When you train at something long enough, sooner or later you're bound to hit a wall. The same is true of riding – despite schooling and lessons, at some point you may find yourself unable to advance past a certain skill or aspect of riding. So, what do you do if this happens?

Don't Panic

Remember that every rider, no matter how…

How many times a week do you ride on average? I know only too well how ‘life’ can just get in the way and other things crop up and demand your attention.

In fact, I have seen how even with a scheduled riding lesson, most adults find it difficult to keep that appointment in their calendar due to unforeseen circumstances. It leads to feelings of frustration in all involved parties: the rider, the instructor and the horse.

Lets have a quick…

Are you looking for a new horse? Adopting a horse from a horse rescue can be a great idea, depending on just what you’re looking for in your new horse. Have you considered adopting a rescue horse? Here are a few reasons why you might want to do just that.

Help Horses in Need

When you adopt a horse from a rescue, you’re providing a good home…

Do you have an extra saddle sitting around in your tack room? Chances are there’s a rider out there who could put that saddle to good use while putting a little extra cash in your pocket. Thanks to the internet, selling a saddle online isn’t particularly difficult. These tips will get you started.

Clean and Evaluate Your Saddle

Before you list your…

Does your horse just trot faster and faster when you ask it to canter from a trot? Find out why in this interview excerpt with Dawn Hill Adams, Ph.D. about the biomechanics of the trot to canter gait transition.

As the show season progresses, it’s easy to get caught up in competition and your goals of advancing through the levels. However, it’s back-to-school season, and both you and your horse can benefit from it. Taking a few rides to focus on the basics can make your more advanced riding even better. Here’s why you might want to take your…

Carrying proper weight in your heels is the foundation to a secure seat when riding, but many riders struggle with getting their heels down deeply enough. If you’d like to be able to drop your heels down further while in the saddle, we’ve got some great exercises you can try.

Check for Proper Leg Alignment and Stirrup Length

If you’re riding with an improper…

Appaloosas roamed the Americas during the 19^th century. The Nez Perce Indians knew these horses well, and the horses were central to the Nez Perce Tribe. These Appaloosas were highly athletic, elegant, and prized by the Nez Perce. They carried entire tribes great distances and helped the Nez Perce hunt and survive. However, the horses were taken away by the U.S. Cavalry at the Nez…

Hills on your property can be a great training and conditioning tool, and there are various ways to use hills to your advantage when riding and conditioning your horse. Here are a few tips so that you can put hills to work for you.

Keep Safety First

Hills help to condition your horse and develop his muscles in strength, but they are only…

Heading out on the trails is a great way to enjoy a summer day. But in order to keep the experience enjoyable for everyone, there are some common courtesy rules that you should follow. Is your trail riding etiquette up to par?

Accessing the Trail

As more and more open space is developed, it’s important for horseback riders to stay on good…

Last month we featured a blog post on how to handle a rider who’s been in a serious fall. In some cases, it will be plainly evident that a rider is injured – they’re knocked unconscious or they have broken a bone. In other cases, though, the injuries might not be quite so apparent.

Concussions are serious injuries that are dangerous if they go…

As summer approaches, you’ll want to be heading out on the trails as much as possible, but sun, heat, and bugs can make trail rides unpleasant. Looking to get the most out of your rides? Here are some things that you’ll want to be sure to bring along.

Fly Mask/Ear Bonnet

Nothing is worse than pesky flies on what should be a…

A rearing horse is dangerous and frightening for any rider. If the horse you're riding unexpectedly rears, then knowing how to handle the situation can help to keep you and your horse safe. While we hope you never have to deal with a rear, it’s best to be prepared just in case.

Lean Forward

If you feel your horse start to go upwards,…

As the weather continues to get warmer, you may be itching to get your horse out on the trails again. But if your horse has been out of work over the winter or if it’s been a while since you’ve been on the trails, you might be in for an interesting ride. Brush up on these important skills before hitting the trails to help make the trail ride more enjoyable for both you and your horse.…

by Anna Blake

For the past 3-4 years I've been in and out of the saddle, here and there for a trail ride on vacation or helping a friend out.

There's been a feeling missing from my life I've finally realized. Training, competing and just being around horses is such an amazing feeling and I miss it, a lot.

So on a visit back home to Montreal I stopped in to see my trainer and all…

It's been two years since my Total Knee replacement, and three since his serious hind end injury (best guess is that zigged when he should have zagged, on ice, and went down in the pasture) and we've been slowly making our way toward real riding. He's clearly bored stiff in the ring, but we normally walk the trails and with the hard ground, I'm using Old Mac boots - which he interprets as the right to run. ;).  I still can't post for lengthy periods and his sitting trot is impossible…

The Australian sport of campdrafting came to Kiowa, Colorado last August as the newly formed US National Campdraft Association held its first every Clinic and Competition.  Campdrafting is an exciting sport that involves speed, cows (beasts the Aussies call them), and, of course, good horses.  If you haven't heard or seen a campdraft, you really need to check it out.  I'm sure you will enjoy it.

I covered the event for The Australian Stock Horse…