With each vaulting lesson I take, my fears subside and my confidence grows. I've graduated from a stout Haflinger named Cheyenne to a much taller (probably 15.1 or so) Quarter Horse named Leo. The intense workout program I've been...
Each year endurance riders from around the U.S. and Canada gather to compete for the American Endurance Ride Conference’s top honors in the National Championship rides.
This year, tiny Greenville, California (population 1,150) will be the launching point for the...
Dressage riders are constantly pursuing perfection in their sport, most of them well aware that they will never achieve it. Last weekend at the 2009 FEI European Championships, one Dutch horse and rider team came closer than anyone ever has...
It may be tempting to run out and buy a horse the minute you find one, but rein yourself in and put the checkbook away for now. It’s a good idea to start your riding career at a reputable...
For my second vaulting lesson, I left the stationary barrel behind and moved on to the real deal--an adorable, plump little Haflinger.After jogging up and down the barn aisle several times to warm up, I donned my old ballet...
I've decided to embark on a new journey in my equestrian life: taking vaulting lessons. If you're not quite sure what vaulting is, it's basically performing gymnastic maneuvers on the back of a cantering horse (eek!). I'm hoping that...
North American endurance riders are taking on the United States' most competitive endurance race this weekend. The Western States Trail Ride, more commonly known as the Tevis Cup, is a 100-mile race in California that has been run since...
Perhaps you’ve heard it before. You think that you and your horse have done well, but you leave the show ring ribbonless. When you finally get up the courage to ask why, the judge states, "Your horse really isn’t...
Turns on the Forehand
A turn on the forehand, where the horse’s front end stays still while you move his rear end around it, is the perfect way to practice separating the hind end from the front end and being...
The bit is one of the most important and sophisticated pieces of equipment a horse owner will choose, but it is often selected with the least thought. “It was suggested by my friend. It’s what all the horses in my...
