When you were young did your riding instructor encourage you to watch the lessons of older, more experienced riders? Watching experienced riders is a popular way to learn about desirable riding techniques. But have you ever considered that you can learn from younger, less experienced riders too? If you haven’t spent some time recently watching younger riders in their…

If you have your own barn and a few empty stalls, it might be tempting to open your facility up to boarders. Bringing in boarders has some advantages, in that it can bring in some money and will create more activity at your barn. But should you take on boarders? Before you decide to make the leap, consider how it would affect your particular situation.

The Financial…

Taking your horse camping or for an overnight trail ride can be a great experience, but securing him overnight is a challenge that you will need to plan for ahead of time. There are a few different ways to secure your horse, so depending on your situation and your horse’s behavior, you can pick the one that works best for you.

Picket…

While you've likely heard of the Australian Stock Horse, did you know that there's another breed that was hugely influential to Australia’s development? The Waler, a lesser-known breed, proved itself to be a phenomenal cavalry horse during the 20^th century.

The Waler's history begins with the importation of horses to Australia in 1788 and…

Do you videotape your riding lessons? There are a number of benefits to taping your lessons, and given how easily you can record with phones and tablets today, it’s really not a difficult thing to do. If you’re not already taping your lessons, here are some reasons you might want to start.

See What Your Trainer Means

Videos of your…

Your barn is supposed to be a safe place where your horse can live comfortably, but barns also often contain many health hazards you might not be aware of. Since your horse may be spending more time indoors during the summer to escape the bugs and the heat, now is a perfect time to evaluate your barn to make sure that it is truly a safe place for your horse to be.…

I wrote a blog recently about some of the "rules" that horses teach us. These are meant to be funny, in a true way. I decided to update it with a new blog featuring more "rules" Taylor has taught me. I know every horse is different and may have their own "rules" you have to follow. I would love to hear yours so please post some in the comments section! :)

Rules Horses Teach Us (According to Taylor):

1. If you are my owner and bring me treats (as you should always do), they…

Thanks to Natalie Keller Reinert and her wonderful blog Retired Racehorse I stumbled upon these wonderful saddle pads!  You can proudly display your horse is an OTTB every time you ride!  I ordered the white one and can't wait to get it!  I am hoping that they do other colors and keep adding to the collection.  They also will donate $5 to an OTTB charity.  Be sure to check them out!…

I hope everyone had a wonderful and merry Christmas!  Taylor definitely was a good boy as Santa left him a stocking full of treats and not coal!  (I guess he forgave the couple of times he's tried to kick me recently-ha!).  I have spent a lot of time bonding with Taylor...a LOT.  Before I started his training, I spent my time grooming him and sitting with him.  I still love it when we have the chance to just hang out together.  With that said, he can read me.  Somehow he just knows when I…

I brought Taylor to his new home at the end of June.  I am boarding him at a stable that has rolling hills, a nearby lake, and a pasture in a valley.  It's a beautiful place! 

Let's just say Taylor was not impressed in the beginning.  In fact, he was mad at me.  This summer has been brutally hot, and Taylor is not one that really enjoys the heat.  He is the horse you will always find in the shade, if he can find a patch.  Unfortunately, his transition pen at his new home didn't have…

Taylor had been at Race Horse Reclaim Thoroughbred Rescue for a little over six months when I decided he was the one.  I had been volunteering for a few months so I was getting to know the horses and like any normal horse lover I loved them all.  However, my heart belonged to Taylor for he picked me as much as I picked him.  The first day I was there volunteering I was standing next to his pen watching…

There is nothing in this world like a horse excited to see you.

Nothing.

Those two ears pricked forward right at you.  A soft nicker of greeting.  A velvet muzzle thrust into your hands.  For me, these small actions just make my heart swell with joy and love.  I love to walk toward my OTTB (off-track Thoroughbred) and watch those ears prick forward and his head raise.  I'm sure he knows there will be a treat involved at some point but I'm going to say it's all…

This is a former post on my blog:  Hoofbeats Return

Sorry I have been bad about blogging recently, but I have had a lot going on.  The most important of which was my recent adoption of an exracehorse named Taylor.  Talk about falling in love!  It may really have been a classic example of love at first sight.  I volunteer at an exracehorse rescue…

We all make resolutions, and sadly, many of us will never realize these often lofty goals. And what do we do then? We wonder why. First, why did we make the resolution in the first place, and if we are the introspective type, what is it about us that prevented us from reaching our target. But to answer these questions, we’d probably have to have a window into our unconscious. And really, we may just not have the time or patience for psychoanalysis.…

This is how you can tell there is a tourist in the barn: they keep their eyes on the ground and there’s lots of erratic tiptoeing. Some even squeal at the sight of manure. I call it Fecalphobia- an irrational fear of digestive waste. Thankfully, humans are the only species prone to the disease. (Nincompoops.) Everybody else is fine about bowel relief.

People who live with horses don’t get emotional about poop. It’s such a normal part of the day-to-day…

Ranger Tests Us

It’s not often I mention that Ranger is having a problem, and that’s because he is a fairly consistent horse.  Every now and then, he throws in something to keep my sister, Ellen, on her toes.  Well, he did it, again.

One day, back in November, he acted very strange during tacking up.  We…

A Small and Unexpected Miracle

Years ago, I’m not even sure when, I found a lump in Cruiser’s throatlatch area.  It didn’t seem to hurt him, so I waited until the next time the vet came out to ask her what it was.  She said it was a tumor on his thyroid, that there was nothing we could do about it and it wouldn’t do any harm.

 …

I stopped in to see Cooper first before heading out for my riding lesson. The cross ties were too high and short for him so I ground tied him to groom him a little. He was very good when I was there and as soon as I left the room and left him with my husband he started to walk away. My husband is too soft with Cooper and our dog LOL

The barn manager says that Cooper has such good ground manners, I was happy to hear that. One woman that was there says she thinks she sees Morgan in him.…

This was my last lesson at Five Star Ranch with Cooper. I have learned so much in the short time we have been riding together there. I will miss the lessons on him but it was getting too much driving there on a work night and putting gas in my truck.

I moved him to a new barn yesterday that is 15-20 minute drive from home. There are no trails but that is ok as I am not that interested anymore in doing that. I hope to be able to see him more often and not dread that long drive all the…