Are you lucky enough to have a Hackney Pony in your barn? This flashy, high-stepping pony has an intriguing history and makes a popular horse show competitor.

History

The Hackney originated from Norfolk, England. Norfolk Trotters, a popular breed of horse, were used in the region and were bred to emphasize both speed…

Another ride. Another day. And it was great. Well,good at least if not great. If ya'll been following my posts(I Know Jackie has) then you know the horse I so madly adore(he's just so cute and handsome), has been being a devil to me.  Some of these issues, I know, is me. When Cody starts to act out(tossing his head;snorting;pawing the ground;shifting;etc) I get... nervous.... nervous that I'll lose control completely and that once I do lose control, I'll…

First the not so good news.  Mick’s owner changed stables and took Mick with her, so I am no longer riding Mick.

This week I started riding Debbie’s horse Tercel, a dark bay or brown Arab gelding, I think he is in his low teens.  Debbie got this horse a few months after I started riding Mia (around seven years ago), and I’ve been wanting to ride him ever since.  Debbie got him to be HER horse, she had trained him to saddle but his breeder/owner was not mentally…

Continuing our theme of new beginnings, you could give a horse a new beginning this year! Fostering a rescue horse is a great way to help out a horse in need. If you think you’d like to give fostering a try, here are the basics that you will need to know.

Read the Fine Print

Every horse rescue has…

Many, many moons ago, I would regularly take part in photo challenges and the likes, posting my extremely amateur results over on my other blog...

Being that I mostly see horses every day, with the occasional Donkey thrown in the mix for good measure, I have been on the look out for a 'Horsey' themed photo challenge for some time now... To absolutely no avail!…

The Akhal-teke horse is truly remarkable. Pictures of the Akhal-teke have been found dating back to the 9th century B. C. which means it's older than the Arabian horse. The Akhal-teke was favor by Alexander the Great, Genghis Khan, and Marco Polo as a mount…

Sending a horse away to a trainer requires a good deal of trust, since your horse’s care and wellbeing will be in the trainer’s hands. If you’re planning to send your horse away for training, you will want to make sure that the horse will be safe and that the training will be a positive experience. Here are some factors you’ll want to…

"Do you think every horse needs a massage?" It’s a question I am often asked as an equine massage therapist. My answer is always the same. Yes; every horse needs a massage!

Why? For the same reasons we supply them with water and food, have a farrier maintain their feet on a regular basis, worm them, file their teeth, give them their shots, and exercise them…

For most horse owners, having their horses at home in their backyard is the ultimate dream come true. Finding good boarding barns can be a challenge, and nothing can beat the convenience of being able to walk into your backyard to tack up your horse. But for many people, building a barn on their own is a big, often years-long process when it comes to planning,…

More Ground Work with Cole

Cole and I have been working on our ground work every time I see him.  He is now doing all the simple exercises very easily.  It was time to move on a challenging exercise—shoulder-in.…

What’s the point? At a recent horse show judging conference we were reminded to consider the intent of the rules and be guided by the purpose of the class standard to guide our decisions.  

A helpful hint? Use words to describe the round, pattern before us.  

For instance, words to describe conformation are balance, structural correctness. Is this…

This weeks lesson is a little bit different... I hope you enjoy!

One of the biggest disadvantages to riding alone is the fact that while you may think and feel like you are doing everything correctly, there is a big chance that in actual fact you are not.

Many riding centre's and equestrian facilities install mirrors in the arena for this exact reason; however that can be a pricey solution...

Today, I present you with a much easier, cheaper solution that you can use…

Today I wanted to curl up into a ball and ask why. Just why? …

January 12, 1998 marked a significant date in equine history, as Quarter Horse lovers mourned the passing of legendary sire Zippo Pine Bar. Zippo Pine Bar’s breeding career was remarkable, and he had a monumental influence on the Quarter Horse Breed.

The sorrel stallion Zippo Pine Bar was born in 1969 by Zippo Pat Bars out of Dollie Pine. His bloodlines…

The half halt is possibly one of the most important, and yet most underutilized tools, particularly where novice riders are concerned.

This weeks lessons are designed to make you more conscious of how often you are using your half halt and improving every ride by doing so.

So, firstly, why do we use the half halt?

The half halt can be used for a couple of different reasons;

1. Balancing or 'steadying' your horse
2. Letting your horse…

Up here in Michigan it's way too COLD to ride. At three degrees and lower,to ride now would provoke frostbite. Fortunately, being from Michigan, I could careless about it being cold, just give me my horse. Today, this afternoon, my dear friend and trainer, Julie and I, went to the barn in a whopping 10 degrees(somebody say heatwave?!). While I didn't ride due to the both of us being sufficiently frozen, we did let the horses run. I took Cody and she took…

I apologize to my readers for my lack of production this year, I just get so tired and discouraged that I can’t seem to write. 

At least I kept riding last year, and that seemed to take up all my extra energy.  I even made progress with my riding, Cider no longer reminds me of a pretzel as we walk and trot around Shannon’s small ring.  Thanks to Cider’s refusal to accept anything less than perfection, my body finally seems to have figured out how to keep centered in my…

Years of use can take a toll on your horse barn, but luckily big improvements don’t have to mean big renovations. If you’re looking to give your barn a new beginning in 2015 but don’t want to do a full renovation, there are still many ways that you can improve it.

Horse Stalls

Adding…