April 2010 Blog Posts (107)

Training Tip of the Week: Lunging for Respect

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Added by Clinton Anderson on April 23, 2010 at 11:34am — No Comments

9 Tips for the Warm-Up Ring

Hi Guys,

With show season right around the corner, I thought I should go over some tips to help you in the warm-up ring. So many riders are confused about how to warm-up their horses so they can have a productive schooling session. So here are 9 tips to help you with your warm-ups.

As a rider and trainer, your goal in the warm-up is to take the restrictions away from your dressage horse's body. So depending on the day, your warm-up could be as short as 10 minutes, or it…

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Added by Jane Savoie on April 23, 2010 at 9:00am — No Comments

Starting and running a 501(c)3, or how to use up all your free time (22 April 2010)

Gail from True Innocents Equine Rescue (www.tierrescue.org) gave us the heads up about the Ralph and Virginia Mullin Foundation. This is an organization that will assist groups devoted to animal welfare wishing to become 501(c)3.

I was doubtful: Special Horses isn't your run-of-the-mill kind of equine welfare organization, even though, at this point, we certainly had established ourselves as making an impact. We still applied, and surprise! we… Continue

Added by Special Horses, Inc. on April 22, 2010 at 4:30pm — No Comments

Catching My Horse

I've only owned two horses (and my wife has owned two), I've played with a couple more and I'm relatively new to natural horsemanship (about 6 years). My point is, I'm not always sure if the behavior I see in my horse is due to my fab skills or just that I have a good horse (I'm fairly certain it's the horse). I don't really think it makes much of a difference as long as I am getting the behavior I want.

Here's what got me thinking about this: Catching my horse. I understand some folks… Continue

Added by John Harrer on April 22, 2010 at 2:44pm — No Comments

Warm up ring gallops and riding the race route

So I really did kind of tear up my back fighting with those lug nuts. I didn’t ride Belle on Tuesday, and I gave her a 15 minute free lunging session on Wednesday. That was kind of interesting. She can now wear out TWO running mates. I run one horse with her, put them up, and put a different one in, and she is still flying circles around them! She used to be dripping wet after just 5 minutes of free lunging, now we are doing 3 times that and she is just damp. Thursday, I had another horrible… Continue

Added by Monica Whitmer on April 21, 2010 at 4:00pm — 2 Comments

CDI3* Kentucky Cup

Canadians are once again proving to be a force to be reckoned with at the CDI3* Kentucky Cup.

Yesterday, Belinda Trussell & Anton were second in the Grand Prix with another score over 70% (70.213). Bonny Bonnello and Pikardi were behind them in 3rd, with 68.638%. Today, Bonnello and Pikardi rode in the Special, earning 70.292%. Full results are available at Fox Village… Continue

Added by Dressage Canada on April 21, 2010 at 2:27pm — No Comments

The Riding Quotient Report-When Less is Actually More

My trainer for many years would say, “You spend the first fifteen years of your riding career learning to do, the last seventy-five years is spent learning how to do less.” Intellectually, this made sense to me. But clarification and implementation of “doing IT with less” came from The Feldenkrais Method…

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Added by Suzanne DeStefano on April 21, 2010 at 1:30pm — No Comments

Picking the right boarding stable: Barn safety.

Last week I touched upon the hazards to look for in the pasture your horse will be kept in. Today I want to look at some things to look for when selecting a safe barn to keep your horse in.

I don't believe horses are fussy weather a stall or barn is well painted or has fancy brass hooks and handles. If that's what floats your boat go for it it but don't make decor the number one priority in selecting a barn. Once again put the horses safety and well being…

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Added by Steve Wawryk on April 21, 2010 at 12:06pm — 2 Comments

Resume Pt. 3 - First Promotion: Novice Groom & Stable Hand

Once you have delivered her to the barn, if you choose to stay while she rides, you are going to have to work hard to not be in the way, because if you are anywhere but the lounge or the parking lot, odds are you are in the way. Riding facilities are built mostly with the horses in mind, and do not often account for horse husbands or other non-essential persons. A horse husband standing in the aisle is like a piece of china in a bull shop.

