Category Archives: Learn

Fall is here! The leaves are changing and the temperatures are cooling off. It's hard to imagine that such a pretty time of the year could possibly be harmful to...

Finding time to eat three healthy meals in the horse show world? Ain't no one got time for that. Unless, of course, you're Olivia Minicucci. The amateur equestrian/fitness blogger is...

Canadian grand prix rider Sean Jobin has the warm-up routine for his top international horse, Darius, down to a fine science—as in, it's based on actual data. Here he outlines...

Understanding a few basics about horse type helps you connect the temperament traits your horse displays most frequently to how he might respond to circumstances. This can help you make...

The place where two spines meet is where the central nervous systems of horse and rider come together. In her book Where Two Spines Align: Dressage Dynamics, Beth Baumert explores...

All riders want it and almost all wish they had more. “If only I had more confidence I could win more.” “She needs to ride that horse more confidently and...

Seriously: Are you so relaxed on your horse your “supple” is a “flop”? According to rider biomechanics pioneer Mary Wanless in her book The New Anatomy of Rider Connection, this...

Come Nov. 9-12, North America's premiere equestrian gathering will feature four days of non-stop horses, shopping, and horse shopping. And that's only one of the reasons you're going to fall in love with...

With all the ghouls and ghosts ready to play their tricks this Halloween, it's easy to forget there's a much more sinister threat lurking high in the shadows. For your...

Disclaimer: I have written this article with a focus on show jumping and my examples reflect this. However, the content holds true for all equestrian disciplines. A great trainer will enthusiastically...

Training horses, learning how to ride them well, these pursuits can be an obsession. They can bankrupt us, disrupt other relationships, and generally make us crazy. And they can be...

I’m temporarily out of the saddle due to a freak accident. The initial tears I cried were not of pain, but fear as the image sank in of "Knight" spiraling...

How well do you handle the pressures of equestrian? Do emotions in your riding prevent you from achieving your goals? Do they prevent you from enjoying your experience in the...

Many horse owners struggle with the body condition of their horses. Some horses seem to gain condition easily others seem to eat and eat while not gaining body condition and...

I’ve been asked a couple of times if I think that horses have emotions. People have wondered about animal emotions for a long time. For example, Charles Darwin compared facial...

What are you grateful for? That might seem like a strange question to ask a rider in a performance article, but it’s one well worth exploring. Research shows that the...

It seems natural is all the rage these days. Take a walk through any grocery store and you’re likely to see this label on anything from ice cream to granola...

You’re middle-aged and you’ve decided you want to ride. It may be for the first time, or it may be after years out of the saddle. You may have watched...

Sometimes things get fuzzy in sports and some perspective is exactly what you need. Very often my phone will ring, or I’ll get an “emergency” text and an athlete client...

  I was inspired to write this article by a quote I come across from a friend of mine, Melinda Harrison, a former Olympic swimmer who specializes in helping athletes transition from the...