Category Archives: Books and Film

It is so easy to get stuck in a rut when working with horses. We get good at what we know and then so many of us rely on the...

Gripes? Gosh, I’ve got them. Let’s begin with people not picking up after their dogs and end with partners not cleaning out the lint filter on the dryer…and you can...

Ireland is a country rich in history, tradition, and pride in its national heritage. If pressed to select just a couple of its greatest international exports, you wouldn't be wrong to...

Last night on The Bachelorette romance was in the air—as was the distinct waft of manure (and it wasn't necessarily coming from the horse barn). You don't need to be a fan of...

Is the world ready for a mainstream riding reality series? Viewers in the U.K. are deciding this month, where the five-part Blue Chip All-Star Academy series is airing on Sky Channel...

If you happened to catch last night's penultimate Game of Thrones episode, then you know which battle we're referring to. (And yes, there are spoilers ahead for Season 6!) The "Battle of...

We’ve all known one—an insecure horse, that is. He’s the gelding that doesn’t like being by himself in the ring; she’s the mare with the serious FOMO, “screaming” and carrying...

You can leave your jacket behind and (this year) don a funky fedora. Friends become fierce competitors and cameras click as rider, trainer, and coach examine the array of obstacles...

When canvasing equestrian-related social media, it appears that draw-reins are quite fashionable again. And every “like” says “regression” rather than “retro.” After all, it has been 9 years since the...

I must admit, I am a bit obsessed with the horse’s part in the history of film. Little pleases me more than the fact that the film industry owes its...

Many riders and trainers undervalue the benefits of trick training—you know: teaching your horse to bow, sit, paw or nod on cue…maybe carry things around the barn or arena…and who-knows-what...

What can a tiny, 35,000-year-old ivory horse sculpture tell us about the relationship between prehistoric men and equines? Why did teeth and toes make all the difference in the horse's ability to...

Recently, I wrote a brief post previewing a scene from Kenneth Branagh’s 2015 Cinderella movie, starring Lily James in the title role. This weekend, I watched the movie again in its...

My first digital camera changed my recorded equestrian life. Gone were the awkward, ginormous-head-tiny-rump photos I’d so often caught on film years prior. Now, when my horse moved from where...

Perhaps one of the most destructive of all emotions is fear of failure. This is not your normal everyday fear of being injured; it’s the fear of making a mistake,...