I started standing in the aisle during the… Continue

Added by Green-Broke Groom on April 21, 2010 at 12:00pm — No Comments

Mid April

REAL LIFE Well its official, I'm leaving Holyoke Mass - my last day of work here is July 3rd. The plan is to start my new job on August 1st, so I'll have a nice riding vacation in July. I expect to be working in Randolph VT at Gifford hospital and the horses will be at Huntington Farm in South Strafford VT. I'll get to train with Deb Dean-Smith on a regular basis - which absolutely thrills me! Deb presently has 3 FEI horses (all trained by her) Lady Liberty who showed…

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Added by liz call, md on April 21, 2010 at 10:52am — No Comments

Nature Helps in Bonding with Horses

Horses prefer being with horses in the wild. The carrot of freedom and self direction and community of the herd is stronger than anything that people have to offer so to develop your bond of trust with your horse, rather than getting the horse to join you, why don’t you focus on joining…

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Added by Carolyn Resnick on April 21, 2010 at 10:00am — No Comments

Starting and running a 501(c)3, or how to use up all your free time (20 April 2010)

As we moved along with our fundraisers, we also realized that Special Horses could fill an additional and different niche. With flooding of the Red River expected to reach epic proportions in North Dakota and Minnesota in April, 2009, Special Horses organized an emergency fundraising initiative to provide assistance to equines in need.

since we were not then 501(c)3, we assisted the Equine Sciences Department at North Dakota State University in coordinating incoming horses to the… Continue

Added by Special Horses, Inc. on April 20, 2010 at 2:07pm — No Comments

Choosing a Horse to Suit You

Choosing a Horse to Suit You

There are three main criteria for judging the suitability of a horse for you: confidence, dominance, and sensitivity.

Confidence

Confidence can sometimes be described as bravery. It’s largely a product of environment, but horses are all born with different amounts of confidence. Some horses can build confidence more easily than others, and… Continue

Added by Lindsey Forkun on April 20, 2010 at 9:00am — No Comments

A Busy Weekend

Friday evening I got home in time for a short ride - which was perfect. We worked on riding out by ourselves. Everything is always scarier when we are alone. One of the houses along the canal we ride had goats tethered to keep the weeds and grass down. They were a very scary looking bunch. Jessie did well and as soon as she relaxed we turned around and headed back.

Saturday the weather was perfect and we decided to trailer out to the… Continue

Added by John Harrer on April 19, 2010 at 7:11pm — 2 Comments

This Week in Horse History - April 19th Through April 25th

April 19, 1969 - The Lady Godiva Stakes was originally run today. Bill Veek, the President of Suffolk Downs, created the race to feature all female jockeys. The race offered a $10,000 purse, and was won by Penny Ann Early.…

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Added by Paige Cerulli on April 19, 2010 at 4:00am — No Comments

Some Thoughts on Spurs

I finally got to ride three times this week, and I am VERY tired, but it was worth it. The weather has been wonderful down here in NC, 60 to 80 F, nice breezes, and sunny. Well, it is nice if you don't have hayfever, luckily I don't. The horses are shedding gobs of hair, I spend as much time getting the brushes and curry combs clean of hair as I spend brushing the horse. I do not know if I could handle it physically if I had to do all the grooming myself, I am…

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Added by Jackie Cochran on April 18, 2010 at 12:00pm — 2 Comments

Adoptable Horse of the Week - from Sunkissed Acres Rescue and Retirement!

Summerville, GA: Can you help?

17 year old paint mare, broke and friendly. Her owner has stage four lung cancer and is not able to care for her. Giveaway notices

have not yet produced a home. She is (understandably!) behind on all care but in good

shape. She needs someone to take her on and help find her forever home.

Jenny (her mom) deserves this peace in her final days.

Pic to follow.

contact:…

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Added by Special Horses, Inc. on April 17, 2010 at 8:31pm — No Comments

Young Canadians Win at CDI3* in California!

Ottawa, Ontario—The future of Canadian dressage is in good hands following results at recent US West Coast CDI competitions. Three of our country’s junior and young riders, Esmee Ingham, 18, Jennifer Wood, 20, and Monica Houweling, 17, kept Canada’s name at the top of the scoreboard in two separate…

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Added by Dressage Canada on April 17, 2010 at 7:00pm — No Comments

In loving memory I thought of you with love today, but that is nothing new. I thought about you yesterday, and days before that too. I think of you in silence, I often speak your name. All I have a…

In loving memory

I thought of you with love today, but that is nothing new.

I thought about you yesterday, and…

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Added by Roberta Edstrom on April 17, 2010 at 1:02pm — No Comments

Resume Pt. 2 - Entry level: Personal Driver

This is the one job that I'm sure 90% of all horse husbands have had. This is also the only job where you can play a role in your partner's horse activities, while remaining completetly detached from those activities. You just drive her to the right place at the right time, and either leave to do something else while she rides, or you sit with a book or a video game and wait. For some horse husbands, this is where their career starts and ends. They consider this their contribution, and have no… Continue

Added by Green-Broke Groom on April 17, 2010 at 10:58am — 2 Comments