What do you do when a horse sport different from your own uses cruel methods? Be grateful that your own sport is humane and clean and turn a blind eye or do something about it?



Of course what constitutes cruelty is often debatable. In my opinion the isolation of horses in single cells with minimum activity is cruelty, and I am not alone in having concerns about the mental abuse of horses in bad dressage, while others think racing over…

I am having such a pleasure working with my horses and not too long ago I discovered the advantage of training my horses using music.

In between working with the new dressage exercises from Carolyn Resnicks blog. In-between theses exercises I have had a good progress in…

Natural Horsemanship Solutions: Nippy Issues Solved

An owner writes about her 2 month old foal “she is starting to get a little mouthy, if she tries to bite, I usually just poke her on the nose. Is this the right thing to…

Although I have broached this subject superficially in a past blog, I would like to address some key points in more detail, as they are important in determining the proper saddle fit especially for women – which is 85% of Schleese’s market – and makes us the only female saddle specialist in the world!



Our saddle fitters all have a comprehensive understanding of equine biomechanics and how saddles need to fit to prevent longterm back damage in the horse, but we also have a good…

Well, we had our first Gold show on the weekend since the grand revelation that *I* was causing the bucking and squealing of dear little Muffin. Shockingly enough, she didn't put a foot wrong. Mom didn't get so tense, so there was no good reason for silliness, and lord knows she requires a good reason, honest little girl that she is! Well, mostly.

Friday we had a lesson in the morning and she was one cranky pony. She kicked up when we went to canter, after she thought she was…

This Week in Horse History - June 14th Through June 20th

June 16th, 2009 - Thoroughbred racehorse Strike The Tiger became the first American-trained and bred horse to ever win the Windsor Castle Stakes held at Royal Ascot. The horse won the five-furlong race with jockey John Velazquez aboard. Wesley Ward, Strike The Tiger's trainer, hoped that the win would prove that it is possible to train a horse in…

Well, we've wrapped up the qualifying season and I couldn't be happier! I've been trying to make it to both the North American Junior Championships held in Kentucky at the end of July where both team and individual medals are awarded and also the National Junior Dressage Championships in Gladstone at the beginning of August where the National Champion is crowned. Our last show was…

Today Shannon asked me to come out early, 8:00 AM because today it is HOT and HUMID. I am so glad she did as it was in the upper 70's F when I got to the farm. Later on today it will be in the mid 90's F, and the humidity is about 90%. A real North Carolina summer. At least we are getting rain this year, lovely thunderstorms that have driven away the danger of going back into our years long drought.

I had gotten the Wellep…

The Running Horse

A Bi-monthly Newsletter from Horse Play

Issue June-July 2010

Horse Play

EIN: 05-0506340

Website: www.hptrc.org

Email:…

Hi Guys,



Regardless of which discipline you ride, it's very important to sit straight and square in the saddle. Can you tell if you're collapsing at your waist and sitting crookedly?



Ask a ground person to stand behind you.

1. Are your shoulders level (i.e. the same height)?

2. Is your seat in the center of the saddle so that each seatbone is the same distance from the middle of the saddle?



If your shoulders aren't level which means that one…

Should you jump young horses? How young can they be to jump? Here is my home bred High Kingdom jumping a 1.30m oxer as a 3 yo. It is a glorious sight:…