Hey bloggers,

I hope everyone is safe from the crazy snow blizzard we had yesterday! We haven't had a dump of snow like that in ages!! For everyone who's staying inside and keeping warm, this week's blog is going to be based on gift ideas for your Valentine. First, a little history on Valentine's Day. Also known as Saint Valentine's Day, Valentine's Day is named after the Christian Saint Valentinus. The legend says that Saint Valentine was "imprisoned for performing weddings for…

Friday, February 8, 2013

Today - Working Equitation USA officially granted approval for bitless Spirit Bridle to compete in National competitions, but not in International.

Working Equitation USA became the first association in the United States to approve Spirit Bridle.

I wish to thank them.

February is an unstable time of the year. It isn’t spring and it isn’t winter. There are a few 50 degree days that trick us into spring fever before the heaviest snows even come. Still, the horses are shedding, days are longer and it’s hard to not want outside again full-time. There’s no…

Quite a few horsemen and trainers have stories to tell.  Not many of them tell those stories as eloquently and with purpose as Matt Sheridan.  Matt is a 5th generation horseman, a successful showman in almost every discipline, and an effective clinician.  Oh, and just a darn nice guy. 

Matt stopped by our downtown studios about an hour away from his ranch, Matt Sheridan Performance Horses.  In part one of this…

A good coach knows It's more than horse shows. Our students may take away a ribbon, year end title and "Congratulations!" from peers as they exit the ring. But if they don't take away life lessons learned from the pressure cooker of competition, we've failed as coaches. In 25 years of coaching, I smile as I look back at the clients who've been transformed…

Hey bloggers,

Hope everyone had a great weekend and is getting excited to watch the Super Bowl tonight :) This week's blog is going to be dedicated to upcoming features, news and announcements pertaining to new products coming soon to Baker's. The first announcement is Baker's attended a trade show in Philadelphia last week called AETA; The American Equestrian Trade Association. This is an amazing trade show where we at Baker's have the opportunity of finding new products and…

The past few weeks, ever since Mick’s little girl switched to the Nurtural Bitless bridle for jumping, Mick has been somewhat hard to bridle--he’s just been telling people that for right now he prefers the bitless options.  Mick has a right to his opinion and I decided to honor it because I had been able to ride with a bit all summer, in fact for most of last year.  Mick had been somewhat entertained with all my experimenting with my saddles but now that I’ve settled on my…

I know you are all horse lovers but how many are book lovers as well?  Here is your chance to win a free copy of either of my books.  Follow the links below. this site is where book lover meet and chat with authors and read reviews of the books they would like to read.  Get in on discussions of your favorite books.

http://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/show/43703-out-of-the-blue…

Good morning,

I am looking for employment on a horse ranch or at a riding stable?

I have 30 yrs experience with horses.... needed asap

                                   Thank you.... Linda

Friday February 1 2013. While grooming Cooper he was getting antsy and nipping at everyone who went by including me and Al and pinning his ears. I decided to put his bridle on and do some giving to the bit work. At first he was going like crazy and would not slow down to a walk so I took him off and let him free run as no one else was in the arena. He ran around a lot for a few minutes then started to listen to me. He kept a circle around me and changed directions when I asked him to. One…

If you follow this blog, you know I have been in a pretty lousy mood lately. I’ve been pondering mortality.  The loss of a hard working dog and a sweet old horse has got me feeling particularly cold and dark this winter.

I’m usually pretty good at picking myself up, but this time it’s a lot to lift. I started doing that thing that sad people do late at night on…

We had to put our dear, old greyhound, Porche down last Sat, after well over 15 yrs of being a very happy dog. Always happy to go off for a ride in the forest with the horses.  I was judging that morning, so my husband and older daughter took her to the vet ( aside from old age, she had been suffering from liver cancer for 2 yrs, and her metabolism was not working well. She was acutely thin!).  When I came home,  it was my job to take Porche down below the arena, and bury her next to her…

Mission Statement

To provide Ontario’s developing equestrian athletes coaching and mentoring and to raise funds and awareness for Ontario’s equestrian athletes participating in the OHT program who compete as a Canadian at a CDI 3* or higher, Canadian Team Event or event approved by the OHT Board of Directors.

Ontario Has Talent keeps getting bigger and bigger. The first of the clinics, the Diane Creech clinic had a good turn out. The Tom Dvorak clinic ended with an even bigger…

This is Cole parking out like a Morgan. He taught himself how to do this--I just encouraged him with clicking. He learned it in his stall, and he only recently started doing it outside. I have to wonder if the desire to park out is genetic. If he was a Quarter Horse, would he have done this?…

The Running Horse

A Newsletter from Horse Play

Jan-Feb 2013

Horse Play

EIN: 05-0506340

Website:  www.hptrc.org

Email:  horseplayri@msn.com

Message from Aidan – the Alpha Mare

Winter has arrived! Snow – it’s a FUN thing – extra hay too!

 …

As a younger rider, my coach failed to take the training wheels off. I was taught some valuable skills, but never learned to think by myself until I became a professional and had sink or swim. 



Now, as a certified coach, I’m always asking how I can be a better communicator and mentor. 



I think Equine Canada says it well in a recent “Coaches…

THIS is the way most horse training goes.

Wednesday there was a cold, cold wind blowing when I took my lesson even though my lesson was 2 ½ hours later than usual (it was in the low 20s F at dawn.)  I got to the stable and Debbie did not look like she felt very well, her sinuses were acting up.  I had brought my Anxiety and Nervousness homeopathic combination remedy and lent it to Debbie, and she chose to give him a dose before we started grooming.  I did my Ttouch…

Big bay gelding Norman was rescued by Toronto horse lover Heather Young from certain death when his racing career didn't pan out. In 40 starts, Norman only recorded 2 wins and placed or showed in 15, despite being a son of the famed Alydeed and, like most Ontario thoroughbreds, was descended from Northern Dancer.

He was shipped around from trainer to trainer and was all set to be sent to the glue factory when a rescue organization stepped in and saved his life. When Heather met…

Being a Gemini I have two sides that I live.  The one I am very happily married, family, and a home with a few friends my husband and I associate with together. The other I have a whole other side to me that is for the most part without my husband.  I’m a horseman and he is not.  This means I am without him for the social as well as the competitive aspect of my other life.

One New Years we had conflicting parties and we were not going to see my…