Is Your Horse Environment Supportive?
I started riding at a large farm which combined boarding, private lessons, training and home to a Therapeutic Riding Program. There was an ebb and flow of energy that coursed through it, the busyness that…
equestrian blog
Exploring the Double Bridle : Unconventional Practice
I’ll keep the background story brief about me and my horse Jobi for now. I’m sure it will develop itself with more posts. I owned him for many years and brought him up through advanced…
What is your commitment?
Rolex has come and gone for this year. I am in awe of riders and especially horses that can endure such an athletic feat. There is a heady excitement at show grounds at such a…
Starting with Body Awareness
As riders we often demand from the horse that he respect our personal space by not pushing into us, walking too closely or otherwise intruding and creating a situation for injuries. But do we extend…
An Equestrian’s Guide to Responsible Commenting
What is the goal of putting in your two cents? When you post a comment are you hoping to lift the person up, tear them down, or perhaps something deeper – offer an insight which…
Are You Riding Towards A Goal?
Whether riding is a hobby or your profession, sometimes we all need a reminder to set some personal goals. My own reminder arrived this last month in an unrelated vein. Feeling as though my progress…
Using Your Indoor Arena Voice
Sometimes when I get wound up, excited or nervous my voice will rise and rise until I am nearly shouting and don’t realize it. This was a big problem when I was a child and…
The Gift of Equestrian Grudges
I’ve been holding a grudge. There, I said it. For too long I had a grudge and not just any grudge, it was one that I didn’t even know existed. This thing, this weight I’ve…
Are You One of the Discarded?
It’s March and the weather is warming, then cooling, then raining, then snowing. My body is in a fight to survive this weather. I have Fibromyalgia and CFS/ME. I am in 24/7 pain and have…
Equestrian Ability vs. Desire
From a superficial level it is easy to mistake ability with desire, or to group them together as synonymous terms. To believe that if a rider has the ability they will also have the desire…
Inspiring Our Horses & Equestrians Through Leadership
Simon Sinek presents a fascinating idea – a different perspective towards inspiration and leadership. As equestrians we’re more than just riders or passengers in the saddle. We are also leaders for our horses and for…
The Importance of Critique For Equestrians
I’m not perfect, and I avoid expecting perfection, although I do aim for “personal best”. As equestrians and horseback riders we give critique constantly, while often being oblivious to the critique we’re receiving. From the moment we…
A Case Study Humanized.
I have a lovely 13-year-old student who is much more mature than those years. She is gifted, committed and built to sit on a horse. She has been in a saddle since she was six. To each…
The Rough Seas of Being Human.
For as long as I can remember I have worshipped horses. One of my earliest memories is of cantering my imaginary horse around a field while my mother had her riding lesson. I was four…
The Fate of Totilas Lies with Sjef Janssen?
There has been much news recently about Moorland’s Totilas who is now being ridden by Matthias Alexander Rath, facing a future subjected to the training “guidance” of Sjef Janssen – the strong proponent of Rollkur,…