Opinion Archives | Horse Network

Opinion

The Inevitability of Sexual Abuse in Horse Sport

“If you tolerate it; you are condoning it,” reads a sign on the door of Murray Arena at the Okotoks Recreation Centre in Alberta. The…

16 hours ago

Books and Film

Three Movies I Can’t Wait to See at the 2019 EQUUS Film Festival

The bags are packed. The list of the must-sees is made. The horsehair has been vacuumed out of car’s floor mats. Today is the first…

7 days ago

Horsemanship

So You Think You’re a Horseman?

If you can start a young horse, retrain a “problem” horse, expertly maneuver a truck and trailer, give both IM and IV injections, and safely…

2 months ago

Hunter/Jumper

Maclay Mayhem

Every year, the National Horse Show plays host to the ASPCA Maclay Final, which showcases the top junior riders, many of whom have aspirations of…

3 months ago

Horsemanship

Dear Stranger, Please Stop Grabbing Horses by the Face

August is county fair time here in the Midwest—the time of year when urban and rural life collide. This year, whilst perusing pop up barn…

3 months ago

Opinion

Op Ed: The George Morris Ban Broke My Heart, Then It Gave Me Hope

I have never competed on the hunter/jumper circuit, yet even I can quote former Olympic trainer George Morris. His clever quips and biting witticisms have…

4 months ago

Opinion

Yes, The Wage Gap Is an Equestrian Issue

Horse husbands have been all over my social media lately. On a Facebook group, one horse owner left a desperate plea about how her boyfriend…

6 months ago

Opinion

The Body Positive Equestrian and Insisting on Taking Up Space

The best part of the 2019 Midwest Horse Fair’s dressage competition was the variety in the ring. In the strangely plush seats of the Coliseum,…

6 months ago

Racing

Op Ed: Horseracing Doesn’t Need This

It’s post Kentucky Derby Day plus two days, perhaps what will be remembered as the most famous, or infamously famous, running of the most famous…

7 months ago

Show Jumping

McLain Ward and Kent Farrington Need to Learn How to Trash Talk Already

In boxing, smack talk is a key component of the pre-fight ritual. Even if you don’t follow the sport (*raises hand*), the sight of two…

9 months ago

Uncategorized

TFW You Stalk-Scroll the Saut Hermès Instagram…

Some horse shows are memorable for the massive payday and spectacular sport. Some for the intangible you-have-to-experience-it-to-understand-it vibe. Others for the spectacular ring. Saut Hermès…

9 months ago

Horsemanship

The Generalization Game

I have been asked to write on a lot of topics. Why are Thoroughbreds better than other breeds? Why are geldings better than mares? Why…

9 months ago

Horse Sport

OP Ed: Fix A-Rated Horse Shows Before It’s too Late

As of February 2019, the United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) has approximately 66,000 competing members scattered across 29 different breeds and disciplines*. The German National…

10 months ago

Opinion

I Will Always Be a Sucker for Opinionated Mares

Right now, I am greeted in the barn by a pair cream-colored ears perked through the bars of a stall. The ears belong to Flower,…

10 months ago

Books and Film

“A Kid-Broke Hoss”

“First pony” stories are the stuff of legend. We all have them—mental records of the goodhearted babysitters and the devils on four legs that gave…

10 months ago

Horses in the Headlines

Op Ed: Banning Chicago’s Carriage Horses Isn’t Helping Anyone

A vote on a proposed ban on carriage horses in Chicago was postponed earlier in October. The Committee on License and Consumer Protection chairwoman said…