Groundwork exercises that check communication between horse and human are a crucial part of my evaluation of a new horse or new horse and rider pairing. If broken down to its most simple form, riding is comprised of asking...
Welcome to Barn Banter, the official podcast of Horse Illustrated. In Barn Banter episode 11, hosts Susan Friedland and Raquel Lynn chat with Allie Baier, a physical therapist for equestrians, and Lindsay Hunter, an equestrian interior designer. Finally, they take a...
After moving from Kentucky to coastal Southern California, my horse Artie had a rude shock to the system: He went from 24/7 pasture board to full-time life in a 12x24-foot pipe corral. Although the weather is always nice and...
On the night of October 19, 2001, a MH-47G Chinook made the treacherous flight from Uzbekistan over the Hindu Kush mountains. Howling winds and weather ranging from sandstorms to snow battered the heavy helicopter before it landed in the...
In 2020, the topic of racial equity came roaring into the headlines in the wake of George Floyd’s death. Many of us wondered what we could do to help bring healing to our country. As equestrians, we can see...
The tried-and-true school horses spoil us. Have the bomb-proof, solid-citizen horses inadvertently taught us that it’s OK to skip some safety steps? If you’ve only been around well-trained horses, it’s easy to forget what can happen.You know what your...
Horses are intelligent, especially when it comes to their own comfort. On a hot summer afternoon, you’ll usually find horses seeking out any shade they can find, standing in the shadow of the stable, hay barn, or possibly even...
If you live in an area where sunlight is plentiful and horses spend hours outside, you’ve most likely seen white faces turn pink as warmer weather takes hold. Like humans, horses are susceptible to sunburn, which occurs when skin...
From "An Introduction to Free Jumping" in the October 2023 issue of Horse Illustrated, see below for full instructions on setting jump chutes, including diagrams.
I’m a fan of the saying, “Your horse is doing his best with the information you provided.” It directs us to look at the signals we’re sending through our riding aids and to see whether we are being clear.Often...
