The following is adapted from Finding Your Superhorse: 8 Keys to Developing the Horse That’s Just Right for You by Lynn Palm with Rebecca M. Didier and Marie-Frances Davis (2023), with permission from Trafalgar Square Books.
One of the truths...
Some of the safest horses you can ride are also the least responsive to the aids. These quiet types are often the go-to for use as school horses or privately purchased mounts for beginner riders. So how do you...
You don’t have to ride your horse to give him a good workout. Groundwork is an effective alternative that’s loaded with a wide range of benefits: You can boost your horse’s strength, endurance, balance, posture, and more. The following...
Does time spent with your horse feel more distracted and scattered, rather than present and meaningful? If so, you’re not alone. This is just part of being human and having a mind! And sometimes that mind simply becomes the...
Learn how you and your horse can get the most out of your clinic time with these tips from trainer and clinician Mike Brashear.At the start of Mike Brashear’s clinic in Nunn, Colo., he invited—or nearly commanded—students to ask...
For most of us, “trauma-informed horsemanship” likely brings to mind the plethora of equine-assisted therapy and learning programs in which horses help humans heal. But these days, we are witnessing a rise in approaches that apply the term to...
Welcome to Barn Banter, the official podcast of Horse Illustrated. In Barn Banter episode 27, hosts Susan Friedland and Horse Illustrated Editor In Chief Holly Caccamise chat with respected horse trainer Monty Roberts, known for his natural horsemanship methods. To...
Chris Irwin really gets horses.Watch him at work—communicating with a horse—and you can see why Ireland’s Equestrian magazine boldly stated, “Chris Irwin is more horse than human.” As a world-renowned horseman, professional trainer, riding coach, and author of the...
Working over ground poles has more uses in training horses than just being the predecessor to jumping. They can mix up your dressage horse’s routine, strengthen your trail horse’s hocks, and work as an easy check-in to see how...
Being an equestrian and a horse owner is a time-consuming and expensive lifestyle. Because of this, it can be easy to lose sight of the fact that riding, horse ownership, and your time at the barn is only one...
