I am presently still off and on working in Florida until the beginning of April. I recently went out to fit one of our saddles for a client to a horse (like I always do!), but what I experienced there truly troubled me to the point that I had to write about it.



The owner and the trainer were both not present; the groom brought out this lovely, sad, little horse. I have rarely encountered such a pathetic picture of absolute dejection and misuse – probably totally unknowingly – and…

It’s generally considered good manners in the barn to graciously take the blame anytime your horse is less than spectacular, and give your horse all the credit after a good ride. But it is more than manners, it is also a rider’s responsibility.…

The Trouble with Being a Horse has just won the NABE Spring 2011 Pinnacle Book Achievement Award for Juvenile Fiction! I'm very excited about winning this award and it's helping to open up doors all over. Several book stores and tack stores in the US are interested in carrying it, which will be a great addition to the stores that already have it in Canada.

So far, the reviews have been (mostly) very positive and it's not just young…

We all recognize the Trakehner as a world class horse. They have excelled in the hunter/jumper and dressage ring as well in various other equestrian pursuits and made numerous appearances at the Olympics for years. They have also played influence in developing more modern types of warmbloods such as Canadian and American warmbloods. So it’s hard to believe such an elegant and versatile breed was nearly lost during World War II.



Trakehners were first bred and developed in…

There are a vast variety of horse saddles depending on the type of riding one wishes to do. The four main types of saddles are the English, Western, Military, and Asian. Of course these are very broad categories. The English saddles can be further categorized into saddles for Polo Riding, Show Jumping etc. There are a variety of other styles such as Sidesaddle, however they are less commonly used.

The English saddle is very small and horizontal, it has built in padding but…

Professional Dressage Groom's Top Ten Grooming Items for Horse Shows

By: Justin Ridgewell

- Over the past six years I have been a professional groom and working student to the elite dressage training facility Oakcrest Farm. I have had the great opportunity and pleasure of traveling across Canada, the USA and even to Europe with grand prix…

New York City native, Lillie Keenan is definitely an up and coming rider to watch out for. At just fourteen, she has some pretty big wins under her belt. In 2007, she made a successful completion of all three rounds at the USEF Pony Finals in Lexington. She returned on a strong note again in 2008 by winning five out of six possible championships at the Pony Finals. As of 2010, she has won WIHS Equitation Classic and its finals as well as the Maclay at Devon. Pretty impressive, no? She…

This is just one of those Sundays, it is raining so I can't ride, but I can't complain as we are in a drought and we need every drop of rain.  The horses are going to adore the fresh new growth in their pastures and we will have a whole week with no below freezing temperatures.  Ah, spring.

Wednesday, when I got to the stable Debbie was trying to finish a barn chore and…

Yet more poetic ramblings courtesy of my alter ego, Shakespeare "The Equine"

Enjoy!

The Horse as Therapist -- Part I

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