Seasoning young or green horses off-property poses its own set of demons. This week’s article offers three ways to get your not-so-seasoned horse to settle in like an old pro… or at least less like an aggravated electric eel. (more…)
“… the goal for the past couple weeks has not been to increase his jumping experience or see how big of an oxer he can clear … but to shore up the foundation and his rhythm so that he can go do the big things without the need for an equally big bit.” (more…)
“[I]f you need to see something like a transition or change of direction, just ask. And if you like the horse, and your trainer likes the horse, and the seller thinks you’re an appropriate home, fantastic. Get the horse, enjoy the training, and go make your own highlight reels.” (more…)
“After a million tack-ons and trying my very kind farrier’s patience, I gave up. I had a flat shoe and a flat hoof with existing nail holes. I had a cutely painted small hammer for art projects … And I had the tools to trim nails, clinch and rasp…” (more…)
“Whether the horses are coming off the track or they are coming back into my life after they’ve been tried and tested in second careers, dealing with hind end issues is more common than I’d like.” (more…)
“The idea is pretty simple — a horse that is not entirely straight (what horse ever really is???) generally lines up in a crescent of some variation from nose to tail.” (more…)
“… there isn’t any set timeline. [Horses], apparently like this year’s spring, take their time if they need it. And if they don’t — that’s great too.” (more…)
“…for Thoroughbreds, treats are an interesting thing. For many, what they know about treats depends on how they were raised on the race farm and how kind their trainer was at the track.” (more…)
“Some of these humans — those who buy, board, ride and compete these horses — are fantastic. Many, well … no so much. In the world of selling/rehoming Thoroughbreds, I have the chance to encounter the fullness of that human spectrum.” (more…)
“[T]he rider needs to determine the metronome beat they want and then become it. Using the post to quietly insist on an even rhythm allows the horse to settle into the other asks …” (more…)
“… in order to get the outside rein to do its job, I often have to ask riders to let go of their inside rein and use it to guide not to direct.” (more…)
“Thoroughbreds, according to the color Karens, can be bay, chestnut, gray, brown and sometimes maybe even true black. The rest? Must be a sham.” (more…)
“Sometimes pure joy & enthusiasm are possible causes of rushing, but often it is a lack of confidence that sends these horses forward faster… there are ways to figure it out, to slow down the feet, slow down the brain, & let the jumps come to you at a more reasonable rate.” (more…)
“The trick to working with both ‘cozy’ spaces and young, never-jumped-before Thoroughbreds is a combination of single fences and a small grid.” (more…)
“There’s the expectation that Thoroughbreds are ‘hot.’ OK, fine… kinda. The thing is, ‘hot’ gets us to one side of the ‘how fast do they move their feet’ spectrum. It doesn’t really tell us anything more than that.” (more…)
“The fear of getting hurt isn’t always something you can just get someone to kick on through, no matter how much you believe they and the horse can do what is being asked.”
“[G]o ride, remember why we choose to swing a leg over a 1200lb prey animal, and embrace the passion that makes all of us horse folks a tiny bit (or a damn lot bit) batty…” (more…)
“I want a hippopotamus for Christmas, Only a hippopotamus will do…” Okay, your OTTB probably doesn’t want a hippopotamus for Christmas, but here are 10 other things it DOES want. (more…)
“How can you be ready for something you are not familiar with? … I have explained my answer by likening it to the Oregon Trail game. Each option … carried consequences. Your family might get dysentery, or you might run out of money and have to figure out how not to die that day.” (more…)
“What annoy[s] me so much about ‘safe’ is that it is unclear and massively subjective. My version of safe is not my client’s version of safe is not your kid’s trainer’s version of safe.” (more…)
As horse lovers, most of us are pretty darned thankful for our personal horses. But as riders, there are certain types of horses for which we should be grateful. Here are six of them. (more…)
