Last week I finally got my leather snaffle.  Since I re-started riding Bobby I have been thinking hard about what might be irritating his mouth.  I read the ad about those super pricey titanium bits and I was looking for an alternative that I could afford that also was temperature neutral and did not have any electric currents or magnetism going through the bit.  I was really excited to get my leather snaffle, at least until I measured the mouthpiece, 2 centimeters wide and…

Hey bloggers,

I bet everyone is getting ready and excited for the upcoming Royal Agricultural Winter Fair. For anyone who wants to purchase any last minute tickets for the horse show here is the link to the schedule for you. http://www.ticketmaster.ca/Royal-Winter-Fair-Horse-Show-tickets/artist/891637. At the Royal this year we will not have a booth at the trade show so if…

This is going to end up a rather large blog, that could be seen as a rant, but it's not really intended as such.  Just keep in mind that this is my opinion, from my experiences and you are free to disagree.

I find the more I browse the internet or go spectate at shows the angrier and frustrated I get at many of today's horse people's attitudes.  I've banned myself from looking at riding photo's for the most part or getting involved in any kind of training conversation as I usually…

The wind positively howled. There was sun, not that you could feel it. The horses didn’t want turn out. It was 20 degrees warmer in the south-facing runs and there’s not much windbreak on our prairie pasture. The horses that were turned out looked longingly at the barn and I knew the season has truly changed.

I was mucking a pen, coat zipped against the wind and my warmest Elmer Fudd hat tied down, when my phone rang. A client re-scheduled her lesson that afternoon. I don’t blame her;…

Well it could have been worse, the horse could have been stolen!  My leasing experience is not as bad as some but bad enough, the horse is reasonably okay but the people were quite a nightmare to deal with.  I thought I had got a wonderful long term lease for my school horse Bandit with a novice adult rider wanting to get back into shape after years of being away from riding.  I knew the trainer and she seemed like a decent person, albeit less experienced than me but I was willing to give…

Is it the responsibility of the owner of the horse to fence their animal in, or the responsibility of the neighbors to fence the horse out? I have been debating this issue with my father in law who refuses to hold his little sister responsible for her STALLION who is always out, on our property, eating my hay, flowers, and destroying my fences.  Her property is next door and she has a 3 wire barbed wire fence that is very loose.  She operates a small animal rescue on her property and refuses…

I finally got my RS-tor last week, and I did not waste any time putting it on my saddle.  The name of this wonderful piece of gear is pronounced “arrestor.” 

Due to the effects of my Multiple Sclerosis I have lost the confidence I used to have decades ago about my ability to stay in the saddle.  Faulty balance, weak and quickly tiring muscles, lack of coordination, my…

Hey bloggers,

Hope everyone is enjoying their weekend and staying warm during this cold fall weather. This week the Baker's blog is going to specify in bandaging- proper bandaging technique, the importance of bandaging and proper bandaging products. Being a competitive rider it is very important to know how to properly protect and treat your horses legs after…

  I lost a friend this week,  I forgot I could hurt this much.  My beautiful little mare coliced and couldent be saved. Her little mini donkey companion is morrning and I must find hin a  friend  before I lose him too.  Any sugestions

As more than a few people have commented on my tack box in past weeks, I post these here for a wider audience.

I got tired of arriving at a barn only to spend 10 to 15 minutes scrounging up brushes, hoof picks, &c., so I put those in a bag.

Then I bought my own saddle, with the changeable gullet, so I wouldn't have to ride those school saddles that feel like two angle-irons welded to an old oil-drum. The changeable gullet meant I could fit any horse I was given in only a few…

Out on the trail, bushwhacking through woods too thick to walk through on foot, we come across a fallen tree, branches everywhere, and pine trees on the other side. Vinnie is behind us, following. I ask Oakley to approach so I can see if there is a way around. While I'm looking around, he keeps walking up to the tree, looks down at the trunk as if to say "oh, this up to my chest. I can't step over this... I'll have to jump..." and…

Well today is Thanksgiving in Canada, and don't we always have so much to be thankful for?  Really we do, but we find so many things to complain about, the beauty is lost.  Today is  day to celebrate gratitude for cell phones, your child's smile, the loving partner in your life, the horse who tolerates your lack of skill!  Just think about it, most of us here are not in the African desert starving with no medical care and no rain in sight.  Just imagine being one of those people for a day,…

It is getting cooler now in NC, so I am hoping that I will continue to recover from my trip to MD three weeks ago.  Every year it seems to take me longer to recover. 

Wednesday I rode Mick for my lesson with Debbie.  I warmed Mick up for around ten minutes, the poor guy was stiff as usual, and the fact that Debbie’s horses are now spending the night in the stalls  means that he had been standing in his stall for many, many hours.  I had done the circular massages on…

Hey bloggers,

This week's blog is going to be based on titanium products and why they are extremely beneficial in human and equine health. Firstly, taking a look at human health, research and observation of the benefits of titanium has been discovered and proven in a variety of sources. One source in particular is an article written by Dr. Brett A. Taylor. He is an orthopaedic spine surgeon who deals with the surgical procedures to treat fractures, degenerative conditions, tumours and…

on 10/05/2012