Channel Archives: Opinion

There must be something buried in the human psyche that craves an object of blind devotion. Why else would there be fans of anything? Think about it. Somewhere there's a...

There is a lot of recent discussion about the hunter divisions and the many problems surrounding the sport. This is a topic that has been debated since the 1970's when...

Dear Clinton, I have been a fan of yours for years now. As a horseman, your consistency, and the way you teach the importance of pressure and release is something...

Elite equestrian sport has seen exponential growth in North America over the past five years. There are more 5* events in show jumping than ever before (four in 2009 versus...

There are plenty of drawbacks to being 70 years older than the OTTBs I ride—lack of former agility, lack of all courage, lack of being able to get on without...

Everybody knows how the system is supposed to work. If there are four jumps in the warm-up ring, you find the person who goes four before you, and you wait...

Every rider in every disciple at every level has heard it before: “Riding is not a sport.” And time and time again, every equestrian puts up a fight defending how...

My love for horses started, like many women, when I was young. My parents made me wait until I was five to start lessons. The memory of my first visit...

Last month, the state-of-the-art indoor complex that is Roberts Arena in Wilmington, Ohio hosted their first owned and run hunter/jumper show under the facility's brand new name: The World Equestrian Center....

"I don't do this horse justice." How often have I heard someone with a nice horse say something along those lines? "My horse could do so much better if he...

If you’re a rider, chances are you’ve been lectured at least once (or 30 times) on the importance of wearing a helmet while you’re on a horse. But assuming you’re...

This was a typical preliminary jump from 54 years ago. The jumps were easy, but the test was incredibly hard. We did roads and tracks down near GMHA (Green Mountain...

We all know that nothing we do with horses is totally safe, because accidents can happen in the most serene settings with the calmest horses. But there are a few...

When I learned that the life of yet another eventer was lost this weekend, my immediate response was not sadness—I was outraged. Outraged that human and horse deaths continue to...

We all ride horses probably for very similar reasons, chief among them being that we love them. Is loving horses enough to make this crazy hobby into a full-blown career?...

I knew the news was bad about Philippa Humphreys hours before it was ever released. I was doing what I always do on the weekends of the “big ones.” Scrolling...

Most outdoor horse shows happily serve as secondary dog parks, which is fantastic because dogs are the best and horses are the best and everything is perfect. Our pups live...

Her voice gets louder. “RIGHT leg! Why are you hanging on the inside rein?!” You feel the anxiety begin to build in that familiar part of your gut. Your face...

Concussions! The most misunderstood injury in sport. Everyone today is aware of them, and many riders have experienced a blow to the head. I, personally, have had five concussions from 35 years...

I’ve never met a barn dog I didn’t like. No, not the weekend-warrior type that is never let off-leash and barks while you’re trying to jump a tricky combination. But...