It astounds me, as I comb through back issues of magazine articles, online articles, and books on equitation, the degree to which I now find myself adding a mental asterisk to almost every exercise and lesson, especially whenever it mentions "quiet seat" or "keep the hands/legs quiet" or some such: *if you have enough leg strength.

  That little aspect rarely, if ever, get mentioned; it gets glossed over, in fact by almost everyone. Even Clinton Anderson, in his videos…

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Thanksgiving is quickly approaching, and the December holidays aren’t far behind. Holidays sometimes necessitate that we be away from our horses, and finding good horse care over the holidays can be a challenge. If you know that the holidays will be keeping you away from the barn, here are some ways that you can make sure your horse still gets the care that…

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Are you going to ride in a clinic this year? Clinics are great chances to learn under skilled trainers and riders, but riding in your first clinic can be a bit intimidating. Planning ahead of time can ensure that you and your horse are ready to go on the day of the clinic.

Research the Clinician

Clinicians are all individuals, and…

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It's been just over a year since I got my horse. (Or he got me, depending on your perspective.)

I've learned more about horses in the past 12 months than I'd learned in five years of merely riding, even working through the EC Rider levels. See, there is a lot of stuff you just cannot do with someone else's horse because, well, you can't really try stuff if she's not yours, can you? Plus I met another good teacher, who had much to teach.

Well, we went out on the trail the other…

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We had an Introduction to Driving clinic at Infinity Farm last weekend. It was a fun group ready for a new experience. Our schoolmaster/donkey-boys taught the clinic, along with me and Lisa.

Participants asked my favorite question about driving. “What do you do if you have a runaway?” The traditional answer, passed down from generations of teamsters, is enjoy the ride.

I had a decent runaway when Ernest and I were still green. There was an explosion of sound behind us,…

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It’s generally considered good manners in the barn to graciously take the blame anytime your horse is less than spectacular, and give your horse all the credit after a good ride. But it is more than manners, it is also a rider’s responsibility.…

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This week I’ve set up a complete list of everything you need to take with you to the competition. I know it looks a little overwhelming, but you’ll find most of it can be kept in your trailer for the season.

Needing only to pack and unpack the perishables before and after your trip.

I keep this printed and on a clip board in my trailer for quick reference. If I run out of something at the show I put it on my clip board to replace when I get home.

This way, getting ready to travel… Continue

Training Brasilia



Yesterday I was riding Brasilia do Summerwind, a green 3 year old mare. After the ride, my husband John said “You know I watch her move under saddle and she moves exactly as she does when she is running at liberty in the pasture”. What a compliment! All the energy, enthusiasm and beauty

of a natural moving horse was still there! After basking in the praise (I assumed it was for me), we talked about how we had gotten there.



We believe it is the… Continue

My three year old mustang is afraid of cars. Well to be more specific, he is scared of the noise they make going down the road (think tires on pavement). Right when the car gets past him, he turns and bolts (thats how we discovered his fear at least - plowed fields make for a soft landing!). He has never spooked like that before. Because of that reaction, I've been taking him out to eat grass by the side of the road and watch cars go by (its not constant). I can tell he would run if the halter… Continue