Muffy Seaton from Williston, S.C., is a well-known driver, trainer and breeder of driving ponies. She has been an active combined driving event and pleasure driving competitor, judge and clinician for the past 28 years. In addition, Muffy has...
Trainer and judge Julie Winkel believes that a more perfect position makes a more effective rider. In line with that philosophy, she explains the four different seats she teaches her riders in order to be effective.
The first is the...
Ah,that elusive perfection! Hunter and jumper riders spend years perfecting their position in the saddle, acknowledging the links between form and function and between a visually appealing picture and an effective ride. But what is the less than perfect...
Don't expect instant results, and never force your muscles and joints. Work on the rusty-hinge principle: When a rusty hinge makes a door stiff, you oil the hinge, and then rock the door to and fro to loosen it,...
If you are new to showing or have been away from the show pen for a while, there are some steps you can take to boost your confidence in order to help your horse perform his best.
Begin by selecting...
You've memorized your test and studied your rulebook, but there are some niceties that you should know about so that you aren't inadvertently offending your judge before you've even started your test. Veteran dressage judge Cindy Sydnor offers a...
Dressage is a sport of precision. Details matter, and in the show-ring, you do need to sweat the small stuff. No matter what the competition looks like, you can focus on presenting your horse at his best and riding...
If you spend a lot of time riding your favorite horse in an arena, you should go on a trail ride every once in a while. Horses get bored and rank going round and round in circles, and they...
Reader's Question: My mare is scared to death of dogs. She sees one in the window of a house and gets all antsy. If someone's walking a dog near us, or we have to pass a house with dogs,...
In 2011, United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) then-President David O'Connor announced that the Federation would support and develop a national team for the sport of saddle seat equitation. Although not a widely known sport around the globe, there are...
