Looking at potential boarding barns can be overwhelming – how do you know that a new barn will be a good fit for your horse? While you’ll always want to have an idea of just what you’re looking for in a boarding barn, it’s also a good idea to have a list of questions prepared for when you go look at a potential…

Have you ever encountered hock sores on your horse? Hock sores show up as irritated areas on your horse's hocks where the hair has been rubbed off, and sometimes where the skin has been rubbed open. Resulting from your horse’s hock pressing into or rubbing against the ground or the bottom of his stall when he lies down, hock sores are sensitive and may even…

To buy or build: that is the question. Whether or not to buy an existing barn or to build one to meet your specifications is a question that every barn owner has faced. There are advantages and disadvantages to each route, and ultimately the decision needs to be based on your own situation, needs, and wants. Are you trying to decide whether to build or buy a barn? You’ll…

Olympic-caliber horses and riders will return to New York City this August for the first time since 2001. The first-ever Central Park Horse Show is scheduled to run from September 18^th through September 21^st. During that time the competition will feature a variety of…

Do you find yourself wanting to give a new discipline a try? Making the leap to a new discipline is an exciting, and sometimes stressful, time. If you’re toying with the idea of changing to a new discipline, here are some ways to help make the transition go smoothly.

Evaluate Whether Your Horse Can Go With You

Do you dream of trying a new…

Have you ever ridden to music? At first glance, riding to music might seem like an unnecessary distraction for the rider, but it actually has a number of advantages. So whether you have speakers in your arena or would have to rely on your iPod (use external speakers, not ear buds, when riding), here’s why you might want to start up the tunes when you…

You've just purchased a new pair of tall boots – congratulations! Now the oh-so-fun process of breaking them in begins. Breaking in tall boots is uncomfortable, sometimes painful, and even a bit frustrating. It takes some time. However, there are a few things you can do to help speed the process along.

Wear Heel Lifts

It’s generally recommended to…

Whereas many racehorses are renowned for their incredible winning careers, there’s one racehorse who is known for just the opposite. Zippy Chippy, a 1991 Thoroughbred gelding, lost an incredible 100 races during his racing career, the 100^th race being at the Northampton Fair in Northampton, Massachusetts on September 10,…

If you’re tired of having non-horsey neighbors, an equestrian community can solve that issue. But before you look into moving in, you’ll want to consider the pros and cons of life in an equestrian community. Is an equestrian community right for you?

Safety

One of the major advantages of living in an equestrian community is the safety that it…

Most riders echo the sentiment expressed by this high-level professional dressage trainer, who said, “As a riding teacher, trainer and student of ‘the horse’ I’ve searched high and low to understand how to make the horses job easier for them and applicable for my students. Various training methods suggest ‘putting the horses’ head low’, while other say to bring it up. Some…

Tying up, also known as exertional rhabdomyolysis, or ER, is a syndrome that affects the horse’s major muscle groups and tissues. When a horse is tying up, he can present as being unable to walk or move, since his body cannot control what would be normal muscle contraction and…

What if the some of fear and anxiety you have when riding comes from fear and anxiety suffered by your grandparents?  Many of the riders I work with state that they don’t know why they are fearful, just that they are.  Recent research suggests that some forms of fear and anxiety may result from experiences our ancestors had that cause them to be anxious or suffer from…

Excitement builds In a sleepy corner of N Ireland and i want to tell all - even though attending the event will be impossible for nearly everybody who reads this, but of course you are all welcome and as Irish hospitality is legendary, it could be worth the trip! However for those of you who dont make it, I will furnish my blog with reports and photographs of the event which should make for interesting viewing. Any tips and advice on getting the message out there will be…

     Hi everyone, sorry it’s been so long since my last post. You see, I had some unwanted drama in my life this past month and I’ll share the details with you soon, but first I wanted to share this short video of Chance and I. We were filmed a few weeks ago for the “Story Tellers” segment on the AZ Central website. You can find the finished product here:…

     This past weekend Chance and I had a fantastic time at the 2011 Del Mar National Horse Show CDI!!! After a hard week of training in preparation for the show, we arrived at the show grounds on Wednesday to get Chance settled in and used to his new environment. Then on Thursday we had a great warm-up ride before the start of the show and I was definitely pumped up and ready to ride!…

Herald Scotland reported today that:

 THE Scottish Grand National was marred yesterday by the deaths of two horses after the race, sparking calls for changes to gruelling steeplechase races and the introduction of better animal welfare.

At Ayr yesterday, Regal Heights and…

If you aren’t getting the full experience with your horse that you would like to have because of confidence, please read on!

We work hard to help our horses become “bomb proof” and confident, well now it’s time to De-Spook You™.

My clients, who are Olympic hopefuls, backyard riders and everything in between, have shared with me the thousands of dollars they’ve spent on training gear, clinics, lessons, books, DVD’s, CD’s etc all to help their HORSES…

Dear Julie,

My friends and I have a problem with our saddles rolling over to the side when we get on. My horse in particular has a flat, broad back with wide withers. Any suggestions? I know we are cinching…