When I first heard this song by Marie-Lynn Hammond, I found there was so much I could relate to that I contacted her to let her know how much I enjoyed the song. I have had my very own chestnut mare for 13 years now – and enjoyed every minute of…

Originally posted at: http://wp.me/pVRxl-lL

Hard, unforgiving ground,

chilly winds and cloudy sky.

Slap on your winter woolies,

throw on the saddle pad,

tighten the girth

and head off into the beautiful trails with leafless trees and…

Originally posted at: http://frwdnrnd.wordpress.com/2011/12/19/what-does-your-horse-want-for-christmas/

What would your horse like for Christmas?

This one is a no-brainer and it’s so mmm-mmm-mmm-good! (Even you might want to take a bite!)

You wouldn’t have to listen very hard to…

Once you decide to ride horses, you put into place a domino effect of consequences, which will occur whether you are conscious of them or not. It is like a rule of nature – the results are the results regardless of your intentions, desires and motivations.

And so you proceed to put your weight on horse’s back, asking him to move in tandem with your (sometimes uncoordinated) instructions, changing the weight distribution on his back and legs and (quite) possibly…

You need:

- one soft, almost soothing “fits-like-a-glove” saddle

- one enthusiastic, steady, energetic, perky-eared red-head mare swishing rhythmically through a sweet-smelling smorgasbord of dried, crispy leaves

- one clear and wide path lined with tall trees, glowing brilliantly with hues of yellow, red, orange and…

Malcolm Gladwell put forth a theory in 2008, in his book, Outliers: The Story of Success that sounds to be entirely relevant to us horse riders. In it, he proposes that it takes 10,000 hours of practice in any task to become exceptionally good at something.  That breaks down to approximately 3 hours per day over a course of ten years. He goes on to explain that it’s not just about having talent – less talented people can progress beyond their more talented counterparts…

Learning a new skill in riding can be pretty daunting. Not only do you need to coordinate your entire body (including the ever-pervasive ‘core’ of your body), but you also need to stay in balance while moving, in time, in partnership with the (much larger) horse that happens to be using his own feet while yours are dangling in mid-air! You get my drift….

So at best, it’s not easy. When other people tell you that riding is all about the horse and not about the…

Then don’t go to the show. Seriously.

DON’T go if:

- you aren’t getting excellent rides at home, mentally and physically, both you and your horse.

- you haven’t taken your horse off-property in many months (go somewhere lower-key first).

- you haven’t done your “homework”: both you and your horse are fit, and riding AT LEAST one level (regardless of discipline of riding) higher than what you will be doing at the show.

- you are struggling…

Originally posted at: http://frwdnrnd.wordpress.com/2011/08/30/the-99-lucky-rule/

The 99% Lucky rule is very simple – when you’re around horses, and particularly in dangerous situations, you are lucky 99% of the time. That is a good rule – unless it happens to be the 1% of the time that you might be ‘un’-lucky! Then, it’s no fun at all. Let me explain…

When you are around horses, safety must come…

You’ve seen it before (maybe you’ve been there yourself?) – the horse/human tug-of-war scenario:

The person is trying desperately to keep the horse in a particular position

or

the person is leading the horse somewhere

and all the while,

the horse is moving, imposing, and once in a while, running over the doting human being!

*        *         *         *          *

Once you know how to listen to your horse, a whole…

… and you get 25 different answers!

This phenomenon is a well-known fact in the horse industry. Over the years, I’ve been approached time and again by people new to the horse world,  in a mixed-up state of frustration and confusion. Who do they listen to? How can EVERYONE have a different way of doing something? Isn’t there a ‘standard’ method in the industry?

New horse owners go to look for a boarding barn and discover that every barn has a different feed…

That should not even be a question!

I’ve met many people who are fascinated by horses enough to want to ‘get’ their own horse. Often, acquaintances or people I’ve met will ask me my opinion about buying a horse – where do they start?

I run through all the typical questions with them: Why do you want a horse? Are you aware of all the aspects of horse ownership? Have you budgeted for all the upkeep costs (and we go through the breakdown – the…

I can hear you now – you’re groaning… the path?? How can “the path” be fulfilling?

You might ask: Doesn’t “the path” translate to tedious repetitions, lack of acknowledgement or recognition, stumbling blocks, frustrations, steps backward more than forward, and all the other associated negativities that occur when something is practiced day-to-day, week-to-week?

What about the glory of the goal, the clear, final call of reaching the destination, the accolades…

Some time ago, the term “horse whisperer” came into being,  not necessarily by the horse enthusiasts themselves, but largely by the people outside of the industry. The term claimed its fame thanks to Robert Redford who starred in the movie with the same title, while he posed as a rancher who developed a spine-tingling connection to an otherwise unmanageable horse. The romantic notion of being able to communicate with horses was propelled into the mainstream media and readily…

(Author Unknown)



It's the night before Christmas and I'm out in the barn

Blanketing my horses to keep them all warm.

They're eating their dinners, tucked cozy in stalls,

Not aware that it's Christmas, or any day special at all

They dream of spring pastures from their pine-scented beds.

No visions of sugarplums dance in their heads

.But we people are thinking of merry parties and such

Quickly doing our tasks so we don't miss too much.

This…