Author Archives: Rebecca Didier

For ten years, I did Pilates, loving the flexibility and tone and core strength I gained in an hour-long class that, for me, was the equivalent of meditation. Breathing, isolated...

Known for his wit, irreverence, and whip-smart observations on equestrian sport and its participants, three-time Olympian Jim Wofford's writing is as legendary as his performances in the saddle. Now he...

We riders are funny—we can accomplish amazing things (stick spring bucks, hang tight when that stride’s left out…again, teach big strong animals not to break us), and we can win...

It is very easy for those of us who are amateur riders or armchair equestrians to look at those at the top of international competition not just with admiration, but...

When it comes to hoof cracks, some are superficial and have no effect on the hoof whatsoever, while others can penetrate all the way through the wall and into the...

We hear it time and time again: Our horses are looking for a leader, and we need to be “it” in our micro-herd of two. We do our groundwork, we’re...

There aren’t many of us who will ride a horse clear across the country, but in 1982, before GPS and cell phones, Melissa Chapman did it. On her own with...

It seems that horse trainers are always trying to label a horse’s “type.” Is he a leader or follower? Social or a loner? All seriousness or a total goofball? The...

Sometimes finding the distance to a jump or seeing your spot on course is just downright frustrating. The ability flickers in and out like lights in a thunderstorm, occasionally leaving...

Most of us are hunching over keyboards and huddled in front of computer screens even more than we were before this whole pandemic thing was, well, a thing. Add a...

When Vivian Gabor, a biologist with a masters degree in Equine Science and a doctorate in Livestock Ethology, first heard about the Mustang Makeover, she was interested in working with...

Anyone who has ridden a dressage test in competition is likely familiar with the one that, from start to finish, feels like it is in fast-forward. I beat all land-speed...

We all get excited when our horses whinny our way. The very idea that it demonstrates affection, or anticipation of our arrival, or is even merely a polite greeting between...

Those who study equines can identify plenty of ways the domestic horse has had to develop coping mechanisms related to a life lived in small, contained spaces with few companions....

We can chalk it up to energy or antics or high spirits or poor manners—whatever it is that might be the “cause,” being pulled around by our four-legged friends is...

They say the walk is the easiest gait to ruin, but that doesn’t mean we should avoid schooling it altogether! It can’t only be used for rest breaks for the...

How many of us can describe the first time we saw our dream horse? It can be a little bit like falling in love. Sounds fade into the background, the...

We are all familiar with the scenario: We know our horse isn’t right…he isn’t performing like he used to, doesn’t seem comfortable, his transitions are poor, his willingness lacking. Of...

The cool thing about equestrian sports is that if you love horses, you have a ton of choices—there’s truly a discipline to suit every personality. And more often than not,...

What separates the equestrians at the top of the sport from all the other hungry, hard-working individuals striving to “make it”? In Riding for the Team, the new book from...