Finally, an Acceptable Bit

This week, after the promised three weeks in the 23mm egg-butt stainless steel snaffle, I went back to experimenting with my new collection of titanium coated snaffle bits with Coach. Debbie and I both decided that, due to Coach's extreme fussiness with bits off contact, we should next try the titanium coated Mullen mouth snaffle. This bit addresses two of Coach's…

Equine vets are filling up on the latest, smartest research this week at the British Equine Vet Congress.  We all benefit , don’t we?... as new evidence trickles into our barns, it changes our treatments and traditions. It often changes our minds.

Here’s just one of  the top seminar tweets…”Based on Dr. M. Hewetson’s ongoing study of owner-reported signs, most…

We Survived Florence

Tropical storm Florence messed up my riding last week. While I got my lesson in, I did not ride Mia that Friday because I was afraid that the lowering air pressure would aggravate her arthritic joints and Sunday I did not ride because of the storm. But my power stayed on throughout the storm, I had the internet, and I did not have to go outside to take care of animals, so…

Credit: Dana's Doodles

Like bookends to the dressage pattern’s rhythm and brilliance, the halt is a moment to compose beforehand and reflect afterwards. This week Jill Irving reflected on her FEI WEG performance regarding the challenge of the halt. She was so proud that her horse stood quietly, despite outside…

What is “Prism-Equus”?

Linda Finstad is a world renowned equine photographer who spent many, many years capturing the beauty and grace of horses on camera.  Her work in the field fostered a deep fascination for equine body language and communication which lead to her book “How to De-code equine body language” in which Linda Finstad uses photography coupled with years of experience and research Linda Finstad to reveal the secret language of…

More Adventures in Trying Bits

I spent this week trying out my new bits on all three horses, Cider, Coach and Mia.

Last Sunday I rode Cider. She was still quite stiff from her arthritis though Shannon thinks that she has improved some on the arthritis supplement. I figured that a different bit would give her something new to…

It Seems Like Coach Prefers a Center Joint

This week I learned that Coach can communicate with great subtlety.

I was all excited when I got to the stable for my lesson on Wednesday. I had put my new three piece titanium coated “rainbow” egg-butt snaffle (with a lozenge) on my bridle to try out on Coach. When it came time to…