Channel Archives: Learn

As you can see from my Horse Network posts so far, new baby horses offer a million details to consider. We’ve talked about catching, tying, settling in, approaching from behind,...

I became familiar with the crupper when I was five because my fiendish pony Winsome needed one. She also required side reins as I lacked the necessary power to prevent...

Question: I read in one of your interviews that horses don’t have the capacity to show off. But they do have a capacity for fear. Can you talk a little...

As long as it’s a calm day at the barn, my three-year-old Dutch Warmblood True naps through most of his grooming, eyes half shut while I brush. But lifting the...

There are a lot of crazy horse names in this world and racehorses, for some reason, seem to have a monopoly on some of the strangest. There is a good...

My new three-year-old Dutch Warmblood True cross-ties well in the barn and likes to be groomed. But even after a few weeks, he’s still nervous about his position. Which, I...

Why do donkeys have such big ears? The answer is painfully simple, and I suppose had I put any thought into it prior to beginning my research I might have...

Greetings! Last time, we talked about teaching a young horse to tie. It takes time and patience, progressing only a little every day to give her gradual experience. “Snubbing” a...

We’ve all been there—on the horse who pokes his way around the warm-up ring, needs leg, leg, leg coming into the combination, or brings up the rear on every trail...

When you come across a bit with a strange name it isn’t surprising to learn that it’s likely the surname of its creator. The interesting part is discovering the mastermind...

Sometimes in our riding career, we elevate to the point where we’re required to wear a tailcoat. It’s a rarely worn riding jacket but when we get the chance to...

Question: Top riders often say they can feel when a horse “tries” extra hard for them in a class (i.e. puts in extra effort to jump clear at a wide...

One key to horse training is that it’s better to prevent problems than correct them. So, always test a new horse’s knowledge of tying before fastening her to something. The...

Bucephalus was Alexander the Great’s favourite horse, and apparently, according to many, one of the most famous horses in history. His story, surprisingly, is similar in nature to most horse...

By Jay Duke Around the world, tens of thousands of horses are bought and sold every year. These transactions vary from $1,000 to millions, and many dreams and businesses are...

Riders of any discipline aren't known for having much free time outside of the barn. If you're as avid a reader as you are a rider, then those empty slots...

FLAIR® Equine Nasal Strips are clinically proven to make breathing easier. Developed by veterinarians, the proprietary adhesive and shape memory supports provide gentle support to the horse's nasal passages to...

A new place with new food and strange water, an unusual climate and elevation, surrounded by newhorses and new people? No wonder young horses need some time to settle in....

It was suggested to me the other day that I look into the names of certain bits, and I wondered how the thought had escaped me for so long. The...

Sometimes horses are just so darn cute. My three-year-old Dutch Warmblood True was in quarantine for the first week and a half at his new home. He seemed completely healthy,...