2023 Readers’ Choice Awards: SmartPak Best Series of the Year

At Horse Nation we work hard to keep our readers informed, entertained and inspired all year long. In 2023,  our staff and contributors penned regular or semi-regular columns on a variety of subjects near and dear to their hearts. Which one was your favorite?

At the end of each December, we at Horse Nation like to look back on the year that was and highlight the articles, essays and videos that most inspired readers, triggered important conversations or had everyone rolling on the floor with laughter — and then let readers decide which one is deserving of the title of the Best of the Year.

Our talented writers work hard to keep our readers informed, entertained and inspired all year long, and in 2023, a number of our staff and contributors penned regular or semi-regular columns on a variety of subjects near and dear to their hearts. Which one was your favorite?

The nominees are…

Ask AI: Equestrian Edition

Catch up on the series here.

This was a new series introduced in 2023. It focused on what artificial intelligence (AI) made of various questions surrounding the world of horses. From what different breeds to what different disciplines look like, some of the renderings were… interesting (to say the least).

AI Generated from FreePik

Holiday Horse Names

Catch up on the series here. 

This was another new series for 2023. In this series, we took a look at Thoroughbreds that had registered names that fit in with various holidays. Whether it was romantic Valentine’s Day names, presidential Jockey Club registered names, giving thanks, or any number of other holidays, we pointed out horses that have names that are worth celebrating (for 2024, Marcella will be looking at Quarter Horses — stay tuned!).

Mythbuster Monday

Catch up on the series here.

Mythbuster Monday focuses on a variety of myths, misnomers, and commonly held beliefs in the equestrian world. This year, Marcella tackled topics like tie downs, sport boots, water temperature preferences, facial whorls and their correlation to personality traits, and many more.

Thoroughbred Logic

Catch up on the series here. 

Every week, Aubrey Graham of Kivu Sporthorses offers her logic on training Thoroughbreds. Some of what she writes is specific to the breed, but much of it can be applied to nearly any horse. Aubrey discusses a wide variety of training and management topics, covering everything from turnout to collection to let down to nutrition.

Training in the Right Way

Catch up on the series here.

This is a new series for Horse Nation this year. In the seriesn, Gwyneth McPherson discusses various aspects of Dressage — both the sport and the art — and discusses relevant topics pertaining to training itself and the current competitive landscape.

Barn Aisle Chats

Barn Aisle Chats is a series where we meet equestrians from all walks of life and disciplines. This year, Amanda Uechi Ronan chatted with a photographer, a writer, an OTTB rescuer, an OTTB rehabilitater, an OTTB aftercare specialist, an equine integrative medicine specialist, and an equestrian getting ready to take a big step in her life.

So You Think You Can…

“So You Think You Can…” is a series that highlights jobs in the horse industry. We speak to professionals and figure out what it takes if you’re interested in a career change. This year, Horse Nation writer took a look at what it takes to be a horse sitter, an equine chiropractor, a photographer, and a broodmare manager.

Pixabay/CC

Which of these series is your favorite? Let us know!