Training
One Exercise, Eight Lessons, Any Discipline
It’s no secret that the arena can become a dreadfully boring place. Even the strongest, healthiest, most loving and connected horse-and-rider team are sometimes driven…
Category:
Training
OTTB
How To Be a Horse Trainer
So you want to become a horse trainer, huh? Sounds like fun—doing what you love and getting paid for it? Score! You are about to…
3 months ago
Training
Improving Balance in the ‘Non-Traditional’ Dressage Horse
My Connemara cross, Anna, is not known for being the most forward thinking of mounts. While she is pretty willing to do whatever is asked,…
3 months ago
Training
Silly Walks For Better Riding
Remember that ridiculous Monty Python comedy sketch “The Ministry of Silly Walks”? It has inspired all manner of copycat moments over the years, and while…
5 months ago
Training
Are You Listening?
Riding horses is exhausting. No, I’m not talking about the physical exhaustion that comes with hours in the saddle. I don’t mean the sore muscles,…
5 months ago
Training
Improve Your Flying Lead Changes With Bernie Traurig
Automatic flying changes. It sounds like a desirable skill in a horse. But is it in practice? USET veteran and EquestrianCoach.com founder Bernie Traurig says…
6 months ago
Training
Cross Training: Good for Humans, Good for Horses
In 1996 I participated in a Natural Horsemanship clinic given by the late Tom Dorrance. Even though he was a cowboy, well over half of…
6 months ago
Training
The Jig is Up: 7 Ways to Change Prancy Habits
When I was a kid, we used to call it “parade gait”…the bouncy jig our ponies performed when we all lined up in an open…
6 months ago
Horsemanship
Pain and Patience: Befriending My Father’s Horse
This article was supposed to be a new installment in my Liberty Training for Amateurs series, however, I’ve been consumed by a terrible tragedy. My…
6 months ago
Training
Beginner’s Guide to Free Riding
There are a few things to consider before hopping on your horse without a saddle and bridle. First, your seat and leg should be proficient…
6 months ago
Eventing
The Happiest Loser in the Barn
I left the ring with a huge grin on my face and signaled my student with a thumbs up as we made eye contact. I…
7 months ago
Horse Health
Muscle Health for the OTTB
Transitioning a Thoroughbred from racehorse to sport horse is no easy task. The process of rehabilitating and retraining these amazing athletes for success in other…
7 months ago
Life
The Vicious Cycle
One of my students came up to me a few weeks ago and started listing her goals for the season. Being a goal oriented person…
9 months ago
Amateur Hour
Liberty Training for the Amateur Equestrian
Nothing will ever replace my childhood daydreams of galloping my horse down the beach without a saddle or bridle, just like Alec Ramsey and “Black”…
9 months ago
Books and Film
The Fine Line Between Kind and Firm
Admit it: it is one of the trickiest lines to walk as a horse owner and rider. Most of us want our horses to be…
9 months ago
Books and Film
The Smallest Pirouette You’ve Ever Seen
Miniature Horses and small ponies can be just as athletic as their full-sized counterparts. We often see them driven or performing tricks, but believe it…
10 months ago
Horsemanship
Your Horse Is Never Wrong
Have you ever watched or ridden your friend’s horse and thought: “I wish my horse was like that?” Have you ever known the husband or…
10 months ago
Eventing
Elisa Wallace Has a Ph.D. in OTTB
Elisa Wallace knows a good horse when she sees one. Problem is, she’s capable of bringing out the good in every horse she encounters. So it was…
11 months ago
Hunter/Jumper
Develop Your Horse’s Eye for Distances with Amy Millar
Anyone who has been fortunate enough to get a glimpse at the inner workings of Millar Brooke Farm knows that the devil is in the…
12 months ago
Training
Practicing Perfection
How often have you gone through the motions of your ride, kind of touching on things you really need to work on, but only settling…