Channel Archives: Opinion

“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 us the start we needed...

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 she believed that there needed...

Recently I found myself at Monmouth Park racetrack at the top of the Jersey Shore for a family reunion party. It was maybe the fourth time I had been at...

Show jumping is a sport that’s equal part art and athleticism. But that doesn’t mean there isn’t room for a bit of science in the mix. We called in show...

From my observation, every Olympic sport has a world championship. Arguably, the two greatest titles athletes can earn are Olympic gold medalist and world champion. These competitions shape a sport's...

Over the years, I’ve developed a fondness for rescue animals. All three of my dogs are rescues, as are several of my cats. And since the area where we live...

Over the past 10 years, an explosion in the availability of information through social media and online streaming platforms has advanced the way sports are consumed by fans. All sports...

Who will win the Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping Ocala? We called in equestrian sport scientist, Dr. Tim Worden, to pick his top three contenders. Dr. Worden has a PhD in...

In my younger (ok, MUCH younger) days, I didn’t like mares. They seemed unpredictable and difficult compared to geldings, or even stallions. I was wrong. In the feral society of...

There is a trend these days to label many highly nutritious feed ingredients as worthless wastes. This particularly falls on anything that might be classified as a by-product, including beet...

“What if what we experience close up is real, and what we hear on the news from the mouths of those jockeying for power needs to be questioned? It is...

It happens every winter. A horse that may not even have a prior history of laminitis is found to be very lame and reluctant to move. It’s more than the...

I awoke Friday morning and just stared at the comments. I'd spent the previous evening in a state of distress; a state of overwhelming fear, sadness, and this sick sense...

Research has proven that exposure to cold causes increased stiffness in both muscle and connective tissue, including tendons and ligaments. A recent human study also confirmed that dampness (relative humidity)...

On Thanksgiving Day, while the turkey roasted and my family gathered, my significant other and I huddled on the couch with shoulders touching and a tiny phone in front of...

Impending winter weather and loss of good pasture make all owners of thin senior horses anxious. Some things to consider when a horse is underweight span all age groups, but...

There are obviously countless reasons why a couple decides to breakup or file for divorce. As anyone who has survived a failed, long-term relationship knows, there are so many reasons...

There has been a lot of discussion this year at national and international levels of equestrian showjumping about the health of hunter/jumper sport. The FEI has debated harmonizing entry fees...

When I was a junior I was fortunate to be able to ride with a young, up and coming rider and trainer, Beth Underhill. I vividly remember her sense of...

So, six months ago this was me. (Warning, the next photo might be a bit unsettling. No blood, just very broken bones. Also, cursing ahead.) THANK GOODNESS I was wearing...