Book excerpt
The Horsemanship Lessons That Changed My Life
In this excerpt from his new book Horses, Humans, and Love, author Tim Hayes shares the early moments of his horsemanship journey where he learned key ideas that would inform his development and growth as teacher and clinician.
Longitudinal and Latitudinal Relaxation Exercises
The excerpt from Relaxation Exercises for Horses – A Guide to Soft, Supple, and Light, by Guillaume Henry, offers some key advice on getting your horse to relax and mobilize on the length and sides of its body. (more…)
Tai Chi Strikes Again
This is an excerpt from Horses in Translation, Essential Lessons in Horse Speak: Learn to “Listen” and “Talk” in Their Language, by Sharon Wilsie. (more…)
The Road in the Desert
In this excerpt from her book, An Excerpt from On the Hoof: Pacific to Atlantic—A 3,800-Mile Adventure, Jesse Alexander McNeil shares a close call on part of her trek through the desert.
The Very Best Single Exercise for Improving Collection
In this excerpt from her new book Finding Your Superhorse, renowned trainer and clinician Lynn Palm shares her favorite exercise for improving your horse’s self-carriage and improving your own riding at the same time.
The Impact of Impaction
In this excerpt from his memoir of a traveling veterinarian Never Trust a Sneaky Pony, Dr. Madison Seamans shares the story of an Arabian with a mystery bellyache.
What Makes a Good Rider?
In this excerpt from her book Yoga for Riders, horsewoman and yoga teacher Cathy Woods explains what she feels is one of the most important, and under-acknowledged, characteristics of a good horse person. (more…)
How to Develop Your “Feel”
In this excerpt from Essential Horse Speak, founder of Horse Speak® Sharon Wilsie explains how being able to know your own emotional state and trust your own nerves while tuning into your horse’s can give you a way to realize when a horse was getting “triggered…”
Standing Is a Strain
In this excerpt from his new book The Horse in Positive Tension, Movement Analysist Specialist and Physical Therapist Stefan Stammer shares the biomechanical reasons “stall rest” isn’t actually rest for the horse. (more…)
Getting Straightness Straight
In this excerpt from his book The Sport Horse Problem Solver, former international eventer Eric Smiley gives us a simple breakdown of what straightness on horseback really is, and how to know if you’ve got it…or not.
3 Common Warm-Up Problems Solved
In this excerpt from her book Dressage for the Not-So-Perfect Horse, FEI 5* dressage judge Janet Foy provides practical advice for dealing with three problems she often sees when riders are warming up their horses prior to schooling or competition.
Easing Into the Saddle
In this excerpt from her book Riders of a Certain Age, journalist and horsewoman Fran Severn talks about what older horse lovers need to consider when making horses a part of their lives for the first time…or for the first time in a long time.
A Common (and Costly) Farrier Mistake
In this excerpt from Shoeing the Modern Horse by Steven Kraus, CJF, and Katie Navarra, the head of Farrier Services at Cornell University explains one of the ways things can go wrong when you hire a farrier, and what to watch for to keep your horse sound.
Quarantine
In this excerpt from the middle-grade novel Liberty Biscuit by Melanie Sue Bowles, 13-year-old Kip finally gets the horses she’s always wished for… in a way she never imagined.
Let’s Fix Your Too-Tight Reins
In this excerpt from his new book The Horse Is My Teacher, horseman Van Hargis explains how we must be present and accountable for the contact we take on our horses’ mouths.
Harmony Isn’t Perpetual
In this excerpt from master storyteller Mark Rashid’s new book For the Love of the Horse, he explores a concept that every rider and trainer strives for—and how it can make us lose track of reality. (more…)
What Is “Feel,” Anyway? And How Can We Improve It?
In this excerpt from her new book Essential Horse Speak: Continuing the Conversation, Horse Speak founder Sharon Wilsie explains what we really mean by “feel” when it comes to our horses and how we can improve it in ourselves. (more…)
What Do You Do With the Unsupportive Horse Spouse?
In this excerpt from her book Riders of a Certain Age, journalist and horsewoman Fran Severn explores the challenges we can face when our significant others don’t accept the significant role horses play in our lives. (more…)
The Gatecrasher
In this excerpt from his memoir of being a horse-show dad, Chad Oldfather shares a moment of elation when his daughter’s Iowa-bred Quarter Horse won big. (more…)
Athletic Equestrian Hack: Fix Those Slumped Shoulders!
In this excerpt from her new book The Athletic Equestrian, long-time collegiate coach Sally Batton gives us one of her cool teaching tools for improving our upper-body position in the saddle. (more…)
