“So according to me (from the point of view of an Eventer making sweeping statements), here’s a ‘where to skimp, where to focus’ on the ins-and-outs of getting started and getting on regarding tack.” (more…)
“… if that barefoot, forage-only Thoroughbred needs shoes as the ground gets harder, or needs grain to help supplement their hay and grazing, I want to make sure mine are in a position where the owner will simply run to the feed store or call their talented farrier and make sure they get what they need.” (more…)
“Those who own Thoroughbreds at some point or another, struggle with their feet, their condition, their brains, and their post-track bodies. But somehow, with this breed, the struggle is collective… communal.”
“Trust and patience help transform the off-track horses that come here into quiet and manageable creatures on the ground, even if some have some pretty sh*t… errr…I mean… pretty “complicated” tendencies when they arrive.” (more…)
“There’s always more to do, always more ways to do it. But, even if you’re like me and you hate lunging, getting the horses through this basic set of skills is worth it in the long run.” (more…)
“These names are the ties that allow people who loved that horse during their lifetime to find them. They are a trackable link to their purpose-bred past and a testament to their versatility as they carry on …” (more…)
“Ever see someone assume that they can just kick into the trot on a spicy horse? I bet that went… interestingly. Incremental asks folks, incremental.” (more…)
“… this is where clinics are cool. So when 10 Thoroughbreds and around 40 folks who share a common interest in these horses came together, the process and the progress became central. At the very least, the horses got to experience somewhere else that was not ‘home’ and which was also not the track.” (more…)
“One trick to showing and enjoying it — and therefore a trick to owning, loving, and competing your Thoroughbred (or really any horse for that matter) is to keep the bar low and set your hopes high… and then adjust up or down as you go.” (more…)
This week’s Thoroughbred Logic tackles the age-old question: nature vs. nurture? How much does a horse’s pedigree play into its personality and abilities? Here’s Aubrey Graham’s take: (more…)
“I loved all of them and now I love watching them grow and learn in some of the best places! It really means so much to me to watch them shine in their second careers.” (more…)
“Circles are great for both identifying . . . underlying patterns and foundational holes and using that very same consistent turn to fix them. You just have to think ahead.” (more…)
“I use their amount/shade/type of green to set the bar and therefore my expectations. Such expectations translate into when to praise, when to request more from a horse, and when to call the day a ‘success.'” (more…)
This week’s Thoroughbred Logic discusses what you can do to keep these smart, sensitive and capable horses balanced, consistent, relaxed and maybe just a little slower. (more…)
“…with patience, a healthy dose of good equitation and amply honed ‘ignoring’ skills, it usually doesn’t take too long before their natural desire and ability to work over their back begins show.” (more…)
“In short, the better information one has, the more complete the story, the better a shot one has of not only training successfully, but also of fueling the horse’s desire to learn.” (more…)
Welcome to the next installment of Thoroughbred Logic. In this weekly series, Anthropologist and trainer Aubrey Graham, of Kivu Sport Horses, will offer insight and training experience when it comes to working with Thoroughbreds (although much will apply to all breeds). Come along for the ride as she offers her logic on the importance of trail riding. (more…)
“…thus began the process of learning many, many things that I did not then know about an essential but often left-out element of horse ownership: saddle fit.” (more…)
“Especially when dealing with the ‘out of arena’ form of cross training, I hear a lot of ‘but we’re not ready.’ When riding intentionally … folks will regularly talk themselves out of the fun and back into circles at one end of the arena.” (more…)
“Intentional riding cannot be a rigid thing — plans and responses must be flexible. Critical thinking and smart training kicks in here. It is enormously important to, first, be able to recognize when what you are doing is not working, and second, pivot, adjust, or change.” (more…)
