Applying science-based learning principles for any horse training scenario, Dr. Sue McDonnell suggests how to de-stress 5 common stressful vet treatment procedures. It's common for equestrians to unintentionally train avoidance responses using pressure and release in the wrong timing. “We put pressure, the horses react, we back off because we have to because they're big or we weren't prepared, and the horse almost immediately gets into an avoidance cycle,” she said. “Recognize when something…

It Seems Like I Cannot “Feel” My Upper Back

All through my riding career, most of my riding instructors (at least the good ones) have gotten after me for “slouching” in the saddle. As long as my MS was not too bad, I could work around my slouching back, but it has held me back my entire riding life.

You see I did not KNOW…

I Discover a New Muscle in My Back

This was a good week, I got to ride all three horses!

It was so warm on Sunday Shannon did not even put the butt blanket or neck cover on Cider. The ring was a little squishy because of the snow and rain last week, so all I could do was walk. Cider gave me an indication that she wanted to…

Spooking from Gunshots and Dodging Raindrops

After two weeks of not riding due to the freezing temperatures or rain I was very glad to get a lesson on Wednesday. The two weeks of not getting out much resulted in my body becoming a LOT weaker! Debbie and I have decided that if I use the Equicube for a few minutes at the beginning of my lesson my back…

It’s human to look for a fresh start every January, isn’t it?

New habits and attitudes to replace or tweak the old ways.

And because it’s our human nature to find a loophole, horse show committees roll out new or tweaked rules to close them!

 Judges and stewards reset our inner scoring systems. Competitors tweak tack and even training techniques.

What’s new from EC?

No ear phones or earbuds in the show ring. And only one…

The Deep Freeze

Even down here in the sunny South it has been COLD this month. I feel so sorry for all the horse people further north than me, because it has been so COLD the past two weeks. This is North Carolina, we are not supposed to have weeks of bitter cold, we are not supposed to wake up to single digit temperatures. We are not supposed to have weeks of bitter north winds.…

I’m the kind of person who loves planning and whether it’s for studying or riding, I always like to have a written plan on paper or I start to feel unorganized and unproductive. When I plan the following week on Sunday evening, all I have to do next is just follow the plan and that way, I won’t have to worry about getting everything done. This mostly applies for studying, because my deadline is the day of the exam and I know exactly what I have to learn before that date.…

Bingo Reverts to His Old Habits

Because of the cold my riding schedule got messed up. Wednesday morning it was 19°F at the stable, I had already rescheduled my lesson because of the weather forecast. Debbie was willing to give me a lesson on Thursday morning, but then Debbie called me about how she had to baby-sit…

Winter Rules for Now

Yesterday we got our first real snow this winter down here in NC. It snowed steadily for a few hours yesterday afternoon but it was too warm for any of it to stick, even my porch railing was bare. Friday morning it felt so cold, damp and raw when I opened my front door that I KNEW that Mia would curse me out if I tried to ride, even with two butt blankets on her. “Are you…

A marriage is an auspicious ceremony, in which both the bride and the groom have to wear rings that solemnize the occasion and the relationship they are about to share. Now, when buying wedding bands, you need to be careful about several things. Until and unless you are careful about the bands that you are buying, you may end up buying the wrong one, which may not suit the finger size of the would-be groom or may be made from a material, which he may not want to…

Banish those streaks and the irritating fingerprints forever, once and for always. Appliances made from stainless steel like dishwashers, fridge, ovens, etc. first come to your home all gleaming in pristine glory. So much so you might even feel that they will continue to remain so forever and will stand the tests of time. However, it does not stay that way, and eventually, all of these appliances will lose the luster because of your grubby fingers, water spills, and accidental messes.…

Backs, Equine and Human

Wednesday, during my lesson with Debbie, I had to work on Bingo's back and on my back.

When I started my ride on Bingo it was super, super obvious that Bingo's back still did not feel good. Because of this I spent over half of my ride up in two-point since Bingo DID NOT want me sitting down on the…

We all have our own reason for wanting to learn how to ride a horse. The benefits of this sport are numerous and are shared among all riders. If you are a horse owner, you may be thinking that you don't need such information. But, I hope you will continue reading. And if someone is searching for a new hobby, maybe the info below will help convince you to join the horseback riders club. …

Even at 31 Years Old Mia Still Improves

Mia is old. Mia is ancient. Mia has arthritis problems in her hocks. Mia has the most sensitive mouth of any horse I've ridden in the past 47 years.

I have been riding Mia for 8 years, accepting the fact that she will never, ever become completely sound. All this time I have been…

That bareback beach riding bucket list experience - a tender moment for the rider, yet perhaps differently “tender” for the horse.

In several recent studies researchers have confirmed the benefits of pressure -distribution thanks to saddle trees, making them a better option than some treeless saddles or riding bareback…For example,…

Cash Flows and Net Income Comparison

The net cash flow was $613,000 while the net income was $161,150 for the year. The positive net cash flow represents the amount of money that the business received from its activities that include financing, operating, and investing. Some of this money is not directly in the form of profits but as loans, capital, and sale of inventories. On the other hand, the net profit refers to the extra money that the firm raises from its…

 I'm asked this question at a few open shows per season. Currently most rule books do not permit bitless bridle.

At the Global Dressage Forum. Dr. Andrew McLean one of the panel experts “How you train the bitless bridle depends on the hands at the other end. I think you can have the horse light in anything.… It’s how you train it.”

When asked if a…

Horse racing is the sports of running horses, driven by jockeys. Horse racing is one of the primitive sports which are continuing for centuries, and the most fantastic aspect of this game is that even today the basic concept of this sport has encountered almost no alteration. A crucial feature of horse racing is that the horse which reaches the destination first and foremost is declared the champion of the racing competition. …

I Move My Grip Up an Inch or So

When I talked to Debbie before my lesson on Wednesday, I told her about my hip bursitis and that I would not be very ambitious, no “rider's push-ups”, limited 2-point and limited posting trot. I had been hobbling around all week and I did not want to do anything that would trigger my hip bursitis again! I asked to use the Equicube so I would work different…