Aubrey Graham
Thoroughbred Logic: The Half-Seat
“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.” →
Thoroughbred Logic: Focus!
“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 →
Thoroughbred Logic: The Burrito Metaphor
“The silly thing about this metaphor is that it tends to work. It is super useful for getting →
Thoroughbred Logic: Reputations and Red Flags
“In contrast to humans, a horse’s agency is perhaps more circumscribed by the situations, hands, tack, health, and →
Thoroughbred Logic: “Under-Riding”
“I think the main idea is to step out of one’s comfort zone, hop on new horses and →
Thoroughbred Logic: Steadier Hands
“Sometimes the antidote to an unsteady head and contact is not just a softer hand, but a steadier →
Thoroughbred Logic: Grit & the Saga of Finding Good Help
“All told, the only people who will stay are those who want it. Because everyone could make more →
Thoroughbred Logic: The Race Record & The No/Low Number of Starts
“… when I see that a horse never started, instead of being excited that they have no damage →
Thoroughbred Logic: Conformation Photo Critique
“Conformation photos are hard. But they are also so ridiculously important. Put bluntly, a good conformation photo can →
Thoroughbred Logic: Strategic Capitulation Welcome
“… it is always better to catch the unsteady gait before it fails… But when the horse breaks →
Thoroughbred Logic: To Capitulate… Or Not
“The process of not capitulating to equine-suggested up transitions is outstandingly awkward but it pays off in the →
Thoroughbred Logic: Surviving (& Thriving in) the Heat
“You may have to build up to proper condition in tiny chunks and short hacks… But, riding through →
Thoroughbred Logic: Learning to Hang Out
“[T]he other day a new student came down to see the place and as we stood and chatted, →
Thoroughbred Logic: Feeding the Hard Keeper
“I might find my way to some eggs and leftovers at some point, but… my horses … eat →
Thoroughbred Logic: How to Slow Down
“…perhaps the best, but hardest thing to do: don’t panic. Take a deep breath and stay bungee but →
Thoroughbred Logic: Making Better Horse People
“[T]his is a mindset of being flexible and creative — of listening to the horse and trying to →
Thoroughbred Logic: Use Your Core
“The combination of core and confidence make a positive-reinforcing cycle that lead to greater strength, and for lack →
Thoroughbred Logic: All the Potential
“[T]here are the [horses] that might not have the most impressive height, might not have a pedigree with →
Thoroughbred Logic: The Balance – Speed Relationship
“…if you can get your horse balanced . . . they can collect, they can turn, and they →
Thoroughbred Logic: The Art of Tying
“… what I do create here, and what this article is about, is a horse who ties well →
Thoroughbred Logic: The Kick Ride Debacle
“Riding a horse who is … not tip top, might require more of a push … to get →
Thoroughbred Logic: Go Cross Country School
“You are never truly ready, and there are always excuses or more training that ought to be done. →
Thoroughbred Logic: Bungee Elbows for the Win
“No matter how fast your fingers are at opening and closing — holding and releasing tension — your →
Thoroughbred Logic: Fighting “Flight Syndrome”
“I expect that when asked, my horses would ride towards what they should run away from. The gallop-off-into-the-sunset →
Thoroughbred Logic: Getting Turnout (More) Right
“He looked at one puddle-fence combination, but otherwise clicked around his courses, did everything asked and hung out →