Here are some basic philosophies to keep in mind when jumping:Build confidence from the start. Never test a young horse's courage over fences; give him a chance to learn how to be brave in...
For many riders the days of learning to post the trot are relics of the past. The hours spent listening to our instructors shouting "up down, up down" (as if that made it any easier) are over. Our time...
Don’t forget your safety sense when longeing. The following guidelines will help keep you safe. Equipment:
A cotton longeline, rather than synthetic, will stop rope burns.
A broken...
Horse show season is in full swing, and it's time for me to plan the rest of the competition year. But being entrenched in our family's horse breeding business, I'm forced to gaze only wistfully this year at premiums...
If you find yourself longing to compete at national shows, here are four tips that the A-circuit riders and trainers we spoke to agreed upon as prerequisites for venturing into the major leagues:Have a...
You ride into the arena and look around you, taking in all the beautiful western pleasure horses groomed and saddled to perfection. Suddenly, you see yourself in the reflection of the arena windows. You are sitting on your beautiful...
Jenny knew she was pretty lucky to be able to school her young chestnut gelding during the winter months in a warm covered arena. "Good thing, too," she muttered to Finnegan as she swung into her well-broken-in close-contact saddle....
Stiffness in the saddle is one of the biggest hidden handicaps to good riding — not the obvious stiffness that shows itself through muscular pains in the neck, arms or legs, but rather an underlying tension that...
