The last two weeks I was all excited, I thought I would be able to go back to riding with my favorite bit, the JP Dr. Bristol Hunter D. Last spring, when I last used this type of bit, both mares had been going very well, keeping contact well, with relaxed tongues and lower jaws, and we had fun "talking" back and forth with the bit. So I changed the bits on my bridles and went out full of optimism and hope. Both mares decided that since they were 1) horses, 2)…

It's just as important to do a good free walk with your dressage horse at Training Level as it is to develop your trot and canter work. Many riders lose sight of the fact that they should pay as much attention to the medium walk and free walk as they do to the other two gaits.

First, let me define the free walk. It’s a gait of relaxation. Your dressage horse should lengthen his frame and lower his head and neck so he looks like he’s going to graze. His poll is lower…

10 Diet Tips to a Healthier You: Tip 1

Becoming more fit for your horse has many benefits and will allow you to do more with your horse both on the ground and in the saddle. You will also get the health benefits of reducing your risk of many chronic diseases and cancers.

Becoming more fit involves a good diet and physical activity. These tips will help you get started with a good diet.One new tip will be posted each week until…

Become More Fit for Your Horse

By Lindsey Forkun, RN, PHN, BScN

Have you ever gone to see your horse, and afterward thought “hmmm that could have gone better”?

Have you ever considered how your…

5 Easy Exercises to a Calm and Confident Jumping Horse

There are many reasons why horses might be rushing or refusing fences. To review the most common reasons for horses rushing and refusing fences please read my article 'Rushing and Refusing Fences' by…

I put together this guide for the company I work for,…

Hi Julie,



I've got a question about our five-year-old Paint gelding. My wife swears that he prefers men riders to women riders. I'm almost to conclude the same thing, even though I really am skeptical about that. It seems the women who have ridden him, including my wife, have had him act up consistently, and are fearful of him.…

This summer I decided to try out my Wellep bits and see if this bit really was a new, improved method of bitting. Usually when the weather gets hot the horses start politely refusing contact with my hands, and then I change to one of my bitless systems. My experiment was to see if the horses would voluntarily keep contact with my hands throughout the summer with the Wellep bits. I succeeded in this, I only used a bitless bridle once, when I forgot my regular…

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…

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…

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…