I just got back from the WEG in Kentucky and must say that on the whole it was quite amazing to see so many riders, so many disciplines, so many visitors all in one area! In general it was quite a different atmosphere than the WEG in Aachen I have experienced – not better, not worse, just different – but the venue was SO huge that the whole…

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I had a western riding lesson today. I guess it wasnt exactly a riding lesson as much as it was tips and help with getting the most out of Harley. My plan is to use him next year as my gymkhana horse. I had wanted to use Bentley but my western trainer thinks that his conformation will cause him problems when I really start to push him for speed. Im bummed about this. I dont want to do anything to Bentley that… Continue

Suddenly you horse is feeling a little off. What now?

He is just not quite kicking up his heels like he used to?

So, what do we do? Perhaps change his feed.

I know you. I bet you have already started asking all the our horsie friends what to do. You would certainly ask the farrier. Your trainer perhaps? The feed store lady?

Have you decided yet to add a supplement to his feed. Which one? Did that help?

Still not acting up to his highest potential? Are you…

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We had a clinic this past weekend with a very good clinician we've ridden with before. This week hasn't been all that great, Maggie dumping my trainer and all that, but, I expected a good ride. Now, we've been working on the trot with the girl, less on the canter. But, we were doing great, walk (quit moving so much), trot (softer and wait in the transition), and then the left lead canter, quite nice, developmental, but nice. Unfortunately, the right lead canter is not so good, so more right…

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Im a little bummed today. It was raining here today and I didnt get to ride or work with any of my horses. There was a small window mid afternoon that the weather broke and I could have taken advantage of it but didnt. I feel really guilty when I waste an oppurtunity to ride and play with my babies.



Yesterday though, I did ride two horses and worked with Fergie.



I rode Harley… Continue

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Well, two weeks ago I got to have a lesson at the present incarnation of my old horsie alma-mater, North Fork School of Equitation up in Jefferson, MD. I got there early, and got to see Karen Fenwick, who runs the school, give a group lesson. This was interesting, it was a pretty big lesson, 12 people, from college age kids to a lady who looked like she was in her sixties, with physical shapes running from thin and sleek to quite plump. There was even a MALE…

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Hi Guys,



Riding with soft hands is an awesome goal, and your horse will thank you for it. In this training tip, I'm going to give you both some simple physical exercises and also some fun mental exercises to help you achieve this goal.



Here are 2 physical exercises.



1. Tie two reins or ropes or even two pieces of baling twine to a sturdy fence. Hold the ropes as if they are reins. Take up a contact of at least 10 pounds in each hand. Then, adjust the weight…

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I have a small Quarter Horse, a passive-aggressive mare that had been badly abused and was starved half to death when I got her seven months ago. From the beginning, she has disliked every Western saddle I have tried on her and is none too fond of my Jeffries Falcon Hawk either, even though it fit her fairly well. I have been tearing my hair out trying to figure out what to put on her back.… Continue