for interrupting the ride. Nope. This was helpful — this was a chance for him to just hang out…”
“I might find my way to some eggs and leftovers at some point, but… my horses … eat like royalty. Nearly every one of them here was bred to compete in the sport of kings; there was never the expectation that they could do that when fed as anything less.”
“…perhaps the best, but hardest thing to do: don’t panic. Take a deep breath and stay bungee but effective.” This week’s Thoroughbred Logic focuses on how to slow down… at least when it comes to horses.
“[T]his is a mindset of being flexible and creative — of listening to the horse and trying to figure out solutions … is recognizing that so much of owning or even leasing horses is about constant learning and spending time with them …” (more…)
“The combination of core and confidence make a positive-reinforcing cycle that lead to greater strength, and for lack of a better synonym, greater confidence. Together they allow a rider to sit up, add the necessary leg, take a deep breath and release while staying centered over the horse.” (more…)
“[T]here are the [horses] that might not have the most impressive height, might not have a pedigree with the most known sires, might not have perfectly straight legs, or might not be the easiest ride between the ears … Those are the horses that I find exciting. They’re the diamond in the rough horses.” (more…)
“…if you can get your horse balanced . . . they can collect, they can turn, and they can do all of those things as slow or as quickly as you’d like without the necessity of using speed to balance themselves.” (more…)
“… what I do create here, and what this article is about, is a horse who ties well enough, ground ties well enough, and learns to stay calm and independent whether there is pressure on the other end of their line or not.” (more…)
“Riding a horse who is … not tip top, might require more of a push … to get a horse forward. However, a horse who is behind the leg as they are transitioning from go pony to show pony does not a true ‘kick-ride’ make.” (more…)
“You are never truly ready, and there are always excuses or more training that ought to be done. In my books, do you have semi-OK brakes? Do you have semi-OK forward and semi-OK steering? Fantastic, off to cross country for you. Feeling not ready? Meh, do it anyway.”
