“[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…)
“I just take the good in the middle and ride to extend the countdown on his timer and stretch the quality of ride out further with each time I swing a leg over.” (more…)
“Thoroughbreds (like all horses) have a good time-keeping system, and if we let them get strictly on a schedule, they know when we miss the mark.” (more…)
“The wind, weather, and absurd Halloween tchotch (I’m looking at you you blow up dragons and 20-foot tall skeletons) do not create a spooky horse out of one who is usually brave. Rather, a consistent horse is one whose reactions are predictable …” (more…)
Whether it’s the well-prepared horse or the one that had a number of ups and downs on its journey, there are certain types of horses you see at the Makeover. (more…)
“I swear they know. They know when they’re up for sale, or people are coming to trial ride them. They know when there’s a big show coming. They know when your bank account has never seen worse days. And then they start up the fight club again …”
When someone decides they want to be a horse trainer, rarely do they also say they want to be a match maker. But the truth of the matter is, that’s often what horse training and selling is all about. (more…)
