Channel Archives: Learn

After nearly four decades of horse ownership, I've finally come to a realization: horsekeeping is not a science, but rather an art. Sure, I’d prefer it was the other way around....

Riders are athletes. Shouldn't we train for the sport like one? Start with this stretching guide, courtesy of our friends at Thunderbird Show Park in Langley, BC, the boutique show that puts horse and...

Clinicians who have trained and competed at the elite levels in multiple disciplines have a depth of knowledge and experience that is the accumulated wisdom from countless types of horse and...

I always thought alfalfa was basically the worst thing you could feed your horse. Maybe not arsenic bad. But I had it hammered into my head from day one that alfalfa...

Does pressure in equestrian sport really exist? Well, according to some researchers and experts, it really doesn’t. It’s all dreamed up by you to make it difficult for you to...

It's no secret that the arena can become a dreadfully boring place. Even the strongest, healthiest, most loving and connected horse-and-rider team are sometimes driven into the doldrums by circles...

First things first, if you are looking for a 9-5 job, this is not for you. If you value manicured nails and hairspray—look elsewhere. If you’re offended by bad language...

If you’re like most riders, you’ve spent more time styling your show outfit than you care to admit. Hours have been lost searching for the perfect fit coat and breeches and...

You know what’s great? When you can put your hands on your horse and make him feel better: rejuvenated when he’s tired, calm when he’s under stress, and comforted when...

You step outside and lovingly gaze into the pasture only to find your horse lying flat on his side. Your heartbeat quickens. OH MY GADS—HE’S DEAD! How many of us...

There are few things in the news that affect horsemen more than reading about yet another barn fire in which multiple horses have perished. More so than from other tragedies,...

When the Washington International Horse Show (WIHS) first introduced the Shetland Pony Steeplechase Championship Series in 2012, it was heralded as "D.C.'s newest—and cutest—sport" by the Washington Post. For some of...

Growing up, did you save your babysitting money to buy expensive veterinary textbooks? Did you spend your free time memorizing the bones in the horse's hoof and the names of all ligaments...

High performance sport is a complex construct of many individual parts. Understanding and describing the holistic picture of an athlete’s performance requires: science, intuition and experience. Only when we optimize...

The sport of show jumping has evolved dramatically in the last 20 years. Some notable changes include: An increase in the number of FEI ranking classes offered worldwide More ‘high-quality’ competition...

If you are thinking ahead to the imminent summer heat by looking at electrolyte supplements, good for you. Horses lose massive amounts of electrolytes (and water) in sweat, putting them...

I’m temporarily out of the saddle due to a freak accident. The initial tears I cried were not of pain, but fear as the image sank in of "Knight" spiraling...

A correctly structured yearly training plan induces physiological adaptation and allows a horse to peak for important competitions. At the same time, the proper scheduling of rest and therapeutic interventions...

When I first moved to Texas, my dog, Jackson, was behaving strangely a few hours after going to a dog park, so I took him to see the vet. No...

It was early in our equine education that we learned the terms for the common white markings found on the head and legs of the horse. At five it’s pretty...