Mary McGuire Smith's Page

I can say that this is an amazing ride. I can also say that I enjoyed watching it, and I put it in my favorites on my account at Youtube. :-)



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G_FDK04vXaI (if there is no link, please copy and paste the link)



I wonder, now that we have broken through the "glass ceiling" of 90% (it wasn't that long ago that 80% was unimaginable), if we are going the way of other olympic judged events (I am thinking of ice-skating, gymnastics and diving, for… Continue

(Disclaimer: sorry for the photo sizes...I don't know how to edit them smaller! LOL)



I have ridden, trained, and/or owned many different breeds and types of horses. I have also ridden and/or competed in many different disciplines. I won't list them all, but suffice it to say that in everything, the underlying principles of riding have been the same.

I believe (and practice) the same principles of riding and training the horse, no… Continue

I hope it is kosher to give the link to a blog I already started, instead of copying the whole thing here....it is entirely a horsey blog! :-) Please enjoy it!

http://iridedressage.blogspot.com

Mary McGuire Smith

There I go again...putting "fun" in quotations. Hey, for those of you that ride, you KNOW why that is! LOL For those of you that don't, riding is fun in the same way that a serious visit to the local gym is fun. It is hard work. Even when you aren't riding, horses are work; you clean the stall and paddock, you maintain the barn area, you groom the horse, you carry feed and hay and tack, etc.--it is physical (well, except for those of us that pay to have all that done for them). But even those… Continue

I am good at compartmentalizing, and my patience is a perfect example of that. Let me explain.....

I have the patience of Job when it comes to training horses. I ask much, but accept any shred of correctness with lavish praise. But ask me to wait in line at the grocery store, and I seriously consider not eating dinner that night.

Explaining the minute details of what it means to be "in front of the leg" to a student may put me 'way behind in every other thing I have to do that day,… Continue