Anna Blake's Blog – February 2016 Archive (4)

What's the True Value of Riding?

There’s a meme that travels around Facebook that states, “Most people don’t need a $35,000 horse. They need a $1,000 horse and $34,000 in lessons.” Boy howdy, the horse world is resplendent with stories of novice riders buying advanced…

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Added by Anna Blake on February 26, 2016 at 6:30am — No Comments

Energy Without Emotion.

Some of us originally learned to ride by watching Westerns. Cowboys held both reins in one hand and jerked the horse sharply sideways to turn him, and the bit jerking the mouth open added drama. They were in an angry rush, leaning forward, and kicking really hard with spurs sharp enough to puncture a kidney. Then…

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Added by Anna Blake on February 19, 2016 at 9:30am — No Comments

Valentine’s Day and a Goat Tail. I Mean Tale.

Is it too soon to say the word? Sure, there’s more snow coming. You’d be nuts to pack away the tank heaters and long johns. Still, there’s a change in the light and the calendar agrees. The coldest part of winter is past…

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Added by Anna Blake on February 12, 2016 at 9:00am — No Comments

A Reminder about Horse Memory.

The temps were mild. No one was shedding but the geldings were sunbathing flat and I was able to chip away at some ice-age muck. I even found a fly in the house. For a moment, it felt possible that winter would end.

It was a fib; just the first part of the annual bait-and-switch scam that Mother Nature pulls to make riders even battier than usual. It…

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Added by Anna Blake on February 5, 2016 at 9:30am — No Comments