Channel Archives: Opinion

­ The 2017 show season is about to start: are you bringing your bling to the ring? And if so, how much is too much? Where's the line between fashion forward to...

Hind gut acidity, sometimes used synonymously with hind gut ulcers, is blamed for a staggering array of signs ranging from poor appetite, cracked hooves, right hind lameness and any undesirable...

Were you head-over-heels obsessed with horses as a child? Did you spend entire weekends at the barn, and maybe even sleep there a time or two? Was your closet brimming...

It was almost two years since I started riding again after the surgeries. My left leg had not fully recovered but I had my life back. There would be no...

On almost every OTTB forum or article you'll find an opinion about when to start transitioning a newly retired racehorse into a sport horse. "I give my horses at least...

For the past few months, I've been involved in a training course to become certified as a Texas Master Naturalist. It's a program whose mission is to train a corps...

It's been nearly 25 years since I rode in the equitation finals—25 years! Besides being nearly impossible to believe,I've noticed a few trends from the results of the interceding years....

The judge. When I was younger, I revered the judge of any horse show I attended. The judge always seemed to loom larger than life. He or she basically had...

It is over. Mostly. Well, except for the part about the 'winning side' gloating for the next year about how they were so right, and the 'losing side' saying it...

I have the exact same feelings about riding roller coasters as I do about competing, especially in the jumper ring. If you ask me on any regular day when I'm...

I wonder if enough people in the horse show industry set goals for themselves. If they are, are the goals being set revolving primarily around qualifying for something? Pony finals,...

If you are considered a young professional in the horse industry you may have quite a challenge in front of you. I am constantly looking around and wondering what hands...

Have you ever had the unpleasant experience of trying to explain to a non-equestrian that much of modern day riding technique, and dressage in particular, comes from a military background?...

Barbara Clarke is the Director of DreamCatcher Wild Horse and Burro Sanctuary. Laura Leigh is the founder of Wild Horse Education. Here, they respond to recent headlines regarding the BLM Advisory Board's...

I first started riding at a fancy stable in Connecticut when I was 11-years old. As I walked into the barn to sign up for my first lesson, I had...

The conclusion of the Olympic Individual Show Jumping in Brazil was a thrilling and emotional event, and fans worldwide watched as the sport took on a different look. It is...

“Riding isn’t a sport,” the article reads. “YA? Well you try to control a 1200 lb horse with your pinkie,” the meme retorts. “Why doesn’t Valegro get the medal? He...

A cohesive sports team is typically characterized by a high level of mutual respect, admiration, shared goals, and a driven work ethic. And, if you're on the American Olympic dressage...

It's that time again! Every four years, equestrians around the world find themselves red in the face, defending horseback riding as a sport deserving of a place in the Olympic...

Walk into any sports stadium and you'll see them. Retired numbers, hung up in the rafters or on the fences. Retiring those numbers honors the greats of that particular sport....