Quality of hay varies greatly, even from the same field year to year. When purchasing or harvesting your own hay, the only way to know the nutrient content is with a lab analysis. With all the time and money that goes into feeding our horses, why not know exactly what you’re feeding!!…

Forage first is generally considered to be one of the “golden rules” of horses, so why is it so commonly ignored or disregarded? Ensuring your horse is getting adequate forage can make a huge difference in many aspects of their health.

Horses are herbivores with hindgut…

Is second cut hay always too rich ponies and maintenance horses?

This is a commonly used rule by many horse owners when trying to choose a forage to buy, and there is some truth to the rule, but it isn’t always true. There are many factors that play a large role in the nutritional value of the hay. The more mature the grass the lower the…

A Smoother Sitting Trot

Monday it was hot and humid. I did wear my technical fabric tights, shirt and socks, but I should have worn my ice vest instead of my protective vest. I only walked but I ended up hot and sweaty, and I felt exhausted before the end of my placid ride.

MJ was stiff since he had been in a St. Jude's…

One Reason Why I Use the Double Bridle

The weather down here has been wonderful for riding, the worst I had to deal with was a minute or two of a sort of serious sprinkle but the rest of my rides were rain free.

When I got to the stable Monday morning it was a lot more crowded than usual. They had gone to a show on Sunday…

One Link

Monday morning it was cool and misting, so of course I went to ride. A little mist is not going to keep me out of the saddle. Luckily the mist tapered off and I did not have to ride in the rain like I feared would happen.

I got my upper body warmed up by currying and brushing MJ's body and legs. He was pretty quiet…

After almost a year, my hip is good enough to swing over the cantle again. Likely, I'll have this soreness for the rest of my life, but at least physio has  got me back into the saddle.

For the better part of the year, I've been doing once, and sometimes twice, a week ground work. That is, as I've said before, something that most riders never learn, but I think it is far more important than most people ever grasp. Groundwork is not just running a horse around in circles, but there are…

The Curb Bit Extends MJ's Strides

My homework ride on Monday did not bring any excitement just walking around the ring, but at my age and with my MS I really do not want any exciting rides any more. MJ stopped complaining about missing his day off, he strode on with no difficulties, and I got to admire a boarder's horse in the ring, a black ASB gelding.…

Elite Equestrian Nov/Dec issue is now onlinehttps://issuu.com/weedy123/docs/elite_equestrian_magazine_nov_dec_2022_issue?fr=sNWIzMzU0NTU4NDM…

From Toes to Heels

I had an exciting week. I got a homework ride in! Yeah, the ride itself, 30 minutes at a walk on a horse “saying”--”this should be a day off for me”--isn't that exciting, it is that for the first time in months I got to ride twice a week! Hurrah!!!!! I also discovered that if I did some more grooming—curry comb and dandy brush, that my back did not hurt between my shoulders…

What I'll Look For

When I got up on MJ for my lesson this week I told Debbie I was NOT going to be doing the sitting trot for a while. Ten days after I tried to sit MJ's trot I still hurt, mainly my upper back between my shoulder blades. It hurts, it creaks, and I have decided that until MJ gives me a really clear signal that his back feels good enough for me to sit his trot, good enough so his…

Oh My Aching Back

MJ is happier with me. Last week he nuzzled me once when I groomed, this week he nuzzled me at least three times. Two weeks ago he gave a derisive snort when I made a comment about badly behaved dogs in the ring, this week he gave contented little quiet snorts when he obeyed my aids.

It has taken me over…

Indirectly Helping MJ's Knee

I approached my lesson on Wednesday full of confidence. I now have my own, private, set of front leg boots for MJ. I don't have to tire myself by hunting for them anymore, they are clean, and I can be SURE that MJ's right knee feels more comfortable while moving.

For me while riding MJ this boot…

No Boots, No Go

The heat and humidity are not letting up much down here in NC.

Since forgetting to put on my Q30 collar I now put it on before I leave the house. At least my brain is protected from moving around in my skull as the car moves over the sometimes bumpy roads and driveways. It felt tight at first but by the time…

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT: Caroline Akervik

Website: http://carolineakervik.blogspot.com/

Twitter: @CAkervik  

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HorseNamedViking/

WISCONSIN AUTHOR…

My Ankle Acts Up

Last week I wanted to get out of the house. I walked down the gravel road to see the neighbor's horses in their paddocks, I just wanted to see horses and I wanted to smell them too! I walked with my two canes, slowly and carefully, and I never felt anything wrong.

That afternoon my right ankle swelled up,…

Some people like ’em thic. Others prefer long and lean..

Maybe our preference for body type is subconsciously based more in a preference for temperament type than build. More than we realize at least.

Studies in cattle have long since shown that the size of bone directly correlates to temperament. The smaller the bone the higher strung the cattle. Thicker bone shows quieter cattle.

That same thing can be see when we look at horses. An easy comparison is draft horse to…