Channel Archives: Learn

This article was written by Marcella Peyre-Ferry and was originally published in Saddle & Bridle. It is reprinted here with consent.  There are horse shows that go on for years...

Acclaimed dressage rider Robert Dover is famed for many things. The four Olympic team bronze medals he accumulated during his international career. His impressive track record as chef d'equipe of the U.S....

If you think preparing your home for a small dinner party is stressful, imagine hosting an international community of elite equestrians and fans. That's the reality Split Rock Jumping Tour...

Ah, the corners of the riding arena…so often haunted by bogeymen and other mysterious “somethings” certain to cause a scoot or a spook. By a year or so into your...

Nic Roldan is a fourth-generation polo player who made history at the age of 15 when he became the youngest player ever to win the United States Open Polo Championship....

Last week at the Longines Masters of Los Angeles, Spanish horseman Santi Serra brought his rare brand of equestrian artistry to American audiences at the Long Beach Convention Center. Serra...

Three sport psychology tips from April Clay's latest book, 52 Ways to More Confidence. 1. Define your athletic brand What is your confidence brand? Every athlete has an overall sense of...

Whenever I am at a competition, I spend more time watching the warm-up ring than the competition ring, itself. Much can be learned by watching the horses warm-up and hearing...

There are many possible causes of laminitis but the vast majority of cases have a hormonal/endocrine root. There is a peak in the spring, related to grazing young, high sugar...

For most of us, especially in the hunter ring, perfection is something that we absolutely aspire to. At the end of the day, though, if we've stayed on, jumped all...

Do you ever wish you could lunge your brain to make it quieter and more cooperative? Good news: there is a way. Sport and life come with emotions and sometimes...

Sure, I had my focus on the athletes that I coached throughout the Olympic Games. But Rio was also a great case study for the habits of highly successful athletes that ever competitor...

When you think of the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), your first thought is probably the organization's extensive work on behalf of homeless dogs and...

Picture this: human and animal moving in unison, coming together for a brief connection. Those who witness are left holding their breath in complete wonderment of what the rider must...

If you’re like me, you look at your first-pony photos (it’s all about nostalgia these days) and cringe a bit at the position of your leg—no doubt, stuck a little...

You're late for your class. You're racing to tack your horse, learn your course, and oh yeah, get your long hair up and under your helmet with some semblance of...

The most important aspect of show jumping performance is the ability of the horse to keep all of the rails in the cups. Horses that have a relatively low percentage...

Course designers have a number of tools at their disposal when building a course. They play with the types of jumps and the elements they're built with. They tweak the distance...

Star power can do a lot to generate support for a good cause. And there’s a reason why some of equestrian sport’s brightest stars never fail to support the ASPCA’s work to...

When we work horses, especially young ones, we ask them to give us not only their total focus but also a very high degree of physical exertion. As with human...