Channel Archives: Learn

Time: that annoying measure of life that’s worth its weight in gold! In these weekly articles, I often describe brain-based training techniques that proceed slowly. Most people, especially those who pay...

I saw a TikTok video today of a woman talking about how hard she pronounced the ‘L’ in "caulk" to the man working in the hardware store. I know exactly...

Today’s title might perplex those who read this column regularly and know that for brain-based reasons I prefer to train by reward, but non-edible reward. The three treats refer not...

When I was seven my parents almost bought me a pony named Captain Crunch. I loved him, not only because I was a kid and because I loved the cereal...

Although your local climate and weather conditions will likely have an influence on your horse’s hooves, there are some universal factors that impact hoof quality and growth rate year-round, no...

Long gone are the days when we could consider our horse’s fitness the only point of concern when it comes to our athletic endeavors together. Sure, he has to collect...

OK, let’s climb on my young Warmblood True and see how this roundness business works in real life. As with any maneuver on a young or green horse, be sure...

Brace yourself. This is about to get confusing. I work at an animal shelter a few days a week and the other day one of my co-workers was telling me...

Last week, we reviewed the basics our youngsters need to know before learning to move in a long rounded frame. “Frame” refers to the position of the horse within an...

If you’ve ever sat on a stiff horse, you know it’s not a comfortable ride. But have you ever considered that it’s not comfortable for the horse either? When your...

I collect a lot of random facts when writing these posts, leaving me with bits and bobs that aren’t long enough to stand alone. So, this week I present you...

A couple weeks back, I promised some words on teaching roundness in young and green horses. This is kinda complicated, so let’s approach it in chunks over the next few...

While writing about horse colours, I learned that the Appaloosa is Idaho’s state horse. I was unaware there is such a thing as a state horse, which is odd because here in...

In the past couple weeks, I’ve described my green Warmblood True’s progress with the lessons on my training agenda. But maybe the most fun to consider is his training agenda—all the stuff...

I had my hair done today, the usual cut and colour, and my hairdresser asked if I wanted to try bangs, to which I replied, “No.” But it got me...

It’s hard to remain the “cool mom” long-term to your children, but Ann Hanlin has an ace card up her sleeve, at least when it comes to her two sons....

In all my training, with my young Warmblood True and other horses, I use reward as a primary technique. In general, it’s quicker over the long term, lasts longer, is...

Horses come in a wide variety of colors, and we never seem to question why horse colors have bizarre names. Well, I’ve had enough and I’m going to get to...

You likely consider your horse part of your family—and when they show signs of joint discomfort from the natural wear and tear of training or the aging process, it’s hard...

Young horses are often awkward in learning to back up while under saddle. It’s an unnatural movement, both physically and mentally. Most youngsters don’t yet have the musculature and physiological...